Chapter 53

The Misty Cloud took up station on the new Imperial border in the Zelnotian sector as both Janta and Mutra began preparations to begin a scouting mission through the Hegemony of Tarsil, an insular reclusive conglomerate who, it was rumoured, took intrusions into their territories seriously enough to destroy any vessels their highly advanced detection equipment could track. This was the first ever scouting mission planned for the Hegemony, as, until the annexation of the Zelnot Republic, the round trip via several hostile or neutral Realms would have taken the Misty Cloud over a third of an Imperial year.

The Empire, unlike a good few Realms, took its obligations via treaties seriously, hence did not scout its friendly Allies. Yes, where possible they had assets in place via ‘spies’ set up by their embassies, but some Realms, including the Hegemony of Tarsil, refused embassies or any outside contacts except with a few chosen allies, none of whom were friendly with the Empire or their Allies.

It had been the interrogation of the AI of a captured corvette of a Tcheeklan Ravager that had raised suspicions as to the source of the Ravager vessels. Though with no easy way to scout out the Hegemony of Tarsil, even for the Regnat Alliance (as it was now officially called), such suspicions remained simply that, suspicions.

“I suspect if they’ve learned of the Empire’s takeover they’ll be on their guard now,” Janta opined to his wife.

“Hard to tell as yet if they have or not. They weren’t on speaking terms with the Zelnots ... or anyone else we know of,” Mutra replied as she went through a host of system checks before they ventured over the ill-defined border and into what she considered enemy territory.

“According to what information the Zelnotians supplied, their detection systems are better than Imperial ones,” Janta added.

“Yes, though FleetInt believe our old lady here is still more than capable of having a look around, better detection systems arrayed against us or not.”

“They’d better be right.”

“Yeah, it’s why I asked you to stop here so we can do a full system check before we stick our necks out.”

“Was going to suggest it if you hadn’t,” Janta replied.

“Well, all the detection systems are working fine.”

“So are the silent drives.”

“Deploying array, letting FleetInt know mission is a go ... and done.”

“Let’s go have a nose around,” Janta chuckled as he engaged the XD drive in the slow but ‘undetectable’ mode and took the Misty Cloud across the border to the nearest Hegemony world.

The Ganvil system, where the Misty Cloud emerged, was a hive of detectable energy emissions including a range of high frequency varizon detection pulses designed to compromise a stealthed ship’s systems by overloading its ability to absorb the energies involved.

“Nasty,” Mutra opined when Janta started their drift. “Not sure how they are doing it, but they’d absolutely nail a Gershonian scout.”

“We OK?” Janta asked, a little concerned.

“Yes, the shielding and wave absorption equipment is coping fine, just avoid any pulse generator.”

“Will do. Laying in a drift course avoiding the beacons,” Janta replied.

“Starting passive scans. AI, inform us if you spot anything worth a closer look, please.”

“Of course, Mutra,” the melodious tones of the AI replied.

“Detecting what appears to be some sort of fleet base, sending the position to your station,” Mutra informed Janta.

“Can adjust the drift to make a fly by, if you think it’s wise?”

“Yeah, I do. The Zelnotians have little or no updated data or intel on Hegemony ships. The Hegemony destroy whatever they send across, but otherwise stay away from the border region. The Zelnotians took the hint and hence didn’t.”

“So, we could be looking at something new?”

“Dunno yet. They are human though, so probably not something totally radical.”

The Misty Cloud changed course slightly as Janta adjusted their heading to pass a little closer to the Hegemony base.

“We’ll be at our closest in about a day (50 Earth hours),” he informed his wife.

“OK, lots for me to do in the meantime.”

“Lucky you,” he chuckled.

“Not so lucky for anyone trying to invade here. I’m detecting various orbital features around all the planets as well as placements on the larger asteroids that can only be defence stations. They may even have something like a battlestar defence grid around the planets as the pulse scanning would allow for it, though we’d struggle to spot one unless we go active.”

“Let’s not go active. I’d like to get out of here alive.”

“Yes, dear,” she giggled.

The Misty Cloud continued its drift towards the main planet of Ganvil as data flowed in and was interpreted by Mutra and the shipboard AI.

