Athena Mission 2.9: Perfect Paradise

[Henri Forsythe]

[USS Zeus]

James quietly looked down at the watch strapped to his left wrist to note the time at which they landed, a necessity for his report. As soon as the image of the analog clockface had been burned into his brain he shot off a quick message to the Copernicus. "Copernicus, air is clear and good to breathe. Still no apparent signs of life, proceed with caution."

[Unknown Planet]

The direct area around them was beautiful. In many ways it reminded him of home. "Thank you Ms. Venator." The Captain said as he exited the shuttle. "Mr. Bash and...I'm sorry, I don't know your name, but I'm going to guess that you are Mr. Forsythe. I want you both on doing proper scans, follow close behind Ms. Venator and myself. Understood?"

[Unknown Planet]

"Dr. Forsythe," he casually corrected. "Fourteen years in med school ain't as fancy as bein' a starship captain, but I'd like to think I earned the privilege to stick you when you start sneezin'."

The second he hopped down onto solid earth, he took a good whiff of the air and admitted to himself it has been awhile since he gone the rustic route. He almost looked back at the shuttle for his camping gear, but all of that nonsense was back in Louisiana collecting dust. He wasn't sure what the Captain wanted him to scan for unless some hapless animal was wounded or some other.

So he simply flipped the switch of his tricorder for any signs of life in the area and opted to 'smell the roses' in the meantime.

[Susan Venator]

[Unknown Planet]

"Dr. Forsythe," he casually corrected. "Fourteen years in med school ain't as fancy as bein' a starship captain, but I'd like to think I earned the privilege to stick you when you start sneezin'."

The second he hopped down onto solid earth, he took a good whiff of the air and admitted to himself it has been awhile since he gone the rustic route. He almost looked back at the shuttle for his camping gear, but all of that nonsense was back in Louisiana collecting dust. He wasn't sure what the Captain wanted him to scan for unless some hapless animal was wounded or some other.

So he simply flipped the switch of his tricorder for any signs of life in the area and opted to 'smell the roses' in the meantime.

Unknown Planet

As the new Medical Officer exited the Zeus, Suzie nodded in greeting.

"Lieutenant Venator. Dr..?" She enquired.

[Henri Forsythe]

Unknown Planet

As the new Medical Officer exited the Zeus, Suzie nodded in greeting.

"Lieutenant Venator. Dr..?" She enquired.

[Unknown Planet]

Henri stopped examining a nearby bush. He had thought that maybe he saw animal prints under the brush, but he wasn't a biologist so he wouldn't know a hide or tail how to scan for such a thing. "Forsythe," he repeated, rearranging the strap over his shoulder to offer a hand to shake. "Much obliged, cher." He leaned a little forward with a mild squint at her face before grinning. "And a Betazed cher at that! Nifty telepaths thanks to that little thing called a paracortex. Very useful. Invasive, but useful."

[Susan Venator]

[Unknown Planet]

Henri stopped examining a nearby bush. He had thought that maybe he saw animal prints under the brush, but he wasn't a biologist so he wouldn't know a hide or tail how to scan for such a thing. "Forsythe," he repeated, rearranging the strap over his shoulder to offer a hand to shake. "Much obliged, cher." He leaned a little forward with a mild squint at her face before grinning. "And a Betazed cher at that! Nifty telepaths thanks to that little thing called a paracortex. Very useful. Invasive, but useful."

Unknown Planet

Suzie smiled as she shook his hand.

"Pleased to meet you. Though I would prefer not to have too much to do with you, at least in a professional capacity." She replied. 'I have been called many things before' She thought. 'But no-one had ever called her interesting before!'.

After they had shaken hands, Suzie began to do a full scan of the EM spectrum. They still did not know anything about this planet and from their initial scans, there was no sign of any technology, Still, they could not be too careful.

[Henri Forsythe]

Unknown Planet

Suzie smiled as she shook his hand.

"Pleased to meet you. Though I would prefer not to have too much to do with you, at least in a professional capacity." She replied. 'I have been called many things before' She thought. 'But no-one had ever called her interesting before!'.

After they had shaken hands, Suzie began to do a full scan of the EM spectrum. They still did not know anything about this planet and from their initial scans, there was no sign of any technology, Still, they could not be too careful.

[Unknown Planet]

Henri wasn't quite sure what to make of her words, but he took a ballpark guess at it. "The cher title botherin' you?" he suggested lightly. "Take nothin' of it. Just a southern thing. I'd blame my nana for it - or I guess the entire bayou. I'll keep the casual speak under wraps, Lieutenant." He was, if anything, a very good diplomat. He turned back around to focus on that brush again and wondered if he should have paid more attention to his troop leader back in the day. 

