Star Trek RPG - Mission #6: "Marala"

[choie]

Did Kylah hear Graham?

Kylah gasps at the abrupt change in the atmosphere and the astonishing view of the planet. The sky and clouds are so heavenly the sight brings unbidden tears of aching joy to her eyes. Her perception of falling is even greater now. Every emotion, every physical sensation, seems exponentially magnified.

"I am fine," she says, more an exhale than speech. Realizing this, she tries to catch her breath so her words are clearer. "This is Ensign Kylah. I am fine." After another sweep of her gaze, she shakes her head and cannot help adding in wonder: "It is too beautiful to take in."

[SidonianGal]

Luisa's confession delights Nia, who sits up on one elbow and gives her friend a grin of appreciation--though she has to clamp down on the instinct to echo Luisa's words about "Book" earlier--Sure, I know Double-T. Instead, she just nods. "Mmm hmm, good choice. Rawlings is quite an eyeful. And he's a teddy-bear, personalitywise. You wouldn't think it, given that he looks like what would happen if a giant mated with a Klingon battle cruiser--but he's a sweetheart. I think you guys would be adorable as hell together."

Even as she speaks, she's busy trying to recall if she's ever mentioned hooking up with Rawlings. Of course, Luisa knows her habits anyway--since Nia joined the Yorktown she's made quite the rounds among her available (and compatible) male crewmates. So odds are good that Lu already assumes Nia's been there with Double-T. But Nia isn't gonna mention it herself.

"I'm friends with him--he's kinda my default muscle guy on missions, not surprisingly. You want me to...y'know..." Her head bobs from left to right. "...Feel him out?" Her smile widens. "Or have you already started the process of turning him from 'yummy' to 'yours'?"

[Elendil's Heir]

Kylah can hear Graham fine. Communications are now completely clear. The other skydivers check in over the comm. The civilian's voice is a little squeaky, Kylah notices, and Park sounds pretty nervous too. Rangin and Graham have not responded.

Guzman blushes even more deeply. "No, for now it's just daydreaming. We've spoken a few times, mostly on duty, but I'm sure he doesn't know what I think. Thanks for your offer, but... not just now, OK? Maybe someday."

[general_urko]

Graham's almost feeling peaceful as he's curled up with his back to the planet, and Kylah's affirmation that she's doing fine comes over the comm.

Then he straightens out a bit and takes a look over his shoulder...

"Guh..." he grunts , trying to choke down puking in his suit.



Been there, done that, not good..

[choie]

While immersed in awe herself, Kylah is still able to pay attention to the communications broadcast among the divers. Earlier, when she asked both Mr. Graham and Mr. Rangin how they were doing, she was not surprised that--while Mr. Graham's voice was scratchy and nearly inaudible--at least he responded with some bravado.

Nor was she surprised that Mr. Rangin ignored her. He has turned a cold shoulder to her time and again. Besides, it was entirely possible that he genuinely could not hear the question.

Now, Kylah's exhilaration diminishes slightly at the inarticulate, guttural noise Mr. Graham makes in response to Pru's request. And unless she was so enrapt by her surroundings that she blocked everything else out--which seems unlikely considering how vivid her senses feel--Kylah has heard nothing from Mr. Rangin.

Only when she tries to catch sight of Mr. Graham--and thus having to engage her suit's navigation controls--does Kylah realize that she never did turn over on her back, as recommended. Why...I got through all that on my own, she thinks with a flash of triumph and a burst of unaccustomed pride. But that fades quickly in her attempt to rotate enough to hopefully allow her to pick Mr. Graham out among the vast sky above her.

Her eyes squint to find him. "Sir?" she asks in a low, worried tone. The title is automatic for her by now. "Mr. Graham, can you speak?"

Pru will have to make her own check-in for Mr. Rangin. This activity has now brought Kylah such astonishing, unexpected joy for the first time in ages that she refuses to let him ruin it. He may choose to continue his withholding, hurtful behavior to her, but Kylah will not fall into the trap of revealing desperation to hear his voice. Not again.

