Death of a Neutron Star - Eric Kotani [58]
Also showing on the screen was the warship Invincible, still holding orbit, but dead without shields, engines, or weapons. At the moment it was on the far side of the neutron star binary in its orbit.
And then there was the shuttle, floating almost off the schematic, useless.
Voyager rocked again as the lead four warships fired at once. Sparks flew from three panels and smoke filled the ceiling area of the bridge.
Suddenly the answer was there, floating on the screen in the seemingly lifeless form of the shuttle. They were going to hook the yacht to the shuttle, but that plan was now worthless. So why not use the yacht now, to save their lives?
"B'Elanna," Janeway said. "
"You've got exactly one minute to launch the yacht into those ships."
"Got it, Captain," B'Elanna said. "Good idea. I'm headed there now. But I'll have to shove the thing out the door with a tractor beam."
"Do what you have to do," Janeway said. "I don't care. Just make sure it drifts right at those Qavok ships."
"Yes, Captain," B'Elanna said.
"Before you start," Janeway said, "set a charge to rupture the warp core thirty seconds after leaving. Understand?"
"Way ahead of you," B'Elanna said, breathlessly. "And I plan to leave the energy containment canister on board, too."
"Of course," Janeway said, smiling.
"It will be done in fifty seconds," B'Elanna said.
"Won't they just blow the yacht apart the minute it leaves our shields?" Kim asked.
"Let's hope not," Janeway said. "I'm betting none of them want to be the one to destroy their prince's yacht."
"So it will blow up right in the center of them?" Chakotay said. "Great idea."
"We can hope," Janeway said. "Otherwise we might as well just toss shoes at them, for all the good this is going to do us."
"Thirty seconds," B'Elanna's voice echoed over the bridge.
"Everyone's doing countdowns," Tom said, shaking his head in disgust.
"Hail the Qavok warships," Janeway said. "Audio only."
"Ready, Captain," Kim said just as another volley of phaser shots rocked Voyager.
"Qavok warriors," Janeway said. "Our society honors its greatest warriors with prizes and awards. You have fought well this day. We honor you by returning your prince's yacht to you as we promised. Before our final battle."
She cut the connection.
"Think they bought it?" Chakotay asked.
"I don't know," Janeway said. "But at least they can't say I don't keep my promises."
Tom laughed, shaking his head at her lame joke.
"Shuttle launching," B'Elanna said. "Explosive time set for thirty seconds. Mark. Now."
"Tom," Janeway said. "Please tell me we still have impulse power."
He glanced around at her and smiled. "We still have impulse, Captain. And warp for that matter."
"Then take us and put us between the coming explosion and the shuttle. As close to the shuttle as you can get, just in case they don't have enough screens."
"As if we do," Ensign Kim said. "We're holding at twenty-six percent."
"Now, Tom," she said. "Get us out of here."
On the screen the yacht drifted toward the Qavok warships and the bomb ship in their center.
Tom swung Voyager wide and accelerated to the shuttle, turning so that they faced the Qavok warships, which were now out of range.
"Fifteen seconds," Chakotay said.
"Get us more screens," Janeway ordered.
"Doing my best, Captain," Kim said.
"They're going for it," Chakotay said.
"Lucky for us they never read about the Trojan horse," Tom said.
"I've established a link with the shuttle," Kim said.
"Tuvok," Janeway said.
"Yes, Captain," Tuvok's voice came back clear.
"Your shield situation?"
"We have almost thirty percent," he said.
"Okay," she said. "Hold on to something. This may get a little rough at this distance."
"Captain?" She could picture him raising a questioning eyebrow.
"You'll understand in a few seconds.