Three - Michael Jan Friedman [80]
The one Vigo warned them about, no doubt. “On screen,” said Picard.
[242] A moment later, he saw what they were up against. It was a Pandrilite vessel, made more for cargo transport than armed conflict. However, appearances could be deceiving.
“Hail them,” he told Paxton.
The com officer bent to his task. A minute later, he looked up and said, “No response, sir.”
“Engineers, clear the deck,” said the captain.
Simenon’s people didn’t have to be told twice. They stopped what they were doing and piled into the turbolift.
Picard glanced at Paris, who was still filling in for Vigo. “Are we in weapons range?”
“Not yet, sir.”
“Captain,” said Paxton, “the Pandrilite is coming out to meet us.”
Picard could see the cargo ship looming larger on his screen by the moment.
He was glad that Kastiigan wasn’t on the bridge. But then, he had made it clear that he wanted the science officer to stay in his section while they approached Wayland Prime.
“Weapons range,” Paris reported.
Picard nodded. “Thank you, Mr. Paris. Target their weapons ports and—”
Before he could get the rest of the order out, his viewscreen filled with a blinding flash of crimson light and the bridge rocked with the impact. Obviously, the Pandrilite meant to fight.
After the beating the Stargazer had taken at the hands of the Balduk, she wasn’t exactly battle-ready. But [243] Picard would be damned if he was going to run from this fight.
“Fire phasers!” he barked.
Twin energy bolts shot out from the Stargazer’s phaser batteries and speared their adversary. From where the captain sat, they looked like direct hits.
“Again!” he snapped.
Paris activated the beams a second time and skewered the Pandrilite in the same place.
“We’ve disabled their phaser banks,” Paxton reported.
Picard took some satisfaction in that. “Try hailing them again, Lieutenant.”
This time, the com officer had a bit more success, if the Pandrilite visage that showed up on the screen was any indication. The fellow’s jaw muscles fluttered with barely suppressed fury.
“What in the name of the Virtues do you think you’re doing?” he demanded.
“This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Stargazer,” Picard said. “To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?”
“How dare you!” the Pandrilite railed. “We’re here to pick up one of our people—a fellow named Ejanix. There’s been a tragedy in his family and—”
“Sir,” Paxton interjected, “they’re preparing to go to warp!”
Here? thought Picard. So deep inside a star system? Did they know how big a chance they were taking?
Obviously, they were desperate to get away. But even if they were willing to risk destroying themselves, the captain wasn’t about to give them the opportunity.
“Target their nacelles,” he told Paris, “and fire!”
[244] On the smaller monitor embedded in his armrest, Picard watched their phaser beams trace fiery paths across the void—and again hit what they aimed for. Both the Pandrilite ship’s nacelles erupted with white-hot fury and went dead.
The Pandrilite captain glowered at him from the larger screen. “I’ll see to it you’re court-martialed for this!”
“My apologies,” Picard said archly, “for my weapons officer’s itchy trigger finger. I promise it won’t happen again.”
The Pandrilite didn’t seem to know what to say to that.
“That is,” the captain added, “as long as you lower what’s left of your shields and cooperate with my boarding parties. Otherwise, I can’t promise you we won’t blow you out of space altogether.”
That didn’t seem to sit well with the Pandrilite. However, there wasn’t much he could do about it.
“You and I will chat later,” Picard promised his adversary. Then he terminated the communication and made arrangements to send out a half-dozen shuttles—five of them to the Pandrilite vessel and one to the planet’s surface.
He had a feeling that Vigo would be glad to see it.
Epilogue
GERDA LOOKED DOWN at her raw, red hands, which—like her face—hadn’t completely healed yet.
“Another day or so,” she said, in answer to her sister’s question. “As long as I don’t miss