As the Enterprise passed through the cluster, Spock listened for system breach alerts from the damage control station. Several minor ones sounded over the first minute, accompanied by a single thunder crack of a flare passage through the bridge, well over the crew’s lowered heads. Yet before long, a major alarm sounded, after which the rate of breaches began to increase.

“Scott to bridge! One o’ those hailstones from Hell struck the field regulator. The verteron field’s gone down. It’ll take at least ten minutes to re-rig it—” A loud crack and a cry sounded behind him. “Oh, no… Lieutenant Kwan’s been hit! I need a medical team down here!”

Spock nodded to Ferat, who relayed the order to sickbay. “On their way, Mister Scott. Repair the verteron field as quickly as possible.”

“Easier said than done when we’re under fire!”

“Sir!” That was Cadet Nadel at the science station. “Another ship is closing on our course. Just now picked it up through the static. It’s… it’s taking position directly in front of us!”

In moments, the barrage of microflares began to ease. Spock straightened in his seat, raising a brow. As far as he could discern through the static on the viewscreen, the vessel in whose wake they now flew was of the Miranda class.

“They’re hailing, sir,” called Ferat. “I think… yes, it’s a laser-pulse communication. Just a moment…”

Though the Cygnian cadet was inexperienced with the alternative communication protocol, she nonetheless reconfigured her station with respectable alacrity. A moment later, a reasonably clear signal came through from the other bridge—the occupants of which were all unexpectedly attired in EV suits. Spock noted that the transmission was devoid of the normal background sounds of bridge equipment.

The captain, clad in an orange-and-brown EV suit, spoke through his helmet microphone. “This is Captain Clark Terrell of the U.S.S. Reliant. You look like you could use a hand, Captain Spock.”

Spock tugged on the hem of his uniform jacket. “Your arrival is timely, Captain. I presume you have a working verteron field?”

“That’s right. And we’ve depressurized to minimize the blast damage—and protect our ears.”

“We have done the same, though to a less drastic degree.”

“Understandable—your people have a lot of work to do. You need your freedom of movement.” He gestured around his bridge. “Whereas we’re just here to run interference. I figured you’d be better off with a second verteron field leading the way.” He smiled inside his helmet. “That is, if you hadn’t lost the first.”

“Indeed. But your arrival should facilitate the repair of our field. Your proposal is sound, provided we maintain a minimum separation. At this speed, that entails a degree of risk.”

“Being here at all is a risk, Captain. Yet here we are.”