“Detecting extensive mining operations in the asteroids,” she informed her husband. “Way more than any system in the Empire.”

“Automated?” Janta asked.

“Mostly, though there are large life support fixtures on the larger asteroids.”

“Wonder if they have population issues?” Janta mused.

“Can’t think why. This amount of industrialisation would make building a terraformer a cinch,” Mutra replied.

“So far only the Empire, and the Emirate to a lesser extent, seem to go in for that. The Gershonians and the Melanoqui hire our gear as and when they need it, which is why the territory they hold, as opposed to the planets, is huge compared to the Imperium.”

“Yep, quite a few Vreekoos-norm planets out there, but not all suns have one.”

“Prefer our system, makes trade easy. Only our warships need to be capable of extended time travelling,” Janta shrugged.

“Most trader vessels and the great liners are capable too, if they go outside the Imperium,” Mutra countered.

“Yeah, but they only make up about ten percent of trade and tourism, the rest is all internal. After all, one world is pretty much like another, unless they have something a bit special, like the Spire,” Janta nodded.

“Guess so, I figure we’ve seen more planets than the average subject,” she smiled.

“Seen and secretly scanned,” Janta chuckled.

“True,” she agreed. “Got more data coming in. Looks like that base is also a shipyard.”

“OK. Any clues as to how big and what for?”

“Not yet, not for a couple of hundred rotations.”

“Oh well, nothing for it other than to be patient,” Janta sighed.

“Practice your meditation mantra; I’ll alert you for anything important or interesting.”

“Base and shipyard,” Mutra finally confirmed after what seemed to be about ten rotations (five minutes) but was actually closer to two hundred.

“Getting anything on the ships?” Janta asked, suddenly fully alert.

“Passively scanning now. They’re of similar sizes to Imperial ships so I’m classifying them accordingly, but unless we observe one in action, we aren’t going to know much more.”

“I’ll plot a course towards one if we spot any moving around,” Janta offered.

“Sounds like a plan ... hello?”

“Hello?”

“Coming out of the yard, that’s a Ravager Corsair type.”

“Interesting, any more of them?”

“Yes, I’m picking up nearly eighty of the Ravager style ships parked up, mostly frigates, but also a couple of destroyers and corvettes.”

“Guess we know where they’re getting them from then.”

“Yep, I’m also picking up what has to be a variant on a heavy fighter.”

“That’s not good,” Janta grimaced.

“Doubt it will be as good as an Imperial ... or even the Regnat version.”

“No, but just the fact they have one is disquieting.”

“True,” she acknowledged.

“Changing course to swing around the planet,” Janta informed her. “We can drop off some timed active probes above the shipyard and they’ll activate before we jump out if you want?”

“Yes,” Mutra replied after several rotations of thought. “Getting specs on their ships and the heavy fighter is probably worth the risk.”

“Matches my thinking,” Janta agreed. “We can try out that new repeater diversion unit as well.”

“Works for me, let’s have them chasing the repeater, not us.”

Several hundred rotations later Janta brought the Misty Cloud almost to a halt as they approached what had to be some sort of fleet exercise by the Hegemony.

“Detecting multiple vessels manoeuvring against each other, recording various targeting systems activated for weapons,” Mutra informed her husband. “There are also several ... hulks being towed out fully shielded to use for target practice ... I think.”

“See if you can get some specs on the shields,” Janta suggested.

“Shields and beams,” Mutra agreed.

The Misty Cloud waited while the manoeuvres were carried out, the sensor suite recording everything while Mutra did an on-site analysis.

“Not sure what the beams are. They aren’t hyperbeams,” Mutra stated. “Effective though. The shields are your standard anti-missile, anti-collision shields used pretty much everywhere.”

“FleetInt will definitely want to know something about the beams,” Janta replied.

“Yeah, they strip ablative armour down pretty well, though the range isn’t nearly as good as the hyperbeams the Empire use. They’d make mincemeat of the Regnat Alliance and the Melanoqui though.”

“Yep, particularly if they’ve a version for their heavy fighter types.”

“Didn’t see any in the manoeuvres. I suspect they’re still working on them.”

“Probably, FleetTech spent over five years (14 Earth years) on the concept before getting a working model out just in time for the Raffagee conflict.”