In an area of space nearby that occupied by the YSS Horizon, the YSS Tamashi Yume (YD-702) hung against the backdrop of Fenyar Cloud. Within the ship, it's crew went about their business, diligently following orders, supervised by Taisa Ishida, who stared out the forward viewports of the bridge and listened to those around him.
His orders had been simple, but much darker than those he'd received in the past. Any ships entering the area that were unknown or unmarked were to be destroyed upon discovery. No attempts at negotiations or diplomacy were to be indulged, nor were they to be offered. Most definitely a wartime order.
"Contact! Getting radar lock now, just entered sector 17," one of the soldiers manning the radar station announced. Turning to watch the tactical display, Captain Ishida watched the unmarked blip, already colored red as a 'hostile,' moved swiftly through Sector 17, and passing into sector 25.
"Taii Yato?"
"Sorry sir, it was just some interstellar debris. Mostly nickel-iron, some carbon."
"Why did the computer have trouble figuring that out?"
"It's fairly hot, sir. It must have passed close to a star or something else that irradiated it. If it's spinning, and parts of it are carbon, the emissions would have looked modulated, like an engine signature."
"Impressive happenstance. Range?"
"Umm," Taii Yato glanced back down at his screen for a moment, before responding, "32.4 kilometers, sir. It's already passed as close to us as it's going to."
"Understood, weapons? Open fire, manual targeting."
"Aye, sir. Tracking and... firing!"
From outside, one of the weapon turrets swiveled, drawing the lead and firing once, a lance of energy streaking out towards the chunk of interstellar junk. When the first shot missed, the weapons officer calmly told the captain he was compensating, and fired again, this time blasting the rock into superheated dust and vapor.
"Target destroyed, sir."
"Well done. Since this area of space is relatively clean, I think we can afford the expenditures required to blow what little debris comes by back into its component atoms. Weapons are free."
"Yes sir!" A chorus of voices called, as the crew went back to scanning the area. Looking over the bridge once more, Taisa Ishida sighed and made his way back towards the door that led to the rest of the ship, "I'm heading to the lounge. If any more contacts show up, inform me immediately. Chusa Makoto has the bridge."
That said, he slipped out, idly wondering when he and his ship would return, and what would pose a threat out here to warrant his aggressive orders.
His orders had been simple, but much darker than those he'd received in the past. Any ships entering the area that were unknown or unmarked were to be destroyed upon discovery. No attempts at negotiations or diplomacy were to be indulged, nor were they to be offered. Most definitely a wartime order.
"Contact! Getting radar lock now, just entered sector 17," one of the soldiers manning the radar station announced. Turning to watch the tactical display, Captain Ishida watched the unmarked blip, already colored red as a 'hostile,' moved swiftly through Sector 17, and passing into sector 25.
"Taii Yato?"
"Sorry sir, it was just some interstellar debris. Mostly nickel-iron, some carbon."
"Why did the computer have trouble figuring that out?"
"It's fairly hot, sir. It must have passed close to a star or something else that irradiated it. If it's spinning, and parts of it are carbon, the emissions would have looked modulated, like an engine signature."
"Impressive happenstance. Range?"
"Umm," Taii Yato glanced back down at his screen for a moment, before responding, "32.4 kilometers, sir. It's already passed as close to us as it's going to."
"Understood, weapons? Open fire, manual targeting."
"Aye, sir. Tracking and... firing!"
From outside, one of the weapon turrets swiveled, drawing the lead and firing once, a lance of energy streaking out towards the chunk of interstellar junk. When the first shot missed, the weapons officer calmly told the captain he was compensating, and fired again, this time blasting the rock into superheated dust and vapor.
"Target destroyed, sir."
"Well done. Since this area of space is relatively clean, I think we can afford the expenditures required to blow what little debris comes by back into its component atoms. Weapons are free."
"Yes sir!" A chorus of voices called, as the crew went back to scanning the area. Looking over the bridge once more, Taisa Ishida sighed and made his way back towards the door that led to the rest of the ship, "I'm heading to the lounge. If any more contacts show up, inform me immediately. Chusa Makoto has the bridge."
That said, he slipped out, idly wondering when he and his ship would return, and what would pose a threat out here to warrant his aggressive orders.