[SidonianGal]

"Someday," Nia repeats, and gives a click of her tongue while returning to her relaxed position. "Anything can happen while waiting for somedays, Lu. Sometimes you've gotta follow your instincts and jump on a guy--oh, sorry, I mean an opportunity," she adds innocently. "But have it your way, honey. Just let me know if you change your mind."

Inwardly, she checks off Double-T as one of her 'friends-plus.' Even if things don't work out with Book, Nia can't return to that sort of relationship with Rawlings while she knows Luisa likes him. Unless I can steer her toward Cooper, who's probably free now...

Nia makes a face and hides it by pretending she's brushing away an insect. Nah, I can't do that to her. Besides, maybe he and Collins are still a thing. She knows she was right the first time: Rawlings and Luisa are a good match who'd have a fun time with each other.

Darn, she thinks with a lazy smile, With Double-T and Andy out of the pool, there go my two favorite backups. Guess I'll just have to make sure things stay smooth with me and Book. And that they keep moving forward.

Hopefully sooner rather than later. Nia sighs and imagines the breeze is Booker's light touch, all along her body, as she dozes.

[general_urko]

Graham clears his throat once, twice, and then again...frustrated with himself. He's asked, or observed folks asking, people who had been phasered , stabbed, you name it "can you talk? stay with me?" and he's tongue tied because of a super-safe joyride that rubs against his fear of heights.

Yeah, admit it, fear...

"Kah- Ky-" He squeezes his eyes shut for a minute. "Five by five, Mr. Kylah." He pauses. "Looking forward, to, uh, Mr. Faisal buying us drinks."

ONTHEFUCKINGGROUNDONTHEFUCKINGGROUNDONTHEFUCKINGGR OUND

[Elendil's Heir]

"I will," Guzman says. "I promise. When the time is right, I will." She sighs and looks up at the clouds.

Mahmoud says lightly, "Me, buy drinks? I thought you were going to, Book." He sounds happy and calm. "I knew I should've had you sign something."

Pru chuckles and says, "That's everybody but... Mr. Rangin. Mr. Rangin, come in, please." There is a long pause. "Mr. Rangin, do you read me?" Still nothing.

[choie]

Mr. Graham's voice relaxes Kylah's knot of tension, and by the time she turns back around to face the planet and hears his brave attempt at levity, she is smiling to herself in admiration. He will be fine. It is a beautiful day, and below are fluffy, pillow-like clouds, layers of which they will pass through in seconds. More than ever she wants to open her helmet, to feel the sting of mist on her face. Her heart thrums quickly with both anxiety and anticipation.

Then she hears Pru's mention of Mr. Rangin, and her second request. And the silence.

All pleasant thoughts cease, snuffed out like a candle. Kylah does not breathe. She can only wait and listen to nothing--nothing but the wind outside. She clamps her teeth down on her lower lip. He might ignore me, but not the guide. Each second takes forever.

Automatically her mind pushes out, forcefully enough to make a sweat break out on her forehead, even though she has only managed to communicate with someone not telepathic once, with her uncle--and even though she is far, far too distant to reach him. Answer her. Answer her!

Gasping at the useless effort, she struggles to think, desperate to find a logical explanation. "Pru, his communication unit might be broken. Can you tell? Can you control his suit and transport him?" Before the other woman has time to reply, Kylah's pride relinquishes its hold on her instincts, and she blurts out sharply: "Mr. Rangin! Are you there? Velir?"

[anthonydlangford]

So here he was, finally about to beam aboard the Yorktown. Dr. Nathaniel Bennett watched through the window as the cargo liner approached the majestic starship that would be his home for awhile. At least until he accomplished his mission. He still wondered if he’d made the right decision, but in reality he knew he actually had no choice.

He had to rejoin Starfleet and he had to accept this assignment. Luckily the job had come along when it had. And luck was something that usually wasn’t on his side. But it had been serendipity when gotten the news that the Yorktown needed someone to head their new state of the art surgical unit. It was as if his prayers had been answered, if he were one who actually prayed or believed in such things. And he knew once he’d applied for the job he’d be offered it. A doctor with the talent of the reknowned Nathaniel Bennett didn’t come along everyday. His reputation as one of the most skilled surgeons in the Federation still carried some weight, even if he’d been away from Starfleet for a few years.

