:::[INCOMING TRANSMISSION]::: :::[ESTABLISHING VIDEO FEED]::: :::[VIDEO FEED:LIVE]:::
ID:Tristana Valar Location:Core Bison Transport "Core|APM-L-Mercurius", Omicron Delta Subject:Report ENCRYPTION:APM-STANDARD
Good day, APM contract management.
It's Valar, Core|APM-L-Mercurius.
Another 8.420 units of Iridium have been delivered to the Ilfracombe Base in New London. We have a total of 22.550 units hauled to them now. The minimum is done.
:::[INCOMING TRANSMISSION]::: :::[ESTABLISHING VIDEO FEED]::: :::[VIDEO FEED:LIVE]:::
ID:Tristana Valar Location:Core Bison Transport "Core|APM-L-Mercurius", Omicron Delta Subject:Report ENCRYPTION:APM-STANDARD
Good day, APM contract management.
It's Valar, Core|APM-L-Mercurius.
Another 8.420 units of Iridium have been delivered to the Ilfracombe Base in New London. This time, they FINALLY had enough Gold Ore to fill up my cargo bay. I decided to bring the Gold Ore to Planet Denver in Colorado. Good money. From Denver, a brought a load of pharmaceuticals to Alabama Shipyard. On the second run we hauled another load of Food Rations from Cambridge to Durban Station. Now our boys have a bit more stuff to eat and something to take care of the many radiations zones in the Omicrons and Omegas.
We have a total of 30.970 units hauled to the Ilfracombe Base now. If they want me to do another 30.000 units, they should make sure they have enough Gold Ore to fill my cargo bay. You know, Bretonia doesn't have that much to offer. I could fly more profitable and efficient routes in the meantime. New London produces only shit we don't need, and the stuff in Cambridge isn't that much worth. Freeport 11 pays me more money for a load of Curacaoan Tea than Durban Station pays for a load of food rations or medical beddings. That's an issue, if you ask me.
:::[INCOMING TRANSMISSION]::: :::[ESTABLISHING VIDEO FEED]::: :::[VIDEO FEED:LIVE]:::
ID:Tristana Valar Location:Core Bison Transport "Core|APM-L-Mercurius", Omicron Delta Subject:Report ENCRYPTION:APM-STANDARD
Good evening, APM contract management.
It's Valar, Core|APM-L-Mercurius.
Today we delivered another 8.420 units of Iridium to Ilfracombe. Looks like they got my message from earlier, requesting more Gold Ore. We delivered there Ore to Planet Denver in Colorado, where we picked up another load of pharmaceutica for Omicron Rho and Delta.
This is McKinsey, Core|APM-Aquarius-6|M with my first operation report.
530 cargo units of azurite gas successfully harvested from the Azurite Reactor in Omicron Delta and delivered to Durban Station in Omicron Rho.
Only little hostile activity was detected during the entire run, one order patrol and several lone alien hunters could be easily outmaneuvered. The mining site itself was clear of signs.
I would like to suggest dispatching transport type vessels to acompany future azurite mining operations in Omicron Delta to maximise efficiency and reduce mobilisation cost.
Finally I wish to voice my utmost appreciacion for granting me the opportunity of being part of this great endevour.
Azurite harvesting operations in Omicron Delta continue steadily.
Another 530 cargo units of azurite gas collected at the extraction site have been delivered to Durban Station in Omicron Rho. So far no notable hostile interference was encountered.
Since the next mining run is not scheduled until tomorrow, I took charge of today's arms shipment do Dagger Outpost in Omega-55. As soon as the Aquarius is refueled and fully inspected I'm going to make my way back to the Omicrons.
Today I thought I made a discovery. Further lab analysis prooved however disappointing.
Let me start from the top.
After all checks have been completed launched from Dagger Outpost setting course for Dresden jumphole, it being the relatively safest route back to Omicron Rho. However, as soon as I lost visual with the base, the Aquarius got ambushed by two Coalition interceptors. Station Control dispatched a wing of fighters, but those commie bastards were hammering me pretty hard, forcing to take a detour through Omega-41.
Yet I still wasn't in the clear, since this part of the Borderworlds is almost completly under Corsair and Hessian thumb. Soon enough my Coalition pursuers were on my tail again, chasing me all the way to Omega-47, were (I assumed) I would get trapped.
In a desperate attempt to shake those booldy wankers, I ran straight for the dreaded Omega-58 system. whitch is largely uncharted due to alien and collaborate infestation. My maneuver worked out surprisingly well - the attackers broke off just before the jumphole. However, I was stuck with yet another, perhaps even greater problem...
The oher side was rather quiet - from the sort of that gives one the creeps. Without any orientation whatsoever I flew the Aquarius into what appered to be a dense cloud covering an asteroid field, hoping this would mask the engine trail signature. Now I had time to think.
