Chapter Sixteen: Deacon saves ‘It’s-a-cat'Captain Meerings had not 'parked' his space-ship in the way you might expect. He followed Imperial security protocols, initiating an automated series of random, unpredictable man oeuvres, up to 100km from the line cruiser. This made any 'parked' ships appear 'manned'. It meant any explosives or pathogens that might have been placed on board by hostile forces could do no damage to the 'mother' ship. It also stopped personnel 'bitching' about who got the best 'parking space'. After he left the ship he remotely activated the new program, debarked, and watched as his ship moved off by itself out into space. He had never gotten used to these protocols, and always felt a slight twinge of panic and doubt each time he initiated them, and watched his unpil
