by Eric Kotani
Tyla led the way and he tried to stay at her side, but failed miserably. Her stride was just longer than his.
Each time he had stepped inside the shuttle, he had been struck by not only the simple elegance of it, but the efficiency. The prince’s yacht was, by contrast, an oversized decadent toy.
Maalot moved in and stood by a rear chair above a communication and environmental-control panel. Tyla instantly moved up and sat in the copilot’s chair next to Lieutenant Tuvok. It seemed like a natural position for her. It was a chair he would never have thought of sitting in unless someone forced him to.
“We’re looking for something to do to help,” Maalot said.
Tyla nodded as Tuvok glanced up at her, then around at Maalot.
“There is little that needs to be done at the moment,” Tuvok said.
“Could you at least tell us what is happening?”
Tuvok worked over the control panel for a moment, then turned. “Thirteen Qavok warships are on an intercept course for this location. They are escorting the round ship of which you discovered the plans. There is also a warship in orbit attempting to launch an assault against the Xorm science ship for a reason not easily determined.”
“The round ship?” Tyla asked. “Is that the ship they want to fly into the neutron star?”
“That would be the logical assumption of use for such a ship,” Tuvok said, again working over his controls.
“Thirteen warships on the way,” Dr. Maalot said.
“Another in orbit. How can Voyager fight that many off?”
There was no way he could see the humans winning this fight. They were doomed. The thought made him shudder.
“Captain,” Kim said, “Invincible’s shuttlebay doors are starting to open.”
“Stop them,” Janeway ordered.
Voyager had moved to a slightly higher orbit, but was pacing Invincible and was still well within phaser range of the Qavok warship. Also the Xorm ship Gravity had moved farther down. It now somehow orbited just above the orbit where Ensign Kim had transported out the probes. How the Xorm ship was managing to maintain that orbit was beyond her. But for the moment it was.
Voyager rocked slightly as the phaser beams shot out.
The Qavok warship’s screens flared for almost two seconds and then went down. The phaser beams then hit the area where the shuttlebay doors were, exploding the area and sealing the doors shut in the ruins. Janeway knew, without a doubt, that they were lucky their weapons and shields were a factor more powerful than the Qavok’s. Otherwise, they would have been dead before now.
“Direct hit,” Chakotay said. “Those shuttles will never be launched.”
On screen Janeway could see the red, melting metal on the side of the Qavok warship. Then there was a small explosion inside that area of the ship, sending material spinning out into space. No doubt one of the shuttles had had a small accident.
At that moment the Invincible fired back, lighting up Voyager’s screens in various shades of pink and red. The impact rocked the bridge slightly, but not enough to make her even grab her chair for support.
“No damage,” Kim said. “Shields holding at ninety-nine percent. Now back to one hundred percent.”
“Hit them again, Ensign,” Janeway said. “And make sure they can’t go anywhere real soon.”
Again Voyager’s phasers shot out, picking at the Invincible as if cutting a moldy spot out of a block of cheese.
“Weapons destroyed,” Chakotay said. “Fires and explosions in the shuttlebay and in the weapons areas. Both their ion drive and warp capabilities are off-line. They do have enough maneuvering thrusters to remain in their current orbit for some time, however.”
Janeway nodded. “Good, we’ll let them go at that. As long as they don’t get in our way.”
“Twelve minutes until the main fleet arrives,” Kim said.
“Switch the screen to them,” Janeway said.
The image of the thirteen warships flying in a rough formation filled the screen. In their center was the round sphere of a ship, clearly being protected by the warships. She had no idea how they were going to fight thirteen warships. Granted, Voyager’s shields and weapons were far superior to the Qavok’s, but not when multiplied synergetically thirteen times. Even five or six ships attacking at once might prove to be too much firepower for Voyager to handle.
“I’m open to ideas now,” Janeway said.
Silence filled the bridge as the red lights blinked softly in the background.
