The Last Stand - Brad Ferguson [4]
I intend to find out before we leave here.
We will drop out of warp just inside the orbit of Planet Five, a Jupiter-class gas giant that is very nearly in opposition to Planet Three at this time. This will place us some six hundred fifty million kilometers from Planet Three. We’ll then head in for a look about. I do not intend to attempt contact with the natives of Planet Three—if any—at this time.
THE E NTERPRISE DROPPED OUT OF WARP precisely on schedule, and Data studied the readouts on his Ops panel. “Captain,” he reported, “short-range sensors have detected meta-cetacean lifeforms inhabiting the upper atmosphere of Planet Five, as is typical for gas giants of this class. The planet possesses fifteen major natural satellites and a class-two ring system. Diameter is approximately one hundred forty-five thousand kilometers. Typical, sir.”
“Any signs of habitation on the satellites?” Picard asked. “Colonies or mining operations, perhaps?”
“No, sir. However—”
“Yes?”
“I am reading an object at three hundred forty-four mark twenty-three, range eighteen thousand seven hundred kilometers.”
“Mr. Worf?” Riker called.
“It is an artificial construct of unknown configuration in orbit around the local star,” Worf said. “It is not under power, but I am getting low-level internal power readings. There appear to be no lifeforms aboard.”
Picard glanced at Troi, who nodded.
“Let’s take a look at it, Mr. Worf,” the captain ordered. “On screen.”
The majestic image of Planet Five on the main viewscreen swam for a moment and was then replaced by an unremarkable starfield. In the center of the screen there was a very small something.
“Increase magnification,” Riker directed, and the object grew.
“Not a ship, I think,” Picard said softly.
“It looks like it might be a surveillance satellite,” Riker said. “I think I see what might be sensor arrays—many of them.”
Picard nodded. “If that is indeed what they are, Number One, then this is a surveillance probe of almost monstrous complexity. Those arrays appear formidable. Are there weapons aboard it, Mr. Worf?”
“None, sir. It is harmless.”
Picard nodded. “Mr. Data, are there any other objects out there like this one?”
The android briefly consulted his readouts and nodded. “Sir, I am reading a second object of similar size and configuration at one hundred ninety-eight mark forty, range eighty-three thousand six hundred kilometers. There is a third, bearing oh twenty-three mark twelve, range three hundred fifty-three thousand one hundred kilometers. A fourth—”
“Never mind, Mr. Data,” Picard interrupted. “Thank you.”
“Whatever these things are, they appear to be pretty closely set,” Riker observed.
“Indeed they do, Number One,” Picard agreed. “Someone has gone to a great deal of trouble to post a line of sentries. Clearly, those probes are on the lookout for someone, and I very much doubt that we are it. Mr. Worf, long-range sensors ahead. I want to know everything there is to know about Planet Three before we get there. Ensign, lay in a direct course for Planet Three, one-quarter impulse.”
“One-quarter impulse,” Ro repeated. “Aye, sir.”
“Engage. Arrival time at Planet Three, Mr. Data?”
“Standard orbit in two hours, twenty-one minutes, thirty-five seconds, sir.”
“Captain,” Worf reported, “we are being scanned. There is a radar signal coming from the probe.”
Picard blinked. “Radar?”
“Radar, sir,” Data said, nodding. “It is an acronym that stands for ‘radio detecting and ranging’—”
“Not now, Mr. Data,” Riker cautioned.
“That can’t be possible,” Picard continued, puzzled. “Radar is much too primitive to see us. They couldn’t bounce a radio wave off us, not with our shields up.”
Riker frowned. “Perhaps they’re using radar as a carrier wave for something we can’t detect. We may have been spotted, Captain.”
“Sir,” Worf suddenly said. “The object has just transmitted a tightly beamed signal on space-normal radio wavelengths. It appears to be a coded burst transmission.”
Picard sighed. “To whom?”
“The