Left Behind - Non-Marines (Part III)

Posted on Sun Oct 31, 2021 @ 2:03am by Lieutenant Alanna Wells & Lieutenant Jason Haines

1,304 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Si vis pacem, para bellum
Location: Pangaea
Timeline: MD 04 1000

[Part III]

[PREVIOUSLY]

"What do you say Lieutenant", Jason said. "I think we have a new recruit who could help us."

"Definitely." Alanna smiled at Trace. "We can use all the help we can get. Also, I have some friends in the Romulan Quarter. I'll ask them to keep an eye out for your family. Who knows, maybe they'll be some of the ones who come to live here for a while."

[CONTINUED]

"Alright", Jason said looking at Trace. "If you are going to do this, you need to do what we say, when we say ok?"

Trace nodded.

Jason reached down to his boot and picked the rank pin transponder he had tucked away and pinned it to Trace's collar.

"Ok, I am making you an acting-Ensign", Jason said. "Captain Soran is probably going to demote you back to civilian when she finds out, but for now, don't worry about it."

Trace smiled, "Yes, sir."

"Well then", Jason said. "We are going to move into the caves further. Lieutenant Wells is the brains of the team, so we'll go in first to make sure nothing eats her, ok?"

Trace nodded and Jason led the way into the next cave.

"I would rather not be eaten," Alanna replied seriously to Trace. She was enjoying listening to the other two talk. While she followed them, she took readings to evaluate later. So far, the place looked ideal, but there could still be problems.

They found three decent-sized caverns beyond the first one and then a smaller passage leading to an underground pool. The water had a high mineral content, but it was palatable. There were still some passages that needed to be explored, but what she saw looked good.

"These look like we could fit about thirty maybe forty comfortably", Jason said knowing it was still going to be close quarters. "What do you think?"

She nodded. "Yes. It'll be rough, but there's food and water nearby, and shelter. It'll be a good place for those who need to keep out of sight." There was no indication of animals living here, which she hoped was a good sign.

Alanna turned to Trace. "What do you think?"

"I like it", Trace replied a little nervously. "How many people are going to be here? I kind of get nervous around a lot of people."

"I think we can safely put thirty people here," she said. "They'll want a little privacy. Maybe your family can come here when we find them?"

Trace nodded and then just kept quiet.

"Ok", Jason said. "Let's get started. We'll need to replicate some lighting, locate the food sources, test the water and then check the area to see what kind of wildlife might be in the area."

"I'll replicate the lighting. I can also get a small scanner to hide in the trees. It'll give us some long-term data," Alanna said. "Do you want us to all go together or split up? If we split up, I can check the water in the cave and you two can look at the wildlife. Or we can all go together."

"Leave it to us", Jason said. "After all, who will rescue us when we get in trouble? Right Trace?"

Trace nodded with a very faint smile having relaxed just a bit.

She grinned at the two of them. "I guess it would be my turn. You've rescued me often enough." Honestly, she wasn't counting and had no idea, but she could play along. "You two brave men can face the unknown outside. I'll be the water gatherer. A nice, boring job."

Jason smiled at Alanna and gave her a wink.

"Alright Ensign Trace", Jason said to the young boy. "We have our orders. Let's do a good job for Lieutenant Wells, ok?"

"Aye, aye", Trace replied with a bit more confidence.

Jason looked to Alanna and said, "Give us two hours, if we aren't back by then, come see what trouble we've gotten into."

"You can count on it." Her tone was semi-serious, even though she knew there was a chance they could get into real trouble. "I will come with bells on so you don't shoot me by accident." She would keep a mental ear focused on Jason, in the hope that it would help.

Jason wanted to say something wise, but with Trace around he decided against it. He bowed slightly to her and said, "Come on Trace. Let's go see what we can find for food in the area."

Trace nodded with a slight smile, waved to Alanna, and then followed Jason out the cave.

She watched them go, chuckling. Then she turned and headed deeper into the cave to check the mineral content of the water. She had her tricorder in one hand, lighting the way, and a phaser in the other--just in case. She was careful to make a little noise to scare off any animals that might be farther in.

It was about an hour and a half later when Alanna heard a whistling coming from outside getting closer. After a few moments she heard some laughing from outside and Jason's voice, "You almost got it. It takes some people longer than that."

Alanna had used her phaser to remove some of the larger rocks that would make it more difficult to set up camp. She left all the ones by the opening to keep the Cardassians from noticing the entrance and even managed to move a few to further obscure it. When she heard the whistling, she went outside. "Looks like you had a successful hunt," she said. For her part, the water she found was free of parasites or contaminants. The mineral content was a bit high, but only so it would affect the taste of the water. Fortunately, it didn't trickle down through the roof of the cave. There were not stalactites or stalagmites. The water came from an underground stream that fell ten feet into a pool of water and then disappeared into the rock. It would be a good place for survivors--as long as there was plenty of game nearby.

Jason tossed her a small round fruit. It was a light blue and looked somewhat like an apple.

"They are sort of tart, but good", Jason said. "Their nutrient content is pretty high. There is a large grove about a mile from here. There weren't any animals nearby when we were there, so I don't know what else might eat them, but there is enough to feed a fair amount of people for, maybe two weeks."

"I'm just glad you're not named Adam," she teased, taking a bite. It was a blend of tart and sweet and she liked it. "Very good. Maybe we can grow some of these trees elsewhere on the planet, if there aren't more groves." She would keep the seeds and see if she could get them to sprout. "The water in the back of the cave has a high mineral content, but it's palatable and free from contaminants. Looks like this would be a good site for a small group--at least for a while."

"What do you think?", Jason replied. "Fifteen, twenty people?"

"Twenty if it's families, less if it's just adults," she replied. "We'll need to find several other suitable sites, but this one looks good."

"Ok, which way do you want to head?", Jason asked. "Or should we head back and check in?"

She checked the time. "I think we can check one more place, then head back. There's one closer to the portal complex but far enough from the fighting to be a possibility."

"That works for me", Jason said.


(To be continued...)

Lieutenant Alanna Wells
Chief Science Officer & Rabble Rouser
DS5 & Pangaea

Jason Haines
Civilian Beach Bum
Pangaea

Trace
Child
Pangaea
NPC Jason Haines

 

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