The Last Stand - Brad Ferguson [6]
“Now what in the name of darkness is that?” Kerajem wondered. “Malfunction, General?”
Blakendet shot a look across the room to his watch officer, who shook his head vigorously: No. His face told the rest of the story.
Blakendet turned to address Kerajem. “Sir, we have a confirmed intruder just inside the orbit of Ma’ak Unselbe.” He read the displays before him. “Speed—dear gods! Excuse me, sir. Speed of the unknown is one quarter that of light. The unknown is on a direct course for us. We have a visual from the probe now, sir.”
“Let’s see it.”
Part of the War Room tactical display was replaced by a blurred photograph of—something. “It looks like a flying dustpan,” Kerajem said. “I don’t recognize it. What is that thing, General?”
“It appears as if Force Red might have come up with something new, First—something we didn’t expect,” the general replied. “Traffic, try to raise the unknown. See if it answers.” The old soldier paused as he studied the most recent data from the early-warning probe. “Sir,” he told the First after a moment, “energy readings from the unknown are off the scale. Given the situation, we must assume hostile intent. I recommend we go to alert condition one.”
Kerajem felt all hope die within him as he gave the necessary orders.
“Captain,” came Worf’s strong voice. “I am showing indications of military movements on Planet Three. There have been a large number of aircraft and ground-to-space rocket launches in the past minute. The pseudostellar interference we have been reading has also increased greatly.” He paused. “It appears that the interference is being generated on purpose in order to mask communications traffic.”
“They don’t appreciate eavesdroppers,” Riker said.
“Apparently not,” Picard said. “Can you penetrate the interference, Mr. Worf? If Planet Three is making offensive moves against us, I’d like to know what’s going on down there.”
“Aye, sir.”
“Should we hail them, Captain?” Riker asked.
“I wish I could, Number One, but I won’t until I am certain they know we are here. The Prime Directive is still in force. They could be in a panic for some other reason, although I admit that seems unlikely to me.”
“Captain,” Data said, “if I might—”
“Yes?”
“The military moves on Planet Three detected by Lieutenant Worf began within one minute of the time the light-speed radio signal would have reached the planet from the probe we encountered near Planet Five.”
Riker looked at Picard. “Data’s right, sir. The timing fits. It’s a clear indication that they’re reacting to our presence.”
“I see,” Picard said. “Any success, Mr. Worf?”
“Some, Captain. As we draw closer to Planet Three, it is becoming easier to detect the coherent broadcast signals behind the interference.”
Picard nodded. “Very well. Number One, I want those broadcast signals thoroughly analyzed. If those people are talking to each other, I want to know what they’re talking about.” He looked at the main screen.
They continued to rush sunward, leaning into the dark and listening carefully.
Chapter Three
WORF SPOKE UP. “Captain, we are being scanned again.”
“Damn,” Picard breathed. “From where?”
“Several points on the surface of Planet Three, as well as from a number of probes in high orbit around that planet.”
“Well,” Riker said, “that answers that question.”
“Indeed,” Picard muttered.
Worf looked up. “Captain,” he said with an air of resignation, “we are being hailed.”
“On screen,” Picard said automatically. Standing, he straightened his jacket and positioned himself.
“Sir, it is a standard radio message sent over the space-normal spectrum.”
“Oh.” He sat down again and relaxed. “On audio, then.”
The incoming radio signal was weak and almost lost in a sea of whistling static. “Can’t you clean that up a bit, Mr. Worf?” Picard asked with a trace of annoyance.
“I am trying, sir.” Cutting the speaker out of the bridge audio system, the Klingon quickly set up a real-time digital filter that would separate and dismiss most of the static from the transmission while boosting