Week 2
Day 1
Major Amanda Shaw made a request for her team to do field tests in the area, as her equipments and laboratory are all ready. She told me she has eight teams consisting of twelve personnels to do explorations. All her personnels are trained in survival skills and had undergo basic military training, but they are still non-military personnels. They are allowed and encouraged to carry weapons at all times, but they declined when they are working in the base. I approved the field testing but I need them to work close so we can protect them in a cluster. I assigned five personnel under a Corporal Kano; a dark skinned african who stands at over six foot. He is good tracker in the jungle school, and a trained sniper. The six personnel squad will do the guard duty.
I assigned one ATV and one LTV for them, and all personnels are to be armed with their handphaser’s’ PH350 with spare energy pack, and a mini survival pack. The pack consist of medic aids and backup transceiver for us to locate them in case of emergency plus some rations. The transceiver is what protects us right now from being shot at by the automated cannons or M-Bots as its embedded under the skin of the upper arm. It transmit that we are friendlies and also activates door access. In the case of a damaged chip, we will used the backup in the survival pack as the transceiver. Its more crucial than any guns if you want to come home.
The PH350 has a ten powered taser charge shots in it, and its supposed to bring down a mid sized carnivore back on Earth, but here we not tested it fully. We did try on a Raptor once when we first landed, and it took a concentrated fires from two of us to bring it down. In other words, I won’t rely on that for safety alone.
For communications, all personnels on the base wears a comms unit on their chest which is connected to via earphones. Its also can be a personal alarm in case needed, and like the transceiver; you do not leave base without it.
Some of the non-military personnels do carry PH762 PDW and that is firepower here. It can hurt a mid sized predator but it will take concentrated power to kill it.
The Military also carries PH350 in their belt but they have their own PH762 PDW as standard gear. Some like Kano carries an additional Mini Launcher which propels grenades like the explosive fragment G10 or the acidic GC21 which will spray out acidic chemicals that can melt through any surface in seconds.
They also carry their Energy Blade K2; which a cutting tool in a tubular rod that emits an unique sharp blade of eight inches to cut any materials. Its been proven to cut the claws of the Raptors clean off its limbs. The personnels called it ‘machete’ after a reference to history of such ancient blade.
The uniforms worn by the personnels on this base are similar in terms of design, except the logo on the left sleeve, which denotes their function. The fatigues issued are ocean blue design overall with convenient pockets for them to store personal effects. On field trips or patrols, all personnels must don the protective vest and gloves, plus the metal helmet with builtin LED lamp.
Report from Corporal Kano
Day 1 Week 2
1100hr
The team left the BASE under the callsign Team One at exactly 1100hr to cover the eastern side of the plateau.
1155hr
They reached their assigned location at 1155hr due to the terrain and the lack of trail. The scientific team stayed in the vehicles while the squad carries out perimeter checks. They were given the clearance at 1230hr.
I had Specialist Vincent and Stephanie to cover the right side of the perimeter, while Specialist Jamil and Andre cover the left side. Specialist Michel is in the ATV monitoring the scanners for large critter; he is been told to look for anything bigger than us or the ATV. Meanwhile I took to patrol the perimeter on my own. The ground beneath my boots is wet and in some places, very slippery,and we have to managed by holding onto branches or small bushes for balance. The tree trunks here are big and the leaves leave the place light and dark in some corners. We encountered many types of small creatures here including beetles and reptiles that moved on four legs.
The scientific team split into seven groups of individuals or pairs to do their works. I came across some larger reptiles which I managed to coax them to leave the premises unharmed. They are mostly herbivous as explained to me by Doctor Leong.
But later I was cautioned off by Doctor Leong who is a Zoologist not to hamper his work as he find me chasing too many of his specimens. I do not know what that means, as my job is to protect them if I need to do it by hampering his, I would. Since I have been here and I asked gthem to maintained silence, I heard many a times shouts or curses from the scientific team as its normal for them scientific members to do that on some new discoveries or none. Its frustrating to tell them to work quietly.