[Susan Venator]

[Unknown Planet]

Henri wasn't quite sure what to make of her words, but he took a ballpark guess at it. "The cher title botherin' you?" he suggested lightly. "Take nothin' of it. Just a southern thing. I'd blame my nana for it - or I guess the entire bayou. I'll keep the casual speak under wraps, Lieutenant." He was, if anything, a very good diplomat. He turned back around to focus on that brush again and wondered if he should have paid more attention to his troop leader back in the day.

Unknown Planet

Suzie looked at the Doctor with a frown on her face.

"I wouldn't say it is bothering me." She replied. "I just don't know what it means. I assume it is from one of Earths many languages." She added, curios in spite of herself.

[James Carter]

[Unknown Planet]

James shot another annoyed glance at Forsythe. "The best lesson any officer can learn is when not to speak. A lesson you should certainly look into. Focus on scanning for signs of life and less on chatting. Am I understood, Ensign?" The Captain placed a strong emphasis on the man's rank. His annoyance was obvious to anyone that had worked with him for any decent amount of time, which now happened to only be Susan. He wasn't a fan of dressing officers down, but he also wasn't afraid to do it.

[Henri Forsythe]

Unknown Planet

Suzie looked at the Doctor with a frown on her face.

"I wouldn't say it is bothering me." She replied. "I just don't know what it means. I assume it is from one of Earths many languages." She added, curios in spite of herself.

[Unknown Planet]

"That it is," he agreed. "Sometimes words don't translate well. Just a simple word of endearment. Like darling or k'diwa or wIbHa'. Use it from mother to barber just to be endearing. Rigellians like the word especially - something about the enunciation being a soothing hum in their language. It's been half my bedside manner kit the last ten years."

[Unknown Planet]

James shot another annoyed glance at Forsythe. "The best lesson any officer can learn is when not to speak. A lesson you should certainly look into. Focus on scanning for signs of life and less on chatting. Am I understood, Ensign?" The Captain placed a strong emphasis on the man's rank. His annoyance was obvious to anyone that had worked with him for any decent amount of time, which now happened to only be Susan. He wasn't a fan of dressing officers down, but he also wasn't afraid to do it.

His tone colored in mild amusement. "Well now, ain't that a solid word of advice! I suppose I can learn to shut my gab. Not like I have any use for it aside from knowing who I'm patchin' up just in case." His tricorder had been up and running in scans from the first order - he wasn't exactly sure what else the Captain wanted aside from springing a cartwheel down the trail.

[Susan Venator]

[Unknown Planet]

"That it is," he agreed. "Sometimes words don't translate well. Just a simple word of endearment. Like darling or k'diwa or wIbHa'. Use it from mother to barber just to be endearing. Rigellians like the word especially - something about the enunciation being a soothing hum in their language. It's been half my bedside manner kit the last ten years."

His tone colored in mild amusement. "Well now, ain't that a solid word of advice! I suppose I can learn to shut my gab. Not like I have any use for it aside from knowing who I'm patchin' up just in case." His tricorder had been up and running in scans from the first order - he wasn't exactly sure what else the Captain wanted aside from springing a cartwheel down the trail.

Unknown Planet

Suzie nodded. she understood that there were many words of endearment unique to Earth. Her human foster mother Helen had called her Carriad sometimes. It was apparently Welsh for darling or love.

She concentrated on her tricorders readouts. She was picking up extensive lifeform readings, but nothing that was remotely humanoid. She turned back to Carter and awaited instructions on their search grid.

[Naira]

[USS Zeus]

James quietly looked down at the watch strapped to his left wrist to note the time at which they landed, a necessity for his report. As soon as the image of the analog clockface had been burned into his brain he shot off a quick message to the Copernicus. "Copernicus, air is clear and good to breathe. Still no apparent signs of life, proceed with caution."

[Shuttlecraft - Copernicus]

"Understood, Captain. We should be joining you shortly," Naira had to force the words out of her mouth through clenched teeth as they broke free from the turbulence and gentle set the vessel down in a nearby grassy meadow.

"Well folks, it looks like we've safely landed on solid ground once more, feel free to unstrap and depart at your leisure," the young pilot said as he turned around in his seat to address those sitting behind him. The Ensign was all bright-eyed and chipper. He was obliviously proud of himself for landing the  shuttlecraft gently on the planet without scrapping the underside against the underbrush as so many of the new pilots tended to do their first time out.

"Good job, Ensign" Naira wasn't in the mood to deliver more of a compliment at the moment. All she wanted to do was fill out of the cramped quarters, take a deep breath of fresh air and feel the warmth of the sun against her face. She waited for the others who were sitting closer to the hatch to exit first, before she got out.

