Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Troy Hunter (General Medical Doctor) in Colony: Tunnels

Posted by Captain John Tiberius Glen (Captain) in Colony: Tunnels
[snip]

M’Mera and Sharp meanwhile were making headway through the pile of rocks and debris, they had cleared a hole down from the height of the pile and about 3 feet wide. It should be wide enough for the away team to make their way through.

Seeing the 3 feet wide hole Hunter patted Sharp on the shoulder ‘’Good job,’’ obviously he wasn’t about to do the same to M’Mera ,the doctor only did so for he knew the security needed some self - confidence and faith in oneself.

‘’Eros we’re going in’’ he called out to the other security helm officer who had been keeping an eye in the direction they had traveled and arrived only to find the tunnel blocked with debris.

Glen gave a thumbs up signal. There was too much noise from phasers, the breaking and falling rocks, and the steam and dust being released, for anyone to hear him speak.

Glen hoped, by unsealing this tunnel we aren’t releasing some evil spirit that should be left well alone inside it’s prison… Of course not, that’s pure superstition and irrational nonsense without any basis in logic or science…

Hunter waved his hand as if there were a couple of flies buzzing around ‘’All this dust is making me hard to breath’’ . With the opening the doctor was eager to go through and did not waste any more time .Bending down he was just a few steps from making it to the other side ‘’I hope there ain’t some horrifying,grotesque and vile new species unbeknown to us........ ready to devour us ‘’ Hunter muttered.

Sharp hesitated,he was not so enthusiastic about going through so he waited for M’Mera’ orders .

“Come thrrough with the Captain, Sharrp,” M’Mera ordered as she followed the Doctor through.

It was Captain Glen who spoke first, “Let’s Go!”. Glen thought that the gap between the stones now looked large enough and was quite happy for Sharp to lead them through it. He waved his hand in a forward motion at the same time.

The idea that Redshirts were expendable, and that the anonymous security dude who accompanied senior officers rarely survived their experience, may be abhorrent from our rosy 21st Century viewpoint and presentism values, but Glen was simply following the acceptable norms for the 24th Century, which is quite clearly present in all of the media and literature available to us from that time.

‘’Yes Captain ‘’ the security replied ,he barged into the opening so the Captain would notice how brave he was .Hunter who had entered first was half way through taking it slowly to make sure it was safe and clear on the other side only to be jostled by Sharp.

The doctor was not amused ‘’Really Sharp did you have to forcefully and roughly enter through!’’ he exclaimed while rubbing his back ‘’If there had been anything in the tunnel you would have thrown me to them or it ‘’.

Eros watched Sharp run ahead. He was confused as to where this sudden burst of bravery had come from.

“Uhhhhh, yeah, you go ahead Sharp. I guess I’ll . . . . bring up the rear . . .now.”

The helmsman did feel a little more secure now that Sharp was no longer behind him with a drawn phaser.

Indeed the doctor’s movements were a bit rash as he hurried ahead of the others. Fortunately though due to the foresight of having the group roped together, the consequences weren’t as dire as they could have been.

It was difficult to see as the cavernous area he stepped out into was pitch black. The torches they had only gave a small circle of light, just enough for the doctor to realize that 3 feet from the opening he stepped through was a gaping chasm. He would have been fine if the ground he stepped out onto hadn’t been slanting downward toward the chasm and full of scree.
Hence he slid dangerously downward but was pulled to a stop by the rope with only one leg sliding off the shelf.

The COS was just behind the Doctor and when she saw him sliding she grabbed a hold of the rope, set herself. “Doctorr, arre you alrright?”

Hunter nearly fell into the abyss and he was holding on for dear life ,after M’Mera helped him back the doctor thanked her then gave Sharp a glaring look.

As the doctor slid toward the crevasse, Eros felt the rope tug from Hunter’s dead weight He braced his feet as best he could, hoping no one else was going to be dragged down.

Hunter knew that it was also with Eros’s help holding tight they managed to keep him from falling ‘’Thanks ‘’ the doctor patted his shoulder then whispered ‘’Would you do me a favor and keep Sharp away from me… he’s bloody nuts!’‘.

Glen was being pulled along by the rope he was tied to, until he managed to catch his feet between two rock boulders and was able to turn and grab a hold of a crevice in the rock wall with both hands. Glen had heard that there was only a paper thin gap between bravery and lunacy. Young men who didn’t think their life expectancy to be very long, and who wanted to make a name for themselves, where prepared to do anything to achieve that.

Once the Doctor was safe, M’Mera peered passed him and looked out over the chasm. With her light turned off she was able to see a bit farther with her night vision. She could see across the way another ‘cliff’? Wall? Whatever, it appeared the tunnel continued on from there.

“Captain, it appearrss the tunnel continuess on the other sside.” She said as she then peered down into the chasm, carefully. Fortunately, being a able to use all four limbs with claws, she was able to anchor herself to do so without sliding down the incline.

“The chassm looks about 12 ft down, we sshould be able to eassily sscale down it and make ourr way up the otherr sside.” She said as she carefully edged back.”Okay, Doctorr. How do we sset up the equipment to do sso?”

GM Nosferatu
Your Darkest Nightmare

Hunter stayed back letting M’Mera check , he figured even if she fell the probability would be she’ll turn her body in mid air and land safely on all four limbs .

‘’How wide would you estimate it is?’’ the doctor asked.

Hunter Dr.

“I’m not sure it matters how wide it is,” said Glen, “but rather if there is anything down inside it? ‘Seems to me, that this pile of rocks wasn’t built to keep people out, because this chasm would have done that on its own. So, I’m thinking that it was built to keep something else ‘in’?”

• Glen, CO

‘’Could be ‘’ Hunter replied ‘’ I suggest first two of us go down just in case there is something , if its clear the rest of our team will follow ‘’ .

Hunter Dr.

“I would suggest, I be one of the two.”M’Mera said as she sheathed her weapon in preparation to head down with Hunter.

Lt. M’Mera COS