Risen: Shatterverse

One, Two Punch

Tate frowned as the system in front of them resolved on the main viewer. He then glanced down at the data tablet in his hand.

According to Juniper's algorithm, this system had the highest chance of being attacked next in the K'ethik elders' ever-expanding efforts of conquest. A conclusion seemingly confirmed by sensor data from Oblivion. And yet, as he returned his eyes to the main viewscreen, there was no sign of a swarm cloud anywhere near the system.

"Are we sure the system is clear, captain?" he asked and Voguun turned from where he was standing on the command dais and nodded.

"So far, General. Oblivion had a cloud on approach but our sensors are showing nothing. And no signs that the cloud has come and gone; three inhabited planets in the system and none are showing evidence of a k'ethik-style assault."

"Maybe they've learned how to cloak themselves in close," a voice lifted up from behind where Tate and Grint were standing. Looking over his shoulder, the grim juggernaut spotted the two special teslas that the dorvaldi avatar had added to their command group, Hammer and Juniper. It was Hammer that had spoken.

"Why would they bother?" Grint asked before Tate could. "It's not like any of these planets have the ability to stop them at long range. They can just frellin' take their time and sashay on in."

"Right, right," Hammer quickly responded, nodding as he glanced at a data tablet of his own before looking back at the two senior officers. "But what if they're not cloaking to hide from their target. What if they're cloaking in reaction to the fact that we actually dealt them some fuckin' damage the last time we clashed."

"Are you saying they're cloaking to hide from us?" Tate asked, fighting to keep the incredulous tone out of his voice.

"It is a logical escalation of k'ethik tactics, given that we are now targeting them directly, sir," Juniper stepped in to add before Hammer could respond. In her hands she held an oversized tablet, its screen dominated by her algorithm, lines of code shifting and moving like living things as they created, tested and discarded variables faster than Tate could follow.

"Just like they developed the ability to travel at hyperspace velocities in response to our ability to jump to anywhere we needed to with our wormhole gate technology."

"Fan-frellin'-tastic," Grint grumbled. "How are we suppose to get the jump on these jobby-slappin' bugs if they keep adaptin' to our tactics?"

Tate favored the dorvaldi avatar with a quick look, brow raised.

"Kinda the point, ain't it?" Hammer asked, a querulous look on the African-American tesla's face, saying what Tate was thinking. "Punch, counterpunch, yeah?" He looked from Grint to Tate then over to Juniper. "Unless I'm missing the whole war concept thing. And I seriously fucking doubt that."

"No, you are not, Hammer," Tate said, his frown deepening. Anything else he was going to say was cut off when a shout rose from the bridge.

"Captain!"

As all eyes swung towards the speaker, Tate quickly noted it was the flagship's Science officer.

"Report!" Voguun barked, leaning on the command deck's outer railing to stare hard at the Science station.

"Sir, I'm picking up massive spatial displacement readings from the passive sensor array," they quickly replied.

"Location?"

"Forty five degrees to port and perpendicular to our position." The Science officer twisted to return Voguun's intent look. "It's vectoring right at us!"