USS Penumbra Sim Narrative, SD 202303.31
The Penumbra was deep into territory claimed by the Holy Order of the Kinshayans where they had been following a Kinshayan freighter (at a discreet distance). They had followed a Kinshayan freighter (at a discreet distance) to a densely inhabited planet their Chief Tactical Officer, LtCmdr. Denovan Hawke named "Sierra 2" (it was previously uncharted in our stellar cartography database) but that the Kinshayans referred to as Tepesi 2.
With the Penumbra using its MIRAGE system to remain undetected far out in the planetary system, they sent an Away Team aboard Col. Travis Patterson's private ship, the Cerberus, somewhat modified for the mission, to the planet to perform some covert reconnaissance.
The Away Team would be posing as Maquis even though it's been 20 years since the Dominion and the Cardassians wiped out the Maquis, and even that was on the other side of the Quadrant - but they figured at least some might have escaped and migrated across the galaxy as mercenaries, smugglers, and pirates. The Team consisted of Patterson; Den; Den's sister, Dr. Katarina Hawke (as both the medic and the resident psychic on the team); LtCmdr. T'Lin as the Science Officer; and SgtMaj. Derek Hines.
In the Wellness Center they had a 500-year-old Klingon mummy in a sealed casket that bears a glyph that MAX translated as "Defiled One" (or "Demon"). Everyone is puzzled by the mystery of how a 500-yr-old Klingon could have gotten this far out since that was centuries before the Klingons were even warp-capable. And how he became embedded in a comet the Kinshayans of Shyular IV had deemed "Urgulmar" (something related to their strange mythology), and how he is associated with "the wrath of Iscar" (a fragment of the Urgulmar comet that would have devastated Shyular IV if the Penumbra had not captured it).
Commodore Zak Taylor sat in the Command Chair in the center of the Bridge, sipping a fresh cup of coffee. Beside him, Cmdr. Relok sat stiffly in the Executive Officer's seat while Col. Travis Patterson led the Away Team. LtCmdr. Jason Carter sat at the Helm, maintaining their silent observation course in the distant portion of the planetary system. LtCmdr. Tabeshk Tibris sat at his usual place at the Operations Console, keeping everything running smoothly. Lt. Jackson Carshel was at the Primary Science Station since Relok was in the XO chair and LtCmdrT'Lin was on the Away Team. Lt. Re'Libel Standin had taken over the Tactical Station while LtCmdr. Denovan Hawke was also on the Away Team and MstSgtKhal'Gon was manning the Recon Station in the absence of SgtMaj. Derek Hines who was on the Away Team as well.
Carshel held an ice pack to his head while sipping on a stout coffee. He complained, "Captain, next time, can I not be stuck with my 'not drug addicted' cousin? My head is still throbbing ... and I'm partially deaf!"
Just as he said this, the culprit he referred to stepped out of the Turbolift. The Medicine Man with the tattoo in his forehead, Cmdr. Adonudo T'lanuwa stepped onto the Bridge and sidled over to the Counselor's Chair. As he took his seat he said, "The Wellness Center was too empty ... so I came up here. Being alone with that ... um ..our guest ... is creepy!"
Zak glanced at Adon and shrugged. "It might be kinda boring up here for now, Counselor. We have to just wait and let our Away Team do their thing."
Relok suggested, "Commodore, perhaps we can continue to monitor that Public Broadcasting Network. There is a plethora of useful information available there ... though I admit some of it can be a bit ... boring."
Zak rolled his eyes at the Vulcan Science Officer, "By all means, Relok, listen to the Public Broadcast stuff and learn all you can stand. Carshel, you can help him if you want. Or ... you can try to figure out how a 500 year old Klingon got out here."
Carshel pointed out, "Simple answer with the Klingon situation: made will, died, got buried on a moon or planet, and the thing exploded ,or got a chunk bitten outta it. Voila! Klingon explained."
Zak stared at the younger Science Officer, dumbfounded. "Um ... OK, that's a hypothesis I guess ... can you prove it?"
Carshel continued, undaunted, "Now as for the comm traffic, my heads already pounding from my cousin. I don't think I can handle my brain exploding." Then he responded to the Commodore's challenge to prove his theory, "I'll let you know when we find the broken piece of the planet or moon."
