[Backlog] JDL | LtJg Black & MCPO Caine | "Twisted Paths"

Posted on Sat Apr 18th, 2015 @ 3:42am by Lieutenant JG Teá Black & Master Chief Petty Officer Rik Caine
Edited on on Sun Apr 19th, 2015 @ 5:01am

1,401 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: A Spot To Kill

Back at the barn Teá and Rik had to just wait to see if the report sent to Archer was correct and they were able to rescue the commodore. "So......" Teá said taking a seat on a small wooden stool and pulled out her PADD to recall the tracking drones.

Rik restlessly rambled, relinquishing reign; razzing rumblings rhetorically. As he paced back and forth the odd words such as "irritating", "cold" and "hate waiting", could be heard. "We should be doing something useful", he muttered unable to stay still.

"Master Chief sit there isn't a lot we can do. And trust me trying to do something when there isn't anything to do just makes everything worse. So we're gonna to do what the commander said stay here and wait for further orders." Teá said completely surprising herself with what she just said usually she would do the exact opposite and try to do something.

Rik continued to pace before sighing, giving up and taking a seat next to the intelligence officer he'd met only briefly once before. He'd pulled down his cold weather jacket hood and thrown the face mask on the floor. Running his hands through his hair, he sighed again. "We can't just sit here and wait..." he finally spoke, breaking the silence.

"What would you like to do?" Teá said sighing as she put her PADD away seeing that she wasn't gonna get anything done with it. "Do you even know the first steps to get us out of this situation without making it worse?"

Rik shook his head, not having an answer to the question being asked. "I don't know, just the idea of sitting here waiting is driving me crazy." He said with a sigh. "You're an Intel Officer, you work in the field, how do you stand it?" He asked.

"Truthfully I would be on my own and I would go and try to do something and the only reason I would is that I knew it would never effect anyone else. But seeing as I'm a part of a crew I need to take that into consideration. But this is killing me as well and trust me if I had an idea of something we could do I would let you know. But I feel anything we do is just gonna make this situation worse for everyone."

Rik nodded slowly, "You're right, if we rushed out where angels fear to tread we're likely to end up in a whole mess of trouble or worse, a Chicago overcoat." He mused. "We can't just sit here... should we head back to the city?" he asked.

"Yeah let's get somewhere we can stay warm and stay out of trouble for the time being." Teá said collecting her stuff and standing up, "and sorry for snapping at you like that."

"No worries, kiddo, things like this can take their toll - I get that." he commented as he nodded and picked up his own, few belongings. Fastening the coat, and slinging the mask around his neck to hang loose, he looked outside the stable they had taken shelter in. "Weather has taken a bad turn... might be in for a rough walk back."

Smirking as she put her mask around her neck as well, "well we better get walking than."

Rik grinned and pulled his mask up, activating the internal HUD that lit up the eyes like a Christmas tree. He did one final check of the stables, took a deep breath, and headed outside into the bitter cold and snow. Despite the thermal layers, Rik was adamant he could still feel the cold nipping at his skin. "The weather is messing up the equipment and I can't see a damn thing... any clue as to direction?" he said over the comm.

Putting her mask she tapped a few buttons on her jacket arm and pulled up a map that was created as they walked. "This way." She said pointing as she started walking, "when we headed out I had my tricorder scanning the whole area and had it start making a map."

"Good call," Rik commented as he followed the young Intel Officer. "Sooner we get off this rock, happier I'll be." He added through the com as they continued to trudge through the increasing snowfall settling on the unspoilt land outside of the city.

"Same here. Got lot of damage control to do for my career." Teá said bitterly but knowing she herself only had herself to blame for this. "About another mile."

"If we cut across here," Rik pointed to a small dip in the hillside that deviated from the frozen path, they'd been following. "Rough ride down, but should meet the path at the bottom and save some of the distance," he commented looking to the landscape ahead. The cold was bitter, the wind worse and it took a moment before the woman's comments resonated. "Damage control?" he asked.

Checking the map Teá agreed it would be quicker but much more dangerous, "you sure the risk outweighs the gains?"

Rik looked over the terrain and mused for a second, moving his head from side to side. "Weather isn't going to get much better, and it doesn't look that steep. We could probably do it safely without killing ourselves," he teased looking back to the woman from Intel. "So, what have you done to your career?" He asked with interest.

"Things that I can't and shouldn't talk about to a security investigations officer." Teá said with a broad smirk, "shit that can get me arrested for most likely treason or worse get me burned." She added shrugging as she carefully made her way down the steep slope.

Following after her, and heading down to the slope to the path below Rik couldn't help but chuckle. "Ha, don't let the job title fool ya. I'm in the business of knowing things - not stringing people up. Don't mistake me for some security jobsworth; ain't my style." He added. "Must have been pretty bad, whatever it was - if you're worried about getting burned."

"Mostly politics of who’s got the bigger........whatever device you wanna use for a measuring contest. And I'm the lucky one in the middle of it." Teá said shrugging her shoulders.

"Now that sounds like some mighty fine nonsense you got yourself caught up in. Glad I don't have to deal with the politics, just get things done." He mused for a second and watched where he selected his footings as he continued to traverse the snow-covered almost-drop down to the path.

"For a long time I didn't have to and truthfully it was wonderful. But I now need to relearn how to fit in the fold." Teá said looking at the Master Chief and then back to where her footing was.

"Don't we all kiddo, you'll get it right. Things have a way of falling into place when they need to," Rik advised the younger officer. They were about two-thirds down the hillside and the skies had greyed in the wilderness. "We need to hit the path before this weather gets worse." He commented.

Teá nodded as she picked up her pace but still being cautious of the terrain using her TED to give her a slight advantage. But also feeling a weird sense of calm when she was around him or at least a sense that she could be herself.
Rik continued to stagger down the snow-covered hillside as he picked up his own pace. Eventually, arriving at the path below, he sighed with relief. "How far out now?" He asked.

"Less than half a mile." Teá said looking through her TED, "but we better move the temp just dropped another 5 degrees."

Rik nodded slowly and followed pulling at the thermal winter gear coat. more out of habit than any practical need. "We should pick up the pace and move out. As for your predicament... I'm sure you can fix it." He added.

"Thanks." Teá said as she picked up her pace looking forwarded to get back even though it has been nothing but hell in all honesty for her; not as bad as what the Commodore was dealing with but still hell.

=/\= End Log =/\=

Lieutenant Junior Grade Teá Black
Intelligence Officer
USS Vindicator

Master Chief Petty Officer Rik Caine
Security Investigator/Chief of the Boat
USS Vindicator, NCC-78213-E

 

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