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Case Log: 486
Comm ID: Massada
Location: Planet Toledo, Order College of Science & Technology

I have made great strides in developing the mind-machine interface. The results are outlined in a past document. Since the installation of these techs on myself and Argonne, I have been able to communicate with the droid by mere thought. A telepathy, I suppose one could call it. Despite the drawbacks we encountered using this technology we were able to effectively operate as one over great distances.

Then, failure reared its ugly head. In recent encounters with a seemingly new breed of Nomads, the telepathic technology I developed caused some catastrophic problems. I was able to receive some strange communications from these Nomads through the device. Ultimately the device failed and caused massive hemorrhaging in the areas of my brain responsible for audible sound. I have been living in silence save for the mechanical rasp that a new implant has provided in lieu of my lost hearing. The telepathic device itself was destroyed and the only other device like it resides within Argonne.

I plan to remove this device to begin studying what exactly is at work here. I thought I was merely transmitting a hexadecimal version of my brain wave patterns to Argonne, but, apparently, there is more at work here. I need to gain some form of solid communication with the Nomads, perhaps I will be able to "listen" to their hive communication and somehow learn of their plans. Bs|Argonne recently reported that there is some sort of construction going on in Wilde space and I would very much like to know the aims of this work.

I feel as though the Nomads are two steps ahead of us and that we, The Order, are completely on the defensive with no probable plan of a productive counter-offensive. Further developments to follow....

-Massada out

Case Log: 487
Comm ID: Massada
Location: Planet Toledo, College of Science & Technology



The attached image shows the updated chip I recovered from Argonne. I have managed to implement the device into my Nepthys fighter's comm panel. This way any repeat failures when contacting Nomads will not result in direct bodily harm. After running the system I was able to receive and translate this message.

*Objective: Destroy system.....Mission critical systems failure....Objective destroyed....Weapon lost*

It would appear that I've picked up the signal of some Nomad weapon possibly from the past. However any communications with present day Nomads was unintelligible at best. Here is what I was able to translate.

*af4563edcfg00203aaaaa....organ.....aaaaaa00022329....elim....fffffff34433addefeadg21342....lightaaeefgccd343267*

I am guessing that the Nomads may have altered their communication methods (evolution?) or I am only able to pick up the fragmented messages from the past. My work will continue....

-Massada out

Case Log: 488
Comm ID: Massada
Location: Near orbit, Planet Toledo


I can't stress enough how dangerous this is. After making necessary adjustments I believe the device will function properly and so I've started with my first attempt at making first contact.


It appears that instead getting a response I've picked up a real distress signal that is coming from the Prison Station Fairbanks...interesting.

Case Log: 489
Comm ID: Massada
Location: Bs| Barracks, Planet Toledo

I keep waking up in cold sweats ever since my blackout in space. This dream is all I can think about anymore. In the dream I feel as though I had been there before but I am certain I haven't. I remember my training in the Liberty Navy and it was a rigorous psychological training as I recall. Also, I can't stop the thoughts of Fairbanks now. I worry about that place as if my own child were there being tortured.

As far as the device goes it appears to have corrupted during my blackout. There is no way to tell what is wrong with it. It just doesn't work anymore.

These headaches are so intense I can't concentrate on fixing it. I'll have to see a medic soon. I think my spine is going to fling out of my body.

Fairbanks....Fairbanks.....Fairbanks

-Massada out

Location: Bast Order Hospital, Mental Health Ward, Planet Toledo

A tall slim man walks into an brightly lit white room. His black uniform stood out among the bleach white of the walls and doctors in the room. In the middle of the room a white bed with a wire coming out of the top contained the patient, Massada. The doctor sitting in the chair next to the bed had his eyes so furrowed and strained on the hologram above Massada that one could see his easily immense headache.

"How is he," the man in black asked.

"You know! You ask that every ten f****** minutes and you get the same f****** answer! I don't know."

"Hmm," he was calm and unmoved by his lashing response, "you know this is very important. It is not everyday someone makes first contact with a Nomad. If you read his logs you would understand better."

"Yes yes yes, I have read his damned logs a million times. That still does not explain why this man is catatonic. Usually a severe experience would cause this but from what we know this happened after he went to sleep voluntarily. His brain is nearly entirely dead except for what is keeping him alive and a small part of his pre-frontal lobe controlling memory"

"Hmm, their giving him dreams"

Blackness

"Fairbanks....Fairbanks"

Blurriness

"Who...who is there...what am I doing here...who am I."

Blindness

"Oww! The light....stop it!"

"We...need...help...we feel...alone...dead...we...need...help...Fairbanks...Fairbanks...FAIRBANKS"

Blackness

"Wake up...Massada...wake..."


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Location: Bast Order Hospital, Mental Health Ward, Planet Toledo

"Sir, he is responding."

"Good, finally. Brief me when he is ready for questioning."

