You tap on the controls and bring up a repeater of the plot that Midshipman Engel is staring at.

“Well that's less then ideal. Seven gorlak ships all clustered around that big ass asteroid. Bet you that's not just an asteroid. We're staying on silent running for a while it looks like. I don't like the idea of firing our thrusters and generating data for those ships to track us by.”

“No bet Sir. Computer is having a hard time pinning down exact classes for each contact but it looks like a mixture of Butchers and Maulers. I'm not familiar with those classes sir.”

“Pull them up from the database if you want the full details. Off the top of my head Maulers are the escorts. About our size, but only the dorsal gun mounts. They have torpedo tubes on the prow instead loaded up with what amounts to bio weapons. Instead of a big boom they bore in and dump a load of spores into a ship. Bitch and a half getting then out of everything and everyone. The Butchers are even worse. Planetary assault transports, complete with a basic weapons battery and a lot of launch bays. Those aerospace fighters work just as well against ships and their landing craft work equally well as boarding shuttles. In short, nothing we want to tangle with. Not even one on one.”

“Aff Sir. I'll fire up the FTL comm link to summon the Navy then sir?”

“Wait. We are still to close to our translation point. And the gorlak usually come in even numbers. With only seven ships I'd wager one is missing.”

“Could the seeder ship that we killed in the Azur system have been the eighth ship?”

“I doubt it. Seeder ships are usually sent alone. No, there is either another gorlak out here or they lost one in a skirmish along the line somewhere. Either way we drift and drink in the sensor readings for a day or two, glide clear cross the system if we have to, then call in the Navy when we have a good report for them. It would be nine days if they followed our path through the Azur system. Perhaps seven if they were willing to risk an uncharted direct jump. Stack on a day or three for a proper task force to assemble... call it a total of ten to twelve days from when we call it in to when new forces arrive.”

“That is a long time to lurk about in this system Sir.”

“With silent running we can do it. Not many planets in this system to bend our trajectory about if we just coast on a ballistic one. We'll still need to use our thrusters a bit, just not as much. I don't like the feel of this star though. Something about it is setting off that itch between my shoulders.”

“You mean aside from the seven gorlak ships and what the computer is calling a probably abandoned slash infested station Sir?”

“Exactly Midshipman. Call me superstitious if you like but this system is bad news.”

“Aff Sir.”

“Alright, keep an eye on the gorlak, but also start the basic system mapping routines too. Passive sensors only of course. We won't be able to go into low orbit and do the surface scans, but we can at least make a count of the number and chart the orbits for the major features.”

“Aye aye Sir.”

You thumb the com link to Midshipman Huckle open and set it to speaker.

“Alright crew, we'll secure from warp jump stations at this time. We're still on silent running and a heightened alert state because of our friends in the inner system but we'll rest in cycles. We'll be mapping the system, and eyeballing the gorlak, on passives only for five days if we can get away with it. Then we call in the Navy and proceed form there. Take your rest when you can and don't over do it on the wake up stims. We'll have ample warning to wake people up if things go sideways.”

February 10th, 8252

You lean back in the captains chair and review the report that you are drafting for burst transmission to the Navy. It will still take them up to twelve days to get here. Twelve days in which you will play a game of cat and mouse to gather better information for the Navy squadron when they arrive.

TO: SURVEYOR'S CORPS and HIS MAJESTY'S NAVY (Celesmore System)

INFORMATION COPY TO: ROYAL MARINES (Celesmore System)

STAR SYSTEM: MURNMORE

PIRMARY STAR:

Designation: Munmore. Classification: M8VI - Cool Subdawrf star, orange coloration.

INNER CAULDRON:

No planetary bodies present, no other stellar phenomena present or detected.

PRIMARY BIOSPHERE:

The inner reaches of the primary biosphere is dominated by a dust cloud. Preliminary passive scans indicate a high content of ferrous metals. This indicates the dust cloud is the remains of an asteroid field and may be worth harvesting. Detailed and active scans not available at this time due to gorlak present in system.

The central region of primary biosphere contains a gorlak infested orbital platform in a stable solar orbit. The purpose of this platform is suspected to be refueling and / or rest and resupply, in so far as the gorlak hive mind needs such things. Exact details station composition is not known but suspected to be a repurposed large asteroid or small planetoid based on spheroidal, cratered appearance. Seven gorlak ships present in close orbit to the station. Type break down per passive scans only is four Butcher class planetary assault transports and three Mauler class frigates. The purpose for the presence of the ships is unknown. Speculation is that the squadron is either a guard force assigned to the station or an incomplete squadron awaiting reinforcement before conducting operations.

The outer region of the primary biosphere contains an iron-rich asteroid field. Preliminary scans were completed with passive sensors only. Estimated extractable tonnage is One thousand five hundred gigatonnes of industrial metals with a margin of error of ten percent. Detailed and active scans not possible to to gorlak presence in system.

OUTER REACHES

Murnmore 1, and it's two moons, is the only feature of note in the outer reached of the Murnmore system. Murnmore 1 itself is a gas giant, helium and hydrogen composition with ammonia cloud formations, possessed of a weak gravitational field and an orbital ring of fine dust. Murnmore 1-1 is an non-water ice moon, smaller then average but possessing of nominal gravity and atmosphere. Atmosphere expected to be toxic due to low oxygen content (estimated two percent of atmospheric volume with a margin of error of three percent). Significant reserves of exotic ices expected to be present. Passive only sensor scans indicate an estimated extractable mass of seventy five gigatonnes of materiel. Detailed and active scans not possible due to golrak presence in system.

RECCOMENDED ACTIONS

Navy force needed to remove golrak forces from system as the Night Horse does not possess sufficient firepower to confront seven hostile units of equal or greater mass at once. Royal Marine contingent may be needed to clear and cleanse the orbital platform if desired. The Night Horse can not get close enough to evaluate if the station is too infested to be salvaged at this time. The Night Horse will be remaining in system under covert / silent running conditions to provide updated information to Navy forces on arrival.

SIGNED: CAPT Lawrence Warde, Commanding, HMSCS Night Horse.

You attach the relevant sensor data, finalize the report, and queue it up for burst transmission back to Celesmore. You hit send and begin the process of waiting for a reply and (possibly) further instructions.