Metamorphosis - Jean Lorrah [8]
La Forge, ready tractor beams. Mr.
Crusher!”
“Yes, Captain?”
“We’ll need that tractor beam enhancement of yours on-line if we’re going to be dividing power in three directions.”
“Aye, Captain,” the youngest bridge crew member said as the turbolift doors closed the bridge off from Data’s hearing. In the corridor outside the transporter room, another gravitational surge shifted the floor beneath his feet.
Transporters were normally o@.-line during warp travel, but Transporter Chief O’Brien had orders to start operation the moment they made contact with vessels in distress. While the systems checks were being finished, Data took over the primary console, all the while listening to the intercom from the bridge.
“comou of control.” came Poet’s voice. ” Rorydon’t forget me. was “Enterprise, do you read?” came Adin’s voice. “That surge blanked our instruments. We can’t operate tractor beams!”
“Slow to impulse!” Picard ordered.
“Ensign Crusher- ” Enhancement on-line, sir!” The boy’s voice cracked with tension.
” Mr. La Forge, focus the tractor beams. Data, do you have a fix on the people?”
“Negative, Captain-the distance is too great.”
“One of the ships is behind the planet, was Picard said. “Change course to two one five mark naught-his Data turned his primary attention from the bridge conversation and concentrated on the transporter controls. He cross-circuited, seeking to locate lifeforms in what the sensors insisted was empty space. Then there was the slightest flicker- “We’re breaking up! Enterprise, your tractor beam’s too powerful.”
“Survival suits,” said a woman’s voice Data also recognized: Pris Shenkley’s. “Hurry— But by this time Data had a fix on two lifeforms. Engaging the transporter, he watched apprehensively as two striped columns of light appeared on the transporter platform, remained fragmented for almost ten seconds, then, as his hands nursed the controls, coalesced into two figures.
He had caught them unprepared. One of them, an oddly nondescript man, was seated on nothing, his hands poised over a nonexistent control board. The other, a tall, slender blond woman, had one survival suit slung over her arm and a second in her hands, ready to drop into the man’s lap. As they integrated, the man fell backward onto the transporter platform. But he was up in a flash.
He spun and caught sight of Data at the console. “Did you get the others?” he demanded.
At the same moment, Picard’s voice came over the intercom. “Data-we lost one ship! Did you get those people aboard?”
“Two aboard safe,” he replied.
“Thank God, was the captain replied.
“We’ve got the other ships in tow-they’ll be in the shuttle bay in another few minutes.”
The man and woman grinned at one another, and then the woman came around the console to hug Data. “Once more to the rescue. This is starting to become a habit.”
“Welcome aboard, Pris Shenkley. I am pleased that the Enterprise was available,” Data replied. “I shall maintain transporter readiness until the other ships are safely aboard. Then I will take both you and Poet”—he nodded a greeting to the man-“to the shuttle bay.”
Data was pleased to see Pris again. They had first met on the planet Treva, but at that time he had been so enmeshed in his mission-concerned about Tasha Yar’s attraction to Darryl Adin-that he had hardly responded to Pris’s overtures of friendship.
Now, perhaps, he would have the chance to get to know her better.
The other two shuttles were brought aboard without incident. Shortly thereafter, Data led Pris and Poet to a reunion with the other members of Darryl Adin’s band in the shuttle bay.
He had a reunion of his own there as well.
“Mr. Data,” Darryl Adin said, striding over to meet him. “Thank you. That is twice I owe you … or is it three times?”
Data saw a shadow appear in the man’s dark eyes on the last words. “Only twice,