After the inspection flotilla was captured, the dead system became quiet again.
That quiet did not mean there was nothing happening.
Captured Kharov crews were being separated and processed. Their ships were searched from engine rooms to command cores.
Eirenne had already placed the command vessel under layered control, while Arcturus' family technicians removed hidden transmitters, backup data crystals, emergency beacons, and one extremely stubborn self-burning archive box that tried to cook itself the moment someone touched it.
Meridian watched the report with open disgust.
"People who design self-burning archive boxes should be locked in a room with their own work."
Aurelian glanced at her. "That sounds personal."
"It is personal when something tries to set my technicians on fire."
Neris, who had joined the channel only to confirm storage space for seized materials, added sleepily, "Fire is bad for inventory."
