Old Girl Sazanka

Posted on Mon Nov 27th, 2023 @ 4:25am by Lieutenant Takina Inoue & Captain Taiga Aisaka & Lieutenant Kylynn Adams & Lieutenant Dr. Eli Ellis M.D. & Lieutenant JG Amari & Captain Elizabeth F. "Liz" Beurling & Ensign Mikko Ishigami
Edited on on Mon Nov 27th, 2023 @ 7:53pm

1,520 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Starship Graveyard
Location: Shuttlebay & USS Sazanka

[Shuttlebay]

Ensign Ishigami was prepping the type eight shuttlecraft for the flight. Luckily the smaller craft still had enough power to be used on the surface. The shuttle systems were stable and the dampening field didn't seem to have much effect on it, maybe because its power signature was so small compared to the Tokyo's.

With only a slight hint of her hobble Amari pushed a somewhat temperamental grav sled down the shuttlebay towards the shuttle carrying the away teams equipment and a vast array of tools that she thought might be useful for stripping the Sazanka of anything they could get their hands on to fix the Tokyo. She was hoping they could cram the grav sled itself into the shuttles small cargo area, whatever they were going to find was likely to be heavy.

Mikko spotted Amari. "Are you ok Lieutenant?" she asked upon noticing the slight hobble, even if it was small.

"Better than a few days ago." Amari replied as she got closer. "Had a close encounter with a screwdriver during the crash landing, still aches a little."

Eli enters the shuttlebay with his med kit across his chest, wearing the skirt uniform that he hope would keep him cool in the blazing heat of the desert. He’d been preparing what supplies he had and was hoping to find the parts he needed to repair the bioreplicators and medical synthesizers in sickbay. As he walked, his hips swayed, his lab coat flowing behind him as he smiles at the others as he approached the group.

Not far behind him was a tall, slender Intelligence Officer with jet-black hair and piercing, lilac eyes. Those who were keenly attentive may have observed that she was one of several officers hand-picked by Commander Nishikigi herself to fill the void that had recently been vacated with S.W.O.R.D.'s departure. She herself was a bit of an enigma outside of intel, with a deadpan expression and a quiet, reserved disposition that made it difficult to determine what exactly was going through her mind.

Kylynn looked over her padd. To make sure everyone was there. Her first response to leading this mission was uncontrollable excitement. Not everyday you get to explore a ship from the time of Kirk.

"Allright everyone here?" She asked reading off the list of names.

Captain Elizabeth Beurling was next to arrive. If the marine XO had had an emotional breakdown earlier, the half-Vulcan didn't show any signs of it as she checked her phaser rifle. She wasn't expecting to find anyone on board the Sazanka, but it was always a good insurance policy to carry a big gun.

"Here." Liz called out as she climbed the ramp of the shuttle.

"Present and accounted for," the black-haired officer nodded as she followed Liz's example.

"Here." Amari's voice came from inside the shuttle and a blue hand made an appearance from the cargo bay.

Eli raised his hand.

"Here, Ma'am"

He says shyly, still not knowing many on the crew but excited to be here non the less.

"Just in case, I have medkits and hypos for anyone who may get injured. I'm hoping to salvage some medical supplies from their sickbay."

"Thank you doctor, Im hoping to get my hands on a old school tricorder myself." Kylynn replied.

"old style tech, nothing beats that classic 23rd Century Tech. I just want to see where some of the greatest minds in Starfleet served. Medical Legends like Bones McCoy, Marc Kitchner, hell even Jeremiah McEntyre, one of the first Caitians to become a Ship's Surgeon!"

Eli beams animatedly.

Mikko approached the group talking. "Well, the quicker we get there, then the quicker you guys get to play around..." She said with a sly smile. "But remember that we're there to find anything we might find useful to get us off this planet..."

"Speaking of which. Let's get going!" Mikko said.

"Agreed, Sorry got distracted by the ship." Kylynn replied. "And here we goo" she added as the shuttle began to move.

