Kuiper Belt, just outside Pluto’s orbit.

‘In the vastness of space, everything is a mere microscopic speck against the divine firmament,’ Monique de Groot, captain of the NIS-SV-765981-LRV, thought, gazing at the rapidly shrinking Pluto in her augmented reality display.

The Kuiper Belt was home to numerous dwarf planets and had an extremely high density of objects, compared to the inner region of the solar system. The stealth ship had just passed through the “tail” of one of those comets on her journey outward, disturbing the microscopic ice particles as it passed through them, leaving a wake despite the advanced stealth systems in the exploration vessel.

Thanks to the almost unconscionable speed the 5981 was traveling at, the disturbance was minimal and soon dissipated, returning the environment to its normal appearance.

But even if the wake had lasted longer and propagated farther, there was no one to witness the spectacle other than the universe and imperial automated early warning detectors. The detectors remained silent, thanks in large part to quantum IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe) systems being a part of their makeup.

The detectors were a miracle of miniaturization. Based around a fusion reactor the size of a child’s fist, the detectors themselves were only the size of a softball and leaked absolutely no energy or signals other than a positively tiny gravitic disturbance as the incorporated gravity propulsion system carried them on their journey to the inner edge of the heliopause near the termination shock layer of the solar system’s border.

(Ed note: The “heliopause” is comprised of two or three layers. Two of them are known: termination shock, where the solar wind emanating from the sun slows down and ejects all of the compressed particulates it picks up on its journey, and the heliopause, where the solar wind meets and is neutralized by the interstellar medium. Some scientists think there has to be a third layer, the bow shock, where the heliopause picks up interstellar particles and shoves them out of the way.)

……

A few hours later.[Approaching the mission target,] the ship’s AI reported through the speakers embedded in the ship’s bulkheads.

“Begin the deceleration and capture maneuver,” Captain de Groot ordered. “Let’s do this in one pass, ladies.”

The bridge crew chorused an acknowledgement of the order and activity at each workstation picked up as people focused on carrying out their assigned tasks.

“Adjusting orientation... adjusted. Beginning deceleration,” the helmswoman reported.

“Opening ventral bay,” the weapons officer added.

One by one, the stations on the bridge reported their actions as the intricate catch maneuver began. Much like docking with a moving outpost, the 5981 was catching Voyager 2, except reversed; in this case, it was the dock itself that was moving toward the object meant to be landed within.

“Slow and steady wins the day, ladies,” captain de Groot reminded the officers on the bridge.

Time slowly passed as the stealth ship crept up on Voyager 2, then the helmswoman finally reported, “Beginning catch maneuver.”

The atmosphere on the bridge was tense, everyone intently staring at the displays on their consoles as the Voyager 2 slid into the ship’s ventral cargo bay centimeter by centimeter. From start to finish, the catch took close to an hour before the weapons officer reported that it was completed and the bay doors closed.

“Excellent work, ladies. Stand down from general quarters but remain on the bridge—we’re only half done,” the captain ordered.

“Aye aye, ma’am,” the others said in unison, then stood and stretched. One of the ship’s complement of steward bots moved from station to station, offering coffee and sandwiches to refresh the stressed bridge crew.

“We just made history,” the ship’s executive officer, Commander Selene Ryfczinski announced. “Not only are we the first ship to enter the interstellar medium, we’re the first to pass through the Oort cloud. Stand proud, ladies.”

A low cheer passed through the bridge, then the soft hum of quiet conversation followed it.

……

A month prior to catching the Voyager 2.

Captain de Groot and Commander Ryfczinski were in the emperor’s council chamber with Aron, Youssef Al-Mutairi, and Nyx, having been briefed on their upcoming mission.

“So you understand your role?” Aron asked.

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty,” the captain and commander shouted in unison.

“No need for the academy yap,” Aron chuckled. “Do you have any questions?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Why catch and release the Voyager 2 instead of simply destroying it?” the commander asked.

[Because destruction is never an absolute, Commander. Besides, why destroy something that can be used to serve a noble purpose?] Nyx countered.

“What’s the purpose, then?” Commander Ryfczinski asked, still curious as to why an entire stealth crew of the NIS would be tasked with a multiple-month deployment for what she saw as an enormous boondoggle.

“Have you heard of Sergeant Murphy, Commander?” Minister Al-Mutairi interjected.

“Should I have?” she asked.

“Sergeant Murphy is a lawmaker, Miss Rif... Miss Ruff...” Youssef sighed.

“Minister, please just call me ‘Ski’. I’m Polish, we’re all used to it and have been ever since our ancestors decided to use every letter of the alphabet in our family names,” Commander Ryfczinski chuckled.

“Ahem... yes. Miss Ski, even if you’ve never heard of Sergeant Murphy, I’m certain you’ve heard of his law.”

“Ah, right... ‘everything that can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible moment’?” A light flashed in her eyes as she suddenly understood what Nyx meant by ‘destruction is never absolute’.

“Indeed, Commander,” Aron said. “It’s impossible to destroy something so thoroughly that it leaves no evidence behind. So what we want to do is leave a false evidence trail. And for that, we need you and your crew to capture the Voyager 2 and return without being caught at any stage of the operation.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

“Very well. Any other questions?” Aron asked.

“No, Your Majesty,” the two nyxians replied with a salute.

“Then be on your way. Good luck and godspeed, ladies.” Aron returned the salute as the emperor’s council chamber disappeared from around the two women, who exchanged glances with each other then logged out of the simulation as well.

They had much to prepare and little time in which to do it.