“Okay,” Janeway said after a very long moment of silence that made the bridge feel more like the inside of a tomb than a starship control center. “Let’s narrow this problem down some. We know we can easily handle three or four of the Qavok at the same time. So how do we get their numbers down to that, yet not allow them to get that round ship through to the binary?”
Again silence. Then Ensign Kim said hesitantly, “Captain, how about the shuttle?”
“Of course,” she said. “Good work, Ensign.”
The shuttle’s screens and weapons were powerful enough to hold off at least two or three of the Qavok warships without a problem. And if Tuvok could work it right, he might just get a shot at that center ship while Voyager drew most of their fire. Then, if they survived and stopped the Qavok, they would have eight or so minutes to launch the yacht, get both hooked together, and get them into position. It would be cutting the timing extremely close, but it just might work.
“Janeway to shuttle. Tuvok?”
“Go ahead, Captain.”
“I think we’re going to need your help in this fight.”
“Yes, Captain,” he said.
“I’ll send a copilot to help you, so hang on.”
“There is no need,” Tuvok said. “Lieutenant Tyla is beside me and would serve satisfactorily in that position. Dr. Maalot is at the communications panel.”
“Dr. Maalot? Lieutenant Tyla, would you like to help us on this?”
“Gladly,” Dr. Maalot said. His voice was thin and almost cracked, but it was clear he wanted to help.
“It would be an honor to copilot this craft with Mr. Tuvok,” Lieutenant Tyla said.
“Thank you,” Janeway said. “Launch when ready. After the fight let’s hope we have time for you to come back for the yacht.”
“Captain,” Chakotay said. “The energy containment?”
Janeway felt her stomach clamp up even tighter than it had been a few moments before. Chakotay was right. There was no way the shuttle could go into battle with that much energy riding inside it.
“Torres to shuttlebay,” Janeway said into the ship’s comm line. “Emergency.”
“On my way,” B’Elanna’s voice came back strong.
“Tuvok,” Janeway said. “Hold on. We’ve got to get that energy containment out of there.”
“Dr. Maalot is already working on preparing it for a move,” Tuvok said.
Janeway glanced at Chakotay with a relieved look.
“How much time do we have, Ensign?” Janeway asked.
“Eight minutes,” Kim said.
“We could start another countdown,” Tom said.
“Just drive, mister,” Janeway said.
Tom had his back to her, but she could tell he was smiling.
* * *
B’Elanna almost ran into the shuttlebay interior doors as they opened too slowly for her fast dash. Inside the bay, the shuttle’s doors were open and she could see both Dr. Maalot and Tuvok working over the energy containment canister. There was no chance of a rupture. No chance at all. She was convinced that the container design was safe. Or at least as safe as anything that held that much bottled-up energy.
She ducked inside the shuttle. “What’s wrong?”
“We are using the shuttle in the coming battle,” Tuvok said. “We must move this to the yacht before I can launch.”
“Good idea,” she said. “Might have proved fatal otherwise.”
“It’s almost ready to be moved,” Dr.
Maalot said.
“Stand back,” B’Elanna said.
Dr. Maalot instantly moved aside and B’Elanna quickly checked all the readings.
Stable and fine.
Energy holding constant inside.
Good. Very good.
She grabbed the antigravity unit and quickly attached it, then floated the canister up as Tuvok released it from the wall of the shuttle. She felt as though she were walking with a live torpedo through the halls. One bump would set it off. Of course, it was nowhere near that unstable. Nope, not unstable at all.
Moving slowly and carefully, she got the canister out into the open area of the shuttlebay deck.
“Safe to launch,” she said over her shoulder to Tuvok.
Tuvok nodded and the shuttle’s hatch slid closed without him saying another word.
“Well, good-bye to you, too,” she said to no one in particular.
“How are you doing, B’Elanna?” Janeway’s voice asked, filling the shuttlebay.
“Got the energy containment out of the shuttle and it’s launching. I’ll secure it in the yacht.”
