Ghost of a Chance - Mark Garland [57]
The maneuver had required only a minor course correction; Drenar's newest moon was in an orbit only slightly higher than Voyager's had been.
The three Drosary stood clustered to his left, well out of the way, exactly where the commander had asked them to stand. He had stopped short of removing them from the bridge entirely, at least for now, but he didn't mind keeping them in check. Still, they had complied with his requests without the slightest incident, saying they completely understood. Chakotay took this as another sign that he was largely right about them, and that B'Elanna was overreacting.
As Voyager slowly closed the distance, using only a fraction of the impulse engines' output, the details of the moon became more clearly visible. The surface was unusually smooth.
"Moving to optimum position," Paris said, alternating his attention between his console and the main screen. "Things must have been pretty quiet wherever this moon used to be," he added, observing the moon as Chakotay did.
"Ice may have covered its surface," Chakotay suggested. "That would have evaporated as the moon traveled sunward."
"Like a giant comet," Paris suggested. "Must have had one hell of a tail."
"We should be able to detect its debris trail without too much trouble," Chakotay said.
"If you two are through sight-seeing," B'Elanna said over the comm, "we are ready down here."
"Good," Chakotay answered. "Mr. Paris, engage the warp engines.
Mr. Rollins, activate the main deflector."
The commander stood up and moved to Ops, where Ensign Stephens kept watch in place of Kim. Over the ensign's shoulder he watched the monitor displaying the warp field, a misshapen bubble that reached out from the starship's bow and bumped into the giant moon, which was hundreds of times Voyager's size. The bubble slowly spread out until it touched nearly a third of the satellite's surface.
"That's all we've got," B'Elanna said.
Chakotay nodded. "Impulse power, Mr. Paris. Easy does it."
For several minutes everyone remained in place, fully engaged in silent station-keeping. Then: "I show movement, Commander," Stephens sang out, to the sound of relieved sighs from one and all.
"Warp engines are holding at sixty-three percent," Paris reported.
"All three graviton polarity generators on-line and operating within acceptable limits," B'Elanna added.
"Good work, Torres," Chakotay told her.
"Rollins will have to keep compensating for the moon's density variations manually," she responded. "I'll keep a watch on things down here. Meanwhile, if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to being all those other miracle workers you think I am.
Torres out."
It would be hours before they were through with just this moon, then they had to see what they could do about the others. After that, they might have to go back and work on this one again.
Even by their best estimates, it would be some time before any significant effect was felt below on the planet. But for the first time since Voyager had entered orbit around Drenar Four, Chakotay felt that they were getting somewhere.
He looked up again, willing the moon to move. "Progress, Mr. Rollins?"
"Point zero zero three percent, sir."
"Very well. Steady as she goes."
***
Janeway experienced a sense of foreboding as she approached the edge of the bluff. The top of her head still ached from the last time she'd been here. She edged forward with extra caution until she and Kim were in good positions, hidden behind the dense trees, some of which had recently fallen into one another. She could see Tuvok from here, a dark shape in the tall grass still at least fifty meters from the shuttlecraft. None of the Televek seemed to have spotted him yet. She knew their ignorance wouldn't last long.
She drew her hand phaser. "On stun," she said as Kim drew his.
She took aim. "Ready... fire."
Twin bright phaser beams flickered toward the shuttle, and two of the Televek guards dropped