Titus looked at the display of the asteroid belt and marked another station designator red. He leaned over the control station and massaged his temples and then looked back up at the screen. "What about sector four of the belt? There are at least two stations in that area. We could send Gamma team and Beta team to investigate each one."

"Sir, this was the least likely trajectory their ship would have taken according to the calculations. Also, I regret to inform you that all extra teams allotted for this search have been placed back on regular duties by the council. The ones that have finished searching their designated stations are being told to report directly back to Lunar Base." The disembodied voice of the station's computer responded.

Titus scratched the back of his neck and lightly slapped the console in front of him. The display dimmed and then disappeared as Titus turned around and leaned back, his arms folded across his chest.

"We have been at this for almost four weeks. Not a single station has any evidence of the ship that attacked us." Benjamin sighed. He tapped his fingers against the railing of the walkway in Juno station's control room. He strode over to the window display and threw out his hands. "I mean, there is a lot of space out there. Did we really have a chance of finding this ship?"

Venna sat quietly on the upper walkway with a book open in her hands and her legs dangling off the side. She partially closed the book leaving her thumb in the seam. "There was always a chance. I'm sure that the team that hit us was not expecting to be tracked, even this far, after exfiltrating from our base.“

"Sounds like a fools hope." Inserted Benjamin.

Ignoring his comment, Venna looked down from her perch. "Do we have any other options? Any contacts that we could reach out to and find stations that are unlisted?"

Titus spun around to face Benjamin. "Benjamin, you had a contact that smuggled throughout the belt didn’t you?" Titus' voice was crisp and energized. The former lethargy evaporating with each word.

Benjamin scratched his chin, looked up at Venna, and then settled on Titus. His eyes squinted as the overhead lights reflected in them. "It's a long shot, but you are right. I may know someone who might be able to help. As you said, he is a belt runner. Best I ever caught."

"How did he get away?" Inquired Venna.

"Ha! He didn’t get away. I let him go. He was the one who always got me contraband when I needed it. He smuggles stolen leisure products to the documented and undocumented stations between the belt and Mars. I knew him a long time ago when I first started with Ab Aeterno. He may not even agree to help, but it could be worth a try."

"I wish I had thought of this before. Venna great job mentioning unlisted stations. That may be the spark we needed." Titus praised.

Benjamin chimed in. "Honestly, I didn’t even think of using resources outside of Ab Aeterno."

Both Titus and Venna nodded their understanding. Titus looked up at Venna. "Well if this works out, great job thinking outside of the box Venna."

She grinned down at them and shrugged. "Every once in a while a blind squirrel finds a nut." Titus looked at Benjamin with one eyebrow raised. Benjamin just shrugged.

"So true Venna." Benjamin called up to her.

After a moment Titus diverted his gaze to Benjamin with a laser focus. "Contact your guy discreetly. Let me know what you find out."

Benjamin gave a lazy salute and immediately walked off the bridge of the station. "You got it boss. I will get you the info we need." He paused partially through the doorway and looked back. "How much am I authorized to pay to loosen my contact's lips as well as keep them closed to others?"

Titus waved a dismissive hand. "You have full discretion of that. Whatever you think will get the job done is authorized."

Benjamin spun back around and strode the rest of the way out of the room. Venna took her finger out of the spine of the book and set the book to her side. She stood and walked to the ladder and climbed down. "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"No go ahead."

"If Benjamin's contact does turn up something, how are we going to approach the mission? We no longer have the other teams as support. Will just three of us be enough to get the job done?"

"It will honestly depend on the intel that we get. We should have enough time though to recall some of the other teams before they head back to the Lunar Base. If we can just get two teams they will be able to provide an inner and outer cordon that will free us to conduct the raid."

Venna chewed the bottom corner of her lip as she listened. "Good. It's just that I have been in situations that it was just my team and not a lot of quality intel going into a mission. The result is the reason I am now on your team."

Titus walked closer to Venna. "I know your concerns. And trust me, this will not be the same situation. Also do not underestimate yourself and the rest of the team for that matter. Your first mission with us proved how much of an asset you are to the team. Benjamin may not voice it, but he was impressed by how well you handled yourself."

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Venna's cheeks flushed slightly. She walked up to the window view screen and peered out into space. She tucked a loose hair behind her ear. "Thank you for your kind words. I will not let you down. I promise you that."

