Fatal Containment

Fatal Containment - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

In the dimly lit port aft scanner bay, Senior Chief Petty Officer Larson Toler was hunched over an open panel, her hands deftly moving over the complex array of wires and circuits. The hum of the ship's engines was a constant background noise, a comforting reminder of the Dominion's ceaseless vigilance as it propelled them across the galaxy.

Toler was a seasoned veteran, her years of service etched in the lines of her face and the steady calm of her grey eyes. Her uniform was immaculate, save for an occasional grease spot from the old scan assembly she was overhauling, and the insignia of her petty officer rank gleaming under the harsh lights of the scanner bay. Her hair, a salt-and-pepper mix, was pulled back into a tight bun, a few loose strands framing her face.

With a final adjustment, she closed the panel and activated the scanner. The screen flickered to life, the familiar green glow illuminating her face. She began the routine diagnostic, her eyes scanning the readouts to ensure the scan assembly was working at peak efficiency.

As she was about to conclude the check, a slight warble in the data caught her attention. A weak signal, barely noticeable, was appearing on the edge of their sensor range. She frowned, her fingers flying over the controls as she tried to enhance the signal.

"Computer, isolate signal and enhance," she ordered, her voice echoing in the quiet bay.

The computer hummed in response, the signal on the screen growing clearer. It was definitely a ship, its signature faint but unmistakable. And it was following them.

Toler's frown deepened. It wasn't uncommon for ships to cross their path, but for one to be following an imperial heavy cruiser, and at such a distance that it was barely within sensor range, was more than suspicious.

She reached for the comm button, her decision made. "Senior Chief Toler to bridge," she said, her voice steady.

"Bridge here, go ahead Larson," came the response, the voice of Lieutenant Kinson echoing in the empty scanner bay.

"We've got a tail," Toler reported, her eyes not leaving the screen. "Picked up a weak signal from a ship at the edge of our sensor range. It's been maintaining distance and speed with us for the last hour."

There was a pause, then Kinson's voice came back, a note of concern in her tone. "Understood, Chief. We'll alert the Captain. Keep an eye on it and let us know if anything changes."

"Aye, aye ma'am," Toler responded, her gaze still fixed on the faint signal on the screen. As the scanner bay returned to its usual hum of activity, she couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. A task force faced no threat it couldn't handle, but alone as a single ship, they could be vulnerable, and whoever was following them was going to great lengths to remain undetected.