Ice Pack II
Episode Name: Ice Pack II Written By: Shaft Cast: Genesis, Javits, Medes, Nolte, Park, Powell, Starfleet and Vimes. Produced By: Starfleet Directed By: Starfleet & Genesis Aired On: Wed May 21 01:30:48 2003 Stardate: 53229.3
Time: Thu May 15 19:58:55 2003
Stardate: 53216.7
Medes, her leg in a brace, her hand and head now entirely healed -- ALL PRAISE THE MIGHTY BIOBED -- has removed herself from said biobed and put on a set of clean, dry clothes. They, of course, hang mightily off of her, but she's managing all right. At least they're big enough to have a brace underneath them.
Javits is seated in the co-pilot's chair, much of his attention devoted to the console before him as he taps at the glowing symbols displayed upon it. With a sigh, he shakes his head, then taps another series of symbols. He's still in his uniform, with the parka draped over the back of the chair.
Park moves from the back of the shuttle, where he was tending to Spect. He chuckles and says, "Nick, you're going to wear that thing out."
Several days of stubble stick up in random directions from Medes's head as she makes her way over to the pilot's chair and drops into it. It's not, after all, as if there are foot pedals on this thing. She can fly with a sore leg. Still, she moves slowly, and chuckles at Park's statement.
Javits sits back with a sigh, then swivels his chair around to face aft. Looking to Park, he smiles, "Then Thea's counterpart on the Merrimac gets to replace it." He directs a grin to Medes, "I've been running a few simulations on methods we might use to establish a definite location on the missing team. It's a one in a million shot, but it just might work."
Medes listens carefully to Javits, appearing more than a little intrigued.
Park sighs, not wanting to think about the fate of the missing team. "A one in a million shot can work every once in a while."
Park says, "So what's the idea?"
Javits nods as he swivels back around to the console, tapping another set of symbols as he speaks with a rapid-fire cadence, "It depends a lot on the team's actions, particularly where they've decided to find shelter and if they've used the option of using their phasers in an effort to keep warm. It also depends on if they carried emergency heaters along with their equipment as well, and if they still have the ability to use either the heaters of their phasers."
Park nods slowly. "I'd say that they've definately been using their phasers, but their equipment manifest didn't show any emergancy heaters.", he says.
Javits continues to tap away, almost as rapidly as he speaks, "Then if they happen to fire one while we're scanning, we might be able to pick up the emissions. The energy emissions of their phasers should be quite a bit more detectable than lifesigns or even compin beacons." He cranes his head back around the side of the chair, looking aft to Park, "Like I said, sir, it's a one in a million chance, but it's a chance."
Starfleet has arrived.
GAME: Starfleet is joining this location.
Park says, "They've been out here for a week. I think we deserve a little luck to get them home."
As the crew is discussing their options for perhaps rescuing the Merrimac team, the conn chirrups, indicating an incoming subspace message.
Medes glances at Park for the OK before reaching to answer it.
Park nods once to Medes.
Medes taps the control and answers said message.
Javits glances up at the chirrup with a slight frown, then looks back to Park.
The message is crackly with static. "zzzzzzt --omas Paine zzt--sion Operations *crackle*, this is Lieutenant Havaris, please respond." A pause. "USS zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz-tine Mission *crackle* Away-Team, come in Commander Park." Another pause, and it clears up. "USS Thomas Paine to Thomas Paine Mission Operations Away-Team, how do you find me? This is Lieutenant Havaris, please respond."
Park steps up and says, "This is Away Team, Thomas Paine. We're reading well, Kusto. Thanks for coming out and giving us a lift home."
Medes shifts in her chair, and coughs once, waiting. The desire to get the shuttle off the ground and into the air rolls off of her as palpably as the smell off of Mr. 'I'm Still Wearing My Uniform' Javits, over here.
. o O Medes thinks "Can we leave, now, please? I can fly, I'm /just fine./"
<CONTEST> Javits (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!
The message is loud and clear this time. "Outstanding, Aaron. Good to hear your voice again. Gwen has ordered me to inform you that you need to prep your team for beam-out. We'll be leaving the shuttle for the ADF teams to dig out. The Merimac is staying around, so that can stay behind. You, however, are coming home."
