"What kind of ship is that?" one of the other captains mused, leaning across the table to get a closer look.
"I've never seen anything like it," Campbell replied.
"The UNN has no ships with a hull shaped like that to my knowledge."
It was seen side-on, and so the exact composition of the wings was uncertain, but the shape of the hull was unlike anything that Jaeger had seen before. It was curved and smooth, almost teardrop-shaped, while UNN ships of that size were usually blockier and more angular.
He couldn't make out any details beyond the vague outline, and the light seemed to be emitted by some kind of panel that was mounted along the flank of the vessel. Why would a ship have a need for something like that? Decoration? Communication?
"What's the name of this system again?" the Captain asked,
"I can never remember these damned numbers..."
"We're currently on the outskirts of HD-217107, roughly sixty-four light-years from Earth," one of the men sitting at the table volunteered.
"Out in the sticks," Fielding grumbled.
"Coalition space is a bubble about a hundred light years across, and we're right on the edge of it. Has this system been surveyed for habitable planets?" He looked around the table as he waited for a reply, but nobody had an answer for him. Instead, he hunched over his touch screen, spending a minute or two digging through files.
"Ah, here we are," he said as he stood up straight again.
"Two gas giants detected, no terrestrial planets."
"It's possible that the astronomers missed something," Campbell suggested.
"At this range, most planets are detected using transit photometry, measuring the light of a star to see if a planet passes in front of it. Usually, when they detect something the size of a terrestrial planet, they send a survey vessel to check it out. If they only picked up gas giants here, and no rocky planets, then they probably struck it off as a potential colony system."
"Or that these guys are from another system entirely," one of the captains added.
"Should we enact first contact protocols?"
Fielding considered for a moment.
First contact protocols affected the entire fleet, it wasn't an order to be given lightly. When operating in what might well be alien territory, measures had to be taken to avoid potential misunderstandings and confrontations. The last thing they needed was a war on two fronts. That said, the Betelgeusians were also in the system, and getting shot out of the sky by some weird variation of Bug ship because you couldn't get a positive ID on it wasn't much better.
"I don't think we have a choice," he finally replied.
"Enact first contact protocols across the fleet. Let's hope that this goes better than first contact with the Borealans..."
Jaeger looked about the table, everyone seemed just as nervous as he currently felt. First contact protocols meant that nobody could fire at an unidentified vessel unless they were first fired upon. If hostile action was taken against UNN ships, such as a shot across the bow or a target lock, then they were expected to give way and retreat to a safe distance.
Absolutely no aggressive measures were to be taken against alien ships unless they were confirmed hostile. The problem was that if someone shot at you, you might not get the chance to shoot back.
Jaeger also knew that they would have to watch that fucking video again...
"You're all dismissed," Fielding said, the hologram flickering off as he left the table.
"Get back to your respective vessels and spread the word, FCP is in full effect. I don't want a single round fired unless you can get a positive ID on a Bug ship, and by positive I mean ironclad. There's a good chance that we're trespassing in someone else's airspace right now."
There was a chorus of affirmations, and then everyone began to file out of the room. Fielding stopped beside Jaeger as he passed by, placing a gloved hand on his shoulder.
"I want your squadron out on another patrol as soon as your fighters are spaceworthy again," he said.
"If we got a look at them, then these aliens have probably gotten a good look at you too, which means they'll likely recognize an FS-26 the next time they see one. If they're out here hunting Bugs the same as we are, then we might have a potential ally here. Make sure the next time you boys meet one, everything goes down smoothly."
"Yes Sir," Jaeger replied with a salute...…