"Impressive is not the word for it," the mutant said. "Professor Xavier is the most powerful telepath on Earth, and even he requires mechanical aids to detect minds miles away."

On the screen, the alien vessel loomed larger and larger. The counselor only had to look at it to be reminded of the brutality within.

"Five thousand kilometers," Rager said dutifully. "Four thousand. Three thousand. Two-"

"All stop," Picard commanded.

As Rager cut power to the impulse engines, the Enterprise came to a halt. According to the monitor in Troi's armrest, they were a mere five hundred kilometers from the alien vessel-and no further from Xhaldia than her solitary moon.

The captain sat back in his seat. "Hail them, Mr. Sovar."

The Xhaldian looked surprised, but he did as he was told.

For a moment or two, there was no response. Then Sovar looked up from his control console.

"Their Implementor wishes to speak with you," he told Picard.

The captain stood and approached the viewscreen. "Put him through," he told the lieutenant.

In the next instant, a dark and formidable-looking visage confronted them. The alien's head was round and ma.s.sive with bulblike structures protruding from its forehead, and it lacked anything even vaguely resembling a neck. Its skin was leathery, its yellow eyes long and slitted like a lizard's.

The counselor swallowed. There was no pity in the alien's expression, no inclination toward compromise. Still, she knew Picard had to attempt to achieve a peaceful solution.

"I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard," he said, "commanding the U.S.S Enterprise. I've come in response to-"

"I am Isadjo," the alien growled, showing a maw full of short, sharp teeth, "High Implementor of the Draa'kon vessel Connharakt. You will go back where you came from, or we will most certainly destroy you."

Chapter Twenty.

PICARD CONSIDERED HIGH Implementor Isadjo. Obviously, the Draa'kon wasn't one to beat around the bush.

But then, neither was the captain of the Enterprise.

"We have no intention of going back where we came from," he replied almost matter-of-factly. "Not until we have a.s.sured ourselves that Xhaldia is safe and secure again."

The High Implementor made a derisive sound. "You will have reason to wish you had decided otherwise, Captain Jean-Luc Picard."

Then he cut off the communication. Immediately, his image was replaced by that of his ship.

"Sir!" said Sovar. "They're firing at us!"

"Evasive maneuvers," the captain told Rager. "Picard delta-"

Before he could get the rest of it out, the deck pitched wildly beneath him. It sent him staggering into Data. As he disengaged himself from the android, the ship lurched again-even worse than before.

"Picard delta theta!" the captain barked, completing Rager's instructions. Then he turned to his tactical officer. "Mr. Sovar, report!"

The Xhaldian studied his monitors. "We've taken hits to decks seven, eight, thirteen, and seventeen, sir. Shields down ..." His eyes narrowed in disbelief. "... eighty-eight percent!"

The captain swore beneath his breath. Eighty-eight percent with two volleys? At five hundred kilometers? It was unheard of. But, obviously, that was the kind of firepower they were up against.

As Rager took them through one twisting turn after another, the Connharakt broke orbit and came after them. Its weapon ports seething with power, it looked for all the world like a predator moving in for the kill.

Picard had other ideas, however. "Target phasers and photon torpedoes," he told Sovar.

"Targeted," said the Xhaldian.

The captain eyed the viewscreen, where the Draa'kon vessel loomed like an alien leviathan. "Fire!"

The Connharakt was wracked with phaser fire and photon explosions. But it kept coming, undaunted, as if hadn't been hit at all.

"Several direct hits," Sovar reported. "But they don't seem to have had much effect. We barely put a dent in their shields."

Picard was tempted to fire again, but decided against it. His resources were limited, after all.

He turned to Data. "Run an a.n.a.lysis of their shielding, Commander. Let's see if there are any weak spots."

As the android got to work, the captain glanced at Rager. "Let's give them a different look to contend with. Picard delta omega, Lieutenant."

"Aye, sir," said the Conn officer.

Rager began a new set of maneuvers ... just as the Draa'kon unleashed another savage barrage. Most of it slid by them into the void, but a blast caught the edge of the saucer section.

Suddenly, the bridge skewed hard to port, forcing Picard to grab Rager's chair or be thrown to the floor. At the same time, one of the aft control panels erupted in a geyser of sparks. Immediately, a crewman grabbed a fire extinguisher and played it over the panel.

"Shields are gone, sir!" Sovar called out.

Feeling his jaw muscles flutter, Picard turned and eyed the viewscreen with renewed resolve. "Where's my a.n.a.lysis, Mr. Data?"

"I am almost finished," the android replied. A moment later, he swiveled around in his chair. "As you suspected, sir, the overall toughness of the Connharakt's shields comes at the expense of some weak spots elsewhere. These can be found behind all four of the vessel's warp nacelles."

Picard clapped Data on the shoulder. "Good work, Commander."

"Thank you, Captain," said the android.

Picard turned to Rager. "We need to get behind them, Lieutenant."

"I understand, sir."

Without hesitation, the conn officer brought their nose up and avoided another Draa'kon volley-one that would have gashed them from stem to stern. What's more, Rager stayed with the maneuver, bringing them directly behind the monstrous Connharakt.

The captain could see the flares of cold blue fire lodged in the enemy's nacelles. If Data's a.n.a.lysis was accurate, they had an opportunity to turn the tide of battle.

But it wouldn't be there for long. "Target phasers!"

"Targeted," said Sovar.

Picard gritted his teeth. "Fire!"

Four ruby-red beams lanced out, two striking the nacelle on the upper right and the others striking the upper left. Both structures exploded in clouds of blue fury.

But the captain wasn't about to let up. Not when the Draa'kon's next barrage might be the one that destroyed the Enterprise.

