Tarsus

The Republic vessels scouring the rim of the Tarsus system were vigilant, keeping their eyes open for any sign of trouble. The scanners picked up nothing, but one could never be too careful out in the darkest boundaries of space. The naval crew watched the dark expanse, a limitless blackness enshrouding them as they pressed on through the void.

"We're not picking up any readings, sir," the navigator aboard the Vandal stated. The admiral merely nodded in acknowledgment. "Eyes peeled, men. We can't afford to be caught off guard." The Tarsus system was characteristically devoid of activity usually, but these patrols were still coordinated in case the time came for the Republic to greet some new friends.

Or to blow away some new enemies.

"It looks like that new stealth drive is working out nicely," Darion mumbled to himself as he waited for a reaction from the ships below. "You men!" he shouted at his crew, "throw a bounce signal off their hull, make them dance for us." The bounce signal, a new technology Darion's men were working on, was intended to appear as a signal emanating from a direction other than where the signal came from. Simple enough in theory, but the technology had been a bitch so far to perfect.

One of his younger officers looked troubled and said, "Sir, we didn't bring the bulk of the fleet out with us, if shit hits the fan I don't know that they'd have time enough to come help."

"Trial by fire is the best way to determine the success of our operation. Without the risk of consequences then why bother developing the technology at all?" Darion gazed out the window and waited for a response from the Republic Ships.