Death of a Neutron Star - Eric Kotani [10]
Neelix refilled Janeway's cup of coffee again, and she smiled at him.
"A neutron star can lose matter from its surface under the powerful gravitational influence of another neutron star," Dr. Maalot said.
Kim nodded. "I understand that."
"Good. When the two neutron stars get very close to each other, one star's mass could become small enough that it is no longer massive enough to keep its neutron matter in that highly condensed nuclear degenerate form. Destabilized gravitationally, the whole star will explode with a force that is comparable to a small supernova."
"Just how energetic an explosion is a supernova?" Kim asked.
"Best way to explain it is this," Janeway said. "In a typical supernova explosion, energy equivalent to the ordinary radiation from billions of stars is released. That energy is so incomprehensibly immense, even a small percentage of it-as would happen in the explosion of such an underweight neutron star-is still a cosmic cataclysm."
"Does that mean the planetary system of Dr. Maalot and Lieutenant Tyla is doomed?" Paris asked.
Janeway glanced at Dr. Maalot while shaking her head. He also was shaking his head.
"Not necessarily," he said. "Not even probably, at least from the initial explosion. Any planetary system located within a light-year or so of the mini-supernova would be in serious trouble. First, at such a proximity the planet would be exposed to an intense high-energy radiation that would harm animal and plant life. Any technological society would suffer from the electromagnetic pulsation effects precipitated in the atmosphere by the gamma-ray bursts; the BMP effects would shut down all unprotected electronics."
Janeway agreed, but she knew that wasn't all that would happen. "A planet within a light-year would also be hit by a wave of highly energetic plasma. It would be devastating."
"Fortunately," Dr. Maalot said, "our system is just over ten light-years away, where the supernova blast will be considerably diluted. The Lekk world will likely survive the calamity, although there may be some unavoidable damage to our ecological system."
"So, the main danger to your system, Doctor," Janeway said, "involves the direction that the runaway neutron star will take. Am I correct?"
"You are entirely right, Captain. The chances that the runaway star will destroy any particular solar system within ten light-years-by a random chance of the timing of the explosion-are not very high."
"But actually," B'Elanna said, "the runaway star doesn't need to go through the center of a system to destroy it."
"Correct," Dr. Maalot said. "Simply by passing too close, the massive object would alter the planetary orbits so much that the solar system would become uninhabitable. Even with that, the chances for serious calamity on the Lekk planetary system are less than one in a thousand."
"Little comfort to your people, I'll bet," Paris said.
"You've got that right," Tyla said, speaking for the first time in a while. She stretched her long arms. "Doctor, don't you think it's about time you tell these people the real problem? Tell them why I need to get home and warn our people."
Janeway glanced at Tyla, then at Dr. Maalot. It was a good thing the young lieutenant had a lower tolerance for keeping secrets than her companion. It was indeed, about time that Voyager's guests laid their cards on the table.
The doctor looked almost uncomfortable. His green eyes stared down at his coffee cup. After a long moment he spoke without looking up. "We overheard a plan to force the neutron star explosion and send the rogue neutron star into our system."
"What?" Janeway said.
"That's not possible," B'Elanna said.
"I agree," Dr. Maalot said. "I don't think it is possible."
"But that is the Qavoks' plan," Tyla said.
The stunned silence filled the room. There was nothing more to say. There was nothing