The image was slightly blurry, barely out of focus. The object on it was likely HHSS Eternal Vigil, stationcraft of the initial expedition. It had roughly the right dimensions and shape. And it was dead cold, silent and dark. Something must have happened and Arslashn needed to know what. He recalled his drones and got the ship ready to move. Quietly.
Whiskers’ RCS came to life and set the cruiser on a semi random course, one somewhat towards the planet. A course the lion intended to adjust every so often. His teeth may be blunt, but he was a hunter in this dark forest, not some unaware prey. Whatever enemy lurked here, Arslashn would find them first and destroy them.
The next days were spent in tense readiness, the monotony punctuated by course changes and launching all the satellites. Sensors were peeled for the slightest sign of powered movement but found none. The gravimetrics were hard at work, helping the young NAI’s MainComputer refine the system’s model, comparing calculated orbits to the observed ones. It found more and more areas requiring a closer look. Finally the cruiser entered extreme recon drone range from the still silent outpost.
The lion sent one of his RDs towards the contact. Even fully stocked, RD-1 had barely enough range to get close to the object. Arslashn didn’t think getting his drone back was safe anyway. It would have to serve as a lure.
The station had clearly been attacked. Its entire surface was peppered with impact holes, some jagged railgun punctures, some with melted edges of a laser hit. Defensive weapon blisters lay shattered, Only a bit of twisted wreckage remained of the main engineering section and the engines, both blown away with explosive ordnance.
RD-1 relayed signs of some crew surviving the assault, at least for a time. The central section had some hull patches applied, work seemingly abandoned partway. Some escape pods were launched, their bays empty and uncovered. The return vessel and station’s complement of parasite craft were missing from their berths on the docking arm. Whatever survivors there were fled the mortally wounded outpost to try and survive elsewhere. Arslashn would have to find what was left of them later.
The lion didn’t like his conclusions. The station matched HHSS Eternal Vigil both in shape and in markings. The name was even written on the hull. The damage matched human weapons. Another faction must have sent an expedition here, a force that slaughtered the Vigil. But they were silent now, hiding like he was. Were they already done with their survey? Was there still time to thwart them? Or were they merely waiting for a friendly fleet to come in and secure the system? He had limited time to act, if any.
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Faced with this proof of enemy action Arslashn felt the restrictions placed on him ease. The emergency was clear. Without a way to send messages back, his ship was the only thing defending the Republic from an attack through a previously unknown route. The Whiskers was not up to the task of attacking a stationship, nevermind any fleet sent in. Not yet. He needed to build up to meet this challenge, discreetly of course.
The lion felt the beginnings of a plan starting to take form. He needed fuel, reaction mass and raw materials to get anywhere The dead station could well be raided for salvage and the ring would serve as both concealment and easy source of ice for energy resources. A few extra craft would need to be designed and constructed. A couple mining auxiliaries to exploit the nearby asteroids. A specialised lander to start working on the planet, with a flinger to send collected chunks up for retrieval.
Trying to mine on Caton I’s surface was going to be a long process. There was a lot of ice to go through before Arslashn even uncovered one of the meteoroids hidden in the planet’s craters, nevermind the surface. And a lot of digging before he could gain access to the more metal-rich layers. All to be done in secret at that. Still, no reason not to get started early. The lion expected to start getting metals soon enough. And to achieve real yields long before he could call in any reinforcements. He could build a resupply depot for his own use as well as for the relief force. Mother would be proud of him, surely.
HHSS Heaven’s Whiskers silently closed in on the HHSS Eternal Vigil, passive sensors peeled for any sign of enemy activity, but finding none. Arslashn wanted to grab what he could before his opponent could really react. His RD, circling around the station has detected no communications and no booby traps so far, but the lion intended to take minimal chances and start his salvaging operation without closing in more than necessary. He would strip these remains of as much as he could carry, then slip away back into the darkness, ready to stalk his enemies and preparing to strike.
The Whiskers needed serious upgrades before she could be ready to fight though. More guns and PDCs to start, armour to survive the return fire. Additional reactors to supply the required power. Computronic modules to control everything easier and react faster.
And some decent living space with an observation deck. Arslashn didn’t enjoy being trapped in a small box.