Part 19 (2/2)
”They will intercept us in three minutes, seventeen seconds,” Data reported.
A little over three minutes. The runabout was no match for a warbird. They were outcla.s.sed in size, speed, and-since they were damaged-maneuverability. ”Options?” Riker might as well ask, since he couldn't think of any.
After he thought a moment, Data answered. ”None that I am aware of, sir.”
Suddenly Riker remembered something. ”Are they cloaked?”
”Yes, sir.”
”So they don't know we see them?”
Data considered that briefly. ”I think we can surmise that.”
”Okay, that's good. We can use that.”
”How?” Deanna asked.
The plan wasn't all clear in his mind quite yet, but Riker knew if he talked it out, the idea would formulate. ”The longer they're just watching us before attacking, the longer we can travel without interference, right?”
”We can't make it all the way to the rendezvous point,” Deanna said. ”We'd be too early anyway.”
”Don't need to make it all the way there. Just a few more minutes,” Riker said, and he now knew what they needed to do. He looked at his scanner monitor.
”Sir, the warbird is de cloaking Data said. ”They are within torpedo range.”
Riker looked up. d.a.m.n, he thought. They came in too fast. ”Communications?”
”Jammed, sir.”
”Great,” Riker grumbled. ”Data, can you still scan Mr. Tobin's s.h.i.+p?”
”No, sir. We left it cloaked.” The android checked his scanners again. ”I cannot verify it is there, but we did disable its propulsion. Our previous coordinates should be correct.”
”But if it's drifted ... d.a.m.n, I wish we could contact him.”
Riker felt Deanna's hand on his shoulder again. ”Will, if you involve him in this and something goes wrong-”
He shook his head. ”Everything is pretty wrong now, Deanna. We don't have many choices.”
”The Romulans are attempting a tractor beam,” Data said. ”The plasma leak is hampering their effort.”
”Good. Do we have phasers?”
”Aye, sir.”
”See if you can't disable a few of their tractor generators,” Riker ordered.
Data nodded and tapped at his controls. The runabout whined as she lanced phasers into the large warbird's s.h.i.+elds. But one bee won't bring down a gorilla. It was a futile ploy, Riker knew.
The Romulans lashed back with disruptors. Weapons fire crackled over the runabout's weak s.h.i.+elds and jostled everyone aboard.
”s.h.i.+elds down seventy-three percent,” Deanna said. ”Warp engines are offline.”
Riker grunted. He was a fair pilot, but with one nacelle venting plasma, warp power offline, and only backup dampers working ... ”We have to do this now, before we lose the power.”
”I have the coordinates of Tobin's vessel,” Data said.
”Within range?” Riker noticed his tone was tense. Only Data and Deanna around, he didn't really need to cover his emotions. Deanna felt them anyway.
”At extreme range in twelve seconds.”
”If he hasn't moved. If he has, we'll beam into open s.p.a.ce.”
”Isn't transporting a little risky at this speed?” Deanna asked, most of her concentration on the power graphs.
Her question went unanswered. Their vessel shook harshly as the warbird's weapons bashed against dying s.h.i.+elds and buckling hull plates.
”No other choice,” Riker said. ”Range?”
”Four seconds.”
Riker clicked off the ticks in his head, then... ”Data, now!”
Chapter Twenty-three.
Private Bird-of-Prey, Klingon design Klingon Empire Lorrnit Sector ”you're insane.” Gorlat neither smiled nor hissed. He was matter-of-fact and completely blunt. ”That's all. You've just lost your tiny, warped Klingon brain.”
Loire remained silent and continued packing gear into one of the locker compartments.
”I must agree,” said the Andorian in his raspy whisper.
”Topor, you'd agree with the animal who killed your mother,” one of the other mercenaries said. Lotre didn't see who.
”My own father killed my mother,” Topor purred.
”And you agreed with him,” Gorlat said.
Topor smiled thinly and shrugged. ”I hired him. What is your point?”
Lotre sighed. ”While my ancestry may be Klingon, my brain is Romulan-”
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