"Fire!" he commanded.

Again, four phaser beams pierced the enemy's shields. Again, they elicited twin energy outbursts. But when the viewscreen cleared, Picard could see that only one of the remaining nacelles had exploded. The other was badly charred, but intact.

Which meant the Draa'kon juggernaut could still move. And if it could move, it could hunt.

Even as that thought crossed the captain's mind, he saw weapons ports swivel on top of the Connharakt. "Get us out of here," he told Rager. "Picard delta omicron."

But the Draa'kon were already striking back. A fierce, green light blanched out the viewscreen for a moment. Then the Enterprise was punished with the most devastating barrage yet.

The captain was catapulted forward, flipping end over end. He hit a bulkhead with such force he felt himself black out for a moment. When he came to, the taste of blood strong in his mouth, he took stock of his bridge.

The lights, still tinted by the red alert, were flickering on and off almost hypnotically. Two more of the aft consoles had exploded and were spewing sparks. And his people were strewn all over the place.

With the exception of Data. Somehow, the android had managed to remain at his post. As Picard looked on, his second officer's artificial fingers flew over his control board in a blur of speed.

The captain knew what Data was doing, too. Having taken over the helm function, he was trying to keep the Enterprise in one piece despite the enemy's intentions to the contrary.

Dragging himself to his feet as his officers and Storm did likewise, Picard ignored his bruises and abrasions and glanced back at the viewscreen. It showed him the Connharakt, still d.o.g.g.i.ng their heels, still unleashing volley after fiery, green volley.

But for the time being, the android was eluding them. Taking advantage of the respite, the captain helped a shaken Lt. Rager to her feet and saw her back to her conn station. Then he turned to Sovar, who had only a moment earlier regained his position at Tactical.

"Report," Picard told him, as his first officer came to stand beside him.

The Xhaldian glanced soberly at his monitors. "Weapons are offline," he told the captain. "So's the warp drive. The impulse engines have been damaged as well-there's no saying how long they'll last."

Picard scowled. Without shields, weapons, or the ability to go to warp, they were defenseless. The only thing keeping them from annihilation was their impulse drive, and that might abandon them at any moment.

He needed to pull a rabbit out of his hat. And quickly.

Suddenly, a voice rang out over the intercom system. "Captain, this is Commander La Forge. I've got an idea."

At that point, Picard was willing to grasp at any straw at all. "What is it, Commander?"

"It's Nightcrawler, sir," said Geordi. "He may be able to teleport us onto the Draa'kon ship."

An intriguing idea, the captain conceded. But ... "They still have shields," he replied.

"That's just it," the engineer told him. "Nightcrawler's teleportation abilities don't work the way our transporters do. He circ.u.mvents normal s.p.a.ce by entering some other dimension."

The captain saw Geordi's point. "If that's so, he can get past the Draa'kon ship's defenses-"

"And perform a mission of sabotage," Riker finished. "Maybe even bring their shields down, so we can get other personnel aboard."

Picard turned to Storm. "A possibility?"

She didn't look optimistic. "Kurt is no expert on alien technology. He would hardly know what to wreck. And even if he did," she said grimly, "what you're suggesting would be extremely dangerous for him."

"In what way?" Picard asked.

"Kurt can only teleport over a distance of a couple of miles," Storm explained. "And normally, he only aims for a destination he's familiar with. Otherwise, he runs the risk of materializing inside something solid." Her nostrils flared. "Or in this case, materializing out in s.p.a.ce."

"Don't forget," Riker added, "the Connharakt will be a moving target. We'll have to match her course and speed if Nightcrawler's to have a chance."

Abruptly, the deck lurched under their feet. Apparently, the Draa'kon had found them with another barrage.

"Hull breaches on decks nineteen and twenty," Sovar reported. "Commander Worf is coordinating repair teams."

"If there is any other way ..." Storm began.

"Storm ... Ororo, please this may be our only chance," Nightcrawler insisted over the intercom link. "I can do it, Captain. And someone can come with me to handle the technical end of it."

Storm eyed Picard. "You must understand," she said, "Kurt and whomever he takes along may be adversely affected by the process."

"Adversely ...?" the captain asked.

"Sickened," she said. "Exhausted. Perhaps to the extent that they will not be able to carry out their mission."

The first officer looked at Picard. "Not if it's Data who goes along. He doesn't get sickened or exhausted. And he's got all the technical expertise we could ask for."

The android cast a glance at them, having overheard their conversation. "I would be more than happy to accompany Nightcrawler, Captain. That is, if you deem it advisable."

The captain considered it. The maneuver would require split-second timing, of course. And if it didn't work, he would be dooming two good men. But if he didn't try it, he might be dooming his entire vessel and its crew.

"Very well," he said at last. "If it is all right with your leader, I'll take you up on your offer, Nightcrawler. You and Commander Data will attempt to disable the Connharakt's shield generators." He glanced at Storm and she nodded.

"Aye, sir," the android responded.

As Data got up and was replaced by another officer at Conn, the captain turned to Riker. "a.s.semble some boarding teams, Number One-with a couple of X-Men present in each of them."

He gave Storm a moment to object to the idea. She didn't. In fact, she seemed pleased.

"I'll want to lead a team myself," said the first officer.

"I expected no less," Picard admitted. "See to it that each team targets a different tactical system. When I see the Connharakt's shields drop, I will give the order to transport."

Riker nodded, then headed for the turbolift with Data in his wake. With a glance at the captain, Storm went with them.

Picard almost asked her to stay behind, to continue as his advisor with regard to her compatriots. But then, as perhaps the most powerful being in their midst, she would be infinitely more useful as a member of one of the boarding parties.