The XO, Commander Blomkvist handed his captain the tablet.
“What are these readings? Is that a fleet up there in the right quadrant?”
“Yes, Sir. That is what has them spooked. They were cruising the edge of the asteroid belt and spotted them on their sensors. Thinking they might be pirates or something worse they hightailed it straight back to us.”
“Send this down to Lieutenant Baal. Let his people analyze it and see what they find. How long before we can break orbit?”
The XO pursed his lips and thought for a moment. “We are loading the supplies right now. I can alert the shore party to return. Call it an hour?”
“You have forty-five minutes. If they aren’t on board they get left behind. Get moving Commander!”
“Sir!” The XO hurried off to start pushing his people.
Captain Gorshin cal
