Away Team - The Landing

Posted on Tue May 14th, 2013 @ 10:47pm by Captain Benjamin Byrne & Lieutenant Horatio Hawke & Lieutenant Rose Cooper & Lieutenant JG Nessa Jenarian

Mission: Klingons on the Starboard Bow
Location: Firaxa Gamma System

Benjamin sat at the operations console in the shuttle as Lieutenant Hawke piloted the away team in, watching the sensor readings for signs that they had been detected. They had flown out in the Vancouver; the ship's Delta Flyer-class runabout, as it's more curved shape and the inherent Borg technology used during its initial design process made it the most practical choice for modification for a covert approach, though they had been forced to come in at lower-than-usual speeds and from the opposite side of the planet to the facility in order to increase their chances of remaining undetected.

"The facility seems to be the only structure on the planet," the captain said, analysing the sensor data with a trained eye. "The atmosphere is thick enough that we should be able to remain undetected if we keep our altitude low, but we will need to land some distance from the compound and proceed on foot from there."

Hawke ran a quick topographical scan with his secondary panel, using the runabout's sensor array to search for a suitable landing site. He flicked past the first two that the computer suggested, instantly dismissing them as potentially problematic if they had to make a quick escape. The third looked promising and he enlarged it on his console. "Captain," he said. "What about here?" he asked, pointing to the display.

Benjamin nodded. The area was in a small clearing in the wooded area south of the main complex, and should provide them adequate cover to hide the ship whilst still allowing them to make their way quickly to the compound. "Yes, that looks good," he said, leaning forward to look over the pilot's shoulder. "If you take us in around those ridges we should be able to stay out of a line-of-sight to the facility."

"Aye, sir," Hawke replied, plotting an entry vector that would allow them to skirt the ridges and come in low over the trees. "We should be on the ground in about seven minutes."

Rose was checking the contents of her medkit one final time and re-arranged some of its contents to suit her ways better. With no way to really tell what they were going to find, she wanted to be prepared for anything. Occasionally she glanced out of one of the windows, down at the planet. A hint of excitement showed on her face. While she was perfectly happy in sickbay, she loved the challenges of working in different environments.

Nessa spent a good few minutes making sure her phaser was in good working condition. Strangely, perhaps, for a science officer to do, but her thoughts would stray back to the one time she had needed the use of a weapon and regretted not having the training for it. After the fourth check, she finally decided to have a look at her tricorder, going through a quick diagnostic sequence to make sure that was operational as well before putting it away, her eyes darting to the holster that held her weapon once more.

"OK everyone," Ben said, turning to talk to the away team whilst Hawke brought them in for a landing. "Our objectives are simple; we need to find out what is going on within that facility, and to try to keep ourselves covert as much as possible. Hopefully we can get in there, get the intel we need, and get out, but be prepared for a fight; we have no idea what kind of security the building has." As the shuttle touched down in the clearing, he stood and grabbed a tricorder, hand phaser and a phaser rifle, the latter of which he held on to whilst the others went into their pouches on his uniform. "Let's get moving," he said, moving towards the back of the shuttle and opening the exterior hatch, scanning the area around the shuttle to make sure it was safe to exit.

Biggs was the next out of the shuttle, though he would have preferred to have gone before the captain, and he had his rifle raised as he scanned their surroundings, before beckoning the rest of the away team down.

Rose picked up her medkit and had a simple hand phaser in her other hand. Her excitement started to show a bit more. Here she was, a Doctor, but sneaking around with a weapon in hand. She had to admit she liked it. She nodded at Biggs and smiled. Things would be okay.