Welcome To the Jungle

Posted on Sat Feb 27th, 2021 @ 3:45pm by Lieutenant Jessica Holland & Lieutenant Anna S. Thesia M.D.

Mission: The Jungle
Location: Red Zone Planet
Timeline: Current

Anna remembered the power going out on the ship. And now she awoke, finding herself bound, which wasn't so bad, but dressed only in a dark red dress, not so bad either. What bothered her most was not having her medkit. She hated being anywhere without it. Maybe it was somewhere nearby? How had she been brought here, and why was she here? Looking around, she saw one other person. "Jessica!" she called, trying to hobble about despite the bindings, to scoot over to her.

Jessica moaned as her eyes fluttered open. "Anna?" She questioned as she struggled to sit up and realized she was bound. "What the hell?" She asked as Anna struggled to get closer to her.

"I have no idea", Anna said. "But I'm glad to see you." She smirked. "Being stuck here's not good, but being stuck with you is a bit better."

"I'm glad to see you too." Jessica replied as she strained against the rope. "Ulmmmmmnnn! Damn, whoever tied us up knew what they were doing. These knots are tight."

Anna turned to try to get her binds close to Jessica's hands. It was a no-brainer that they'd have to untie each other. "Can you pull mine off, perhaps?" She was looking for sharp objects inside their confined space but could not find any. That would have been too easy, probably.

Jessica tried to pull off Anna's binds but only succeeded in getting herself angry at her inability to loosen the knots that held the CMO so tightly. "Sorry." She said clearly frustrated, "Those knots aren't going to come undone."

"Hm, what shall we do?" Anna asked. "I've never tried to free myself from being bound before. Don't they teach you that stuff at the Academy?"

"What? How to be an escape artist? In fact they do but I was never very good at it." Jessica admitted.

"Hmm", Anna pondered their situation. "Let's rub our wrists together, stress the material. Maybe it'll come loose?" It was worth a try, right?

"Worth a shot." Jessica agreed. They had just started when three masked guards entered and jerked them to the feet and ushered them out of the holding area. A short time later, they were standing in front of Haldeman. "It has been decided that you two will also enter the Game. Do try not to disappoint the audience." He quipped. Before either woman could reply, He turned to a guard. "Send them into the game zone." There was a flash and an instant later Anna and Jessica were gone.

Anna blinked, looking around her. There were trees, shrubs, she heard a stream in the distance. "Wh..what game?" she asked to nobody in particular. "I do not understand." She looked at Jessica, and found they were both still bound. "Let's find a tree with rough bark, to rub those bindings off."

Jessica looked around the area and then saw the giant floating timer. "Anna look! That timer is counting down! I think we better find a way out of these bindings and fast But I don't see a tree with rough bark."

"If this is some form of game, it's best if someone was to explain the rules to us", Anna remarked. "Someone must have a sense of humour that's weirder than mine." The problem was, she had no other idea for getting the bindings off either.

At that precise moment Haldeman's face appeared on the overhead monitor. "Ladies still struggling with your bonds I see. I would get to work on that, for time is counting down. Oh, I see by the confusion on your faces that I neglected to tell you the rules. You both, with other members of your crew are in a huge game zone. Where you will soon be hunted by man and beast. Your goal is to find this idol." A picture flashed on the screen of something that resembled a Gryphon. "Find it and get to the finish line before time runs out and you and your crew win. Don't you die and so does your crew. Good luck, I'll be watching along with the rest of the planet." With that he was replaced with the countdown monitor and the numbers counting down.

"This is not what I had in mind when I asked Savar to time the next emergency so I could get some down time in a jungle somewhere", Anna complained. "Hm, lie down, I'll get your bindings off with my teeth."

Jessica shook her head no, "Absolutely not Anna. You'll pull your teeth out trying that. There has to be something around here we can use to get ourselves free."

"I'm out of suggestions, though", Anna said, moving further into the underbrush to see if she could spot anything. "Sharp rocks, but rocks are rare in jungles."

"Well, I'm not." Jessica said stubbornly, "Lets see if we can find a sharp stick, something if we can't break the binds we can stretch it enough to slip out hands out."

