Ghost of a Chance - Mark Garland [50]
"No," Triness said. "The breach was along a very narrow microwave band."
"A definite consolation. Is Daket having any luck locating the landing party? Or has he as many excuses for failing at that as he has for his failure to obtain access to the power source?"
"One of his teams has located the shuttle. We think the occupants may have been taken into a Drenarian village."
"Leave them there, then. For now. We can destroy the village later on and be done with all of them."
"Precisely what Daket was thinking." Triness grinned.
Gantel sat contemplating the situation. There was nothing he could do now but wait and see what the starship commander would do next, if anything. Over the years the third director had gotten very good at waiting for favorable developments, and his patience had been rewarded often enough. He could only hope for similar results this time--preferably before First Director Shaale arrived and was forced to intervene. Better to ask for the fleet's assistance with regard to specific plans and obvious results than to go begging for help in apparent desperation. He wanted that lovely Federation starship to be a gift to Shaale, not a burdensome military consideration, at the very least.
He looked at the strange vessel that filled the main viewscreen.
Soon, he thought. Soon enough...
***
"At least we know they're alive!" Chakotay said, rushing onto the bridge, then huddling over the tactical station, crowding Rollins out of the way. "Computer, repeat the last message from the away team."
The ship's computer complied. Chakotay listened intently, straining to make out the words that came through, words twisted and muddied by a thick ocean of interference.
"Let me see if I can clean that up a bit, Commander," Rollins offered.
Chakotay lent a hand. They played the message back again and again, adjusting the filters each time, then using the computer to enhance the results.
"That's as good as we're going to get it," the ensign said finally.
Chakotay heaved a deep sigh. The message wasn't that clear, and it got worse the farther they tried to go, right up to the point at which the signal was lost altogether. Several things, though, were clear the third moon was new, the coming lunar alignment was causing the earthquakes and magma eruptions, and the tidal forces now building might cause the planet literally to come apart.
"How long until the lunar alignment?" Chakotay wondered aloud, tapping at the console to engage the computer in the task of answering his question. He waited. He didn't like the answer.
The other timetables facing him ran through his mind, and he began to feel very uncomfortable. He checked the figures one more time to be certain.
"Commander..." Rollins began, seeing the answer too. Then his voice trailed off as he realized the implications.
"Mr. Rollins, you have the conn," Chakotay said, practically lunging away from the console. He headed straight toward the turbolift. "If you need me I'll be in engineering."
***
"I already have a job!" B'Elanna Torres snapped, moving from one console to the next, leaving her commander standing there.
Chakotay frowned as he glanced to either side. Numerous engineering personnel worked feverishly at every station, occasionally calling out to one another, while others came and went in a constant procession.
He went after the chief engineer, who had momentarily settled near the power transfer conduits leading to the dilithium housing.
"Well, I've got another job for you," he said.
"How many people do you think I am?"
"What's your status right now?" Chakotay asked, brushing past her question.
Torres made a sound somewhere in her throat, which Chakotay was sure owed little to her human side. She tossed her fallen bangs back out of her eyes and looked at him. "We're making progress," she said with a firm nod. Her features relaxed just a little bit, an indication she truly meant what she said. "Slow,