Scaners were clear so far as I moved slowly forward, but the geigermeter went through the roof. Telemetric astimations would suggest a pulsar nearby, at least from my experience. There was however something else. A faint but consistent energy reading, like nothing I had ever seen before - it was... strange. After a hard time pinpointing the source of the signal I sumbled across a Rheinland freighter werck.
No life signs, no transponder identification, nothing - the bloody thing was dead and from the looks of it, for quite a while. Markings on the side were corroded, but the shipname could be read as "Westerwald", propably of Daumann or Kruger make.
I decided to take a walk, see up close what did I actually find in this god forsaken place. The systems were all fried, most likely due to long term radiation exposure. No bodies inside. Some refined niobium could be found in the hold, but that was not where the signature came from. One lonesome crate stood there in the middle of the hold, it was the size of a portable hazmat container. Its inside seemed to be... some active atrifact, definetly alien, but different than what I've been briefed about. That thing, so i thought, was most likety not a trinket. After carefully loading it up on the Aquarius and still being stuck with almos not intel on the area, I decided to make a run for it, straight back through Omega-47. The Aquarius went full burn, rughing anything there was or could be on my back behind - I didn't even look backwards. It was the mad-on for me, since staying any longer would crap out my systems.
With fuel supplies nearly depleatet, bearly holding the bucket together, I managed to bring the Aquarius home to Omicron Rho.
Back on Durban Station the discovery was taken to Sector C testlabs, where after several hours my active artifact turned out to be... an inert trinket - unique, in its own way even beautiful, a collectros wet dream if you will. But nothing more. At least I got out of this bloody hell alive and with the Aquarius in one piece. She sure is a tough hog for a mining vessel.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am sorry for having wasted your time. Mining operations in Omicron Delta will proceed as scheduled.
Thank you for your attention.
Repairs on the Aquarius have been completed. Mining operations resume as scheduled.
Two runs have been successfully completed delivering 529 and 527cargo units of azurite gas to Durban Station.
The second run was accompanied by Dr. Rosenberg's survey team to further examine the high grav background radiation and it's link to the gas emissions as such. I showed the doctor my latest salvage back from the freighter wreck. Sadly, he confirmed what the testlab team already stated, it's a very nice, shiny and unique shelf decoration. Any collector would be thrilled having it - propably even pay a substantial sum for it. In the past similar artifacts were used in weapons research, however with a rather marginal success rate.
Still, there is something odd about that little trinket... I get the feeling it emits some kind of aura (and I don't mean the faint energy signature it projects), something metaphysical. I should propably get wrid of it.
On our way back from the second run, shortly after leaving the dig site we got ambushed by two young Nomad organisms. That day they showed way more aggressive behaviour than usually. I advise keeping this for the record, since it might not be an isolated incident.
My final survey run with Dr. Rosenberg and his team has been concluded. Apart from taking the regular readings inside the installation, we took a few rounds around it, coverying most of its surface.
After the survey was completed, Aquarius-6 returned safely back to Durban Station for debriefing, with 527 cargo units of azurite gas ready to unload.
Since Dr. Rosenberg had taken all the survey readings necessary, I was supposed to bring his team back to Nauru for reasignment. Upon leaving the docking bay, we're detected the presence of an LSF battlecruiser in Omicron Rho, the LNS Manticore (cagro scan + ID scan) The captain failed to provide any relevant purpose of the LSF vacating Core space, neither was the visit scheduled with Core High Command. I was instructed to request its leave, since it violated Core law, or terminate it if not willing to comply. Finally the Manticore was shown the way out to Omicron Delta peacefully.
Due to the fact, that the LSF captain illegally vacated Omicron Rho, I shall file a complaint to the LSF High Command.
I'm pleased to report that during the last days several tasks have been successfully compleated.
Apart form the normally scheduled mining run resulting in securing 529 cargo units of azurite for Durban Station, we've delivered 529 cargo units of advanced hardware as part of the requested order for Sunderland Research Station Newcastle, Bretonia.
I had the unique opportunity to witness the derelict nomad installation located in planet Darlington's low orbit. The site was breathtaking at the very least...
At this point I should point to an Auxesia operative whose presence near Battleship Grimsby has been noticed, callsign Sapphire Raven. Although the relations between the Core and said party are not heartfelt at present, hostile engagement in Bretonian space was mutually discouraged.
I've chosen to take a detour on the way back to Core space and make a stop in Texas to collect recycleable scrap components, whitch had been delivered to Alabama Shipyard.
On another subject, since the discovery of a stable aligned jomphole connection from Omicron Delta to Omicron Chi, preparations for an expedition had been in progress. The Board will be pleased to know that Saggitarius-9 is being retorfitted for exploratory purposes at Yaren Base as I submit this report. To ensure safe journey and thorough study I shall assume active command of said vessel. Dr. Rosenberg will take charge of the survey team.
it is with pride that I may report, that our expedition to Omicron Chi via the newly discovered jumphole connection from Omicron Delta has been concluded, thanks to Dr. Rosenberg and his teams of highly trained survey, research and reconnaissance specialists. The following findings may prove to be of utmost strategic, scientific and logistic importance to Core future endevours.
