“USS Dragon, this is Commander Thornton. We have reached the Detrick system.” Thornton tapped the send button on his console as he pulled up the map of the system on his holo console. “Angel two, let’s loosen it up. Take up position delta at Lima Romeo distance. Angel one will take the lead.”

He heard a two-beep response over the comms channel and nodded.

“Remember folks, we are looking for anything that could hinder or aid the mission. Intel, keep your eyes and ears open. Science, you know what to look for. Tactical, keep an eye out for those platforms and those damn mine fields. Helm, let us go with Hotel October for now and nuts and bolts if we find anything.

The officer at the helm nodded as she looked at his chrono on his holo display and took the runabout into a quick climbing curve.

The tactical officer turned to face the commander with a slight smile on his face. “Commander, we have what I think is the first platform. Looks to be in position over that asteroid field 1000 kilometers bearing 45 mark 20. Almost missed it if it wasn’t for the sensor ping it just sent out.”

“Show me” as Thornton got up and made his way to the tactical console.

Putting one hand on the back of the tactical officer’s chair, holding his pipe with the other, he leaned in to look at what the officer saw on the sensor sweeps. “Looks like something is there. Helm, bearing 45 mark 20 let’s go take a look.” He reached over to the console’s comms button. “Arrow two, we are going to go take a look at a possible signal. Conduct a survey orbit around the asteroid field; make sure nothing else is in the area.”

Two more beeps in response.

“Helm, keep us just outside of its sensor range. We do not need any visitors. Let’s make this quick and simple.”

“Roger, commander.”

“Hmmm, it does seem to be of the same style as the one we discovered in the Expanse. Probably an earlier model as they presumably would deploy their newest platforms in areas that have a chance of becoming hostile.” he watched the data come up on the tactical console. “Send this to the Dragon,” he patted the tactical officer on the shoulder.

“Yes, sir.”

“Ok, helm, let’s keep moving.”

*************************************

“I came up as soon as we were done with our post flight checks and had conducted our after action review, Captain.” Thornton went to the replicator and ordered himself a large glass of sweet tea. “The mission started out fine but got a bit dicey near the end, seems like they have upped those interceptor patrols, not sure if it’s because of that fleet we encountered or just the overall situation but the closer we got to the 6th planet the more we saw signs of them.”

Aryanna was reading her PADD and looking at the holo map that was floating above her desk. “I see that, Aiden. The Intel officer and science officer you had on board both confirm at least three different sets of duo of warp signatures. Which would mean they have at least doubled their security ships.”

“Yes, ma’am” Thornton sat down in the larger of two recliners that could spin to face the desk. “We found ten tactical platforms and thirty more that form what we think is an early warning system closer to the 6th planet. As you can see on the map,” he pointed at it with his pipe “the platforms seem to be placed near object that will help disguise them. First, one we found was located just inside of a damn asteroid field. Found several in orbit of a few of the moons.” he chuckled “almost ran right into one of them.”

Aryanna raised an eyebrow “any response?”

“Nope. Nevertheless, believe me it caused a few asses to tighten up for a bit, mine included. Which led my science officer, Ensign Sonno, to come up with a plausible reason. She thinks that the platforms are in a passive state and use smaller stationary probes to act as a net when the probes signal the platform goes active. We guess we must have slipped under the net somehow when we discovered the platform floating in front of us.”

Aryanna held up a hand and tapped her combadge. “Skagath, did you get a copy of the Angels report?”

“Yes, captain. I was just pursuing it myself. Interesting read.”

“Why don’t you join the commander and me in my ready room? Bring Zoltia with you.”

“Let me get their attention and we will be there in a couple of mins.”

A couple minutes go by before the two lieutenants joined the captain and commander, whom then went over what they had been discussing.

“It would make sense captain, why have active systems in your own territory? The idea of the passive system with a net of sensors is nothing new. I believe humans used systems throughout their history as the one described. “Zoltia added.

“And using stellar objects to hide them is pretty ingenious if i say so myself. We would have to be top of them before our sensors picked them up, and by then it would probably be too late. I’m sure that as soon as those probes ping a ship not only is the platform put into an active mode but a message is sent to those interceptors.”

“Which is going to make it even riskier for us to bring the Dragon closer to the planet, not including the other systems the angel crews found signs of as they got nearer to those middle planets. “ Aryanna said as she sat back in her chair

“Never said this was going to be easy, did they ma’am” Skagath said as he took a seat in one of the chairs in front of the captain’s desk.

“No, they did not.”

“Did you find the mine fields, commander?” Skagath asked

“No, no we did not. The only explanation we could come up with was that at one time they were present but as they emplaced the platform system they removed the mines.”

“Well, that’s a check mark in the Dragon’s column then.” Skagath chuckled.

“Yes, it does get rid of one chess piece on the board.” Zoltia added,

“But, it adds another in its place.” Aryanna said as she looked at the holo map.”

“Thornton, were you able to locate the routes that the convoys use?”

“Yes, and that’s another sticky issue. We found traces of warp signatures at these four points.” four spots appear in green.  “As you can see there are two outside the eighth planet and two near the fourth planet. ” We did not get much else, as we did not want to set off any warning flags if they checked those areas. As such, we did not get scans on the actual points all we were able to find on the sensors were what looked like the point where ships dropped out of or entered warp. Though one interesting thing to point out, you will notice that those locations are either near moons or in the case of these two over the polar orbits of the planets. “Two locations began to pulse.

Skagath got up and moved closer to look at the map floating over the captain’s desk.” Which I would assume means that there is probably one of those platforms close by at each one of those locations.”

“Which could mean that those platforms have a central control node, probably on the planet or the Breen ships have a code to disengage the platform at whatever location they are using. At least that’s how we would set them up.” Zoltia added from her chair.

Aryanna nodded “which adds more layers to the onion. One we could possibly take care of if we sent a team in the other would mean waiting on the next convoy.”

“Captain, the clock is not working on our side right now. We have three days, maybe four until the next convoy. Figure a day for the Dragon to get to the drop off point and another for the insertion team to make their way to the planet. That is cutting things offly close. Especially since, we do not know what type, if any, of escort is with the convoy. I’m pretty sure during the situation right now they are not letting dilithium shipments move unescorted.” Thornton said as he got up and moved to stand beside Skagath.