Now was the time to deal with what he’d been avoiding for a long time. And he could only do that on the Yorktown. He only hoped that what he was planning would go like he needed it to. Then again, life told him nothing ever worked out how you wanted. If it did, he wouldn’t be here to begin with. He only knew one thing, he wouldn’t leave here until he was finished, until he’d accomplished his goal. And he didn’t care what it cost him.

[Elendil's Heir]

Rangin does not respond. Pru says a little worriedly, "His biosigns are fine. It might be a communications problem. Stand by, everyone." She clicks off. You all continue to fall.

Dr. Bennett gets his bags and is beamed over to the Yorktown. The transporter room looks like just about every other one he's ever seen, so his eyes are instead immediately drawn to the beautiful young woman in Command yellow smiling at him, and only for a moment by the small Asian man in Engineering red coveralls behind the transporter console. The woman, whom he of course recognizes as his cousin Cecilia Bennett, runs into his arms and kisses him. "Welcome aboard, Dr. Bennett!" she says, laughing happily.

[general_urko]

An impact crater is something Graham would have lately associated positively with Rangin, but the chatter does tug at his professional instincts.

"Faisal, do you have eyes on Rangin?" he asks, his Security colleague immediately coming to mind to contact.

[choie]

His biosigns are fine. Kylah repeats Pru's words as a silent, mental litany. She tries to take comfort from them, but the tone in the guide's voice did not radiate confidence.

She searches vainly for a sight of him. It is likely just a comm problem. This thought also resounds within her. Kylah knows very well that communications tech is quite easy to damage. Her own problems with losing contact just when she needed it most has proved this weakness time and time again. Her eyes are wide and she has bitten her lip hard enough so that a thin trickle of blood mingles with the perspiration pouring off her.

Answer us, Velir. I beg you. Do not frighten me like this.

Mr. Graham's voice buzzes in her ear, professional and sounding in control of his emotions. Kylah is hungry for his strong, capable reassurance, desperate for it. "Please, sir," she whispers inaudibly--really just mouthing the words, since she has no voice left. She is barely breathing. "Tell me this will be all right."

[anthonydlangford]

A family member who is happy to see him is something Nathaniel isn't used to and to be honest, he historically bristles at the idea of dealing with his relatives, at least what is left of them, not that most of them have anything to do with him these days. But his cousin is different. He's genuinely glad to see her, missing her during his chosen time away. She's a reminder of some of the good things in his life, a happier time. A time long ago.

"Good to see you, Cec." He grins. "You're as beautiful as ever."

He knows he is going to enjoy this long-awaited reunion.

[Elendil's Heir]

After a long pause, Mahmoud says, "I can just barely see him ahead of me and farther down. It looks like he's... gone limp. He's kind of slumped over, I think, and he's tumbling slightly."

Park says, "I can't see him at all."

Pru finally says, "It looks like he might have passed out, although it's hard to tell from the biosigns. I can have him beamed back, or take control of his suit remotely and land him."

Lt. Bennett tells her cousin, "It's so good to have you join the crew. Welcome aboard! Mr. Nguyen, please see that his things get to his quarters."

"Yes, ma'am," the transporter chief says.

"Let me take you to meet the Captain, Nathaniel. How are you? Did you have a good trip...?"

[general_urko]

Graham can't tell if it's a blessing to have instinct override the sick fear of falling overwhelming him or a sick joke that it's the powers that be that it's on account of Rangin...

He's a million miles away from the kid who never knew what to do. It all clicks into place...

His voice is measured, maybe even encouraging...but he knows what he should say...

"Fasial, make best speed toward him, as you can."

"Graham to Yorktown. Security priority one message. Officer in danger. Emergency beam out from free fall may be needed ASAP for Ens. Rangin."

"Pru, you will open channel to Yorktown on their reply. If your outfit can beam him out or get demonstrated control of his suit we will stand by, but this is a Starfleet officer. Get control of the situation, ASAP, or give it over."

[choie]

Every instinct demands for Kylah to cry out Velir's name. But screaming would be useless and counterproductive. Anyone able to help will need to hear commands. She just stares ahead as she hears first the news from Mr. Mahmoud and Pru, and then the sharp sound of Mr. Graham taking rapid control of the situation--just as she had hoped.

