The Badlands_ Book One Part 20

Data was able to detect a disruption in the gravitational field. The gravity on board the Enterprise ceased.

As the gravity field inverted, Data noted that the sensors remained offline. The power conduits in major systems all over the s.h.i.+p went down.

Data braced himself, holding onto his seat with one hand as he rapidly tapped in commands on the panel. He was attempting to locate the directional source for the subs.p.a.ce tetryon wave.

Several crew members let out cries of surprise or pain as they were lofted into the air. Peripherally, Data noted that the ensign at the helm was flailing her legs, sending herself spinning backward.

Data took over control of the helm.

The computer automatically began announcing Red Alert as the warp engines went off line. Since they were under impulse power, Data had to transfer primary systems from the idling warp engines to the impulse generators. At the same time, he brought them out of sublight speed, letting the Enterprise come to a halt. His primary concern was the warp core and the overloaded main EPS taps. But since they had not been traveling at warp, the plasma was already being valved off from the warp core.

After 5.4 seconds, gravity recommenced on board the Enterprise.

Data evaluated the sensor systems as the bridge officers began to pick themselves up from the deck. After the initial burst of tetryon particles, sensors had been overloaded by a subs.p.a.ce shock wave.

Data initiated a level-one diagnostic of his own systems. It would take two hours to complete, but a high-level diagnostic could provide additional information on what had occurred while the s.h.i.+p's sensors were offline.

"Captain Picard," Data announced. "Please report to the bridge."

Jos Mengred managed to get up, despite the shooting pain in his leg. "What happened?" he demanded. "Unknown," the android replied. Mengred shook his head, unable to focus on the android's rapidly moving hands as he controlled the vast Stars.h.i.+p. The bridge crew staggered back to their panels and tried to orient themselves. Mengred thought it was good proof of the android's capabilities. He hadn't even s.h.i.+fted in his seatwhile everyone else on the bridge had been tossed about like bungi beans.

Damage reports were starting to come in. Mengred could hear Data acknowledging each deck officer and giving orders for damage control.

"Status report," Mengred ordered.

The android ignored him, his hands flas.h.i.+ng over the panel. Mengred knew the android was deliberately refusing to answer. He had come to expect such a response. Even in the heat of the crisis, the android wouldn't yield command of the bridge. It was quite an admirable creation.

Mengred was sorry he would have to leave the Enterprise in a few more hours. But the length of time had been predetermined between Starfleet and the Obsidian Order. Regardless, Mengred had gathered a great deal of valuable information on the crew and their operating systems. One didn't always need to break into a computer padd to gather the right information. All it took were carefully posed questions, never too many to the same individual.

He had discovered these people were astonis.h.i.+ngly open. Even the ones who had showed a great deal of animosity toward him had provided valuable information. At first he had considered ft another sign of weakness, but gradually he realized it was the result of overwhelming confidence. They were proud to be in Starfleet, and utterly certain that the Federation would only grow stronger.

Mengred found this att.i.tude refres.h.i.+ng. There was nothing like it in the Carda.s.sian Empire, where no one was sure who was in charge or when a hand would fall on their shoulder with a summons to an investigation. In Carda.s.sia, everyone looked to see who was watching them.

Starfleet was also much more efficient than he had given them credit for, despite their lack of military precision. Only a few moments pa.s.sed and Captain Picard arrived with Commander Riker right behind him.

Riker stopped short when he saw Mengred. He asked the android, "Was he on the bridge when it happened?"

"Aye, sir." The android turned to Captain Picard. "You have the bridge, sir."

"Acknowledged." Picard glanced at Mengred.

For a moment, Mengred thought he would be ordered from the bridge. He settled back in his chair, determined that they would have to drag him off.

Captain Picard sighed. Apparently he decided that it wasn't worth the trouble to eject Mengred. "Status?" the captain asked.

"Warp drive and sensors are offline. Impulse power at 80 percent, with main systems on auxiliary power. s.h.i.+elds are holding. We are drifting approximately 200,000 kilometers outside of the sensor shadow. "

Mengred thought that was the model of a concise report. If only his operatives could be so succinct.

Riker glared at Mengred as he pa.s.sed by. Mengred smirked at the commander's shorn, patchy hair. He looked like a wet rabbit.