Park chuckles and says, "You don't need to tell us twice. We'll be ready shortly. be adivsed that I have one wounded crewman who will need to be beamed to sickbay."
Now that is music to the ears of Ensign John Vimes. Gathering up his things, he proceeds to get his uniform into somewhat presentable condition, considering what they've all been through, and then presents himself to Park, "Can I assist in anyway at all in helping to get the wounded together, sir?"
Medes slumps back in her chair, visibly vaguely disappointed. All this and she doesn't even get to blast the shuttle out of the snow? /Man./ Even so, she can't help but stare at the blinking comm signal, as if Kusto's face might somehow become visible if she stared long enough. "There's only one wounded, Ensign. I'm just fine."
Javits seems rather preoccupied as he continues to tap away at his console, eyes glued on its primary display.
Park looks over to Vimes with a smile. "I think we'll be OK, John. Thea walked onto this shuttle. I think she can walk off.", he says. "OK kids, let's get ready to go."
. o O Medes thinks "... kids?"
Medes extracts herself from the pilot's chair with no small amount of reluctance -- partially because, you know, looking forward to flying out under their own power and all, and partially because it's just slow going with a leg brace on -- and moves back to the biobed she'd been sleeping on. The few things she had -- the remnants of her uniform, her combadge, tricorder, PADD and pips -- are gathered in her hands, and she nods once to Park. "Right. Ready."
. o O Medes thinks "I'm only two years younger than you, anyway."
Park looks over at Medes. "Thea, I'm going to have to stay close to David. If you'd coordinate with the Paine, I'd appreciate it."
Medes lurches back up to the comm, then. "Thomas Paine, this is Lt. JG Medes. Hi, Kusto. Commander Park is back with Ensign Spect, he's requested that they both be beamed directly to sickbay. I'm to handle coordination with you from this point on by his request." And yes, she does sound vaguely... off. Thea never was good at being chipper on command.
Javits almost jumps out of his seat at the warbling beep from the co-pilot's console. Turning quickly to look back at Park, he all but yells, "Sir, I have a signal! Phaser emission signatures located to the northwest, starting at a distance of one kilometer and extending approximately two kilometers beyond that point." Looking back to the display, he frown, tapping another series of symbols, "They're gone, sir. No lifesigns are evident beyond the last signal, but my scans are revealing a massive amount of active scanning in another kilometer west of the last signal. The level indicates the origin to be a starship."
Havaris replies, "Sorry for the wait, Sir. Inform me when you are prepped and ready for beam-out. We'll get you up and out of there and into sick bay directly. Everyone is getting a visit to the Doctor's. Captain's orders. We'll await your signal."
Javits glances up at he comm, or at least up at the ceiling, "Thomas Paine, this is Lieutenant JG Javits. What is the status on the missing team? I'm picking up a series of phaser emission signatures a kilometer to the northwest of our position and extending for another two kilometers in that direction. Are you or the Merrimac scanning near that area?"
"Nick, I think they've got it from here," Medes replies. /Now/ she's grouchy. Sickbay?! She just spent two days in a biobed with Park and Sharei hovering around with nothing better to do than check on her every fifteen minutes. "That'd be either the Paine or the Merrimac. Come on. We're under orders."
Havaris' voice replies: "Damn good to hear your voice, Lieutenant. Understood. I am giving the go-ahead to Ensign Darax now. They'll be aboard shortly." A short pause. "We have a signal lock on elements of that away-team, Lieutenant, but they're no longer your concern. Get your team prepped and ready for extraction. This is the third time I've had to say it, and it was an order from the Paine's Commander the first time I said it."
Javits nods to the disembodied voice of Havaris as he extricates himself from the copilot's seat and heads aft, "Proceeding, sir."
Vimes gives the shuttle a cursory scan and then nods to himself, "I'm ready."
Hitting the button for the comm again, Medes replies, "Yours too, Lieutenant." She pauses, and then notes, "Sorry for the confusion, Lieutenant, we've been scanning since before we heard from you, and we've had a little confusion down here. No one's disregarding orders. We've been in the process of prepping. Seven to beam up. Energize."
