Setting Down
Posted on Mon May 11th, 2015 @ 10:58am by Lieutenant JG Allison Price & Lieutenant Colonel Edward Maxwell & Lieutenant Commander Morgan Kelly & Lieutenant JG Erica De'Havean
Mission:
God Complex [Incomplete]
Location: USS Jackal, Bridge
The target moon was just clearing the horizon of the Gas Giant and edging into its shadow. From the angle and the way the Jackal was positioned you could see the faint shimmer of the energy shield around it. Then over the ship's bridge speakers came the hiss and static filled plea for help. It was obvious that the Radio call was automated and repeated itself.
"Message repeats." Kelly reported from the tactical console. "It is becoming slightly clearer as we get closer; probably a result of the atmospheric interference."
"So there's no new information." Ed commented and shook his head. "Means no-one is updating the transmission. The shield is still up, but the lack of any updates is a cause for some concern. It's possible it may have already allowed in sufficient radiation to render this mission... unneeded."
Erica De'Havean worked a few controls, bringing up the targeted moon on the main-view screen. Even magnifying it so that you could see the surface shimmering mirage-like through it. The surface was lush with mutated plants, Community and scattered buildings that dotted the moon's surface along with cultivated areas. On the two pole areas of the Moon were two structures mirror in image. One pointing Moon North and the other Moon South as if the structure skewered the moon on it rotating axis.
Allie worked in conjunction with De'Havean to ensure that the ship was ready to land. All systems reported ready, but setting a starship down on a planet's surface, no matter what size of the ship, left the ship's engineer a big antsy. Price was certainly worried about something going wrong. Losing engine power in deep space meant that you were adrift. Losing engines while plummeting towards the ground, well, your fate was in gravity's hands.
Erica began her preflight checks and prepping the ship for a planetary landing as she followed the check list. Which was so rare that this may be the first time the Jackal set its paws on the ground. A whole new set of vibrations and harmonics as machinery activated and cycled up for operation. Her hands flew across a whole new set of menus and control screens to play with. But she stuck to the operating instructions in making sure everything was letter perfect as she could get it. Her eyes glittered darting over her console as her tail curved back and forth behind her in anticipation of the landing.
Kelly did what little he could but found himself more closely watching the Caitian and he took confidence in how prepared she looked. At least from behind.
Erica actually fidgeted in her seat with ears perked and swiveling as she began the maneuver sequence. On the main view screen, big [ -0- ] showed the route to the landing area chosen for the landing spot. The bars that bracketed the 0 were green to show that the ship was on the correct chosen path that the ship had to take. She was poised to make correction when indicated by the bars to keep them both green. Even though she didn't need them, it was just a precaution she took as this was the first time for to put a ship on the ground other than an aerospace fighter
Allie nodded as Erica confirmed the landing spot. "I think that's the closet we can get to the source of the signal with a level landing zone and still be well away from the settlement."
As the [ ] spread apart and disappeared as the ship approached the Moon's Shielding and the final landing spot. Erica glanced back quickly at Lieutenant Colonel Maxwell to initiate contact and allowance of the passage of the Jackal through the Moon's Shielding. She agreed with Allie with an extra wiggle of her tail and twitching of her ears. "Nine hundred meters to shielding." She slowed the speed of approach down even farther to allow more time to abort landing if need be.
"XO, let's see if we can raise anybody on the surface. See if they can let us in or if we're just supposed to go through it. Could be either option depending on the age of the technology." Ed ordered as he stood up and straightened his jacket.
Erica shot a hand out to another adjacent console next to her and activated the communications, matching the automated radio signal. She nodded her head to signal that the radio channel was open. Her attention switched between the two consoles while keeping an eye on the shrinking distance between the ship and the shield.
The enhanced view of the Moon began to show movement other than plant life, The occupants of the Moon, imported domesticated animals.
Soon the Erica was a flurry of activity at station, purring as she let out soft meuws and miaows as a flurry of clicking from her claws striking the console before her. Throughout the ship, soft whirrs of machinery and hydraulics sprung to life as panels opened on the bottom of the Jackal and stubby thick legs began to extend from their dormant state. Watching her panel closely, lights changed from yellow stand-by to green to signify the landing legs were fully extended and locked in place to take the weight of the Jackal. A whole new set of RCS Thrusters came to life, emitting attentive burst of thrust, running through self checks induced by Erica's command prompting in operational diagnostic in advance before they are needed as she slowed the ship even more.
Soon the Jackal slowed to a stop hovering several meters above the ground with the under carriage RSC Thruster at Maximum and easing them back from full thrust to settle the big ship down on the surface of Colonized Moon. She kept reducing thrust as the landing legs took the weight of the Jackal and her board read green.
"Engineering?!" Erica spoke out loud, "How's it look from your boards?" She inquired keeping minimum thrust blasting at the surface of the moon.
"All systems are green. All non-essential systems are ready for power saving shutdown on your command, Colonel," Allie replied from her engineering station.
"Shut 'em down." Ed nodded. "Well done folks. Let's get some gear and see what we can do to help these people out." He ordered as he stood up from his chair.
Erica powered down the RSC thusters once her board was confirmed by engineering and shutting them down. She began securing from flight to stand-by mode. A barely audible purr was heard from Erica as she wrote up her report on her first planetary landing with the Jackal, a ship that was more used to Starbase docking ports and sitting in space as the Away Team beamed down or used the onboard shuttle. She loved to test her skills as a pilot. She gave Allie a big smile for her support and a well tuned machine to operate and fly.
Allie returned the smile as she let out a sigh of relief. She knew the ship was in capable hands with Erica at the helm, but any time a large ship was made to do something like land on a planet, she got nervous. She was glad to know that they were on solid ground.
"Quite a landing, guys." Kelly said, heading for the small armoury. "Good work."
Lieutenant Colonel Edward Maxwell
Commanding Officer
Lieutenant Commander Morgan Kelly [NPC: Gunning]
Executive Officer
Lieutenant JG Allison Price [NPC: Von]
Chief Engineer
Lieutenant JG Erica De'Havean [NPC: Akiashiro]
CONN
