Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side-sim: The Study of Kelmao

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side-sim: The Study of Kelmao

(snip)

She nodded at his words and then realized he probably couldn’t tell through the rain and rising fog, “Okay. You do know I’m a runner right? Jumping from a stand still is not in my skill set.” She was quiet for several silent minutes after that before her voice came back over the communicator. There was really no reason for it other than to distract herself from the tension. “I was being careful, I swear. I checked the ground for rushing water and standing water before I moved. It looked and felt solid. I guess my weight disturbed it. Randy got caught in a bog once.” She started telling the story, much like she did most night with him, giving them something other than the problem to focus on. “He and Arvin. They niver did tell us why they were oot thare. They wee sunk chest deep before dad an angus were able tae reach thaim an haul thaim oot.” As she talked her accent become more pronounced, stress and fear.

She’d managed to make her way forward by several feet and back towards the tree line. Like a giant zig-zag pattern. She made the next step, it seemed solid enough but as she started to shift her weight it gave under her and crumbled. She shifted back quickly, adrenaline and her heart rate rushing into over time.

Yeoman Rand

“You’ll have to try. That’s if it comes to that,” Roman replied using the communicator. He wished there was more he could do to help her but with the perimeter marked the best he could do was wait for her to make it on her own. “It wasn’t your fault, whoever had scouted would have likely gotten stuck in the same way.”

“Or worse,” she was lighter and faster, someone else might have sunk already. But try to jump from where she was…there was no way. If she could get closer. Right now she needed to focus on getting closer. The less distance she had to jump, if it came to that, the better.

Hearing her tell another story of her and Randy’s misadventures in Scotland relaxed him a little, probably because he was used to her telling them at night to calm him down. But there was fear detectable in her voice to him, a reminder of the present predicament. He froze as the ground crumbled under her, deciding what he’d actually do if she started to sink. But she shifted back and seemed okay, and he relaxed again. “Can you find another way forward?”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

“I think so.” She began looking for another place to step. After a moment she had a choice, back the way she came or closer to the tree line but further away from Roman. She didn’t like either option, but decided to back track and see if she could find another way forward. But before she could move there was a loud buzz followed by a resound crack as lightening hit a nearby tree. The area lit up in a blinding flash of light and sparks came down with the rain. Rand dropped, more from instinct than anything. There was so much rain the sparks weren’t going to hurt anything. The wind had whipped into a fury and the fog was getting thicker and slowly rising. Then before she could stand up right there was an ominous creaking and groaning and the top half of a tree came crashing down. It landed hard enough that she could feel it land.

One end landed just past the perimeter Roman had made, the rest was on the other side with her. If she could reach it, maybe she could use it like a bridge. They would both feel it…the ground shuddered and there was a sickening sucking sound, and the tree began to sink. At first Rand wasn’t sure, it moved slowly and then it was obvious.
Through the swirling fog she saw the hole spreading like a ripple outwards from where the tree was sinking. “ROMAN!” terror obvious in her voice. She began to run towards him, maybe not the best option, but there were no good options any more. The hole was widening at a rapid speed and only a yard or so behind her. First firm piece of ground she jumped.

Yeoman Rand

The loud crack of the tree and the deafening crash of thunder right next to them made Roman jump and duck, and then he watched with horror as it fell towards Rand. It landed short of her, the leafy branches sinking into the soggy, soft ground. Water droplets soared around it from the drenched ground and sopping leaves of the tree. Before he could even look relieved, he felt the vibrations in the ground. The awful sound the ground made was near unnatural to Roman and he knew exactly what it meant. He’d never seen it happen himself, but he knew of them. A sinkhole like that could swallow an entire home. That sucking sound was often the last thing own heard before they were sucked into an earthy premature grave. “Rand, run! Hurry!”

Rand sprinted forward and when he saw her leap for it, he braced himself to grab her. Planting his feet as securely as he could, he reached out for her. Her jump landed her just barely short of the edge. She was within his reach, and he managed to grab her as she fell into unstable, sinking ground. Pulling as hard as he could, he hauled her up and towards himself, towards the solid ground.

