part of this.
It's just another delay.
Captain, the engines
are back on line.
Good. Helm, lay in a course
for the Fleming.
They're in pretty good condition.
Shields are back.
Captain,
the Hekaran ship is moving off.
There is one person on board.
It is Serova.
- Doctor, what is going on?
- I don't know.
- Captain, may I speak to her?
- Mr Worf, open a channel.
Serova, what are you doing?
They wanted proof.
I'm going to give it to them.
I'm sorry.
Captain, the Hekaran ship's engines
are overloading.
I believe Serova is trying to create
a warp-core breach.
- No!
- Prepare for impact.
Shields at maximum. Full reverse.
- Report.
- We have cleared the shockwave.
However,
tetryon flux is increasing rapidly.
- It's incredible!
- Mr Data, your analysis?
The event is approximately
0.1 light years in diameter.
It is emitting extremely high levels
of tetryon radiation.
It appears to be what was predicted.
A subspace rift.
- She was right.
- Can you get a fix on the Fleming?
- Is she in one piece?
- Scanning.
It is near its previous coordinates.
It appears intact.
But it is now within the rift.
Doctor,
could a ship survive in there?
I'm sorry about your loss,
but we need your help now.
Of course, Captain.
Does the rift pose any danger
to the Fleming?
I don't know.
What was that?
A high-energy distortion wave
from within the rift.
If we maintain our position,
our shields should protect us.
What about the Fleming?
The waves are more intense
in the rift.
I estimate her shields will fail
in approximately 12 hours.
- Can we risk going in?
- Not at warp.
The rift is in a state
of instability,
which would make it sensitive
to warp fields. We might expand it.
I don't think we have a choice.
It would take weeks at impulse.
I want better options. Data, Geordi,
take Dr Rabal to analyse the rift.
We need to find a way
to get the Fleming out.
Second Officer's log,
stardate 47312. 1.
New sensor readings have improved
our understanding of the rift.
However, we have been unable to find
any way to counteract it.
Everything
supports Serova's theories.
I can't find any way
to close the rift or reduce it.
Doctor, is it possible there are
stable areas inside the rift,
where we can safely use warp engines?
Perhaps. Computer, scan the rift
for regions of low instability.
There's no area stable enough
to withstand a warp pulse.
Wait a minute. This is strange.
Computer, display grid Delta 17.
Enhance and magnify.
What do you make of that?
It's a subspace instability
outside the rift.
That should not be possible.
I'm going to begin
a scan of this sector.
I'd like to get a closer look
at this.
We should tell the Captain we don't
know how to get to the Fleming.
I am not certain that is true.
I believe I have an idea.
- I suggest we coast into the rift.
- Coast?
We can initiate a brief warp pulse
from our current position.
We should
be able to attain the velocity
to enter the rift, beam over the crew
and exit, without using warp engines.
If we initiate a full-power pulse,
how long before we drop out of warp?
If we field-saturate the nacelles,
we should be able to stay
in warp speed for two minutes.
That doesn't give us long.
It could get rough in there.
- Timing will be critical.
- Begin your calculations.
- We'll go as soon as you're ready.
- Aye, sir.
I believe the maximum saturation
level should be 18.3 percent.
Alright. We should be able
to maintain warp speed
for two minutes, eight seconds.
No more than that.
I agree.
But based on the size of the rift,
that should give us sufficient time
to complete the rescue.
Computer, initiate
nacelle field saturation.
- How did we miss it, Data?
- I beg your pardon?
How did we miss the connection
between warp drive
and the formation of the rift?
We've logged thousands of hours
on these engines.
We're supposed to be
warp-field experts.
We were wrong this time.
Technically, we were