Deathstalker 02 - Deathstalker Rebellion

the new ideas taking root. People were starting to look at each other, smiling and relaxing as they considered the new ideas and found they liked them. They began to murmur among themselves and sit back in their chairs, the fear and uncertainty visibly dropping away from them. Even Cross was nodding, agreeing. Silence let them talk and laugh for a few minutes before restoring bridge discipline.
    "Activate the long-range sensors, Cross," he said finally. "If there is an alien ship out there somewhere, hiding in the Darkvoid, I want to know about it."
    Cross nodded quickly and bent over his station, powering up the long-range sensors. He hadn't been using them automatically because of the vast amounts of power they burned up, but theoretically they could detect a grain of sand half a light-year away, and tell you what it had for breakfast. Silence sat back in his command chair and let Cross get on with it. The odds were he wouldn't find anything, but just operating the long-range sensors for a while should help the crew feel better and more secure.
    "I'm almost disappointed," Frost said quietly. "So much fuss over a few night terrors. They'll be wanting someone to hold their hands when they cross the road next."
    "We don't all have your icy nerves, Investigator," said Silence. "And dealing
    with the crew's problems—real or perceived—is part of my job. Still, it's interesting that you and I never heard these voices."
    "Our minds are a lot more… disciplined than they used to be," said Frost.
    "Perhaps we've become harder to fool."
    "Perhaps. Either way, I'll let Cross run the sensors for a few more minutes, and then…"
    "Unidentified ship, Captain!" said Cross suddenly. "Only just in range, but it's coming straight at us at one hell of a speed."
    "Yellow Alert," said Silence. "Look sharp, people. Cross, put it up on the viewscreen."
    "It's still in the Darkvoid, sir," said Cross. "We won't see it for a while yet."
    "Could it be an alien ship?" asked Frost.
    "Unknown, Investigator," said Cross. "But at the speed it's moving, it'll be here soon."
    Silence studied the darkness on the viewscreen, carefully keeping his face calm and unmoved. His crew chattered around him on the bridge, powering up the ship's weapons and shields. People were reporting in from all over the ship as they took up attack positions. Silence smiled slightly. The doom and the gloom on the bridge had completely vanished. The unknown ship might be a threat, but it was a threat the crew understood.
    "The ship's slowing, Captain," said Cross. "I think it knows we're here. It's almost at the edge of the Darkvoid. We should have it on the screen any moment…"
    He broke off as the ship appeared on the viewscreen, came to a full stop just beyond the Rim. It was a simple metal sphere, bristling with instruments, mute
    and menacing. It was also very familiar, and quite definitely human.
    "Getting details now, Captain," said Cross. "It's an Empire starcruiser… class C." He looked back at Silence, surprised, before checking his instruments again.
    "There hasn't been a class C ship in Service since the beginning of the century.
    Its shields are down, but it's making no attempt to contact us. I'm using the standard hailing frequencies, but there's no response. It looks to be in good condition; no obvious signs of damage."
    "Could it be a pirate ship?" said Stelmach.
    "Doubtful," said Frost. "They wouldn't be caught dead in a ship as slow as that.
    A pirate's career depends on being able to outrun his pursuers. But if that is an Empire ship, what the hell is an old crock like that doing out here on the Rim?"
    "Maybe it's a ghost ship," said Silence, and regretted the word ghost the moment he said it. He didn't need to look around to feel the tension rising on the bridge again. "Cross, there should be an identification number on the ship's hull. Find it and check it against records. See if you can put a name to it."
    "Already have, sir." The Communication Officer's voice was high and thin. "It's the Champion. My grandfather's ship. Reported lost with all hands, one hundred and seven years ago."
    "That's impossible," said Silence numbly. "I remember the story. Whatever happened to the Champion is one of the fleet's great unsolved mysteries. But its last reported position was halfway across the Empire from here. How did it end up in the Darkvoid?"
    "A good question, Captain," said Frost. "Another might be: who's running the ship now? It was moving under its