Star Trek_ A Choice of Catastrophes - Michael Schuster [71]
“What now, sir?” Lieutenant Jaeger asked, standing beside Spock, wide-eyed. “He needs a sickbay.”
“I have every confidence in Doctor M’Benga’s abilities.” Spock’s statement was not wholly true. Having Doctor McCoy present would have increased Scott’s odds of survival by four full percentage points.
“I wish I had your confidence, sir,” Jaeger said. For a moment, he gave the appearance of wanting to say something further but stopped himself. The geophysicist looked up at the ceiling. Through the gaping hole, they could see dark clouds lit by frequent flashes of lightning. “The rain is getting stronger.”
A steady stream of drops had been pelting Spock’s face, but their intensity and frequency was increasing.
“Ow!” Jaeger’s hand shot up, covering the top of his head.
“As is its solidity.” The rain had turned to hail. Spock stepped backward, out of reach.
“It’s cooled down surprisingly fast,” said Jaeger. “I don’t think this place is going to be safe much longer, the way this storm is going.”
“I agree,” Spock said. “Tell the doctor we have to move Mister Scott.”
Jaeger stepped over to the Columbus. Spock knew that with the wind gaining more strength, they would soon be caught in a deadly trap. The structure had been weakened by the ruptured roof and would not be able to withstand the onslaught.
Spock had to perform a quick reassignment of the shuttle crews. “Lieutenant Kologwe.”
“Aye, sir?” The security officer stopped and turned, her hair and face covered in a wet sheen.
“Conditions are expected to deteriorate, so we must be prepared to leave in a hurry. You have the necessary experience; I need you to pilot the Columbus. Be prepared for protracted turbulence once we take to the air.”
“Aye, sir,” she said somberly. Spock knew very few humans who had such a tight grip on their emotions. He told Kologwe to take Ensign Saloniemi with her. M’Benga had moved Lieutenant Rawlins to the Hofstadter where he could keep an eye on him.
Spock returned to the Hofstadter, where Saloniemi was gathering his materials. The Vulcan sent out a highly focused signal to the approximate location of the Enterprise. With no contact for nearly twelve hours, it was difficult to say where the ship would be, but he was confident in his selection. However, he received no indication that the signal had arrived at its destination.
The increasing interference had affected both their sensors and their shields. If there were distortions in subspace impairing the Enterprise’s journey, it was possible that there were similar ones much closer to Mu Arigulon. Mister Scott had isolated the interference pattern to create his countermeasure. Spock ordered the computer to map the interference, noting the levels.
“Fascinating.”
“Sir?” asked Saloniemi, leaning over the back of the navigator’s seat, tricorder in his hand.
“The computer has determined that the subspace distortion is strongest near the ‘projector’ at the hub of the reactor network,” Spock replied. “This explains our inability to obtain precise scans.”
“Is it creating a warp field?” asked Saloniemi.
“Possibly. The Farrezzi were clearly in the early stages of warp flight.”
“But if there’s a distortion reaching into deep space, they must be advanced.” Saloniemi shook his head. “That doesn’t fit.”
“It is not a matter of advancement so much as sheer power,” said Spock. “There were numerous reactors in the Farrezzi network, the equivalent of five or six times the Enterprise’s power. If we are to end the distortions, the logical conclusion is that we must deactivate the ractors.”
The rain had returned and was increasing in strength. The shuttle’s sensors told him that the wind had increased. Just then, a sensor blip caught his attention: