Synthesis - James Swallow [31]
“It’s like a baleen whale,” said Lavena. “Sifting krill from the ocean.”
“Or a carrion bird, picking over a corpse,” offered Lieutenant Tylith from the engineering station, her big eyes blinking. Vale grimaced at the mental image the lizardlike Kasheetan’s suggestion created.
“Nothing on subspace,” reported Rager.
“No response?”
“I don’t think they’re listening, Commander,” said the lieutenant.
“Aspect change,” called Tuvok. “The hull configuration is shifting again.”
The craft turned downward and dropped away through the bottom of the cloud of wreckage. For a moment, it seemed as if the vessel was simply going to rotate away and head off; but instead, it turned on its axis, rolling to present its narrowest aspect toward the Titan. Then, with a sudden surge of thrust, it moved toward them.
Y’lira’s golden face tightened in concern. “Energy-transfer events registering all along the length of the vessel.”
Vale shot a look at her. “Weapons?”
“I can’t be sure.”
“Rager, hail them again, all channels. Lavena, back us off.”
The Pacifican worked the helm, and Titan fell away, but the alien ship ate up the distance between them. Then the structure of it changed again, and this time there was no mistaking the intent behind it. The tubular forms curved up and around, bending along their lengths, the silhouette of the alien craft shifting into something that resembled a spread claw, with lightning-glow talons at every tip.
“The ship is scanning us,” Tuvok reported. “It is attempting to gain a weapons lock.”
“Power surge along the outer hull!” called Y’lira. “They’re going to open fire!”
“Evasive action!” The commander slapped at her com-badge. “Vale to all hands! Red Alert, battle stations!”
Five emerald lances left the alien ship at once, stabbing out through the darkness toward Titan’s primary hull. The Starfleet ship pivoted sharply to avoid the attack and extended away, two of the beams streaming across the shields. The bubble of protective force shimmered briefly into visibility as the hits reflected off, actinic glows sparking sun-bright and searing.
The attacker turned with its target, sweeping around with the beam weapons, sending them probing after the starship like searchlights reaching into the dark. Thruster grids flared as it committed power to the pursuit, closing the distance even as the Titan tried to disengage and retreat beyond engagement range.
With careful and precise tactics, the alien ship anticipated each move the Titan made, bracketing it with green streamers of lethal radiation. The shields flashed again and again as they were hit, the protective barrier burning off crucial potentiality with every strike that landed.
Riker caught his wife as the tremor through the decking made her stumble. “Deanna?”
“I’m all right,” she replied. “There’s another…” Troi looked toward the alien artificial intelligence. “Another ship out there.”
The captain pushed past Keru to the control panel, noting in passing that every one of the Trill’s security team had drawn their weapons and made ready. “Riker to bridge, report!”
“We’re under attack from an unidentified craft, sir,” Vale snapped. “It’s a similar design to the wreck. Hails are being ignored—”
Another heavy shudder raced down the length of the Titan, and Riker felt it in the pit of his stomach.
“Captain, we can’t take much more of this!”
“Move fast,” he ordered. “Get us out of range.”
“We’ll try,” Vale replied, but she didn’t sound convinced.
“What is out there?” Keru was asking.
Dakal ran a command through his panel. “Patching into external monitors.”
A tertiary display screen resolved into a view of space, and there, rolling across it, was the claw shape of their attacker.
“Is that the Null?” the captain demanded, facing the AI. “Did it come back to finish you off?”
“Negative,” came the response. “Shipframe identifier: Sentry, mobile. Mode state: combatant.”
“It is one of your vessels? Why is it firing on us?” said