Lost Era 1 by Michael A. Martin & Andy Mangels

Author:Michael A. Martin & Andy Mangels [Martin, Michael A. & Mangels, Andy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Adventure
ISBN: 9780743464024
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2003-08-13T23:00:00+00:00

By the time the two semi-anthropoid security guards finally agreed to conduct Aidan Burgess to the bridge to see the captain-an armed escort being necessary because the escaped Neyel still had yet to be recaptured-the Federation ambassador was in a stomping, crimson fury. Ever since the incident in the pathology lab, she had been under virtual house arrest in her quarters, ostensibly for the sake of her safety. When the ship went on red alert again, the security guard posted outside her quarters had evidently received orders not only to protect her from the unexpectedly resurrected Neyel, but also to keep her safely out of Captain Sulu's hair for the duration of whatever new crisis had arisen.

"What the hell is going on?" she demanded of Sulu before the bridge turbolift doors had even finished opening.

"And a good afternoon to you, Ambassador," Captain Sulu said, smiling as he turned his chair toward her and rose to his feet.

She fumed at his lighthearted manner. You're only going to make it harder on yourself, Captain.

"I need your help, Ambassador," Sulu said.

Burgess stopped in her tracks. She couldn't have been more surprised if he had suddenly dropped to one knee and made an earnest proposal of marriage. Things must really be getting desperate up here.

"What's happened?" Burgess wanted to know.

Chekov stepped away from the console at which Commander Rand was seated and approached Burgess. "Here's the short version, Ambassador: Admiral Yilskene thinks we're in league with the Neyel."

"And he's seriously considering destroying us," Sulu added with no discernible emotion. "We're currently snared in a Tholian energy web, along with the Neyel ship."

She swallowed. "Oh. I thought for a minute something really serious might have come up."

The glowering young Vulcan rose from an upper-level console to address Sulu. "Captain, I have conferred with Commander Azleya. She and her senior engineers concur with my opinion that we can disable the Tholian energy web by channeling warp power through the deflector grid. If, as our sensor scans indicate, Yilskene's ships cannot match our maximum speed, we can effect an escape before they can bring any of their weapons to bear."

"Are you insane?" Burgess roared. "We don't want to provoke them any further."

"The Tholians have already initiated hostilities by deploying their energy web," the Vulcan replied evenly. "Provocation is hardly an issue now."

"Since we're the ones who are guilty of espionage and trespassing, Lieutenant, it seems to me that we've already given them more than enough reason to distrust us." Burgess whirled on Sulu, her hands balled into fists. "Surely you can't actually be considering running away like a band of pirates."

The captain held up both hands, as if to placate both Burgess and his aggressive young officer simultaneously. "Stand down, Mr. Tuvok. We're going to have to play our hand the ambassador's way."

Tuvok focused his steely gaze on the captain. "Breaking the Tholian web and running may be our best and only hope of survival."

"Maybe," Sulu said, apparently not angered in the least at Tuvok's near insubordination. "But it would be pretty shoddy diplomacy, Tuvok.

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