"Hm, I've been tied up many times, never tried to break free. Maybe I should have?" Anna asked. She looked around, but strong sticks were fairly rare in jungles as well. Whatever fell down from the trees tended to rot quickly in this climate.

Jessica just shook her head and looked for something, anything to free them from their binds. "There has to be something we can use, this is ridiculous."

Anna walked a few steps further, then suddenly cried out. "Aah!" She had stepped onto a metal spike, no doubt a trap left on what was the most obvious path through the underbrush. She fell to the ground and rolled onto her side, calling. "I found something!" Problem was, it was now in her foot. But if Jessica could get it out of there, she could use it to cut Anna's binds, and then Anna could cut Jessica's. Or so she thought.

Jessica was at her side in an instant, "What ? What did you find?" She asked excited at the prospect of freeing themselves. "Where is it Anna?"

"It's in my foot", Anna said, not sounding too happy about it. "Can you get it out? It's certainly sharp enough."

"Oh my Gosh! Jessica exclaimed and jumped into action as she dropped to her knees and got close to Anna before turning her back to her. "Guide me, so I'm not fumbling around and make your injury worse."

"A little left, and then about five centimetres down", Anna said. "The only sharp, metal thing in range. You find it, just pull it out. I'll be okay." Anna wasn't worried about the injury, it just hurt and she wanted it gone. She was not in any real danger, that much she knew.

Jessica followed Anna's instructions, she was glad Anna wasn't wearing boots as the in jury wouldn't be as severe... she hoped. Moving her hands she found the spike and spoke. "Okay, I'm just going to pull it out on three."

"Just do it", Anna said, preparing to put up resistance when Jessica pulled. She could see it had barbs to make this procedure more difficult. "You'll have to pull hard." It would hurt like hell, but once it was out, Anna could heal her wound. That was something to look forward to.

"Okay here we go, one, two..." and then she pulled hard and was rewarded with a faint pop, as the spike came free of Anna's foot. "It's out. you going to be okay?" She asked unable to keep the concern out of her voice.

Anna cried out, but quieted down quickly. "Yes, I'll... I'll be okay." She closed her eyes, concentrating on her wound, and thanks to her Minaran half, it closed quickly. There were only a few drops of green blood left on the forest floor and on the spike. She smirked at Jessica. "I told you I'm sturdy, right?"

"I never doubted you, I just don't like seeing you hurt." Jessica replied still holding the spike. "At least we have something to cut through these damn binds."

Anna turned around. "Just hold it, I'll cut myself loose on it." She struggled into position, then rubbed her bindings against the edge of the spike. "I still don't understand why we're here. What's the point of this?"

"Isn't it obvious? Entertainment. We're sport Anna." Jessica said scornfully.

"I hate sports", Anna grumbled. "Never could stand them." She finally got her hands free, then spun around quickly and gut Jessica loose as well.

"I love em. Love to compete." Jessica answered as her hands came free. "That is so much better. Hold on to that, it might come in handy."

Anna gave Jessica a hug, now that their arms were free. "I'd much rather get along", she admitted. "So... what do we do now?" She was completely out of her depth in an 'arena' type situation.

"We move Anna and quickly, hopefully we'll find other members of the crew, maybe the Captain or the XO and that idol we were shown and win this damn game and get out of here." Jessica replied forcefully.

"Somehow, I suspect it won't be that easy", Anna said. "But I guess those are our only options for now." She was already considering how they could subvert the game, but for the time being, Anna could not see how. "Let me go first", she said, handing Jessica the spike. "If I walk into any traps, my chances to survive them are better than yours. Plus, I know my way around jungles."

"Okay, Sheena of the Jungle, you can go first, just don't go walking into anymore traps." Jessica answered, "And while we're at it lets see what we can do about finding some weapons to defend ourselves."

"I'll leave that to you", Anna responded. "You know much more about weapons than I do. I might spot some poisons, though. Make small darts and such more potent." She was already looking out for animal life, or fancy-looking plants. "I'm more concerned about finding food."

"Sounds good to me." Jessica replied. "So lead on Anna and lets see what we can see and find in the way of weapons, poisons and of course food."

Anna started walking through the underbrush. She decided to avoid what looked more or less like a hiking trail. She did not have a tactical mind, but thought that this was the place where more traps were more likely to be hidden.

