Crossover - Michael Jan Friedman [64]
A moment later, Geordi materialized as well, equipped as they were. He looked at them meaningfully.
“Anything?” he whispered.
“Nothing so far,” Riker told him, sotto voce.
He gazed at the stretch of corridor that led toward the center of the installation—where they would undoubtedly find Captain Scott. After all, it wouldn’t have made any sense to erect a shield around part of the outpost and then hold him somewhere else.
It would have been easier if they could have pinpointed Scott’s location here. However, the magnetic shield con founded the short-range sensors as thoroughly as it did the transporter function.
“Come on,” the first officer breathed.
He led. The others followed, exhibiting a wariness he found comforting. With Data and Geordi to watch his back, Riker knew he could concentrate on what was up ahead.
They passed through the shield without incident. In the back of his mind, the first officer had wondered if it might not serve as some kind of internal security net, in addition to its other functions. Apparently, that wasn’t the case.
For several long, tense minutes, they continued their progress along one corridor after the next, deftly approaching the center of the place by the most obscure route possible. Then their tricorders picked up a couple of Romulans cutting across their path.
Retreating to the closest intersection, they concealed themselves until the Romulans had come and gone, their steps echoing resoundingly. Noting on his tricorder that the pair was no longer a threat to them, Riker gave the signal to resume their journey.
A short time later, they entered what looked like a detention area—though the cells they could see were quite empty. However, Scotty couldn’t be far now.
The first officer checked his tricorder for human life signs. Strangely, he couldn’t find any. He shook his head. How could that be?
Looking up, he saw that Geordi and Data were just as puzzled as he was. Could they have missed something? Where in blazes was Captain Scott?
Suddenly, the android’s head snapped about. Taking his cue from Data, Riker made a sign for quiet.
The android gestured to indicate something up ahead of them. Most likely, the first officer thought, another couple of guards passing by. He listened intently, but didn’t hear anything.
He was just about to ask Data what he’d detected when the android’s head snapped around again—this time in the opposite direction. Then it happened a third time. And a fourth, in quick succession.
By then, Riker could feel the blood pumping in his neck. There was something going on, and he didn’t like it Taking the initiative, he brushed past his companions and stuck his head out into the corridor.
The next thing he knew, there was a blinding flash of bluish energy—a flash that might have caught him square between the eyes if Data hadn’t hauled him back out of harm’s way. As it was, the beam glanced off the wall behind him and filled their hiding place with azure light.
The first officer swallowed. “Thanks,” he whispered
“You are welcome,” the android whispered back.
“We’re surrounded,” Geordi observed. “Aren’t we?”
“Yes,” Data told him. “All avenues of egress are blocked.”
The engineer turned to Riker. “Your call, Commander.”
The first officer sighed. If the Romulans were onto them, there wasn’t a large chance of their getting away.
On the other hand, the idea of being taken prisoner wasn’t much to his liking—especially after what he’d heard about the way these people treated unwanted guests. Riker tightened his grip on his phaser.
“Follow me,” he rasped,
Diving out into the corridor, he rolled as he hit the floor and came up firing. He stayed in one place just long enough to see one of the Romulans fall, then rolled back in the other direction and tried it again.
Of course, he had some help at that point. He didn’t have to look back to know that Data and Geordi were right behind him, giving the Romulans all they could handle. Energy beams lanced past