Nolte rolls over. She finally slept. In the way that all people have to sleep, or, you know. They die. So Femke isn't dead. Her hair is five feet sphereical. At least. She sits up, blary eyed, "Wot."
A female transporter chief's voice comes over the com system. "Standby, away team."
Javits gives himself a once over, checking his gear as he stands awaiting transport. Sniffing the air, his crinkles his nose, then looks down at his bedraggled uniform with an expression of absolute disgust, "Eh, I definitely need a shower, as scalding hot as possible."
"Femke, c'mon, up and at 'em, we're getting a beam-out," Medes calls, her voice perhaps a little sharper than it has been recently. "Get prepped."
Medes adds thereafter, "Yes, Nick. You stink."
Javits chuckles, shaking his head, "Thanks for the vote, Thea."
Nolte jumps up and off. Setting her badge back on her breast and moving silently to do as she's told, with rapid efficent. PADD, tricorder, badge. Afro. Ready.
"Well, you know, I don't have modelriffic hair right now, either," Thea replies wryly. Oh, the witty banter while you wait for the transporters.
There is a gentle whine, and the forms of Park and Spect glow for a moment as Park double-checks his tricorder readings on the injured man. They begin to dematerialize, and in a few moments, are gone.
Nolte retains a rather pained silence. She heard enough to know the other team isnt' coming with them, not yet, at least. And she's grouchyawake, one about an hour's worth of sleep. She stands at an attention which is automatic and, well. Kinda creepy.
Javits shoots a glance at the fading forms of Park and Spect, "Straight to sickbay." He then turns to Medes with a grin, "Not to worry, we'll meet them there in a moment."
Havaris' voice comes over the air again. "Two in the hold, five to beam out, aye. Welcome home, Away Team. Havaris out."
"Who's worried? Worried was when my piton gave way," Medes replies absent-mindedly, rolling her shoulders a little bit. "I guess that's what I get for depending on rope we found in some survival pack that's Prophets-knows-how-old." She shoots an apologetic glance to Femke. "I should have scanned it more thoroughly first. My fault."
Time: Thu May 15 21:39:08 2003
Stardate: 53216.9
There is another familiar, comfortable whine. Bed. Shower. Food. Love. Friendship. Whatever it is that drew the crew's eyes uselessly up the ravine, towards the skies, thinking about the dinky little ball of metal that they call home, whatever it is, soon, they'll be closer to it. They've come home, and even though it was a failure in their mission, they have at least come home. That other crew out there may not be so lucky.
The away team feels the gripping tingle of the transporter, followed by the sparkly light show, and in a moment they are standing on the transporter room PADD. The human woman nods to Medes and taps her badge. "Transporter Room to Bridge, away team on board."
. o O Medes thinks "Must. Go to sick bay. Not. Limp. To bridge. And deposit. Stinky self. In. Husband lap! Under! Orders!"
Once the beaming is complete, Vimes leans against the wall of the transport pad, still favoring his knee as he nods to the chief and then looks to Javits, "Race ya to the showers."
Javits relaxes with a long, rather audible exhale, then steps off the transporter pad. Looking to the Chief, he asks, "Where to first?"
"Sorry, no, Ensign. Captain Davenport's orders. Sickbay first," Medes grumbles, looking about as happy about it as... well. Can be expected. She starts limping slowly out of the Transporter Room after a nod to the 'Paine's TC.
Nolte transports in. And she remains silent. Wringing her hands. She steps off the PADD, behind Medes.
. o O Medes thinks "Was nobody but me listening?"
Powell smiles. "It's good to have you home, sir," she says to Medes. She goes back to working at her transporter console as the crew departs.
Javits glances back to Medes with a nod, then heads for the door, calling back as he exits the transporter room, "Thanks Chief. Good to be back."
Vimes nods, not relishing the idea either as he sticks to the wall to keep his weight against it while making his way out of the transport room.
Medes gruffs, "It's good to be home." She spends enough time here, it might as well /be/ home. That said, she limps on, her massively oversized 'replacement clothes' puddling around her ankles and hanging off of her like a tent.
Javits doubles back to offer a supporting shoulder to Vimes, "Sorry, Ensign. Thought you'd gotten some help for that back aboard the shuttle.