His order to Mr. Mahmoud makes Kylah wonder if the suits can go faster. The attached rockets are meant to slow their descent. Perhaps if he turns upside down, that would push him in the opposite direction...?

She wants to try. It is another useless impulse: not only will Mahmoud get to Velir before she can, Pru promised they can beam Velir somewhere, which will be faster still. But it does not matter. She cannot continue to fall passively without trying to reach him. Her hands grope for the joystick to maneuver herself so she is turned away from the planet.

Belatedly she realizes that Pru seems to have given them a choice where to send Velir. It makes no sense, surely the instructor would know the better option. But if Pru needs an answer, Kylah will give her one. "Beam him wherever there is medical help," she says, keeping her voice quiet but steady enough to be heard through any other chatter. After the slightest hesitation, she adds in a tone almost as sharp as Mr. Graham's: "And beam me to the same place."

Inhaling, Kylah then fires her retrorockets at full power. Hopefully her calculation is correct. This way, if they are not beamed out, at least she can get somewhat closer to him.

[Elendil's Heir]

"We could do it, but OK, I'll let you handle it," Pru says. "He's one of your own, as you said. My boss is notifying your ship now."

"Yorktown here, Mr. Graham," you all hear after seems like an eternity but is probably only a few seconds. "This is the Captain. Message acknowledged. We understand the situation. Stand by."

Before Dr. Bennett can answer his cousin's welcoming questions, a bosun's whistle sounds and the comm panel on the transporter console lights up. "Transporter Room 1, this is the Captain. We may need an immediate beamout of one of our crew who's doing orbital skydiving. Coordinates to follow."

Lt. Bennett leans over and says, "Captain, Dr. Bennett just beamed aboard. He's available here, if needed."

"Thank you, Lieutenant. Who's the transporter chief there?"

"Mr. Nguyen, ma'am," he replies.

"Ah, good. I'm tying in Ens. Graham, who's in the skydiving group with our officer - it's Ens. Rangin - and will coordinate with you. Go ahead, Mr. Graham."

Mahmoud says, "Acknowledged, Book. I'll try. Hang on...." The Libyan officer, having jumped right after Rangin, is the closest skydiver to him. Park and then Gral are also between Kylah and Rangin.

Firing her retrorockets, too, Kylah now plunges even faster towards where she can only guess Rangin is.

[choie]

Kylah's stomach churns from the combination of the speed, tension and fear. She twists her head slightly from left to right to find any sign of where she is. After swallowing back some bile, she tries to keep calm and speak. "Pru. You said you can take over our suits. I am moving as fast as these rockets will go, but cannot navigate blindly. Please do whatever you can to get me to Mr. Rangin. Whether it is through guiding me, using that Otto device or through your own controls, I do not care."

[anthonydlangford]

Nathaniel's senses go on alert at the fast moving events that play out before him. He watches Mr. Nguyen at the teleporter console and sees the concern in his cousin's eyes. Someone is in trouble. Damn it, I just got here. But a doctor's work is never done, especially on a starship. These people, one way or another, are always getting themselves in trouble. Nathaniel reaches for the one small bag he'd brought with him and digs out his medikit. Ready. But he is always ready. That's why I'm the best at what I do.

He travelled from far away, going from starship to starship and a few commercial ships before arriving. He's gone through a lot to get to this point, both physically and emotionally. Tired and his clothes rumpled, a rest would be nice. It looks like I'm not going to get it.

Welcome back to Starfleet.

[general_urko]

Graham slows his descent, trying to take the scene--while focusing on the divers, not the planet, which is still roiling his stomache.

"Ens. Ragin is in free fall. Unresponsive to hails. The diving outfit has ceded situation control to Starfleet. Ens. Mahmoud is on intercept course to assess the situation, but I recommend emergency transport, medical emergency assumed."

[Elendil's Heir]

Pru says over the common frequency, "OK, here are the coordinates. Watch yourself, though - you and, uh, the Mahmoud guy will be on a collision course after 20 seconds or so." Kylah can now plot a falling arc using her helmet's heads-up display. She zooms past Gral, the next-farthest-along diver, on her breakneck way down.

