Day of Honor - Michael Jan Friedman [55]
"Computer," she said, "prepare to eject the warp core. Authorization Torres omega-phi-9-3."
The computer responded instantly. "Core-ejection system enabled."
That done, B'Elanna pushed Tom in the direction of the exit and hurried out after him. Once they reached the corridor, she saw the other engineers waiting for them.
First, B'Elanna tapped the control that closed the doors to engineering. Then she steeled herself.
"Computer," she cried out, "eject the warp core."
She couldn't see the core blow out from beneath the ship and tumble away into the void-but, unfortunately, she could imagine it. She couldn't feel Voyager listing drunkenly to one side, thanks to the inertial dampers-but she could imagine that, too.
B'Elanna felt as if her own core had been ripped from her. She looked up at the intercom grid ' "Torres to Janeway. We've dumped the core," she reported, feeling a twinge as she said it. After all, it
was the last thing a chief engineer wanted to have to say.
"Acknowledged," said Janeway, her voice devoid of emotion. "I'm on my way down, Lieutenant."
B'Elanna looked around at her small, dispirited clutch of engineers. They looked back at her, not knowing what to say.
She saved them the trouble. "Welcome to the worst day of my life."
B'ELANNA STOOD AT THE DARK, EMPTY SPACE OCCUPIED by the warp core until just a little while ago. Engineering looked naked to her without the core, like a solar system suddenly deprived of its sun.
Of course, without a sun, the planets in a system would freeze over. Engineering hadn't done that. In fact, the place was busier than ever, with all kinds of personnel assisting in the repair efforts.
Neelix was among them. So was Tom. But not Seven of Nine. B'Elanna had dismissed Tom's new friend. The chief engineer had plenty to worry about without having to keep an eye on a potentially treacherous Borg.
For instance, there was the little matter of getting a propulsion system back on-line. That alone could take hours.
Out of the corner of her eye, B'Elanna saw Captain
Janeway walk into engineering and look around. The lieutenant frowned. Before she got involved in an extended conversation with the captain, she wanted to make sure her key officers had their assignments laid out for them.
"Vorik!" she called. "Carey! Rabinowitz!"
All three of them stopped what they were doing and came over. "How may I be of assistance?" asked the Vulcan.
B'Elanna told him. "We have to get the impulse engines on-line. You and Nicoletti check the driver coils."
Vorik nodded as he retreated. "Yes, Lieutenant."
The chief engineer turned to Rabinowitz, a man with light brown hair and a baby face. "We've got a problem with the microfusion initiators. See if you can trace it to its source."
"Done," the man assured her.
"And while you're at it," B'Elanna told him, "see to the command coordinator. It's a mess."
"On my way," he said.
"And me?" asked Carey.
"Go over the plasma injectors. If they're damaged, they could decide to fire on their own."
"Got it." Carey started to move away.
"When you're done," B'Elanna added, "take a look at the structural integrity field. Blowing out the core could have created some weak spots."
"No problem," Carey assured her, hastening to take care of it-and almost bumping into the captain in the process.
The engineer girded herself. More than anything, she hated the idea of letting Janeway down. After all,
the captain had demonstrated faith in B'Elanna from the beginning.
"Report," said Janeway, obviously in no mood for niceties.
"We're stopped cold," B'Elanna told her. "The warp core is millions of kilometers away by now, and the impulse engines are seriously damaged. I can give you a few thrusters…"
"But that's it," the captain finished for her.
"That's it," the engineer confirmed.
Janeway frowned. "How long before I can have impulse power?"
B'Elanna shrugged. "I can't give you an estimate. We're still assessing the damage." She sighed. "So much for opening a transwarp conduit. I never thought it was a good idea in the first place."'