The Battle of Betazed - Charlotte Douglas [46]
Excellent. This might be his only chance to beam the away team onto the station, but with enemy vessels bearing down on them, there was only one way he could think of to make it work. However, taking advantage of the situation would risk his ship and his crew.
Picard didn’t like to gamble with the lives of his people, but sometimes a shot at success was worth the risk—especially when the freedom of every Betazoid on the planet was at stake. He weighed the risks against the peril and made his decision.
The captain tapped his combadge. “Away team, stand by to transport. Tactical, prepare to lower shields.”
“Sir?” Daniels wiped perspiration from his eyes with his sleeve.
“You heard me, Lieutenant. Stand by for my command and open a hailing frequency.” The captain straightened his uniform and ignored the looks his bridge crew exchanged out of sight of the enemy. “This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation Starship Enterprise. I’m afraid you have us at a disadvantage.”
“Jem’Hadar are responding, sir.”
“On screen,” Picard ordered.
A thick-skulled Jem’Hadar First stared at Picard from the viewscreen. “Prepare to die.”
“I’m prepared to surrender.” Picard ignored the gasps from around him.
“We don’t take prisoners.” The Jem’Hadar raised his hand to cut off communications.
Picard spoke quickly. “This is the Federation flagship. Much of its technology is still highly classified. This would be the Dominion’s first opportunity to examine a Sovereign-class vessel, as well as study its tactical databases. As a show of good faith, I’m dropping our shields.”
Picard motioned to tactical. Daniels might not agree with the risk his captain was taking, but discipline and training prevailed. Daniels lowered the Enterprise ‘s shields, leaving them completely vulnerable to attack. Picard continued with what he hoped seemed a careless disregard for his betrayal of the Federation. “Why don’t you consult with your superior officer and get back to me about terms for our surrender?”
He was betting that the Jem’Hadar didn’t have a Vorta on board. If the Dominion crew had to send a message and wait for further orders, Picard might buy enough time to transport the away team onto the station while his ship’s shields were down.
Picard signaled Daniels to end transmission, and the viewscreen went blank. “Transporter room, energize!”
“Transport initiated, sir,” came the reply. “They’re in.”
On Sentok Nor, Gul Lemec regained his footing in the operations center. He couldn’t believe the cretin Moset had dared to lay a hand on a gul. Even worse, the fool had lowered the station’s shields, putting all their lives at risk.
Raising his fist, Lemec fully intended to put a stop to the doctor’s interference, but Luaran stepped in front of Moset. “Save your wrath for the enemy. There will be no fighting among ourselves.”
“Just lots of dying if we don’t raise our shields,” Lemec shouted.
Luaran raised her eyes to the screen. “In a moment the freighter will have docked, and the station’s shields can be raised again.”
“Feel free to wait. In another moment we’ll be blasted out of the sky.” Enraged, Lemec rounded the console, fully intending to raise the station’s screens and defy Luaran’s wishes. With so many Cardassian lives at stake, Central Command would back his decision.
“Look.” Luaran pointed to the viewscreen. “Our ships have the lead Federation starship trapped. We are about to finish her off. There’s no need to waste the prisoners. Our enemy’s shields are down.”
Lemec’s battle instincts rebelled against leaving the station’s defensive shields lowered with an enemy so close—even a seemingly defeated enemy. He peered at the sensors, but spied nothing suspicious.
His communications officer glanced up with a confused look. “Sir, the Jem’Hadar say the Federation Sovereign -class starship is offering to surrender the ship and crew.”
“Blast them out of space,” Lemec ordered without hesitation.
“Absolutely not,” Luaran countered. “Don’t you recognize that ship? It’s the Enterprise. Capturing her would be a huge