Free Star Trek: The Next Generation - 119 - Armageddon's Arrow by Dayton Ward

combat.
    “Number One , ” Picard said over the open frequency, “we’re detecting a modest increase in energy levels over there. They seem localized to your immediate vicinity . ”
    “I think I know what this is,” said Elfiki, waving with her free hand and indicating her tricorder. “This looks like it might be an automated response. Our accessing the system controlling the landing bay hatch seems to have triggered a protocol to restore the internal environment, at least in this area of the ship. I’m picking up indications of life-support systems coming online, including whatever it is that they use to achieve artificial gravity.”
    Scanning her own tricorder, Chen nodded in agreement. “I think she’s right, sir. There’s a definite increase in power levels, but only in this compartment as well as one of the connecting corridors. As for the atmosphere, it’s Class-M. Once everything’s up and running, we should be able to move around without our suits.”
    “You’re saying the onboard computer rolled out a welcome mat for us?” La Forge asked.
    “That was nice of it,” Cruzen said.
    Elfiki said, “Well, likely not for us, but obviously the computer is programmed to respond to changes in whatever it considers to be the ship’s current status.”
    “What about those life-forms Elfiki found?” Konya asked. “Could they be behind this?”
    “There’s only one way to find out,” Worf replied.

6

    Nothing is ever as simple as it first appears to be.
    How many times, Picard wondered to himself, had he pondered that thought, or some variation, as he sat on the bridge of his ship while people he commanded marched off into the unknown and perhaps harm’s way? Far too many, he conceded. Protocol often called for a commanding officer to stand or sit idle as other men and women carried out hazardous missions, sometimes at the cost of their very lives. As a younger man, Picard had been uncomfortable with the idea of sending others into danger while he remained behind, but age, experience, and even wisdom had made him realize that the rules existed for good reasons, even if there were times when he did not agree with them.
    Now was one of those times.
    Rising from his command chair at the center of the Enterprise bridge, he stepped forward until he stood between the conn and ops positions. “Lieutenant Šmrhová, any changes in your readings?”
    Behind him, the security chief replied, “Nothing beyond what we’re already detecting sir. Minor increases in power emissions, and what looks to be life-support systems powering up in isolated areas, but nothing like we saw before. To be honest, sir, the pattern of the increases doesn’t make any sense to me.”
    Picard frowned. “What do you mean?”
    “The areas that are coming online aren’t really connected in any way that I can see,” Šmrhová replied. After a moment, during which Picard heard her tapping controls on her station, she added, “If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was a random sampling, which doesn’t make any practical sense, given that the life-form readings are all grouped together. In fact, the compartment where we detected life signs isn’t receiving any of this.”
    Recalling the theories La Forge had offered to explain the odd readings, Picard said, “If the life-forms are in some form of hibernation, is it possible there’s a malfunction of sorts, and it’s impacting whatever’s happening now?”
    “It’s as good a guess as any, sir.”
    Picard regarded the main viewscreen, which had been configured so that the display’s top two-thirds depicted an image of the enormous alien craft. The screen’s remaining portion now was split into six equal sections, each relaying the visual feed from the helmets of the away team. Worf’s and La Forge’s feeds were on either end of the group, bracketing the remaining officers. Given how the team was ordered as it made its way deeper into the derelict ship, most of the feeds