She spotted a plant that bore fruit, and she plucked one and popped it in her mouth. "Ew, no... not good." she said, moving on and leaving them there. "Those are poisonous, don't eat them." At least she could rely on her body to take care of those poisons. She couldn't fight, but she had other advantages. "Have you got any jungle experience, love?"

"Did a three month jungle training class on Tartarus IV. Whole planet is a freakin jungle and now I'm back in another one." Jessica grumbled as she found two long stout sticks they could use as weapons. "Here." She said handing one to Anna, "My gift to you. Now if I had a knife, I could sharpen them into spears."

"I'd rather this is not sharp", Anna said. "I might accidentally stab you with it." And she used it to part foliage, to help them more easily traverse the jungle. "Don't expect me to hit anyone, I'm not good at that sort of thing."

Jessica stared at her, "Anna, how hard is it to hit someone? Just swing your arms down hard. Oh wait, are you a pacifist? That's why you are in medical?"

"Pretty much", Anna said. "I don't want to do harm. I mean, I suppose I could if our lives depended on it, but... I haven't been in that situation before."

"I'm sorry Anna, I didn't mean to make it sound like a character flaw. I think it is very noble. Trust me if your life is at stake, you'll do whatever you have to do to preserve it." Jessica told her companion.

"I'm not sure this stick will help me with that, though", Anna remarked. She stopped at another plant, tasting its fruit. She chewed a bit and then swallowed. "This one's edible. My taste detects no poisons." She had always relied upon this sense, and saw no reason why it should fail her now. "It's not delicious, though."

"Quit being a Doubting Thomas, Anna. Have faith and if not not, confidence." Jessica grumbled. "As for the fruit, lets grab some and stick em in pants pockets so we'll have some with us."

"What's a Doubting Thomas?" Anna asked. She had never heard that particular expression before. But if she had, she'd have responded that this character was the only smart one in the entire story, who refused to believe outlandish tales and demanded evidence, before then acting on it.

"A person that questions everything, that wants evidence before doing anything." Jessica replied as she hefted her stick in her hands.

"Oh, thank you", Anna smiled. "Yes, that's me. Always question, always make sure. How else are you going to arrive at useful information?"

"You can make your own mind up Anna. Draw your own conclusions from facts. Or.... you can just take a leap of faith and believe what you are being told. Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with asking questions but there comes a time you have to make decisions on your own." Jessica replied.

"I know. I've just never been good with the whole faith deal", Anna smirked. She picked more of the fruit, as many as she could reach. "Are you going to eat any?" Despite their poor taste, they would satisfy their hunger and their bodies' need for sustenance.

"Maybe it's time you gave it a try Anna. I'll eat later, right now I want to get out of here and see if we can find any of the others. I mean they have to be around here somewhere right?"

"Do they?" Anna asked, popping some of the berries in her mouth as she continued to walk. Any calories were important, with her metabolism. "I remember getting ready to go on a date with you, and then I wake up tied. I first thought that was your doing, but... no such luck, it seems."

"No, not me but I'll keep that in mind for future reference." Jessica bantered trying desperately to keep the mood light as they moved through the jungle. "Oh, by the way that dress looks great on you."

"Thank you", Anna smiled. "Though I fear it might be a bit conspicuous here. Maybe I should leave it behind?" She wondered. "My skin blends in better." But would Starfleet approve? They were likely being broadcast.

"Well, it is that but don't go all native at least not yet." Jessica answered. "After all, your body is for my eyes only." She joked as they moved deeper into the jungle.

"Dream on", Anna laughed. "There's no shame or modesty in me. I don't even own a bathing..." Her sentence trailed off and she stopped. "Wait..."

There was a stream of water before them, but in the dark under the forest canopy it was murky and she could not see below the water line. She used the stick to poke the water. If there were any hidden dangers, such as ambush predators, this should alert them to their presence.

"So, I see." Jessica replied, "Now me, I couldn't do that, traipse around naked and I have several bathing suits. You can borrow one next time.... She stopped instantly alert. "What? What is it?" She asked looking around in the dark and seeing nothing.

"I don't know", Anna said. "Probably nothing. But I don't trust murky water in a jungle." As if on cue, teethy jaws clasped shut around the edge of her club. "See? Could have been a toe." It was only a small, reptilian-like predator, but there was no telling whether it might be venomous, and even a small bite on Jessica's feet could lead to a nasty infection, which Anna had no way to treat without her medkit.

