New Pangaea 32 -36

Week 7

Day 2

We are still mourning the dead of the five personnels when we were hit with another calamity. There was an earthquake tremors which came up to a scale of 5.5 on the equipment. We should had seen it coming but it was so sudden. Then it hit us again ten minutes later at 5.9 which by then we were frantic on calling in the outposts for status.

‘Commander, I think we need to brace ourselves for more of these in during the day.’ That was our geologist who is now manning the station at BASE. I hit the ‘alert’ horn for the base to be be ready for more issues. I heard of earthquakes and had them in our old place, but I never been in one until today. I seen the damages it can do and I hoped we are ready for it. I don’t need another disaster now.

‘Sargeant Keefe, your status in the cavern?’ I am more worried about them there. But he reported in all was fine on their side. Outpost Three reported migration of creatures in a disorder manner outside the yard. So did Outpost Five.

‘Talk to me, Doctor. What does that mean?’

‘Fragging trouble, Commander.’

‘Red Alert. All personnels to return to BASE immediately. And I mean as in NOW.’

It did come; the ‘Big Break’ as we named it. It hit the scale at 7.3 but it was a short one. As someone put it in perspective; ‘wow, that was awesome but too short a time’.

Awesome was the word to describe it. In the last twenty years we had numerous large scale quakes due to the instability of the crust and our previous handling of the bombs. We hit to magnitude of 7.0 and above on so many occassions that we just run when there is a tremor. When the tremors starts, you felt like there is a herd of buffaloes heading for you. But the biggest fear in the quake is to be stuck in a collapsed structure for days. Emergency services takes time to come although they have the equipment to extract you out,. In such moments, you may be the one in the thousands.

BASE also reported some structural damages due to the movement of the plateau, but its compensating on the pillars that is holding us up. I send the team back to their bases for reports and if needed, any assistance. All reported minor damages except for the Outpost Four or the cavern. I drove over there in the ATV with the M-Bots.

‘Doctor Tanaki, your assessment please.’ I looked at Big Boy and he looks intact with some missing cavities or new ones. The pond is still there but very shallow now decorated like a rock garden.

‘You must see this.’ Doctor Tanaki asked me to followed him to Big Mouth. ‘You remember our width was a thousand foot across; well now its only three hundred.’

‘And the rest is covered in boulders...?’ I replied in anticipation of him bringing me here to hear this. I was expecting major disaster that involves lifes’ and equipments’. Or even a striking meteorite over his cavern.

‘No...no... the other end has collapsed into the jungle, thus creating a ramp for us to go down to the ground. Or near it anyway.’ I looked at the mass he just described. The side of the slope did collapse and brought the whole cavern mouth to a wider view, but the loose boulders and earth created a gradient slop down to the bottom jungle. Seven hundred foot of rock and soil mass has given us a possible road down.

‘Start work immediately, and I want a clear field of fire back by two hundred yards from the ramp. Sargeant Keefe, send in the M-Bots crew. And if you find any precious minerals, please have it sent to the Trust Fund for New Pangaea.’ Keefe will know what I want; his dad was a diamond trader and he also learned the trade and then joined the military. Flipping waste of talent, I would agreed.

I was on my way back to BASE when I got a call from Outpost One.

‘Commander, you might want to see this.’

‘What? Another collapse cavern?’

‘No, Sir. Its a monster.’ Darned it, where is the Major when you need her.

It was a Spinosaurus, termed as the largest of all known carnivorous dinosaurs, even larger than Tyrannosaurus. This one according to our scanner is about fifty foot in length and weighs twenty one tonnes. The skull of Spinosaurus was long and narrow like that of a water based reptile. It distinguishable by its spine skin connecting to form a sail-like structure. I did not know that until the paleontologist told me its name. It could had come here due to the tremor and ran like the others and ended up here. Unfortunately, there is another issue. There are two of them here, and they seems to be teaming up.

We have T-Rex problem and I don’t want to add them to my list. I asked for a consultation with Major Shaw and her panel of experts. We voted five to one with the paleontologist abstaining from voting. We decided to chase the biggies away from this section of the land. Its a coordinated effort and timing.