Rand jumped and landed. It knocked the wind out of her, but that was okay, solid ground was worth it, but as she began to pull her feet under her, there was nothing and she was sinking. In her head she knew the more she moved and struggled the faster she would sink, but that didn’t stop her from trying to scramble for a firmer hold. She could still feel the rumbling in the ground and the rush of air and rain as the ground opened up further. Her hands dug into grass and sank into mire and much and nothing. And the more she tried to move forward the more she could feel herself sinking....and then something solid grabbed her, and she latched onto Roman’s arms. It was pretty futile to try and help, it only made her sink further. As soon as she felt more solid ground under her, she braced a knee and then her feet and fought for purchase.

Pain shot through his right leg, so sudden and intense he cried out as his leg gave in under the strain and sent them both tumbling into the mud. Thankfully for both of them, he fell backwards, taking Rand with him and they both landed on solid, non sinking ground. Roman kicked desperately against the solid ground with his left leg to push them away from the edge of the sinkhole. Then, he hoped the sinking ground did not grow large enough to swallow them up.

As she got her feet under her, she was yanked unceremoniously off her feet and against Roman then for them to fall, him backwards and her forwards, in a heap. She heard him cry out, but didn’t know what had happened. She felt him pushing backwards and she scrabbled to help. When he stopped, she was still held tightly against him, but she turned her head and watched as the ground crumbled and then stopped, 6 inches short the perimeter Roman had marked. Then Rand collapsed against him, unaware at the moment that he was really hurt.

Her collapsing against him hurt, any movement seemed to hurt more, but he was so glad she had made it he hugged her closer anyway before letting her go.

The pain in his leg did not subside. It continued to ache in throbbing patterns. He had not expected something like this to happen, not even considering how much it had been bothering him lately. The pain was nearly as intense as it had been three years ago. The only difference was the lack of the searing heat of the burns. He attempted to pull himself to his feet, but as soon as he put any significant weight on his leg, it gave way with another nauseating wave of pain, and he found himself back in the sticky pool of mud where he started.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Rand chose to sit and breath and let the adrenaline drain while he stood. Then she would get up, but then he was in a heap half on half next to her. “Roman?” Then it all registered, “You’ve hurt your leg again. Stay here.” She extradited herself and out of the sticks he’d used found one tall enough and thick enough for him to use as a walking stick. She returned quickly and knelt down and helped him sit up. “Come on we have to get back under the trees. The storm is worse.” Lightening was flashing and the thunder was a constant back drop and Rand was pretty sure the wind was picking up again. They were soaked and hypothermia was quickly becoming a threat. She got him standing and draped his arm over her shoulders, taking some of his weight and the walking stick offering more support. “I can’t carry you, but I can help.” She was teasing gently trying to distract him.

Finally under the trees she searched, to no avail, for a branch that could be used as a crutch. She needed to go get help. He wasn’t going to make the last 100 feet by himself, but she was reluctant to leave him. She fiddled with her communicator, that had by some miracle not been lost, to contact Franks but apparently with the storm 20 feet was the maximum distance.

Yeoman Rand

Still laying in the pool of mud, Roman observed that any movement seemed to make the pain worse, trying to stand had been unbearable. In response to his name he started to say something but then she put it together on her own and got up, leaving him alone in the mud.

Sitting up was the easy part, at least with her help. He was cold and wet and muddy, his uniform soaked and dirty. “I know, I think the rain’s coming down harder,” he replied, his voice strained. It was easier said than done. Standing had already proven difficult. With her help and a lot of effort and pain, he was standing again, his arm over her shoulders for support.

The walking stick had been probably the most useful part, putting his weight on it as he got up. He tried not to put too much weight on Rand. She was quite a lot smaller than he was and he weighed quite a bit. But he wouldn’t be standing without her. Even with her his leg was aching bad, not wanting to hold any amount of weight. Moving it made it worse. The final 100 feet were going to be long. Despite his pain her comment made him smile.

Roman was glad the rest of the team hadn’t seen him fall. That was a lot of questions he didn’t want. If it didn’t stop hurting so much there was no way he’d be able to hide it. “Tell them… I pulled something,” he managed, telling Rand not to tell the team the truth. He was trying to focus on not just falling over again. If he did, he’d probably pull her down too.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO