Decapods

Posted on 27 Nov 2021 @ 10:35pm by Commander Calliope Zahn & Captain Corvus DeHavilland
Edited on on 03 Dec 2021 @ 5:54pm

Mission: M2 - Sanctuary
Location: Obsidian, Kalaran Seed Vault
Timeline: MD08 ~1845 immediately following "Names and Faces"
1406 words - 2.8 OF Standard Post Measure

Rutland turned to Calli and grinned, "Decapods, you say?"

Calliope grew animated, finding herself eager to share the experience with the Colonel. "Yeah, they're overgrown exoskeleton-bug things. Crazy legs, antenna, mandibles, pincers. Like something out of a creeptastic holonovel feature. And the locals? They make teddy-bear plush kid toys based on these things! With button eyes! They think they're cute." Setting down her glass, she reached into her jacket pocket and brought out a paper manual. "I got this copy of a naturalist's journal from a market stand. You have to see these illustrations. I think this is the one I saw in my rear view."

"Good God, man," Rutland looked on in horror, pointing, "How large is this?" he asked. The intelligence briefs had mentioned that there were plenty of large fauna of the insect variety but somehow the dimensions he'd been provided seemed just plain wrong in comparison to what she was showing him. They were already just large enough to concern him about sending out the Bandit-Class recon vehicles out there. But if they were even larger than anticipated, he'd have to keep them home and possibly reconsider using the Coyote's APC's.

"Kalpask, I think is the pronunciation." Calliope pointed to the title script. "The main body had to be about ten meters, average. I didn't take scans." She admitted. Long range scans on Obsidian were often next to useless, but she could have taken image data at least. "I guess I didn't think to at the time. I ran the notes on this page through the translator and it says they're territorial. I think I must have disturbed a nesting site or something when I drove through." She flipped the page, even though she couldn't read it without the translation scans, the look of the page itself jogged her memory. "This naturalist claims they're averse to bright light, which makes sense as as I encountered them at twilight, and their senses are disoriented by both fire or the smell of tar, and aren't supposed to be aggressive unless provoked. Bet they taste like crabmeat."

Rutland surveyed the drawings a bit more professionally, "Looks like we'll be keeping anything but a Chieftain in around nightfall. At least until we work out just how big these things are," he frowned. "Can I get a copy of this?" he asked, gesturing to her book. "Best my lads learn their what they're dealing with. Could use a hand with it, if you're interested. Not sure what you do on the station, actually, come to think of it," he inquired.

"I'll get it fully translated and replicated for you," Calliope offered. "I was thinking about looking up the author too, to see if they had any other reading recommendations." She paged through other entries in the manual as she tried to think of how to explain herself. "I'm on special assignment... for now." She realized she couldn't expect to ever have her job back. Even if Corvus wanted her, it was clear that the decision had been pressured on her from beyond her paygrade anyway. Calliope was only truly tethered to OC now by one thing. "I transferred to the station with my husband, Lt Commander Quinn."

"Ah, yes. I met him when my Marines retook the station," he nodded. It stirred another thought of a conversation he'd had with Finn regarding the Engineer and his wife, but he put that away quickly. It wasn't his circus to deal with. All he was concerned with was making sure his Marines on Cerastes had everything that they needed to do their job. "If you've got the time, drop the copy with us on Cerastes. Maybe you can take a ride out with the Amored division to about where you were ambushed by that..." he leaned over to read again, "Kalpask. Give us a chance to see one in the flesh."

She passed him the book to give him the chance to see for himself a little closer. As he did, Calliope looked thoughtful and felt the need to admit the obvious limitation. "Cerastes is completely in the other mountain range from the nest I tripped on North of here. This manual probably only covers the Taragi-Shar range around the Kalaran region." It was strange being tapped to help the Marines with Obsidian specific information. Calliope realized how bruised her self confidence had truly been after Indri's having snapped at her about supposedly knowing nothing on the very first visit she had made to the world. "At least you can see the big ones coming. What's really terrifying are the swarming insects, spores, and molds and things. There's all kinds of other cave dwelling life too."

"Sounds like things outside my Marine's specialty. The offer stands, Commander. We could use a little Starfleet science if this is the kind of creatures we're up against out there," Rutland replied, waving the book she'd handed him. "We're meant to be a Desert Warfare training facility. But a fat lot of good it's going to do if we can't survive out there long enough to train," he chuckled darkly. "If you're willing to lend a hand, that is."

"I'm willing, but I don't want to assume I'll be much help." Calliope said modestly at first, looking down at her cane. She wasn't much good anywhere it seemed. But then... she never really had been the holder of any wealth of knowledge or depth of understanding at all. She'd always just been good at the puzzling together part. Her tone picked up with a brighter note. "I'll gather all of the information I can and see if I can't get you a proper bush-guide as well. Besides the natives themselves, there are scientists in this room with us who have years of experience and are more likely to know what they're talking about."

"Brilliant," Rutland nodded back.

"Oh, go back, did you see that one? A sand ray! They can camouflage themselves. They burrow in the sand with their wings and lie flat, eating moles and underground things. Venomous sting, just like the ocean varieties on other planets. "

Rutland just looked at her, smirking the one way might look at a kid that just found her calling.

"You know what?" She pressed it back into his hands. "Keep the book. I have the scans already."

"I look forward to reading the proper bush-guide," he replied, taking the book and waving it gently in thanks. He looked past her at some of the Starfleet crew dressed as Kalaran's might and then back to her, "If you don't mind, they seem more like your lot than mine. It'd be bloody helpful if you could connect with them. For our sake. Call it..." he trailed off, his expression darkening slightly. "Call it returning the favor. For up there," he said, gesturing to orbit.

"Of course I will. But there's no repaying that favor, Colonel. We're all branches of the same tree. We're here for one another. I've been working in this border region most of my career. Long enough to know that the recovery of the station is going to make a real difference. But it's also going to upset a lot of hornets nests." Looking into a middle distance for a moment, Calliope considered her growing compilation of analysis. "Other factions and interests are going to react to the power shift. And while I hope peaceful solutions prevail, I'm almost certain your Marines are going to have more calls to action. Anything I can do to support you, consider it my pleasure."

"Then I look forward to seeing you at Cerastes soon."

Sensing the need to close their discussion and allow Rutland to find other new connections, Calliope switched her cane to her left and extended her right hand to shake on an offer of friendship over old territorial divisions between the 'fleeties and the greenies'. "In the spirit of the Obsidian Sunstorm Truce," She said. "Ancient desert law where old qualms are surrendered in favor of the welfare of everyone seeking shelter."

He took her outstretched hand, "If more Fleeter's were like you, there'd be no need to mend divisions. But I'll take it just the same," he smiled genuinely. "And I mean it. You're welcome at Cerastes whenever you like."

Feeling a few inches taller, Calliope navigated into the attendees, searching out a way to make good on her latest promise.