Dr. Bennett's medikit is in good order, of course. He and his cousin remove his baggage from the transporter platform.

"Sickbay," says the Captain. "Medical team to Transporter Room 1."

"Acknowledged," comes the reply.

Chief Nguyen, now tied into the divers' comm circuit, quickly makes adjustments to the transporter console, his fingers flying. "I now have a lock on Mr. Rangin," he soon says. "Ready to energize."

[general_urko]

Graham's momentarily surprised...where...why is Kylah...?

"Uh..."

"Stand by," he says over the open channel, regaining his composure, and keeping his voice neutral. "Yorktown looks to have him."

[choie]

Kylah hears Pru, shortly followed by Mr. Graham, and is momentarily frozen as her mind races to figure out what is happening. "Do you mean--they have beamed him to the ship?" For what feels like an eternity she tries to regain her bearings. Twenty seconds... not any longer, it is ten now...

She jerks into action and is about to turn off her retrorockets when she remembers that this will not slow her descent. Instead her hand pulls at the joystick, not too quickly, to adjust her direction farther away from what was her intended target. Now she is headed... somewhere. And she has no idea where Velir is.

"Mr. Graham--can they beam me out? Please, I--I am not sure where I am, but I need to go back!"

[general_urko]

"Yorktown, engergize at will." Graham can't deny that "fire at will" also came to mind.

What the hell? What is Kylah doing?

Graham doesn't feel he has the time to deal with it until the Rangin situation is resolved--and for god's sake he doesn't want the transporter room dealing with another thing...

"Just...relax, stand by, you'll be fine" Graham replies to Kylah's question.

"Pru, take control of Mr. Kylah's suit please and stabilize her in a safe position."

[anthonydlangford]

Nathaniel hears the call that orders medical personnel to the Transporter Room and wonders why the call was made when he's already there. After all, his medical expertise is all anyone needs.

Of course this is the chance to show what he can do and that the reputation of Dr. Nathaniel Bennett is well deserved. He wishes this mess is done and over with. After all, he had things to do and this is getting in the way.

And yet, with curiosity, Nathaniel wonders what horrors will appear on the transporter platform where he stood only moments ago.

[Elendil's Heir]

Pru says, "OK. Hang on... diverting Kylah away." Kylah feels her starboard retros fire on her upper back, and she is nudged to her left, but continues to fall. Seconds later, someone - it must be Mahmoud - streaks past her only a few dozen meters away.

"Acknowledged," Nguyen says. "Energizing now." He mutters worriedly under his breath just loud enough for Dr. Bennett to hear, "He's moving so fast... this is going to be tricky...." He makes a quick adjustment, then another, and pulls down the three-tracked levers.

The transporter beam whines and shimmers, and a humanoid shape in what appears to be an armored spacesuit materializes face down almost two meters above the transporter platform, then falls with a loud crash as the beam fades.

[choie]

The back-and-forth between Mr. Graham and Pru occurs too fast for Kylah to truly comprehend what is happening, until she feels herself seemingly yanked into a new trajectory and then sees Mr. Mahmoud pass so close to her.

It is clear that Mr. Graham either did not understand her request or simply ignored and overrode it. She knows which is more likely.

Outrage and alarm create a surge of adrenaline so strong that she wants to claw her way out of this wretched suit. It has betrayed her. She is no longer in control of her own movements. She can do nothing except wait for it to be over--

Just relax. You'll be fine.

Kylah's eyes widen, then squeeze shut. Those words in her memory are not spoken in Mr. Graham's voice. Another man said that. He said that. At the hotel, in his bed, on top of her, inside her. Kylah's nausea now has another source beyond vertigo and fear. Someone else has taken charge and this helplessness is too, too sickeningly familiar.

"He has no right," she croaks, barely audible. When she forces her eyes open, she sees the ground approaching at a speed that seems fatal. Kylah inhales sharply, finally getting enough oxygen to fuel her brain and her tongue. She demands an answer to her original question: "Have they got him or not? Is Velir on the ship?" Then her anger is redirected toward Pru: "When do we open our parachutes? When does this end?!"

She stares at the now hateful approaching planet with tear-glazed but fixed eyes. If something happens to Velir and she is not there with him... Please, please not again!

