Fallout
Posted on Mon Jun 30th, 2025 @ 2:07pm by Lieutenant Amelia Johansen & Lieutenant Commander Alexander Coleman & Major Iria
2,380 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
The Campaign for Coridan
Location: Coridan Mobile Medical Unit Team
Timeline: 30th November, 2156
The wind was starting to pick up around the medical camp bringing with it an ominous sense of dread as the medical team quickly ran out time. The crew were all wearing face masks now, an order given out by Dr. Coleman almost as soon as everyone went to work.
Looking around at the medical team in front of him, Coleman asked, "How's everyone hanging in there? Everyone doing alright? Did we get all of the patients hunkered inside?"
Iria's voice was somewhat muffled by the small respirator affixed to her face. Her physiology was more resilient against radiation, but even a Vulcan body had its limits. Besides it wasn't logical to needlessly expose oneself if there were protective options available. "All present and accounted for, sir. Radiation levels are currently nominal, but given prevailing winds that will change." She looked over her shoulder towards the still towering cloud of smoke that reached high into the atmosphere. "Do we have an ETA for exfil?"
"I'm waiting to hear back about that. I think they're trying to give the evacuation shuttlepods some breathing room to be able to get down here, so that they don't get destroyed before they can even land," Coleman replied, pulling up the most recent information that he had on his tricorder. He wasn't sure when or how the shuttlepods would get down to them, but was hoping for sooner rather than later.
The Vulcan woman turned from the CMO and looked out towards the towering cloud that carried with it enough radiation to cause significant harm and in a moment of irrationality wondered if any of her ancestors had beheld a similar sight...for it was this very threat--nuclear annihilation--that gave rise to Surak's teachings and shifted the culture tide of her people.
"It would be prudent to find underground shelter, in case..." She did not wish to finish her sentence aloud. Human morale was a fragile thing she had observed, and it was better for them to not point to the obvious. She had learned they were quite aware of the totality of the situation; they simply focused on different aspects of it as part of their processing.
Looking around for a moment, Coleman noticed a nearby cavern and pointed to it. Coleman said, "How about that cavern over there? Do you think we could get people in there and it would be sufficient in keeping everyone safe until the drop ships can pick us up?"
Coleman got a pair of binoculars to get a better look at the cavern in the distance.
"Do we have time to get everyone there?"Amelia asked. "And we'll be taking a risk. If it doesn't go far enough back, we'll have to figure out a way to barricade the door, or otherwise protect ourselves from fallout getting to us."
"Honestly, the first step is getting there. I'm not seeing anything closer at the moment and I don't think we've got time to wait to see what happens," Coleman said as he offered up the binoculars to either Iria or Johansen to get a better view of the caves. He knew they had a limited window to start moving people out of there and would have to use the MACOs that they had with them to get some of the wounded out of there sooner rather than later.
Looking at Iria and Johansen, Coleman asked, "Do we still have those MACOs here to help us out?"
"Affirmative, sir." Iria answered in an absolutely serene tone. It was if it was a normal day if her behavior was any indication. "We will only be able to transport 68.8% of the injured before significant levels of fallout make being exposed on the surface mortally perilous."
"We'll have to see which patients are the most life threatening. Get the MACOs and start preparing the worst of the patients. Anyone that can walk should walk because that might increase our odds of getting more patients to safety. Major Iria, I'd like you to take charge of the more critically injured patients with some of the MACOs. Lieutenant Johansen, I'd like for you to see to the patients that are less critically injured and start getting them to head out to the cave system," Coleman replied as grabbed a PADD and started taking everything down, seeing what resources were to be put where.
"Aye sir," Johansen replied. "I can get them moving and plan to hunker down here with the rest," she offered.
T'Ria dipped her head in a non-verbal gesture of assent, mirroring Johansen's verbal response. They had been given their tasks - move as many of the injured as possible so they wouldn't be irradiated by the impending nuclear fallout. A bracing gust blew through the tent, bringing with a taste of ozone.
"Okay, awesome. Once in place, Johansen, try to set up some of the triage areas, if you can. It'd help for once the critically injured patients arrive," Coleman replied as they all started to get to work.
"Of course," Johansen nodded and quickly ran off. They were changing course and needed to move even more quickly now to mitigate any damage from the fallout. Within minutes she had a caravan started, with more started as they were able to load patients up and get them moving.
Coleman helped out when and where he could, as he was guiding medical staff and MACOs to where they could be best used. Was this the most ideal situation for what was happening? Absolutely not, but Coleman knew triage like the rest of them and this was going to test their abilities. Watching as the caravan began heading towards the caverns, Coleman could only hope that they could get everyone where they needed to be.
----
The dust was starting to accumulate in the air as the last of the people made their way into the shelter of the caves. They would need treatment for the radiation exposure, and would likely be feeling discomfort in a few hours, but ask long as they got them back to the Unicorn in the next couple of day for treatment there would be no long term effects.
Amelia was helping wash off the newcomers before letting them past the threshold where were settling in.
"Everyone's here!" She called out.
Coleman was helping some of the MACOs put something at the entrance of the cave system to try and make sure that the radiation dust cloud stayed more outside than inside. Once he heard Amelia call out and say that everyone was accounted for, he walked over and started opening up some of the makeshift medkits that they made before heading out and grabbed a tricorder out. He started to scan the cave system to make sure that the level of radiation wasn't too high in there.