Jessica looked down at the small reptilian, "Oh wow, I'm glad you had the presence of mind to check out the water and no, I'm not fond of losing a toe." She moved closer to Anna, "Do you see anything else in the water?"

"I think these here are territorial", Anna said, smiling. "We can pass now." At any rate, it was only about knee deep, so Anna hitched up her dress and waded through. "I usually wear hiking boots when I go out like this", she smirked. Now her toes felt the mud. "It's all clear."

"Well, you were caught unaware as were we all Anna." Jessica answered as she followed behind the CMO through the water, her stick clenched tightly in her hand, ready for anything...hopefully.

"I'm mostly annoyed they didn't let me keep my medkit", Anna grumbled. "I feel naked without it. And not in a good way."

"I think it is safe to say that we aren't going to get anything they don't want us to have unless of course we can somehow take what they don't want us to have." Jessica answered sourly.

"And they said something about being hunted", Anna said. "But I don't hear anything hunting us. If there were any larger creatures about, there'd be warning calls by birds and other animals." Anything bigger than them coming for them, Anna was certain, would be heralded.

"They're giving us a head start Anna. They don't want to make this too easy on the hunters. But you can be sure the hunters will be coming. So, lets keep moving. Maybe we'll find something we can use." Jessica told her companion.

"So what should we be looking for?" Anna asked. "Up this stream, elevated terrain? Or downstream, larger bodies of water?" She knew how to traverse a jungle safely, but she had no idea where to go.

"High ground Anna. Most definitely. Gives us the advantage and we need all we can get right now." Jessica answered, "So let's find some."

Anna nodded, turning left to follow the stream uphill. You could always trust gravity, no? "I wonder where the others are. And I fail to see how anyone watching us could find this entertaining."

"I don't know but I wish I did. Be much better if we could meet up with them. As for this being entertaining it's not yet. Once the hunters come it will be at least for those watching." Jessica told her friend.

"I can hardly imagine anything more boring than having to watch sports", Anna remarked. This was just weird to her.

"You're in a minority Anna." Jessica replied and was about to say more when an arrow whizzed by her head and embedded in a tree trunk with a solid 'thunk' "Run Anna! Run!" She shouted.

Anna quickened her pace. Arrows were annoying. But at least it meant the enemy wasn't using something that wasn't eminently survivable, at least for Anna. She was more worried about Jessica. But how were they tracing them? Following a train in a jungle wasn't easy without high-tech equipment, or being very skilled.

Anna couldn't run too quickly, or she'd only get entangled in the underbrush. But her experience in densely forested environments showed. "Are you keeping up?" she asked Jessica. She did not want to lose her. That would be very bad.

"Don't talk, keep moving, keep your eyes in front, watch where you're going." Jessica said as the pair weaved through the jungle, hoping to throw off their pursuers.

"How are they finding us?" Anna asked, not stopping but still talking. The sound of their voices was no louder than the snapping of twigs anyway. "If they've got tricorders, there's no use trying to run or hide."

"We can debate that later, for now just run." Jessica huffed as they ran through the jungle, the branches scratching her face and arms as she ran.

"Look what I'm doing!" Anna replied. She wasn't worried about the scratches, even if her dress was getting torn. She knew that she could take them. They weren't fun, but Anna was used to bearing pain when necessary. "How far?"

In reply, Jessica clasped n hand over Anna's mouth and pulled her off the trail and deeper into the jungle. "Hush!" She hissed. "Just be quiet for a moment."

Anna didn't know what Jessica had in mind. But she did like Jessica taking the lead. She was out of her depth in a combat situation. Under different circumstances, she'd have had a different response to Jessica covering her mouth. But as it was, she was unable to say anything, and didn't struggle.

Jessica stood motionless, barely breathing as she listened for any sound of pursuit. Seconds passed then she removed her hand from Anna's mouth. "Okay." she whispered, "I don't hear anything, I think we lost them. We go on quietly." She continued. "Follow behind me." She instructed Anna.

To Anna, all of this felt weird, surreal. She wasn't used to being chased by anyone, and especially not with bow and arrow. This would have been fine for a holodeck simulation but she would have loved to explore this jungle quietly, and with no pressure.

