XVI.

Data and Heva practically sprinted to the bridge, occasionally falling as blasts hit the ship. They entered in haste and Data ran to his station. "What's going on, Captain?" Heva asked loudly over the noise of crashes and rumbles that came from various areas of the room.

"The Bots have spotted the Enterprise and are attacking, full force." Picard shouted. Heva looked to the view screen. Indeed, several Bots where darting about outside of the ship, firing phasers and torpedoes at them at will.

Another hard blast hit them and everyone in the room was thrown about like rag dolls.

"Sir!" Lieutenant Worf cried. "Our shields are down to ten percent and dropping. I am unable to reroute auxiliary power to bring them to a higher level!"

"Take power from anywhere you can find, Mister Worf!" Picard yelled. "Get those shields back up! Fire every weapon you can! Lock on to them best you can and blow the bastards to kingdom come!"

Phasers, torpedoes, and blasters fired from every direction of the Enterprise. Bots were being hit left and right, yet most of them seemed unaffected. Others were destroyed instantly. The injured Bots fought back harder than they originally did, shooting torpedo after torpedo through the shields and into the hull.

"Captain!" Data cried, turning from his station. "Our engines are offline! A photon torpedo has breached our hull and it traumatized hull integrity on decks 14-20. I am bringing a force field up to protect any crew that may be down there!"

"Attempt to increase hull integrity on those decks by rerouting power from the inertial dampers if you have to! We must not let them breach us!"

"I have increased hull integrity by routing power from life support from decks 10-12 sir!"

"Captain!" Worf shouted as another blast sent him forward over his station. He regained his balance and continued his information.

Heva could only stand in awe at first, watching as this famous crew worked together to protect themselves and the beloved Enterprise. She was unsure of how to help at first but then she saw something that could potentially save them. She watched as one of the Bots accidentally shot down a fellow soldier. Its structure imploded as the phaser from its comrade collided with it, and then another with what seemed to be the same serial number followed suit. There were some that were identical, like twins. If it's counterpart was destroyed, it would be eliminated as well.

"Captain!" she shouted, Picard turned to her. "If you combine the power of a photon torpedo and our phasers, you will be able to hit them with such a force that they would never have a chance! Some of the Bots have an identical signature to another, if you kill the counterpart then the twin Bot will die as well. It will kill them faster and save our energy!"

Picard's face filled with triumph.

"Data!" he shouted. "Fire a photon torpedo into one of our beams and program it to take the same route, do that with multiple torpedo fire!"

"Aye, sir! Combining phaser program with photon torpedo program!"

"ENGAGE!"

Data fired the combined weaponry at a Bot hovering on the port side. It was instantly destroyed, along with four other Bots. Data continued this stream until eventually the 20 left exploded into nothingness in unison. Silence filled the bridge, followed by cheers of victory.

"Well done, Lieutenant!" Picard gailed at Heva.

Everyone in the bridge went to congratulate her on her success. She smiled and thanked everyone for their praise, and looked over at Data. He sat in his chair facing her, smiling with pride. "You were wonderful." He mouthed. Her heart began to beat rapidly as she smiled back at him. "Thank you." She lipped back.

Pretty soon, the excitement died down and the captain demanded a report. There had only been two hull breeches on decks three and seventeen and they sustained four casualties and eight injuries; all of which had been beamed to sick bay. The repairs would be rough, but not as rough as they could have been.

Picard made his way to Heva across the bridge and shook her hand. "You did marvelously, Lieutenant. Your observation and technological education did indeed serve us very well. I am sending a transmission to Star Fleet headquarters to grant me permission to promote you to Lieutenant Commander."

The staff on the bridge applauded at the blushing Heva. She bowed her head curtly at the captain and gave him a half smile. "Thank you, captain." She replied. "I am honored."

"It is no trouble." Jean-Luc said. He felt his chest pounding with excitement as he returned to his chair. He himself was honored; honored to be in the presence of a most amazing woman. He glanced at Data and noticed that he was staring intently at the Lieutenant. His smile faded slightly as he realized what he had feared. He looked over at Heva, who was returning Data's gaze. Jealousy flared in Jean-Luc's heart and he felt nauseated and drowned in guilt. He knew what he had been planning to do for days now, but now he was unsure that he could go through with it, knowing what he knew now.