Headlong Flight Page 22

  Redirecting his attention to the viewscreen, he asked, “Any thoughts on why the Romulans would do something so stupid? They had to know that if push came to shove, we had them outmatched.”

  Picard nodded. “My thoughts exactly.”

  “If I may, sir,” said Worf, and at Riker’s prompting, continued, “It was a coordinated effort. They split their attack so that we and the Enterprise-E had to divide our own resources, with the bird-of-prey lingering in the background and waiting for an opportunity to strike.” He frowned, and a small growl escaped the Klingon’s lips. “Typical Romulan behavior. They have no courage.”

  “Maybe,” said Riker, “but if that’s the case, why not make a run for it?”

  “They have people on the surface too?” asked Yar. “Then again, wouldn’t a Romulan ship commander just cut their losses?”

  Pacing the expanse of carpet behind the forward bridge positions, Riker let his gaze wander around the room as he considered the possibilities. “They’re not above that sort of thing, especially if they thought the odds were stacked too high against them. I don’t know if that was the case here. No, they deliberately set out to engage us, and they did it in such a way that we had no choice but to . . .” The rest of the sentence died on his lips as a few more pieces of the bizarre puzzle began falling into place.

  “Wait,” he said. For Picard’s benefit, he added, “Just before the escort ships made their play, we picked up an energy fluctuation we thought might be the bird-of-prey under cloak. It maneuvered around the planet’s far side before we could get a lock on it though, but for a minute it looked like it might be dipping closer to the surface.”

  “A distraction?” Picard turned to the female officer manning the tactical station on his bridge. “Lieutenant Šmrhová, scan for signs of any new ship activity on or near the planet’s surface, and contact the away team.”

  Riker asked, “You think the Romulans sent another team down to the planet?”

  “They still want the Sidrac technology,” replied Picard. “Perhaps their commander thought this was their best chance to get to it before we could.”

  Wesley asked, “But why? They’re still trapped here, like we are.”

  “Assuming they even realize they’ve been shifted from their own dimension,” replied Riker. “Remember, we’re still jamming their transmissions because they tried to call for help.”

  “They may have thought they could disable us and make a run for it after acquiring the Sidrac technology, or at least information about it,” said Picard. “Just one of their ships has to get out of jamming range in order to send a signal.”

  That would not bode well, Riker knew, based on what Picard had told him about this region. Though Romulan space was some distance away, the empire would not hesitate to send a ship in response to a distress signal from one of their own, even if the ship calling for help was more than a century out of place and time.

  Yar said, “They won’t be going too far just yet, sir. All three ships have enough damage that they require immediate repairs.”

  “We can monitor their progress,” said Picard. “In the meantime, we have more pressing matters. Commander Worf has reported in. Another Romulan shuttle has landed on the surface.”

  Ushalon

  From her vantage point behind the seat occupied by Nelidar in the Sidrac personnel transport, T’Ryssa Chen tried not to look too closely at the jagged mountain peaks that seemed much too close to the small ship’s transit. Her anxiety was not helped by the occasional dip or roll they experienced as Nelidar attempted to compensate for the ever-present quantum fluctuations.

  “Can I just go on record as saying I hate this idea?” She shifted in her seat, her movements hampered once again by her environmental suit.

  Sitting to Chen’s left, Taurik replied over the team’s shared communications channel, “I will be sure to note it in my after-action report, assuming we survive and I am able to file it.”

  “Not funny, Taurik. Not funny at all.”

  For his part, Worf had said nothing since he, along with Taurik, Chen, and Rennan Konya, had accompanied Nelidar on what at first blush appeared to be a mission of near desperation. Chen imagined the first officer’s thoughts were consumed with what might happen over the course of the next several minutes as they scrambled to deal with a second attempt at Romulan infiltration.

  His attention focused on his ubiquitous tricorder, Taurik said, “Sensors show their craft has landed, Commander. Seven Romulan life signs, as before.”

  “Their pilot must be quite proficient,” said Worf. “The interference from the quantum-field generator is increasing as we get closer.”

  Chen said, “And we’re sure it’s just the one shuttle? I’m surprised they didn’t send more people.”

  “Better with a small team that can move fast,” replied Konya from where he sat behind Chen. “They may be hoping to get in, grab something they think is valuable, and get out quick.”

  Thanks to Taurik’s continued monitoring of the Spinrad’s sensors, the away team had become aware of the second Romulan shuttle attempting to make planet­fall even before Captain Picard alerted Worf. The Rom­ulans were crafty, dispatching their landing craft toward the surface while on the planet’s far side, masked from the Enterprise’s own impaired sensors. Further, this new group of intruders was trying something different than their predecessors, forgoing an attempt at infiltrating the habitat in favor of an assault on the underground complex housing the quantum-field generator and the power plant.

  “They have to be out of their minds, trying to get in there,” said Chen. “Surely they understand the risks involved?”

  Taurik replied, “It is possible they do not fully comprehend the danger presented by the quantum field. I find it hard to believe that their sensors are so outdated that they cannot obtain accurate readings of the complex.”

  “They tried disrupting the field before,” said Konya. “Makes sense that they’d try again. Maybe this is their restrained approach.”

