Part 10 (2/2)

As a communications officer, Uhura had been trained to render reports straightforwardly and without elaboration, but at her age it was difficult to banish every trace of emotion from her voice.

”Captain, we're receiving a transmission on the distress frequency.” She worked her console. ”I can't get-Wait, something's coming through. I'm acquiring only intermittent bits of contact, nothing complete.”

”Let me hear whatever you've got,” Pike replied grimly.

She transferred all incoming transmissions to the bridge speakers. None of it was clean, but there was no mistaking the gist of what they were hearing: bursts of screaming voices, cries of despair, orders underscored by hopelessness. The crackling, static-marred bursts of discontinuous distress were accompanied by the quiet disappearance of another blue dot from the viewscreen.

”There are only four s.h.i.+ps remaining,” a somehow dispa.s.sionate Spock declared. ”Now three...”

Pike's voice reverberated throughout the bridge. ”Red Alert! ”Red Alert! Ready all weapons. Mister Sulu, get us to Vulcan Ready all weapons. Mister Sulu, get us to Vulcan now now-maximum warp!”

There was no sense of forward motion. One moment the Enterprise Enterprise was alone in the vastness of interstellar s.p.a.ce-and then it had dropped into that subsidiary realm where reality was deformed by mathematics into a cla.s.s of physics that would have delighted Charles Dodgson. was alone in the vastness of interstellar s.p.a.ce-and then it had dropped into that subsidiary realm where reality was deformed by mathematics into a cla.s.s of physics that would have delighted Charles Dodgson.

”Arrival at Vulcan in five seconds,” Sulu reported calmly. ”Four, three, two...”

”EVASIVE!” Pike roared.

”ON IT, SIR!” was Sulu's immediate response.

The captain's command was unnecessary. Having dropped out of warp directly in front of the flaring, disintegrating remains of the Defiant, Defiant, Sulu had responded instantly and reflexively to avoid the impending collision. Wrenched sideways on impulse power at the command of her helmsman, the Sulu had responded instantly and reflexively to avoid the impending collision. Wrenched sideways on impulse power at the command of her helmsman, the Enterprise Enterprise shuddered but quickly steadied herself. shuddered but quickly steadied herself.

Chaos was in orbit around Vulcan.

The two remaining s.h.i.+ps of the fleet were engaged in a desperate and losing battle against a gargantuan craft the likes of which was as unfamiliar to those on board the Enterprise Enterprise as it was startling in its unprecedented dimensions. Nothing they fired appeared able to penetrate the enormous defensive field that surrounded the hostile intruder. Meanwhile, an unending stream of torpedoes and similar deadly devices continued to detonate against the smaller s.h.i.+ps, hammering away at their defenses. as it was startling in its unprecedented dimensions. Nothing they fired appeared able to penetrate the enormous defensive field that surrounded the hostile intruder. Meanwhile, an unending stream of torpedoes and similar deadly devices continued to detonate against the smaller s.h.i.+ps, hammering away at their defenses.

Spock's voice was controlled as ever, but he was speaking faster than usual. ”No identifiable registry on the s.h.i.+p. It's ma.s.sive. It's ma.s.sive. Energy signatures, deployed weapons systems, design-all unknown.” Energy signatures, deployed weapons systems, design-all unknown.”

”Get Starfleet Command on subs.p.a.ce!” Pike demanded. Uhura's response was immediate and disheartening.

”Negative! All outsystem transmissions are subject to severe interruption emanating from the vicinity of Vulcan. And there's something else, sir. I think I've located the source of the general interference. I detect the signature-very advanced, but identifiable-of a plasma drill operating in the atmosphere.”

IX

On board the Narada Narada an alarm was sounding. There was no panic. Between its size, superior technology, and advanced automation its crew felt confident they were in little danger. Nevertheless, the newest intrusion had to be reported to the captain. an alarm was sounding. There was no panic. Between its size, superior technology, and advanced automation its crew felt confident they were in little danger. Nevertheless, the newest intrusion had to be reported to the captain.

”Captain,” Ayel informed his commander, ”a new Federation s.h.i.+p has dropped out of warp.”

Nero acknowledged the information as he watched the continuing but rapidly fading battle on the main viewscreen. His response was succinct as always.

”Destroy it also. Like the others. Waste nothing, including time.”

The first officer acknowledged the command. It was exactly what he had expected, but chain-of-command formalities had to be adhered to. Romulus deserved no less.

Images and information collided on Spock's console, and he whirled to face the command chair. ”Captain, they're locking weapons systems onto us.”

”Continue evasive, come about ninety degrees! Mister Sulu, try to get us underneath them-if their s.h.i.+elds are indicative of the s.h.i.+p's design, they may be weaker along the ventral longitudinal axis. Prepare to fire all weapons!”

