Star Trek the Next Generation: The Battle of Betazed by Charlotte Douglas

Author:Charlotte Douglas [Douglas, Charlotte]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: High Tech, Space Opera, Fiction, Science Fiction, Adventure, General
ISBN: 9780743434355
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Pocket Books/Star Trek
Published: 2002-04-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

R IKER, L A F ORGE, O'B RIEN, and a security detail of six beamed into an access tunnel of Sentok Nor's upper core near a panel that, the chief was certain, opened into the station's security office. Calling on the vast knowledge of Cardassian technology he'd gained on Deep Space 9, O'Brien had selected the insertion point. Like those of its sister station, Sentok Nor's eighteen-plus kilometers of access tunnels were effectively shielded not only from electromagnetic interference, but also, and more importantly for this mission, from active scanning beams.

"Unless Cardassian sensors have improved significantly," O'Brien said, "the station's security force will have a hell of a time finding us, especially if we keep moving."

"They know we're here," Riker said. "Sensors in ops will have picked up our transporter signals. We have to assume Cardassian and Jem'Hadar security teams are scouring every nook and cranny trying to locate us, so stay alert."

O'Brien craned his neck, taking his bearings. "Let's hope the resistance has drawn all the Jem'Hadar to the planet."

"Yeah," La Forge said with irony, "so that leaves only about fifty Cardassian engineers and who knows how many of their soldiers to slow us down."

"Our first objective is crucial," Riker reminded them. "Once we take control of the security office, we can shut down every system on the station--"

"Environmental, communications, engineering, and tactical," O'Brien said with a grin. "What more could a man want?"

Riker allowed his team a few moments to adjust to the warm, dry conditions with the slightly higher concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere mixed for Cardassian comfort. In the cramped tunnel, where a cross-section measured a mere one-point-three meters by one-point-four meters, La Forge snapped on a light, and the toranium frames and duranium panels gleamed dully around them.

"Ready?" Riker asked O'Brien.

"Ready, sir." With efficiency and speed even in such tight quarters, O'Brien set up a portable force field generator to create an invisible wall blocking off an area eight meters in diameter and four meters high. The force field secured their portion of the tunnel and extended into the adjoining security office, preventing Cardassian reinforcements from pouring into the office and grabbing the away team as they exited one by one from the tunnel. Their Starfleet combadges contained receivers keyed to the force field generator, so they could move freely in or out of the field. Anyone else would be trapped either inside or outside the force field. Riker doubted, however, that they'd be lucky enough to find the security section unguarded.

"Commander," La Forge whispered, "the access panel into the security office is directly behind me." He wiggled into position in the cramped space, removed a device from his belt, then pressed it against the panel.

Riker motioned for half the security detail and O'Brien to retreat down the access tube and around a corner, just in case armed resistance awaited them on the other side.

La Forge slowly popped open the panel. Those around Riker held their breaths. An angry squad of Cardassians could be trapped inside the force field with them, waiting on the other side of that panel.

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