The Sky's the Limit - Marco Palmieri [113]
“Could outgassing explain the deviations from Beta’s planned trajectory? If there were many small events, not easily detectable from the outpost?” she asked.
“Again, it is theoretically possible, but highly unlikely,” said Taurik.
Deanna frowned. “What’s the status on communications, Ensign?”
“I should be able to reestablish short-range communications soon, with enough power to raise the outpost. I am still assessing the damage to the subspace relays for long-range communication.”
“Concentrate on short-range for now. Director Maher can relay our messages to the Enterprise if necessary.”
“Aye, Commander.”
“I’m going to check whether the thruster unit made it on board before the explosion. That’s when this all started, and there might be some information we can use.”
Trying not to look at Doctor Aaron’s covered form, Deanna picked her way back to the runabout’s laboratory module, directly aft of the cockpit. A sizable isolation and decontamination chamber was situated along the back wall. Through its window, Deanna could see a hulking metal object that was difficult to make out in the dim illumination. She instructed the computer to reroute power to the lighting.
Better. The machine’s silver surface was blackened in places, and its crevices contained a melange of rust-colored sand and grit. She touched the chamber’s control panel, which lit up in response. She input commands for two simultaneous tasks: assessing the thruster unit for mechanical failure and performing a compositional analysis on any materials that were not part of the unit itself.
After a few minutes, a list of elements began to scroll on the display. Deanna studied it without knowing what she was looking for. “Computer, do you detect any evidence of current or former biological activity in these samples?”
“Negative.”
“Computer, reorder the list with the least common elements, those that generally occur less frequently in nongaseous planetary bodies, on top. Describe any noteworthy properties of those elements, beginning with the first one.”
After a brief pause, the computer stated, “There are notable quantities of several radiogenic elements, which are produced by the process of radioactive decay. In order of abundance, these elements are argon-40, nitrogen-14, and lead-207. There are also significant quantities of helium, which is common throughout the known universe but which also can form as the result of radioactive decay. There are also several complex isotopic compounds including—”
Deanna interrupted the litany. “Are there pockets of these materials on Beta’s surface?”
“Negative. These materials do not appear in significant quantities on Beta’s surface. However, minute quantities are present, scattered thinly. There is also a dissipating cloud of helium emanating from a fissure in the moonlet approximately twenty-three kilometers from our current position.”
“Behind us?” asked Deanna.
“Affirmative.”
“Computer, is that where the explosion that damaged our engine occurred?”
“Affirmative.”
Outgassing seemed more and more likely to Deanna, in spite of Taurik’s doubts. But the event had happened just as Data transported the thruster unit aboard. “Computer, was the thruster unit active when we transported it?” she asked.
“Negative. The thruster unit was dormant.”
“And does it show any signs of malfunction?”
“Negative. The thruster unit is capable of operating within normal parameters.”
It was only one thruster out of dozens, but if it and the others were working, why hadn’t Beta remained on course? Taurik believed that outgassing was an unlikely explanation, and Doctor Aaron hadn’t mentioned any outgassing activity on Beta at all.
“Computer, has Beta’s trajectory changed since the explosion?”
“Affirmative. Beta has changed its course by two degrees.”
Something Captain Picard had said back on Ennis came back to her. You almost make it sound