With another poorly concealed eye-roll, Zak just turned to Adon and asked, "So, Khal'Gon said you had another one of your "vision" things ...," he trailed off.
"I did," Adon answered. "Hawk was flying in fiery rain. It was dark. I think there was also dust and ashes blowing in the wind. I heard voices screaming that all demons must be destroyed. That's pretty much all I got."
Zak made a sour face. "That's not extremely helpful, Counselor. What does all that mean?"
Khal'Gon said, "Sounds like Hawk flew through the fires of a good battle."
Carter interrupted them, "Commodore, I'm seeing slightly increased power levels from a few of the Kinshayan vessels nearby. They may be preparing for departure."
Zak turned to his Helmsman, "Keep an eye on them." He turned slightly towards the Tactical Station, "Standin, track them and let me know if they turn our way or arm weapons or anything."
The stoic Vulcan Tactical Officer nodded, "Aye, sir. Tracking."
Adon turned to Khal'Gon, his eyebrows raised, "A good battle? I hadn't considered that! Carshel and I thought maybe a volcano ...," he trailed off.
Khal'Gon asked, "You had the vision near the casket, right?"
It was Carshel who answered, "Yeah, he did. That's how we came up with the volcano idea."
Adon said, "Yeah, I was near the casket, but ... Hawk is in the Spirit Realm ... it doesn't matter where I am."
Carshel then added, "Volcano ... could it be possible our Klingon friend was like a sacrificed lamb?" He pondered a moment, then continued, "A sub-glacial volcano would explain the ice he was in, and a super volcano does have the possibility to destroy itself or a planet or moon in worst-case scenario."
Khal'Gon asked, "Is it possible Hawk was showing the ancients' last vision?"
Relok chimed inWith a gesture towards Carshel he said, "He is correct. A sub-glacial super-volcano could well launch some materials beyond the gravity well of a planet. But still ... Q'onos is very far from here. It remains an unlikely scenario."
Carshel responded, "This was 500 years ago, Relok, he could have been drifting the entire vacuum of empty space. Which would explain why the ice didn't melt ... or developed."
Carter had turned to follow the conversation (since the ship was virtually parked and didn't require a lot of concentration to hold its position), "Is that even possible?" he asked.
Relok nodded again, "It is ... theoretically possible. Still, I think it unlikely."
Zak glanced between the two Science Officers. "OK, so figure it out! Do some kind of analysis or simulation or whatever it is you egg-heads do to get me some answers!"
Adon turned and smirked at his young cousin, "And stop just guessing!"
Carter turned back to the Helm station with a shrug. Carshel smirked towards his boss, "You're an ancient, Relok, you would know wouldn't you?" At the Ops console Tabby couldn't stop himself from cackling at that.
Relok just glared at his subordinate. "I am not 'an ancient', kiddo." Carshel just continued to smirk.
And then Carter cursed, "Oh, sh--!"
Carshel had returned his attention to the sensors. Suddenly his face went pale"Ca-Captain! There ... there was an explosion! On the planet, sir!" Suddenly, Carshel considered that perhaps Adon's spirit guide, Hawk, was definitely something to be considered! It could be just coincidence, but definitely noteworthy.
Suddenly a klaxon sounded, the lights flashed red, and the automated computer system announced, "Red Alert! Red Alert! Red Alert!"
Zak stiffened, "A what? Where? Near our team?"
Tabby checked his scans and reported, "At the space port, sir!"
Zak had scooted to the very edge of his seat. "At the space port? Where the Cerberus landed? Are they under attack? Standin, get us a view of the spaceport on the main screen!"
Standin, normally the silent type, nearly shouted back, "Working on it, sir!" Quickly he pulled up the best imagery he could get from way out where they were. It wasn't very good. He said, "We're pretty far out, sir."
The comm system crackled to life as the voice of Col. Travis Patterson came through, "Penumbra! What the hell is going on?"
Tabby responded without input from the Commodore, "A possible volcanic explosion. Is everyone all right?"
Khal'Gon's fingers flew across the Recon systems. "I'm scanning," he said, trying to figure out what had just happened.
Before Patterson could even respond, and still without waiting for official orders, Tabby told Patterson, "Get to the Cerberus ASAP! It's not safe at the moment!"
Zak stood from the Command Chair. "Carter, get us closer. Relok, Carshel, Khal'Gon, get me pictures of what's going on down there!"
