Death of a Neutron Star - Eric Kotani [50]
"Captain," Kim said. "The other eleven Qavok warships are slowly leaving position to join the three new ships."
"Estimated time of arrival?"
"Twenty-eight minutes," Kim said.
"Captain," Tom said. "We'll be a sitting duck if we stay in this low orbit for a fight."
"Understood," Janeway said.
"Captain," Kim said. 'The thirty troops on the Invincible have locked down in two shuttles. They appear to be getting ready to launch."
She shook her head in amazement and turned back to stare at the binary filling the screen. Thirteen Qavok warships on the way. Another already in orbit. All arrayed against Voyager and a Xorm science ship. If Tuvok were here, he would most certainly tell her how slim the odds were of survival. But at the moment, he was facing his own slim odds.
"Ensign," Janeway said. "Hail the Gravity."
"On screen," Kim said a few moments later.
"We've seen the Qavok movement," Captain Fedr said. "This doesn't look good."
"No it doesn't," Janeway said. "The round ship is one they built specially to dive into the neutron star binary. Nothing but screens and a large warp core."
Captain Fedr shook his head slowly from side to side, clearly amazed. "You know, I sometimes don't give the Qavok enough credit for pure evil"
"By trying to destroy an entire inhabited system," Janeway said, "I'd say that pure evil just about describes them."
"So what are we going to do to stop them?" Fedr asked.
"I think," Janeway said, "that it might be a wise idea if you pulled off to a safe distance and stayed out of the fight. Let us handle them."
"Thirteen Qavok warships?" Captain Fedr said, almost laughing. "Captain, I know your ship is powerful, but there are limits to everything. It would help if I drew a few of those warships' attention. Even the odds a little. And don't worry. We can take care of ourselves just fine."
"Thank you, Captain," Janeway said. "Your help is gladly accepted."
"No, the thanks belong to you," Captain Fedr said. "It's just lucky for all of us you came along when you did."
"Let's see how this turns out first," Janeway said, smiling at the Xorm. "Follow my lead and move up to a higher orbit where we have more room to fight."
"Actually, Captain," Fedr said, "I'm thinking I should take my ship slightly lower."
"Lower?"
"Exactly," Captain Fedr said. "I have a skilled pilot and a ship designed to withstand battering. We'll set up to block the path of their special ship. If a few of those warships come down to clear us out of the way, we'll have the advantage."
"Good thinking," Janeway said.
"Thank you," Fedr said.
"One more thing," Janeway said. "The Qborne troops are about to launch from the Invincible in two shuttles. Any idea what we should do about them?"
"One moment," Fedr said.
He did a slight bit of work below him, off screen; then beside his face an illustration of a Qavok warship appeared.
"Captain," he said, "the Qavok shuttlebay doors are here."
On the illustration a red circle appeared around an area of the Qavok ship. Of course, Janeway knew that, but said nothing, letting the Xorm captain go on with his idea.
"A pre-emptive strike against the Invincible," he said, "hitting this area, would lock those shuttlebay doors closed, and render the Qborne irrelevant. If they can't get out, they can't hurt anything."
"Got it," Janeway said, turning back to Captain Fedr. "And good luck to you in the upcoming fight. We'll stop them."
"I certainly hope so, Captain," Fedr said. "May the gods be with you over the next hour."
Janeway broke the connection. "Hail Captain Qados."
"On screen," Kim said.
The sneering, reptilian face of the Qavok appeared. Now, after getting a pretty solid confirmation that they were purposely trying to destroy an entire system, she was so angry she could barely talk.
"Captain Qados," Janeway said before the Qavok could even say a word. "We know you are planning an attack against the Xorm ship with a group of Qborne.