“So they have tech that’s quite a bit ahead of ours, but their ships can’t take a punch,” Uba said, tapping his upper lip with his index finger. “It seems both sides have learned something from this engagement. What’s left in the system?”

“The wreckage of the two ships the Icarus destroyed, the wreckage of the Vought, and us,” Edgwin said. “What are your orders?”

“Continue to observe for the time being,” Uba said after a moment. “We’ll begin to parse and package the data into one of the new direct-flight com drones and launch it within the hour for New Sierra. After we’re absolutely certain we’re alone we’ll decide if we want to investigate the wreckage of our new friends or get out of here before they return or the ESA gets wind of what’s happening here.”

“I’ll have a drone prepped immediately,” Edgwin said. “Who do you think these guys were?”

“I couldn’t begin to guess,” Uba shook his head. “They warned us about interfering with something, but the fact they dragged the Ares all the way here for a sort of melodramatic display first just creates more questions than it answers.”

“What is it with this star system?” the sensor operator muttered. Uba turned and walked off the bridge without answering, ducking through the low hatchway. So Wright had managed to take out two ships and bust up a third … maybe he’d have to reevaluate his initial impression of her performance. It was true that Uba knew as much about captaining a starship as Wright likely did about being an agent, so perhaps his perspective was completely skewed. It didn’t matter either way as an assessment of the Fleet’s most successful and decorated starship captain was not within his purview. All he was required to do was compile the massive amount of data the Prowler had gathered, attach a synopsis, and forward it to CENTCOM where the analysts would draw their conclusions.

What he did know was that his gut was telling him this was not going to be an isolated occurrence and that humanity was likely about to face off with another enemy they were completely ill-prepared for. Maybe the critics were right. Maybe they had no right to be out this far and the policy of open and constant exploration and expansion may lead to their eventual extinction. They’d already run headlong into the Phage and won not by overwhelming force but by what most would concede was a lucky break. What were the chances they’d get another “lucky break” if this new challenger turned out to be as formidable as they appeared?

Chapter 6

“Position confirmed,” the specialist first class at the nav station said. “We’re on target in the DeLonges System.”

“Normal com traffic is present,” Ellison reported. “Picking up the New Sierra beacon loud and clear, condition normal.”