"Where is the Carda.s.sian wars.h.i.+p?" Riker demanded.

"Unknown," the android replied. "The wars.h.i.+p was on long-range sensors when the phenomenon occurred."

"Just like before," Riker muttered suspiciously.

"What was it?" Picard asked quietly, standing next to Data at ops.

'Tetryon emissions surged for .02 seconds, sir, before the sensor banks became overloaded. The subs.p.a.ce shock wave disrupted the gravity field for 5.4 seconds."

Picard's tone remained even. "Can you determine the source of the tetryon emissions, Data?"

"Negative, sir. I did not have time to lock on sensors."

"When will sensors be back on-line?"

"We will have limited range momentarily, Captain."

Picard nodded shortly, returning to the command chair. They must have been asleep when the gravity went off, but the captain looked exactly the same as usual, calm and collected despite the emergency. Riker was clearly not as sharp. He was hunched in his seat, glancing at Mengred every now and again, barely restraining signs of his hostility and suspicion.

The rest of the senior bridge crew soon arrived to replace the night s.h.i.+ft, including the Bajoran helmsman. She started in surprise when she saw Mengred, then resolutely jerked her chin away.'She had refused to speak to him, though Mengred had tried, day after day. It had become quite fun tracking Ro down just so he could sit in her line of view. She was just about ready to snap. He knew the signs, and he was teasing out the last few comments, aware that he should be prepared to defend his life if she finally did attack him.

Worf was much cooler, belying the legendary Klingon volatility. He took up his tactical station without making eye contact with Mengred. Worf had turned out to be a mystery to Mengred, much to his chagrin. Worf didn't fit the hard-drinking, boastful stereotype of a Klingon warrior. If anything, Worf was more proper and tightly wound than the other Starfleet officers.

When sensors came on line, the android announced that Gul Ocett's wars.h.i.+p was still on course for the rendezvous coordinates.

"Hail them," Picard ordered.

"Aye, sir," Worf acknowledged.

It was not long before the starfield was replaced with the image of Gul Ocett. The viewscreen was tight on her face. "Yes, what is it?"

Mengred shook his head at her inept bluntness.

"Commander," Picard said, standing up. "The Enterprise just encountered a subs.p.a.ce tetryon shock wave. Do you know anything about it?"

Ocett's eyes narrowed. "Another shock wave?"

"Yes," Picard said, more intently. "Didn't your sensors read it?"

Ocett immediately turned away, and Mengred knew she was consulting with the tactical officer. After a moment she returned to the center of the screen. "We read nothing unusual. Only some minor subs.p.a.ce fluctuations."

"Commander...," Picard said doubtfully. "It was strong enough to disrupt our sensors and overload our power conduits. You're telling me that you couldn't detect it?"

"We read nothing unusual," she repeated doggedly.

"She's lying," Riker said flatly. "It's the same thing they did to the Hawking. It must be some kind of new weapon. Ask him!" He jerked a thumb in Mengred's direction.

Picard turned thoughtfully. "Yes, Jos Mengred, tell Gul Ocett what happened."

He lifted the fingers of one hand. "The gravity went off."

"For 5.4 seconds," the android added helpfully.

Ocett looked highly suspicious. "We didn't detect anything. Perhaps it was a malfunction in your systems."

"A likely story," Riker muttered.

Picard held up one hand. "Data?"

"Negative, sir. The phenomenon was external to the s.h.i.+p's systems."

Picard turned back to Ocett. "You see why we are suspicious."

"We should be suspicious," Ocett retorted. 'Twice you have claimed we have damaged you, and both times our sensors have detected nothing. Perhaps you look for a reason to fight...."

"That's absurd!" Riker exclaimed in disdain.

Mengred watched the interplay carefully. He was uncertain of whom to trust. Could the android have caused the malfunction? It was certainly possible. His ability to stay seated when everyone else was flung into the air indicated he may have had prior knowledge of what was about to happen.

Then again, Gul Ocett could be testing a new military weapon. It was known to happen, that Central Command kept innovations secret from the Obsidian Order. But the Order always found out. How convenient for him to be on the Enterprise when Ocett used the weapon... he didn't doubt her willingness to do so.

