Pursuit

Posted on Fri Aug 2nd, 2024 @ 3:45am by Commander Kevin Lance & Captain Mira Rodale

Mission: Vacation on Amri V
Location: Amri V
Timeline: Current

on:
{Amri V Wilderness}

Kevin was finding it easier to keep his seat aboard the Camphi. Whether he was getting more accustomed to the creature’s movements or aided by the additional stability afforded by Mira’s arms wrapped around his waist, or both, he couldn’t tell but it allowed him to more concisely maneuver his mount along the narrow trail through the forest. He was even able to avoid getting hit by some of the lower hanging branches.

“Help!” Kevin heard a male voice calling. It had to be Junis, Kevin thought as he tighten his thighs on his mount in an effort to increase speed.

They crested a small rise on the path and saw Junis sitting with his back against a tree. He was bloody and his face wore a pained expression. As Kevin reigned in the Camphi near Junis, Mira slipped gracefully to the ground.

Mira looked around cautiously. There didn't seem to be anyone else around right now. There were lots of tracks as if a few people had made them. "What way did they take your son?" she asked him.

Junis pointed up the trail towards the cliffs. "I tried to keep up with the but two of them ambushed me," Junis wailed on the verge of tears, "I think my ankle is broken."

Kevin had dismounted and was examining the tracks. "They are headed in the direction of the cliffs," he pronounced, "We will need to leave the Camphi here and proceed on foot."

Mira nodded, "why did they take your son?"

Mira needed to know just how bad this fight would get. Knowing if it was revenge or what?

"I don't know," Junis answered, "I have never seen their like before. Not even from the databases."

Kevin asked for a description of the assailants but got little more than they were bipedal humanoids with large heads and black eyes.

Mira turned to Kevin. "Do you need one of my blades?"

"I won't say no," Kevin replied as he took the proffered knife. Then to Junis, "Try to stay conscious. Zarah is coming with help." At least he hoped she was.

Kevin and Mira started up the trail at a fast pace. The tracks were easy for Kevin’s security trained brain to follow as if their quarry hadn't bothered to hide their passing. "Something about this just doesn't seem right," he said to Mira once they were well out of Junis' hearing.

Mira nodded. "I have been saying that. Vaytoc can't even smell them. I couldn't believe the nerve of that woman to offer to watch Kolar while I go save her kid!"

Mira frowned, straining to hear anything. " We are still following the tracks. Maybe we should have a few security officers join us from the ship?"

Kevin's pace slowed and his brows knitted. "Most of the security crew, including K'ner's Haz Team are on shore leave," he reasoned, "Recalling and arming them would take too long." Time was off the essence. He picked up the pace again.

They continued up the slope, the silence broken only by the heavy breathing brought on by their exertions. The trail of their quarry petered out at an outcropping of rocks at the base of a massive crag. There was debris at the base and protrusions along the face of the rock wall.

Mira raised an eyebrow. "It looks like they went up or through the rock? Are we chasing ghosts? " she asked with a frown playing on her lips. Mira's hands started to run over the rock face. "I can climb this with no problem, but if they have a hidden entrance, then it does no good to go up." Looking down at the small amount of debris on the ground, she decided. "This would suggest they went up. How are you at climbing?" Funny, she couldn't remember asking him that before. One of her favorite pastimes, it seemed odd not to ask before now.

"I'm not as good as you," Kevin confessed as he started scaling the rock face, "but I did pick up some skill in parkour training."

Mira nodded, following him up. "Just take it slow and steady. It has a lot to do with enough strength to pull your own body weight up and the stamina to keep going." Mira kept glancing up to see if anyone was looking down. "Why, by all that is holy drag a kid up here?"

"Makes about as must sense as any of this does," Kevin replied as he tested the next hand hold before pulling himself up higher.

The pair continued climbing, silent except for Mira occasionally pointing out hand holds or an easier ascent point to Kevin.

They were almost to a ledge and Mira climbed faster to reach it. Kevin was making steady progress but his greater bulk and mass was taking its toll. He slowly and carefully selected his path.

He heaved himself upwards towards the lefge when suddenly one of the rocks he was using gave way. "Mira!" Kevin fell downwards until he arrested himself with the arm whose hand was still holding secure. He scrambled to get his second foot secure but wasn't having any luck.

Mira looked around once she got up to the top. No one was there. Then she heard her name. "crap!"

Mira swung over the edge and got down to his level. "Just stay still for a moment." Mira studied the rock face. "Don't go any higher on that side move closer to me. Switch foot hold and move to me. There are stronger one over here."

Kevin's eyes were wide enough that white was visible around the entire iris and the arm holding on to the rock was visibly vibrating. He said nothing but nodded rapidly and began to carefully reach his foot towards the indicated point.

Mira smiled. "Ok, now we go up on this side. It's not far. Just keep your mind on putting her hands on the correct hand holds. We can do this. I love you." she smiled.

Carefully checking each hand and foot hold several times before he put weigh on them, Kevin slowly advanced up towards the ledge. His breathing slowed and each move was more confident than the last.

Mira talked him up the rest of the way. "Next time we do this, we have on safety packs. If you fall, a parachute deploys. It can be rather fun."

Kevin swung his leg over the edge and pulled himself up and over the top. He rolled away from the edge of the cliff then lay on his back, trying to slow his beating hard. "Remind me," he said, "to look up the definition of 'fun' in the Trill dictionary."

"I see more tracks on the ground, but I don't know what ones to follow. " Mira told him as she looked him over to make sure he didn't have any damage from the slight fall.

Kevin willed himself to sit up with only a single glance towards the cliff's edge. He shook his head and looked at the tracks that Mira had indicated. The majority of them proceeded along the ledge and around to the left. "I think that we should follow the ones that go along the ledge.

Mira nodded, "Sounds like a plan. Once you catch your breath, we will head that way. " She gave him a smile as she squatted next to him. "So much for our quiet afternoon swimming with Kolar. I was really looking forward to that."

"So was I," Kevin answered ruefully, "Although with the way this day has been going, we would get attacked by pirates." He pushed himself to up to stand unsteadily. After a couple of deep breaths, he nodded and began moving along the ledge.

:off

Lieutenant Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris

and

Captain Mira Rodale
CO USS Chuck Norris