* * *
Some days later, Gallant’s Eagle approached the dwarf planet, Ceres. Its family asteroid cluster consisted of thousands of various-sized asteroids sharing an orbit. The asteroids were covered with irregular mountains in shades of gray, green, and black, pockmarked with glittering white ice pockets.
The high density of asteroids created a nest of rocky obstacles that obscured radar returns and created an archipelago that was a perfect sanctuary for hiding. Gallant maneuvered into this area. As the Eagle cleared a large shadow, its radar lit up with a dazzling brilliant display of ships, fortresses, and facilities.
Ironically, it was because Gallant and Kelsey were stealthily leapfrogging from one cluster of asteroids to another that they happened upon the best hiding place in the asteroid belt—a place the Titans had already discovered and used to build a secret Titan base. The base was the reason behind the large number of Titan ships that Gallant had noticed in the area.
Gallant was shocked to see a vast armada with supporting space stations, fortresses, and methane-production facilities. Rows of Titan ships were in orbit around the Ceres cluster, including a multitude of destroyers, numerous cruisers, and many battle cruiser saucers. Space stations and fortresses were distributed around the asteroid cluster. The entire base gave the Titan fleet extended capabilities.
Gallant directed his AI system to record data on the Titan forces and installations. Kelsey scrambled on her computer, trying to keep up with the information being collected and adding comments for everything she could. Gallant maneuvered the Eagle to a less exposed position. He bobbed and weaved between asteroids, hiding from the Titans while they collected information. The big and small rocks formed a channel through which Gallant could maneuver his Eagle. He hopped between the radar shadows they provided.
The constant acceleration adjustments caused little creaks and groans in the Eagle’s hull. The slight noises annoyed Gallant, but he ignored them and gazed out the forward view port to see what was before him. He slowed and tried to disguise their radar signature to appear like another one of the numerous Titan shuttle craft moving between ships and facilities. They moved in brief spurts to give themselves the opportunity to reinforce the deception. After successfully playing hide-and-seek with the Titan fleet, Gallant moved the Eagle to a position where it could gather considerable information about the fleet, the fortresses, and their supply ships.
He completed a count of the Titan forces, getting as many details as possible. It included 288 destroyers, 72 cruisers, and 12 battle cruisers, along with three space stations and six fortresses. He knew that the Mars Fleet consisted of about 200 destroyers, 60 cruisers, and 24 battle cruisers outfitted with many fighters.
The Mars Fleet should be powerful enough to deal with the Titan armada. He recognized that the United Planets would be planning to send a relief force to aid Jupiter Station sometime soon, but such a force would take ships away from the defense of Mars. At that point, this hidden Titan armada would constitute a serious threat to Mars.
He considered the complex array of asteroids in the vicinity. He was looking for a clue to how the Titans had managed to build such an extensive base in the middle of the asteroid belt, unobserved. Somewhere, there was a detail that would enlighten him.
Gallant and Kelsey decided to keep a low profile and stay hidden among the asteroids while they spied on the secret Titan base. He was close to the edge of their hidden base and pondered whether he should make a run for it.
He pondered the possibility of trying to remain stealthy to prevent giving away the fact that the aliens had been discovered. He thought this would prove useful to the Mars Fleet. However, he had the gravest doubts as to whether they could escape the trap they had just walked into.