They're still there, the alien ships, all eight of them, shining amber against the blackness. They're shaped very differently than Desiree (which vaguely resembles a pregnant blimp). These craft are narrow and streamlined ... as though they could also navigate through atmosphere. Rob said they reminded him of an Earth predator called a hammerhead shark. On either side they have narrow, swept-back projections that don't really look like wings, but probably serve the same function. They're all the same golden orange color, with small black lines appearing amidships. It's been nearly an hour and a half since they moved into position surrounding Desiree, but that was the last move they made. They're just pacing us out there, about twenty kilometers away, waiting, waiting for ... who knows? Uncle Raoul is sitting down in the galley, drinking Simon's horrible coffee, and from his expression I'd say he's having second thoughts about this whole venture. When the eight craft first arrived, Joan slowed Desiree to a crawl, and our escorts decreased speed correspondingly.
