Vulcan's Heart by Josepha Sherman

Author:Josepha Sherman [Sherman, Josepha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, General, Space Opera, Adventure, Fiction
ISBN: 9780671015459
Publisher: Star Trek
Published: 1999-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-TWO

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NARENDRA SYSTEM, STAROftTE 21096.4

As the Enterprise sped toward the Narendra system, Captain Garrett held a final situation-analysis meeting in the small, sparsely furnished briefing room. Senior staff sat tensely around the oval table studded with computer consoles and holographic projectors. We will pretend that we have a chance, Garrett thought

The chronometers all told her the same cold fact Three hours had come and gone, and they were still as hip hour from Narendra I’ll.

Varani’s soft voice came over in-ship communications. “ have attempted to raise the stations along the Neutral Zone. By the time they reply by subspace transmission, Captain,..”p>

The battle will be over one way or another. No help there.

“Still no word from Narendra I’ll?” The colonists couldn’t already all be dead. Could they?

“My regrets. Captain,” Science Officer Tholav said. “The system now contains a sizable uncharted anomaly that is putting out bursts of chroniton radiation. It’s enough to make communi207 cation difficult and to mask traces of cloaked ships. Commander Varani and I were unable to separate out emissions from the aftermath of the storm.”

So I am going on the word of a sick woman—and my own instincts, Garrett thought. Well, I’ve always trusted my instincts, and when the woman is Commander Saavik… No use delaying this.

“We can no longer second-guess ourselves,” she said. “We are committed to this fight and, as the admiral said, we cannot expect reinforcement for… some time. So we’d better review what kind of assets we have.”

She nodded to Tholav. “Narendra El is, indeed, unarmed,” he reported in his soft voice.

“—or at least hasn’t got anything I’d call a serious fighting ship.” The Andorian’s fingers tapped a few keys on his console, bringing up a display of Narendram’s ships, crew complements, and projected firepower. “As you see: some scouts, a few shuttles, the occasional personnel carrier. Nothing fit to take on a warbird.”

Garrett frowned at the projection. Helm was going to have to avoid that anomaly; chronitons could play hell with a warp drive. “If we do, somehow, make it in-system before the Romulan fleet,” Garrett continued, “the system’s asteroid belt looks like a promising hideout. What’s the assay on the biggest rocks?”

Commander Tholav brought up a new projection. “Metallic content is sufficient for us to power down and pass undetected-unless, of course, the Romulans are on the lookout for us.”

Hiding out in an asteroid belt, with only life-support and scanners active, was a calculated risk in case they had to come up to combat readiness fast. “If the Romulans arrive at the party late,” Garrett said, “we might conceal ourselves there to await reinforcements, then set up a kind of cordon to warn off those war birds. I’d seed the perimeter with mines, only that would be a sure giveaway of our presence. I want your best estimates on how quickly we can get engines, shields, and weapons systems back on-line. Then, figure out how to cut that time in half.”

Mutters of “aye, aye” reassured no one.

“Already working on it,” said Lieutenant Kepler, Hie tactical officer.

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