The officers of the Argent sat together in a contemplative silence.

“You requested transfers for all of us to protect us,” Zony finally replied after listening to Captain Hunter’s short briefing.

“That’s one way to look at it,” Hunter replied. The five pilots were seated around the captain’s luxurious conference table. Behind Hunter’s chair was a spectacularly colorful real-time map of the Gitairn Reach lit up in glowing vector graphics projected on a transparent 12-foot high slab of dense reactive crystal. At the lower edge, a small replica of the Argent’s flag crept along towards the sprawling asteroid field that separated the Core Systems from the rest of space. Next to the avatar was a readout of the ship’s position and designation.

“I haven’t had time to do a complete control check yet, but if your stories about your sister are accurate, you might want to take her up on that robot offer,” Yili said evenly. “The last thing we need is a concussion charge popping off in our life support circuitry during a critical situation.”

“We should rig the ship to catch any saboteurs in the act,” Moo offered.

“That could take days,” Annora replied. “I think we should be careful not to start second-guessing ourselves and we definitely shouldn’t be running here and there preparing for potential enemies when there are plenty of real ones.”

Zony and Yili nodded.

“Agreed, XO. I want all of you armed until further orders. Each of you will quietly select one person from your department you can trust. Tell them I’ve ordered an unusual drill and they need to be prepared to take over for you at a moment’s notice. Moo, I want you to recruit fifteen marines you know well. Order them to shadow each of us two by two in shifts. Don’t make it too obvious.”

Moo nodded.

“No officers. Quietly keep ship’s security on emergency condition one even if we stand down from quarters, understood?”

“Aye, sir.”

The ComSat console beeped.

“Hunter.”

“Captain, we have a new contact designated Mockingbird One One Four bearing three-one-nine mark seven, range 22 million miles.”

“Identification?”

“Negative, sir. Navicomp thinks its a sensor echo. Battle computer thinks its a ship. Signals isn’t reading a transponder in any known frequency range. It appears to be moving, but we can’t establish a track. Energy emissions are present, but spectrometry is inconclusive.”

“Are we active?”

“Negative. We haven’t lit it up yet. All scanners and sensors are on passive readings only per your orders.”

“Alright, put a pin in it and start a tape. I’ll be up in a–”

“Captain, unidentified contact has just changed course. Threat board just went active. Battle computer reports Mockingbird One One Four now hostile. Shift designation to Kilo X-Ray One. Now vectoring One Five Six on intercept course and closing–”

The channel clicked.

“Sir, this is Skywatch on emergency intraship. Combat STC reports hostile contact Kilo X-Ray One now inside our defense perimeter–”

Hunter was already on his feet. “Signal the officer of the watch to sound general quarters. All hands to battle stations.”

A moment later the clear channel alarm sounded over all communications channels. A pleasant female voice echoed through the intraship address system.

“Attention all hands. Attention all hands. Officer of the watch has signaled general quarters–”

The klaxon began echoing. All the lights shifted to a hellish red glow and the five members of the Bandit Jacks stood around the conference table wearing expressions common to all soldiers about to join battle.

“All hands man your battle stations. Repeat: All hands man your battle stations. Time out two minutes. Deck officers report alert status to the first officer–”

“See you on the beach, sir,” Moo said calmly.

The Argent’s officers rushed out the door with Hunter in the lead.