Walking over to Iria and Amelia, Coleman said, "It looks like we should be good for a while. Has anyone heard anything from the ship yet?"
"The increasing radiation levels were significantly affecting the comms prior to shutdown." Came a voice coming from the mouth of the cave. Iria stepped into the main chamber carrying the portable communication array and looked about. It was truly a marvel - their combined strengths and tenacity had affected a complete evacuation. She would have to adjust her statistics regarding human endurance in harrowing situations.
"Well, dang. I was hoping that we would have gotten a little news, whether good or bad before we left. At least we would know what's happening up there and when we might be expecting a relief party. Lets get some readings on everyone and make sure that they don't get too sick while we wait in the cave system. Fix up injuries. Basic triage for the time being," Coleman said, as he went over to help Iria with the Comms array.
Iria nodded in silent assent to Coleman's orders. All were imminently logical directives. She looked down to the portable comm device she had thought to abscond with in the last push to get the injured to the relative safety of the caves. Although trained as a physician, she had been mandated to learn a number of technical skills in order to be useful in other areas of ships' life - the communications array was within her scope of know-how...well, somewhat.
"We will have to, somehow, figure out how to overcome the ionized radiation from the thermonuclear detonations in order to contact the ship."
Looking over at Iria as she looked at the communications device, Coleman could tell that there was something more to the Vulcan than could meet the eye. Once he heard something about the device come from her, Coleman asked, "Do you know anything about communication devices and about maybe how to get a signal out?"
"I have some comms training." Iria replied in a vague manner, wanting to focus on what it might take to get a message to Unicorn. "The problem is it will require operation outside of the cave system. The composition of the rock is regretfully not conducive to communication. My physiology is more resistant against radiation. It would be logical to limit exposure..."
"There's no way you'd survive something like that! I know that the Vulcans are able to do some pretty amazing things, but going out into an area of nuclear fallout would be suicide. There's no way that I would ethically let you walk out there to just get a message out there," Coleman protested, knowing that Vulcans were resilient. But, not bulletproof.
"If communication cannot be established with Unicorn we will all perish. We cannot remain here indefinitely and the fallout will only worsen over time as the radioactive particles settle. I am willing to accept the risk and will take all precautions, sir. It is...not ideal." Part of her wondered if this was a subconscious expression of a 'death wish.' The thought of going back outside was not a preferable one, but if Coleman's fears were to come to pass, she was not leaving behind anyone. The needs of the many, after all...
Coleman looked at her and said, "Well, if it has to be done. Do what you can in here first. It's...not logical to go out there and work on it when it's safer in here. Once you've completed the work, I'll help you get it out there and set it up. Before you object, I still outrank you and Amelia can keep an eye on us from in here. The more people working on it out there, the better our chances of getting a message out to the Unicorn."
Coleman turned to Amelia and said, "Once we go out there, I want you to monitor us. If anything happens, get some of the MACOs to bring us back here and see what can't be done for us."
Oh there were things T'Ria wanted to say to her superior officer regarding the recklessness of his own behavior given how much more susceptible human physiology was to gamma radiation, but to do so would be impertinent. Frankly, she could use the assistance. "I have a sufficient amount of hyronalin synthesized to inoculate us both against the radiation, but the effects are temporary. It is not my intention to remain exposed any longer than necessary." She too looked towards Amelia. "Any assistance you can provide to ensure our continued safety would be most agreeable, Lieutenant Johnson."
Coleman started to get everything ready and make sure that the pair didn't get too sick too quickly. He wanted to make sure that both medical officers could make it back to the Unicorn back in one piece as well.
"I don't know that either of you should go, quite frankly," Amelia argued. "The Unicorn will be looking for us regardless."
"Well, they might be looking for us. But, it would be better and quicker for them to find us if they had something to lock onto," Coleman offered, knowing that it would be better and easier for the dropships to find them if they had something to lock onto with the comms device.
"It will also be quite difficult to get a lock on us given our current location and the aforementioned radiation." She paused and looked directly at Amelia. "I share your reticence, Lieutenant Johansen. But, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one. Although far less than ideal, it is 'Logical' to do whatever we can to improve the odds of our collective survival."
"The Major is right. Since we aren't in an ideal situation, it's better to minimize the damage to the many. If we can get the message to our people and save more, then I'm all for helping to make sure that we can send a message to the Unicorn," Coleman offered up. He looked between Iria and Amelia before saying, "Plus, I know the comms equipment is heavy and would be easier to carry if two people were doing it. So, since I'm the chief, I should be the one to help out. We'll make sure I'm given every possible protection."
"Well since I don't get a say, let's get this over with, quickly," Amelia said. She gave the two a look a worried mother might give her children.
"I know that you're worried. But, there's strength in numbers and the sooner that we get the message out about where we are, the sooner everyone can get out of the caves," Coleman said as he understood where Amelia was talking about. It wasn't the best situation, but it had to be done.
Iria nodded unconsciously. It was a logical course of action; it simply was not an ideal course of action. There was now work to be done, and no one benefited from idleness.
Coleman looked back at Iria and said, "Ready or not." Coleman picked up on his side of the communication device and the pair of them started to head outside of the cavern system to get the system set up.
Lieutenant Commander Alexander Coleman, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
Unicorn NX-151
Lieutenant Amelia Johansen
Medical Officer, Psychiatrist
Unicorn NX-151
Major Iria
Medical Officer, Surgeon
Unicorn NX-151
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