Ensign Jacin Ayemet - Aftermath

[Kali Nicholotti]

((Planetside, Escape Pod crash site))

 

The first thing that Ayemet was aware of was a strong sense of disorientation.  The world was black. A deep, dark  blackness. There were muffled sounds., and the sickening smell of acrid, choking smoke. Ayemet groaned. The last thing she remembered was falling out of the atmosphere of the planet, spinning wildly as they desperately, and unsuccessfully, tried to control; the descent of the escape pod as it smashed into the jungle’s canopy.

 

Something warm and sticky trickled down Ayemet’s head. She instinctively put her hand to her temple, and immediately regretted it. A sharp jab of pain went through her as she brought her hand up to her face, trying in the darkness to perceive what was on it. She laughed inwardly.

 

o0 Do you really need to check? You’ve a head injury 0o

 

Shaking the thought from her mind she looked around. On actually examining the apocolyptic scene before her, she realised that the darkness was actually punctuated by the red pulsation of the pod’s emergency alarm, with whips of a dirty grey smoke wafting across the pod’s interior highlighted by the alarm’s light.

 

Pod Computer: Warning. D.d.d.dangerous landing. W.w.w.. warning. d.d.d dangerous landing.

The clipped feminine voice of the computer alarm stated.

 

Jacin: muttering: Thanks for telling me.I hadn’t realised.:Roll call! 

 

Ayemet released the clamps on her harness and dropped to the wall, that now served as the floor, of the escape pod.. She grunted with pain, realising that the number one priority was the crew’s safe evacuation.

 

Jacin: Now. Everyone report in. Name, rank, and any any injuries sustained.

 

One by one the crew reported in, exactly as expected with name rank and the handful of injuries that several had sustained. Captain Shayne and Lieutenant Commander Rodan ran a good ship, and Ayemet contented herself with the knowledge that all the others would have landed safely and the shuttle would be beginning its’ work on the Arrow. At least she hoped so. A momentary stab of fear ran through her. In amongst all the chaos of the evacuation she hadn’t seen any other pods in distress, and the shuttle had answered her initial hail, but she couldn’t be certain that that had remained as the status quo.

 

No. She wouldn’t allow that worry to take over. Even if it were true, and there was nothing to suggest that it was, there was nothing she, or any of the others could do about it. No. Ayemet had to ensure the safety of those around her. Those who she knew she had an immediate responsibility to,

 

All of the pod’s occupants had reported in, and no-one had seemingly anything other than minor injuries that could be dealt with, or at least stabilised, by the medical kits included in the emergency packs. No wait. That wasn’t right. There was one occupant who hadn’t  reported in. What was her name? Crossley? Yeah that was it. A fresh faced human cadet who was training as a Nurse.

 

She stood up and raised her voice. 

 

Jacin: shouting: Trell! Shut that blasted alarm off and see if you can restorer some lighting!

 

The Bolian Security Officer moved swiftly and within seconds thew alarm was off, leaving only the loud ringing sound in her ears. The emergency lights kicked in soon after and Ayemet couldn’t help but let out a gasp.

 

 For the greater part the pod was intact, for the greater part. Thick plume of smoke rose from the centre console,, and a beam, no not a beam Ayemet realised, the branch of one of the massive trees had pierced the escape pod skewering the small craft ripping through the navigation and engine consoles , The fact that the pod had hit one of the trees with such force as for that to be able to happen, and yet kept the majority of the pod intact, was a testament to Starfleet engineering, but one thing was certain. The pod was wrecked, and now useless.

 

Jacin: Okay listen up! We’re evacuating now. I want each of you to check your area for any useable tech we can salvage. Ran I want you to organise it all and see if we can make a functional communications ray from it all.

 

Ren nodded curtly.

 

Jacin: Once out of this pod I don’t want you coming back in, so make sure you have all that you need before heading out. 

 

She turned to a short stocky Tellarite female who she recognised from the Operations Division. Hohk you’re responsible for making sure that the emergency pack is complete. Take who you need to help set up the shelters.

 

She felt her heart pumping , thumping in her chest cavity as if it would burst out of it. The rush of adrenaline from finding herself in these circumstances had carried her through the initial discovery of the seriousness of their circumstances, but truth be told this was not something that came naturally to Ayemet. Her actions were born from necessity not her natural proclivity. As each crew member began to strip their area of usable resources, slowly but surely moving out of the devastated interior. Jacin lent against what was once the top of the pod, but that now served as a wall.

 

She was about to collapse when a young  human make,  Ben…What was it again? Ben Hunter, his Gold uniform covered in grime , his normally clean shaven and expertly groomed face also v=covered in dirt walked uo to her. She let out a sigh and looked up at him, here eyes telling him to report.

 

Hunter: Sir..

 

Ayemet put her hand up, 

 

Jacin: I’m an Ensign. Just call me Ayemet.