Nodding in response to Jessica, she followed carefully. At least moving quietly, not stepping onto any dry branches, wasn't hard for her. "I tore my dress", she whispered. There was a large tear running along the side of her body, from about her navel to the back, accompanied by a scrape on her skin, which was already healing.

"I'm sorry love." Jessica whispered. "I'll buy you another once we get out of this." As they weaved in and out of the thick jungle bush moving steadily forward towards the summit.

"W... wait a moment", Anna said, out of breath. She was feeling pain in her sides from the exertion. She was not used to running, especially not uphill and through underbrush. She considered herself fairly fit, and was certainly healthy, but she wasn't jungle-warfare-soldier level fit.

Jessica stopped, turned to look back at Anna. "What is it? Are you okay Anna?" She asked even as she looked around and then she saw it, in a nearby tree was a knife, a big knife, one she could use to make spears for her and Anna. "Look!" She whispered pointing at the knife.

Anna hadn't seen it, but it seemed that her stopping wasn't too bad after all. "I think this might be a trap", she said. "Stay here, okay? I'm going to get it, and if it is a trap, you'll be safely outside its range." She would still approach carefully. She didn't want to be peppered by pointy objects. She just figured she'd be able to tank them much better than Jessica. "Just be prepared to pick up the knife and cut me loose if I end up caught in a net or something, okay?"

Jessica resisted any witty reply and instead replied, "Of course Anna. You just promise to be careful. Don't want the pretty skin of yours to be marred in any way. So don't go getting caught." Even as she looked around for any sign of pursuit and saw none.

"That's nice of you to say", Anna said, carefully approaching the knife, brushing away leaves with her foot before stepping on the ground to see if there were any hidden triggers. "But my skin will always close up again nicely. I'll be good. Just imagine you stepping into that spike instead of me. You're in better shape than I am, but you would not be running." She reached for the knife with her outstretched arm, quickly taking hold of it and pulling it towards her, hoping nothing bad would happen.

"I don't want that pretty skin of yours getting holes in it, so be extra careful." Jessica replied as she stood ready to pull Anna out of danger at the first sign of trouble. She watched as Anna got her hand on the knife, and pulled it quickly out of the tree and nothing happened. No net fell, no poison darts were fired, nothing.

"Huh, odd. But nice", she said, retrieving the knife and handing it to Jessica. "Can we still take a little break? I'm exhausted", Anna asked.

Jessica looked the knife over, "This will work quite well." She said more to herself than to Anna. Then realizing what she did, she gave Anna an embarrassed smile. "Sorry and to answer your question, yes we can. It will doubly beneficial. You can rest and I can make spears."

Anna sat down on the ground and leaned against Jessica. "I'm glad you're here with me", she said. "Though I fear that I won't be able to persuade you to take a holiday in a jungle with me after this."

Jessica had found two long and fairly straight branches and was busy transforming them into spears for Anna and herself. She stopped her work and looked at Anna, "Why? I want to go anywhere with you and I certainly not going to hold this against you if you want to go to the jungle again."

"And here I thought this would turn you off jungles forever", Anna smiled. She put her hand on Jessica's leg. "Thank you. I feel safe with you." As safe as they could be in their given situation, anyway.

"Nope and I'm going to do everything I can to keep you safe Anna. I just wish I knew if the others were alright and where they were. Can't believe we haven't bumped i to any of them." Jessica replied as she sharpened the end of the branches to points.

"Maybe they're not even here?" Anna wondered. "I don't even remember how we got here, and we've got nothing to go on other than the word of our captor, which I'm not inclined to take at face value."

"Ta-Da!" Jessica exclaimed as she held up one of the two spears she had made and handed one to Anna. "We got beamed here Anna." She shook her head, "No, the others at least some of them. like the Captain, XO, Doc Wilson are here somewhere." She asserted.

"How do you know?" Anna asked. "We could have been abducted by chance. Random people beamed off the ship. Maybe they're out there looking for us, rather than trapped here with us?" She certainly didn't trust a word of what that gamemaster had said.

"I don't, not for sure." Jessica conceded, "However I am and hopeful the others even some of them are out here in this jungle .... somewhere just like we are."

