Death of a Neutron Star - Eric Kotani [54]
"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. Well 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