“It’s called the Ceryne Rift, sir,” Cole answered mildly.

Zach arched an eyebrow. “I don’t recall that name from the information docket on the system.”

Cole shook his head, still not looking up. All his attention was on the consoles in front of him. Given the Canterbury’s extensive sensor suites, the console was one of the expanded ones on the bridge.

“The Korinar has more expanded records on this area than ours, which they’ve shared with us.” His hands flew over the console. “I’m verifying the information with some initial scans, but it all checks out.”

“Told you that Miras had sent ships out this way,” Kellan, standing at Zach’s side, murmured in an undertone. “Seems they did manage to send some information back after all.”

“Indeed.” Zach kept his voice low, just between them. After Kellan’s bombshell about his links with the House of Miras, he hadn’t said anything else about it. Who did that? Just dropped something like that out and left it there? He’d have to pin Mason down (figuratively, he didn’t fancy any new bruises) and see if she had any gossip on Kellan he should know about.

“Okay, the info the klingons have checks out. The rift extends for hundreds of kilometers,” Cole said, frowning as he looked at the scan results. “It and the area around it are unstable. I’m reading… holy shit—“

Zach turned to look at him, surprised by the outburst. Cole was usually quiet. “Mr. Steele?”

Cole looked up, speared Zach with a direct, blue gaze. “There is something odd about the rift. I’m getting energy signatures on the scans and voids beneath the surface, but there’s interference… I can’t get a proper reading on… well, anything down there.”

“What kind of voids beneath the surface? Natural caves maybe?” Zach asked, looking at the planet on screen with interest. He’d had a keen interest in caving, although it had been years since he’d had chance to indulge in the hobby. Caving on an unexplored alien planet…

Cole shook his head, attention back on his scans. “No sir, I don’t think so. I think…”

He frowned and then with a flick of his hand, sent an image to the main viewscreen. The planet was replaced with a closer image of part of the rift. Cole had laid scan data over it to show where the voids were. Eight octagonal chambers, all the same size, were lined up with four either side of the rift.

“Hmmm, I see what you mean.” Zach folded one arm under the other, rubbing at the slight stubble on his chin. “Nature doesn’t often work in neat geometrics like that.”

“No sir,” Cole sighed, frustration woven into his voice. “But that’s all I can get.”

Zach slid him a sideways glance. “Are the sensors playing up again?”

The chief science officer shook his head. “No, it’s interference from the planet. If we want more, we’re going to need to get down there and use mobile units. Perhaps proximity will cut through the—“

“Sold.” Zach snapped his fingers, trying and failing a little to conceal his delight. “We’ll get together an away team. Take the mobile units down and see what we can see.”

“Captain,” Kellan started and Zach knew, just knew, that he was going to make some argument about safety, or protocols, or probably both.

“Science, Mr. Raaze,” he announced. “We’re out here for exploration and surveys. No one said anything about just staying in space. If Mr. Steele needs mobile sensor arrays in place, then mobile sensor array’s he shall get.”

Kellan inclined his head. “Of course, captain. We should never stand in the way of science.” His voice was bland and affable. So much so that Zach shot him a little look, checking for a hint of sarcasm. Kellan just met him look for innocent look.

“I assume, captain, that you will be monitoring the away team from the bridge?” Another bland look from his executive officer, this time with a slight eyebrow raise.

“Of course not,” Zach grinned and winked at him. “I’m leading the away team.”

“Of course you are, sir.”