Posted by Lieutenant Ael Khev (Pilot, Red Squad Leader) in Corridor into the Beloti system. . .

Posted by Gamemaster Kenson Koh (Gamemaster) in Corridor into the Beloti system. . .

Posted by Lieutenant Alexandra “Little Sehlat” Primage (Pilot. Grn Squad Ldr) in Corridor into the Beloti system. . .
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻

SNIP

So far the area they were scouting was clear. There were no mines detected. However, they were able to detect a very garbled message about a storm from the planet nearby.

GM

Xandra frowned slightly and replayed the audio over and over. Tapping her comm line to Ric, she sounded irritated. =^=Ric… you hear that transmission? I can’t make it all out, but something about a storm?=^= She wasn’t sure if it was something they needed to investigate or just report back to the Oly.

Xandra
“Little Sehlat”

=^=That’s affirmative, Sehlat. I didn’t catch much either.=^=

Ric tried adjusting his comms panel to pick up the message again, to no avail. Before he could issue further orders, Apex piped in.

=/\=Everybody hearing this?…We’re not going to get it any clearer from out here. Starbuck Apollo and I can go in and try to get a better fix. They’re probably caught in the storm, short ranged comms are going to be weak, but maybe stronger than out here.=/\=

-Lt Ael Khev, Apex (Red Squad Leader)

=^=Negative, Apex. I want Green and Red Squads to remain out here continuing to clear a path. You and Sehlat are with me. I want my most experienced pilots flying through this mine field to get closer to get a clearer message and maybe pinpoint where it’s coming from. Take up positions on my 8 and 4. Stay tight and keep your eyes open.=^=

As he peeled off from the rest of the fighters and increased his velocity, yet stayed on the path the Cardassians had provided. . . . .

Ricochet (CAG)

=/\=Copy.=/\= Ael glided back to meet Ric. =/\=Kara. You lead Red while we track the signal. No heroics Starbuck.=/\=
=/\=Understood.=/\= Ael fell in just behind Ric. He’d been flying for 32 years. It never got old.

-Lt Ael Khev, Apex (Red Squad Leader)

Xandra nodded as Apex voiced the thought she had had. As Ric gave orders to join up, she tapped back to the main comm. =^=Copy, Ric. =^=

With the main danger out of the way, hopefully, she waited till Riv and Apex had risen to their new flight path and she came down to fill in the spot to Ric’s left, just aft of his starboard wing. She nodded to Apex in a mirror position to the CAG’s right and smiled. =^=Follow the leader, boss… we’re set.=^=

It felt good to be flying without the shadow of their last mission hovering over her. Everyone had finally relaxed that she wasn’t going to loose it in mid flight and things were back to normal.

Xandra
“Sehlat”
Pilot

As they moved towards the signal, Ric received a set of coordinates from the Olinski. A moment later, the voice of the security chief came through the comm system =^= Commander, I’m sending over planetary coordinates. We have received a signal from this location and we believe it may be from the USS Sierra. Mr. Harn would like to see what you can find out =^=

=^=On our way, Olinski. Will confirm ASAP,=^= Ricochet replied.

=^= And commander, let us know if the Olinski is clear to pick up its pace towards the planet =^=

COS Ch’zaolrirh

The area the fighters were sweeping was clear of mines. It was safe for the Olinski to enter.

GM

=^=That is affirmative, mother. Red and Green squads will continue to scan in advance of your approach, but so far it has all been green. Starbuck is on point, she’ll lead you in.=^=

“The fighters have progressed through the alleged mine field area successfully. Data suggests that we can transverse the danger zone.”

Kolar

Ricochet (CAG)

As they progressed towards the signal’s point of origin, Ael called =/\=CAG, Sehlat, any chance the minefield isn’t the trap? Something about riding into a storm feels off.=/\= he knew it had been his idea. But that was when it was only at the expense of one squad leader. Not both and the CAG.

As they got closer, he called the Sierra. =/\=Sierra, Apex calling, Olinski Red Leader. Do you copy? Small fighter band inbound to determine situation and options. Please respond.=/\=

-Lt Ael Khev, Apex (Red Squad Leader)

=/\= … xxzzkktt … Apex? … kkzzppt … Genesis? …kkktttssspp … storm … xxxzztt…blind …=/\=

GM

Xandra frowned. =^=Ric, I don’t think they are strong enough to signal. Lemme go down and have a look. I’ll see if I can break thru the upper layer and get a better signal to relay back.=^=

Two thoughts would go thru everyone’s head at her suggestion, she was sure. One was ‘was she out of her mind? Last time she went close to a planet she went nuts’ and the other was ‘was she out of her mind? The storm was bad’. Either way, one of them had to go down. She didn’t want it to be Ric, he was CAG and, like CO and XO didn’t need to go down in unknown situations when others were available. And she didn’t want Ael to go because his fighting skills was better than hers and if things went sideways, Ric would need him for sure.

=^=I can do this, Sir,=^= she added a heartbeat later as she imagined Ric biting his lip in contemplation.

Xandra
Pilot

Ric finally acquiesced to her suggestion. He knew she needed to do this for her own confidence. =^=Granted, Sehlat, BUT stay above the upper limit of the storm. It’s moving at a pretty good velocity. Upwards of 120kph. It should be out of the area in less than 40 minutes. As soon as you make clear contact report back so we can report back to mother on what we found.=^=

Ricochet (CAG)

=^= Copy that, boss, =^= her voice piped up as Xandra pitched her nose towards the planet. She aimed for the source of the transmission, or rather, where she thought it was coming from, and moved in with the intention of remaining just above the storm clouds.

Keeping her channel open so Ric could constantly monitor, she hailed the planet trying to get a clear response. =^=This is pilot Primage of the USS Olinski. We’re having trouble hearing your transmission. Please repeat. I said this is pilot Primage, please repeat last transmission.=^= She tried to get a bit closer, her ship starting to feel the storm buffering her more and more, the closer she got.

Xandra
Pilot

The pilots were able to have both visual and sensor confirmation of the shuttle before it entered into the storm. The kelbonite caused the sensors to be unreliable although bits and pieces of information of what was inside the storm did make it through the flying sand particles.

GM

In the silence, Ael thought Elements be with you Xandra. he opened a closed comm channel to Ric. =/\=How long do we wait?=/\=

-Lt Ael Khev, Apex (Red Squad Leader)

“I don’t want to give her too long, Apex, but I don’t want her going in there for nothing. Let’s give a little bit morre,” the CAG stated.

Opening a channel to the ship, Ric repported what was going on.

=^=Olinski, this is Ricochet. we were able to pick up a garbled, partial message from the surface. It seemed to be a direct response to Apex’s hail. Little Sehlat is going in closer to the storn in an effort to pick up a clearer message. If the Sierra did go down, it’s a pretty good chance we have survivors.=^=

Ricochet (CAG)