Captain Picard caught his eye, and he seemed just as uncertain for a moment. Then his mask of command slid into place.

"We aren't going to start a fight," Picard told Ocett. "But we are going to find out what happened. Picard out."

The captain ordered damage teams to complete their repairs. The crew rushed to comply as Picard waited patiently for their reports.

"What about him?" Riker asked, not bothering to lower his voice.

"He's here to observe," Picard pointed out. "Let him observe."

Mengred counted himself lucky that Picard was so free with their information. Picard's genuine concern indicated that it was not a ruse on their part, though Mengred wouldn't put it past Commander Riker to Stage an "attack."

So he tried to be un.o.btrusive, sitting very still. They all seemed to believe they were dealing with a real threat to the safety of the s.h.i.+p. Fear couldn't be faked, and though these people were trained professionals, he could hear it in their voices, that deadly uncertainty.

Counselor Troi came onto the bridge, and her furrowed brow revealed the empathic tension she was under. Mengred had discovered that Troi was an accurate barometer of the s.h.i.+p's crew.

Mengred was already considering ways he could contact Enabran Tain to ask whether it was possible that Central Command had developed a subs.p.a.ce weapon. Then he noticed that Ensign Ro was swaying in her seat. She stopped herself by leaning forward with a jolt, supporting herself on her elbows.

Data glanced over as she buried her face in her hands. "Is something wrong, Ensign?"

"No...," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "Just sleepy, I guess."

Ro tried to sit up straighter, blinking and shaking her head. Her dark hair flared out for a moment.

Data reached out to support her elbow as she started to lean too far to one side. "Ensign Ro!"

She grabbed wildly, trying to catch herself. Data held onto her arm, keeping her seated.

Picard sat forward, "What's wrong, Ensign?"

"M'dizzy ...," she mumbled.

"Help her," Picard ordered.

One of other the ensigns moved in from the science station to help Ro. She got up and staggered a few feet. Her pale sweaty face was alarming.

Data performed an interior scan aimed at Ensign Ro. "Sir, it appears she is suffering from tetryon radiation."

"Is that possible?" Picard asked incredulously.

"Accessing," Data said "I can find no other instance in which tetryon radiation has been detected outside of laboratory tests."

The captain immediately tapped his communicator. "Picard to sickbay, we have a medical emergency on the bridge."

"Crusher here. Captain, I'm getting calls from all over the s.h.i.+p. People are pa.s.sing out, with severe nausea. I'm reading radiation exposure up to 400 rads on some of these people. What happened?"

"It appears to be tetryon radiation," Picard informed her.

"What?! How can that be? It's only a theory...."

"We'll keep you informed," Picard a.s.sured the doctor.

Ro groaned as she was helped up the ramp to the turbolift. Mengred stood up, astonished. How could someone get that ill so quickly? Her eyes were red and watery and she looked miserable as they reached the beam-out point. She was hardly able to stand up as she was transported away, presumably to sickbay.

Mengred realized his mouth was open. He snapped it shut, shuddering at the thought of what Enabran Tain would say about such a display of weakness.

He sat back down. After that, two more of the numerous bridge crew members fell ill right before his eyes. It was loathsome, he who rarely had seen sickness, to be surrounded by people falling over in their tracks. It was as if the very air was poisoned, killing them at their posts.

When Captain Picard began to sweat, to s.h.i.+ft uneasily in his chair, Mengred felt an uncharacteristic tremor in his neck ridge. This was not an act. Something was happening to the Enterprise.

"Are you all right, sir?" Commander Riker asked the captain.

"I appear to be ... suffering from the same...," Picard started to say. He placed his hand across his eyes, bending his head forward.

Riker hit his comm badge, "Bridge to sickbay. Captain Picard is not feeling well."

"Beam him down immediately. He should get cellular regeneration now before the damage progresses."

"Acknowledged," Riker replied. He helped Picard stand up. For a moment it looked as if the captain would walk to the beam-out point, but then he faltered.

Riker tapped Picard's comm badge on the upper left chest of his uniform. "One to beam to sickbay," he ordered the computer.

"You have the bridge, Number One," the captain whispered.

As the captain was beamed from the bridge, Riker took command. And Mengred was almost relieved when he was summarily ordered from the bridge.