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

The Aenar lead the Away Team through a warren of tunnels. There were no lights in these tunnels though they appeared to be worked and smoother than the mining tunnels. The Aenars themselves carried no lights and had no need of any. They were blind, their antennae gave them echolocation vision like bats.

The walking was long but after almost an hour of walking the tunnel emptied out into a gargantuan cavern. Looking around the Away Team would see what looked like small caverns and holes throughout the outer perimeter of the cavern in burrowed into the large stalactites and stalagmites. These were apparently the abodes of the Aenar. If the tricorder was used and scans taken it would be seen that there a population of several thousand Aenar here. Those that could be seen coming in and out of the warrens or walking on the rope bridges all looked like Thaler, with the strange cranial bridge ridges.
Thaler lead the team to a stairwell that wound around one of the largest stalagmites and began to walk up it. A few of his men remained with him but the majority of the other Aenar remained on the ground, waiting for the Away Team to go up.

Glen realised that these were more natural water-cut tunnels, and probably very old. They were a long way from the beam-down point, with no idea of their exact location or how to get back. Still, if water had made the tunnels, then there must be some other way in and out. He trusted these Aenar, for some reason, but they should still be careful.

Hunter took out his medical tricorder and followed the Captain ,he wasn’t worried about finding his way out as he had marked the jagged walls as they moved forward. It was something he had done back on Earth when checking out caves and underground tunnels ,knowing how easily one could get confused and lost.

“Righto! Everyone keep together!” Glen told the party, “And no wandering off!” He looked around the team before remembering that Miriam Cross wasn’t with them on this mission. “Can some check if we still have contact with the Merri this deep, and whether or not they can get a Transporter lock on us? We want to see the condition of the prisoners and we want to see their evidence of Romulan illegal and unethical medical practices. What else do we want to see here?”

M’Mera nodded as she followed the Captain up the stairs. Stairs were more difficult for a Caitian to walk up on their hind legs. It was actually much easier for them to do down on all fours but she managed by hanging onto the guide rope which were at just above hip height.
Her ears were ringing with the echoes of sound from all the voices around them in the large cavern. She was finding it difficult to function and phase out all the voices. Both her ears and tail twitched in agitation and she was growling in frustration under her breath.

How could she do her duty as a guard for the Away Team when she was so discombobulated by the noise??

What he saw made his jaw drop , the medical tricorder was beeping and flashing lights on and off ‘’Either the tricorder is about to explode or there are thousands of living ,breathing beings around!’’ he exclaimed surprised , the doctor was hoping too find the two who had been abducted in more or less good health.

“Can some check if we still have contact with the Merri this deep, and whether or not they can get a Transporter lock on us?.

The doctor took out his transmitter flicked it open =/\= Hunter to the Merrimack..do you copy ? =/\=.

When the security heard the captain say ‘’ No wandering off ‘’ he frowned , why would anyone want to wander off he thought to himself but then he knew next to nothing about Cross .
Sharp looked around him in awe ‘’ There was a time in Earth’s history when people lived underground ,archeologist found evidence of that ‘’ .He had now started to relax and view his ever first mission with a more positive attitude.

After some colorful words Hunter continued =/\= The Captain needs to know if you can get a hold on us and transport us back to the ship when he gives the order =/\= then decided on more information =/\= We are far below ground while the rest of the team is on the surface ..do you acknowledge ! =/\= it was more of an exclamation then a question.

With his transmitter still in hand he followed the others up the stairs .

Glen stopped at the top step. “Dr. Hunter,” Glen told him, “a few less colourful words while on duty, please!”

Hunter looked up ‘’Sorry Captain just frustrated as no one on the bridge is answering ‘’ he replied .

There was some interference and static but Cara replied to Troy =/\= Sorry! Just checking! =/\=

Hunter rolled his eyes Finally he thought =/\= Thanks Cara =/\= the doctor replied while he waited for her to check.

=/\= Cara to Troy.. The Transporter department are fine to return the other party, but reluctant to beam up yourselves from so deep underground. The interference might mean you came back as fossils. You should have taken pattern enhancers with you. Cara out!”

With his phobia of the transporter Hunter gulped =/\= Shall definitely pass on the message to the Captain ! =/\= the doctor exclaimed =/\= Hunter out =/\= he kept staring at the transmitter wondering why Cara mentioned pattern enhancer, shrugging his shoulders Hunter approached Glen.

OOC: It is debatable as regards to Canon, but they had patten enhancers in Discovery. Not like the_ TNG_ and Voyager ones that came in threes, but IIRC it was a single device with a rotating antennae.

‘’Captain the transporter officer told Cara he can get a lock on us once we move back and out of the caves as their might be interference during the transportation ‘’.

Hunter Dr.

Stopping for a moment at the top of the stairs, “that does make us more vulnerable,” mused the Captain. “…but I noticed that you marked the jagged walls with something as we moved through. Will that help us? These tunnels are damp, and marks could be washed away. I’m also not sure if there wasn’t a wall that moved position before we entered this chamber.”

• Glen, CO

Hunter patiently listened ,he had marked with a jagged stone and only himself would he be able to find it . While just one wrong turn and they’ll be lost but the doctor didn’t want to argue or explain so he simply replied ‘’Guess old habits die hard Captain ‘’.

Hunter Dr.