[general_urko]

Graham's thrown a little off balance by Kylah's unexpected reaction.

"Stand by," he says over the open channel, voice calm. "Mahmoud, stand down. Yorktown, do you have him?"

He can't help but snap a little--partly out of urgency, partly out of a bit of frustration by the distraction. "Pru, please take responsibility for seeing Mr. Kylah to a safe landing."

[Elendil's Heir]

Mahmoud says, "I'm OK. I saw Rangin beamed out just as I was approaching."

Nguyen says over the open channel, "Yorktown here; we have him. The doctor is here. Stand by."

Pru says to Graham, "Acknowledged, but everyone should be all right now with the rest of the dive. OK? Open your parachutes at 1500 meters, as we discussed in training. Check your altimeters. That should be in another... three minutes for you, Kylah."

The cirrocumulus cloud layer below seems to rush up towards Kylah, and then she is in the midst of it, surrounded by wispy white clouds as she plunges down, the brilliantly blue sky intermittently visible beyond. She is buffeted once again, although much more mildly than upon atmospheric entry. Soon Graham is passing through the same layer.

[choie]

Earlier, Kylah looked forward to zooming through the clouds. Now she finds them a distraction, and winces as if she's able to feel the vapor stinging her face. She tries to peek through the layers to the sky and ground below. Her heart beats in her throat. She is furious and scared--and only somewhat relieved that Velir is, at least, back on the ship.

With every second that passes, every meter she descends, her mind flashes on visions of Velir's face at different moments during their brief history. They are not all pleasant memories. Their last conversation was just one of the increasingly hurtful exchanges they shared. She clamps her mouth closed to prevent herself from sobbing, or from blurting her outrage at Mr. Graham.

Instead, she focuses on the altimeter and gets ready to set her parachute free as soon as possible. Once they touch the ground, she can return to the Yorktown to find out what happened to the man who won--and broke--her heart.

[SidonianGal]

Some insect buzzes around Nia's face, waking her from her light nap. She opens her eyes, staring upwards at the loose cloud formations, and listens to the water rushing past, the gentle rustling of the grass bending to the breeze. A sleepy smile curls her lips. This is what Sidonians would consider heaven, if that were part of their mythology.

Covering a yawn, Nia turns to her side to see if Luisa is awake or asleep. Then, still smiling, she returns her gaze upward. It's a perfect afternoon. The only way to improve it would be to add sex. But Nia's pretty sure Luisa wouldn't be up for that.

Nia's smile morphs into a grin and she barely restrains a laugh. Well, there's someone who probably would be up for that. She's just not sure he's free. Or where he is, for that matter.

Sliding her hand to her hip, Nia pulls out her communicator and lifts it, opening it to check for any messages. Nothing from Booker. Her eyebrows lower into the tiniest of puzzled frowns, then relax. Not like I contacted him, either. Time to rectify that.

If he's busy--maybe at a concert, although Nia doesn't remember Booker being a big music fan, or otherwise occupied--she doesn't want to interrupt him. So she lifts her free hand and types a text communication instead.

Hey. Hope you're enjoying your leave. I sure am. Lying on the grass, staring at the sky. But I'd rather be staring up at you. If you're on the planet and have some free time in your schedule, wanna enjoy the sunset together? Find me, if you can.

After reading this over, Nia chuckles silently and adds:

P.S. The grass is soft and wet. And so am I, thinking of you. Don't wait too long.

[anthonydlangford]

Nathaniel's eyes go wide as the armor clad form materializes on the teleporter pad and clatters to the floor in a noisy thud. Nathaniel's breath comes out in a rush as he realizes how lucky this man has been to have made it here in one piece. Nathaniel has seen more than one difficult transport go wrong. The results could be messy.

Nathaniel rushes forward to aid his new patient and wonders if he can really do anything until he gets the damned armor off.

Should I do it here or get him to the medical facility first? Or I even have that kind of time?

Nathaniel pulls his tricorder from his medikit as he kneels over the prone form. As he presses the appropriate buttons, the device comes to life for Nathaniel to begin the scan.

"Get this thing off his head." Nathaniel barks to his cousin.

