Admiral’s desk was covered with a stack of reports from the C2 expedition.
Reports on cleared anomalies: difficult, but manageable. In one engagement the pilot had to warp out to regenerate shields, but the ship is intact. An acceptable operational risk.
Reports on data and relic sites are more interesting. Over 100 million ISK from a single anomaly. The total value of the loot stored in the container is approaching 300 million. It may be time to organize a transport to a trade hub while luck is still on our side.
A separate report details a deep reconnaissance run. The pilot moved more than five wormhole jumps away from the home system. A bold move. Good that the route did not collapse behind him. But on the other hand, this is exactly the kind of exploration the expedition was created for.
There is also a note that some anomalies had been cleared before our arrival.
Next come extracts from imperial kill board for ships lost in our system recently.
• Venture. Expected.
• Deep Space Transport. More interesting. Either someone’s logistics chain passed through the system and ran into trouble, or the system is not as empty as it first appeared.
Reports of potential threats follow. The admiral spent more time reading this section.
• Cheetah. A scanner? Then why no probes deployed? A hunter? Bait? Recon under disguise?
• Tengu. The workhorse of unknown space. It can be a scout, a hunter, or a strike ship. This report came from our reconnaissance pilot; the ship was spotted outside our home system. For now, that is somewhat reassuring.
• A Triglavian fleet?..
The admiral read the report twice.
“Switched directional scan to a wider filter.”
“Multiple groups of contacts scattered across the system.”
“Exact locations unknown. Combat probes required.”
The admiral requested an analytical briefing.
After the Triglavian Invasion they secured several systems in the Pochven region, but their forces are still occasionally reported outside it. In wormhole space, small Triglavian patrols and fleets do appear from time to time. These are usually roaming combat groups, not connected to capsuleer infrastructure. They may guard certain anomalies or appear as separate combat signatures. Their presence in wormhole space is rare, but not a myth.
Which means the report is likely credible.
The real question is different: should we try to find them deliberately? Encounters like that may cost more than a ship. They may cost us the initiative in the system.
The admiral leaned back in his chair.
The C2 system matches expectations: many anomalies, strong connectivity, constant traffic. There is plenty of content to explore.
And plenty of neighbors as well.
What should we do next?
Wait?
Activity in the system remains high. The destroyed transport and the signs of previous clearing suggest that we are not alone here. Perhaps the best option is to exploit the system’s connectivity for scanning and capital accumulation without committing to a permanent presence.
Upgrade to Omega, install a cloak, and move to T2 scanning?
Income from exploration would increase, risks would decrease. It would also allow safer investigation of the Triglavian signatures and open the path to planetary industry. But that would also be a step toward long-term presence.
Deploy a POS?
Even if the system turns out to be inhabited, establishing a base would provide valuable experience and a strategic foothold in a C2 environment.
Or search for another C2 system with a different static configuration, something quieter and more isolated? Less traffic. Lower risk of eviction. But fewer opportunities as well.
The admiral slowly placed the reports back into the folder.
Are we ready to settle here? Are we willing to accept higher risk in exchange for faster growth? Or is caution still the wiser choice? There are questions, but no easy answers.