Treacherous Waters - Chapter 15
Chapter 15 <by Galen Holcomb>
“Return fire.” Aubrey directed after the second round of phasers raked over his ship. The Starfleet vessel stabbed back. The Velk warship seemed to ripple as its shields distorted from the impact.
Intrepid used the time to drop out of the line of fire, diving behind the outpost’s western hub. Each hub was one half of a dumbbell-shaped structure. Numerous docking arms sprouted from each of the two bulbs like thorns.
But the attacker moved with the agility of a hawk. The Velk ship accelerated into an elliptical course, coming within meters of
Intrepid's stern. As the ship flashed by it unloaded a salvo of photon torpedos at close range.
The bridge quaked under the crew’s feet. A vacant bridge console belched out sparks. Aubrey was appalled at his enemy’s callousness. Using torpedos this close to the structure could easily destroy the dilapidated space station.
And the stakes had just risen higher, for the away team had managed to get out a brief message saying that they had located and were now desperately protecting Jivin Sharm. That had been the last contact before the station’s jamming field closed the communications window for good.
“Direct hit to our aft quarter. Shields at seventy-one percent.” Lt. Javier Rodriguez called out from the tactical station. The young officer had been with the ship since the Dominion War. His tactical skill was on a par with Lt. Commander Adol’s. “Still no response to our hails.”
From OPS, Lt. Douglas Pal scowled at his console. “Captain, those are definitely not Velk weapons.”
Aubrey contemplated the beating his ship was taking, mere minutes into the engagement.
“You don’t say,” He quipped.
“The energy signatures are similar to that of Jem’Hadar fighters.” Pal added solemnly. He knew the weight of this statement. Even without turning around, he could feel the tense stares upon his back.
“Mr. Pal, collect all the data you can for later analysis. Helm, Z minus two hundred meters, evasive pattern Theta-Four. Engineering, set auxiliary power to float. We’ll need it reallocated to different shield grids at a moment’s notice-----our friends are highly maneuverable and can hit us from multiple vectors.” Aubrey had snapped off the orders without hesitation, his mind effortlessly pursing several different avenues of thought at once.
And then, without warning, another memory fragment fell into place. He was a child again, many centuries ago. He had been in some type of gift shop with his father. There had been figurines of ballerinas and Olympic athletes sitting on a glass shelf. They were exquisitely crafted, particularly the ballerinas with their pretty long legs, shapely bodies and elegant feet.
The merchant had affixed a sign on the glass shelf next to the figurines. It read:
Lovely to look at lovely to hold.
But if you break it, consider it sold.
He swatted the recollection away with annoyance, noting ruefully that his new memories often found the most inopportune times to surface.
As the dueling starships regained their sights on one another, the space between them thickened with overlapping beams of phaser energy. The battle raged for a full minute as both opponents exchanged a barrage of weapons fire.
The news became worse with each round. Rodriguez somberly updated the damage report. “Shields at sixty-four percent. Structural damage to decks seven and nine. Rear torpedo launchers off line.”
Aubrey had few options. He could retreat, and leave the away team and Jivin Sharm to their own devices. There was always a chance they might survive and he could attempt retrieval later.
Or he could continue the firefight.
Intrepid had the heavier guns and would probably win the contest in the end. But it would take time, and the outpost could be destroyed in the process, given how ruthless his adversary was. The away team might also perish and Sharm could be lost or re-captured. And without him, all hope for Velkohn might die. He needed a third option…a tactical advantage over his enemy-----something that would make the battle short and one sided…
“Mr. Pal, when we first arrived, you told me the outpost has virtually no security to speak of. “ He inclined his body forward, his voice dropping low with urgency. “Could you tap into the central network and take control of the station’s main systems?”
“Yes sir,” He affirmed. Almost apologetically, he added, “But sir, the outpost has no weapons.”
Straightening in his chair, Aubrey allowed a half-smile to emerge. “That’s not what I’m after.” He issued new orders, emphasizing that what he sought would take perfect timing…
They played cat and mouse. The commander of the Velk ship was shrewd. He or she wasn’t underestimating
Intrepid's firepower or enhancements. They were careful not to fight at close quarters, where the outcome would be dependant upon a contest of strength. Instead, they used their agility to full advantage, weaving between the cylindrical docking structures as they raced around the outpost, striking through openings in the traffic as various ships arrived and departed. They knew the Starfleet ship couldn’t match their maneuverability and would be cautious of returning fire near civilians.
Aubrey could only speculate that his attackers brandished some serious clout, since no other vessel or anyone on the station was challenging their dangerous behavior.
Once more, an opening appeared between the outpost and the two ships. The Velk cruiser prepared to unleash another series of rabbit punches before ducking swiftly behind a massive docking arm.
The intent never bore fruit. All at once, a tractor beam jumped from the station and snared the nimble attack ship, immobilizing it like a fly in amber. The ship’s commander was taken by surprise and made a knee-jerk decision; kicking the impulse engines into full power to pull away.
The station’s aging tractor beam began to buckle, slowly releasing its grip. But those fleeting moments were all the time Aubrey needed. His foe was now moored, her superior maneuverability robbed.
The Starfleet ship came about, lining up her forward tubes. In desperation, the Velk fired on the tractor beam’s emitter, cleaving the emission spire in half.
They nearly escaped. But just as the warship blasted forward, they were showered with quantum torpedos. The Velk twisted away and two of the explosives missed their mark, the brilliant flares streaking into empty space. The other four torpedos struck them amidships. Their shields dissolved and the ship was engulfed within a blinding flash. Relentless,
Intrepid struck again, tossing javelins of phaser light.
Pal took a long gaze at his data. “The Velk ship has been crippled, sir. Weapons and engines are down.”
Aubrey didn’t respond. He watched his adversary on the main viewer. He thought about how vicious they were. He thought about their wanton disregard for life and what mercy they might have dispensed had the situation been reversed.
Something dark moved inside him, demanding to be heard. Perhaps an echo of the man who, in those alternate histories, had destroyed humanity’s future.
Lt. Pal eventually turned his chair to see why Aubrey hadn’t responded. For a moment, he didn’t recognize his commanding officer. It was as though a depraved stranger had taken the captain’s place.
The other ship spun helplessly, energy crackling along its hull.
All it would take is two more shots, Aubrey reflected mechanically.
Two more shots and they would never threaten anyone in this sector again. His lips parted to give the order.
…But if you break it, consider it sold.
“Captain?” Rodriguez inquired gently.
Slowly everyone turned in Aubrey’s direction.
Rodriguez spoke again, this time with greater urgency. “Captain, I have the away team's location.”
…But if you break it, consider it sold.
Blinking rapidly, the starship captain stepped away from the viewer. And it seemed he was stepping away from something else as well. He took his seat, hard features softening into their familiar pattern. “Take us there, Ensign Sorna.”
*****
