SECTION 5
S.C. 170 lies outside the bounds arbitrarily established for the League of Worlds. Ken Star first surveyed this Class G star system during his third exploration of the Orion frontier and noted it as a likely prospect for future expansion. However, development along the Orion Frontier has been slow, and the planet has not yet been scheduled for settlement or development.
The computer record does not contain the latest information on S.C. 170, but briefing material included in Ulnar’s orders does. Five lightly armed exploratory vessels—Pioneer, Discovery, Humbolt, New Horizons, and Cook—were dispatched to conduct a detailed survey of S.C. 170 as the first step toward opening the planet to new colonists. Three months into their mission the ships were attacked with provocation by the alien Ka’slaq. Only Pioneer escaped, having suffered severe damage in the process. Discovery was crippled and taken in tow by two of the alien ships, so presumably the Ka’slaq have access to all of her computer files as well as any information known to the survivors captured on board. Whether or not they possess the means to translate and act on this data is unknown, but a worst-case assumption must be accepted until evidence to the contrary turns up.
Presumably S.C. 170’s planets have been occupied by the invaders, and elements of their fleet may well be present there. It is also possible that the hulks of the Legion expedition’ ships remain and might contain more information regarding the aliens, but this is uncertain.
If Ulnar decides to take his fleet to S.C. 170 to investigate the alien attack firsthand, go to section 30.
If Ulnar remains undecided and wishes to spend more time reviewing his options, go to section 8.