First insights
The environment of Omicron Chi constists of a dense, almost pea soup nebula, of whitch 90% is littered with small to medium flat shaped rock formations. These would make navigation with larger capital class vessels both difficult and dangerous. The Sagittarius-9 being a rather small and agile transport ship performed very well in this unforgiving system, having no issues whatsoever evading floating objects.
The actual difficulty and true obstacle resides in extremely high radiation emisions of yet unknown origin, found in most of Chi system space whitch renders snub craft ventures virtually impossible, as anything smaller than a gunship would be fried to dust within minutes (not to mention fatal radiation sickness).
Additionally the radiation levels inerfere with any kind of telemetric recognition - mapping of objects or even the ships' immediate surroundings could only be done manually within visual range.
Stellar objects, planet Zodiak and gravitational anomalies
The stellar body Omicron Chi consists of one medium green star and two identic greendwarf stars, all in relative close proximity to one another.
Caught among those stars is one isolated planet, makeshift named "Planet Zodiak". Further exploration in lower orbit is required to determine whether its crust contains valuables. However, we've picked up a different curious phonomenon in form of a significant drop of radiation intensity in a radius of approximately 10k around the planet to almost harmless levels. Moreover, it seemd to be corelated with an abnormally strong magnetic field whitch interfered with the Sagittarius's drives, reducing effective maximal velocity by around 30%.
Finally another, most interresting object was discovered between Planet Zodiak and a giant rock formation orbiting it, namely an active jumphole, stabile and phase aligned to Omicron Kappa. This finding especially may prove invaluable both in terms of strategic and logistic planning.
Alien installations and unexpected presence
Venturing forth deep into the seemingly dull nebula of Omicron Chi, we've come across a dense field of unidentified floating objects. Upon closer study it appeared to be a sort of alien tech minefield. Going about the edge of the field we've discovered a gap large enough to fit a battleship, denoted by a small yellow beacon of unknown origin. Not far into the field sensors picked up a massive installation surrounded by several smaller objects. At this point energy readings comming from the apparent location of the main structure went through the roof. Almost simultainously two groups of two alien beings each had been spotted on intercept course with the Sagittarius-9. These apeared to be farily young Nomad creatures, that could eventually be taken down with the equipped turrets after a short but stout fight. Percheron class transports perform quite well as exploration vessels, but are definetly not intended for battle, especially against several alien craft. It is due to the skill and spirit of my crew alone that we emerged victorious (remains were harvested in accordance with Core protocol), still there would most propably be more to come. I ordered to go to full burn as to pass the installation close enough to take at least a clear visual image, yet quickly enough as to evade incoming fire from its defense platforms as well as shaking off potential pursuers.
We've just about managed to slip through, gradually taking distance from what at closer look apeared to be a sort of Lair. However, this was only part one of the surprises Omicorn Chi came bearing. Right outside the perimeter of the Nomad structure, buried deep in the minefield we came across a station, definetly human built.
According to the station's transponder signal we've reached "FOB Camelback Gold", yet its affiliation remains unknown. It would seem like an almost insane idea to construct a station right outside an active Nomad installation, unless it's somehow linked with the alien hive. We have therefore reason to believe it has been set up by Nomad infested human personel or cultists who revere the Nomads, like the Oracles or their affiliates. I recomend keeping said station under surveillance for further study or purging the place alltogether. The latter however may prove rather difficult at present, given the location of FOB Camelback Gold deep inside a minefield, deadly radiation levels throughout the system, as well as close proximity to the Nomad installation, with intensive alien activity to be expected upon arrival.
Having suffered significant radiation damage to the Sagittariuses systems, plus having taken a beating from the Nomad creatures encountered just recently, fearing more hostiles might locate us anytime, I've ordered to set course back for the Omicron Delta jumphole, full speed ahead.
The way back
On the way back to Delta one last survey has been conducted as we've entered a cloud of highly unstable gasses in our path. The discharge seemed to not to cause any significant damage to my ship's shields, yet for fighter strikecraft it might prove quite devastating. Interresting enough, the cloud appears subject to a similar magnetic anomaly as the immediate surrounding of Planet Zodiak, again reducing the maximal velocity of the Sagittarius by roughly 30%. In both cases the influence was temporary - the engines reached full efficiency as soon as Sagittarius-9 left the cloud.
Upon return to Omicron Delta we've set course for Yaren Base for debriefing. Critical repairs to the Sagittarius are being performed as I speak - the transport should be flight ready within a few days. It performed exceptionally well during the entire expedition. I advise retrofitting Percheron class transport ships for future exploration operations as well.
Navmap
Apart from the reported above, we have been able to outline key objects and phenomenons on a makeshift navmap. Considering the limited amount of research time, hostile interference and difficult operating conditions an error margin of around 3k schould be taken into account. Also this outline may not be yet complete. Further exploration of the system could reveal new insights about the encountered phenomena, possibly even further ones.
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