by Chris Hechtl
Aeyrn had taken to video recording things and then sending him the files to rub his nose into his inattentiveness.
"Could it be the resupply ship or an inspector?" Doctor Do asked carefully.
We're sure it's not Perth running a stupid drill and pranking us?" Sho demanded.
"No."
"One person at a time people," Aeyrn said evenly. She studied the readings but felt something grow cold within her. Ranginui's back trace said that the unknown came from the general vicinity of the jump points but not either one. And they were trying to come in stealthy so that said they were being cute.
Plus, she knew Klaus. He wouldn't pull a stunt like this. An inspection or supply ship would have come in broadcasting an IFF.
"Is it a false reading? A rock?"
"It's not a rock, it is slowing down," the A.I. pointed out.
"I see that," Aeyrn stated quietly.
"Where's the navy when we need them?" Sho asked caustically. You could strip paint with his tone.
"Obviously elsewhere. They waited until Perth was long gone before they waltzed in," Aeyrn said softly.
The others were quiet. Finally, Doctor Do cleared his throat. "You believe it is a pirate then," he said in a voice that said he'd come to that conclusion as well.
She nodded eyes still on the holographic image of the intruder. "It is the only thing that fits."
"What can we do?" Doctor Do asked.
"Do? Dick all," Sho scoffed. "We're fracked. They won't allow any witnesses," he said with a shake of his head.
"Can you... turn the laser satellites around? Use them to attack them?" someone asked, clearly trying to think out of the box.
"Sho, look into that."
"We don't have the means to target them."
"Flip the observation satellites too. Figure something out," Aeyrn ordered. That would keep her people busy as she tried to formulate some other response. "And look into evacuating the station."
The room broke into chatter of disbelief over that idea.
"Where?" Sho said, booming voice cutting over the chatter and silencing many protests. "To the planet? It's mostly geologically active. I don't know of much that isn't currently covered in slowly cooling lava," he reminded her.
"Somewhere is better than here," she said, shaking her head. "Just give me options," she said firmly.
Sho grimaced but then nodded.
(^)#(^)
The rest you can read in 2019 sometime!