Carter nodded, "Aye, sir, going to low orbit."
Carshel said, "Working on it, sir. It's hard to get clear scans through hot ash!"
Finally, Patterson responded, "Working on it! It's nasty down here."
Tabby barked back at him, "Make it snappy! I don't know if more's to come! Get the hell outta there!"
Adon's face had gone pale. "It's just as Hawk showed me! Fiery rain, ash, death and destruction."
Carshel snapped, "It's merely coincidence, cuz."
Khal'Gon turned and reported, "Sir... the Purity faction is claiming the explosions are from themThey said allowing aliens onto the planet has polluted it."
Zak turned to the big half-Klingon, "Oh, for crying out loud! A terrorist attack?"
Adon looked to Khal'Gon. "Purity ... all demons must be destroyed! Just as Hawk told me!"
Tabby commented, "Maybe we should just leave the Kin people to their problems if they blame the innocent people that technically saved their ungrateful asses." He gave an exaggerated eye-roll.
Khal'Gon growled deep in his throat and reported, "And the Cerberus is buried under rubble."
Tabby said, "Well, Pat can clear it. It's Pat! And T'Lin is a capable woman."
Zak started to swear but caught himself, "Fu---dge! Carter, get us into a high orbit."
Carter answered, "Establishing a LOW orbit, sir. The closer we can get, the better our odds are at getting our people out. Delta Flight is on scramble protocols. Four birds ready to launch immediately as needed."
Zak continued, "Tabby, I heard you talking with Patterson, hopefully nobody else did."
Tabby mumbled, "I hope so, too, but ... I have no way of knowing."
Zak turned, continuing his orders, "Standin, can we get a transporter lock on our people?"
Standin replied, "I cannot establish any transporter lock, sir. There is a shield in place over the space port."
Zak made another sour face, "A shield? A little late, isn't it?" Standin just shrugged. Zak tapped his commbadge, "Papa Bear to Bear Cubs ... you're out of hug range. Stay safe and we'll figure out a way to get you out."
Tabby wrinkled his nose, "Eww! Bear cubs?"
Zak shrugged, "Hey, I was under pressure!"
Then Cmdr. T'Lin's voice came over the comm, "Penumbra, we are assisting in the evacuation of survivors. We will gather information while doing so."
Zak groaned, "Yeah, figured Mama and Kat would be helping out. What the heck is Patterson doing?"
Tabby grunted, "Being Pat?"
Carshel added, "Being a jarhead full of shrapnel?"
Adon said, "Knowing the Leatherneck, he's trying to figure out a way to salvage his missionThey'll find a way to get some kind of intel. Whether it's useful intel ...," he shrugged.
Then Carter reported, "Those power signatures we detected earlier ... those might very well be the Purity faction!"
Col. Travis Patterson, dressed in civilian garb as a Maquis mercenary, trader, smuggler, or pirate, strolled down the ramp from the Cerberus towards where LtCmdrDenovan Hawke, also in civilian garb, stood in front of four huge Kinshayan who appeared to be the local port police, all of whom carried what looked like phaser rifles.
. Patterson had his personal rifle slung over one shoulder as he asked, "What's going on out there, Den?"
Off to one side, Dr. Katarina Hawke, herself in civilian garb, was chewing nervously on her lower lip, not at all sure she could do the whole "team psychic" thing the Commodore was hoping she could. She'd practiced the mental wards, or "walls", that LtCmdr. T'Lin had taught her, but that was a far cry from actually trying to enter someone's mind on purpose!
And to the other side, the Vulcan Science Officer, LtCmdr. T'Lin, again also in civilian garb, her telescoping spear carefully concealed in a pocket of her pants and a tricorder held in one hand. As Patterson passed her, he leaned over and whispered, "Remember ... we are Maquis."
She whispered back, "I am well aware of that, Travis." She put away the tricorder and crossed her arms in a defiant posture.
Den answered Patterson, "They're not particularly happy?" and gestured at the four big Kinshayan cops. "Actually it looks like since we're new, we have to be patted down and comply to their inspection."
One of the big creatures stepped forward and spoke. The Universal Translator quickly made it something the Away Team could understand, "Hold it right there, tough guy!" He gestured at Patterson with his rifle, "Drop the weapon!"
Den shrugged at Patterson, waved at the KinCop, and said, "That."
