“Fifty kilometers,” warned Lieutenant Horne.  “Sir?” “Steady on shields...” “Slow down, Simpson,” advised Lieutenant Quan’Tan.  “We don’t want to overshoot the translight engines.  This has to be timed perfectly for it to work.” “Twenty kilometers ‘til shuttles impact with shields!” Horne called out. Commander Vaughn leaned from his chair over to Mansel.  “Captain?” “Not now, T.J.” “Be ready on main gun,” Anarcha said, half standing/half leaning out of her chair aboard the Crimson Star.  “We’ll only have a second.” “And what of that lonely shuttle riding beside the Explorer?” the Gunnery sergeant asked. “It’ll be caught in the blast.  If not...target it next.” “Ten kilometers.  Captain, I suggest--” “Suggestion noted, Lieutenant, thank you.” “Darryl...” “Shut up, Jim.” Taking constant reading from the Explorer, Lieutenant Quan’Tan said, “be prepared to execute thrust.” “Right.” “Three kilometers,” announced Horne.  “Two...one...” “Drop shields,” ordered Mansel calmly. “Fire!” yelled Anarcha. “Now!” exclaimed Quan’Tan. As the Explorer dropped her shields to allow the shuttles to enter the bay, the Crimson Star fired its main gun.  Ensign Simpson had anticipated this and applied a burst of speed at the exact moment needed.  The laser from the Crimson Star’s main gun impacted with the armored shuttle, taking the brunt of the force.  The leftover voltage hit the Explorer’s translight engines. “They hit the engines!” Fleury called from Engineering.  “We won’t be able to go to translight!” “Vaughn, Brungess, get down there and see what you can do to help!” ordered Mansel.  “We need those engines!”