"Warning: Short-range Warp jump complete. Returning to realspace."
An alarm sounded from Pika, the Cogitator of the Red Alert, as Lox and his exploration fleet arrived at the nearest planet marked on the star map.
Concerned that Warp storms might affect their voyage, Lox had not ventured deep into the Warp. Instead, he led the fleet in a method of Warp travel akin to skipping stones across water.
The engines were activated the instant they entered the Warp, sending them back into realspace moments later.
Although this was far less efficient than full Warp travel, it was safer. In just one week, they had caught up with an exploration ship traveling by conventional sublight means.
"This planet has been designated DX-114 in our newly charted star map. The exploration ship discovered signs of xenos life on its surface."
On the bridge of the Red Alert, Hill introduced the target planet for this expedition. Dantioch and Pollux had remained at the main base on Sotha, where they were responsible for constructing the system's orbital defense network.
At Lox's side were his old friends Barabas Dantioch and Hill, along with the Shattered Legions veterans who had fought their way out from the battlefield of Isstvan V with him.
"We'll enter the system first and observe the planet's surface from orbit before making any decisions."
After entering the star system containing DX-114 through the Mandeville Point, Lox did not rush to land on the target planet. Instead, he observed the situation with great caution.
They first recovered the navigation logs of the exploration ship stationed in planetary orbit. Then, with their energy shields activated, the fleet hovered at the outer edge of the planet's orbit.
The stealth field released by the Red Alert, combined with the cruisers' counter-surveillance coatings, made them nearly vanish