.
1213hr
Specailist Stephanie from the right perimeter told me she saw some signs or shadows of Raptors on the perimeter. She said she counted maybe five or six of them, and I rushed over there and fired off a fragment grenade that could had deter any attempt to come nearer. I did lay some shots for extra precautions but nothing came forth. Specialist Stephanie told me that according to her short range scanners, they had retreated and now seems to be chasing another prey away from us. But we got Doctor Leong on my heels for hampering his works again. If I may add to my report, we were tempted to leave the good doctor alone here.
1456hr
Science Officer Siva who was picking the flora of the area as he claims to be somehow got bitten by a reptile unknown to us. Doctor Leong searched the area for the predator but he could not find any that can do such bite. As Doctor Siva was in shock so we had him brought to the ATV. We sedated him to keep him quiet. It was then the Scientific team has decided to call off their first day of exploration and decided to go back to BASE.
1512hr
We began our journey back to the BASE.
1600hr
We reached BASE.
Officer Siva survived his first bite from a reptile here and we named him since then as Casualty One. But he was not to be able to walk for a few days and remained in his bunk.
But that was not the end of my day. I had a discussion with the Major or was it she had a discussion with me on the involvement of my men in her people’s works. She complained of harassment and hampering their works, so we agreed that we will be more careful in the next outing. I also remind her of her military rank to mine.
Day 3
We could not do much the last day as it was raining the whole time. It was the first time for us to see rain coming down from the skies. I never seen real rain before as the previous colony did not get much this. Its a dry planet and the water there is recycled from their own usage, or retrieved from nearby moon. But that place still housed fifty thousand people. Rain on Earth was different; its acidic and cannot be used for anything until its filtered and cleansed.
We are a desperate lot of refuges.
Here the rain comes in torrents and we could hardly make out the outside perimeter scenes. I checked with McKay and he confirmed that besides being wet, everything is fine. We also saw our first lightning and heard the thunder claps. Some of the scientific members wants to take samples outside and I allowed it but only within the BASE perimeter. Its became a exodus of personnels who took the opportunity to get drenched in the pouring rain, including myself. It felt freat to feel the cold water on yoru skin.
I felt the rain did us good as it also showed us what the New Pangaea can offer us in the days to come.
Day 5
The exploration team left for the site again but this time I assigned another ATV with four M-Bots. Each ATV can only take two M-Bots so the need for two ATV. I went in with Corporal Kano this time. We reached the site after a long slippery drive of more than an hour, and the team went to work. Corporal Kano’s squad spread out his team as per previous arrangement. I stood by the second ATV which is driven by Specialist Nixon. I am the co-driver this time. The M-Bots are assigned around the ATV and LTV.
The scientific team was very excited as they found more new species with their unique behaviour in the area. I was looking at the clear skies and wondered how did the clouds actually do all those things yesterday. I felt something slittery on my boots and I looked down. Its a green slittering reptile and its long and tubular body just decided to overrun my boots as it was in its path. I took out my K2 and was about to slash it down when the science officer stopped me.
‘Please don’t do that. It could be the one which bit Doctor Siva. Can I take it back as a sample?’ Her name is Melon and she does look close to one.
‘If its committed a crime, I will execute the justice.’ I grabbed the slittery body and sliced it into two. The severed body of the reptile went into a frenzy; spinning and swinging its body. Then it laid down and died. By then, my boots was covered wih dark ooze and so was Melon’s uniform. ‘You could do an autopsy now’.
She did not like my statement and I walked away back to the ATV.
‘Commander, you okay?’ It was Kano. I replied affirmative except my uniform needs some laundering.
‘Scanners picked up one pack of Raptors coming in my way. I am tracking it now.’ I clicked off my reply and told Nixon to call in the team. I cannot afford anyone outside when there is Raptor.
‘Move the M-Bots to form a defense line. All squad to my command now.’
