The shuttle
smoothly lifted off and exited the ~Fearless~ to be embraced by the
inky blackness of space. Krystal admired the absolute stillness of the
stars, unmired by an atmosphere and unfiltered by a display screen.
Aldos hung in front of them, a small disk the size of a baseball, 2
million kilometers away.
"Lay in a course for Aldos, one quarter impulse."
"Left ~Fearless~, ~Quilca~ has," reported Gonar as the second shuttle
took up a position behind the ~Gulliver~.
Aldos slowly grew as the shuttles sped towards it.
"I'm going to get a drink, anyone want something?" inquired Krystal as
she got up.
"Unidentified ship there be, around Aldos it comes."
"Identify the ship."
"Serin, Gonar, Commander Zakarian? Don't want anything from the
replicator? Last call."
"Cardassian warship it be. Powered its weapons it has."
"Evasive maneuvers. Raise shields. Contact the ~Fearless~."
"Ok then. No drinks for you."
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The ~Gulliver~
corkscrewed around a plasma bolt as the Cardassian scored with its
compressor beam. The impact flung the shuttle sideways and tossed
Krystal on the ground.
"Hey! Watch where you're flying, logic boy!" yelled Krys.
"50% shields we have. More power I try."
"Head for Aldos. Try to lose them in the atmosphere."
Serin deftly dodged the shuttle towards Aldos as the Cardassian warship
headed straight for them. Plasma and compressor bolts kept bracketing
them, not quite able to land a solid hit. Finally, a plasma bolt
smashed the forward shields, blowing out panels and rupturing the hull.
"Emergency containment fields up."
"Losing power we are. Land we must."
"Oh my goodness! Commander Zakarian's been injured!"
"I suggest you attend to him then. Gonar and I are quite occupied right
now."
Another blast rocked the shuttle.
"Warp power lost it is. Impulse power gone also."
"Strap yourself down. We are going to crash."
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