Under another sky, on another world, two persons stood behind a barricade opaque on its lower half, but transparent from five feet all through to the backwards curving overhang. Stretching out in front an expanse of bare reddish ground bordered to the north and east by sharp craggy cliffs that rose up abruptly. 

“CLEAR!” 

The shout echoed for a moment before being met by a momentary deep rumble, then consumed as a l;arge area of said bare ground erupted upwards. Dirt, sand, rock, were flung upwards rising ten, eleven twelve feet into the air, four plumes at four corners continued to rise twelve, fourteen, fifteen feet. The sound of the explosion has now taken hold, drowning out all but the most precise sounds. before the inevitable tug of gravity had the whole mass collapsing back, recouping the space it came from, only in a much more disturbed state, save the wave of dust that spread outwards from the detonation site. 

The barcade was itself enveloped, the dust cloud deflected momentary and then swirling back slightly, the pressure difference affording some protection to the pair. Both Humans, One male, One female, both Starfleet, both sporting non-commission officer patches atop the collar. 

“Upwind! Jimmy upwind next time.” The female stated in a muffled tone, tanks to her hands covering her face.

“We are upwind. Pressure, Physics, terms ringing any bells, Dee.” Came the males response, a little less muffled, his efforts to retort leading to inhaling a little more dust than planned and promptly started couching fit.

“We did agree one-ups didn’t work, case in point.” Heidy responded, now uncovered she pulled a thin and forced smile followed by hand up and flickered in Jimmy’s direction.

“Cheyenne to post three, stand by for transport.” A communication that caught the pair off guard and hand a momentary glance between themselves, one of shared confusion. Jimmy shrugged. 

“Cheyenne transporter room standby, we usually make the call when everything settled, procedurally it works best as well.” Heidy responded.

“I’ve two personnel beaming down. Commander Merrova and Lieutenant Racshaw. Standby.” Came the very blunt response causing a glance between the pair.

A few moments later a short distance away the air shimmered, sparkling with energy that dropped in two narrow curtains. That morphed into a pair of humanoid shapes. That soon became the forms of two female officers, one sporting red trim and flashing, the other blue to their respective jackets.

“Commander, what brings you down here?” Jimmy called across as he stepped around the shelter, left hand lingering on the trailing edge.

“The last group of evacuees have returned home. We were just about to inform the Administrator, thank him for the additional resources, things like that. How are things going down here?” Eviea informed the pair, before throwing a thumb at the newly blasted area.

“Blast went off nicely, once the spoil heap is transported off, half a day to have the structure in place.” Jimmy responded with a smile and shrug, a few weeks ago the first of this type felt like a major operation, now he was in a rhythm it felt straightforward.   

“Stay on track for the time being, when things are in motion at this site head back to the ship. The last of the coils the romulans can manufacture or spare have been fitted to the upper two nacells, we can get to a starbase and finish repairs and the Engineer Head wants you both to run the calibrations.” It was one of Evie’s more positive traits Jimmy found, if her tasks affected your tasks, she would loop in as much as possible, which just made working with and for her considerably easier.

“We’ll see what we can do Boss.” Heidy responded, hand behind her back a smile gracing her face as she looked first at Eviea then at Jimmy. The officer pair turned and started off in the direction of the township, Evies moved with a measured stride, head up, her destination fixed firmly in site. By contrast the younger officer hurried to keep pace, glancing between the PaDD she cradled in one hand and the floor, with occasional glances across at Eviea.

“Come on sunshine, we’ve got work to do.” The reminder was preceded by a number of knuckle taps on the inside of the blast screen from Heidy, already at the terminal it contained He was about to duck around and join when his attention was redirected.

“Chief Carmack. I am in need of your assistance if it is not too much of an imposition.” The Romulan male who approached quickly, voice a little quavering and his features creased in a frown, his fingers interlocked together awkwardly and an occasional twisting motion with the index fingers. “A pair of scout hunters have reported finding a romulan who I quote, ‘looks still enough and awkward enough to be dead.’ Could you confirm and act accordingly?”

