Eric shook his head clear, focusing on the reports flying around the bridge as many of the people receiving and dispatching said reports were doing the same.

The lifeboat locations were on the screens, a trail strewn across almost a full light-minute of space but slowly drifting together under their own power. The planet beyond still seemed to be intact, which was a good sign even if the light-speed delay meant that the signal was well over an hour old.

Most interesting was the group of gravity signals that matched the Imperial drive specifications they had on file. The cluster of signals was at rest near the red-lit icon of the Priminae cruiser Heral’c.

“Fifteen of them,” Eric whispered as he finished the count. “Well, this might just be interesting after all.”

“Rogues transitioning in!”

He glanced at the display that showed the four Rogue Class destroyers appearing behind the screening wall of the three larger Heroic Class cruisers. The smaller ships immediately went dark as their armor shifted to black hole settings, with only their encrypted transponders indicating their locations.

Those quickly blinked out as well, much to Eric’s satisfaction, leaving the Heroics alone in their charge downwell.

“Capitaine, should I establish a real-time lock?” Milla asked from her weapons and tactical station.

“Not yet, Lieutenant,” Eric said. “They’ll know something just happened out here, but it’ll be over an hour before they get imagery to confirm, and I’d rather they were kept guessing just a little longer.”

“Aye Capitaine.”

He noted that the Odysseus was being flanked rather closely by the Boudicca and the Bellerophon, close enough to make him just a little nervous.

“Steph?” he spoke up softly.

“Aye Skipper?” Steph didn’t turn around, as he was already plugged into the NICS controls.

“Are we good at this range to the others?”

“No worries, Skipper. I’ve got this.”

Eric nodded, though his friend couldn’t see it. “Very well, carry on.”

He shot a glance at Miram, who leaned over in his direction.

“We’re going to appear as a single contact at this range, flying this tight,” she said. “Not sure if that’s what you want, sir.”

“I’ll take it.” Eric grinned wryly. “It’s not a huge advantage, but I’m not giving anything up if I can help it.

“Why aren’t we locking them in with the t-cannons, sir? They’ve clearly fired on an ally . . .”

“I know, but I want the Rogues to have time to flank them before we light them up.”

“Ah, understood, sir.”

►►►

IBC Shion Thon, Flagship, Third Reconnaissance Squadron

► “Navarch, we have a contact in the outer system. Powerful gravity source.”

Misrem half turned, looking over at her scanner tech with undisguised curiosity. “Where in the outer system?”

“On display, My Lady.”

She examined the screen, her eyes widening as she saw the intensity and location of the contact.