The Sky's the Limit - Marco Palmieri [49]
As Enterprise neared Askaria, the recovered scramjet in tow by tractor beam, La Forge’s hopes for survivors had already fallen considerably. They had entered the system on a course that took them past Narsosia first, easing into standard orbit near the only remaining space station, comparable in size to Earth Spacedock. The surface of the planet was invisible beneath a thick cover of clouds.
Data had reported the findings of his sensor scans to a bridge crew subdued in the face of an obviously dead world. “Captain, the atmosphere has a carbon dioxide level of approximately six thousand five hundred parts per million by volume, far above breathable levels for the Narsosians. The combined effect of all greenhouse gases present has driven the average surface temperature to one hundred twenty-five point three degrees Celsius. The atmosphere also has an elevated sulfur dioxide content, causing highly acidic rainfall with a pH of one point two. Ozone levels are severely depleted. There are numerous surface structures that could withstand these conditions, but there are no life signs above the level of various unicellular extremophiles. There are no artificial energy readings on the surface.
“There are also no energy readings aboard the station. Its hull has been compromised in at least thirty-three locations. There is evidence of the use of explosives throughout the structure. The pattern of Narsosian remains located in the station seems to indicate several factions fortified within their own sections. A carbon nanotube tether appears to have been purposefully severed from the base of the station.”
“An attempt to stop further incursions by hostiles,” Worf said.
Troi had looked up at Worf, her eyes shining with tears. “They were not ‘hostiles,’ they were desperate people, living in horrible conditions.”
Worf looked down with a scowl. “I am not judging why they became hostile.” He looked back at the screen. The station had slowly rotated, exposing a hole in the hull large enough to pilot an Oberth-class starship through. “But they were hostile.”
Worf’s comments at Narsosia still haunted La Forge’s thoughts as he watched another uninhabitable Askarian moon slide by the forward screen. How could they have survived all these centuries? wondered La Forge. Everything was stacked against them.
“Captain, I have found something,” Data said.
Picard sat up straighter. “Good news this time, I hope.”
“Inconclusive for now; Askaria’s intense electromagnetic field is interfering with sensors. But I have found scramjets in equatorial orbit around Askaria. I have detected one hundred and five total, although several of them appear to be open to vacuum.”
“The one we boarded had five hundred people on it,” said Riker. “There could have been fifty thousand Narsosians aboard those ships.”
Wesley Crusher looked back from the conn. “Could they have survived all this time?”
“We can only hope so for now,” said Picard. “Take us in closer. We’ll see if we can cut through the interference at close range.”
“Aye, sir.”
“I’ve isolated the nearest scramjet on screen, sir,” Worf said. All eyes focused on the silver ship standing out from the immense tan background of Askaria.
Troi squinted at the image. “What’s that cable on the ship extending away from the planet?”
La Forge recognized its purpose immediately. “It’s a counterweight.” He walked closer to the screen, pointing. “See, look below the craft, there’s a planar ribbon tether descending into the atmosphere.”
“An orbital elevator?” said Riker.
Data turned around. “Technically, such an elevator must be tethered to a planet’s surface. On a gas giant such as Askaria, that would not be possible.”
“No,” La Forge said. “But you could just sink something deep into the atmosphere where the pressure would help anchor it. Kind of like the ocean platform on Argo.”
“Are there any life signs?” said Picard.
“Scans are still indeterminate.” Data continued adjusting the sensors as he spoke. “In addition to the strong EM field, the atmosphere is highly ionized,