Immortal Coil - Jeffrey Lang [107]
“Somehow, I’m not finding that comforting,” Rhea replied. Another thirty meters and they discovered why no one was crawling up after them. They had reached the end of the line—another hatch—but it was obvious from the porthole that this one was meant to serve as an exterior maintenance hatch.
Data again tried to raise the Enterprise on his combadge without success. “Any ideas?” he asked.
“Other than the obvious one?” Rhea responded.
“How long could you survive in hard vacuum?”
“A while, I think,” she said. “Vaslovik never mentioned a time limit, only that I should avoid it if possible. What about you?”
“I will be able to function,” he explained, though he did not know how well or for how long. “My eyes may be damaged if the exposure is prolonged, but I have other ways to perceive my environment. Are you ready?”
“Whenever you are,” she replied.
Data flipped the switch.
The Enterprise sensors registered the energy buildup in the station’s power plant moments before it had opened fire and Picard alerted Vaslovik, who urged caution. “Don’t attack,” he said, “but don’t retreat, either. If Data has done what I think he has, we don’t want to draw attention to ourselves.”
“Could Data be back aboard your station, then?”
“I don’t believe so, no.”
Picard considered Vaslovik’s recommendation, and weighed his alternatives. Though no longer under attack as intense as before, the Enterprise was still outnumbered.
“Captain, we’re getting some peculiar sensor readings from the lead ship,” Riker reported.
“Specify.”
“Power spikes. Something is happening to their shields.” Riker studied the readout and his brow was creased with consternation. “They’re venting plasma.”
Picard looked up at the image on the main monitor. The lead ship had slowed, but was still moving. The second ship would be in firing range in less than a minute. They didn’t have much time.
“Here. Look at this,” Riker said and sent the image to the main monitor. Vaslovik groaned. It was difficult to be sure with all the plasma spewing out of the hole in the hull, but Riker was almost certain he saw two figures clinging to the hull of the android ship.
It had been slow work moving along the hull of the android vessel, but the ship’s uneven ablative coat offered them numerous handholds. The trick was having one hand solidly gripping the ship at all times.
Having cleared the hatch, Data and Rhea determined that they were approximately amidships on the port side. The next question was simple: Which direction should they go? By signs and hand signals, they decided to head for the bow with the intention of finding sensor arrays, shield generators or anything else that might affect the outcome of the battle.
Just as they reached the halfway mark on the slope of the hull, Data discerned that the field of stars was shifting and Vaslovik’s station was coming back into view. Obviously, the androids had completed their repairs and had decided on their target. If M-5 fired on them, Data doubted whether he and Rhea would have time to do much more than see the flash of light. They had to do something to get the Enterprise’s attention.
There was another option, but it was a last resort: If this ship got into a battle with either the station or the Enterprise, they could jump clear and take their chances in open space. The problem with that was, this close to the planet, they might not be detected in a debris field before Odin’s gravity well dragged them in.
As the ship turned, the great arc of the gas giant hove into view. Once again, Data was struck by the sight of the indistinct silver bands and could not help but wonder about their origin. Unless he was careful, he knew, he might