>>5664402>>5664404>>5664422>>5664429>>5664431The radio crackles to life. “All ships, this is Convoy-Lead. We’re too close to the star, and it’s throwing off our readings. Pull back to the edge of the system, and we’ll recalibrate for another jump calculation.”
Affirmations come up and down the line. After sounding off, Suzel accelerates the <span class="mu-i">Albatross</span> into a measured pace that keeps the ship abreast of the convoy. Several tense minutes follow, during which the cockpit becomes heavy with a tense silence. Everyone’s eyes are on their respective stations, tracking screens and occasional glimpses to the viewing port.
Eventually, you reach the edge of the system, where the interference of the star would be at its weakest. But it isn’t completely gone – the crimson light of 19A-KJ shines faintly off of transparisteel, refracting macabre shapes onto nearby asteroids and other stellar debris. It sits in the backdrop, much like the unease pooling in your guts and blood.
“This far enough for y’all?” jokes Jolt-Lead.
“Should be,” you reply dourly. Through the data-stream, you share the <span class="mu-i">Albatross’</span> sensor readings with the rest of the group. “Only thing we have to worry about this far out are asteroids.”
In lieu of a planet, the last stellar body in the system is an asteroid belt. Most are fist-sized, pinging harmlessly off the deflector shield with nary a drain in power. But there are still far larger objects that meander at the edge of the gravity well, asteroids that run the gamut from rocks the size of freighters to mountains that could outweigh a Star Destroyer. A cursory scan reveals nothing even remotely resembling a dwarf planet.
“…if anyone wants to hit us now…here’d be the place,” Trkykov warns. “Plenty of nooks and crannies for ships to hide in.”
Jolt-Lead takes it under advisory. “Keep your eyes peeled, and your fingers on their triggers. Spread out, and keep an eye for any stray rocks coming up at your wingmen’s six. Convoy-Lead, how much time do you need?”
“Thirty minutes,” comes the answer. “But we’re also going to be deploying a recon probe to stay here. Just in case we need to come back, or if the green uglies decide to use the system as a staging ground.”
You share a glance with Suzel. That hadn’t been in the flight plan, but it makes enough sense at face value. Grabbing the mic, you reply: “Convoy-Actual, confirm method of deployment.”
They don’t want it free-floating. That would risk it being crushed in the asteroid field. A team of engineers from one of the freighters would have to touch down on a large enough asteroid to bolt the probe onto its surface. The dish itself isn’t “too” large, but it would still take some time to set it up. And then they’d have to find an asteroid large enough to support and protect the probe.
(cont.)
