Nice one Steve... I like the book, now all I need to do is print it.
Anyway I noticed that there seemed to be a method of finding cloaked ships missing from the list you stated, and wondered on the possibilities of my 'pet' method...
A starship uses its deflector array to push spatial debris from its path, and avoid damage to the ship. It strikes me that this function becomes even more important if you use the cloak = no shields rule... but either way the effect is the same.
The debris is pushed around a cloaked ship. So all that is really needed is to detect the 'wake' of the cloaked ship as it passes...
As a narrator I had perfect technology, after all theres not a lot of room for plot when everythings perfect, so when I come up with something I always add a downside.
So here it is. This 'wake' is made up of tiny particles, and so a ships strongest scanners, possibly the array in the deflector dish...
This would mean that a ship would have to be pointed directly at the cloaked ship for it to work... Hard in 3D combat. I also reckon it would be more difficult if the cloaked ship remained motionless.
note: Developed by Starfleet Commander Hauq Tranatas (A Bajoran) during an Orb Experience with the Orb of Wisdom...
Any thoughts anyone?
------------------
Dan.
"A couple of thoughts froma random mind!"