Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Young Adult Series - 10 - Space Camp by Ted Pedersen

Author:Ted Pedersen
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Young Adult
ISBN: 9780671007300
Publisher: Aladdin
Published: 1997-06-01T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 9

The landscape surrounding Jake was primeval. He saw that this was a world in the process of being born, or, at best, in its early childhood. It was still raw and unformed. Molten bursts spewed out of crevices that were ripped open by almost continuous quakes. There were no trees to be seen, only gnarled rock formations. It was a planet of smoke and fire.

While Jake had to admire the rugged beauty, he knew this was also a very dangerous place. The fact that it was a holosuite simulation did not diminish that danger. Not only from the simulated planet, which was hostile enough, but from his teammates.

In this exercise the group was about to put to use the skills they had been learning in hand-to-hand combat training.

Each of them had been given the opportunity to select a single weapon to take with them. For safety, each of the exercise weapons had been set so that it could not do any actual physical harm. Phasers were set to low stun, and vibro-blades produced only a mild stinging sensation and could not penetrate the skin.

Jake had chosen one of the phasers, even though he saw Professor Kala eying his choice with obvious disapproval.

“You understand, young Sisko, that the phasers are programmed to only fire three times.”

“I wasn’t planning to miss,” Jake retorted. “I’m an excellent marksman.”

“As you wish,” Kala said softly.

Jake was pleased to notice that most of the team had also selected phasers. The two exceptions were K’am and Missy. K’am chose a bat’telh, the Klingon sword of honor and ritual weapon of combat. Missy selected a traditional archer’s hunting bow and a trio of arrows.

Going in order, determined by lot, each entered the playing field in two-minute intervals.

“But what’s to prevent someone from waiting just inside and ambushing the others as they enter?” Nog asked.

“Nothing” was Professor Kala’s simple answer.

Nog gave a hard look to Jake as he stepped past him. “Fortunately I go before you.” Nog had drawn the third spot, while Jake had the luck to go last. “So watch your back.”

I’ll do that, Jake thought to himself.

Hesitating a moment when his turn came, Nog then dived at the entrance and went in low and ready for an ambush.

Jake waited as the others took their turns. There was no way to know what had happened to them on the other side. If a candidate was “eliminated,” he or she would be immediately beamed out to a holding room until there was a final victor and the “game” was over.

Now, moving stealthfully through the smoldering terrain, Jake wished desperately to be that victor, feeling it would enhance his standing in Dyan’s eyes.

There was no sign of the others and the hard rocky surface left no tracks. There was no way to know how many of his seven teammates still survived.

Jake almost hoped that Nog was a survivor. He wanted to personally eliminate him and show up his Ferengi friend, though he knew it would not be so easy in here.

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