Quoted By:
>Pic is a zoom out of the last frame.
“MIZAR-VI-B is an ugly duckling. Its surface is marred with impact craters and low, rocky valleys. No atmosphere. No water. Few extractable metallics. In spite of these deficits, however, the moon offers excellent cover. Its unusually robust magnetosphere provides an EM deadzone on its sun-facing side – one that the RAIN and I have generously exploited over the past two days.
In fact, moving into MIZAR-VI’s gravity well undetected may have been impossible without the moon’s assistance. The orbital station responsible for shipping the majority of MIZAR-VI’s water output possesses a massive phased-sensor array, filling the space around the ice giant with a multiplex of scanning frequencies. Occasional angle shifts in the RAIN’s passive sensor readouts also suggested semi-regular scouting activity by dedicated patrols.
In an attempt to track these patrols, I launched two additional probes this morning – one sent on a merger with the ice giant’s ring system, the other on an inject trajectory into MIZAR-VI-A’s orbit. The first unit provided moderately informative results – a non-station signal trace indicative of a second scanning array somewhere between the RAIN and the ring system. The exact location of the signal-source could be determined with some skill...
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By contrast, the second probe was much luckier – almost unreasonably so. In addition to picking up two corvette-weight vessels on an active patrol, the drone also passed by a collection of inactive vessels. Most of them were transports: big water-haulers with weak engines and poor sensors. But closer to the moon, there were a trio of ships at least ten times heaver than the corvettes. MERRYGATE suggested that they were proper capital-class vessels: set in a temporary holding pattern as they await reaction mass replenishment. Given what we have observed of the Mizarians' travel logs, warships of this size may be a limited resource. Tempting targets, though also risky ones given that their true state of readiness is unknown…”
- [UNSIGNED], EXECUTIVE AUDITOR, TRS NOVEMBER RAIN, AD. 2242, MAR 6, PERSONAL JOURNAL
[CHOOSE ONE/MORE OF THE FOLLOWING:]
>SCOUT. I have one remaining scout drone left. Perhaps I could use it to tease out the location of any additional vessels…
>STRIKE. I have close in weapons and missiles, and there are several tempting targets...
>LURE. My scout drones can be used to lure ships by broadcasting a false scanning pattern/drive signature. However, this will result in loss of my drone should an enemy ship reach if first…
>MOVE. Perhaps I could relocate to a better position?
>INTRUSION. Ideas for MERRYGATE? [Will require moving into radar [RAD] range at least]
>Write In…
