An alien colossus.

The ship, for that is what they had discovered was immense. Calvo estimated that it was easily twice the length of a federation command carrier, the largest spacecraft he'd seen up close until now. No lights showed anywhere on the colossus and it's surface was pockmarked with impact craters, though as far as could be seen none had actually penetrated the dense armour. He read the sensor results with disbelief, the ship somehow still contained an atmosphere and a breathable one at that. Most of the other information was confusing. No actual individual lifeforms were detected, but a low level of biosigns registered from various areas inside the hulk. For it's composition the sensors showed large quantities of common materials used in spacecraft construction, but many more compounds were listed simply as unknown.

"Imagine a vessal like that as the flagship of the Tau Cetian fleet." The lieutenant whispered. "We'd be unstoppable."

Calvo glanced at the guard officer. She was staring at the mysterious starship with avericious awe, her brown eyes gleamed as she imagined the honour she would receive for discovering this craft. She thought of the power this could give the Tau Ceti regime, a warship this size would easily crush the defences of hitherto impregnable spacestations. Port Morgan itself would be within the grasp of the Tau Ceti guard.

"What does that mean?" Twelve asked nervously, drawing everyone's attention to a flashing light on the display.

"We're being hailed." Calvo replied increduously. "And it's coming from inside that ship."

He flicked a switch to bring up the audio and an alien voice filled the fighter's cockpit making all four occupants hushed and nervous,

"MANNISH MABOK ERTO VHAKOL BES EDDA." The voice sounded artificial and after a few seconds repeated continuously on a monotonous cycle.

"It sounds like an automated distress call. It must have been triggered by our proximity." Calvo said quietly. "Though it's not in any language I've ever heard and the ship's translation program doesn't recognise it either."

"Transmit the signal back at the ship." The lieutenant ordered.

"What the hell for?" Calvo protested. "If your people want the damned thing they can send a properly equipped fleet to recover it."

"If it receives a response it may send another message." The guard officer explained. "The more of the alien language we can record the better the chance of our techs being able to decipher it."

Calvo shrugged, though there was logic to the lieutenants reasoning personally he'd prefer to leave the damn ghostship alone. The idea of the Tau Cetians getting their hands on the gargantuan vessal wasn't a particularly appealing one to him.

"I don't think we should." Twelve piped up. "That message could be a warning rather than a distress call. Can't we just record it's coordinates and course and go home."

"As you were Twelve." The ebony skinned officer snapped. "I'm in command and I say transmit the signal. Now do it."

"Okay, okay." Calvo muttered. "Transmitting. Happy now?"

Calvo pressed the transmit button and waited, inside the tiny fighter they all held their breath waiting to see what would happen next. On the sensor readout an indicator began to climb rapidly, the power output on the drifting hulk was climbing fast. Lights blazed into life on the scarred hull of the giant craft and a large hatch started to open directly in front of them.

"ANA KNUMAV EEN BOHENNA." The alien voice intoned solemnly over the communications net.

"Fuck!" The lieutenant swore. "What's happening? Back us off."

Calvo reached for the fighter's controls to follow the guardwoman's instructions, but before he could comply a blue beam shot from the hulk and surrounded the small fighter. Propulsion and weapons instantly went offline and they began to be dragged towards the ominously gaping maw of the open hatch.

"We're trapped in a tractor beam." Calvo shouted. "It's taking us in."

"Of course, don't you see." Twelve cried. "We sent it a distress signal. Now it's responding as if we asked to be rescued."

Slowly the fighter was pulled through the hatch and in to the ship's interior, behind it the hatch closed as if the ship was swallowing them up.