Day 3

I took on the LTV armed with an assorted weapons including smoke and fragement grenades. Nixon is my driver, and we coordinate well. On my right is another LTV with Sargeant Keefe and his driver. On my left is Sargeant Nick and his driver. In front of us is Specialist Pedro on the bike. At the rear of us is the ATV driven by Specialist Melanie, and her Recruit Tomlin is manning the Twin Cannon set on manual for today’s hunt. The Cheng’s brothers are here in LTV catching up with us form the rear; they are not used to  the terrain driving as yet, but they are catching on fast. Major Shaw is in the Bubble watching and coordinating the movement.

First we have to split the two giants or we are squashed by them. That is Pedro’s job for now. he rev up his bike and shot off in a flash of speed in our face. He rode up to the two giants Spinosaurus and blare his improvised horn. He caught their attention and he rode in between them while dropping off a string of flash and fragment grenades. The combination of explosion and flashes shook up the big creatures causing them to move in different direction.

This is where the Bubble comes in, dropping a string of smoke grenades to build a wall of deception between the creatures. Meanwhile Pedro rode to the one on the right and taunt it with his PDW. It will not hurt the creature at that range and given charge level, but it attract the creature who gave chase. Bubble followed behind and assist if needed on Pedro. Whenever the creature appears to ctch up with Pedro as he has to move the bikes over rough terrain can be cumbersome, the Bubble will fly over the creature and fired its mini cannons to distract it.

On my end, we went into action by firing at the other creature to chase it on. I took out the PH900 Heavy Recoil Rifle and fired across it brow or at its fins causing it pain. Sargean Keefe does the same at the legs with aims to singed its skin and not maimed it. Sargeant Nick rode in between to cover us in case the other one turn back to assist. I also launch some grenades at the ground in front of the creature to confused the creature and hoping it will run for safety. It worked and the creature started turning back to run for the outer lands. We kept our pursuit and we soon had it running.

‘Major, your status please.’

‘I am doing fine, but I think Pedro needs help. He is riding along what appears to be a ridge and he may be in trouble. Can you assist?’ We are about five miles apart but the Cheng brother’s saved the day. ‘We’re behind the giant and will pushed it off the ridge. Over.’

Pushed it over? These guys are mad with the LTV. But they did it. They actually fired a succession of grenades in a improvised multi-grenade launcher they built and the series of explosions caused the giant to missed its pace and fell over the ridge due to its bulky mass. According to Major Shaw, it looked bruised but it was up and running to find its mate who is further to the front. So we cleared the plains of a massive twin killer.

We all returned back to BASE and was confronted by a doctor who choose to resign and will take the next flight back when the supply ship comes. I leave it to Major Shaw to convince him of his wrong decision. I am however happy we may have save some lives with this act.

Or so I thought.

Doctor Ben Alim; Paleontologist was shot dead in the discussion room. Major Shaw was seen holding the gun when security barged in the room. The paleontologist was dead with a gunshot in the chest fired by Major Shaw’s gun.

We have to convene a court martial soon.

 Day 5

I disliked courts proceeding as they are very rigid with rules and regulations. I prefer the ‘tell me or I will shoot you’ scenes better but this time I wished I was wrong. The offence warrants a ‘general court martial’ and we have to setup one. It consists of a military judge, trial counsel (prosecutor), defense counsel, and a minimum of three officers sitting as a panel of court members or jury.

As I am to be called as a witness, I got Major Feeley to be the judge. Lieutenant ‘Doctor’ Adul Bashir will the prosecuting officer, while a Doctor Tanaki is the selected Defense Officer; he claims to have doen law before he switch courses. The jury comprises Specialist Nixon, Specialist Decan, and Doctor Leong. It may appear more military than civil but Major Shaw agreed to the members of her trail.

The court martial trial began that afternoon.

