Gliese 526 A Jewel in the Dark
AD 2282 (July 1) Jump Point Three in FL Virginis
The Edmonton opened a gap in reality and the three ships in the temporary task group jumped into the unknown showing up in the system that based on old Earth star surveys had been given the name Gliese 526. The Borsoi and Picket's crews were busy as the ships optical sensor systems took a 360° panorma of the star system while the engineers on the Edmonton worked to recalibrate the drive to open the jump portal back to FL Virginis. After around 5 minutes the ships were ready to jump back.
AD 2282 (July 4) Jump Point 1 in Gliese 526
Insterstellar Survey IV had entered the system an hour ago. Commander Andres Bonillo looked at the two other men on his conference screen. Lt. Cmdr Benjamin Wong the CO of the Scout class ship the Trail Blazer and their Naval Escort CO Cpt. Aaron Benson onboard the Airedale. "A wreck in orbit around planet two?"
Cpt. Benson nods, "That is our best guess based on the computer enhancements of the pictures from the Borsoi and Picket." He glances downward away from the camera pickup, "We aren't seeing significant spectral activation and the debries are at a constant temperature that seems consistant with their orbit."
Cmdr Bonillo looks at the chart for the system. There were 2.4 billion km from the M4-V star that the 6 planets of the system orbited. The first three planet were terrestrial and the last three were gas giants which made the system not so unusual. The innermost world had a surface temperature of over 1500°C and a crushing atmosphere of mostly carbon dioxide. The third world was bare of significant atmosphere and the surface was a frigid -148°C. The three gas giants were more or less typical of the breed and had 17, 9, and 6 moons in order of the innermost to the outermost planet. The second planet...it was very different: it was the most Earthlike world so far discovered. A surface temperature of 9°C, 13800 km diameter and around 1 G of surface gravity, liquid water could be seen on the planet though not in huge abundance. The only negative was the thin atmosphere composed of nitrogen, amonia, and methane.
"Well gentlemen, one thing I do know is that the area around us is clear of hostiles. But given our previous experiences I think we can't say that for the rest of the system." Both other men looked at the pictures of the wreckage on their screens. "Lt. Cmdr Wong, I want you to take the Trail Blazer insystem and see if you can answer that question for us...and get back without alerting any hostiles if any are present."
"Aye, aye sir." 51 years old and the longest time in service Lt. Cmdr in the NCN Benjamin Wong was carreer navy and he had commanded the ships part of 1st Squadon over a decade ago. He looked at the display, and a course bloomed on the displays. "I'll use the outer planets V, IV and III to approach II, that will let me check them out as well."
"While he is doing that I'll survey some of the space around the jump point." Cmdr Bonillo says studing the plot of the proposed course. "By now BuSurvey will have dispatched a replacement survey group but they won't arrive until around September. This will optimize the use of the time we have."
The talk turned to specific matters of the mission and status of the two ships of IS IV, most critically their fuel state but both CO's assured Cpt. Benson their fuel reserves were more than adaquet with each ship having still 50% of a full load on board.
AD 2282 (July 17) Way Point 1 (468 million km from stellar primary)
The Trail Blazer arrives at the jumping off point for the journey to the inner system. So far the passive sensors on board have detected neither the IR signature of active engines or grav pulses from an active sensor. The ship proceeds at full speed for Way Point 2 located at 0° and 303 m km from the primary just outside the orbit of planet six.
AD 2282 (July 23) Way Point 3 (133 million km from stellar primary)
The Trail Blazer had slid past planet V, its sensors finding nothing present outside of orbiting moons and the ship was now moving at half its maximum velocity, halving its thermal signature. At this point; however, the ship was now within at least the known Wolver maximum detection range of their longest range scanner system. The ship proceeds on course for Planet IV, the tension on the ship increasing until sensor duty is cut down to 4 hours and the science boffins are brought in as auxillary watchstanders. Absurd as it is the crew is behaving like sound travels in space and most conversations are quiet and every loud noise causes the crew to start.
AD 2282 (July 29) Inner Most Gas Giant
The Trail Blazer's finds the Gas Giant and its moon system also bare of any alien threats and the ship shapes a course for the outer most terrestrial planet in the system, a cold airless ball of rock.
AD 2282 (July 30) CAB Orbit
The Trail Blazer's sensors show nothing as the ship slides past the planet its engines now throttled back to quarter power reducing the IR signature of the ship still further. Their target is now Way Point 4, a point in space some 30 m km from the primary approximately half way between planets III and II.
AD 2282 (August 4) Approaching Planet II
The crew was suited up and the ships spin had been cancelled. Lt. Cmdr Wong could feel sweat pouring down his sides and the band on his helmet that kept it from sliding down into his eyes was damp. The ship had crossed the point where they would be detected by their own IR sensors and so far nothing. The debrie field was now resolved to be three distinct ones and still nothing showed on his ships passive sensors. His eyes flicked to the panel beside his chair, the armed light blinked red. The ships missiles warheads were armed, the twin launch rails showed green. "Guns, you all set?"
"Yes sir."
He taped a screen. "Henry stand by for active sensor sweep." He focused on the screen, it would show once he gave the order all ships inside of 10 m km of the Trail Blazer. It would also be like setting of a flare. He rotated his chair till he could see the sensor operator. "On three Henry give me 30 s active sensors."
"30 seconds active on three, Aye Aye Sir." the reply was by the book as for this part of the mission nearly everyone on the bridge was from the Naval part of the crew rather than the BuSurvey or University members.
"One...Two...Three!" Benjamin keep his voice controlled as he counted down.
"ACTIVE!" The emitters were energized and moments later data poured in. The space around the ship out to nearly 1 million km was clear of anything larger than 50 tons while the primary array confirmed the emptiness of space out to 10 m km.
"Henry...another 30s." Benjamin released his breath as nothing red showed up on his plot.
"Secure from active sensors. Helm put us in a polar orbit." He glanced at the panel showing his missile warhead status and away, he would wait a while before safeing them. He touched a key, "Professor Cardella, your people can start setting up for a survey."
AD 2282 (August 16) Polar Orbit Planet II
The final survey results were in. Duranium and Corundium in massive amounts. The Duranium was not that easy to get too but the Coundium was going to be a real pain to extract. But the real prize was the ruins of a city they had spotted on the shores of what had once been a large sea and was now mostly sand. This was going to change everything.
