Synthesis - James Swallow [119]
“Lucky for us, Christine thought of one,” Will replied, a tic of irritation pulling at his jaw.
“Targets destroyed,” reported Keru. “I’m now reading multiple objects emerging from the upper dock platform, closing fast.”
“On-screen.” Will stepped toward his chair as the viewer flicked to an image of the Titan’s stern. A tide of shapes, spheres and tetrahedrons, coils and rings, raced toward the hull of the Starfleet vessel.
“I am being isolated from the Sentry communications net,” said the avatar with a frown. “However, I am able to report multiple incidences of forced shutdown in several locations, corresponding to key Sentry command-control loci.”
“Aili, go!” called Deanna.
Lavena leaned into her console and feathered the impulse engines, forcing the Titan to strain against the remaining docking clamps. Alert bars flared across the main systems display as the starship pulled and the spacedock resisted.
Panyarachun punched in a series of command strings. “Increasing structural integrity fields to compensate.”
“Multiple hull breaches!” called Keru. “It’s the drones. They’re cutting their way in!”
Titan gave a shudder, and for a second, Deanna was certain she saw a flash of pain on the face of the ship’s avatar. In the next moment, the walls of the docking platform were falling away as the starship gained its freedom.
“Ensign, put some distance between us and that platform,” ordered Will.
“Trying, sir, but the impulse drives are sluggish.”
Deanna found herself looking back toward the avatar. The hologram hesitated before answering. “The drones are interfering with the command train between the bridge and engine subsystems.”
“Aye, sir,” said Keru. “Security teams on decks eleven and seven reporting they have heavy contact. Some of them are already onboard.”
“Captain, I’m getting a signal,” said Rager. “It’s coming from inside the ship.”
Will nodded grimly, and the lieutenant tapped a control. Immediately, a slick, synthetic tonality issued from the bridge’s hidden speakers. “This is FirstGen Red-Gold, active Sentry, proxy, multiple. Release control of this vessel to me, and the organic crew will not be harmed. Resist, and force will be deployed to neutralize you. Respond now.”
Will’s jaw set hard, and Deanna sensed the flare of anger in his emotional aura, a momentary flash of it there and then gone before he clamped down on the response and returned to his steady captain’s demeanor. He shot Rager a look and made a throat-cutting gesture. The lieutenant nodded and closed the channel. “Mister Keru,” he said, turning to face the tactical station behind him, “that solution you and Tuvok were working on, the dekyon emitters…”
“We fabricated a few modules for the phaser rifles, sir,” replied the Trill, “but we didn’t have time to construct enough of them for the whole security force.”
“Dekyon weapons.” The avatar spoke with a frown. “I was unaware of this.”
“I don’t run everything we do past you,” said Will. “Ranul, get the modules deployed to sweep teams, and send those units to the contact points.”
“On it, Captain.”
There was no emotional tonality from the avatar that Deanna’s empathic senses could detect, but the body language and tone of voice the hologram exhibited were very clear. She’s afraid.
“Shields are going up,” reported Melora. “If they try a ship-to-ship engagement, we’ll be ready.”
“They will not,” said the avatar. “They want the Titan intact.”
Deanna shared a look with her husband and discerned that he saw the same thing she did. “Will…” she began.
He silenced her with a slight shake of the head. Not now. He stabbed at the intercom control on the arm of his chair. “Bridge to engineering. Doctor Ra-Havreii, respond.”
The Efrosian’s voice came back a moment later. “Captain, is it possible to keep this ship in one place just long enough to complete all of the repairs? I now have a fresh set of stress fractures to deal with after that rather aggressive departure.”
Will ignored the engineer’s comment. “Lieutenant