The Dead Zone
Unnamed System DZ241,157
Aboard ISS Belfast Windfall

Archaeology and conjecture only took you so far. It was Mack's turn to grin. There were upwards of eight billion asteroids orbiting DZ241,157. Searching for a needle in a haystack, especially if you weren't sure it was there, was his line of work. Communications was a tough business, but Mack liked it. He was good at the technical side and Alowala was good at the people side, so to speak. ISS Belfast Windfall had been probing the field unsuccessfully for two days, throwing all sorts of communications signals around the solar system. Nothing was panning out. Then Mack had an idea. The Empire might have been using the Nomad Booster Relays for Noah defense coordination, but it still spoke its first language, didn't it? Commander Biggs Hilsfar had downloaded all the data from ISS Ulster Bobby into the new computer. There were several Nomad Probe communications on file. The good money said that a converted Nomad Relay Booster would chirp for an exact replica of a Nomad Probe transmission. "How remarkable," observed Arella Newark. "The circuit paste has finally managed to use his two wits in unison."

Deep Space, The Dead Zone
Thrynn Frigate Kryssthoggr

It had been a Phlegmak trap, as near as they could tell. Little could be gathered from the debris. The two oval objects had been some kind of weapons. One was configured as a transmitter and the other as a receiver. Both carried tremendous power cells. When they appeared at opposite ends of Kryssthoggr, the transmitter launched an intense beam of signal right through the shields and into the receiver. It had only lasted for a split second. Apparently, it had been designed to fry the electronic devices of its quarry. The electric signal would overwhelm the safeties and leave the ship a helpless, floating hulk. Captain Hthssbr's maneuver had pulled the body of the ship out of the way.

"The blassst passed through the port engine well. There iss very little in the way of electronic devicesss in the actual photonic convertersss. They are largely mechanical," said Yssk, the chief engineer. "There are burnss from the ssheer intensity of the beam, and two cooling liness were ruptured, but the damage iss now repaired. I foressee no further complicationsss." Captain SshT'k turned to leave the engineering deck. "Sssir...," ventured the chief engineer. "Might I be ssso bold ass to point out...Captain Hthssbr sssaved thiss vessel." SshT'k didn't turn, but nodded. Yssk was loyal. SshT'k was keeping close count.
 

New Scotland
The Vell Bralis Nova Orbital City
Commerce and Transport, temporary facility

Elizabei Hurgumsa was skeptical. Rixxa'bzrg had dropped off a status report a few minutes earlier. It said that ISS Reply had deployed a buoy the previous night. One day, thought Elizabei, this Staff-Pythagoras CommNav line might actually be finished.

----------
Next: "A Resolution"

Who was it that was asking about Phlegmak and Numlox? This one's for you, baby! "Stick around at the Nebula Lounge." It's got ratings slightly lower than the SFIII forum but comfortably higher those of the United Paramount Network, home of the limp "Voyager."

"Hilsfar & Company: Because Hoss'Vnn Makes You Do It."