Chapter 21

After tailing the frigate, which took us off our initial course towards one of the moons of the gas giant Eridan V. According to the readouts we were getting from a reconnaissance drone, it was a lush temperate forest world with mountainous boreal forests to the north, and a total of 4 continents and ice seas near the poles.

The nitrogen rich atmosphere had barely enough life for humans to set foot on the planet with no Environmental suit or rebreathing apparatus. The air pressure was about that of Terra, with a standard pressure of 1020 millibars. Slightly higher than earth. I rub my chin in thought as we orbit the moon at Eridan V's Lag-range 4 in geosynchronous orbit.

The drone was reading a compound with a lot of iridians in it. Most likely this was the House Vansae house. Belonging to a niece of the Matron of house Vansae. "B'Nan, get the drone closer to the compound if possible." I look to the weapons station to the left of the main helm station. B'Nan grunts "I would not advise it, Conn. The compound's guards could spot us as well as other surprises they might have for us. I recommend setting someone down via shuttle if we want a closer look."

I nod. Figures they would have extra surprises. Iridians tended to, as I knew, have wheels within wheels with their plans. That did not stop with their defensive ones. "I have a plan. B'Nan? What weapons do we have."

B'Nan brought up a status display and shunted it over the computer system to my bridge chair's haptic projector. "We have eight torpedo tubes, Six class 4 Magneto Hydrodynamic Cannons, five 12-tube cells for FTL missiles, two of which are loaded and one has a drone bay. The other two are empty. We also have a single Hawking Pulsewave cannon." I quirked an eyebrow at that last weapon.

"A Hawking pulsewave? Wasnt that banned in the treaty of Sirus?" I look to B'Nan as he turns around in his chair to answer "Void Star was originally built as a warship, yes. However, since she was supposedly bought out from under the Commonwealth Navy for a princely sum, I believe Farsa added specific modifications to tailor it for the role of a large frigate rather than for a destroyer."

The treaty of SIrus did ban such weapons, and limited others. However it was only applicable to the Commonwealth and Federation militaries and not to private entities. At the very worst, it was non-tenable upon private citizens, and at the very best it was a recognized albeit technically unenforceable treaty upon non-government entities.

I sigh. "Keep me posted on any new developments at the compound. I will be elsewhere on the ship." As I stand from my chair, B'Nan replies "aye Conn." I pause before I exit the bridge "Guns, you have the conn."

******

I head to the armory on the amidships of deck 3A to get my gear. The crew of the ship goes about their duties as I head through Deck 1 towards the elevator to deck 3A. I think about how Farsa managed to get a crew for the ship - while it appears to be capable of operations with a small crew, there are about 68 people aboard. Not small but also not large. Ships this size usually require at least 200 crew members to function. It speaks volumes to the level of automation.

I get on the elevator and speak "Deck 3". The computer responds with "Personnel recognized. Command accepted." I feel the jolt of the elevator as it starts moving to the deck below. Then as I pass deck 2 the elevator tram slows down and equalizes with the bulkhead floor before the doors open.

I head down the corridor and come upon the bulkhead door that leads to the cargo bay observation area. I push the augmented reality circle on the door. The circle spins clockwise and another circle within that one spins.

After a moment the double-walled door parts into a top and bottom portion as they slide away into the bulkhead. I step through and make my way across the observation area.A few crew members below are cataloging cargo.

The surveys would eat up the next 48 hours as we survey the area around the compound for additional information and facilities. The estate is vast, with walls reaching 6 meters tall to prevent a view inside the compound from ground level. There are not many vantages to offer a clear view of inside the compound, so the drone is our main method of gathering information and establishing a layout.

In the meantime, I decide to check my own gear and occupy my mind with other activities. Gali said I ought to find something else to do.. So I did what I knew to do best. Enjoy a glass of wine and read. It was a sedentary past time I had developed while on Eridan IV.

I turn a page in my book and give the stemmed glass of red wine in my left hand a swirl on the end table next to the seat I currently occupy. Pinching the stem between my fingers as the bottom glides across the glass table top.

I refold my legs and settle into my seat as I read. My consciousness wanders aimlessly as I read. Eventually I just give in and let it happen. Closing the book and setting it aside, I half-lid my eyes. After taking a sip of the glass of wine, I allow my telehaptics to expand my perception. I sense about sixty to eighty people on the ship in various areas.

I can sense Galinae in the lounge on the starboard side on deck 1 below. Sitting in the captains cabin, I had a clear vantage down below to the other decks - I can sense everything from my spot. Even the currents of electrons running through the ships wiring and the collision of quantum particles in the ship's reactors.. Of which two were running.

I open my eyes and sigh. The past few months have been rather tumultuous. From being on ice adrift in space to commanding my own ship as a free agent. Farsa wanted me to complete a job in return for all of her help, That was agreeable. I do not intend to shirk that commitment either. According to the surveys we did of the compound, it was lightly guarded.It seemed they did not expect trouble. Being a gas giant, Eridan V was only of note to Helium-3 and Deuterium miners. The moons were two polar opposites as far as biomes. One a desolate, mountainous world teeming with flora and sparse fauna, covered in Boreal forest. The other was a metallic, uninhabitable wasteland with a very thin Methane atmosphere.

The former was what we currently orbited and what the recon drone was currently surveying for other signs of Iridian structures. Currently Void Star's near-infra red ground-penetrating LIDAR was surveying the mountains below us for bunkers buried in the bedrocks of the mountains. Knowing Iridians, they would bury facilities to hide them from view since the other option was any orbiting ship eventually coming across their lair.

I smirk to myself, While it is possible the compound is our mark, it was too good to be true. Simply put, I did not trust that compound as being the only facility on the ground.