The ground was firm beneath her feet, there was a slight breeze in the air and with it came the scent of several different varieties of alien plant-life native to the planet. She pulled out her tricorder and began to scan the area.

"The Zeus should be located fifty meters to the West of us, just on the other side of that ridge. Until we know more about this planet, I don't want anybody wandering off and exploring on their own. We can set up a makeshift camp here and small groups will be allowed to survey the vicinity. Anyone leaving the camp is to check in every fifteen minutes and you will keep your phasers on you at all times. If you encounter any alien-life, report back immediately, don not engage them and if it comes to it, you are to stun them, nothing more. I want everyone back here by nightfall."

Issuing orders to an entire landing party was still new for her, but after running three sickbays on a busy space station, she felt she was starting to get the hang of things.

[Caleb Brighton]

[Shuttle Copernicus]
Katheryn then looked towards the front of the shuttle, taking in every detail that she could see as the shuttle continued its descent although couldn't wait for the turbulence to stop.

[ Shuttle Copernicus ]

Caleb continued to hold Katheryn's hand as he put his notebook away in his hidden zipper pocket. The turbulence was a bit rough, but there was a rather large pocket that was hit that caused his stomach to drop. Normally he was fine with a bit of rough air, but even for him that was insane. Though he didn't have much to complain about as the shuttle was soon to make landfall.

Caleb led Katheryn out and waited for their turn to head out onto the planet's surface. The moment he stepped out, he felt an odd peace he had not felt in a long time. It reminded him of the clinic and the first time he discovered the jungles he would call home for a while before he joined back with Starfleet. Originally he joined to fund the clinic,but he gained so much more when he came back.

"The Zeus should be located fifty meters to the West of us, just on the other side of that ridge. Until we know more about this planet, I don't want anybody wandering off and exploring on their own. We can set up a makeshift camp here and small groups will be allowed to survey the vicinity. Anyone leaving the camp is to check in every fifteen minutes and you will keep your phasers on you at all times. If you encounter any alien-life, report back immediately, don not engage them and if it comes to it, you are to stun them, nothing more. I want everyone back here by nightfall."

[ Shuttle Copernicus- Landing Ramp ]

"I absolutely agree. No need to rush either I think. A place like this should be enjoyed slowly and taken in. That being said though I also agree about being on guard. I've had way too many close calls with a Jaguar. Oddly enough she and I gained a mutual respect with one another," Caleb said he motioned to a scar he had on his left arm that was hidden by his uniform.

"Though she never followed me around, we did bump into one another quite a bit. Though I do not condone going up to an obviously dangerous species and try to make friends especially if it feels threatened. I'd like to set up a small section of our camp for an infirmary. I can handle a few bumps and bruises in the shuttle, but I'd like to think that the fresh air and the atmosphere here would boost the spirit in that situation," Caleb said as he gave his trademark smile after he spoke. 

[Naira]

[ Shuttle Copernicus- Landing Ramp ]

"I absolutely agree. No need to rush either I think. A place like this should be enjoyed slowly and taken in. That being said though I also agree about being on guard. I've had way too many close calls with a Jaguar. Oddly enough she and I gained a mutual respect with one another," Caleb said he motioned to a scar he had on his left arm that was hidden by his uniform.

"Though she never followed me around, we did bump into one another quite a bit. Though I do not condone going up to an obviously dangerous species and try to make friends especially if it feels threatened. I'd like to set up a small section of our camp for an infirmary. I can handle a few bumps and bruises in the shuttle, but I'd like to think that the fresh air and the atmosphere here would boost the spirit in that situation," Caleb said as he gave his trademark smile after he spoke.

[Copernicus - Landing site]

Naira turned to listen to the doctor as he spoke. Slowly she nodded in agreement.  "I hope that we will not need to make use of it, but yes, feel free to set up a small medical station next to the shuttle. If you need to take some supplies from the shuttle to aid you in your endeavor, do so, but please keep it simple. If we should have to quickly retreat, I want to be able to pack the shuttle back up as quickly as possible so that we can leave."

She noticed that several members of the landing party were milling around, taking in the sunshine and fresh air as the walked around in the dew-covered field or gazed off towards the nearby forest or distant mountains. Behind them, the grass slowly tapered off into sand-covered dunes and a rocky coastline. Waves gently crashed against the shore, sending the scent of salt water into the air.

"If our science officers won't object, I'd like to join you in the opportunity to explore our surrounds a bit. I'd like to think there is much we can learn from cataloging and collecting samples of the native plant life. What say you?"