[general_urko]

Graham is more than ready to have his feet on the ground. And pretty damned convinced orbital skydiving is not the thing for him.

He wonders want Nia's doing. If my...er, kinda girlfriend is sampling Terran whisky in a quiet bar right now and I'm missing out, I'm the biggest idiot in the world...

He scowls and fixed his attention on his altimeter.

And if that beam out just saved freaking Rangin...jeez...

[Elendil's Heir]

Kylah, Graham and the others keep falling, and falling, and falling. There are patchy clouds now, here and there, but mostly the skies are clear around you. Features on the ground are growing more distinct by the second. You can now see mountains, lakes, and a seacoast off to the southeast, but no cities or towns yet. Kylah's altimeter shows 4000 meters... soon 3000... then 2000....

Onn hears soft snoring and realizes that Guzman has dozed off.

Lt. Bennett finds the release clasps for Rangin's helmet, and soon has it off. Rangin looks unusually pale and his eyes are closed. Nathaniel sees from his medical tricorder scan that the man is unconscious, oxygen-deprived, and has a weak pulse.

The doors of the transporter room whisk open, and two medtechs rush in, carrying an antigrav gurney between them.

[choie]

Kylah spares a glance at the planet, the beauty of the view almost entirely overshadowed by a combination of anger and fear so sharp it is like a beast gnawing at her insides.

Otherwise her attention is entirely focused on the altimeter, ready to react the instant it hits 1500. She already has positioned her hand hovering above the control to release the parachute. Meanwhile she counts the seconds according to the timeline Pru gave her.

[general_urko]

Graham focuses his attention on the altimeter, trying not to think about the fact it's marking his descent toward the planet (or look down).

[anthonydlangford]

Nathaniel hears the door swish open and turns to the medical crew rushing in with their equipment.

“We need to get this man to sickbay immediately.” He orders as he considers the method of treatment given the man’s condition.

He notes the questioning looks in the eyes of the medical crew and realizes he himself is not in the familiar blue garb of any Starfleet medical staff member like they are, as he still wears his civilian traveling clothes. And yet, Nathaniel finds himself irritated. He hates having his authority questioned, no matter the circumstances.

“I don’t have time for formal introductions, but I’m Dr. Nathaniel Bennett, your new boss.” Nathaniel snaps. “Now can we get to the business of saving this man’s life?”

[Elendil's Heir]

Kylah begins seeing parachutes bloom far below her as Mahmoud, Park and then Gral pass the 1500-meter mark. "Looking good, everyone," Pru says over the radio. Soon the Elasian woman's own altimeter shows she's reached that altitude.

The nervous skydiving civilian is next, and then Graham passes the 1500 mark.

Lt. Bennett, who is uniformed, quickly says to the medtechs, "He's right, he's a doctor. Help him, please."

"Aye, ma'am," one of the medtechs says. They both rush forward, pick up Rangin and put him on the gurney, then turn with him and head for the door.

[choie]

When the altimeter reaches the 1500 mark, a surge of adrenaline floods Kylah, and with a gasp she immediately triggers the release of her parachute.

[anthonydlangford]

Nathaniel watches as the medical crew follow his orders and they all head for sickbay. As they hurry through the ship, he tamps down his fury at having his authority questioned. Precious moments pass before he and the crew arrive at sickbay. As he enters the room, Nathaniel does a quick visual sweep of his domain, and notes all the things he plans on changing and that needs changing. First though, his mind shifts to what is most important: to save his patient's life.

[Elendil's Heir]

As Kylah knew to expect from her training on the space station, a small drogue stabilizer parachute deploys first from her backpack, followed ten seconds later by the main parachute, a brilliant orange 25-square-meter circular canopy. She is jerked sharply upwards as the main parachute takes hold, and then resumes a much slower descent. She, and in turn Graham, can now see the occasional house, barn or other building below. There are no roads. Most of your field of vision is filled with the grassy prairie and farmland below, and large, full clouds above, clumped here and there all the way to the flattening horizon. The sky is a brilliant blue and the sunshine is very bright. From altimeter readings once the parachutes deploy, you estimate you have about five minutes before reaching the ground.

