Intellivore - Diane Duane [53]
“Of course,” Crusher said.
Troi opened her mouth and closed it again. “Data,” she said then, “you have associational networks. Granted, they’re made of metal and plastic and silicon rather than complex proteins. But their structure is similar enough. Can you be so sure that the intellivore won’t sense you as clearly as it seems to be able to sense us, and control you as well—wipe you clean like the Boreal and Oraidhe crew?”
Data looked at her for a moment. “I would say the risk is acceptable,” he said. “My associational networks have a very significant difference from yours: they are self-repairing, can repair themselves at considerable speed even during the process of being damaged, and have redundant backups. Material can be shifted around my mind from one area to another, even while a given area is being attacked.”
“Assuming they’re not being attacked all at once,” said Troi.
“Assuming they can be attacked at all,” said Crusher. “I think Data may have something here. If he manages the attack on the intellivore—”
“Physical logistics would be something of a challenge,” said Data. “Since I cannot physically occupy all the necessary stations at once, I would have to be ‘wired’ into ship’s computers.”
He looked at Geordi. Geordi nodded. “It’s a fair amount of work, but certainly it can be done; we have some of the necessary interface equipment preserved from previous missions.”
“So what’s being suggested here,” said Picard, “is that everyone on the attacking ship would be rendered profoundly enough unconscious so that when the intellivore attempted to drain their minds, there would be nothing perceptible there to drain.”
“I can do that, Captain,” said Crusher. “Drugs are the best way. I can control the length of unconsciousness, and the depth of it, with great precision.”
“Nothing in medicine is ever that easy, Doctor … or so you keep telling me.”
“Oh, there are dangers. I can almost flatten an EEG. It’s not wise to leave it that way for long; brain tissue gets lazy. I would prefer not to leave it that way for more than an hour, several hours max. But certainly this operation wouldn’t take that long.”
“I would hope not!” said Picard. He looked at Data.
Data shook his head. “From beginning approach to completion, certainly no more than an hour.”
Troi looked at him with concern. “There’s still a danger,” she said. “Speed of self-repair—well, you know your rate for that. But it’s going to be difficult to quantify the amount of power with which this thing might hit you. If it hits you with too much—” She shook her head. “Your positronics might be wiped clean, no matter what you can do. And then the intellivore will just wait until everyone wakes up again, and drain them dry.”
The command crews looked at one another. Picard sat quiet for a moment. He looked at Troi, glanced away, then at Crusher, who gazed at him steadily.
“Let’s get ready to do this,” Picard said.
“Captain,” said Ileen, “now, this is not quite suicidal any longer. I think this is my job. My crew is smaller; we have fewer supernumeraries among us than you have. They’re all people who know the dangers associated with—”
“As does the crew of the Enterprise,” said Picard. “No, Captain.” Ileen raised her hand to object, but Picard interrupted before she could begin. “First of all, we need backup. Your ship is lighter, more maneuverable, and under some circumstances faster than ours. It makes sense for you to be the backup. If we fail, another ship will be needed to keep tailing that planet, at a safe distance, while calling Starfleet for help and making sure other ships don’t come near until that help arrives. The other reason, the main one, is that we’re better bait.” Picard’s smile was grim. “There are more of us than there are of you. We’re a bigger mouthful, a tastier prize.”
Maisel smiled back. “Sweet reason I knew about,” she said after a moment. “This must be the sour kind.”
Picard nodded at her concession. “Believe me, Captain, if this fails,