Patterson gave the big Kinshayan a once-over and then answered, "Why? I'm on my own ship. This is my property. I've got the right to do what I want on it."
But the cop raised his rifle and said, "This is Tepesi 2 that your ship has landed on. That's MY property. Drop the weapon or I drop you!"
Kat just watched Patterson and the Kinshayan cop, then glanced behind her at SgtMaj. Derek Hines, and continued worrying at her lower lip, before turning and hoping that everything would work out.
MstSgt. Hines, himself dressed in civilian garb, stood at the top of the ramp, a duffel bag slung over one shoulder, just watching what was going on below.
T'Lin spoke to the Kinshayans, "Relax, boys." She addressed Patterson, "Let us play nice, Travis." She turned back to the Kinshayans, "We are here on business, let us not begin it with bloodshed, shall we?"
Patterson squinted at the Kinshayans and with a grunt mumbled, "You guys need to be more clear about the entitlements you think you own before giving someone permission to land, then." He shrugged the rifle off and let it fall to the floor.
The lead Kinshayan cop slightly lowered his rifle. "Better. You're smarter than you look!" He gestured for one of the others to collect the rifle and continued, "Now, let's just make sure you're safe before you step onto Holy Ground."
Patterson suddenly kicked his rifle back towards the door to the Cerberus . Hines kicked it again to make sure it made it inside. Patterson said, "Let's get one thing clear: this is MY ship. You guys never said anything about property rights, and you aren't coming aboard armed, just like we aren't coming onto Holy ground armed." He stepped the rest of the way down the ramp, gesturing to the rest of the Away Team to step off, then he called out, "AEGIS, seal the ramp and hatch." The on-board Artificial Intelligence of the Cerberus, AEGIS, did just that.
As she approached the Kinshayan police, T'Lin made a point of showing her hands in the air and giving a spin to show she was unarmed, even though her collapsible spear was hidden in the seam of her pants.
But as T'Lin was doing so, they all heard some sound that was clearly some sort of alarm or warning signal coming from the Kinshayans' comm units. The leading cop stepped off a few paces and spoke softly into one of the devices while a second cop scanned T'Lin, then Den and declared, "These two are clean."
Den, still leaning against the hull of the Cerberusnear the foot of the ramp, responded, "Well, yeah, if you'd have listened, we already told you that."
Patterson nudged Den away from the Cerberus as it closed up and said, "Let's just get business settled so we can be on our way. I'm already behind schedule as is because of your Holy War crap."
After a moment, the lead cop returned and said, "Must be your lucky day. We have more important matters to attend to." He looked straight at Patterson as he added, "Stay out of trouble on my planet, tough guy. And stay out of Holy Zones!" He turned to look at each in turn. "We can't have your filth polluting those areas!" With that, he waved to his team to follow him and they hurried off.
T'Lin called after them, "Thanks! We will stay away from your Holy Zones." She motioned to Kat to come closer and whispered, "What can you feel? What is in the 'white noise'?"
Kat just shook her head at T'Lin to indicate "Nothing yet," and contacted her brother, Den, over their residual Borg connection, ~I wonder what they were scanning for?~
Den responded confidently, ~Weapons and contraband.~
Patterson glanced around his team and said, "Well ... shall we?" he gestured in a random direction away from the Cerberus and into the space port and the city beyond, and started off.
"Yup," Den said, already falling in line. T'Lin stepped behind him, followed by Kat, then Hines.
Patterson asked, "T'Lin, any ideas of where to look first?"
She answered, "Library?"
Hines trotted forward, lugging his duffel bag full of gold-pressed-latinum and "a few other things" useful to Marines on a covert mission. He asked, "What'd they hurry off to do?" gesturing towards where the Kinshayans had headed.
Patterson glanced at Hines, blinked a couple of times, then said, "Good question. What would be that important to have them not finish their search?"
T'Lin continued with what she'd been saying, "I want to find a library and a church, if I am allowed in, and what exactly they deem as a 'Holy Zone'."
Patterson nodded at her, "There's time for that, but we need to know what was so important for them to interrupt the search."
T'Lin shook her head. "I need this information as fast as possible, Patterson. I know what you are thinking, and why, but this is just as important. I am finding a library. You can search around and find out what they left for. I will stay in contact with you, and meet back here in an hour?"
