YE 45.1.1 - Morning
Power Armor Bay
Kiyo made a last check to her power armor, to make sure it was in working order. The Helmet was left off, but she had glanced to Silverlight, her Aether Katana. She wasn't sure she needed it but she thought incase something needed cutting she could use it.
Poppy joined the away team in Beryl's T7 shuttle, suited up in her form-hugging Mindy power armor, which had a large rucksack of medical supplies on its back and several smaller medical bags and kits. She grabbed a seat in the back of the shuttle's passenger area, but was too bulky to sit on it fully so she just had to sit on its edge. She didn't bring a power armor rifle with her, but she did have her NSP. Her long pink hair was tried up in a ponytail.
Taking a cue from the CMO, Chiasa brought along with a VCMAD Terrain drone with additional medical and drug supplies stowed on it. While the tiny Nekovalkyrja didn't like dogs, she couldn't deny the drone's utility when it came to carrying equipment. To save on even more weight, the pharmacy specialist brought a heavy aether pistol, rather than a full-sized aether rifle. While she was suited up in her Mindy like the others, she didn't anticipate combat. However, the HAP would be useful in the unfortunate event that it occurred.
Taii Gabriela Lively, the highly-motivated and brainy Navigator came down to the armor bay to get her armor for the first time in ages. Typically on the bridge, Gabriela had been tasked by captain Aoba to temporarily lead the mission, as she was in training for the First Officer occupation and this would be good experience.
Sanda geared up in her Mindy. She would have preferred to go planet side in her beloved Daisy, but Daisy's didn't have teleporters and they needed to be flexible on this mission. She packed light, just a rifle in addition to her usual loadout. Her helmet hung from a strap on her belt. This mission wasn't a combat mission, but there was a risk of a fight, which Sanda was always prepared for. She stood by the Shuttle door and waited for everyone else to board, doing a visual inspection of everyone and making sure they were all good to go.
Kiyo glanced to her away team members and took note of what they were bringing along. Luna was back on the Resurgence, as a Technician she needed to stay back until things were confirmed settled as far as Kiyo knew.
Nanook suited up in his Mindy, running diagnostics on the various systems to ensure everything was in order before setting out. After confirming everything was in order, he went to stand with his battle buddy, Chiasa. He wasn't sure what to say to the little pharmacy specialist after the "engagement" in the medical center. So as he approached, he greeted her with the first thing he could think of, "Uh, nice...bag."
Science specialist Euikoshi followed Nanook.
"Make sure each have a battle buddy and stick with them," Gabriela said. "If, for some reason, I have to give the order to pull out, we account for everyone and then teleport back to the ship. I have set up the computer to constantly send good teleport coordinates to your suits in the background."
Kiyo nodded "hai" she said in agreement, and saddled close to Sanda as her battle buddy. It had felt right to choose her, like she was helping to take care of Sanda so that Yayoi had a sister to come back too.
"Perhaps your fuzzy face and round ears will help," Poppy grinned at her old friend Gabriela. "I mean, you're the most bearlike crew member we have besides Nanook," she grinned at the anthro. "And you're cute!"
Gabriela giggled and rolled her eyes.
"Thanks!" Chiasa answered Nanook in a peppy tone. "We had to do a lot of packing for this." She added. "Hopefully this goes well. Do you know anything else about the situation on the ground or have they mostly dealt with the immediate aftermath?" The tiny Nekovalkyrja finished. Her tone was still energetic, but her focus had since transitioned to the mission, above all else.
"Do you know where we're deploying?" Sanda asked Gabriela as she tied her hair back in a tight pony tail.
"We'll stop at Fort Nozomi, and then to Gashmere City where the terrorist attacks happened," Gabriela told Sanda.
Back to Gashmere it seemed. It'd been several years, and a different mission, and a different unit than last time Vec had been, but he'd gained a lot of respect for the Kodians. It felt right to return in their moment of need. Suited up, he joined the rest of the crew and raised his hand, "As the guy with a bit of EMS experience, I advise we don't just go running in, and instead link up with whoever is running relief efforts dirt side. We don't need to go building the same bridge twice."
Sanda made some quick notes and nodded at Vec's assesment. "What's at Fort Nozomi?" She inquired.
"It's the local Star Army base, it has the units conducting peacekeeping operations," Gabriela replied.
"It sounds like the aftermath of the attack is ongoing. Local first responders lacked the numbers of gear to respond, leaving many Kodians trapped or.....worse. This may end up being more recovery than rescue." Nanooks voice was heavy as he went over the last part for Chiasa.
Kiyo shifted in her feet as she waited for them to be deployed.
The shuttle door ramp slowly rose and sealed them in and the shuttle launched out into the space above planet Gashmere. Beryl guided the craft down through the atmosphere. Fort Nozomi was a massive base with a circular shape roughly 30 kilometers in diameter including a thick, Zesuaium-fortified concrete outer wall that was 25 km in diameter and 12 meters tall. It was made of scrapped and salvaged starship hulls and armor left over from First Mishhuvurthyar War. The outer edge of the base consisted of open farmland. Soon the shuttle was coming in for a landing at the base's huge starport, where the base commander, Taisa Raruwo, a friendly male Kodian with cream-colored fur, came out to greet them.
Nanook stepped the length of the shuttle, the sight of his homeworld filled him with great joy. The reason for his visit dragged him back down. He turned to Chiasa, "Do you like tunnels?"
"I think so~" Chiasa answered. "What about them?" She added.
