* * *

"They're skirting along the outside of the system still. Initial sensor profile indicates we've never encountered this class of ship before, but configuration and displacement is consistent with a medium freighter."

"Freighters?" Ellsworth asked. "That doesn't make sense."

"The Alliance has shown they're not slaves to tradition, Captain," Jackson cautioned. "They look like freighters—and they might actually be—but they could just as easily be carrying long-range antimatter missiles, starfighters, or some new nasty little surprise they've cooked up for us. They've been resorting to this sort of subterfuge as a way to erode their technology deficit."

"Orders, sir?"

"Let's disappear," Jackson said. "Order the taskforce to shut down all electronics emissions and run engines in low-observability mode. Tell Captain Risher he's still in charge of his formation, but the quieter the better. Same configuration for the Saber, but I want to keep us in an observation position over Exeter Base."

"Still no word from the base, Admiral," the com officer reported. Jackson was glad to see that the bridge crew was gelling around the idea of an admiral being on the bridge and anticipated information he might ask for next rather than just keeping their heads down and hoping he went away.

"Tell your backshop to stop hailing them for the time being," he said. "I want to try and hide in the noise and see what our newcomers are planning. We'll wait and see if the base tries to send out a message to us."

"Aye, Admiral."

"We haven't detected any more explosions, but the section power outages appear to be continuing," the OPS officer said.

"What about the orbital docks?" Jackson asked.

"Silent as well, Admiral," OPS said. "But they still have power. We're detecting normal station-keeping thrusters firing, and all three docks are maintaining position precisely."

Once the material production on Exeter hit a large enough volume, it all needed to be staged prior to being picked up by Merchant Marine or Starfleet cargo ships. The solution had been to hastily build three orbital platforms that were, essentially, flying warehouses with cargo airlocks on either end. Specialized heavy-payload orbital lifters would ferry loads up from the production centers and stage it in the orbital docks so it could be quickly picked up.

"Have CIC do a more thorough scan of each dock," Jackson said. "Full kit. I want a complete report on their status." When he turned, he saw Captain Ellsworth looking at him questioningly but hadn't voiced an opinion. Jackson's estimation of the officer went up half a notch. It didn't inspire confidence in a crew when the senior officer was constantly being questioned by an underling.

"I need to know if the docks are full, waiting for a ship, or if they're sitting empty," Jackson said quietly. "What they build here…it can't fall into enemy hands. Not even a single unit."

"I…understand, sir," Ellsworth said, his slightly sick expression indicating he really did understand. If it looked like the base was being attacked from within and the Alliance ships that had just arrived were intent on coming down, Jackson would order the docks blown out of orbit whether the crews were able to get off or not. Bluebird could not be compromised.