Before the commander could discipline them any further however, the radio on his hover chair beeped an incoming call.
"What is it?!" He snapped, snatching up the microphone. And pretending not to notice the others collectivity breath a small sigh of relief.
"Commander Shore? new reports from Tracking station-"
"One moment." He muttered, then turned to his crew, "You four stay here, but come and find me if there's any change." with that he swivelled his chair around, moving out of ear shot from the others (despite their curious looks) going down the corridor and out into one of the hospitals many little terrace gardens. Well 'Garden' might have been an exaduration but there were plants in pots and between the paving slabs at least. Fresh air hit Shore just as much as the mid-day sunlight, and above the wide stretch of land and buildings he could see light bouncing off the Tower. Technically he should have stayed in there as commander, but Sam Shore had a habit of taking things into his own hands without breaking the rules. A habit he wished the Captain would grow out of or at least master better.
"Go ahead, Tracking station. and this better be important." It was, sort of.
"Unidentified craft spotted again, Sir. Still outside parameter. This time two miles from western outer lock, sticking close to seabed and surrounding rock formations. Still no response when asked to verify via worldwide frequency."
Following the explosion earlier, Commander Shore had upped the Risk alert level of Marineville. In doing so, a wider sonar was protocal and had picked up the motors of a craft just outside their territory, an area in under normal circumstances the craft would be invisible in. It had vanished when Stingray had been escorted home but now it had returned. The commander ground his teeth, fishing out the cigar stub from his pocket to chew on. It helped him think.
Why was it there, on the same day? And Is that how Stingray's shift movements have been traced, he wondered. And how had it known just how close it could get without setting off the alarms?
"Did you have any luck of getting a scan on it this time?" He asked.
"Small craft, single engine, currently switched off. No grantee but possible single person. No missile ports we can see. What are your orders, sir?"
"Hmm. Any launches in that area scheduled?"
"None until this evening sir."
"Continue with servalence for now. make sure it isn't scanning us and can't record anything, jam it's devices. And keep a look out for anyone exiting the craft. If they come closer or act in anyway hostile act on it imeditly. I don't need to remind you of the events the Stingray crew faced earlier. it could possibly be a follow up attack, but just as easily be some toy sub in the wrong area. Keep ocean doors sealed. Understood?"
"Tracking station FAB."
"What-?"
"I mea R!" And with that the radio switched off. The Commander stared at it thunderstruck.
"...The whole town's going nuts." He muttered,before striking a match and lighting the cigar stub. He didn't normally smoke them often aside from after dinner. Certainly not while on duty. Chewing on them normally did the trick. But today wasn't normal not even by the crew's topsy turvy standard. Shore puffed and inhaled, relaxed in his chair just a little, glad he'd moved away to take the call in private. He didn't want to worry anyone more so then necessary, at least not yet.
I could do with my luitent's in control tower, he thought but it wouldn't be much good. Atlanta already had Fisher under her wing. Fisher was no in no state for anything never mind work and he knew Commander or not it would be pointless trying to order Atlanta back to her station. or any of them for that matter.
It could be nothing after all. And Marina would be fine.