“Say no more Eckan. Do you have coordinates, we’ll beam over.”   Jimmy responded quickly, nodding affirmatively, a slight frown forming across his features. Glancing sideways his eyes locked with Heidi’s whose playful smirk dropped away like a curtain falling replaced by a puzzled look. “Can you pull the back up team in, we need to go and investigate potential fatality?” He asked carefully, pushing the frown into a thin smile. 

“Transporter room three, site to site for myself, Chief Gianluca, Eckan. To coordinate 223.447.21.”

Three energy curtains became three persons, deposited on a wide flat rock amid the tumble of boulders and rocky protrusions that surrounded them. The whole area in shadow of the cliffs that previously elevated the horizon. Looking the other way the outline of the settlement buildings were visible.

“You arrived and with help.” A voice caused the three too twist back towards the rocky fields, an adolescent romulan stepped out from behind one of the larger boulders, jackets had been dyed red with black and gray patches of varying sizes and irregular shapes sewn on in a makeshift camouflage attempt, eyes were wide, stood with one arm across the bo0dy clutching at her side grip tightening loosening at random. 

“I did as promised. Can you show us where and who you found?” Eckan responded his voice was soft but his words seemed rather to the point, regimented and cold considering the circumstances. 

“Just round there.” She pointed behind and went to look over her shoulder then turned back. “I think it might be a scout lead, Centurion Maaklel.”

“Why don’t I and my potential new friend have a little talk just over here, while you fellers have a look-see.” Heidy offered, taking a step forwards and offering hand out to the side, speaking in a soft tone, before offering a hand to the young Romulan.

“I’ve seen you helping with the digging and the building at the settlement.” The adolescent offered, unclasping a hand of her side and placing it in the offered hand.

“Oh, notoriety, my favorite thing. Nice and observant of you. I’m Heidy, put a name to the face doesn’t it.” Heidy shrugged while smiling and giving Jimmy a side eye.

“Beltha. I come up here hunting out rock voles. I like hunting rock voles, especially the fat ones. You get a bit of meat from them.” The response came  back a little rambly, as Heidy led the young romulan a short way forward. It would either be the shock of it all, or an effort to distract herself, Jimmy couldn’t tell, but he was sure Heidy would be able to.

Jimmy and Eckan worked their way forward into a particularly jagged section of the formation, draped across the rock formations, a humanoid form. Body position, contorted limbs and just discernible angle of the head was enough to tell this person was no longer living. Jimmy shuddered quietly to himself as they reached the body. “Romulan male, A mature adult, your probably better with age. Deceased.” Tricorder was out at this point, and the medical sensors and programming, although limited, were enough to confirm the assessment with a flat tone. 

“Features match Centurion Maaklel although such a fall seems odd for one so experienced.” Eckan filled in, having worked his way around to the head and face for that reason. His tricorder was also out now scanning. “You shuddered on approach, Chief Carmack. I would have thought man of your seasoning used to a death?” He observed with a question, the glance up and then back made this seem merely curiosity.

“I’ve seen death. But the day i say i’m used to or feel used to it, i’ll be checking myself in for a psych evaluation, there’s nothing natural about it. In my opinion.” Jimmy explained carefully, eyes always on the device before him and the readings were for sure a source of trouble. “Positioning and distance from the base of the cliff would put the fall at fifty feet, but blood around the body or lack of it has me a little concerned.” He voiced his concerns, staring at the device in his hand at first before looking across at his counterpart for either conformation or dismissal of his interpretation. 

“I would have to concur, it is worth noting I am picking up hemorrhaging on the right side, that could suggest a wound site.” Eckan responded, meeting the look with a frown and an almost scowl that was made more accptable only by the repetitive nodding motion. 

“I’ll call it in. Lets take things from there Jimmy stated as he stood up, looking over his shoulder Heidi had her ticorder out and was by the look of it obtaining dna and skin samples, but in her usual easy, none demanding manner.