[Planet Hadallion, Bifra Team]
Nitka sat up hearing her commbadge chirp. The others we doing the same. She groaned and plopped her head back down on her rock pilot "ow!" she said as her head bounced off the hard thing- sitting up again she rubbed the knot that was now forming "I thought they weren't going to have any contact with us once we started?"
"They're not supposed to." Bifra said "maybe someone on one of the other teams got hurt?" He pressed his commbadge and listened.
"Cadets this is Captain Zar- the Talladega has gone to investigate a distress signal but it seems that was just a ruse. Currently our orbital satellite is being jammed by an unknown party. All teams are to consider-" she paused and they could hear Barstowe's crotchety voice in the background "oh crap, they're Nausicaans!" The sound of shouting and weapons fire could be heard before the short transmission was reduced to static.
"Is this a joke?" Nitka grumbled and rubbed her eyes "I bet this is just another one of Zar's stupid tests." She picked up her rock pillow and tossed it into a large boulder across from them.
Bifra looked genuinely nervous "Sokan, what do you think?"
"What Miss Korialis suggests is possible- however, test or not we should consider this situation real and react accordingly. In the event of an armed engagement it would be best to find secure cover that can be easily defended." The Vulcan twisted suddenly and looked up into the night sky "a craft is approaching" he said as one of his ears twitched.
"Not good." Bifra jumped up "put out the lamps!" He grabbed the one nearest to him and turned it off. Nitka did the same and Mullen got the last one. Now bathed in pure darkness a light blue glow illuminated Sokan's face "it appears to be a small shuttle- not Federation. It is currently three kilometers away. I believe I can create false life sign reading with this tricorder. Enough to distract them until we can make distance from the camp."
Bifra nodded "Do it- everyone gather your stuff. We need to move now!"
Nitka jumped up and immediately started to stuff her backpack "but even if they are distracted by this won't they be able to find us?" She asked, now feeling a bit nervous about the situation.
"I believe I can use one of the other tricorders to shield our life signs from outside scans within a ten meter radius." Sokan finished and set the tricorder into a crevice within the rock formation "this will distract them." Mullen handed Sokan his own tricorder. The Vulcan set to work again as Bifra stuffed Sokan's pack. "Complete." Sokan finally said. In the distance they could hear the hum and rumble of a shuttle craft or small vessel. They grabbed their stuff and set off into the darkness at a very fast pace.
Behind them they could see lights but they dared not stop. Sokan's hand was firmly wrapped around a tricorder as he studied the readings "there appears to be a cave system approximately sixty two point one kilometers to the south. It is composed of kelbonite- once inside it is unlikely they will be able to locate us."
"We'll head there then."
It was a long walk and they weren't slowing down. Nitka's legs hurt more than she ever remembered them hurting before. She wanted to stop and rest but that was impossible. If this was all some stupid part of the test she was going to be pissed. It took them till the break of dawn to reach the cave system. Sixty kilometers in almost seven hours- all of them were sore and tired. The caves themselves were dark dry places with seemingly endless veins of tunnels that curved deeper into the darkness. They found a small room amongst the tunnels that Sokan had determined deep enough to shield them from all but the most invasive scans-it was an ability the Nausicaans likely did not have. "So what do Nausicaans want with us?" Mullen finally broke the silence, panting between each word as he spoke "we're just cadets!"
"Slaves." Nitka said absently before chugging from her canteen of water. When she finished she wiped the moisture from her lips with a dirty hand "what else could they want us for? We'd make a big prize on the Orion circuit- strong, healthy, Starfleet cadets. They're probably put you all to hard labor" she looked at Sokan "especially you. As for me- I'll probably end up some whore in a dirty brothel used until I resembled a stuffed pig and then tossed into a refuse somewhere." She opened her ration pack and bit into a wafer "I read about this stuff- it's not uncommon as you think."
"Shut up!" Mullen said and shook "what if they get to us? What if they killed Captain Zar, Doctor Barstowe, and Surgeon Lukewan? What are we going to do…I don't want to be killed here or end up a slave!"
"No one is going to die and no one is going to be made into a slave! Now calm down Dave." Bifra's icy blue eyes locked onto Nitka "Nitka." He frowned "keep quiet, don't you see we're all upset? We just need to wait. The Talladega will return and they will look for us- I am sure." He looked at Sokan "what do you think?"
"Although blunt, Korialis's assessment of the situation is likely correct. We possess nothing of value. The most logical course of action now is to wait. The Talladega will return and when they do the Nausicaans will not remain here."
"Wait and see." Bifra sighed and leaned back. "I guess we don't have a choice. Why don't we all get some rest for the moment? We're all exhausted. Once we have energy our first order of business should be trying to map these caves as best we can. If the Nausicaans come here we'll need to know everything about this place to take advantage of it." The idea was good and everyone cautiously laid their heads down.
[To be continued]
Ensign Nitka Zar
Assistant Engineering Officer
USS Charon