Once everyone was aboard, Mikko's fingers ran across the smooth console of the helm. The type nine shuttle gently lifted up off the deck and with a swoosh, darted out of the shuttlebay.

"Ok, we should be there is roughly an hour," Mikko said. As the shuttle glided low over the sandy dunes. "Try and get comfortable, there might be wind currents I have to accommodate for." She added with a mischievous smile.

"Take your time, just be careful." Kylynn ordered.

"Don't worry," Mikko said. "I'm a good pilot..."

---

It was rather uneventful for the rest of the flight. Eventually the shuttle was on final approach to the old USS Sazanka. Slowly it rose over a large sand dune and the old ship came into view. "Well would you look at that..." Mikko said.

The Sazanka was almost completely buried. The large circular saucer section sat on the sand upright, its NCC Number and named clearly visible along with the bridge module. The long cylindrical nacelles also intact, stick out of the sand on the struts. The secondary hull however was buried beneath the sand. It was almost as of the ship was floating on a deep sea.

"Well, there's something you don't see every day," the intelligence officer remarked, leaning over Mikko's seat to get a better look. "And for a ship that's been sitting here for the better part of 130 years, doesn't look to be in all that bad a shape, either..."

Mikko ran her fingers over the console. "Well, sensors show that the ship is actually intact. Everything from deck seven down is buried in the sand. I'm reading a few hull breaches in the engineering hull, and it seems that the deflector dish has been ripped off. Apart from that, she's in good shape," Mikko reported. "Although, the shuttlebay is in the secondary hull too, so completely inaccessible..."

"According to our reports, the Redemptioners may have gained access to the Sazanka through one of the old impulse vents," the Intelligence officer reported as she skimmed over the contents of her PADD. "They had to to cut their salvage operation short when it was determined that the distance over which they'd have to transport supplies was just too great, but the entry hole should still be there; no telling if it's been buried under the sand in that time, however."

"That sounds like that is our way in then"

Eli comments, checking over his gear before looking up at the rest of the group.

"I'll put us down on the rear of the saucer, it's flat there," Mikko said "Plus, less chance of us sinking into the sand, or clogging up the thruster ports," she told them all.

The shuttle banked slightly and gently touched down on the rear of the Sazanka's saucer not far from the impulse vents. "Ok, watch your step!" Mikko told them all as she opened the rear hatch.

"My God this a beautiful ship. Hard to imagine that Kirk had one just like it." Kylynn said as she moved her way in.

"Everyone talks about Enterprise, but no one ever mentions the others: Constellation, Defiant, Midway. Especially Midway, Out in the Triangle, alone, a more diverse crew than the mostly human one of Kirk's Enterprise."

Eli commented as he saw the Sazanka come into view.

It was even more beautiful in person. It took everything in her not to push every button. "Sorry I got distracted, Scan for any intel we can pull off this beauty" she addressed.

"There is something to be said about the beauty in original configuration Constitution class ships." Liz commented. "You know, the last ones in these configurations were either being refitted or decommissioned when I was a kid. Hard to believe a few lucky Connies made it that long."

"That would've been, like... what, the 2290s?" the Intel Officer remarked. "Can't exactly say I would've pinged you as being in your hundreds."

"I'm a half Vulcan. I age differently." Liz shrugged. "And I only just turned triple digits in the last year or so..."

"Wouldn't have pinged you as half-Vulcan, either," the Intel Officer replied. "Especially with that smoking habit of yours; seems rather... illogical."

"Logic is... Rather illogical to me, but if you need proof..." Liz proceeded to part her hair, revealing her pointed ear.

The Intel officer leaned in to get a better look.

"Huh."

"Well, lets not hang around..." Mikko suggested as she powered down the shuttle's systems. "Its a big ship." she said as she started to hand out emergency kits which included flashlights, tricorders and emergency rations and basic first aid supplies.

"Agreed, Everyone follow me into the impulse vent. Stay close behind me though, we don't know what may be on the ship." Kylynn said as she began to ponder the options.

'Only way is more than likely gonna be climbing she thought to herself as the crew made way.

To be continued...

 

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