= Unknown Location - Aeran III =
Rangi turned away from Rick and Rachel, leaving them
together.As each escape pod came to land, everyone looked
expectantly as the occupants emerged. Sometimes, as in Rick
and Rachels case, it had a happy outcome. As of yet, there
was no sign of Maikai nor word from anyone who had seen her,
they could only hope for the best.
Retracing her steps, Rangi made her way past small groups of
survivors, thinking that the numbers were so small compared
to the crew compliment. There would ofcourse be other
landing zones, so the final number might yet be quite high,
time would tell.
Laura and Mimi were talking together but T'Vel had moved a
short way off from them and sat against a rock with her eyes
closed.
Rangi looked at her thoughtfully as she approached wondering
if T'Vel was meditating, for she seemed completely unaware
of the descending pods or the noise around her, yet now and
then a small frown creased her face. It was somehow odd, so
Rangi walked across to the sitting figure, knelt down beside
her and asked quietly:
"Are you alright?"
"I am unharmed, Commander," T'Vel replied in a calm tone,
but the
slightest hint of a sigh at the end belied the tone of
voice.
"Are you sure?" Rangi persisted. "...because you don't
'look' alright."
This statement brought a mildly surprised glance from T'Vel
who raised in eyebrow at the comment,
but Rangis expression showed genuine concern.
"I have two children, on the Starbase," T'Vel volunteered
after a
moment. Rangis lips parted in surprise. It was the
last thing she had expected to hear.
"The Starbase?" she queried.
"Yes, Starbase 234," she nodded.
"I had no idea that you have children." Rangi said still
sounding taken aback.
"They live with my mate, Sokas," the Vulcan said. She
turned her head
to look towards the group of Starfleet officers who were
beginning to
assemble a makeshift communal centre with supplies from the
pods. "I
believe they are
still alive... but I do not sense Sokas' presence anymore.
He may not
have survived."
Rangi sat down on the dry grass near to T'Vel. "I'm so
sorry..." she replied sincerely. "...but...you might be
mistaken..mightn't you?" she added.
"It is possible," she replied after a moment. "We have been
mated for
a long time, and I have always sensed his presence when we
are in the
same vicinity."
" I see." Rangi replied, momentarily biting her lower lip.
She looked at T'Vel thoughtfully, though the Vulcan kept her
gaze on the groups activity. It was a fact that Vulcans
could often sense the presence of their mates, even at great
distances, so the chances of T'Vel being wrong were quite
small.
"It could be that he's taken the children to safety
somewhere. " she suggested
"That is also possible," T'Vel replied with a slight nod.
"There are
infinite possibilities. For now there is nothing I can do. I
will
concentrate my efforts on tending to the survivors until
help
arrives."
"Yes, that will be the best thing." Rangi agreed. She
reached out to touch T'Vels arm in a gesture of
encouragement, acutely aware that although she didnt know
what had happened to Shane, Martin at least was safe and
well. "Come on.." she said "...let's get things
organised...there will be people who need us."
They got to their feet, each looking around at the growing
crowd when their attention rivetted on a voice calling out:
" Stay where you are."
Four security men stood with phasers raised pointing at a
group approaching across the clearing. The leader of the men
raised his hands to show he carried no weapon.
" It's alright..." he called back. "...My name is John
Fairweather...we're from the settlement."
"How far away is the settlement?" they heard Commander
Rodgers ask the
man.
"About 250 miles to the south," Fairweather responded as he
came
closer. "We are on an expedition. Our camp is about 10 miles
from
here." He pointed to foothills not far away at the bottom of
a tall
mountain, the highest peak of which was covered in snow.
"We saw you come down.." he added lowering his hands. " Can
we help you? We can call for assistance."
At Ricks instruction the phasers were lowered and
Fairweathers group moved forward.
Rick was explaining that the actual number of survivors was
still unknown as Rangi and T'Vel drew near.
"Pleased to meet you.." Rangi said when Rick made the
introduction. " ...and this is my AMO, Doctor T'Vel."
Fairweather shook hands with both.
"There are other pods.." he told them " We counted fourteen
coming down near the Cobalt sea....over there." All heads
turned to look in the direction he pointed in, although
nothing could be seen apart from rolling foothills."It's
about...ohhhh...eighty miles?"
" But there was a ship too.." one of the group added. " We
saw it burning up..it landed to the north, though where I
couldnt begin to guess."
Rangi felt her stomach sink. " A ship?" she asked "...do you
know what type?..was it one of ours?"
"I'm sorry Commander...I have no idea." he answered with a
shrug "..we saw a large ship coming down, thats all I can
tell you."
Rangi gave a polite smile and a small nod. Ofcourse he
wouldnt know, she told herself...and there was nothing to
say it was the Qashqai because it could be any ship, even a
Romulan one.
= End Log =
Commander Rangi Summers
Medical Advisor
1st Task Force, SSF
-
1st Lieutenant T'Vel
Assistant Medical Officer
USS Chimera NX 96899-B (Destroyed)
[NPC by Bren]