Star Trek: Coda: Book 2: The Ashes of Tomorrow by James Swallow

Author:James Swallow [Swallow, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gallery Books
Published: 2021-10-26T00:00:00+00:00

U.S.S. Aventine NCC-82602

“Bring us about,” began Worf, grasping for the next order to give. His thoughts were sluggish, preoccupied with Riker’s odd but perceptive comment.

A shadow at your shoulder. Worf could almost feel the weight of it, a ghost that followed him just out of sight, lurking at the corner of his eye.

“Reading prefire activity on the Titan,” said Alexander.

The Klingon was momentarily taken aback by the report. Would Riker really make an unprovoked attack on the Aventine? Again, he hesitated, losing his momentum. “Turn the ship,” barked Worf, finally settling on a plan. “Bring us bow to bow, show them the minimum target aspect.”

But it was too late. “Titan is firing! Incoming torpedo!”

“Evasive!” Worf called to the helm, and he felt the tremor in the deck beneath his boots as Aventine accelerated into a rising turn.

In the next second, the photon torpedo detonated well short of the vessel, in a brilliant solar flash. The shockwave from the blast buffeted their shields but did not penetrate, serving only to shake them up a little more.

“Warning shot,” said the Ullian. “They won’t miss with the next one.”

“I will not give him the opportunity.” Worf took a deep breath, attempting to banish his hesitation. “We need to… to draw them away. We need fighting room.” He stalked back to the conn and ops stations. “Take us around that moon, maximum impulse. Make them pursue us.”

As the ship began to move again, Kedair cleared her throat. “Commander Worf, with respect, what is our plan here? Are we going to abandon the away team on the surface? We’re on the edge of transporter range, even if we could locate them.”

“I am… improvising,” Worf retorted. “Unless you have a better idea, Lieutenant, I suggest you mind your post.”

“Titan is moving to follow,” said Alexander. “They’re locking phasers!”

Worf nodded. “Reinforce aft shields and maintain heading.”

Then Alexander called out again. “Titan is firing.”

Worf gripped the back of Lieutenant Mirren’s seat and braced himself for the hit, ready for Aventine’s deflectors to absorb the blow, but the shock that rang through the vessel was not the diffuse shudder from a blunted phaser strike. Worf stumbled, almost losing his balance, as the ship took a direct hit, full force to the hull.

Kedair gaped at her sensor readings. “They fired right through the deflectors! They have our shield frequency!”

“How…?” Worf staggered back to the command chair. “Impossible!”

“McKinley Station,” said Mavroidis, a sudden understanding coming over her. “Those maintenance crews we beamed off the ship before we fled, some of them were working on the shield emitters. They would have known the settings!”

Worf cursed himself for failing to consider the possibility. In the haste to escape, it had been overlooked.

Another blast clipped the Aventine’s starboard hull and slammed the ship off-kilter. “They are attempting to neutralize our drive capacity,” said Kedair. “Sir, orders?”

Alexander stood poised at the weapons station. “Ready to return fire, on your mark.”

Worf opened his mouth to speak, but found no words. The shadows were pressing down on him, robbing him of his voice.

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