U.S.S. Enterprise
Saucer Section
Approaching Skon’s World
“Closing on Spock’s estimated position,” Raden said.
Pike was up and pacing. A hundred technical systems and subsystems aboard the saucer section had been impacted by the disaster at Little Hope. Three things had gotten most of their attention: survival, escaping the surface of Defoe, and defending against any Boundless or Rengru who might be lurking above.
But one system beyond that was sure to be needed—and had posed its own problems. The transporter rooms in the saucer section were powered by the fusion reactor and could function without access to the rest of the ship, but their capabilities weren’t robust. That was by design: since a separated saucer’s needs related to evacuation, most of the emergency transporters focused on sending signals, not beaming people aboard. The units that could transport both ways had been hampered by a shortage of functional datacores and working sensors.
“Lieutenant Dietrich is helping to work the panels,” the relocated Galadjian called up. “Sensors are having a hard time finding life signs.”
“They could never pierce the battlesuits before,” Pike said. Spock had told him that was one of his armor’s features. “The suit itself ought to be easy to find. It’s big enough.”
“Understood. Stand by.”
White and clouded, Skon’s World grew in the main viewer. Pike had trouble containing his glee. “I’ve been waiting months to make this call. Nicola, hail Spock.”
“Channel open.”
Pike smiled. “Spock, I hope you can stand some good news. We’ll be overhead shortly.”
Nicola listened to his earpiece—and frowned. “No response, Captain.”
“What is it, Vic? Don’t tell me our equipment’s gone wrong again.”
Nicola shook his head. “We’re getting the receive signal from the battlesuit five by five. He’s just not answering.”
Pike looked to Nhan, who shrugged. “Even Spock sleeps sometimes.”
“Then he’ll wake up here from a bad dream.”
Pike took a deep breath. Escaping from Defoe had been a victory; regaining Spock would be a second. He’d put off thinking about after that.
Would Spock be the first step toward rescuing the rest of his crew—or the only one he would save? It would depend on how fast it took the crippled saucer to make it home. Just over half his crew was still out there somewhere. He’d come back in a spacetug to pick up their trail if he had to.
More of Skon’s World emerged from night. “Doctor, do we have that damn lock yet?”
“No, Captain. You know what shape our sensors were in.”
“The whole planet’s an ice sheet. Can’t we eyeball it to start the fix?”
“You can see what we can. Some kind of eruptive event is going on. Hundreds of square kilometers are clouded by vapor and crystals.”
Pike peered at the globe ahead. “Well, what do you know? Spock’s volcano is going off.” He chuckled. “Well, that’s better than sending up a flare. Doctor, that’s where he is.”
“Not too close, I hope,” Raden said.
A few moments later, Galadjian reported back. “We’ve found it. Stand by.”
Pike looked expectantly at the icy moon—
—and saw a wave of Rengru fighters emerge from behind it, racing his way.
Four members of the bridge crew swore at once. Pike called for a red alert and ran back to his chair. “We’ve picked up right where we left off,” he said. “What is it with these guys?” He touched the control on his armrest. “Doctor, get him out of there, now!”
Nhan looked back at him. “More contacts!”
Pike had already seen them. Rengru mother ships: two following the fighters—and more, climbing over the southern and western horizons, disgorging fighters of their own.
And Enterprise’s saucer section had no shields.
“Evasive maneuvers?” Raden asked, rattled.
“Not until we have Spock.” The moral quandary—save one or save all—hit him only after he’d answered. “Weapons!”
“Phasers we have,” Nhan said. “But I can’t speak for targeting.”
“Do your best. Fire at will.”
Ergs of the saucer section’s precious energy lanced out at the careening Rengru, striking a fighter here and there. It wasn’t nearly enough.
“We’re surrounded,” Nhan said, enemy ships large on-screen. She turned back from her station to face him. “Sound boarding alarm?”
Several thumps on the hull indicated that was the right decision. Pike called out again. “Doctor, I need an answer! Is the transport complete?”
“We have the battlesuit,” Galadjian said. He sounded baffled. “Just the armor.”
“You beamed it and not him?”
“He was not inside. He seems to have climbed out of it. We’re still looking.”
No, Pike thought. He sank back in his chair. Skon’s World was barely visible on the main viewer, so numerous were the Rengru outside. Nhan was already up, holding her phaser. He waved for her to wait. “Nicola, give me the hull view.”
Where they had once seen Boundless boarders—one of whom Pike now knew to have been Spock—the bridge crew now saw Rengru at the airlock. Pike reached for his phaser. “Another last stand,” he said.
Something made Nhan turn. “That’s weird,” she said. “The airlock just opened. That portal was secured.”
“They’ve got a slew of limbs. Maybe one’s a lockpick.”
“No,” Nhan said, checking her monitor. “They used an access code to get in. A Starfleet access code.”
Pike gawked at her—and then heard a skittering noise from behind. He turned to see the first boarder, crawling up out of the turbolift shaft from the deck below, where the airlock was located.
The Rengru looked different from the ones that Pike had seen attacking Enterprise in the battle, months earlier. It seemed smaller, missing the shell with the thruster and phaser. But while it had no weapon, it did bring a demand. “You will come with us, Christopher Pike.”
That the Rengru knew his name was not the most surprising thing, nor the fact that it spoke in crisp, clear Standard.
It was whose voice it was. He stared at the creature. “Una?”