Joe sat tensely as they neared the final location. The Panther was as ready for trouble as it could be. The shields were charged to Ready status, forty-percent, and he had the energy weapons charged too. It had meant diverting almost all the power from non-essential systems but no one had complained. His crew were as on edge as he was.
“Ten seconds, Captain,” said Janine. “Five… four… three… two… one…”
The Panther slipped back into real space. Joe cursed as the sensors lit up with contacts, warnings of ships in the area. A lot of ships, and some damn big ones at that. Moments later the identity became clear.
“That fleet’s part of the Clear Shores Kingdom navy,” Dave said.
“What the hell are they doing out here in the middle of nowhere?” Joe asked.
“I don’t know, Captain. Ther