“Very good,” Janeway said, and cut the connection.
B’Elanna moved back against the wall as the shuttle moved toward the opening bay doors and the forcefield that kept the atmosphere inside.
Then the shuttle was through the field and out into space, and the big doors were closing.
“Okay,” B’Elanna said to the energy containment canister. “Let’s get you secure in the yacht and get back to work.”
One minute before the battle broke out, the container was locked against a wall inside the yacht’s engine room and B’Elanna was sprinting for Engineering. She had a sneaking hunch that with the odds that faced them, she was going to be needed very quickly.
CHAPTER 19
“SHUTTLE LAUNCHED,” ENSIGN KIM SAID.
On the main screen in front of her, Janeway faced the imposing spectacle of thirteen Qavok warships, all coming in hard and staying together around the center ship. They looked like a flock of birds in flight. A flock of very ugly and dangerous birds.
She took a slow, deep breath and tried to relax her tight shoulders. These ships were Qavok ships, not Klingon or Cardassian. These ships, one-on-one, were no match for Voyager in any area. She knew she should think of them as a bunch of scruffy wild dogs. It was only in numbers that they got really dangerous. As long as she remembered that, they would come out of this just fine.
“How long until they are within range?” she asked.
“Five minutes,” Chakotay said. “And eight minutes until they must have their bomb ship in place.”
“Bomb ship?” Janeway asked, turning slightly and smiling.
Chakotay was manning Tuvok’s station. He shrugged. “Seemed like a logical name for it.”
“Fine by me,” she said. “Mr. Kim, please put up a location schematic in the upper right quarter of the main screen. I want to track them all if we break them up.”
“Understood,” Kim said. A moment later a small area schematic appeared. In the center of it was the neutron star binary. The Qavok warships were shown with red dots coming on the screen from the left. The bomb ship was black, and the Xorm scientific ship was orange. Voyager and the shuttle were both green dots.
“Ensign, open a channel between Voyager and the shuttle and keep it open.”
“Open, Captain.”
“Mr. Tuvok,” Janeway said.
“One moment, Captain,” Dr. Maalot’s voice said.
Janeway smiled.
“Yes, Captain,” Tuvok said.
“I’m going to take Voyager and move right. You go left. The instant you are within range, open fire. We’re going to need every bit of help we can get on this one.”
“Understood, Captain,” Tuvok said. “Lieutenant Tyla has reported that in her research of the Qavok military, she has discovered that the weakest area of their shields is aft and lower.”
“Aft and lower,” Janeway said, glancing back at Chakotay, who nodded. “Got it.”
“That area,” Tuvok said, “is above their engine rooms and drive area. A single shot should, if placed correctly, immobilize the entire ship.”
“Very good,” Janeway said. “Tell Lieutenant Tyla thanks. Chakotay, change of plans. You stay in this position. We’ll take Voyager over and behind them and attack from there.”
“Yes, Captain,” Chakotay said.
“Tom,” Janeway said, “lay in a course that will flash us over and come in behind those ships at phaser range. Warp six.”
“Warp six?” Tom said. “Got it. You want to get past them without a shot being fired.”
“Exactly,” Janeway said. “Can you do it?”
“Of course.”
“Then do it quickly.”
Tom nodded and went to work.
“Commander,” Janeway said, “set the computer to lay down automatic fire at those aft shields the moment we drop out of warp.”
“Got it,” he said.
“Course laid in, Captain,” Tom said.
“Ready, Commander?”
“Ready,” Chakotay said.
“Do it, Tom.”
Voyager turned slightly and then jumped to warp, moving above the fleet of ships before the enemy had time to realize what was happening. Then Tom swung wide and brought them in from behind.
“Dropping out of warp in ten seconds,” he said.
“Phasers ready,” Chakotay said.
Janeway sat and watched as the entire thing seemed to unfold in slow motion.
