Survey Site Selection

Posted on Mon Mar 15th, 2021 @ 10:18pm by Commander Ryan Blake & Doctor Samantha Blake, Ph.D (Geology) & Lieutenant Steve O'Carroll
Edited on on Thu Mar 25th, 2021 @ 2:00am

Mission: The Thorion Conundrum Mission Brief
Location: Shuttlecraft
Timeline: TBD

Ryan sat in the co-pilot's seat of the Type XI shuttlecraft descending to the surface of Thorion Three. He was scanning for a suitable landing site near one of the rich veins of Pergium in a mountainous area on the northern continent. He glanced over to the pilot's seat. "Terrain in the area is pretty rough."

"I have scanned a field that we can land in that is about 3 miles away from any established sites. We will gave a bit of a hike, but I don't wan't to come off like a claim jumper. What do you think Mr Blake?" Steve asked.

Ryan gave a nod of his head. "Your call Mister O'Carroll."

Samantha sat in the rear area with two security specialists. Petty Officer Second Class Abigail Tanner, a lithe young brunette, sat next to Samantha. Across from them was a muscular Able Crewmen by the name of Fetu Avie and Lieutenant Dougherty.

Jamie silently admired Fetu's musculature, but she flexed a bit, and admired that she was quite toned...for a woman...smiling to herself. "Engines running smoothly. Fusion systems within acceptable parameters," she said aloud, giving a progress report. "Scanners at optimal range. We're ready for whatever's out there." As she monitored the shuttle's tech, she thought back to the banquet, where she made an appearance as the chief engineer ought to have done, and the dress she wore. A sleek and shiny formal that was tight enough to follow her curves, she knew she drew eyes when she walked in, making her smile as she monitored the plasma transfer conduits.

"What are the planetary conditions?" Steve asked.

Ryan checked the current meteorological conditions and pulled up a data feed from a satellite in orbit. "Skies are clear for now, though the temperature is about 5 degrees Celsius and that's at midday local time. Looks like it might make it to a balmy 7 degrees C by mid-afternoon, though it going to drop quickly after nightfall."

Samantha rolled her eyes. She hated the cold. "Well, let me get into a bikini and set up a chaise lounge. Sounds perfect for working on my tan."

"We could always pick something in the summer region. Is there no Pergium on the southern equatorial region?" Steve asked.

Ryan rose from his chair as the shuttlecraft set down on the plateau. He shrugged at Steve and Samantha. "It is summer in the northern hemisphere right now. Geological scan show this region to have rich veins of Pergium deposits running through the mountains. There's also several natural cavern networks that will make the survey easier to conduct." He set out mission tasking for the group. "Doctor Blake and Lieutenant Dougherty will run the geological survey while Lieutenant O'Carroll and I tag along for the feasibility study on setting up mining operations in the cavern system." He glanced at the two security specialists. "Tanner, Avie stay with the shuttlecraft and contact us if anything happens topside. Questions anyone?"

"I hope we don't run into anybody that has staked out this area. It could get extremely violent if we do." Steve said.

Jamie whispered to herself, "I'm an engineer not a geologist." Then she spoke up. "We can run a good scan if we add in our scanner drones. It'll let us determine the area of the deposits, while the Doctor and I can get depth and purity of deposits." Jamie put her thick red hair up in a ponytail before grabbing her tricorder, holster for her phaser, and a backpack with aerial drones that would conduct the radiating spiral scans for mineral traces.

Ryan grabbed his own gear consisting of a Type II phaser pistol, tricorder, and survival pack. He pulled four sets of drop down lens headsets for low light conditions and handed them out to the survey party.

Samantha outfitted herself similar to Jamie, sans the phaser pistol. She nodded to her brother when she was ready.

Steve grabbed a Phaser two a Medi-kit. a tricorder and a survival pack a utility jacket and nightvision gogles and followed the others out.

"Mr Ryan I think it would be smart if we each wore a Veridium patch just in case we need an emergency beam out. I am detecting a bit of interference in my sensor scans. Could be be some kind of transporter inhibitor field or a sensor scrambler. It seems localized or more intense in that direction", O'Carrol said pointing southwest. "Maybe 2 or 3 clicks." Steve said.

Ryan led the team out of the shuttle and looked about the plateau. He spotted a tunnel opening into the mountain about 20 meters away. He glanced at his sister. "You think that may access the network of caverns?"

Samantha took a tricorder and performed a short range scan before turning too the others. "It just might. Scanning range is very limited though. Not sure if it's a result of what Lieutenant O'Carroll detected or due to ore deposits. I say it's worth checking out though."

"Would you like me to lead Lieutenant I have a bearing of 158 degrees mark 4?" Steve asked.

"Take point Lieutenant O'Carroll." He gestured for Steve to lead and fell in behind. Samantha followed close behind her brother.

It was a good hike over fairly rough terrain, took about 45 minutes to make the trek through the forest and once they make it through the forest they were looking down on a valley with a very small mining settlement on it.

"The jamming is almost impenetrable here Lieutenant.

Looks like there are people down there," Steve said.

Jamie wiped off a bit of sweat from her forehead, amazing since she didn't sweat much in the first place She cranked up her neck cooling unit so she could be a bit more comfortable while they hiked, moving a bit of her vibrantly red hair out of the way to reach for the control. "I'm reading indeterminate lifesigns. Not a lot, but some. But there's some ore there. Indeterminate again, but there's no doubt there's some pergium down there."

Ryan cocked his head as he considered the information Steve and Jamie presented. He finally sighed as this time he took the lead. "Best to introduce ourselves."