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

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
Posted by… suppressed (6) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(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

Just getting the trees was painstakingly slow. Rand knew he was in pain and the more they moved the worse it got. She tried to get him to use her with the stick like crutches, but that would have been difficult on dry ground. With the wind and rain it was down right a disaster.

Once they reached the shelter of the trees, which were massive, Rand helped him lean against a tree, the roots coming up far enough to make it easy to sit if not comfortable. Rand looked at him and nodded, “Because of the tree. You pulled something because of the tree.” She tried the communicator but the storm was just too much. Roman was pale and despite the rain and wind and dropping temperature, he was sweating. They weren’t going to make it on their own.

The walk put the pain in painstakingly slow. A few steps in and Roman’s leg felt like it was tearing in two. His stubbornness and determination were the only things keeping him moving slowly to the tree line. He nodded in reply to what she said, satisfied with the story for what had happened. The large trees provided shelter from the rain, and they were much drier there than in the open though some drops made it through the leaves. With Rand’s help, he leaned against the tree first, and then slid into a seated position on the gnarled roots of the tree, leaving the painful leg stretched straight. He was pale and sweaty, maybe from the pain, maybe from early stage hypothermia, there was no way to tell. He was tired, and between the pain and shivering from the cold, he had to remind himself to breathe normally.

No one was around to see, and even if they had been, Rand probably wouldn’t have cared. She leaned down and kissed his cheek and then moved out of reach. He’d never agree, he could yell at her later. “I’ll be back.” And she took off at an impressive full out sprint. Here, on the edge of the forest the underbrush was thin and visibility as good as it could be. She never left his line of sight, but she had to get closer.

=C=Franks? Franks?!=C= She tried several frequences until suddenly through the static she heard, =C=Rand? Rand! Are you okay?=C=

=C=I am. I’m clear of the sink hole. Listen, a tree crashed, Cmdr Alden’s hurt. I can’t carry him. We’re right inside the tree line about 100 feet away. We need help.=C= Then Rand was back and she sat down next to him, head against his shoulder for a moment, but she was still hyped up from adrenaline and stress. “I had to get help, we weren’t going to make it the rest of the way.” 15 minutes later, Valos and Franks appeared out of the fog.

Yeoman Rand

Roman reached for her hand as she moved away, but he was too slow. His fingertips barely brushed hers. “Rand, wait!” He called, but she took off running. He relaxed somewhat when he saw her stop within his line of sight, but after the sinkhole he couldn’t help but worry. He could tell she was fiddling with the communicator, trying to get an answer from the team. He wasn’t sure she’d be able to get through. He wanted to keep moving. Sitting had been a mistake. He hadn’t the faintest idea how he planned to get standing again. He’d at least been careful when he reached out to her, not to move the leg. It clearly needed to be rested.

Rand returned a moment later, and sat down by him, and out of reflex and probably for comfort too, he grabbed hold of her hand. “You’re right. It took nearly half an hour to walk a hundred feet. We’d have died of exposure before we made it there.” His voice was still tight with pain, a bit breathy as he tried to control his breathing. He had to wonder why now, after all this time, his leg had chosen to give out and cause a problem. He could think of no worse time. It felt like not a single thing had gone right on this mission. Land, and there was a storm within hours. Escape the storm, Rand got stuck in the sinkhole. Rescue Rand, his leg became unusably painful. At least no one had died. But aside that happening, he couldn’t envision a worse outcome to the mission. With two days before the ship returned for them, he could only hope things improved.

Rand leaned back weight against the tree, bit into him. If the team saw it she’d claim sharing body heat. They were both freezing and Rand new after that last sprint they were in trouble, her feet were numb from the water and cold. Her body wasn’t even shivering any more. She squeezed his hand. She wasn’t going anywhere else now. They went together or not at all. “We’re okay, the team is okay. And the water isn’t poisonous or the rain would have killed us by now. Franks said the cave was clean, dry, and uninhabited. The heater survived the trip. So you know what that means…you get hot tea when we get there.” She hugged him, just to make them both feel better, but not for long, she wanted him to stay still.

