[snip]

Nkosenye looked at the CSO and then reached back with a long arm and grabbed the helmet he had put back and placed and held it unaggressively but firmly in the center of William’s chest. “Safety first, Mr. Grey. Being uncomfortable is better than a concussion… or worse.”

Willam hesitated then took the helmet with hesitation but didn’t say a word.

‘’There’s always the doctor’’ Cross chuckled ‘’Unless the doctor is unconscious herself’‘.

Which brought the thought that there was nothing to chuckle about.

”..All set then?” Asked the Chief.

“There is only Chief Ezial remaining to join us,” replied Glen. “Unless her recent promotion has overwhelmed her!”

Cross took the three steps that led to the transporter pads.

One the whole team had taken their positions on the transporter pads Glen said, “Chief, landing party ready to beam down.”

“Security - on arrival two by two cover formation, three-sixty degree perimeter, overlapping fields of fire. Call out any contacts and hold fire.”

Cross closed her eyes as usual,wondering if something would malfunction and she would end up in a blob of pulp..some where between here and there.

”..Energizing now Captain!” The chief called out.

Jasper kept quiet he had anything to report he would not hesitate to do so. As he started scanning the area.

Noting her eyes were closed “Are you, alright doctor?” Jasper Asked softly to her not to draw attention to her.

Before the doctor could reply they materialized and a golden hum and hue later materialized safe and sound. Or that was untilt hey realized they were upside down.....on the ceiling of the cave....

Thankfully a quick check found by their flashlights they were not stuck in the rock or anything terrible. For some reason the rotation of up/down seemed....off here maybe a scan might reveal something that their ship scans had missed obviously?

Visually looking around the tunnel they were in was about 8-10 feet in height slopping up and down a bit from rough hewed rock by some unknown force. At first glance it seemed natural but a closer squint would show a smoothness that almost certainly couldn’t be natural, it was almost like whatever made it had a flowing up and down quality to that and carved out the tunnel they were in leaving behind only a few rough areas now over the passage of time.

Also noticed by visual looking was the tunnel width spanned about 15-18 feet in width in that same wavy left/right patterning. To their ‘left’ which would be a dead end like the chief mentioned. It ended in a half oval shaped rock face smooth as a baby’s behind it was! Ahead to their right they would see about 15 or so feet further down the passage before the thick black gloom of the tunnel swallowed up their flash lights.

Along the wall tiny inspects were seen, at first soft glowing dots of light about an inch wide and long, but once light came near them they became a dull silver-grey color and stopped all movement. Maybe again scans would show more about this life form.

If anyone decided too check they would find their comms to the Merrimack were in working order, though their was a slight off echo in their reply and any that came from the ship, almost like there was a overlaid pause/reply quality to it.

GM CockRoach