  Chen shook her head. “It’s going to get them killed, and maybe the rest of us along with them.”

  The transport bounced around again, and Chen’s stomach heaved as she grabbed the edges of her seat, searching for balance or purchase.

  “Wait,” said Konya. “That wasn’t turbulence.”

  Seated before the large, curved black console that dominated the transport’s cockpit and dressed in her own excursion suit, Nelidar replied, “No, Lieutenant. The Romulans are shooting at us.” She shifted so that she could look over her shoulder, her face partially obscured by the metal of her helmet. “Our craft has protective plating, but it was never intended to be a combat vessel.”

  “I knew I should’ve stayed behind,” said Chen, almost under her breath. “Cruzen and Tropp are so lucky.”

  Konya nudged her arm. “But this is where all the fun is.”

  The transport shuddered again, and this time Chen felt the multiple impacts of disruptor fire against the outer hull as the craft began descending. To her credit, Nelidar seemed to be doing a commendable job evading most of the incoming fire, and from what Chen could see of the cockpit’s control panels, no alarms had been activated.

  “I am attempting to land behind a rock outcropping that should provide some protection when you disembark.”

  The plan was a hasty one, devised by Worf as the team was suiting up and preparing to board the Sidrac transport. With Nelidar to guide them, the first officer hoped to deny the Romulans entry to the underground facility by any means necessary. Concerns were high that any disruption by some foreign matter of the quantum field surrounding the complex might corrupt or collapse it, with unpredictable results. There was the possibility of another dimensional shift, of course, but the main worry was that such a transition would now be unchecked, causing irreparable harm to the facility and the surface complex along
with its inhabitants. At worst, according to Livak and the other Sidrac engineers, the stresses of such an unrestrained release of quantum energy might well tear the planet apart, reducing it to dust and casting it into whatever void might exist between dimensions.

  So, thought Chen, let’s try to avoid that, if we can.

  There was more weapons fire from outside, though she observed that it was not as intense or rapid as the previous attack. Beyond the transport’s canopy, she saw the mountains continuing to rise up as the craft made its descent. Konya, already out of his seat and brandishing one of the disruptors the away team had confiscated from the first Romulan scouting party, had moved to the transport’s rear hatch.

  One more disruptor hit on its hull made the transport shudder, and for the first time an alert indicator sounded in the cramped interior. Chen saw a bright orange status light activate, and Nelidar reached for a control to silence the alarm even as she fought to maintain control of the small craft.

  “They struck a stabilizer unit,” she reported, not looking away from her instruments. “Our landing may be a bit more intense than I anticipated.”

  “Just get us on the ground,” said Konya, who had braced himself against the compartment’s rear bulkhead. “We’ll take it from there.”

  “Stand by,” said Worf as he moved to join Konya on the other side of the door.

  Taurik, still holding his tricorder while wielding a disruptor in his other hand, said, “We will land fifty meters from the Romulans’ current position. They are less than fifteen meters from the field generator facility’s access point.”

  Out of her seat and shuffling over to stand behind Worf, Chen reached for a handlebar mounted to the bulkhead just as she felt the transport pivoting to port and decelerating. Through the cockpit canopy, she was able to make out the straight lines and angles of the metal wall that formed the surface entrance to the field generator complex.

  “When I pop the hatch,” said Konya as he looked to her and Taurik, “use the side of the ship as cover. Don’t give the Romulans any free shots.”

  The transport shed more speed, and then came a slight bump as Nelidar set down. As she had taught him, Konya activated the control to open the craft’s rear hatch. The reinforced metal door dropped without grace, slamming into the soil and providing a ramp. Worf and Konya led the way, disruptors held out in front of them and searching for threats as they descended the ramp, making room for Taurik and Chen to follow. Shadowing Konya’s movements, Chen pressed herself against the transport’s side and began maneuvering toward its nose.

  “Nelidar,” said Worf, “remain with the ship until we have secured the situation.”

  At that moment a green-white disruptor bolt slammed into the transport’s armored front end, and Chen sensed the reverberation as the hull absorbed the impact.

  “Easier said than done, sir,” said Konya. He gestured with his disruptor. “We’ve got some cover, but we’ll be in the open before we can get halfway there.”

  Behind Worf, Taurik said, “The Romulans are using what appears to be a storage building near the entrance for cover, but it is marginal.”

  “I may be able to assist with that,” said Nelidar.

  After directing the team to seek protection among the nearby rock outcroppings, the Sidrac scientist powered up the transport, and it rose just two meters from the ground. Its nose angled downward, the craft began to slowly drift forward.

  “I like your style, Nelidar,” said Konya, smiling at Chen through his helmet faceplate before he and Worf set off after the transport.

  Chen exchanged glances with Taurik. “Stuff like this wasn’t in the Academy recruiting brochure.”

  “Indeed.”

  Their suits made maneuvering with any kind of speed a challenge, but the away team was able to keep pace with Nelidar as she guided the transport forward. Within seconds Chen saw multiple volleys of disruptor fire as the Romulans took aim at the approaching craft.

