The Valiant - Michael Jan Friedman [46]
The captain eased himself back in his seat, his expression as grave as Picard had ever seen it They were at a disadvantage, the second officer told himself, and the captain knew it.
On the other hand, the Stargazer was a fast, well-equipped ship, and her crew had been battle-tested on other Starfleet vessels. They could yet prevail, Picard told himself.
Three minutes, said Gerda.
Ruhalters eyes narrowed. Battle stations. Raise shields where we have them. Power phasers and arm photon torpedoes.
Done, sir, said Lieutenant Werber, working at his weapons console aft of the center seat.
The second officer looked around the bridge. In addition to the captain, Leach, and himself, there were four officers present the Asmunds, Werber, and Paxton. Every one of them was going about his business cooly and methodically, as if this sort of thing happened all the time.
For a moment, he almost thought he saw Idun Asmund smiling. Then the moment passed and he chalked it up to his imagination.
Two minutes, Gerda told them.
The captain glanced at his communications officer. Hail them, Mr. Paxton. Lets see what they do.
Aye, sir, said Paxton.
Everyone waited for the results of his efforts. Finally, the communications officer looked up from his console.
Nothing, he told Ruhalter.
The captain nodded. Cant say Im surprised.
One minute, said Gerda, and closing. Fifty seconds. Forty
Picard latched onto the back of the navigators chair with his free hand. It made him feel a trifle more secure.
Thirty seconds, Gerda announced. Twenty. Ten
Weapons range, said Lieutenant Werber, sounding too eager by half for Picards taste.
Theyre firing! Gerda announced.
A barrage of green witch-lights streamed from the Nuyyads weapons ports and exploded to spectacular effect on the viewscreen. The Federation ship bucked under the impact of the vidrion assault, but not so badly that anyone was hurt.
Shields down twenty-two percent! Werber called out.
Not good, Picard reflected. But if not for the Kelvans modifications, they might have been destroyed altogether.
Ruhalter leaned forward in his seat, a look of determination on his face. Target and fire!
A moment later, the Stargazer released a series of yellow-white photon torpedoespackets of matter and antimatter bound together by magnetic forces. They found their target hi quick succession, returning the enemys attack blow for ponderous blow.
But the Federation vessel couldnt continue to trade punches with her adversarynot when the Nuyyad possessed a weapon as devastating as a vidrion cannon. She had to make her move and quickly.
Evasive maneuvers! the captain barked. Pattern Delta!
Idun Asmund pulled the Stargazer into a tight upward turn, taking her out of the enemys sights for a moment. The Nuyyad obviously hadnt expected such an action, because they sent an emerald-green vidrion volley slicing through empty space.
Target and fire! Ruhalter bellowed.
Again, Werber released a flight of photon torpedoes. Again, they found their mark, wreaking havoc with the enemys shields.
Picards heart leaped. They were winning. If they could keep it going, the battle would be over in short order.
Unfortunately, the Nuyyad seemed to have another outcome in mind. They pumped out yet another round of vidrion particles, hammering the Stargazer even harder than before.
An aft console erupted in flames, prompting the second officer to grab a fire extinguisher and douse the blaze with white spray. Before he was done, he heard Gerdas status report.
Shields down forty-eight percent, sir! Damage to decks six, seven, eight, and eleven!
Dispatch repair crews! the captain told her.
It was a setback, Picard told himself, but no more than that. If anything, the enemy had only evened the odds.
Pattern Episilon! Ruhalter called out.
This time, Idun sent the ship veering to starboardjust as the Nuyyad hurled another barrage at them. For a heartbeat, the second officer thought the maneuver would do the trick.
Then he found out otherwise. The deck slipped out from under him,