As they waited, giving his leg a rest seemed the right thing to do. Ten minutes went by and the pain subsided somewhat. It was still bad, but not like it had been, especially not when trying to walk. Five more minutes passed and Roman could barely make out Franks and Valos against the fog. He was glad to see them. With both of them and Rand, progress could be made considerably faster towards the caves. Emboldened by the subdued pain, he made the mistake of trying to stand. It was as disastrous as before. His leg simply refused to hold the weight, and trying to make it only put the pain back up to where it had been before. He sat back down hard against the tree. It was going to take longer than a fifteen minute rest on a tree to help it. Both for the sake of the mission and avoiding Sickbay when the ship returned, he desperately hoped the pain would subside on its own after he was given the chance to rest in the caves.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

When he stood Rand stood with him, trying to support his weight. Franks took one look at Alden and looked at Rand. “What happened?” She explained about the tree and that she’d fallen as the ground gave way. That Cmdr Alden and pulled her up but on the collapsing sink hole she thought his leg had gotten caught and twisted and sprained trying to get them both free. Valos looked through the trees and cursed. Franks went to look. “We’re lucky you both survived.” He shook his head.

As Rand hugged him, he hugged her back, staying as still as he could. “Hot tea.. you’d better have something hot as well,” he said. Roman was glad Rand explained when the others asked what happened. He didn’t feel much like talking. He was suddenly glad Rand was a good liar. It seemed a plausible excuse for his condition.

Rand nodded, “If ya think I’m making ya hot tea and no gettin’ my own, English, you are in worse shape than I thought.” Her accent was thick and her voice probably sounded slurred somewhat. She was trying to keep the banter up, to distract him and herself. 15 minutes seemed like an eternity. Rand had no idea she was lying. She knew he had an old injury to his leg, but that’s what she thought had happened. She had no idea that his leg had been bothering him.

Roman smiled somewhat at the comment, but a clever reply escaped him. He couldn’t think very clearly, because of the pain he assumed. “At least I’ve got you to make the tea,” he said finally, unable to think of anything else. He appreciated the effort to distract them both.

Crossing their arms and locking forearms under Alden’s arms they put the walking stick under his knees and lifted. Making a chair. It was faster considering the hypothermia. They made quick progress. Rand was exhausted and her muscles were trying to cramp. She fell in to step behind them, having to force herself to keep up. The inside of the cave was warm and the sleeping bags had been spread open to dry. And they were by the time Alden and Rand got there. Morgan and Harvey too Rand farther back into the cave, stripping off the wet, dirty freezing clothes. They got her cleaned up and suddenly Harvey gasped, “Rand!” Rand was simply too tired, “Wha?” Morgan shook her head. “You’re bruised pretty bad.” Rand looked down, oh. That’s why her body hurt. “Probably where I tried to jump and missed.”

The makeshift arm and stick chair was a painful process to get him into. Roman grimaced as his knees bent over the stick. His fists clenched and he set his jaw. He managed not to cry out again. At some point between the grove where they stopped and the caves, his body stopped shivering. He seemed a little out of it. Darkness ebbed the edges of his vision, threatening unconsciousness. It would be a mercy. But he fought to stay awake. He was a little afraid if he did fall asleep now, he’d never come out of it.

Now as the heat sank in, she started to shiver. Clean, dry, warm clothes the sat her down on a sleeping bag, next to Alden. “Rand where’s the coffee?” They needed something warm. “My pack.” Franks had the emergency medical kit. Morgan tried to give Rand a hypo to help her relax from the bruising. Rand stopped her. She wasn’t taking anything unless Alden did. Yes, she was silently bribing him.

Yeoman Rand

All Roman wanted was to stay next to Rand, but the girls took her deeper into the cave. Once she was gone, Franks and Velos helped him strip off the wet and dirty clothes. They were sopping. Mud splattered his uniformed shirt and pants. It was all over his arms and face, too. They were careful as they helped him remove the pants.

He stole a glance at the long scar on his leg. The puckered skin looked the same as ever, and he was left with no explanation for the pain. They helped him dry off and clean up a little and change into the one non-uniform change of clothes he’d brought. It would be more comfortable, and they thought that would be better for him. Then they set him on the sleeping bag with strict instructions from Franks to sit there and rest.

The scar was long and noticable, but neither Franks nor Valos mentioned it. Such things happened and it was an old scar so it wasn’t a concern. Franks had noticed that Alden had stopped shivering and that concerned him. Rand had stumbled along behind them. And that was worrisome compared to the lithe young woman they had followed the whole way. But he wasn’t sure if it was exhaustion or hypothermia.

Sitting still in the cave, in warm and dry clothes, he began to shiver again. Color began to return to his pallid flesh, turning his cheeks, fingers, and toes bright red. He heard Franks digging in the bags as they set Rand on her own sleeping bag next to him and when he looked over, Franks had the emergency medical kit. He began to shake his head. “I don’t need anything, I’ll be fine,” he argued with them, the newfound warmth giving him the energy to be his usual difficult self.

