You decide to head north to check on the Scheall system, after a suitable bit of preparation. To that end, you direct Zheeves to acquire whatever data he can on the system. You aren't expecting much, but any little scrap could matter.

You spend the two weeks familiarizing yourself with the controls of both the Aegis and of her cargo shuttles under Frank's tutelage. His skill far outstrips yours, but at least you can land and take off without crashing... most of the time.

Jace has spent some time upgrading the Swallow. There is no changing her cargo shuttle heritage, but he has managed to add on some armor. No weapons however, as her frame and power plant just can't support them.

Adam Mantium has adapted to his new role as Morrigan's unofficial second in command and chaplain to the troops. He has acquired robe, aquilla pendant, and a crude rosarius icon from somewhere, as well as a flamer and a two-handed chainsword. You make a mental note to make sure Morrigan teaches him how to use the bloody thing without cutting his arms off a second time.

Yasha has been pouring over maps of the Scheall and surrounding systems, looking for what you do not know. You heartily approve, as you are going out to the edge of Imperial space, and a little beyond. With her injury fully healed, you have spent a fair bit more time with her, both in public and private.

Vir and Morrigan have been spending quite a bit of time together as well. One day, you notice Vir has brought out the smaller of his boxes. Later that day Morrigan is later wearing a small adamantium and gem-set ring, as well as a secret smile.

As the day of departure draws closer, Zheeves comes through with the schematics of the forward listening post that was the last known Imperial installation in the Scheall system, and thus the most likely anchor point for the hypothetical pirate base.

Most listening posts are thin-skinned things, unarmed and unarmored. From what you and Jace can make of the schematics, the Scheall post is only slightly better, as befits her role as a forward tripwire. She carries no more armor then the Aegis, despite being five times her size and mass, and is armed with only a single macrobattery turret. The pirates, if any exist, will have likely tried to improve this situation somewhat, but Jace cannot see how they could do that without fundamentally re-building the station.

One peaceful Warp Journey and fifteen days later, the Aegis arrives in the Scheall system. As soon as the Aegis' sensor arrays clear, the picture looks thorny and complex.

One wolfpack-class raider is already a drifting wreck, but another three are active and perusing another ship that is headed right for you. A quick scan identifies the fourth ship as the Golden Butterfly, and that the station is indeed active and armed: a long-range lance strike takes the Golden Butterfly's void shields down, and the Wolfpacks chew at her heels.