[snip, last post void]

The Shuttlecraft Bordeaux left the Merrimack and made the short journey down to Ardan V with Erik, Cara and Clifford as pilot. Cara and Erik weren’t carrying phasers. The idea was to land in the main square of the Miner’s village, right beside the building where the first half of the landing Party had taken up residence, and to bring both them, and their engineering equipment, back home. They’d need to make two trips to bring the other half of the party back, but they were still underground in the tunnels.

Ensign Steward sat at the back of the shuttle behind the pilots holding his medical bag. This would be his first away mission not just on the Merrimack but outside of the academy training, so he was slightly nervous.

Cara was no pilot, but being larger than a human, she did covet the bigger seats at the fore of the shuttle. She sat back and let Clifford pilot.

As there was no field surrounding the planet anymore the shuttle encountered no barriers and easily landed in the same clearing the first shuttle landed in. There was a clear path in the jungle leading to the administration buildings.

Stella ran across the field with her pack bouncing on her shoulder and the last of her mental and physical reserves being used quickly. As she finally cam to the shuttle she leapt onto the ramp and was in a seat in two movements. The entire thing looking something like a cat pouncing. As she relaxed into the seat then she let loose a small whimper as she tried to catch her breath.” Thanks for the pickup.” she managed finally to say before she seemed to melt into the clean and cool seat.

Cara opened the Shuttle doors to find Stella waiting, “Why …isn’t someone glad to see us! …but we can leave just yet, Stella. We need to fill the shuttle and anyhow, I was hoping that I could meet the Aenar. Erik is here to treat your injuries. And Clifford came because he is better with phasers than us. Where is Captain Glen?”

Stella took a long sigh and then said to Cara ” That’s okay. As long as I can be somewhere cool and where it doesn’t smell like a bunch of sweaty unwashed miners I’m just pleased as Peach Punch. I thought we were going to be stranded down here.” Hearing Cara’s question Stella answered to the best of her knowledge and ability. ” The last time I knew he had communications up and running with the ship and he and the main away team were still in that hole. Why did they get lost down there again?” she asked in a concerned voice.

“Oh! Okay, make yourself at home,” Cara replied. “I don’t think the Captain is lost, but I had thought they would be out of the er… hole… by now. Are the others in that hut that you came out of… over there?” Cara pointed to the building that the Landing Party had made their base of operations.

Cara started off towards the hut before Stella had begun to answer.

• Cara, Science