Rand refused something for herself, and Roman locked eyes with her. It was a silent bribe, one she knew he couldn’t refuse. He stopped resisting Franks.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Both Rand and Alden needed something. They were both hurt and as feeling came back to their extremities it was going to hurt. He didn’t miss the look that passed between the Cmdr and the yeoman. No one else seemed to. Morgan was too busy trying to convince Rand to take the meds and Harvey and Valos we’re trying to figure out how to make coffee. Morgan seemed relieved when Rand finally let her administer the hypo.

Roman was wearing his Mr. Grumpy-face look. Rand didn’t care, she wasn’t giving in. He was hurt more than she was. When he stopped arguing with Franks and took the hypo Rand did the same with Morgan. Rand was content to be quiet and sit near the heat, until her face, fingers, and feet started to burn. At first it was a pulsing numbness but not painful, then as color started to return pins and needles, like her feet and hands had fallen asleep. It didn’t hurt but was irritating. Then they began to burn and the blood started to rush and it got worse. She shifted how she was sitting but that didn’t help. She flexed her hands and feet but that made it worse. She refused to make a sound though.

The sensation of blood and feeling returning to Roman’s extremities paled in comparison to the pain in his leg. His hands and feet tingled and burned painfully and he tried to wiggle and flex them to speed up the process. He hadn’t realized Rand didn’t actually know what was going on with him. He had assumed she’d guessed when she knew it was his leg back by the sinkhole, but now he realized she really thought he’d pulled it or sprained it or something. The realization made the grouchy look… a little less prominent. He was still upset over how she’s convinced him to take the medicine. He considered it lucky, though. If she knew, she might be more concerned than she already was. He had absolutely no idea what was wrong with it.

She watched as Harvey tried to make coffee over a camp stove. “Here let me.” Problem was the pain in her hands and the still lingering numbers meant she couldn’t do much. So she ended up quietly walking Harvey through it. It brought surprised smiles from all of them when Rand instructed her how to make everyone’s preferred drink and do it correctly. “Hey, Yeo…Rand,” whatever problem Valos had he seemed over it now, “how do you do that?”

Rand shrugged, “Not hard. Observation just have to pay attention. And I asked Chef about you and Harvey.” The rest she spent enough time around, or they had bridge shifts, so she already knew.

Yeoman Rand

Roman ignored much of the conversation going on around him. As the hypo began to take effect, he started to relax. Sitting by the heat was swiftly warming him up, and the hypo made the pain more manageable. He had to smile as Rand recited everyone’s drinks. But he wasn’t sure he’d still be awake by the time she and Harvey finished his tea, as much as he wanted it.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

About that time Harvey placed a cup in Alden’s hand and then one in Rand’s. Normally, Rand would serve herself last, but she was past caring. It was niggling in the back of her mind that something wasn’t quite right with Roman, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

She cupped her hands, using palms more than fingers, around the warmth of the thermos. She was warming up and though it was painful it was a welcome sensation. The hypo was easing the pain but she moved her ankle…the one that had been hurt before, and realized she’d sprained it. That was an issue for later, she wasn’t walking anywhere any time soon.

While they drank, Rand walked Harvey through heating food. “This stuff is nasty cold, Rand. Not sure I want it hot.” Rand nodded sleepily at the ration pack. “Foil pack, smaller than your palm. Dump the contents in. It’s called a flavor packet.” Meanwhile Franks and Valos we’re trying to talk Alden’s ear off. At least long enough to keep him awake to finish the tea. “Water is safe, and there is a lot of plant life around here. When the rain stops I want to get a look. It’s too bad for the sink hole, I would have loved to sample that old river bed.” Valos shrugged, “Doesn’t matter we used all the empty sample containers checking the cave.”

Rand mumbled to Morgan who grinned and went to Rand’s pack and pulled out two black padded cases. Rand waved lazily at them. She was too drowsy from the meds to wonder if she should keep her mouth shut or not, or if it was her place. “You can get plenty of samples from my and Cmdr Alden’s uniform and boots. And there are two empty sample cases.” And then she was curled up on the sleeping bag almost asleep. Valos and Franks looked at her like they had never seen her before. Valos opened one case and sure enough all empty sample cases. “Rand, I could kiss you.”

Rand didn’t even move, “No. You won’t, but you’re welcome.” And then she was out.

Yeoman Rand