1C

Why did you think they scuttled the ship and killed the crew? Any thoughts what cargo the ship was carrying?

Scuttling - as good as self-destruct in the short-term for foiling Cabrillo. But still presumably leaving the possibility of salvaging by whoever was running the outfit?
Must be a mighty important cargo. No idea as to what that might be, as yet. (Or was it simply the hi-tech equipment they had that they shouldn’t have had?)

There was definitely something they were transporting that they didn’t want anyone to know about. Better to destroy the ship and what they were transporting. All seemed highly sinister including the threats to the crew’s families.

I had no idea what the ship was carrying but it must have been something they didn’t want seen.

It had to be really important, and perhaps dangerous cargo.

I think it was something secret and dangerous. I'm guessing it will come back into the story through another plot thread.