Hours passed slowly as the display continued to fill up with data.  There was an asteroid belt in the system, several worlds that could have passed for Mars or Venus ... and one Earth-like world, the source of the radio signals.  Analysis indicated that the world rated at least 80% Earth-like; the atmosphere was breathable, the sea water was suitable for fish from Earth ... from afar, it seemed the perfect colony.  The drones kept creeping closer, boring their way through space on ballistic courses, sending data back via laser link to the carrier.  There was no way – yet – to get pictures of the surface, but the alien orbital facilities were all too clear.

“It looks like a transhipment hub,” Anderson said.  He sounded a little disappointed too, perhaps by the sheer normality of the alien structure.  It was a boxy mass that looked too like some of Ark Royal’s contemporaries for comfort.  But it was necessary.  Humanity’s giant colonist-carriers couldn't land on planetary surfaces; judging by the presence of the station, nor could their alien counterparts.  “I don't even think its armed.”

“We have to be careful,” Fitzwilliam reminded him.  “The aliens might have different ideas about arming their settlements against possible attack.”

Ted couldn't disagree.  Now, with alien attack a very real possibility, even the smallest colony worlds were bolting weapons to their orbital stations.  Few of them had any real chance of standing off an alien attack, even one carried out by a single starship, but there was no way they would agree to leave themselves defenceless.  Just before they’d left Earth for the second time, he’d heard that stocks in companies producing war material had skyrocketed.  It almost made him wish he'd taken the time to invest some of his salary in such corporations.  God knew he wasn’t doing anything with it.

He shook his head, studying the display.  “Is there anything else in orbit?”

“A handful of satellites, but nothing else,” the analyst said, firmly.  “Unless they have a way to cloak an entire battlestation from our view.”

He paused, looking down at the live feed from the drones.  “Sir,” one of the drones just got into orbit,” he said.  “It found a camp on the surface.  “I think it’s a POW camp.”

Ted leaned forward, alarmed.  “Show me,” he ordered.  “Are you sure?”

He scowled as the images appeared on the display.  The settlement was encircled by solid metal walls, guarded by aliens ... and, inside, there were humans.  They wore nothing, but the clothes they were born in; listlessly, they wandered around the camp.

“Two hundred and forty-seven men, women and children,” the analyst said, with heavy satisfaction.  “Source unknown.”

Fitzwilliam coughed.  “Are there any other alien settlements on the planet?”

“Not as far as we can tell,” the analyst said.  He paused. “There is a handful of buildings outside the camp’s walls, but I don't think they’re large enough to be a full-scale settlement.”