Slings and Arrows 01_ Sea of Troubles - J. Steven York [7]
He was interrupted as Picard’s combadge chirped. “Captain, this is Ensign Molinero. We’re receiving a distress call from the Samson, sir. They’ve lost main power on their way out of the nebula, and they’re drifting. Their shields are on emergency power.”
“We’re on our way.”
The three senior officers rushed onto the bridge. Data quickly replaced a young ensign at the ops station.
“Plot a course for the Samson, best possible speed. Mr. Data, can we go to warp?”
“Not at this time, Captain. I am calculating the quickest route via impulse to an area of low density. Even taking some calculated risks, I estimate it will take us ten minutes to reach the Samson’s position.”
“Open a channel to the Samson.”
The speaker crackled with interference. There was no visual. Evidently the Samson’s main transmitters were down as well. Picard could hear excited voices as the bridge crew struggled to cope with the emergency. “Captain Adrian, this is Picard. What’s happening there?”
There was a moment of hesitation before the response came. “Main power just failed on us. No reason we can isolate yet, but we’re venting plasma from somewhere at an alarming rate. A blast of microwaves from the star blinded half our hull sensors, so we can’t localize the problem.”
“We’re on our way.”
Picard took the command chair and turned to Data. “Have astrophysics launch a probe on a tangential course immediately. If we can get a visual of the Samson, even from a distance, perhaps we can help them locate their leak.”
Data’s fingers flew across his control panel, relaying the order. He paused for the fraction of a second it took to receive confirmation, then looked up from his console. “Captain, the probe is away, but our sensors are detecting a flare event directed nearly square-on to the Samson’s position. A beam of coherent microwave radiation is building strength. Radiation flux is already climbing.”
“Roger, did you hear that? Can your shields hold?”
There was grim resignation in his voice. “Not for long.” A pause. “We’re going to have to abandon ship.”
“Captain,” said Data, urgency in his voice, “escape pod shielding will be inadequate to protect the occupants from the radiation. Only a ship’s shields will suffice.”
“Roger, you can’t use the escape pods. Get everyone you can into shuttlecraft.” Even as he said it, Picard had a sick feeling in his stomach. The Samson had three, possibly four type-6 shuttlecraft, and two or three type-15 shuttlepods. Even with emergency evacuation loading, well over half of the Samson’s two-hundred-twenty-person crew would be left behind.
“Captain, we are receiving visual from the probe.” Data tapped his console, switching the display onto the main viewscreen.
On the viewscreen, the Samson was a distant spot. Data magnified the image, as Picard strained to find a detail that would identify the damage. But surges of microwaves hammered the Samson’s shields, turning them into a glowing ball, a miniature aurora of shimmering light.
As they watched, helpless, a stream of plasma shot from the sun’s writhing surface.
“I’ve already given the order, Jean-Luc. I’m staying on the bridge. Tell Becka- “
The plasma stream struck the Samson with unimaginable speed and force. There was a shriek from the speaker, then silence.
“We have lost the signal, Captain. A plasma stream from the flare has engulfed the Samson’s position. Long-range sensors are showing- ” Data turned in his seat to face Picard. His voice caught in an uncharacteristic manner as he struggled to control his emotions. “Sir, long-range sensors show only debris. The Samson is gone.”
CHAPTER 3
The Enterprise swept the area repeatedly, but there was little to find. No life pods had been launched, and they would have served as little more than coffins if they had. But for a