Part 18 (1/2)
”I wondered that, too. I think it's to throw us off. And I have a way to throw them off.” Folan felt a chuckle rise in her chest. ”We're still getting computer database updates from that relay station. All we need do is send some information back.”
”What kind of information? The station is unmanned.”
Folan stood. ”That's why this works. We can extrapolate, from when the Enterprise shuttle left, an approximate time they're likely to arrive at the relay hub. If we pinpoint it correctly, they'll be docked when we've timed the station to self-destruct.”
”Send it a command to self-destruct,” Medric repeated. ”That is... interesting.”
”Is that almost a compliment, Centurion?”
He was quiet for a moment, then finally mumbled, ”Almost.”
Folan smiled. ”Call up the access codes and schematics of that relay station.”
He nodded. ”Right away.”
U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC 1701E Klingon s.p.a.ce Malinga Sector ”Ten seconds,” Spock called from the science station, his voice calm but not quite monotone.
Picard nodded. He wondered if this was how Kirk had felt, working with the Vulcan. Complete trust flowed between them. ”Ready on tractor beams, Mr. Chamberlain.”
”Ready, sir.”
The captain lowered himself into the command chair. ”Batten down, everyone.”
”My s.h.i.+ps are ready,” Kalor said as he took a seat next to Picard. ”They are transferring power to inertial dampers, even from life support.”
”Five seconds.”
Picard looked back toward Spock, then forward toward the main viewer as the Vulcan continued the countdown.
”Engage!”
”Three...”
A small flash point of light at the center of the forward viewer. Enterprise sped toward it, then slowed abnormally as she hit the edge of the dead zone.
”Two...”
The flash bubbled out, then dissipated. On the viewscreen, Picard saw the Klingon s.h.i.+ps gathered together.
”One...”
s.p.a.ce was silent, but Picard could imagine the rumble. Just now they were seeing the matter antimatter explosions that had occurred four hours before.
”Tractor beams! Now!”
”Shockwave!” Spock called.
A rush of spatial disruption pushed out in all directions. Enterprise's thrusters whined to keep her slowed and controlled as the Klingon s.h.i.+ps pitched backward with the blast, tumbling end over end. Seven thin lines of energy connected them with Enterprise, las.h.i.+ng them together to keep them from bounding out into s.p.a.ce without direction.
Picard's s.h.i.+p bonded herself to them, and as they were bulldozed away, Enterprise was dragged with them, tumbling.
Chapter Twenty-one.
Enterprise runabout Kaku Romulan s.p.a.ce Sector 35 ”Did you see the look on his face?” Deanna tapped at the console before her. There wasn't much to do, but she kept pulling up different sections of the sector to scan.
”I saw the look,” Riker admitted.
She frowned, but knew he couldn't see it. ”All things considered, he took it very well.”
”You would know.”
”I'm sorry?” She swiveled toward him and a long thread of her black hair bounced before her eyes. She pushed it away. ”I'm an empath, not a mind-reader. I can't know when someone's lying.”
”What did I say?” He met her eyes, then returned to the safety of his navi-console. ”I wasn't blaming you for not being able to read his mind.”
”Yes, you were. I can read your mind.” Deanna felt his frustration, and it compounded her own.
”I just don't see what good it does to tell me he's disappointed in us,” Riker grumbled.
”I wasn't telling you for a reason. I was telling you because that's what he felt.”
”Well,” Riker slapped at his controls harder than need be. ”He should keep his feelings to himself.”
”He was,” Deanna said.
”Then you should keep his feelings to himself.”
A wave of his anger sc.r.a.ped across her. ”I think you're being overly hostile because you're not at all sure it was necessary to disable the poor man's s.h.i.+p.”
”Now he's a poor man?” Riker asked exasperatedly.
”Yes.”
”Look, Deanna, I'm not sure it was all that necessary to do what we did. But it was prudent. We don't know this guy, you can't read his mind-”
”See? Hostility.”
Riker sighed. ”What else should I have done?”
She thought about that a moment, and when she answered, she made sure her voice was softer. ”I don't know, Will. I'm sorry. Of course it was wise, I'm sure. I just feel sorry for him.”
”If we fail, he won't be around to be felt sorry for.”
She nodded. ”True.”
Data spoke, reminding Deanna he was at the rear scanning station. ”May I interrupt your argument?”