Star Trek: The Next Generation: Headlong Flight by Dayton Ward

Author:Dayton Ward
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pocket Books

15

ELSEWHERE

Ushalon

The waiting was the worst part.

There was nothing more for T’Ryssa Chen or her companions to do except wait, just as they had done the last time this sequence of events had played out. Along with the rest of the away team, she watched as Nelidar and the other Sidrac engineers moved between work­stations, checking and rechecking instruments and status indicators. Things were different this time, and with good reason.

“Is it me,” she said, “or does everyone look more nervous this time?” Now that their presence had become accepted by the Sidrac, she and the rest of the away team were no longer confined to one corner of the observation room. Taurik and Chen had even offered to assist their hosts, but for now stood with their companions, waiting.

Nelidar, having made a circuit of the observation room to check with each of her colleagues manning a workstation, replied, “This is the first time a transition has happened so soon after a previous shift. We have no precedent for this, and it is the possible cause that is giving us our greatest concern.”

“Is there a problem?” asked Worf.

“There has been a change in the signal we are receiving from the probe at target location two. It is unlike anything we have experienced since first deploying the buoys.”

Chen frowned. “Location two? Didn’t you say that was where you detected another ship?”

“We transitioned from that point before our encounter with you, Lieutenant.” Nelidar frowned. “Our scanners alerted us to the presence of a vessel in that region as well, but it took no provocative action. We broadcast our usual warning messages, but did not receive a response before we left that dimension.”

Worf said, “If the ship in that dimension found your buoy, they may be attempting to access it in order to understand its functions.”

“And that might prove troublesome for us,” replied Nelidar. “If they somehow interfere with the signal, there is no way to know what effect that might have on Ushalon during a shift to that location.”

Standing next to Chen, Lieutenant Kirsten Cruzen said, “As if we don’t have enough problems.”

“The Romulan shuttle has landed,” reported Taurik, who had moved to stand near the male Sidrac engineer, Livak. The Vulcan was once more consulting his tricorder, taking advantage of its link to the shuttlecraft Spinrad’s more powerful sensor array. “Seven life signs. Their current position is approximately five hundred meters southwest of our position and eight hundred meters west of our shuttlecraft. I am detecting a hull breach, and at least one possible injury. Given their current circumstances, it is logical to assume they will attempt to come here, as it is the closer destination.”

Standing next to Chen, Doctor Tropp asked, “Should we not attempt to render assistance?” Along with Lieutenant Rennan Konya, the Denobulan had joined the rest of the team once it became apparent that the Sidrac were not a threat and new problems had arisen.

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