his size.
68 The manual controls are history," he announced. "I'm going to work
disconnecting the drive. Keep those tractor beams locked on. I don't
want this thing thousands of miles behind us with my hand in it, and
the rest of me here!"
69 For several anxious moments the crew held its breath while the
Engineer worked. Finally, the shimmering trail of light coming from the
rear of the disaster recorder disappeared, and the Engineer backed off.
"If anybody wants to get near this thing," he warned, "they'll have to
suit up. It's hot. Put the shields in the emergency bay on full and
haul us in."
70 Morn rose from his command chair and ordered his Number Two to take
the command deck. Then, he went to engineering, donned his space suit,
and was waiting for the Engineer as the hauling beams pulled him
aboard. To his surprise he found the ship's Doctor emerging from the
hatch behind him, as the recorder was settling on the deck. "We don't need any medical help, Doctor," Morn assured.
71 "If you don't mind," the Doctor requested, "I'm a history buff. That
thing must be a thousand years old. I'd like to have a look at it
before you dump it."
72 "All right," agreed Morn. "I guess it won't do any harm."
73 A moment after the disaster recorder had settled the Engineer
appeared in the hatch and it began to close behind him. "Stay away from
the rear of that thing," he warned. "She's leaking bad, and I don't
know if our suit shields can handle that much load."
74 Morn and the Doctor backed off. Morn noticed how broken up the
Engineer's warning was. "Command deck, are you reading this?" he
asked. There was no response.
"We'd better not stay in here too long," Morn warned. "the command deck
can't hear us, and I don't think the ship can reach me, either."