Patterson only considered a moment then nodded, "Take Kat and Derek with you. Den, you and I are gonna go do some snooping."
T'Lin nodded back and turned to Kat and Hines, "Let us go, then. Judging on the landscape I saw as we landed, the city square should be in that direction," she pointed, "so I suppose we shall start there ... unless you two have other ideas of where to go?"
Kat's eyes widened as she looked at Hines, then looked away quickly, giving T'Lin a nod. She'd just stay close to her as they went to find what they needed.
Den nodded at Patterson as well. "Got it. I can do that." He gave a look around a moment, then gestured in the direction the Kinshayan police had gone.
So the Away Team split into two teams with T'Lin, Kat, and Hines headed towards the nearby city, and Patterson and Den headed towards the heart of the space port itself following the Kinshayan cops.
Suddenly they were surprised by a massive explosion! A bright flash washed over them as a huge fireball rolled into the sky. A massive shockwave followed seconds behind it!
Patterson blinked at the fireball and dropped to one knee against the shockwave. He muttered, "That's ... really bad." He tapped his commbadge, "Away Team, abort! Abort! Abort! Get to the ship NOW!"
As he was doing that, Den noticed the explosion too and dropped to ride out the shockwave"What in the ---!" He looked around quickly, then asked, "What if we go where that is and help? It might get favor and we can look for clues."
And then, just as suddenly, a second explosion blasted a block or so away from the first! Another flash, another fireball, another shockwave hit, blasting roofing and siding off of buildings and shattering windows. Glass and shards of metal went flying!
Molten metal, burning chunks of material, dust and ash rained out of the sky after the second shockwave rocked the space port. Buildings damaged by the first shockwave were further damaged, some walls failed and buildings collapsed. Some of the spaceships were knocked over ..including the Cerberus !
"Crap!" Patterson cursed. "What is going on?" He tapped his commbadge again, "Penumbra! What the hell is going on?"
Den stiffened as his sister called him over their Borg interlink, ~Den? Den are you ok?~ When he didn't answer quickly enough she called again, frantic, ~Den! answer me!~
He responded, ~I'm okay at the moment. He nodded at Patterson, acknowledging Patterson's abort. "How about we don't," he said, cancelling his suggestion as they turned to reverse their path. He called to his sister again, ~Get back to the ship!~
The voice of LtCmdr. Tabeshk Tibris, the Chief of Operations, responded to Patterson's call, "A possible volcanic explosion. Is everyone all right?" Before Patterson could even respond, Tabby continued, "Get to the Cerberus ASAP! It's not safe at the moment!"
Patterson answered, "Working on it! It's nasty down here!"
Tabby barked back at him, "Make it snappy! I don't know if more's to come! Get the hell outta there!"
T'Lin's voice came back over the comm, "Let us use this to our advantage: provide support and gain favor. I am sending you coordinates to the city square. Grab any survivors and bring them there. Kat has her medkit and will set up there."
Patterson answered T'Lin, "Orders are to abort. Get back to the ship!"
But T'Lin responded, "The ship is knocked over, and there is no way we can get out of here until these explosions stop. If this is an attack, we will be a glaring target. Use this opportunity.
Patterson slammed his fist into the ground then tapped his commbadge once more, "AEGIS! Damage report!"
The voice of the Artificial Intelligence within the Cerberus answered, "Hull integrity at 82%. Launch capabilities are inoperable. Debris preventing auto-stabilization. Activating Emergency Security Protocol Raven-1."
Patterson shook his head and spoke to Den, "We're stuck for a bit. We gotta get the debris off the Cerberus, but with the explosions it's not safe. T'Lin is right ... we gotta help the wounded."
Den nodded, "Permission to go ahead to the explosion sites."
Patterson nodded back, "Both us. Let's move!"
T'Lin, Kat, and Hines had headed off towards the city when suddenly they were startled by a bright flash that washed over them, followed by a huge fireball that rolled into the sky! A massive shockwave followed seconds behind it!
"Get down!" T'Lin shouted, reaching for Kat and tucking her under her as she crouched.
Hines grabbed both women and the three of them hunkered together against the shockwave.
Kat swallowed her scream of panic and as the shockwave passed her thoughts turned to her brotherShe called over their Borg interlink, ~Den? Den are you ok?~
As the dust settled, they heard Patterson over the comms, "Away Team, abort! Abort! Abort! Get to the ship NOW!"
