Then finally Sprite’s fingers twitched. Though her lips were eerily still, her voice crackled over the headset, as if through a long cavern. “I’m in,” she said.

“Great,” Ling said, her voice a quieter, delayed echo over the earphone. “Tell us what you see.”

“I’m in public domain. How’s my stealth?”

“Silent,” Darkholm said.

“Ok. I’m moving through this glut of information,” Sprite said. “No surprise, probes aren’t picking up anything of interest.”

“Don’t bump into anything,” Vapor said. “I’m seeing a lot of activity in your sector.”

“Understood.”

Helen kept an eye on Scotty. Something about him appeared duplicitous.