Last Full Measure - Michael A. Martin [57]
“Passive isotope scans confirm we’ve found the end of the trail,” Mayweather said, looking up at Chang. “This is definitely Xindi real estate, and we’re still heading straight for it.”
Chang nodded. “So what we need to find out next is whether or not anybody’s home.”
“With all the ionized dust and debris out here, there’s no way to tell without performing an active sensor scan,” Mayweather said. “I’d advise against doing that, unless we want to come right out and announce to the Xindi that we’re standing on their doorstep.”
“I agree,” Chang said. “We’ll lay in the weeds for now. In the meantime, I want a tactical assessment.”
Guitierrez stepped forward and pointed to the legs that supported the Xindi structure. “Those pilings the thing is standing on look like a serious vulnerability to me. If we could take them all out, we may be able to tip the thing over. That would cripple the whole facility, at the very least.”
Chang was about to congratulate Guitierrez when Mayweather spoke up. “I’m not so sure about that,” the pilot said, using that “condescending expert” tone that far too many of Enterprise’s Starfleet crew used in the presence of MACOs. To Chang, that tone indicated that the squids regarded his comrades-in-arms as little more than undereducated ground-pounders.
“And why is that?” Chang asked, his back teeth grinding involuntarily.
“Because this asteroid barely has enough gravity to keep itself in one piece. Just tipping that structure over probably won’t do nearly enough damage to cripple or destroy it.”
“All right, Ensign,” Chang said, struggling to keep his voice even. “How would you attack this thing?”
“I wouldn’t, necessarily. Sub-Commander T’Pol didn’t order us to take on the whole Xindi war infrastructure all on our own.”
Chang was determined not to argue that point yet again. “Noted, Ensign. Indulge me.”
“Well, I’d start by trying to figure out exactly what they’re using this facility for.” Mayweather pointed toward the base of the conical facility very close to the asteroid’s surface, where several large intake grilles seemed to be inhaling long plumes of dark dust, near a network of ducts that disappeared into holes in the crust. “I’m betting these are their collecting devices and mining shafts. The technology isn’t that different from what I saw doing the ore runs from Draylax.” He looked up at Chang. “If I’m right, the Xindi are definitely mining the isotope, both from inside this asteroid and directly from the debris cloud.”
“Maybe when they use up one asteroid, they just disengage from it and sink their teeth into the next one they find,” Eby said from beside Guitierrez.
Mayweather nodded. “And in between asteroids, they’d still be able to suck in a whole lot of free-floating dust-cloud material through those intake grilles.”
Chang’s mind whirled as he considered how he might use the Xindi facility’s emerging technological profile against it. “We’re pretty certain that this isotope that the Xindi are collecting in this dust cloud—the same stuff that made up the trail we followed here—is what they’re using for fuel, right?”
“I’d bet my living quarters aboard Enterprise on it,” Mayweather deadpanned.
Chang ignored the obvious jab. “So is this facility able to refine the raw material it’s collecting?”
“We don’t really know what technology the Xindi have,” Mayweather said, his expression peevish. “For all we know, they’ve been tracking us for hours and are just luring us into a trap.”
Chang saw Eby’s eyes grow wide. I’ve got to shut him down, Chang thought. And right now. Before he plants any more doubts in my people’s minds.
“If that’s the case, Ensign, they’ll find