Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [30]
“A few uninterrupted days of shore leave for the crew wouldnt go down badly either, sir, Reed said, wearing an expression that was somehow both hopeful and fatalistic.
“Time and tide are impatient mistresses, Malcolm, Archer said with a weak smile. “Duty calls. Starfleet says weve got pirates and raiders to catch.
Roughly forty minutes later, Archer found himself back on Enterprise s busy bridge, along with Reed, Mayweather, and Sato. After confirming that the engineering repair team was also back aboard and ordering Ensign Mayweather to break orbit for the starships next destination, the captain leaned back in his command chair and watched Altair VI begin making a swift descent into the void. Presented on the main viewer in an aft view, the blue-green orb quickly began to shrink in apparent size, like a pebble falling in slow motion into a dark and bottomless pit.
Now he had to get Enterprise back to the main civilian shipping lanes of Coalition space. It was time to resume the interminable vigil, patrolling for pirate vessels that only very rarely deigned to put in an appearance. Which really meant that it was time to go back to simply waiting around passively for something, anything , to happen, while the Romulans, and maybe the Klingons as well, continued drawing their plans behind the slumbering backs of the Coalitions perpetually distracted movers and shakers.
“On course and steady on half impulse power, Captain, Mayweather said as he entered several commands into his console, refining the starships flight path.
“Thanks, Travis, Archer said. “Engage warp drive, warp factor five. Lets not keep our pirates and raiders waiting any longer than we absolutely have to.
Mayweather turned and favored him with a brief but rueful grin before facing front once again. “Aye, sir, he said, then pushed the throttle stick purposefully forward. The feel of the deck plates suddenly changed beneath Archers boots as the increased output of the vessels powerful matter/antimatter reactor sent subaural vibrations racing throughout Enterprise s superstructure.
“Captain! Reeds sudden exclamation from the tactical console at the bridges aft section startled Archer out of his reverie. The keening wail of a proximity alarm pierced the air at almost the same moment.
Archer turned his chair around, then rose to his feet in a single swift, fluid motion. “What is it, Malcolm?
A frown of concern crumpled the ever-vigilant weapons officers forehead. “The long-range navigational sensors have just made contact with a small object in our flight path. It fits the general profile of a manned space vessel.
Archer motioned to Hoshi to cut off the klaxon, whose nerve-jarring noise abruptly ceased a moment later. “Collision danger? he asked, facing the tactical console.
Reed shook his head. “Correction, sir: The object doesnt lie directly in our flight path. We should clear it by a hundred kilometers or more.
“So why the alarm? Hoshi asked. “A hundred klicks is a pretty wide berth, isnt it?
“In deep space, thats like practically trading paint jobs, Mayweather said, frowning as he studied the console before him. “If this things a ship, then why isnt it using a standard navigational beacon?
Donning a frown that matched the helmsmans, Archer nodded. “Thats exactly what I intend to find out, Travis. Match velocity and intercept.
“Aye, sir, Mayweather said, adjusting the stick with one hand as he touched a series of buttons and switches with the other. “Dropping out of warp.
“What about our pirates and raiders, sir? Reed asked as the deck plates beneath Archers feet resumed their usual subwarp feel.
Archer turned toward his weapons officer, noted his ironic grin, and returned it. “Lets just say its their turn to sit around and wait.
“Unless theyve decided to come to us, Mayweather said, nodding in the direction of the unknown and not yet visible vessel.
Archer was already considering that possibilityalong with the possibility that the mystery ship