More Than a Lifetime #8: The Edge of Heaven

Chapter 17: We'll Always Have Risa (or Will We?)

Archer and Dani emerged from his ready room.

"I've taken the liberty of asking Commander Tucker to join us," Reed said.

"What's the problem?" Archer asked, walking over to Reed's station.

"We're having trouble balancing the warp field," Reed said.

Archer studied Reed's computer monitor. "Looks fine to me."

"It's odd," Reed said. "It'll be stable one moment, and then, for no reason, it'll go slightly out of alignment."

"What are you guys doing to my engines?" Tucker asked, stepping from the turbolift onto the bridge.

"The auto-stabilizers aren't functioning properly," T'Pol said.

"The computer ran its last diagnostic on them less than 10 minutes ago," Tucker said. "They look fine."

"Well they're not," Reed said. "We've had to realign the field a dozen times over the last hour."

"Load torpedoes, and stand by all weapons," Archer said, alarm rising in his voice. "Deploy the beacons, Travis. Modify the viewscreen, and aim the beacons aft."

The viewscreen displayed six green blobs in formation just beyond the nacelles.

"Swing them down slowly," Archer instructed. Another six blobs came into view on the screen.

"It looks like we're in a swarm of cloaked bees," Trip observed.

"Charge the phase cannons," Archer said.

"We're being hailed," Hoshi announced.

"Put it through," Archer said.

Silik's bumpy face appeared on the viewscreen. "I wouldn't advise using your weapons, Jonathan," Silik warned. "Perhaps if we decloak, you'll understand why." Silik cut the transmission from his end. The image that replaced him was a view of Enterprise's hull surrounded by dozens of pods.

On Archer's order, Hoshi suspended the transmission with Silik. Archer turned to Reed. "Malcolm?" he said, seeking confirmation.

"They're all armed with high-yield particle weapons, sir," Reed reported.

"How many could you take out?" Archer asked.

"Before they could open fire?" Malcolm asked. "Not enough sir."

Archer nodded at Hoshi, who resumed the transmission with Silik.

"One of my ships is approaching your starboard docking port," Silik said. "I'd like Danielle Janeway to board it immediately."

Archer and Dani looked at each other before turning back to the viewscreen. Of all the things they'd anticipated coming out of Silik's mouth, that hadn't been one of them. "What do you want with her?" Archer demanded.

Silik ignored Archer's question. "You have five minutes," he said. "If you don't comply, I have permission to destroy Enterprise."

"How do I know you won't destroy Enterprise either way?" Archer asked.

"You have my word, Captain," Silik said. "And you also have four and a half minutes left." He ended the transmission.

Dani looked at Archer briefly before turning and walking toward the turbo lift. She hadn't said a word, but Archer, knowing the kind of person she was, already knew what she had in mind.

"Dani—where are you going?" he asked, following her.

"You heard what he said," Dani said. "If I don't go over there, he destroys Enterprise."