 

Hunter nodded grimly.

 

Hunter: Ayemet. It’s Crossley. I…:beat : I think you need to see her.

 

That all too familiar fear rose in Ayemet’s stomach. That fear. That ice cold feeling that fed on itself and her own insecurities. Without saying a word she followed Hunter to wear Crossley had been seated. What she saw chilled her to the bone. The young Cadet was still strapped into her seat, another splinter of wood piercing right through her lower torso. It was difficult to tell the color of her uniform so covered in blood and grime, and the Cadet’s face was almost drained of color, bearing only a sickly blueish tinge . Her eyes were unfocused, as if she was only partly aware of her surroundings, of what was happening. 

 

As Ayemet approached her the fellow Nurse, Darcy, if Ayemet remembered correctly turned from studying his scanner and approached Ayemet.

 

A wild frightened look in her eyes Ayemet waited for him t o report. He merely shook his head, obviously struggling to contain his feelings, the flood of emotions that might otherwise escape should they be given the slightest opportunity or reason to.

 

Ayemet nodded sadly.

 

Jacin: How long?

 

Darcy: Mintues, maybe a couple of hours at most. The : beat: the brach ran straight through her. She’s suffering from a severe spinal fracture and it’s pierced her left lung. She has traumatic pneumothorax.I’ve made her as comfortable as I can but… If we had a medical bay….

 

His voice trailed off, a look of untold grief in his eyes. Ayemet put a gentle hand on his shoulder

 

Jacin: Thanks Darcy. Collect your pack and help set up a triage for the other injuries. I’ll stay with her.

 

Darcy: But..:Looking at Crossley: She..

 

Ayemet gently but firmly turned Darcy around.Her heart breaking. Knowing how he felt all too well.

 

Jacin:  You’ve done all you can, but others need you now. What you’ll do will make a difference. I’ll stay with her until : beat : until she’s gone.

 

Darcy nodded and turned to leave without saying a word. Ayemet didn’t know him well, not that she kn ew any of the crew we’ll, but he was trying his best, and as much as he was affected by his inability, through no fault of his own, to help Crossley, Ayemet thought that maybe helping other might guide him through a difficult time.

 

She mad her way over to Crossley, and reached out for her left hand, holding it whilst gently rubbing it with her thumb.

 

Jacin: Hey there. Amanda. It’s Ayemet. How you doing?

 

o0 How you doing? Stupid 0o

 

She stroked Crossley hair away from her face, it’s normally raven black sheen lost in a sea of blood and dirt. Ayemet hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. Up to this point her growing empathic abilities had been something she had been scared of, a fittingly painful ‘gift’ from her El-Aurian Father, but maybe this time they might prove to be a benefit. She had spoken briefly to the human about her time growing up in an area of Earth called Australia. Ayemet remembered how wonderful it sounded, and how Crossley’s love for it was all too obvious.

 

She looked at Crossley in the eyes, unsure if what exactly to do. It wasn’t as if it was some sort of ‘power’ that could be turned off and win. It just was. When she spoke her voice sounded; different somehow, as if it had depth or knowledge, a knowledge that Ayemet was not aware of or even did not truly posses.

 

Jacin: I know you’re scared :she continued to lightly caress Crossley’s left hand: But there’s nothing to be afraid of. You are safe and warm. Surrounded by that bright orange sun that shone down on you that time you went to the Barrier Reef. 

 

Crossley’s eyes looked at Ayemet, trying to focus on her.

 

Jacin: You’re not alone. You are about t go on a great adventure. I remember you telling me how much you lived for adventure.I’m with you. Saying with you.  You’re not alone. I want to think of your favourite place in the world, the place that makes you the happiest. You’re going there.

 

There was a ragged gasp of breath from Crossly, and Ayemet choked back the tears.

 

o0 Not now. Just hold on. Don’t give in now 0o.

 

She started to sing to Crossley, a Bajoran nursery rhyme that her Uncle, or was it her Brother, had once taught to her. Gently holding Crossley. For a moment she was on a beach a golden beach, a dog running by her side with some kind of green ball in its’ mouth a man ahead laughing at her.

 

Man: Come on ~Amanda! D you really want to be beaten in a race with a pug?

 

Then she was back in the pod. Crossley’s hand cold and unmoving in hers, her eyes staring upwards as if looking at the sun. Ayemet let go sobbing uncontollably. She didn’t know why. She didn’t even know Crossley that well, and she didn’t understand that ‘vision’, if that’s what it was, but those were questions for another time, another place. She stood up, closing Amanda’s eyes, and folding her arms in her lap. Wiping her eyes on her grimy sleeve she stood up, taking her pack with her, and went to help those that were still alive.

 

Ensign Jacin Ayemet

Science Officer

USS Arrow

A239810JA2