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“Compensating for atmospheric interference…” The Clarion’s deck officer worked his console. “Set. I read a metallic mass in the upper atmosphere, four thousand kellipates distant, quadrant blue.”
“Weapons,” said Colonel Li. “I want synchronous fire. Program for salvo barrage, phasers and missile tubes one through four.”
Lo
“Merculite warheads loaded in all tubes,” reported the deck officer. “The marauder is reacting. They’re reeling in their observation pod. I’m reading an aspect change.”
“Might be contemplating a dive into the troposphere,” Li said, half to himself. “Can’t have that.” He looked up.
“Sensors! Go to full power, active sweep. Rattle their decks a little.”
“Colonel,” said Lo
He didn’t bother to look at her. “I don’t recall the people on Cemba being given any warning, do you?”
“No…but if the crew of that ship are not responsible, would you want it said that Bajorans showed the same callous disregard for life that the bombers did?”
Li grunted. “Ms. Lo
“Colonel!” Her voice rose. She saw whatever shreds of authority her position as a ministerial adjutant gave her eroding by the second in the face of Li’s grim intent. “We have nothing but circumstantial evidence that the Tzenkethi were even involved!”
“Sensor sweep complete,” said the deck officer. “I can confirm the presence of volatile stocks aboard the alien vessel, sir. Refined triceron, military grade.”
Li looked up at her. “There’s your smoking gun. Do you want me to wait for a signed confession?”
“Many warships carry triceron explosives,” she insisted.
“Colonel, at least offer them a chance to surrender. Otherwise, we’ll never know the truth about what happened.” Lo
At last the commander nodded. “I’ll admit, the thought had occurred to me.” He gestured to the deck officer. “Suspend firing countdown. Get me communications. Tell the Tzenkethi, stand to and prepare to be boarded.”
“Transmitting,” came the reply.
Lo
“Aspect change!” shouted the deck officer. “Marauder entering attack configuration!”
“It seems we have an answer,” Li told her. “Weapons, track and fire—”
On the screen a plume of brilliant white plasma lanced up from the rising shape of the alien ship and flashed past the wing of the Clarion.
A warning shot?The question echoed through her thoughts, even as the realization struck Lo
The scoutship’s fate was sealed when her captain, inexperienced in confrontations with hostiles, moved too far out of the Clarion’s formation. The territory of the Tzenkethi—which the aliens classed as their ship and a generous measure of space around it—was being invaded and their automatic reaction was to take up a belligerent posture. The voices of the invaders they heard over their translator matrix heaped insult upon insult, daring to demand access to the marauder itself. The Tzenkethi crew’s reaction was instant and lethal.
With a near full-energy bank behind it, the plasma projector released a murderous warshot that tore through the Kylen’s shields. Gaseous matter with the temperature of a solar core bored through duranium hull plating and opened the small scoutship to the void. The Kylendisintegrated, speared on a rod of sunfire.
The second scout, the Pajul,peeled off and showed the alien her impulse grids, gaining distance as the Tzenkethi pivoted and charged for a second strike. The alien moved swiftly, turning to avoid a barrage of missile fire from the assault vessels as they detonated in a chain of proximity-fused explosions. The blast wall tore open the pilot pod trailing on its tether, killing the occupant, and slammed a kinetic shock through the marauder’s hull.
Another plasma spear probed out after the Pajul,missing its mark.
Lo
A panel across the bridge flashed with electric discharge and a body fell away from it, skin crisped black-red and wreathed in sweet-smelling smoke. Lo
“The Pajul’s taken a glancing hit,” said a voice. She couldn’t be sure who had spoken. “Venting plasma. They’ve dumped their warp core, but they still have mobility.”
“We can’t help them,” Li retorted. “Bring us about, order all ships to put power to weapons. Sweep in and rake the target!”
“Yes, sir!”
The pit of Lo
The i
Still in a turning fight, Clarioncame on as the Tzenkethi warship crossed over the pole of a rocky moon in close orbit around the gas giant. The marauder angled after the Pajul,snapping after the wounded craft for an easy kill.