Star Trek: The Next Generation - 119 - Armageddon's Arrow Read Online Free
Author: Dayton Ward
Tags: United States, Literary, Science-Fiction, adventure, Literature & Fiction, Star Trek, Action & Adventure, Space Opera, Military, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Genre Fiction, Literary Fiction, alien invasion, Movie Tie-Ins, TV; Movie; Video Game Adaptations, first contact
snapped, his fingers already moving across his console as he worked to ascertain the ship’s status. As before, an alarming number of indicators were flashing. Grunting in irritation, he slammed his hand down upon the control to activate the communications channel.
“Jodis! We have lost the pulse drive!”
* * *
Were he to ignore the information relayed to him by his console and his engineer, Jodis might almost believe that the ship was suffering no ill effects from the assault being waged against it. However, his instrumentation was providing a much different interpretation of current events.
“Can you restore the drive?” Jodis asked, still digesting Ehondar’s report.
“Not while we are fighting the Golvonek,” the engineer replied. “I need power reserves that are being routed to defenses . ”
Jodis nodded, having anticipated the answer. “Divert all efforts to readying the chronopulse drive. We will continue to repel the attack.” The Golvonek attack squadron had wasted no time engaging the Poklori gil dara , with each of the thirteen ships breaking off and launching independent, simultaneous strikes. Most of the initial volleys had been absorbed by the vessel’s protective force fields, but the squadron had pressed its assault and now it was beginning to tally hits that were inflicting legitimate damage.
“Force fields are wavering near the rear coolant exchange manifolds,” Bnira said. There was obvious worry in her voice, but that was the only outward sign of her growing unease. Glancing up, Jodis saw that the alert indicators on her console bathed the skin of her smooth head in a wash of blinking colors. She was keeping her focus on her own station, her hands moving across the rows of controls with purpose and determination. “And we took another strike near the weapons port at that location. The port is offline.”
Jodis already was aware of this latest damage to the ship, thanks to various status indicators flashing on his own console. The shields were a concern, of course, but so too was the weapons port. Aside from the antiproton cannon, which was its principle offensive armament, the Poklori gil dara also carried conventional particle weapons mounted all along its outer hull. With the oversized vessel unable to carry out the sorts of evasive tactics on which smaller craft relied during combat, those ports provided the ship with its chief means of defense. Losing any one weapon opened up a gap in the protective field of fire, allowing perceptive opponents to capitalize on the perimeter breach and perhaps inflict more harm to that undefended area.
The hum of the ship’s engines dropped in pitch as Bnira once more engaged weapons. Studying the targeting scanner, Jodis saw the fifth of what originally had been thirteen icons denoting Golvonek ships turn and move away from the others. “Another hit!”
“Yes,” Bnira replied. “Its forward shields are down, and scans show damage to its forward weapons ports.” A linzat later she added, “The ship is retreating.”
“Increasing to maximum speed,” Jodis said, tapping the controls necessary to call for the much-needed acceleration. On the scanner, he saw the larger avatar representing the Poklori gil dara moving away from the eight remaining Golvonek ships, but the diminished squadron was falling into formation in pursuit. Beneath his hands, his console trembled yet again, communicating yet another strike from enemy weapons against the shields.
“Shields at the rear manifolds are offline,” Bnira reported. “Any further strikes there will likely damage the hull plating.”
Even the ablative armor covering the ship’s exterior would not be able to withstand prolonged abuse from the Golvonek weapons. The vessel’s sheer size saw to it that there was no place for it to hide, and outrunning the attack squadron without the pulse drive would be impossible. The only option remaining to Jodis and his crew was to continue
“Jodis! We have lost the pulse drive!”
* * *
Were he to ignore the information relayed to him by his console and his engineer, Jodis might almost believe that the ship was suffering no ill effects from the assault being waged against it. However, his instrumentation was providing a much different interpretation of current events.
“Can you restore the drive?” Jodis asked, still digesting Ehondar’s report.
“Not while we are fighting the Golvonek,” the engineer replied. “I need power reserves that are being routed to defenses . ”
Jodis nodded, having anticipated the answer. “Divert all efforts to readying the chronopulse drive. We will continue to repel the attack.” The Golvonek attack squadron had wasted no time engaging the Poklori gil dara , with each of the thirteen ships breaking off and launching independent, simultaneous strikes. Most of the initial volleys had been absorbed by the vessel’s protective force fields, but the squadron had pressed its assault and now it was beginning to tally hits that were inflicting legitimate damage.
“Force fields are wavering near the rear coolant exchange manifolds,” Bnira said. There was obvious worry in her voice, but that was the only outward sign of her growing unease. Glancing up, Jodis saw that the alert indicators on her console bathed the skin of her smooth head in a wash of blinking colors. She was keeping her focus on her own station, her hands moving across the rows of controls with purpose and determination. “And we took another strike near the weapons port at that location. The port is offline.”
Jodis already was aware of this latest damage to the ship, thanks to various status indicators flashing on his own console. The shields were a concern, of course, but so too was the weapons port. Aside from the antiproton cannon, which was its principle offensive armament, the Poklori gil dara also carried conventional particle weapons mounted all along its outer hull. With the oversized vessel unable to carry out the sorts of evasive tactics on which smaller craft relied during combat, those ports provided the ship with its chief means of defense. Losing any one weapon opened up a gap in the protective field of fire, allowing perceptive opponents to capitalize on the perimeter breach and perhaps inflict more harm to that undefended area.
The hum of the ship’s engines dropped in pitch as Bnira once more engaged weapons. Studying the targeting scanner, Jodis saw the fifth of what originally had been thirteen icons denoting Golvonek ships turn and move away from the others. “Another hit!”
“Yes,” Bnira replied. “Its forward shields are down, and scans show damage to its forward weapons ports.” A linzat later she added, “The ship is retreating.”
“Increasing to maximum speed,” Jodis said, tapping the controls necessary to call for the much-needed acceleration. On the scanner, he saw the larger avatar representing the Poklori gil dara moving away from the eight remaining Golvonek ships, but the diminished squadron was falling into formation in pursuit. Beneath his hands, his console trembled yet again, communicating yet another strike from enemy weapons against the shields.
“Shields at the rear manifolds are offline,” Bnira reported. “Any further strikes there will likely damage the hull plating.”
Even the ablative armor covering the ship’s exterior would not be able to withstand prolonged abuse from the Golvonek weapons. The vessel’s sheer size saw to it that there was no place for it to hide, and outrunning the attack squadron without the pulse drive would be impossible. The only option remaining to Jodis and his crew was to continue
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