Court martial briefs; recorded by Recruit Jane

Summary of witnesses as below;

Major Amanda Shaw; Serial number SE3245345 was seen talking to Doctor Ben Alim; Paleontologist on Day 3 Week 7 that late afternoon at 1634hr. Major Shaw has just returned from her expedition with the team to chased away some giant creatures.

Upon her return, Doctor Ben Alim handed over his resignation to Major Shaw as head of the Scientific Team. According to witness Commander Scott Bent, Doctor Ben Alim would like to terminate his work here and return on the supply ship. It was Major Shaw who offered to speak to him to convince him otherwise. The two of them convene to the Discussion Room 1 to speak in private.

According to Recruit Reeds, he did hear some strong voices from the room when he passed by it on his way back to his bunk. He thinks the time was 1712hr as he was relieved from his post at 1705hr.

At 1720hr, witness Specialist Ivan was walking to the Comms Centre when he heard a shot fired from the Discussion Room 1. He broke down the door and rushed in to see the Major holding a fired gun and the doctor was lying on the flooring. Specialist Ivan attended to the Doctor but he was dead already. It was then the others came in and Major Shaw surrendered her gun to Commander Bent.

Doctor Ben Alim died of a single phaser shot into his chest at 1720hr.

Summary of affidavit by Major Amanda Shaw; Serial number SE3245345.

‘I led Doctor Alim to the Discussion Room 1 as it was private and free of any interruptions. We did not start our discussion until we agreed on why we meet up there. It was Doctor Alim’s intention that I speak to him without my gun, as it represented him as a sign of military power. I agreed to his request and removed my gun from my holster to be kept on the end of the table top. I made sure it was unarmed and out of reach.

Doctor Alim then lament on the interference into his works by the military and how they destroyed important findings with their tampering and carelessness in handling the samples. He then went on about the importance of his line of works to the current people and may lead to new discoveries. He was very worked up on his speech and I tried to cool him off but he declined my offer.

It was then he reached for the gun and stepped back from the discussion table.

‘You do not understand the works here. You are supposed to be our leader and yet you conspire against us. I will report you to the High Command.’ He pointed the gun at me. It was then he noticed it was unarmed, so he push the notch to armed. I took the opportunity to rushed on him and tried to grab the gun away. I grabbed his right hand holding the gun with both my hands, but he was very resistant. He punched me with his left hand, and I managed to twsit his hand but he got back control. It was then he shot himself in the chest and fell. I stooped down to picked the gun in case he shoots again, but I can see he was dead. It was then the door got kicked in and the soldier arrived.

I did not killed him. It all happened when we were in a tussle for the weapon.

Summary of affidavit by Doctor Mikhail Soluv; Medical Doctor and Biologist

I examined the wound of Doctor Ben Alim at 2013hr on the day he died. The gun wound show the shot penetrated at fifteen degree angle from the fourth ribcage, and severed the inside on the back of the sternumand ruptured some of the pulmonary vein and part of the right atrium before it exit at the back left shoulder. From the trajectory flight of the shot, I would said there is a possibility of a struggle which the gun fired at that angle.

Summary of affidavit by Doctor Schmidt Bormann; Forensic and chemist

There are smudges of prints on the gun but its mostly Major Shaw, and some untraceable prints. I did find Doctor Alim’s partial index finger print on the trigger. Unlike lead emmission firing, these guns do not leave any smudges of them in the palm or fingers.

Judgement passed by the Court Martial; Summary extract.

Major Amanda Shaw; Serial number SE3245345 not guilty of the murder of Doctor Ben Alim, but she was negligent in the handling of integorations. The sentence is suspended until the Supply Ship arrives, but she is relieved of her duty in the Scientific Team. A new officer will be elected soon.

Lieutenant ‘Doctor’ Adul Bashir was the new officer replacing her. I had Major Shaw assigned to take over the project ‘Ramp’ at Big Mouth.

Doctor Ben Alim took his place with the rest at Boot Hill. We did not burn his body due to his religuos beliefs, but we added in a chemical to the grave which will dissolve his body fast and its safe for the soil.

 We had no more tremors but we found a vein of rare minerals in the excavation works. Its can be used to process to become the crystal which powered our LED.