I heard shot and Kano came running in with the Raptors on his rear. He passed the M-Bots and stopped in his tracks while I joined him. The four M-Bots fanned out a cover fire on the Raptors, taking down two of the seven which chased Kano. The other five took the cue to retreat back to the tree but will not move away. Kano offered to fire a grenade but I told him to hold on. Dr Leong the zoologist was at my side with his mini cam recording the raptors.
‘Family friends?’ But Dr Leong was ignoring my snide remarks and keep on recording.
Both Kano and myself turned and walked back to the ATV while he is still recording. Then he realised that he is alone with the M-Bots and decided to join the rest. I can hear small scavengers feeding on the carcass beneath the undergrowth. Its a feeding frenzy and where did they come from, we do not know or care.
The exploration continue but much nearer to the ATV.
‘Major Shaw, I can assure you that I know my position and responsibility here. I have limited resources to work with and I cannot risk having your team running out there on their own. Not now anyway, but soon. Meantime, let me do my job which is to clear the area for your studies.’
‘Commander, I need the area pristine or we are not able to do a good job.’ She does looked a lot prettier when she is upset.
‘Pristine or not, I never cared as long as no one gets hurt in my command. But I will try to accomodate your request if your side can accomodate mine.’ She never did like to take things lying down and this is one of them. She knows I am right but I have to do with what I can. There are seventeen such program going on in different planets and we are one of them. The Special Team to do this are already stretched to the limit with that many planets. In my last colonisation I had a hundred military personnel but here I am down to two third. I also lost half of my personnel then due to the harsh conditions we had to endured.
But my problem was not be over.
Day 7
It was my rest day and the Major came in to my personal quarters. I saw her coming in without knocking and stood in front of me. I was reading my personal collection of hard printed on wood extract product editions and dressed in my sleeveless inner vest and shorts.
‘I doubt you are here to seduce me on my rest day, but I have to be honest, I prefer blondes than brunette.’ The blow she land on my left thigh was very painful for a man of my age.
‘I am here to let you know that Doc Emily has sneaked out an hour ago on her own. She is out there looking for some samples for her testings. Find her and bring her back. Alive please.’ If those are words she is speaking, then it sounded to me more like hissing sounds. But she got my attention but she was walking out of my quarter. I got dressed and put on my boots.
‘This is the Commander. Who is on the scanner duty?’ I spoke into my comm unit as I walked to the spiral stairways. I would had used the pole but my current agility is not that great. So I will just walked down the stairs.
‘Specialist Wheelan, Sir.’
I reached the second level and motioned to Nixon who was sitting by the billet. He is dressed for active duty. He got up and went over to the armory for the weapons. He was to joined me downstairs as I got into the LTV.
‘Commander, we have a trace on her. She is about one mile out at northwest.’
I gunned up the LTV and Nixon got in with his gear ready. He passed me the PDW and we are driving down the ramp. I went for the assigned exit at the defense wall. The defense wall opened up with enough gap for me to drive through. I was brief by the Command Centre that Doc Emily left with a personal ‘defense kit’ which allowed her to switch off the wall enough for her to walk through. It was on the previous shift watch and this was not reported.
‘Northwest. Doc Emily. Look out for Raptors. There has been some intrusion attempts on the perimeters lately.’ Nixon nodded his understanding and armed his PDW.
We drove over the terrain without any consideration for safety and finally came to the location where the transceiver was showing Emily supposed to be. We did came on Emily, or what was left of her. She showed signs of being attacked by predators and must had died earlier Her body is almost down to her bones. I walked up to her body and saw the transceiver on the ground mixed with her blood. It must have been discarded by the scavenger or dropped by other means. It confirmed that this is Emily.
I heard Nixon shooting and turned to see his direction of the shots. He just shot dead a Eoraptor in its run to attack my crouched back. I picked up the transceiver and pocket it. We both mount the LTV and drove back to the BASE.
It was a gloomy weekend and we logged in our first death. I had the Specialist on Duty, Wheelan on punishment for negligence. He was assigned to Tips’ Nest and had Micheal brought back. I did that to protect Wheelan as the Scientific team was upset with him.
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