"Kodians love burrows. Most Kodian settlements are underground. We may be going into tunnel systems or caves." Nanook explained. "Gashmere city has a lot of infrastructure above ground, but there is just as much, if not more, below ground level. Collapse is a real possibility if fires have been unmanaged." Another troubling thought came to mind. "Caves also make great ambush points."
"Oh." Chiasa frowned, as a sudden revelation came over her. The tiny Nekovalkyrja realized that was why the chemical attack had been so effective and deadly. "How much ventilation is there, usually?" She asked. "It seems like the chemical attack would have..." The pharmacy specialist paused, briefly struggling. "Taken more lives due the underground settlements." She finished.
"Hope the Meat on a Stick shop's still there," Vec said, watching their descent with his helmet feed linked to the shuttle's external sensors.
When the shuttle opened up, there was a lot of handshakes and Raruwo thanked the team for their assistance and gave them a brief rundown of what was happening, which was basically what Nanook had told them earlier in his briefing. Gabriela told him they were eager to get started. As a gift, Raruwo have everyone on the away mission a souveneir unit patch from the base.
Kiyo listened as Nanook spoke of his people's settlements, and turned her head to listen properly. She'd also accepted the patch that she was given.
Sanda was also listening to what Nanook had to say. She hadn't realized that most of the settlements that were attacked were propably underground. That would account for the high number of casulaties. It would also make tracking down the point of origin difficult.
Vec accepted the patch and stowed it in a pouch on his gear. When he got back, he'd have to make sure not to mix it up with the one he'd picked up a few years back with the 171st. "Sir," Vec said addressing the Taisa, "Do we have a local point of contact?"
"If you need to call the base, here is the number and frequencies for our secretary, Savannah Landry," Taisa Raruwo said. He looked at Nanook, "You must have had to lie down in that shuttle," he chuckled. "Welcome home to Gashmere!"
"Thank you sir, it was a .... "tight fit", Nanook said, looking towards Chiasa as he did so. He knew that some dealt with intense stress, or difficult situation with humor. He was probably going to need a lot of humor before the day was done.
Chiasa took a patch as well, briefly glancing over it before stowing it in her armor's butt pack. It certainly would be something to hold on to, perhaps as a memoir for later. However, upon hearing Nanook mention the 'tight fit', a hint of a giggle slipped from her lips, before being cut off with a fake clearance of her throat!
Nanook took the patch, one finger idly rubbing over the textured surface of the patch before stowing away in the armors cargo pack.
"And with local responders?" Vec pressed.
Sanda gave the little Neko pharmacy specialist a disapproving gaze but said nothing. This really wasn't the time or situation for giggles.
Kiyo didn't have anything to add though she did want to speak so instead like Sanda she said nothing. Instead she looked out to the planet and glanced and observed the environment, causing a free smile to form.
After they got all the information they could, everyone loaded back up in the shuttle and Beryl whisked them over to the disaster area, leaving the rear door open so they could drop out into the operational area.
"Set weapons to stun if you have a stun open," Gabriela said as they slowed down over the affected zone. "Drop in battle buddy pairs," she ordered. "Go!" Poppy went first, jumping out with Cassie and floating down to the streets.
Gabriela and Euikoshi went next. "See you down there!" the anthro lieutenant said.
Sanda moved to the lip of the shuttle and turned back to look at Kiyo. Suddenly loud music came from her speakers. "All aboard the crazy train!" As she fell backwords out of the shuttle. She remained in free fall, music blasting in her ears until a alarm starting beeping in her helmet when she killed her inertia and landed gently on the ground, her music ending as her feet touched.
Chiasa let herself fall from the shuttle with a gymnast's grace with Nanook right next to her, before landing amidst the disaster area with her heavy aether pistol held at the ready. Her VCMAD came down a few moments later, at which point the tiny pharmacy specialist set the drone to take cover, not wanting to risk it being destroyed in any potential crossfire.
Nanook fell from the shuttle, the air above the city was thick with heavy black, billowing smoke. Fires raged throughout several high rise buildings. Whole sections of the city seemed to have lost power. Yet, it was eerily silent, with only the roar of flames, and cackling of embers coming to his ears as he followed Chiasa and her VCMAD down. As he approached the ground, a think green mist seemed to billow and stir beneath his armored boot. "Chiasa, you got any idea what kind of gas this is?"
Euikoshi immediately whipped out her science scanner and began analysis. She also collected some in an airtight glass vial by flying over to it and literally scooping some up.
"Looks like Euikoshi is working on it." Chiasa spoke up as she scanned the area via her Mindy's sensors. "It's definitely not something to breathe in, though." She added.
Kiyo followed Sanda then blinked as the loud music came from her speakers and nodded as she found herself jumping out. Now i see what you like in her sis but outwardly she couldn't help but yell "Banzai!"
"Finally, something familiar," Vec said, stepping out into thin air. Moments after hitting thr ground, he brought his rifle up to scan the erily empty streets.
Sanda stood and made some room for Kiyo who was right behind her. She then checked her scanners for the rest of the away teams position. She was getting a strong signal from everyone. She moved towards the rest of her team, but taking a wide approach to check their surroundings for potential ambushes first, rifle in hand, but held low to the ground.
Kiyo landed beside Sanda who kindly made room for her, then looked around. Before she followed her, and keeping her ruby colored eyes around for danger.
Vec used his suit sensors to scan for thermal readings and voids that might represent bodies buried under rubble. "Quick reminder, boys and girls," Vec said, "Resources are limited down here, your first responsibility is to not become another casualty. Be careful and keep your head on a swivel, that goes for environmental threats as much as for potential enemies."
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OOC: JP by Wes, Ajax, Charaa, Cowboy, Immortal Cyan, Dana, Hyralt
