Chapter 13
Larson arrived on the bridge to find Ensign Mayan working on the scanner. As soon as the call came into the bridge, Mayan focused the scans and picked up the trailing ship.
Owen silently watched Larson as she strode over and relieved Mayan. Minutes later, Connor came onto the bridge. Owen motioned him to a corner of the bridge room where they could confer privately.
"How's our shadow, commander," Owen said quietly pointing to the display overhead. The aft display had been magnified using the ship's powerful scanners and one quadrant had been resolved to its maximum focus.
Connor looked up at the display and saw a faint outline of what could have been a starship silhouetted against the star field astern of the ship. But then again, it could have been anything. The stars were still shining through the anomaly, except for one part of it where the stars behind it were blinking.
"How did Larson find something that far out with the auxiliary sensor dish?" Connor asked.
"It's one thing to cross the path of a Terran starship, commander. It's quite another thing to try to hide in our shadow.
Both men turned and looked at Mayan and Larson who were working hard to lock onto the ship and analyze it.
"Sir, it's definitely a ship. It's dancing at the limit of our scans," Larson said from across the bridge. "I've isolated the shadow from the cosmic background noise and I'm working on determining the ship's size and class."
"Maybe we should slow and find out who they are," Connor said. "Our shadow could be relaying our location to other ships."
Owen shook his head. "Not necessary, commander. Have you heard of a Kantian sensor ghost?"
Connor shook his head. "Rumors really. I've heard stories that they may have some improved ECM capability, that's all."
"This goes beyond standard electronic counter measures. Navy intelligence believes that they have a way to keep a ship hidden as long as it is directly astern. In fact, if the PO hadn't picked up the signal coming from our shadow, we might not have noticed it at all."
"So, you believe it's a Kantian ship, sir?" Connor stated. The words sounded hollow to him as he said them, like ash in his mouth. But he was Terran now and his loyalty had to be unquestionable.
"Yes, I'm certain of it. Your people have always been a thorn in the emperor's side."
"Does this alter our mission in any way, sir?" Connor offered not taking the bait.
"Not in the least. In fact, I want you to go through the damage control drill schedule and add additional scenarios to the roster. We'll begin battle drills in two hours to ensure that the crew is at full readiness to handle any hostile act that should occur from our shadow."
"Should we be concerned, sir?" Connor said.
Owen smiled a shark's grin gave Connor a look of barely veiled disgust as he returned to his command chair. Connor was forced to follow him.
"First of all, commander, that ship," he said pointing to the monitor," is very likely frigate sized or smaller for it to be able to conceal so much mass from our scanners. But no matter who that is back there, your people are no match for a Terran heavy cruiser."
Connor rankled but was determined to keep any emotion off his face. It was likely a Kantian escort ship, but that didn't necessarily mean that it wasn't a danger. Or alone.
"And second commander," Owen said louder, as though he were speaking to a particularly dull child. He straightened his tunic as if to highlight the ribbons on his chest. "We are a Terran warship. We do not back down from battle, should one be forthcoming. It could be a smuggler or a spy ship from one of the fringe colony systems. It may be a pleasure yacht, curious what we're doing out here so far from our main fleet."
Connor remained silent as the captain let the silence linger. Owen turned sharply and looked Connor directly in the eye.
"But most importantly, XO, we are an Imperial warship. In the unlikely event that that ship should toss so much as a stray emission our way, we will turn and blast it into quarks without hesitation. It is only by virtue of our important medical mission that we are failing to do so even now. Furthermore, the emperor himself would take it as a personal affront upon his honor if that ship were to provoke us in any way. In fact, should they do so, the emperor will not only send the full might of Third Fleet to hunt them down and destroy them, but he will also then hunt down the planet they came from and eradicate all life forms on it. Do I make myself clear, Commander?"
Connor shuddered to think of the Kantian home world having its population seared into non-existence from space.
"Very clear, sir." Connor said in a stiff voice. He was peripherally aware of the eyes that were covertly watching behind his back. He knew this dramatic reading wasn't just for his benefit, but for his officers and crew as well. That was how Captain Cantrell ran his ship: with the iron fist of a full Captain of the List in the emperor's service.
"Commander," he said in a more natural tone. "No one is stupid enough to shoot at an imperial capital ship. To do so would be to invite a swift and genocidal reprimand from the emperor himself."
Connor hoped that the discussion was now closed.