[Katheryn Brighton]

[Copernicus - Landing Site]

The rest of the journey down to the surface had continued to be made better by the fact that Caleb had kept hold of her hand until the shuttle touched down and they were told that they could now depart. The adrenaline and excitement started to build once more at the thought of investigating this unknown planet and getting to share this experience with not only her husband to be but the rest of the away team and actually feeling fresh air and the ground underneath her feet something she had missed apart from when her and Caleb took some holodeck time.

Taking in the view in more accurate detail this time as Caleb led them into the queue before it was their turn to walk off the shuttle, listening as always as the XO issued orders and Caleb gave his recommendations before sharing another jungle experience and knew of the jaguar tale well and had seen the scars.

Letting go of his hand as he and the XO spoke so she could survey their surroundings and formulate a plan for Security to work with the orders given. " I'll go ahead with my team to set up a perimeter and keep watch whilst we set the camp and medical station " she said " Then I recommend that Security remain in the area to make sure everyone returns and if needed one or two of us can join the small groups that are wanting to investigate".

[Naira]

[Copernicus - Landing Site]

The rest of the journey down to the surface had continued to be made better by the fact that Caleb had kept hold of her hand until the shuttle touched down and they were told that they could now depart. The adrenaline and excitement started to build once more at the thought of investigating this unknown planet and getting to share this experience with not only her husband to be but the rest of the away team and actually feeling fresh air and the ground underneath her feet something she had missed apart from when her and Caleb took some holodeck time.

Taking in the view in more accurate detail this time as Caleb led them into the queue before it was their turn to walk off the shuttle, listening as always as the XO issued orders and Caleb gave his recommendations before sharing another jungle experience and knew of the jaguar tale well and had seen the scars.

Letting go of his hand as he and the XO spoke so she could survey their surroundings and formulate a plan for Security to work with the orders given. " I'll go ahead with my team to set up a perimeter and keep watch whilst we set the camp and medical station " she said " Then I recommend that Security remain in the area to make sure everyone returns and if needed one or two of us can join the small groups that are wanting to investigate".

[Copernicus - Landing Site]

"Sounds good, Commander. Please secure the perimeter and report back any findings you might make." She cleared her thought and spoke louder so that everyone in the vicinity could hear. "That goes for everyone, if you find anything out of the ordinary, report back and do not engage. I would rather we not end up with injures without access to a proper sickbay."

Instinctually, she wanted to stand watch over the group setting up the makeshift sickbay, voicing her input and telling them how she would go about doing it. However, she had to remind herself that that was no longer her job. They had a Chief Medical Officer and it was no longer her. She needed to step back and let the man prove himself, if he was going to make a name for himself.

So instead, she oversaw the group unload supplies to set up a basic tent. They would want to set up a fire somewhere nearby, not necessarily for light after sunset, because they brought more efficient light sources with them, but because it was a Human tradition that seemed to bring them comfort and truthfully, it would be more comfortable for them to spend the night outside of the vessel rather than cramped inside in an attempt to try to stay warm. A small science station was being set up just outside the shuttle so that samples could be analyzed.

Meanwhile, one crewman was rattling off about the need to establish shelter from the rain should the weather take a turn for the worse.

[Jules Bash]

[Unknown Planet]

James shot another annoyed glance at Forsythe. "The best lesson any officer can learn is when not to speak. A lesson you should certainly look into. Focus on scanning for signs of life and less on chatting. Am I understood, Ensign?" The Captain placed a strong emphasis on the man's rank. His annoyance was obvious to anyone that had worked with him for any decent amount of time, which now happened to only be Susan. He wasn't a fan of dressing officers down, but he also wasn't afraid to do it.

[Zeus Landing Field]

Jules didn't bother to notice most of the chatter going on around him, as he eyed over his initial scans. Atmosphere, EM field, base compounds, all very traditional Class-M, very similar to the terraformed biomes he had seen at Mars. Once the captain spoke, Jules began to listen more carefully.

[Shuttlecraft - Copernicus]

"Understood, Captain. We should be joining you shortly," Naira had to force the words out of her mouth through clenched teeth as they broke free from the turbulence and gentle set the vessel down in a nearby grassy meadow.

[Zeus Landing Field]

He found himself wondering why the captain was most interested in life sign readings. Nothing that he had heard had even suggested the planet having intelligent life, and doubted that the planet would have been missed in being scanned if it had.

Jules looked up as he heard the other shuttle craft breaking through the atmosphere, landing just out of sight past a ridge. He wondered why they were both landing essentially side by side if this was to be for recon purposes.

"Captain, do you expect to be here longer than an hour or so? I could look into helping the scientists get their equipment installed if we are planning on being thorough on the scans."

Jules kept himself roughly near the shuttle, waiting for the captain and Ms. Venator to lead them on if this was instead just going to be a quick walk around.