Spoiler!
"They know we are here sir" snorted a navigator-lieutenant.
Rem'lk winced at the sound of his rasping voice, it was a sound he was becoming too familiar with in recent days.
"The 'Hologrid' tells me that, I don't need you repeating everything"
The navigator glared up at the commodore for a moment before returning to his works. One more excuse and Rem'lk would have him executed, it wouldn't have been the first time. The endless clattering of machines continued on the bridge as the 'Servitor' crews went about their business. Indeed the 'Ratai' knew, but how? No sensor installations were found in the initial 'auspex' scans and there were no enemy contacts in lightyears. Using his neural implant, Rem'lk called up the 'auspex' display to his command throne. The reports showed nothing. He opened the Rad-scan report, still nothing.
"I doubt that" he smirked. Rad-scans never read 'nothing'.
Digging into the 'auspex' data further, he found the scan readings. There was a blip over the systems star. Rem'lk's shallow smile broadened into a grin.
"Auspex, re-scan reference 843928V." The commodore said into the comm.
"Yes sir."
"What do you see, officer?"
"A large sun-spot sir." came the response after a few seconds.
"7540 leagues above its surface, there is an aberration you have failed to report"
"Yes... ...Sir". Rem'lk relished the fear in the voice.
"Give me the visual of that reference."
A 'Holo-screen' flicked into existence in front of the command throne, instantly submerging the commodore in the stars light. His optical implants quickly compensated for the harsh glow. There was something solid in the top right corner of the screen, no bigger than a mine.
"Sae'ak, alert the fleets. The Ratai scum have bugged the whole sector" Rem'lk snarled.
"yes, sir."
"And have the starboard las cannon deck fire on this reference" jabbing a scaly finger at the 'Holo-screen'
Moments later, a single bolt of plasma arced across the void toward the distant star. Like a molten comet it burned its way into the system for several minuets before hitting its target. The device was hit dead center, a clean hole went straight through exposing its intricate components.
"Just as predicted" sighed the commodore.
"You wish they were not?" questioned the annoying navigator.
Rem'lk fixed him with a cold stare, the last he would ever see. The Navigator quivered as he realized his final mistake.
Unclipping his pistol from his belt the commodore growled: "No, I just hoped that there would be more variables."
Rem'lk winced at the sound of his rasping voice, it was a sound he was becoming too familiar with in recent days.
"The 'Hologrid' tells me that, I don't need you repeating everything"
The navigator glared up at the commodore for a moment before returning to his works. One more excuse and Rem'lk would have him executed, it wouldn't have been the first time. The endless clattering of machines continued on the bridge as the 'Servitor' crews went about their business. Indeed the 'Ratai' knew, but how? No sensor installations were found in the initial 'auspex' scans and there were no enemy contacts in lightyears. Using his neural implant, Rem'lk called up the 'auspex' display to his command throne. The reports showed nothing. He opened the Rad-scan report, still nothing.
"I doubt that" he smirked. Rad-scans never read 'nothing'.
Digging into the 'auspex' data further, he found the scan readings. There was a blip over the systems star. Rem'lk's shallow smile broadened into a grin.
"Auspex, re-scan reference 843928V." The commodore said into the comm.
"Yes sir."
"What do you see, officer?"
"A large sun-spot sir." came the response after a few seconds.
"7540 leagues above its surface, there is an aberration you have failed to report"
"Yes... ...Sir". Rem'lk relished the fear in the voice.
"Give me the visual of that reference."
A 'Holo-screen' flicked into existence in front of the command throne, instantly submerging the commodore in the stars light. His optical implants quickly compensated for the harsh glow. There was something solid in the top right corner of the screen, no bigger than a mine.
"Sae'ak, alert the fleets. The Ratai scum have bugged the whole sector" Rem'lk snarled.
"yes, sir."
"And have the starboard las cannon deck fire on this reference" jabbing a scaly finger at the 'Holo-screen'
Moments later, a single bolt of plasma arced across the void toward the distant star. Like a molten comet it burned its way into the system for several minuets before hitting its target. The device was hit dead center, a clean hole went straight through exposing its intricate components.
"Just as predicted" sighed the commodore.
"You wish they were not?" questioned the annoying navigator.
Rem'lk fixed him with a cold stare, the last he would ever see. The Navigator quivered as he realized his final mistake.
Unclipping his pistol from his belt the commodore growled: "No, I just hoped that there would be more variables."
Moves:
Spoiler!
Novian 1st fleet: Valdo x> Combining with 4th fleet at [Unnamed system] New designation: Ur'gan
1x 'Atheist' Battlecarrier
5x 'Sanguine' medium frigate
4x 'Spather' Medium corvette
Novian 2nd fleet: Fau'zk -> Union
1x 'Atheist' Battlecarrier
2x 'Salvation' Heavy cruiser
7x 'Spather' Medium corvette
Novian 3rd fleet: Xain'lk -> Fau'tu
5x 'Salvation' Heavy cruiser
2x 'Sanguine' medium frigate
Novian 4th fleet: Sav'auk x> Combining with 1st fleet at [Unnamed system] New designation: Ur'gan
3x 'Salvation' Heavy cruiser
3x 'Sanguine' medium frigate
4x 'Spather' Medium corvette
1x 'Freighter'
1st and 4th fleet combination: Execution fleet
1x 'Atheist' Battlecarrier
5x 'Sanguine' medium frigate
4x 'Spather' Medium corvette
Novian 2nd fleet: Fau'zk -> Union
1x 'Atheist' Battlecarrier
2x 'Salvation' Heavy cruiser
7x 'Spather' Medium corvette
Novian 3rd fleet: Xain'lk -> Fau'tu
5x 'Salvation' Heavy cruiser
2x 'Sanguine' medium frigate
Novian 4th fleet: Sav'auk x> Combining with 1st fleet at [Unnamed system] New designation: Ur'gan
3x 'Salvation' Heavy cruiser
3x 'Sanguine' medium frigate
4x 'Spather' Medium corvette
1x 'Freighter'
1st and 4th fleet combination: Execution fleet
Map: