94 Challenger by Diane Carey

Author:Diane Carey [Carey, Diane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Adventure, Life on other planets, Space colonies, Kirk; James T. (Fictitious character)
ISBN: 9780671042981
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 2000-07-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

THE SHIP TOOK a body blow and rocked toward her starboard shoulder. They'd been hit, blindsided. Nobody could misinterpret that.

Near the command chair, Makarios pitched all the way across the lower bridge to the port steps. The two engineers tumbled backward over the rail and landed in a tangle where Makarios had been standing a moment ago. Already on the starboard side, Zane Bonifay managed to catch the teetering cannister of sealant before it toppled and rolled into McAddis's legs. Near engineering, Shucorion had a grip on a strut to keep himself from falling. He'd been ready. He had to move aside as the turbolift opened and spewed two shocked security guards with helmets, chest shields, and two phasers each.

A few steps from where Keller clung to the rail, Zoa also pressed back on the rail, both hands gripping it, and watched the screen with passiveness that Keller decided must be a lie. He couldn't worry about her right now.

The turbulence didn't stop as it ordinarily should even in a battle. Instead they were hit again, and immediately again, as if the ship were vomiting out of control, unable to stop. Dread catapulted through the crew.

On the main screen and most of the auxiliary monitors and sensors could deliver only shadows and faint broken graphics of the enemy ships haunting the edge of the woods, appearing only in sketchy flashes from moment to moment, their brick-red hulls and lobster-clawed prows peeking like tigers in tall grass.

Because he had chosen to drive the ship instead of command it, Roger Lake forgot the most important order for such a time. Keller plunged forward and slapped his hand flat to the helm to get the captain's attention.

"Roger, let me give the order!"

"Nobody's stopping you."

"Red alert! Battle stations!"

The amber flashes of yellow alert turned to bright red and the whooping klaxon began to sound through the Peleliu's corridors and arteries. Lighted panels went to scarlet. All over the ship, crewmen shifted positions, went to fighting mode, rearranged priorities. All hands on deck. Automatic mechanical systems also changed, shifting power flows to more internal routes, raising defensive grids around critical hardware, and the ship's shields popped on in full-battle readiness. Any Starfleet ship always had some nominal deflectors up to ward off space matter, but battle shields were something completely different. They siphoned tremendous power from the reserves and had to be used with discretion.

This was definitely the time. Instantly the cruiser, compromised though she was from the battles of short days ago, bristled to defend herself again.

"Threat vessels approaching on two sides and overhead, sir," Hurley squeaked, his throat in a knot. "I can't trust these readings."

Lake instantly added that up in his head and selected a course of action. "Port forward phasers, azimuth two-one, target twenty kilometers! Fire!"

Twenty kilometers. Was he right? Were they that close?

"Captain, there's damage to the drive coils," Engineer Lewiston reported, climbing back to his post. The other engineer was down on the deck, holding his knee.

"Raise the deuterium temp and flush it through," Lake said.

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