Nodding in agreement, Jetanien decided a change of subject was in order. “Have you heard anything more from the Sagittarius?” According to the last report Reyes had shared with him, Captain Nassir and his crew had sought refuge on the surface of Traelus II while effecting repairs to their damaged propulsion systems.

Reyes said, “Nothing since their last report. They went quiet when their sensors detected Klingon ships heading their way.” He released a long, slow breath, his expression turning to one of concern. “I figure if we don’t hear from them by the end of the day, that’s the ballgame.”

10

Captain Kutal was not pleased.

“Helm,” he snapped. “Assume standard orbit.” Sitting in his command chair at the center of the bridge aboard the Imperial Klingon cruiser Zin’za,he watched and listened in silence as his crew went about their various tasks, all of them doing their part to hunt for their supposed adversary. He overheard fragments of the discussion taking place in hushed tones between his first officer, Commander BelHoQ, and the Zin’za’s weapons officer, Lieutenant Tonar. While he could not discern everything, what Kutal could hear he did not like.

“Where is the Starfleet ship?” he asked, the words laced with mounting irritation. Though he did not turn his chair to face the tactical station, Kutal watched in his peripheral vision as Tonar stepped away from the console and stood at attention to make his report.

“Our sensors do not detect it, Captain,” the lieutenant said. “I am unable to explain it.”

“We’re certain it did not leave the system?” Kutal asked, reaching up to stroke his beard.

“If it did,” replied BelHoQ, “then they would have had to leave before we entered sensor range. We detected no such activity, though there was that momentary reading during the previous duty shift.”

Kutal nodded, remembering the fleeting sensor contact that had been visible above the surface of Traelus II for mere moments before disappearing. Could that have been the Starfleet ship? It had been nearly a day since the Klingon scout vessel assigned to survey this system had encountered the Starfleet ship. Despite its gnatlike size and the significant damage it had absorbed, the vessel had managed to hold its own during the brief skirmish that ensued. While Kutal credited that to the tenacity of the ship’s captain, whoever that might be, his admiration would grant the Earther or his crew no leniency. Kutal’s orders on this point were explicit, in that he was to prevent the Starfleet ship from escaping the system, capture it, and retrieve any and all useful information from its computer systems. As for the ship’s crew, they were expendable.

Can it be that the Council is finally ready to face our enemies in battle?The question burned in Kutal’s mind, even though he knew the answer. Though Chancellor Sturka and the Klingon High Council seemed ready and eager to engage the Federation, they also appeared concerned that the Klingon fleet was not yet ready for extended offensive action against its Starfleet adversaries. Intelligence reports indicated that Starfleet vessels, in particular the armada of heavy cruisers that were the Federation’s most advanced starships, were a near match in offensive capabilities for the Empire’s premier battle cruisers, the D7’s. That claim had been tested in battle to varying degrees, though Kutal had yet to enjoy such an occasion. He hoped that would change now that the Federation and the Empire seemed on a collision course as each power worked to increase its influence in the Gonmog Sector. Sooner or later, he predicted, a Starfleet ship would overstep its bounds and dare to challenge the Empire’s efforts in this region of space, and for that, Kutal could only hope the Federation would dearly pay.

For now, however, he would have to be content with hunting lesser prey. He did not know why the High Council held so much interest as to what the Starfleet vessel and its crew might have found here, but that was not his concern. Someone else could worry about such things. Kutal preferred the straightforward mission he had been given.

“According to the reports, they suffered damage to their warp drive,” he said, rising from his chair. “They would need to effect repairs before they could leave the system with any hope of evading pursuit. So, it stands to reason that they’re here, somewhere.” He recalled what he knew of the compact Starfleet vessel’s design. “Their ship is capable of making planetfall. Perhaps they went to the surface to make repairs.”

Tonar nodded. “I had considered that, sir, and have subjected the entire planet to an intensive sensor scan. I found no trace of a vessel. However, it must be reported that we detected large deposits of minerals possessing qualities that interfere with our scanners.”

“It would be like a cowardly Federation petaQto seek refuge in a place such as that,” BelHoQ said. The burly executive officer folded his muscled arms across his broad chest. “They run and hide like pathetic animals.”

Ignoring the comment, Kutal instead asked, “But that was at long range, was it not? Now that we’re closer to the planet, can you not manipulate our sensors to account for the interference? I don’t need a complete target lock, Lieutenant; just proof of where they are.”

“I am endeavoring to do just that, Captain,” Tonar replied.

“Then endeavor with greater zeal, or I shall find a new weapons officer.” Turning from his subordinate, Kutal was making his way back to his seat when his helm officer, Lieutenant Qlar, looked over his shoulder, his heavy brow creased with concern.

“Captain, our navigational sensors are detecting an odd reading.”

Moving to stand behind the helm officer, Kutal glowered at the array of status readings and gauges filling Qlar’s console, all of them highlighted in shades of crimson. “What kind of odd reading?”

Qlar shook his head. “I don’t know, sir. It’s not like anything I’ve seen before.” His massive hands drifted across the console, calling up new status reports to the workstation’s bank of display screens before he pointed to one monitor. “Do you see it? There?”

“I don’t understand,” Kutal said, at first perplexed by the strange sensor return. “What is this thing trying to tell us?”

“According to this,” Qlar replied, “there is a very small area that is immune to our sensors. No feedback whatsoever.” He shook his head. “It’s like a hole in space, Captain.”

“Is it a threat to the ship?” BelHoQ asked.

The helm officer said, “I am unable to determine that, Commander. I’m able to confirm that there is no gravitic pull, and I cannot detect anything that might hint at an artificial power source.”

“Could it be a mine?” Kutal wondered aloud. “Like the ones the Romulans used to employ in orbit around their planets, equipped with sensor-scattering field generators.”

Pausing to consider the question, Qlar finally answered, “It’s possible, sir.”

“Let me see it,” Kutal ordered, directing his attention to the viewscreen. He waited as Qlar entered the necessary commands, and the image on the screen soon shifted from empty space to a view of Traelus II. The planet was visible in the screen’s upper right corner, but that was not what drew Kutal’s attention. Instead, he studied what looked like a large chunk of rock drifting free in space.

“What is that?” he asked. “It looks like an asteroid.”

BelHoQ said, “Our scout vessel’s survey reports indicated no asteroids present in the system, Captain.”

Grunting in annoyance, Kutal waved toward the screen. “Do your eyes not work, Commander? What would you call that?” The screen showed an oblong body of jagged rock, tumbling slowly as it rolled past the edge of the viewer. Qlar adjusted the picture so that the asteroid remained centered. “What’s its range?”