"Well, want to keep going?" Anna asked, getting back on her feet. She took the spear, instinctively knowing it was a one-time weapon because the tip, while pointy, wasn't sturdy. But it was probably better than nothing. "Though I have no idea where."

"I do and I know where." Jessica replied lifting her hand and pointing at the image of the holy idol floating in the sky. "We go that way." She told Anna, hefting up her own spear and tucking the knife in her waistband.

"Okay, let's go", Anna agreed. She gave Jessica a kiss on the cheek before she started walking. If she'd been on her own, she'd probably tried to hide and not interact with much, watching what was happening. But she understood Jessica was probably right, they had to be active.

"Thanks luv." Jessica replied as the pair starting walking, Anna was watching for traps and Jessica was on alert for any sounds or telltale movements indicating they were being watched.

Animal life was beginning to perk up around them again, which was a sign that whoever had been pursuing them wasn't nearby at the moment. Their frantic escape had sent every critter scurrying off into hiding, and only with time and thanks to their quiet movements they were coming out again.

"I'm surprised we haven't encountered any larger animals yet", Anna said. "There should be some around, judging by these footprints." There was an animal trail leading through the forest, and in the mud there was a print about two hands wide.

"I've wondered about that as well." Jessica admitted. "Maybe they are steering clear of the hunters and what trails they take and use." She looked to Anna, "Is that possible? Cause I definitely don't want to tangle with any large animals. I mean, look at the size of that print."

"I'd rather meet these animals than anyone who's out to kill us", Anna said. "At least animals only kill when they need to." Even predators were fairly benign when they weren't hungry. "And with how many trees there are to hide behind, at least it's easy not to get accidentally trampled underfoot."

"Personally, I don't want to meet any large animal or anyone else unless it's members of our crew." Jessica answered firmly. She looked around at the trees. "You think if I give you a boost, you can climb one of these trees? Maybe we can find some of the crew or a quick path to that idol we're suppose to collect."

"I could, if we find a clearing", Anna said. The reason was, trees in the forest had no low-hanging branches to use as handles and support for climbing. At the edge of clearings, however, trees that grew there usually had branches extending sideways to take advantage of the light that was available there, but not in dense forest. "I don't think I can find purchase on any of these."

"Then by all means, let us find a tree you can climb and use your eagle eyes to hopefully shed some light on where we are as well as locating the others." Jessica replied as she listened for any sound of pursuit but there was none. "Um." Jessica asked, "Your dress isn't going to hinder your ability to climb is it?"

Anna chuckled softly. "No, might just give you a better view than you expected. It's just, I'm no monkey, so trees without branches, what am I supposed to hold on to?"

Jessica shook her head at Anna's answer. "The only view I'm interested in, is where we are and hopefully get some bearings to find the others and end this damn game."

"Don't be like that", Anna said, sounding disappointed. "You might as well enjoy the little things while you can." She looked at where the tracks were leading. "Let's follow them, large animals need a food source that's available at low level, so these should lead to a clearing eventually."

"Any other time, I'd agree with you but not now and definitely not at this particular moment. So lead on Sheena and let's see where these tracks lead and hopefully not into the mouth of some big animal." Jessica replied as she gripped her spear even tighter.

"Depending on how large this area is, we might have to worry about arrangements for the night", Anna said. "Besides, I don't know about you but I'm getting hungry." Hiking was certainly not something she enjoyed doing on an empty stomach.

"lets worry about one thing at a time." Jessica answered, "Let's see where these tracks go and while we're at it, let's see if we can find something to eat. I'm getting hungry as well."

"Well, you didn't want my berries", Anna smirked. "Admittedly, they didn't taste very good." She grabbed a random leaf off a nearby young tree and started chewing on it.

Jessica stared at Anna as she munched on a leaf. "Really Anna? What's next the bark off a tree?" She asked sarcastically. "Find some berries, I'll eat those."

"Fine, as soon as we find something that's not toxic, you can have it", Anna said. "Just let me try it first." She grabbed another leaf as they walked. There was no reason not to fill her stomach, even though the nutritional value of leaves wasn't too great.

"Well, lets find some/ All this talk of food has made me hungry." Jessica groused "And you eating leaves isn't helping." She added sourly.