Echo Team - Caves Get It Off! Get It Off! Get It Off!

[Crash Calestorm 0]

Takes place immediately after the 01.28.13 Sim…

 

Aquarius Major

Underwater Cave Section Three

Echo Team – Smuggler Activity Investigation

 

Lieutenant Honor-Scar had taken point on the return swim and with Sergeant Vega on the six, Commander Calestorm had fallen into the ‘sandwich’ position between the two halves. Echo Team wore the aquatic version of the HALO* jump suits, jet-black form fitting with swaths of color indicating department or specialty: Command Gold for Cale, Operations Red for Jumper, Marine Green for Vega. They expected to close the distance to the hydro shuttle within the next hour.

 

The Aquarius cave networks were phenomena of nature and a maze of discovery; formed over the millennia, the caves were designated according to skill levels - expert, beginner, intermediate - and typically attracted tourists and research teams to their depths.

 

The caves also offered a haven for pirates who used them to store and smuggle stolen cargo off of the planet. And Calestorm didn’t much like where the evidence was pointing, or to who.

 

A school of indigenous starfish suddenly exploded from a crevice, shooting across the rough-hewn natural rock corridor to cram into another fissure across the way. The team scattered out of instinct to avoid the proverbial line of fire and one of the starfish splatted onto Cale’s faceplate, sending her into a pinwheel maneuver in reaction.

 

Per the updated survey reports from the Sciences and Medical personnel, Crash had read that the starfish were mostly harmless bottom feeders that secreted a gel that aided in keeping the oceans clear. She really wasn’t too thrilled at having one attached to her helmet plate though, thank you very much.

 

“Whoa! Whoa! No sucker action on the first date! No, means no!”

 

Vega intercepted the now crabbing-sideways Crash as she attempted to extricate the creature from her helmet. His confident voice came over the shared team wireless feed. “You seem to have picked up a hitchhiker, Commander.”

 

Lieutenant Honor-Scar had swam the distance and now used gloved paws in an attempt to pry the creature loose, which was only mildly successful; the Aquarian life form merely clamped tighter on the clear face plate.

 

The felinoid purred slightly as she spoke. “Hmmm…this thing isn’t going anywhere, Sir.”

 

“We can pry it when we hit the shuttle and I’m sure Sciences and Medical can always use one more

Capture and release specimen for the data recordings.” The Marine heavy weapons experts tone was hopeful if not amused at his Ex Oh’s predicament.

 

“Whoa! Whoa! Not cool with a sea slug riding shotgun on the helm plate. I only have half my field of vision!”

 

Vega gave an amused half-snort. “Sir, it’s a starfish species and not much we can do short of phasering it off which is probably not a really good option with preservation and all that.”

 

“I know it’s a star-fi…Honor-Scar? Is that you laughing?”

 

“Uh, n-no. Ma’am.”

 

Riiight. Great Bird of the galaxy, this is why I dislike water operations. I’m a pilot dammit, not a combat diver. I wanna be up there rather than down here. “And y’all are absolutely certain this thing isn’t spewing acid or something to eat through the faceplate of the helmet?”

 

A pause.

 

“…Sir, you attended the Aliens showing during 'Creek movie night, didn’t you?” Sergeant Vega asked the question, and she heard the faint purring laughter of Honor-Scar clear over the wireless.

 

A pause.

 

“….maaaaybe...”

 

*HALO– High Altitude, Low Opening in which a parachutist jumps from an aerocraft, freefalls and then deploys a parachute to slow velocity and land on target. See Star Trek 2009 for further details.