Thirteen enemy ships, all in formation, had just passed them, moving toward the neutron star binary. On the schematic it first appeared as if Voyager were running away. Then slowly the green dot turned and moved in behind the multiple dots of the Qavok fleet.
“Three,” Tom said. “Two. One. Now. Dropping out of warp.”
Instantly Voyager’s phasers fired.
One shot right after another.
But the Qavok screens were holding. With each short blast of a Voyager phaser a Qavok warship’s rear shields flared to red and then beyond, but just barely held.
The last time that would have cut through those screens and the ships like a hot knife through butter.
“They’ve managed to strengthen all their shields somehow,” Kim said. “I don’t know how but I’m reporting at least fifty percent stronger than our first encounter.”
“Longer phaser blasts!” Janeway ordered. “Chakotay, go to a full two seconds.”
Chakotay nodded, never looking up from his board, and instantly the phaser shots again rocked Voyager as they fired. This time the shields on the warships dropped, but the phaser shot didn’t last long enough to do enough damage on their surfaces.
“Going to three seconds,” Chakotay shouted.
“Tuvok,” Janeway said. “Three-second phaser blasts at least.”
“Understood,” his voice came back.
Six of the Qavok warships had turned and formed a group facing Voyager. Seven remained with the bomb ship bearing down on Tuvok and the shuttle.
Four Qavok ships fired at once.
Voyager rocked backward.
“Shields holding,” Kim said. “Ninety percent.”
Janeway nodded. At least the strength of their weapons hadn’t changed.
“Firing,” Chakotay said.
Two of the Qavok ships’ shields flared to red and then went down. A few moments later both ships exploded.
“Two down,” Tom said, “eleven to go.”
The other four facing Voyager fired again.
Direct hits on the forward screens. Janeway held on as Voyager tried to buck her out of her chair.
Again Chakotay fired.
Two more Qavok warships’ shields flared and went down. And then a moment later two more ships exploded.
“Screens down to sixty percent,” Kim said, “and we have reports of damage coming from all over the ship.”
The remaining two warships bro
ke off and rejoined the main group, now cut down to nine.
“How long until that fleet gets into the shuttle’s firing range?” Janeway asked.
“Two minutes, thirty seconds,” Kim said.
“Mr. Paris,” Janeway said. “Can you get us back near the shuttle in time?”
“I can do my best,” he said.
“Do it,” Janeway said. “Engage when ready. Ensign, tell Mr. Tuvok we are on the way and to stand firm.”
She sat back and stared at the schematic. This was not going well so far.
Not at all.
Their first attempt had failed. They had needed to cut that fleet in half for them to stand any chance at all. And now that the Qavok had managed to fortify their shields since the first battle, that was going to be even harder. This ship, let alone the shuttle, would never withstand a direct hit from six or seven of those warships at once.
Tom worked quickly at his station.
Around her the seconds seemed to tick past. The silence on the bridge was the loudest she had heard in a long time.
Suddenly the ship jumped into warp, heading back right at the neutron star binary, as if it were diving into the death that awaited there.
Maybe it was.
But they had to at least try to stop that bomb ship.
And then, if they were lucky, change the course of the star.
* * *
Lieutenant Tyla watched as the fleet of Qavok warships bore down on her and the small Voyager shuttle. Tuvok had her manning the phasers and she knew exactly what she needed to do. But still her hands shook slightly. This was the first time she ever remembered that happening in a battle.
But this was also the first time she was facing down nine Qavok warships in a small shuttle.
She had watched Voyager’s failure to cut the fleet down significantly with a sinking, almost guilty feeling. She should have predicted that the Qavok would adapt their screens and warned the Xorm captain of that possibility. The way the Qavok warship systems worked, they must have taken energy from every other function on their ships to get that kind of shield power. She had no doubt that they had even cut down on life-support functions for this battle. The Qavok would do something like that.
“Lieutenant?” Tuvok said. “Are you ready?”