This week with Arlene and Jeff:
...After a lengthy search, the Second Officer found a particularly rugged asteroid that was approximately one mile (interpreted) at its widest point. It was inundated with overhanging crags and crevasses that their small craft could easily hide in or under. Yet the asteroid wasn't so big that he and his crew could not put out sufficient passive scanners so that their AI could maintain a full watch in every direction.
Of course, parts of the asteroid belt were now on the opposite side of the sun from this Earth, but the part they chose was not. However, it was approximately 3.5 AU's from the planet, and it took light roughly 29 minutes (interpreted) to travel from this Earth to where their scout hid in a deep canyon. This should allow a tremendous leap in the volume of information they could accumulate when compared to what they could learn from four light years away. If they were not discovered and their scans turned up nothing over a reasonable time period, the Second thought he might venture nearer, maybe even to the giant moon orbiting the planet. Still, for now, he was going to continue to err on the side of caution. The First continued to be adamant about something watching their ship, and that was good enough for the Second Officer. With that in mind, the Second advised his crew, yet again, about what the First Officer had said, reiterating that they would use only passive scanners and be very vigilant about anything approaching their position.
After locking themselves to the rock with a tractor beam, he ordered remotes put out around the asteroid so that they could see in every direction. When all the remotes were finally in position, he personally checked to make certain there were no blind spots in their surveillance system. Satisfied that nothing could slip up on his little ship, the crew settled down to watch for unusual movement or energy expenditures in the belt. Once the Second was satisfied that they were alone in the belt and safe, he would shift his search to the vicinity of the planet...
Have a goodun;
Roust