The stream of torpedoes from the hostile vessel was unending. As the Enterprise Enterprise s.h.i.+fted position, one of the lethal tracking explosives pa.s.sed directly between her engine nacelles. A second detonated nearby. Overwhelmed s.h.i.+elds buckled beneath the unprecedented power. s.h.i.+fted position, one of the lethal tracking explosives pa.s.sed directly between her engine nacelles. A second detonated nearby. Overwhelmed s.h.i.+elds buckled beneath the unprecedented power.

Secondary explosions tore throughout the impacted decks. Crew members were thrown into the walls, the floor, and the ceiling as artificial gravity was temporarily distorted. In sickbay McCoy was slammed into a wall and pinned there until gravity was stabilized. When he dropped back to his feet he noted with professional detachment that a gash had been opened above one eye. Flames leaped from a rip in one wall. That would not be allowed to continue consuming precious atmosphere. Either the section's fire suppressors would put it out, or it would be snuffed when the area was sealed and remaining air was evacuated. He stumbled toward the exit.

A dazed department technician was standing by the edge of the blaze and staring off into the distance. Grabbing him, McCoy looked into the man's face and talked to him until the tech finally responded. Then the doctor spun him around and shoved hard.

”Get outta here before the compartment is sealed! You want to die unbreathing?”

As comprehension dawned, the man nodded, whirled, and ran. In the wrong direction. Cursing under his breath McCoy started after him, only to find himself cut off as a translucent section of emergency response barrier slammed downward, its base forming a permanent seal with the deck. Halting and turning back, the tech stared in wide-eyed realization at McCoy. Then the severely damaged wall behind him crumpled like foil, shattering into pieces as it was sucked away into the vacuum of s.p.a.ce-along with the doomed technician.

There was nothing McCoy could do. He had glimpsed that look of terror before, but only in training vids. Seeing it in person...

Mouth set, he turned away. The s.h.i.+p continued to shudder and tremble around him. There would be other casualties, other wounded. As someone whose skills were needed elsewhere, he could not linger to mourn. The crewman he had tried to help was already dead. The doctor hurried off in search of an intact sickbay.

On the bridge isolated flares of combustion continued to be extinguished one after another as her crew struggled to survive and fight back.

”s.h.i.+elds at thirty-three percent,” Sulu reported. ”Their weapons are more powerful than anything I've ever seen, Captain! Delivery mechanism is not unfamiliar but the explosive force is unprecedented. None of our torpedoes have that kind of focused energy and we don't seem to be able to penetrate their s.h.i.+elds with our own weapons.” He looked apprehensively toward the command chair. ”We can't take another hit like that!”

”Get me Starfleet Command!” Pike ordered.

Spock spoke up before Uhura could reply.

”Captain, the Romulan s.h.i.+p has lowered some kind of enormous high-energy-pulse device into the Vulcan atmosphere. Its output appears to be blocking our communications and transporter abilities.”

”All power to forward s.h.i.+elds!” Pike commanded. ”Continue evasive, Mister Sulu! Prepare to fire all weapons anew. They have to have a weak spot!” If they don't, If they don't, he told himself worriedly... he told himself worriedly...

As his s.h.i.+p shook around him, he refused to allow himself to dwell on the possibility.

On board the Narada Narada the tactical officer was reveling in the contest with the new target. Its evasive maneuvers were more elegant than those of the Federation s.h.i.+ps he had already destroyed and its return fire more incisive, if equally fruitless. Already it had suffered serious damage from a couple of near misses. As soon as the the tactical officer was reveling in the contest with the new target. Its evasive maneuvers were more elegant than those of the Federation s.h.i.+ps he had already destroyed and its return fire more incisive, if equally fruitless. Already it had suffered serious damage from a couple of near misses. As soon as the Narada' Narada's full weapons systems locked on the newest arrival, it would go the way of its annihilated cousins. Another moment and- ”We have them! Preparing to fire terminating torpedo cl.u.s.ter...”

His gaze never having strayed from the forward view since the uneven battle had been joined, Nero suddenly leaned forward and thrust out a restraining arm in the direction of tactical.

”WAIT!”

Baffled but obedient, the tactical officer's hand hovered over the control that would expel a final flurry of advanced torpedoes from the Narada' Narada's bottomless armory. His captain was gazing fixedly at the image on the screen with an intensity he had not displayed even at the height of the battle with the other Federation vessels.

”The enemy hull-give me visual, full magnification.”

At the requested resolution the image was unsteady as the Narada' Narada's sensors sought to track the fast-moving Federation s.h.i.+p. The vessel slid continuously in and out of view as well as focus, but one brief glimpse was all Nero needed to distinguish her identification: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701. U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701. For the first time in a very long while his mouth curved upward in a slight smile, this time one of recognition. Nearby, his hand poised over the release element, the tactical officer waited for the order to fire the final, fatal burst. For the first time in a very long while his mouth curved upward in a slight smile, this time one of recognition. Nearby, his hand poised over the release element, the tactical officer waited for the order to fire the final, fatal burst.

It never came.

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