Ancient Transport Rings

(description to follow)

Dr. von Braun seems a little more at ease once he's left Eileen's presence, and he (grumbling, of course) assists Findy in putting together a mobile probe that feeds video and sensor data directly to a laptop. By the next morning, all of the preparations are made. There are a remarkable number of volunteers to go to the gate, and Inbal had to trim down the contingent to keep things manageable. Not so many want to brave the Hammond's remains. In fact, only Findy really wants to do it; Klaus is going along mainly "to make sure someone can handle things when the Shieße hits the fan."

Findy MacLean

"Right, then," Findy says, once the mini-MALP-- more of a SALP, really, since it's not terribly mobile-- is rolled into the ring area. "Let's try this." She fires up the ring system and waits for readouts to appear on the laptop.

"Cross your fingers," Klaus says with only a trace of bitter angst. Moments later, the screen is filled with an image of the ring room on Hammond. It's iced over in many places, but the head lamp from the SALP shows the door to the main corridor is unobstructed. The atmospheric conditions are zilch; without reactors to keep the life support systems going, everything has failed and the interior of the ship is vented to space apart from some trace water vapor and ammonium coolant. The SALP would be floating in the lack of artificial gravity, but in one of Findy's more brilliant moments she thought to put magnets on the treads.

Major Eileen Thorsson

"...looks like home sweet home," Eileen mutters, having slipped in to view the readout from the 'SALP'. "Remind me to reccomend that the airtight doors be made more airtight when they roll out the 305s."

Findy commands the SALP to advance and activate the door. The obedient little machine trundles out into the corridor, scanning left and right with its camera. There is some debris, but not enough that it would impede a spacewalk on this deck. Klaus turns to the younger engineer and the major with a smirk and says, "Satisfied? Or are you going to try to walk this thing up the emergency stairs to the hangar deck?"

Findy MacLean

Findy appears to consider the idea Von Braun is suggesting before finally shaking her head in the negative. "There wouldn't be much point, would there, doctor? We've got the information we needed. It would be possible to convert one of the escape pods into a sort of tank to use to roam the Hammond, but it's a project of several weeks, if not months, major," Findy changes whom she's addressing mid-ramble. "I suppose it's up to you if you want to wait that long, or try the gate instead."

Major Thorsson

"Now that you mention it, I might halfway be tempted, but no." Eileen shakes her head, mentally rolling her eyes at von Braun. "I think we've seen enough here, we did, indeed get what we came for. Good work, Findy," she says with a smile for the energetic engineer. "We don't have weeks or months anyway, so that will be all, unless anyone else can think of anything?"

Lt. Kincaid walks stiffly out of the tent he'd been moved to after leaving the hospital tent.

Muttering softly, "need to get some air... find something to do ... I'm going stir crazy here."

Without realizing it he walks in the general direction of the medical tent. He'd been there long enough that he had made friends with some of the people working there. He had heard about several expeditions the next day and he was sure his skills would come in handy for at least one of them. He hoped one of his friends might be able to give him some information.

On his way, he overhears some of the comments about the probe, and pausing for a few seconds heads quietly down to the rings so as to not disturb anyone.

Findy MacLean

"Fine by me, Major," Findy replies with her ever-present cheer. "I don't suppose you'd happen to have another project for me to work on, or should I just amuse myself with whatever comes to mind?" She runs the SALP back down through the rings while she waits for a response from the commander.

"Excuse me, Major.. Could I speak with you?"

Coming to attention, Lt. Kincaid gives a quick salute before going back to a more casual stance.

"While I was recovering in the medical tent, I heard about the rings and other ancient artifacts nearby. I also heard that there were going to be a couple of expeditions leaving to explore some other possible ruins. Ancient tech was a speciality of mine and since I've been released for regular duty now. I'd like to volunteer to help where ever you think i would be the most use." He pauses for breathe, and waits patiently giving the Major time to think about where he can be the most use.