Yangfan
Inactive Member
A few short hours after the Celia and her escorts left the Anisa system, the ships arrived at the unexplored system that the radio signal originated from.
"This is Taisho Chen to all escort ships. Detach from the hull and commence defensive escort pattern alpha. Watch my back... Shina, scan the system. Look for populated planets."
The four Yuis and the four Ketsuekis immediate separated themselves from the Celia's hull, and took up positions around the Celia.
Meanwhile, with Shina at the controls, the Celia tuned her powerful sensor suite at the system. An air of excitement was in the Celia's bridge.
"Sir, I'm detecting... one planet, with two moons, and one asteroid ring further away from the sun," reported Shina. A preliminary system map appeared on the main view screen of the bridge. "The planet appears to be populated. I'm getting a lot of EM noise from it as well. The only signal I can pick up from this range is the numeral sequence that we originally detected. The asteroids are rich in magnetized iron and other minerals... I can't tell you anything more unless we get closer to the planet, sir."
"Celia, take us into orbit," ordered Henry.
The YSS Celia dived toward the planet, with her escorts following close behind.
"The moons are unpopulated, sir, and quite desolate," reported Shina as they got closer. Her eyes widened. "Sir, something's already orbiting the planet! It's..."
Henry leaned forward with interest.
"It's a primitive artificial satellite, sir," Shina sounded a bit disappointed. "More like a metal bucket with solar panels attached, really. It's transmitting the numeral sequence in several radio frequencies."
The Celia and her escorts eased into low orbit around the planet.
"The planet's definitely populated, sir. I'm detecting major population centers, roads, canals..." said Shina.
"Kioko, try to lift some signals from the EM noise," ordered Henry. "Shina, find out whether we've been detected yet."
"I'm on it, sir," replied Kioko.
"It's hard to tell, sir. My best guess is, with their level of technology, they can't see us yet unless they are actively looking for us with sensor sweeps, or if someone gets extremely lucky with a telescope, which is unlikely, sir. We probably would be detected once we are in the planet's atmosphere, though," replied Shina.
"I'm starting to sort out the stronger signals, sir," added Kioko. "It'll take a while for the computer to make any sense out of their language, though."
"Hmm. I'd like to know a bit more about the planet's inhabitants before we make contact," declared Henry to the bridge crew. The lessons learned on Fenyar were still fresh in his mind. "Shina, keep scanning. Celia, order two of the Yuis to the other side of the planet. I want the planet mapped. Kioko, start translation and analysis of the planet's radio signals as soon as possible. Taii Kamitaka, report to the shuttle bay and begin flight preparations. You'll be flying us down there. Taii Kaori, I'd like to suggest that you meet with Ittรด Heisho Wikkedson before our away mission. You'll find him in the shuttle bay as well."
"This is Taisho Chen to all escort ships. Detach from the hull and commence defensive escort pattern alpha. Watch my back... Shina, scan the system. Look for populated planets."
The four Yuis and the four Ketsuekis immediate separated themselves from the Celia's hull, and took up positions around the Celia.
Meanwhile, with Shina at the controls, the Celia tuned her powerful sensor suite at the system. An air of excitement was in the Celia's bridge.
"Sir, I'm detecting... one planet, with two moons, and one asteroid ring further away from the sun," reported Shina. A preliminary system map appeared on the main view screen of the bridge. "The planet appears to be populated. I'm getting a lot of EM noise from it as well. The only signal I can pick up from this range is the numeral sequence that we originally detected. The asteroids are rich in magnetized iron and other minerals... I can't tell you anything more unless we get closer to the planet, sir."
"Celia, take us into orbit," ordered Henry.
The YSS Celia dived toward the planet, with her escorts following close behind.
"The moons are unpopulated, sir, and quite desolate," reported Shina as they got closer. Her eyes widened. "Sir, something's already orbiting the planet! It's..."
Henry leaned forward with interest.
"It's a primitive artificial satellite, sir," Shina sounded a bit disappointed. "More like a metal bucket with solar panels attached, really. It's transmitting the numeral sequence in several radio frequencies."
The Celia and her escorts eased into low orbit around the planet.
"The planet's definitely populated, sir. I'm detecting major population centers, roads, canals..." said Shina.
"Kioko, try to lift some signals from the EM noise," ordered Henry. "Shina, find out whether we've been detected yet."
"I'm on it, sir," replied Kioko.
"It's hard to tell, sir. My best guess is, with their level of technology, they can't see us yet unless they are actively looking for us with sensor sweeps, or if someone gets extremely lucky with a telescope, which is unlikely, sir. We probably would be detected once we are in the planet's atmosphere, though," replied Shina.
"I'm starting to sort out the stronger signals, sir," added Kioko. "It'll take a while for the computer to make any sense out of their language, though."
"Hmm. I'd like to know a bit more about the planet's inhabitants before we make contact," declared Henry to the bridge crew. The lessons learned on Fenyar were still fresh in his mind. "Shina, keep scanning. Celia, order two of the Yuis to the other side of the planet. I want the planet mapped. Kioko, start translation and analysis of the planet's radio signals as soon as possible. Taii Kamitaka, report to the shuttle bay and begin flight preparations. You'll be flying us down there. Taii Kaori, I'd like to suggest that you meet with Ittรด Heisho Wikkedson before our away mission. You'll find him in the shuttle bay as well."