Then, as suddenly as the first, a second explosion blasted a block or so away from the first! Another flash, another fireball, another shockwave hit, blasting roofing and siding off of buildings and shattering windows. Glass and shards of metal went flying!
Molten metal, burning chunks of material, dust and ash rained out of the sky after the second shockwave rocked the space port. Buildings damaged by the first shockwave were further damaged, some walls failed and buildings collapsed. Some of the spaceships were knocked over ... including the Cerberus !
After the second shockwave, Kat screamed over her interlink, nearly frantic, ~Den! answer me!~
Den responded, ~I'm okay at the moment. Get back to the ship!~
Kat took a breath then turned to T'Lin, "Den says get back to the ship."
T'Lin looked up and said, "This could put us in their favor and give us information. Start grabbing civilians, get them away from here, stay on comms and STAY LOW. Kat, be ready to give first aid to any survivors. We will not be able to get off this port until these explosions stop anyway. Let us help in any way we can until we can get out of here."
Kat nibbled her lower lip but nodded and began moving to help the injured. She muttered, "I'm glad I brought my medkit with me!"
T'Lin tapped her commbadge, calling Patterson, "Let us use this to our advantage: provide support and gain favor. I am sending you coordinates to the city square. Grab any survivors and bring them there. Kat has her medkit and will set up there."
Patterson answered T'Lin, "Orders are to abort. Get back to the ship!"
Hines heard his team leader's orders and reached to take T'Lin gently by the shoulder. "We have to go."
But T'Lin shrugged his hand off and responded to Patterson, "The ship is knocked over, and there is no way we can get out of here until these explosions stop. If this is an attack, we will be a glaring target. Use this opportunity." She looked at Hines and said, "We cannot leave regardless. Let us help these people, and gain their trust."
Without waiting for Patterson's response, she turned and crouch-ran towards one of the collapsed buildings, looking for survivors and calling out as she ran, and scanning with her tricorder.
Hines cursed and followed after her, calling, "T'Lin! Slow down!"
Kat had her medical tricorder out and was genuinely glad that she'd replicated a med kit that wasn't Starfleet in design. She was already scanning someone who didn't seem able to get up on their own. She reported dutifully as she scanned, "Head trauma from a laceration on the left temple." She reached for her hypo and gave them something universal for the pain. Then reached for a dermal regenerator to take care of the laceration. But before long, Kat was no longer at T'Lin's side.
Meanwhile, T'Lin grabbed survivors from the rubble, wincing at the physical contact and the psychic connection she received in spite of the dose of Merasha she'd taken before the mission. She picked up one injured and carried them back to where Kat was set up. As she approached she reported, "Head trauma, broken femur, awake, breathing is fine."
She placed the barely conscious person on the ground next to Kat, and then added in a whisper, "Kat, stay focused, keep your shield up."
Kat just gave a curt nod, barely listening as she worked on the survivors. Once she was done with the lacerations on the first, she moved on to the one that T'Lin had just brought her. She worked on the broken femur first, making sure the break was clean and didn't need to be set, before putting a splint on the leg. She gave the patient general pain killers to help through the pain, checking the kind of head trauma. She reported, "He has a concussion. He'll need to stay awake." She put a cortical monitor on his forehead to keep an eye on him, and gave him something to keep him awake. But, she simply didn't have the instruments here to properly take care of it.
As soon as Kat had started on the one T'Lin had brought her, T'Lin turned and ran back toward the debris piles, calling and searching, grabbing any survivor she could and bringing them back, reporting to Kat on each one as she did so.
A short while later, Patterson and Den caught up with the two women and Hines. T'Lin glanced at them as she ran past with a survivor over her shoulder. "There are two more in there," she said, pointing at a collapsed building.
Patterson studied the structure T'Lin had just come out of. "Careful, it's not stable." He glanced over at Den, "Easy and slow, Den." The two men entered the structure.
Their commbadges all chirped and the voice of the Commodore came through, "Papa Bear to Bear Cubs ... you're out of hug range. Stay safe and we'll figure out a way to get you out."
T'Lin tapped her commbadge and responded, "We are assisting in the evacuation of survivors. We will gather information while doing so."
As long as Kat was working, her mind wasn't constantly thinking of Hines and their failed relationship. She was in her element with the injured.