Meanwhile, much closer to the heart of the Imperium than Hound's Tooth Station, Alpha Centauri gets a surprising visitor. The destroyer Broadsword is sent to intercept an apparently artificial object approaching from deep space.... "We are in visual range, Captain." her XO reported. "Magnify." Captain Chandra ordered tersely. When the distant object appeared on the main screen, her mouth dropped open in shocked disbelief. She knew her histery and knew what she was seeing, which was impossible. She turned to her XO and pointed a shaking hand at the viewscreen. "Is that what I think it is?" she asked with false calm, just as the computer pinged and the unknown object's ID was flashed into the screen. "Computer verifies, Captain!" her XO reported, just as awed as his Captain. "USS Excaliber, Mars Mapping Mission, July 22 2050." He read from his terminal, "She was the first and only shuttle to be outfited with the first primitive ion drive. Launched July 22, 2050, on a mission to radar image and map Luna, and then Mars, with the intent of finding a suitable site for establishing bases on both. She was about halfway between Earth and Luna, when the Rain of Nuclear Fire began. She was believed destroyed by the same EMP device that destroyed the ISS. She was never heard from again, and she was within the EM pulse range, so it was a logical assumption." "But a wrong one." she replied as she studied the screen. She turned to her engineer. "Can we get a tractor on her?" "I doubt she'd survive it, Captain. Her structural integrity has been compromised by 700+ years in space, and many micro meteorite impacts." He answered. She thought for a moment. "How about we match her speed, activate our tractors to act as a cushion, while we slow our speed, and therefore Excaliber's as well." she suggested, "Could that work?" He studied his readouts for a few moments, before turning to his Captain. "Computer verifies that the plan is sound, Captain." he replied, "But speed reductions must be in infinistimal amounts, or she'll break apart. To slow to dead stop at that pace will take a long time." "We'll take the time." she said flatly. DAZ: Victoria 4.2, Aiko 3, Shadow Dancer, Treadz R'osity: Brooke Hair, Olessa Hair, DP Colony, Meghan, Alice 3, Berets Vanishing Point: Bridge 3, shuttle RuntimeDNA: Angel Hair Greywolf