Sickbay is ready and waiting for Dr. Bennett and his patient. The medtechs carry Rangin to an examination table and gently but quickly transfer him from the gurney. A Vulcan woman in Medical blue comes up and says, "Welcome, Dr. Bennett. I am Dr. T'Var. I am ready to assist you, if needed." The medtechs and a nurse are also standing by.

Rangin remains unusually pale, unconscious, oxygen-deprived, and has a weak pulse.

[Elendil's Heir]

dp

[general_urko]

Five fucking minutes, Graham thinks, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment.

The fact he's now drifting slowly seems to calm his...concern...about the height he's at.

To think I could have spent this time with Nia, doing...well anything. Hand washing her clothes for god's sake.

Hm if I offered to hand wash all her clothes, she'd be naked...

He shakes his head and looks around for Kylah, assuming she's gotten through whatever state of alarm she seemed to be in. If he can he'll give her an encouraging thumbs up.

[choie]

The surroundings must be pretty to someone. Kylah would have thought so herself, ten minutes ago. Now she wants them to vanish. She wants to see the familiar wall panels and platform of one of the Yorktown transporter rooms, then the corridor to the turbolift and straight to Sickbay--wherever they have taken Velir.

Most of all, she needs to see him.

Stifled by near-hyperventilating, she jerks her gloved hands clumsily at her helmet, hoping to open the visor so she can breathe. It must be safe now, she is going so slowly. The gloves frustrate her and Kylah tries to tear them off as well. The whole suit is bulky and claustrophobic and useless, when all she wants is to grab her communicator and get herself beamed out. Mr. Graham has already failed to pass along her wishes to the ship once--she does not trust him to listen to her now.

She lets out a frustrated groan and just stares flatly at the ground below, willing it to hurry up and meet her.

[anthonydlangford]

Nathaniel barely glances at his fellow physician. “I’ve got this.”

As he had with the entire medical crew, from doctor to nurse from medic to orderly, Nathaniel had checked out T’Var before arriving at the Yorktown. She seems competent enough, but he neither needs or wants her help. He knows what to do and how to do it. And Vulcans could be overbearingly bossy and opinionated, even if they hid it under a veil of calm logic.

“Let’s start by getting this man some oxegen and getting this suit off.” He looks up at his new staff. “Let’s move!”

[Elendil's Heir]

Graham thinks he can see Kylah below, but is too far away for her to see a gesture such as a thumbs-up.

With some difficulty, Kylah opens her helmet visor and gets a blast of cold fresh air. She drops lower and lower, and sees the other, earlier-jumping skydivers have already landed or are now landing, each several hundred meters away from the others, spread across the plain, with some already gathering up their parachutes. They are excitedly chatting on the comm channel, obviously glad and relieved to have landed safely. She notices a modern house almost on the horizon. Now the ground is rushing up towards her, only seconds away. Will she tuck and roll, or try to land on her feet? She was trained for both. Of course Graham soon faces the same decision.

The medtechs begin undressing Rangin.

Dr. T'Var does not seem put out by Dr. Bennett's manner. She raises a hypospray and says, "Perhaps tri-ox compound...?"

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Tri-ox_compound

[anthonydlangford]

Nathaniel would accuse the Vulcan of being smug with her suggestion, as if he didn't know what to do, but they weren't capable of such emotions.

"Of course," he says dryly.

He takes the hypospray from her and administers it to the now undressed patient.

The tri-ox was fairly effective and had to be re-administered every few hours. Nathaniel takes note of the monitors above the examination table. Rangin's breathing and heart rate should be back to normal soon. And unless there was something more serious wrong and Nathaniel didn't think there was, Rangin would wake up.

Now that the most pressing matter was taken care of, it was time to see if there were other injuries the man might have.

[choie]

Kylah takes big swallows of the cold air and, despite her distraction, tries to remember her training so she can attempt the tuck and roll maneuver. Though she is not physically strong or particularly athletic--and she has never recovered full use of her left wrist since either the slime devil bite or the assault on Anubis--she is dexterous and hopefully will manage to land correctly.

If she is successful she will get her bearings and try to extricate herself from the skydiving paraphernalia.

[general_urko]

Graham prepares himself to tuck and roll as the ground approaches.

I think I'm past beauty contests...