"They Did Say There Would Be Days Like This"
[Continued from "Ground Work"]
**********
Stardate: 61038.1145
Aki had done her best to keep the mountain they were heading for in
view, but the thickening forest had made the job more and more
difficult. The Assistant CMO/CSciO had used this to keep her mind
from overanalysing all that had happened since the start of their
mission. The oriental woman could remember many of her Academy
instructors saying that once out there in the fleet there would be a
day when the desire to forget about Starfleet and return home would
almost be overwhelming, but Aki had never expected that day to come so
soon.
Lost on a world with none of the equipment that she had spent so much
time learning to use working Mitshiba tried not to think about the
four officers who had gone missing. Another thought that Aki tried
her best to suppress had been her growing belief that the CO and those
who currently followed her would likely find a way to share in
whatever fate had befallen the first four officers.
"There is something ahead of us," Uxtar said in a warning tone as he
sped forward with ET in tow to investigate. Responding as she should
the captain ordered everyone to stop while they waited for their
return and report. In the meantime Aki tried not to let her worries
take hold of her while she wondered what kind of strange creature
might be out there.
Had the sensors of the ANUBIS been working, a simple scan of the area
would have offered a detailed view of the area as well as a deeper
understanding as to the types of beasts which might be encountered
during a trek. Aki would have been more than happy to only get the
most basic of information as supplied by a tricorder had the small
handheld device been working. Instead the Assistant CSciO/CMO had
been forced to rely on her senses to gage the environment around them
and guess as to the possible threats that were there in waiting.
"We found a pool of fresh water," the COO said as he returned with the
Sec/Tac close on his heels, Uxtar having apparently not let Elliot out
of his sight even during their investigation of the sound they had
heard.
"The area seems safe and does offer a good resting place should we
require it," Uxtar added as a half suggestion. Not everyone on the
crew had the endurance and stamina of the Hirogen and based on his own
levels of fatigue the Sec/Tac had figured that a few moments of rest
would be beneficial to all.
"Alright, let's go," the captain said as she motioned for the rest of
the group to head in the direction of the COO and Sec/Tac.
"I think you are going to like this place," ET whispered to Aki as she
passed next to him, the grin on the COO's face making the Assistant
CMO/CSciO almost believe that everything had returned to normal.
When the group reached the pool of water that had been previously
mentioned, Aki's jaws nearly hit the ground, the sheer beauty of the
small lake having been absolutely breathtaking. Despite the thick
canopy overhead the still water sparkled with whatever little sunlight
had reached it, the trees and plants which surrounded the entire
perimeter of the pool seemed to radiate from a natural glow of their
own only adding to the astounding sight.
Aki, like everyone else who had arrived to see this for the first
time, stopped dead in their tracks and took several seconds to take in
the mesmerizing view.
"It's kind of nice," the FCO said, his Vulcan half not completely
immune to the natural charms of the area they had stumbled upon.
"Nice? I would hate to see what it would take for you to find
something *beautiful*," Uxtar snickered.
While the Sec/Tac and FCO were carrying on, Aki cautiously approached
the sparkling water half expecting it all to be nothing more than an
elaborate illusion since the ensign could not bring herself to believe
that such a beautiful place could exists in nature.
"Something wrong?" the captain asked having realised that the
Assistant CSciO's interest in the area they had found appeared to be
much more then simple admiration.
"Wrong may be too strong of a word Captain," Aki replied. "I simply
wish that we could have a working tricorder so that I could look into
better understanding this place. On a world where all of the
creatures we have so far encountered are unusual, this place fits
right in and could hold answers to many of our questions."
The CO nodded in an understanding way but as much as she might have
wanted to pierce through the secrets of this world Sabrina's sole
concerns had been for the time being the safety of her missing
officers. "Try your best to figure it all out; we'll be leaving in
fifteen."
"Fifteen minutes is more than enough," ET said with a playful grin as
he came to stand next to Aki.
"Behave," Aki said sternly, "you're in enough trouble as it is."
********** 2006 post #286
Setting: CABRY III, Forest near the city of Xian-Fer
Dawn Bohr {serra.moon.angel@gmail.com}
Ensign Akira 'Aki' Mitshiba
Assistant Chief Science Officer / Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS ANUBIS
