“Hold on,” Patrick interjected. “We still haven’t gotten to the blowing us up part. I’m particularly interested in that. Explain please.”

“Sublight drives are reactionless and therefore do not release the massive amounts of energy that might otherwise tag an interplanetary vessel. We can fly around all we want, and unless we literally run into a Lorannic patrol, they won’t know we’re here. But … ”

I finished the thought. “FTL drive.”

“Yes. Creating the wormhole to enter subspace requires massive amounts of energy and lights up the sky—metaphorically speaking—in a way that is easily detectable with the proper equipment.”

“You’re assuming they have the proper equipment,” I replied.

“It would require a level of supreme incompetence even your species couldn’t achieve on its worst day, to not think of bringing detection equipment when trying to take over a system. It would be equivalent to going to war and forgetting your pants.” Sheldon paused. “Also, Alaric specifically mentioned it.”

“So if we try to go FTL,” I said, “they’ll detect the attempt and blow us up.”

“Succinct and accurate. You get a gold star.”

“So they are here?” Nat interjected.

“I do not know, Natalie. However, Alaric was adamant that they are, and I must admit I found some of his arguments persuasive. There is, of course, one very quick way to find out, but I don’t recommend it.”

Patrick spoke into the momentary silence. “Could we outrun them? Or dodge?”

“Could you outrun a bullet? Or dodge? Theoretically the answer to the second question might be yes, but you only get one try, and the downside of failure is significant.”

“And I guess they’re as likely to have brought weapons as detection equipment,” Patrick said.

“Masterfully deduced, Dr. Watson.”

“It’s Holmes, not Watson.”

“You are no Holmes. You’re barely a Watson.”

Natalie laughed. “Nice burn.”

“I said I would practice,” Sheldon replied.

Patrick smiled, unoffended. “Fine. Now, getting back to the whole taking over thing—hey, where’s the Earth?”

I looked around at the view. The Earth seemed to have vanished, although an especially bright-green star to aft seemed a likely explanation.

“Jack indicated I should proceed. We’re on our way to Mars.”

Mars hung below the ship, looking as big as the Earth as seen from the International Space Station. This required a much lower orbit, but Sheldon assured us that Mars’s atmosphere was far too thin to be an issue.

But that same lack of atmosphere made the view all the more spectacular. Details were so clear that I imagined I could have spotted individual Martians walking around, if any such beings existed.

Sighing, I turned away from the view. “Sheldon, do you know if Mars has ever had life?”