"Bring planetary and atmospheric sensors online."
"I'm beginning data feed from the Virgo now." Lieutenant JG M'Terrn sat at the Science/Ops console in the Lamda Flier's cockpit area. "I'm getting all of the planetary readings. All information is coming through. You know, you really did an adequate job of putting in a sensor suite aboard this craft. Almost as good as a starship's ones. I thought you were just making some sort of hot rod fighter craft."
"Who says it isn't?" Garek smiled, and turned to look at the science officer.
"Hmph. So I see." M'Terrn grinned and shook his head. He then returned his full attention back to the science console.
"That reminds me. Where's Valdago and Galen? They were going to come with on this mission."
"Beats me. Galen is probably kicking a food replicator trying to get it to work." M'Terrn smiled to himself.
"I'll be sure to tell him you said that." Garek ran his hands over the flight console, bringing the warp core an impulse engines online.
"If you do, you'll be a dead man."
"Watch yourself, Lieutenant." The two then started to laugh.
Lt. Commander K'Lara walked quickly down the corridor. A clear sign of anxiety across her face from the captain's new decision. The man she loved was down away on this planet. Possibly dead. This, was the worst case scenario, and she hated it.
K'Lara was steaming down the corridor towards sickbay. She was hoping that if she received medical clearance from Dr. Nori, she would be able to accompany the away team on this mission.
"K'Lara, what brings you to Sickbay?" Dana stood up as K'Lara walked briskly into Sickbay.
"I need you to okay me for the away mission. Please. I try not to ask for much, but John is down there and..."
"I know, I know. I can imagine how your feeling right now. Please, sit down on a biobed, and I'll check you over." Dana started walking over to the beds, picking up some supplies along the way.
"I don't know how to thank you, Dana." K'Lara was almost coming to tears.
Dana smiled warmly, and pulled out a tricorder.
[Warp core status is at 99.9 percent efficiency.] Ensign Galen was sitting at a small engineering console in the personnel area of the craft. The terminal was wedged into the front left corner of the area. It was a nice wrap around console with everything needed.
"Good, Ensign. Keep me updated. I also want you to make sure that we have enough reserve power for shields. If that enemy ship is out there looking for us, I want to destroy it, and not be destroyed."
[Can do, Lieutenant. Galen out.]
Garek smiled at the Ensign's enthusiasm. He had never seen Galen so "pumped up" about a mission. He must not go on many away missions. "John, status of the weapons array?"
"Weapons are functional. Phaser cannons charged. Torpedoes ready. Cloaking device is nominal." Valdago read over the list of items that were scrolling down on a panel.
"Excellent. Let's see what this baby can do." Garek looked over his shoulder. "Alright everyone. Let's rock and roll!"
The doors to Shuttle Bay Two had already been opened and the Lambda Flier had been given clearance to launch. The massive shuttle lifted off the shuttle bay floor, and headed off into space.
"Commander Nori to Captain Maruu." Dana put away a medical tricorder as she tapped her com badge.
[Go ahead, Dana.]
"Captain, Commander K'Lara came down here asking for a physical as to see if she is in good health to go on this mission. I have examined her completely and have found no reason as to why she cannot go on this mission."
There were a few moments of silence. Capain Maruu sat in his chair on the bridge. Should I let her go, and endanger her life and that of her child? John could already be dead. The last thing I want to do is lose another officer.
[Tell K'Lara that she has permission to go on the mission. Have her report to Transporter Room One. I'll have Lieutenant Loran and the Flier head back from the planet.]
"Aye, Sir. Nori out." Dana looked over at K'Lara. She saw that an ear to ear smile was already forming on her face. "I don't see any reason for you not to go on this mission. Just be sure to take care of yourself. Please."
"Of course I will. Dana, I don't know how to thank you." K'Lara smiled and left Sickbay heading for the transporter room.
"Aye, Sir, we're coming back around." Garek hit the control that cleared the communications view screen. That view screen was located in the upper left corner of the front of the cockpit so that the pilot, and the rest of the "bridge" crew could see the person that was speaking. "We're heading back, guys, to pick up a passenger."
[Who would that be?] Galen asked from the personnel area. Garek could see him from another view screen located on the "dashboard" of the Flier.
"Commander K'Lara. She has received permission to come with us on this one."
Garek brought the Flier into a tight loop, until the Virgo came into view in the main view port. He then accelerated, heading towards the mother ship.
"They are within range, Commander," said the ensign behind the transporter control.
"Energize." K'Lara stared blankly ahead, waiting for the sensation of transportation to overcome her. The view of the transporter room faded, and she was then in a tube of bluish white light. Then, the personnel area of the Lambda Flier came into view. The first person she saw was Ensign Galen.
"Welcome aboard the Lambda Flier, Commander. I wish it were under better circumstances." Galen offered a smile.
"As do I, Ensign," K'Lara replied. She walked towards the door that led to the cockpit of the Flier. It opened, and she walked down the small ramp and took position in the copilot's seat of the Flier. "So, what did I miss?"
"We're heading back in," Garek replied. He pulled back on the flight stick on the right console. He sat on the left, while K'Lara was on the right. This gave either pilot an equal chance to pilot the craft with the flight stick.
"Lieutenant M'Terrn, can you please transfer Ops to the copilot's terminal?"
"Right away, Commander." M'Terrn tapped a few buttons.
"INCOMING!!!" Garek yelled out. The enemy vessel that was reported inside the the atmosphere of the planet had showed itself.
"Should I engage the cloaking device?" Valdago asked.
"No time. Raise shields and fire!" K'Lara yelled out in return. Her Klingon rage was starting to show.
The Lamda Flier shuddered from enemy fire. "Return their fire!" Garek yelled out. Phaser cannons, phaser array fire, and quantum torpedoes rained forward on the enemy craft. It then exploded in a brilliant flash of light and debris. The Flier ran forward through the debris.
"HA! That was nothing!" Garek smiled at the craft's performance.
"Hmph. Too easy. Let's find, Jon." K'Lara's mission was definitely noticeable.
Arriving at the crash site, the rescue team found nothing. No life signs. K'Lara was understandibly hurt. Tears could almost be seen starting to form.
Garek, trying to offer a ray of hope spoke up. "Maybe he's in the surrounding forest or something. Let's try looking for a complex or something." He pulled up on the flight stick, and brought the craft forward. M'Terrn began his scanning again.
Nearly 20 minutes later, a building was found. "I've got a structure bearing 320." M'Terrn yelled out with excitement.
"I'm bringing us around for a pass," K'Lara said, taking the controls. She brought the craft around.
"OK," Garek offered. He eased off, letting her fly. They made a few passes of the structure. It was somewhat modest. The structure was squared, about 100 yards long and 100 yards wide. It stood about 300 feet tall. The top was domed off, and a small control station could be seen at the top of the dome. Garek also noted large doors on three of the four sides of the building. The only thing he could deduce would be hanger for space crafts of some sort.
Near this main building was one slightly smaller. It was probably a barracks of some sort. He could make out some equipment which appeared to be unmanned anti-craft phaser guns.
"Any life signs?" Garek asked.
"Not that I can detect. There might be a dampening field around the complex." M'Terrn looked over his readouts.
"Well, let's get out of sight before they find us. K'Lara, the Flier is yours."
K'Lara nodded and brought the fighter out of the area.
I can only imagine what she's going through. God be with her on this one.