"The Great Escape"

[Schawnsee 0]

Joint log between, Kat Schawnsee, Dr Matthews, Cmdr Ridire, Will Murray, Dr Merina

 

Kat heard Ridire and wondered if this would be her chance. Ridire told Deb to have Herself and Merina help with the wounded to get them out of the cave. Kat knew the way threw the cave as she had been that way before. Kat moved her elbow and looked up at Deb. "I can lead you out of here, I went down that path before, I know the way. Just give me something so I'm not swaying from side to side and to clear my head. I can help carry Jon if need be." Kat left it to Deb to make the decision to allow her to help.

 

Debbie viewed her friend warily but ultimately decided to comply with Kat's request. She reached into her med kit and located a hypospray. Setting it accordingly, she pressed it against Kat's neck. "Don't betray my trust," she warned the security officer. "Because right now, you need all the friends you can get."

 

She turned away and quickly repacked the med kit. Glancing around the site, she spotted certain items she thought they should take with them. Nothing technological should be left behind. While the others tried to get Jon on his feet, she tossed those few things into a duffle bag along with her own med kit. Merina had her's slung over her shoulder. When she secured the bag she made her way toward the others. Merina had revived Jon enough for him to help carry his own weight but it was apparent getting the Zemun out of this cave would be a mighty task indeed.

 

Kat laid there long enough for her head to clear and her equilibrium to balance while Deb collected things around her. She sat up slowly and looked around, getting her bearings. She then moved over to Jon to assist with anything she could with getting him out. "Jon, come on dude we need to get you out of here."

 

Will got up and shook his head from a little dizziness that still remained in his head. Ordinarily, he would still be resting but if they actually had a way out of the cave and off this rock, he was all for it. Seeing that Kat could use some help, Will came to her side, "Commander, having him on his feet is bad for his internal injuries. If I might suggest, you get his legs and I'll grab under his arms. The more level he is, the less his injuries will be aggravated by moving." Will knew what he said was true, he also had the ulterior motive of keeping the unstable officer in his sights at all times. The last thing he wanted was for Kat to get behind all of them. Best case scenario, she would bolt again. Worst case scenario, she would attack them in her obsession with the Changeling.

 

Kat looked to Will and then to Deb and then Merina. "Doctors should we carry him or have him walk out? which would be better for his injuries?" She stood next to Jon waiting for an answer, not wanting to cause her shipmate even more injury.

 

"Carrying him out would be best for the injuries he has," Merina replied. After all she would hate to see Kat get into more serious trouble than she was already in. "Besides I have to make sure that Deb and Will are taken care of as well."

 

Kat looked back to Will who was in position to pick up Jon. "Doctor? Should he be even helping then? I mean if he's at risk also then Maybe I should try to do it alone." Kat nodded towards Deb, "Deb and her leg shouldn't be doing any lifting." Kat looks back over to her before she could say anything. "Sorry Deb but you shouldn't." She then turned her gaze to Will. "You either Will if your still having issues. Deb fixed my ribs so I should be good to go." Kat knelt down next to Jon to get ready to attempt to pick him up.

 

What could she say? Deb was having enough trouble walking. It was doubtful she would be able to help move Jon Shamor out of the cave. She would probably just slow things down and reinjure her leg in the process. "I'll carry as much of our gear as possible," she said while trying to make sure she hadn't overlooked anything. Her attention turned to Will. "I don't want you overdoing it either. So lets take this nice and slow."

 

Will nodded to the good Doctor, but most of his attention was on Kat. He remembered meeting her when he got on to the ship. They hadn't been more than casual acquaintances but still she had been Angel's wife which put her in a high category as far as he and all the other pilots were concerned. Nevertheless, his instincts were screaming at him that Kat was an unstable element in a critical situation and he had absolutely no reason to trust her. This unrelenting obsession with the Changeling led Will to believe that she would go to any lengths to locate the changeling on the planet, even if it meant bringing harm to herself or her crew mates and there was no way he was going to allow that. He felt a little better that her back to was to him as they got the badly wounded Shamor ready to move. "Ok Commander, ready here. Give the signal and we'll move..."

 

Kat turned looking to Will and the Doctors. This wasn't the way she had planned it but maybe she could break free after the exited the cave on the other side. Right now all she could do without raising suspicion was to take a hold of Shamor's legs and lead the way down further in the cave that would eventually lead the way out. She let out a soft sigh and turned with her back to Will and Shamor and bent down grabbing the man by the knees and said, "Ok on the count of 3. Ready? One, Two and Three." On 3 she lifted Shamor with her elbows crooked under his knees and her fingers looped into her trousers to keep the man as straight and steady as possible. "OK Lets Move." She stepped once and waited for Will to follow with a step so she would know he was with her.

 

As Merina saw Will and Kat carry Jon out through the back of the caves, she whispered towards Deb, "You think it's a good idea to let her lead the way." Merina kept her pace between Will, Jon, and Kat, as well as Deb and the Commander, knowing full well she was the only medical officer to treat the four injured and make sure that nobody got injured or reinjured.