  “Nelidar,” said Chen. “Are you all right?”

  The Sidrac replied, “The canopy is reinforced, but mostly to prevent damage from collisions. I do not know how long it can withstand this sort of punishment.”

  “We can help with that,” said Konya.

  Chen watched as the security officer stepped to his left, out from behind the transport and the cover it provided. Nelidar had paid the away team the courtesy of using the craft’s forward lights to illuminate the ground ahead of them, and Chen caught sight of dark figures hunkered near a small freestanding structure less than ten meters from the field generator’s surface entrance.

  “The hatch is open!” shouted Konya before he unleashed several shots with his disruptor.

  Joining in the action, Worf fired his own weapon at a fleeing figure, and Chen saw the disruptor bolt strike its target. The Romulan, dressed in a dark-gray environmental suit, fell to the ground. Two of his companions emerged from cover to return fire. Konya dropped to one knee, sighting on another of the Romulans just as Chen sensed movement ahead and to their left.

  “Rennan! Look out!”

  There was no time to react, and Chen aimed her disruptor and fired. Her single shot struck the Romulan’s suit helmet, snapping his body back and sending him tumbling over a portion of exposed rock. The figure crashed to the soil, and she saw the wisps of vapor escaping from his helmet’s cracked faceplate.

  “Thanks,” said Konya after dispatching his original target. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back behind the transport.

  “I count only five Romulans,” reported Taurik, dividing his attention between his tricorder and the terrain before him. “Two have entered the structure.”

  Over the channel, Nelidar said, “They cannot be allowed to access the complex.”

  More disruptor fire made Chen flinch as an energy bolt hit the ground to her left. Konya pushed her ahead of him, making sure she stayed within the cover provided by the transport.

  “To the right,” called Taurik, and Chen turned to see the Vulcan aiming his disruptor at what at first appeared to be a collection of boulders in proximity to the nearby hill. He fired the weapon, and the flash of its energy bolt illuminated the figure crouching in shadow. Taurik’s shot caught the Romulan in the chest, spinning him around and dropping him to the dusty ground.

  “The other one’s ahead of us, near the entrance,” said Konya. He pointed toward the open portal, and Chen caught sight of someone silhouetted and crouching in the lighted entryway. The figure’s arm moved up and over his head, and then Chen saw something else.

  “Look out!”

  Lunging at Konya, Chen grabbed his arm and yanked him toward her. Both of them tumbled to the ground as the dark spherical object she had seen arcing through the air hit the ground less than five meters from their position before rebounding off the dirt and sailing even farther away.

  “Grenade!”

  The object bounced over and beyond a large rock that jutted out of the parched soil, and a second later light erupted, followed by the shockwave of the deflected explosion. Chen winced as she felt something peppering her back and she held her breath, waiting for the alarm announcing the breach of her environmental suit. Only when that did not happen after several seconds did she dare to open her eyes, and found herself staring through her faceplate at Rennan Konya.

  “Hi,” he said.

  Chen blinked. “Hi.”

  “You could’ve just warned me, you know. I usually move pretty fast when explosives are involved.”

  “I’ll remember that for next time.”

  “Deal.” He smiled as she rolled off of him before extending a hand to help him to his feet. “And before I forget: Thanks. Again.”

  Looking ahead of them, Chen saw that the Sidrac transport was settling to the ground near the entrance as Worf and Taurik moved in that direction.

  “All five Romulans on the
surface are disabled,” reported the first officer. The first one to reach the doorway, he paused at the threshold, his disruptor trained on the fallen Romulan there. Only after verifying that the enemy soldier was out of action did Worf proceed.

  Rushing to keep up, Chen was the next to reach the entry, pointing her disruptor ahead of her as she followed after Worf. She found herself not inside an airlock, but instead at the head of a long, narrow cylindrical tunnel that sloped downward from ground level, descending perhaps fifty meters before leveling out. According to Nelidar, there was an airlock at the passage’s far end that led to the quantum-field generator itself, as well as other work areas and support facilities. Recessed lighting at regular intervals provided ample illumination. She could feel a low, omnipresent hum that seemed to reverberate through the tunnel’s metal walls and coursed even through her suit’s protective material. Sensing movement behind her, she turned to see Nelidar coming through the doorway.

  “The quantum energy levels are elevated,” said Taurik. Standing just inside the entry, he eyed his tricorder. “Even though we are still well outside the complex’s protected areas.”

  Nelidar replied, “During our first investigations after the accident, we realized that the quantum field had formed a bubble around the generator and the neighboring facility. We tried to pass objects through the field, to see what would happen, but they just . . . disappeared.”

  Konya, his disruptor aimed down the tunnel as he searched for threats, asked, “Even Romulan tricorders have to be telling them they can’t get inside, right? So, what’s the point, unless they’re thinking they can scan the field generator if they get close enough?”

  “That,” said Taurik, “or they are hoping they can obtain a piece of the relevant technology to take back with them.”

  Worf grunted. “That would require them getting past us. We will not allow that to happen.”

  Tricorder in hand, Taurik replied, “The quantum field is interfering with my scans.”

  “Is the entrance to the generator secure?” asked Nelidar.