"Good." Titus replied. "I never had any doubt on that. Now go get some rest. I'm sure it will take a few hours for Benjamin to get anything for us."

Venna nodded, rolled to her feet, and strode away along the grating of the upper walkway. Her finger remained in the seam of her book as she disappeared around the corner.

Titus’s hands clenched open and closed on the railing as he considered the possibilities of finding the team that had attacked them. It seemed that all he had done for the past three weeks was think. He slammed a fist on the railing in frustration. He wanted to act. Being cooped up and unable to take action was a smothering feeling. He hated when he had time to dwell and think on… well… on too many things.

Titus spun in place. “I’m doing it again. Thinking too much. Living in my head too much.” Titus reprimanded himself. He took a deep breath and announced to the empty room. “Time to be productive and get some training in.”

Titus marched down the hallway and turned through the doorway to the weapons range. He loved the solitude of the range and was startled to see Venna walking to the firing line with her sniper rifle. About to turn around, he stopped when she spotted him.

Venna’s face was a mix of surprise and uncertainty as she saw Titus. Venna stammered. “Oh, hey boss. Did you want to use the range?

“Oh no. I just needed to clear my head so I figured I would shoot a bit.”

Venna nodded in agreement, “Yeah I guess I’m here for the same reason. I just couldn’t focus on my book anymore… for some reason…” Venna sighed then looked back up at Titus. “We can clear our minds together. Want to share the range boss?”

Titus threw a guarded smile up with his hands. “No, no, no… I wouldn’t want to intrude.” He turned to leave when Venna halted him with her words.

“What if I challenged you to a shoot-off?”

Titus peered back at her seeing the challenge in her eyes and the smirk on her mouth. Titus breathed out a sigh of resignation. “You sure you want to go through the pain of losing?”

“Oh you’re going to talk a big game.” Venna retorted. “You think that you can snipe better than me?”

“Guaranteed.” Titus ribbed. “Hand me a rifle. What are the rules going to be?”

…

Hours later, Titus walked to the communications center and found Benjamin standing up from a console. Benjamin looked up and gave Titus a weird look. “What’s with the face?”

“What face?”

“Well its not a smile exactly. Hmm… I can’t quite place it.” Benjamin squinted like he was trying to examine something microscopic and then shot his eyes wide open. “Ah! That’s what it is!”

After that exclamation there was a pause. “Benjamin… what is with my face?” Titus mechanically filled the empty space.

“It’s remarkable… there is no scowl… Oh, there it is!” Benjamin guffawed. Before Titus could say a word Benjamin shot forward a question. “What has put you in such a glorious mood?” With his question finished Benjamin placed his elbows on the table before him and rested his head in a picturesque pose atop his clasped hands. He made sure to bat his eyes forcefully.

“The lack of a so called scowl is the face of victory. Venna challenged me to a shoot-off and you are looking at the victor.”

“Oh is that right?” Benjamin eyed Titus from under his eyebrows.

"Let’s move on to the reason I stopped by. Any luck reaching your contact?" Titus asked, changing the subject. Even as the words were out of his mouth, he internally smiled at the realization that the contest against Venna had so thoroughly distracted him from his thoughts that even Benjamin had noticed.

"Believe it or not, Yes!" Benjamin grinned. "Not only was he able to give us the station where the ship is, but he also gave us its dock number."

"Perfect!" Titus exclaimed. "Anything else?"

"There was some bad news. He said that when he talked to the dock manager of the station the man told him that the ship has sat there over a week without any activity. Also the dock permit is going to expire in the next…" Benjamin looked over to the console's clock. "… eight hours. This means that either the men will come back to pay for more dock time, retrieve the ship, or they abandoned it and it will be towed and scrapped by the dock master. In any of these cases…"

"We have almost no time to act." Titus finished.

Benjamin nodded his assent.

Titus immediately reached up to his ear and tapped his lobe. "Venna, rapid redeploy. We have less than eight hours. Prep a stealth ship with the standard heavy combat loadout. Benjamin and I will join you in five mikes after we have briefed the counsel."

"Roger sir. Any support from other teams?"

"Negative. All are too far away. I will brief the plan on the ship."

There was a slight pause. "Roger sir."