The Garden - Melissa Scott [88]
"It doesn't matter. Either you are with us, or against us. And if you stand against us, we will destroy you."
"We won't help you," Janeway answered.
"Then prepare to die." Nal Sii'an drew his hand across the screen, and his image vanished.
So much for bluff. "Go to red alert," Janeway said, and the whooping alarm almost drowned Kim's voice.
"The Andirrim ships have gone to full shield, and have activated phasers and photon torpedoes. The shuttle is breaking off-it's left its course, and is heading for the citadel."
"Take the helm, Mr. Chakotay. Get us room to maneuver," Janeway said. It was a pity Paris was still on the planet, but Chakotay was almost as good a pilot, even if it wasn't properly the first officer's job.
"Aye, Captain." The duty pilot stepped aside, and Chakotay took his place at the controls, hands moving as he freed the great ship from its orbit.
"The Kirse defense system is activated," Kim announced. "The ion field is in place, but the shuttle is below it already."
"Let the Kirse deal with it," Janeway said, and forced it from her mind. She would need all her concentration to fight the Andirrim ships still in orbit. "Full tactical array on the main screen."
"Full tactical," Kim confirmed, and the main view-screen was suddenly filled with a web of lines and symbols, Voyager's and the Andirrim ships' positions and courses, the mesh of the Kirse defense system, the orbital stations glowing red and angry.
"The Kirse stations are at full power," one of Chakotay's people-Pao-reported from her place at Tuvok's security station. "They're firing on the Andirrim flagship."
Even as she spoke, the screen went momentarily white. Janeway looked away, blinking hard to clear her vision, and saw the Andirrim flagship apparently untouched.
"Their shields absorbed most of it," Kim reported, "but it has to have weakened them."
"Andirrim ship bearing one-nine-zero mark four," Pao reported. "It's firing torpedoes."
"Evasive action," Janeway ordered, and a moment later the ship rocked slightly as the shock waves hit the outer screens.
"No damage," Kim said.
"Right." Janeway released her hold on the arms of her chair, a sudden unholy glee filling her. She was a Starfleet captain, and these Andirrim were going to get an object lesson in just what that meant. "Fire at will, Mr. Pao. Let's show them what we're made of."
CHAPTER
8
PARIS BLINKED AS THE LAST OF THE TRANSPORTER DAZZLE
faded from the air in front of him, and glanced at Grayrose and Renehan, still waiting at the edge of the orchard. "Four down, two to go," he said, and Renehan matched his grin.
"Keep your fingers crossed, then, Tom."
"Voyager to Paris." The transporter chief's voice was distorted by the static that had been growing worse since the ion field formed. "Maceda and Laek are safe aboard. Stand by while we try to get a fix on you-"
Her words were cut off by a soundless flash of light that turned the sky to blinding white. Paris swore, shielding his eyes, and heard the crack of air as Grayrose's wings flapped in surprise.
"Chief, are you there?" There was no answer, and he tapped his communicator. "Paris to Voyager. Are you there, Chief?"
Static hissed, and for an instant he imagined he caught the shape of garbled words, but then even that vanished. Renehan looked at him, her eyes wide, but then forced a grin, hiding her fear.
"Looks like it's you and me, Tom."
"The Andirrim," Grayrose said. "They must have attacked."
"That was the ion field, then?" Paris asked. Overhead, the sky was still white, as though the sudden charge had condensed all moisture to a solid sheet of cloud.
Grayrose nodded, her expression remote, as though she was listening to something only she could hear. "They are calling the shuttle fleet," she said, and Paris realized that his image was literally true the