The panels glowed with subdued lighting, indicating a yellow alert as the bridge crew maintained a heightened level of readiness. Everyone was in the middle of their work, partway through their shift. A slight hush surrounded the crew stations; they were on edge, scanning for anything unusual that might be lurking out there. The USS Kusanagi was assigned to the Hecate Squadron because of its experience in border patrol and handling out-of-order situations. The Saber-class ship had previously managed to fend off illegal activity at Federation borders, but with Klingons lurking out by the Grim Wall, the situation had grown more complicated.

Standing near the Captain’s chair, a woman in a red uniform holding the rank of lieutenant commander reviewed the latest sensor data she had received from Operations. Her demeanor was focused and calm, hiding how much the situation truly had her on edge. Rina Davids was a seasoned officer with significant experience in border disputes, yet dealing with a government on the verge of unleashing the infamous “dogs of war” was not something she had been fully trained for.

The doors of the turbolift slid open, and a young man in a yellow uniform walked onto the bridge and headed to his console. He carried updated sensor logs compiled by the science department. Lieutenant Ebony Okafor, a well-trained security officer who had earned his position as Chief Tactical/Security Officer aboard the Kusanagi, stood at his station and looked at Rina.
“Commander Davids, these readings are too irregular to be a simple glitch. Something’s out there, and it’s lurking in the shadows.”

Rina, still reviewing the data, did not respond immediately. She turned her head and spoke, “Agreed, Lieutenant. Let’s not jump to conclusions. We need solid proof before we escalate.”

“Escalate what?” asked an older man in a red uniform with a Spanish accent, emerging from the ready room to join his officers on the bridge.

“Captain Catalán,” Rina said as she stepped back, allowing him to sit in his chair. “Lieutenant Okafor believes the data we received in the latest scan is unusual. I merely suggested that we shouldn’t jump to any conclusions without the data to back it up. In my opinion, these scans aren’t solid.”

Allowing the chair’s leather backing to support him, Ander smiled softly, letting it adjust. “Keep investigating, Lieutenant. The Commander is correct, we can’t accuse anyone of trespassing without hard data. I don’t want a repeat of last year’s incident.” He gave Rina a nod to reinforce her careful approach. Settling into his chair to review other information, he let Rina lead the investigation.

At her Ops station, T’Prin, the ship’s Chief Operations Officer, focused on her console. “The ship’s sensor calibration is now 3.7% more effective than our previous scans,” she quietly reported to Rina.

“That means you found them?” Ebony asked, somewhat agitated that the update provided everything but a clear target.

T’Prin shifted her gaze toward Ebony, her expression betraying little emotion. “I have not. Pinpointing the cloaked signals is proving difficult. However, I can confirm that the patterns do not match typical Federation readings.” She turned back to her console. “I will attempt to further refine the sensor data.”

“That supports my theory that Klingons are out there,” Okafor said. “Captain, Commander, I’d advise heightening our tactical readiness and preparing for additional sensor sweeps.” A glimpse of enthusiasm lit his face, quickly replaced by caution.

Rina moved to Okafor’s side, looking over his console. “Then let’s discuss our options so we’re prepared for anything they might throw at us. I’d rather be ready for the unknown than be caught off guard. We can’t fire blindly into the darkness, Lieutenant. Find me something tangible, and if it’s hostile, we’ll act. Understood?” She looked at Ebony, who gave a soft nod. “Good. Any suggestions to lure them out?”

“A short-range probe or maybe a low-level tachyon sweep,” Ebony proposed, outlining how each scenario could work.

T’Prin blinked. “Commander, our sensor returns have stabilized, but the energy patterns don’t match any known Starfleet signatures.” She glanced at Rina and noticed Ander shifting in his chair. “Captain, your orders?”

Taking a deep breath, Ander shrugged slightly. “Stay on your toes, everyone,” he said to the entire bridge, sensing the tension his officers felt in light of the latest news. “This could be nothing… or it could be the start of something far more dangerous. We’re trained for this, so let’s get hunting.” Settling back in his chair, Ander watched as the crew returned to work.