 

Deb met Merina's gaze and shook her head. "No, not really." She hefted one of the bags over her shoulder and moved forward. "I'll go ahead of her.....along with Anna. Commander Ridire is bringing up the rear. Why don't you stay between him and Jon." She didn't wait for Merina to answer, walking on toward the head of the group. It might be slow going with her in the lead but she wanted one or two people ahead of Kat as they approached the entrance.

 

Kat and Will had just started moving with Shamor when Deb stepped in front of them. "Doc? I can lead. I know the way threw the cave." She then thought to herself. 'With you in front of me I can't make my move.' She continued slowly walking forward hoping Deb would move back behind them once more. "Easy Will there is a foot drop here in the path. Be careful I wouldn't want any of us to fall," Kat said to all that were behind her. She wanted the Changeling but she didn't want to see anyone hurt either.

 

"I'll lead the way," replied Deb switching on her flashlight. "We'll be traveling slowly anyway so I'm sure I'll do just fine up here."

 

Kat let out a heavy sigh. This just made her plan almost impossible. With Deb in front of her and Will and the others behind her, she would not be able to make the break she was hoping to. She would have to try to figure out a reason to move away when they got to the end of the cave. "Fine Have it your way. JUST BE careful. We cant Carry two of you." She said to her in a bit of an angry tone.

 

Will watched Kat intently while he felt his way along with his feet and other senses as they began to move. Will acknowledged Kat's warning, "Copy that Commander." The one drawback of having Kat up front was that he had to rely on her calls of the uneven terrain but given the circumstances, he felt it was a decent trade off for keeping Kat in his direct line of sight. Feeling the drop come up, Will stepped down and pressed on slightly comforted by the fact that, for the moment, Kat seemed to dealing straight with him. As long as she continued to do so, Will would not have a problem with her being on point, right in front of him.

 

Watching where she was stepping to keep herself from falling with Jon was about all she could do. She kept looking up at Deb as if she was throwing daggers with her eyes. She had to find another way to complete her mission. The Captain was depending on her to find the Changeling and that's what she was going to do. She didn't have much time left. They were almost to the end of the cave. She could see a scant of light ahead. She knew the entrance was just around a few more turns.

 

Deb could feel Kat's stare burning a hole through her back. She wanted to believe her friend would follow orders and give up the hunt for the changeling.....at least for now. She felt both annoyed and guilty for not trusting the woman but the sad fact was, she didn't know this version of Kat Schawnsee. Sometimes, she seemed like her old self. But other times.....

 

"Will, there is a large step up here, about 2 foot high." Kat stepped up and stepped a few feet forward waiting until Will was at the same level she was before she began moving once more.

 

Merina couldn't help but keep an eye on Kat. For a few years she had gotten to know Schawnsee, but now it's like that part of her was nothing but a memory. Merina kept checking on everyone, from the Commander behind her to Deb, who was making sure that Kat didn't try to escape. All she could do was keep an eye on everyone and think of scenarios of getting Jon out and keeping Kat with the group once they reached the exit.

 

"Got it Commander." Will replied to Kat's direction. Though he still didn't trust her not to escape, Will was getting the impression that she didn't wish any real harm on her shipmates. He was a bit comforted with that idea as he negotiated the obstacle in question. "Ready Commander." Will began to move forward when Kat did.

 

During the rather slow march to the second exit Aidan had been mulling reminding Kat of what her obligations actually were. He was torn between not wanting to provoke a situation and trying to head one off before it starts. So it isn't until the second exit is in sight when he steps up to the head of the group. He stops near Kat and Deb and says in an undertone, "Just to make sure you understand me, Ms. Schawnsee, right now your only job is to get Shamor inside the shuttle and to stay inside the shuttle. If you get it in your head that this is an opportunity to run off after that changeling let me be clear, I will have no problems whatsoever in knocking you out with this phaser even if it means shooting you in the back. I have also instructed Mr. Murray and Ms. T'Kar that if it seems like you're about to take a runner that they're to do the same. They will both be waiting on the other side of that exit." Aidan narrows his eyes and his tone goes ice cold "Your responsibility, Ms. Schawnsee, is to the safety of these people. You will not put your life or the life of these people in danger just because you foolishly think that changeling is all that matters. Getting ourselves, all of us, home safe and sound with no further complications is the only thing that matters. Your obsession with that changeling is only going to get people killed, your obsession is out of place, unbecoming a Starfleet Officer and will not be tolerated."

 

Kat looked to Cmdr. Ridire as he was speaking to her then looked back to the path continuing the trek through the ends of the cave. She wanted to tell him where to go with his orders but stopped before she did. The Captain was the one that gave her the order to find the changeling not him but she could tell by the tone in his voice that he meant what he said. He would shoot her and or have others do the same. With his little speech to her she was trapped. She would be surrounded by officers and there would be no way for her to sneak off to find the changeling. She let out a heavy sigh and said in an aggravated tone of her own, "YES Sir." She continues walking until they reach the end of the cave and see the light of day.

Edited December 1, 2011 by Schawnsee