It’s a long way home if we’re limited to warp drive.
starts running mental calculations, using assumptions for Arcturus Sector’s position relative to “known” space.
We’re talking measurements in years, not weeks or months.
Until we’re able to reliably resupply, I recommend the fleet adopt strict conservation measures – restrict to Delta engagements, with the use of heavier ordnance to be saved for extreme circumstances. Perhaps the length of any engagement where there is the possiblity of the loss of even a single DamCon should be re-evaluated. Survival-level water and replicator rationing should be implemented immediately. We should also re-analyze the sensor readings of the planet we discovered to see if there are any biological or technological resources we may be able to scavenge.
Exploring the unknown sectors is a calculated risk – we may encounter more enemy ships and hostile cosmozoa, but we must weigh that against our need to locate raw materials and the means to refine and utilize them. Search grids should also be executed in each sector to detect any possible natural jump points.
Recommend we do what we can to boost our sensor and communications systems. Any advance intelligence from sensors or intercepted communications could mean avoiding a costly engagement. At the same time, we should engage Silent Running as much as possible. Coded, data-stream burst communication between ships should be the order of the day to avoid detection by hostiles.
Before we encounter any more Rumarian vessels, Command should also evaluate whether our ideals for preserving life are overriden by our own need to survive.
Donovan half-notices heads turning towards him and imagines the judgment behind the stares as comprehension of his train of thought sinks in…
Respectfully, Sir, a single Rumarian ship, even though it has offered to surrender, could alert their fleets to our presence and put us in more jeopardy. At the very least, we should actively jam their communications channels while in proximity. If we let them leave, we should offload engineers to their surrendered ships to sabotage communications systems and sensor logs.
