Ghost of a Chance - Mark Garland [90]
"Very well," Janeway acknowledged.
"What have you done about our friends in the second cruiser?"
Chakotay asked.
"Oh, they're right behind us," Paris answered. "Or coming around to flank us."
Tuvok bowed his head in a semiformal greeting. "We will know in approximately twenty seconds," he said.
"Understood," Janeway said, taking to her chair. "Look sharp, everyone."
"Photons?" Chakotay asked Tuvok as the Vulcan returned to his post at the tactical station, relieving Rollins.
"Armed and ready," Tuvok said. "But they may not do us any good.
The cruiser has reinforced its forward shields, an effort that we believe will prove quite effective. And they are keeping their distance. I estimate they will be able to survive several direct photon detonations, if they are unable to avoid them altogether."
"I certainly don't intend to throw any torpedoes away," Janeway said.
"We'll have to think of something else."
"No sign of the Televek, Lieutenant," Stephens said. On the screen the moon had nearly vanished from sight. Black space filled much of their field of vision; the crescent of the planet itself filled the rest.
"You sure they're right behind us?" Chakotay asked.
"Confirmed," Tuvok said, working his console. "I have the cruiser on sensors now. They are just leaving lunar orbit, following our trail precisely."
"Are we still within range of their weapons?"
The ship lurched, then shook as the Televek answered Janeway's question.
"Evasive maneuvers, Mr. Paris," Janeway ordered. "Buy us some time."
"They seem curiously intent on simply following us around," Tuvok said, cocking his head.
"Explain," Janeway said.
"Their energy weapons lose power and accuracy over distance, yet they do not advance for a maximum assault, presumably because their fleet will arrive shortly. I believe that `buying time,' as you say, is precisely what they are attempting to do."
"So, unlike Gantel, this Televek commander is in no hurry to be a hero," Janeway mused, as the thrum of weapon fire contacting the shields ceased momentarily, further testimony to Paris's skill as a pilot. The respite would be a short one, she was certain of that.
"We could leave a trail of mines behind us," Paris suggested, still working the helm controls, "and use approximate settings on the timers."
"I suspect they would detect and destroy explosive devices of that type," Tuvok said. "Their shield and sensor technologies have been demonstrated to be as advanced as our own."
"What about another antimatter container?" Chakotay suggested.
"Properly shielded, they wouldn't scan anything like explosives, only the EM fields."
"We'd need an external detonator, and they would be able to detect that," Janeway said.
"If we had phasers, we could just leave a container behind, then detonate it from Voyager when the Televek got close enough," Paris replied.
"But we do not have phasers, Lieutenant," Tuvok said.
"Therefore, we cannot--" "No, we don't have phasers," B'Elanna said, stepping away from her station, leaning on the upper level railing, "but the Televek do."
The ship shook as another Televek shot landed. "We are all aware of that, Lieutenant," Neelix said.
"Neelix!" Janeway said, causing the Talaxian to step back slightly, nearer Kes. B'Elanna's expression was one of intense concentration as Janeway turned to face her. "What are you getting at, Torres?"
"We could use a class-one subspace probe. Replace most of the instrument package with a shielded antimatter container. That wouldn't do any good against their reinforced forward shields, but I'm guessing they can't reconfigure any faster than we can, which gives us some time. More than enough, I think."
Janeway took one step closer, her eyes locked with B'Elanna's.
"If we program the probe to follow the ion trail from their impulse engines..."
"It just might get close enough," B'Elanna finished.
"Captain," Tuvok said, clearly catching on, "it should be possible