"But, sir, he needs time to recover."

"Well he will just have to go without...time is short on supply."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Location: Planet Toledo, Military docking bay

Argonne reporting...
No new contact with Nomad vessels...
BHG activity elevated in System Omicron Minor...
Unauthorized entry to System Omicron-100 elevated...
Ending 100 hour patrol sequence....
Docked for repairs...

Small room, white walls, square white table and two steel chairs. Massada is led in to the room via a skinny door that caused him to have to enter sideways.

"How do you like the new interrogation room? Heh, it reminds the subject that they are to be submissive before they even sit down." The tall slim man in black shifted his weight to the back of his chair. "So, have a seat. Let us start with you personally. What is your name?"

"Massada."

"Rank!"

"Ensign First Class"

"GENDER!"

"Male"

"GOOD! NOW! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE NOMADS!?"

"Ah, sir? The shouting isn't needed. We are on the same team. All I can remember is that I have been having nightmares that seem like messages. There is something at Prison Station Fairbanks. I think maybe there is someone who is undergoing cruel Liberty research with Nomads. Or it may be an actual Nomad. Or, worse, its some sort of Liberty Navy trick. Whatever the case we need to set up a strike for to take over the station and search it for the source of these communications."

"Mmmhmm, well, way to ruin my fun. But, your story, given recent circumstances, is believable. I will see what can be done."

Case Log #490
Location: Docking Structure Planet Toledo

Great success today. The Nomad Battleship that we have designated Harbinger was spotted in Omicron Delta today. I was able to activate my communications device and talk to the the Nomad directly via telepathic wave patterns. I started with a standard distress signal that I have picked up from stranded Nomads in Omicron Major. Once broadcast the ship headed in my direction. Once visual contact was made the Battleship opened fire on me but I was able to get a safe distance away. Strangely, the vessel did not close the distance with me. I took this as a prime opportunity to begin my studies. The first comms were met with silence but on advice of one of my graduate students I sent a message saying "the light". This allowed me to open a conversation of sorts with the creature. After some cryptic messages I was able to gather a few things. Firstly, when asked about a peace I learned that it seems the Nomads will never consider peace with mankind, not surprising. What I did find surprising is that when asked about a sort of center of command or Master I recieved a message that said unknown data. At that point, the device failed and my comm screen went blank. I flew past the Nomad for some close range scans and returned the data to Planet Toledo.

*Humans...Navy....Fairbanks...Fairbanks....Fairbanks*

Bright flashes of light, torturous human screams can be heard in the foreground. It is deafening and blood curdling. The voices of men can be heard speaking softly in the background. Their tone is cold and without any emotion.

"Push it further, I want to see how far this can go," says one of the men.

"It could kill him, are you sure you want to do this?" another queries.

The first man gruffly replies, "He is a dirty filthy Rogue and I don't give a damn about how he feels or what we put him through. He is already dead to me. Do it! Now!"

"Yes, sir. Right away, sir. Increase the power."

The screams cease.


Massada sits up abruptly in his bunker on Battleship Isis. Sweat streaming down his face, his eyes glow with a dull blue light.

The bright flashes of light begin to subside as an image comes to Massada's eyes. He sees two tables in a familiar looking Libertonian lab room. The table on the left has a man of average features contorted in unnatural ways, however, he is frozen in his odd position. On the other table lies something alien but with humanoid body. It is barely a body at all as it appears to be a fragile translucent blue like so many Nomad ships seen before. At the backside of a room, there is a glass window with several men in lab coats and Liberty Navy Uniforms. The men in uniform appear of very high rank. At the top of the room a large biomechanical machine with tubes, wires, subtle glowing lights and a spear-like spike above each subject.

It is a mere snapshot as the image goes black again and Massada's eyes return to normal. He falls back into his hard, standard issue, pillow.

*Humans...HELP...Fairbanks...They will learn...Fairbanks...FAIRBANKS*



Several hours later, as Omicron Minor's star begins to dimly shine through the dust on to Battleship Isis, Massada is awakened by the deafening red alert alarm of an impending Nomad attack. Massada tries to jump out of bed as his training would have compelled him to do, but he is completely exhausted and barely lifts his head. At that moment a message comes over the battleship's PA system.

"Attention! The red alert has now been reduced to yellow. The Nomad party appears to be flying past us towards the Alaska jump hole. Available on duty pilots are to report to their ships and form a pursuit wing."

"This is it," Massada says to himself. "I must not pass this off as mere nightmares anymore. This is real. The Liberty Navy has captured a Nomad and is going to gain something from it. I cannot risk this, as it could mean another mass infection."

"Sir, what are you going on about?" a young Ensign in another bunk asked.

Ignoring the Ensign, Massada continues talking to his bed post, "But why would the Nomads be interested in trying to get there? I would have thought a new infestation would be advantageous."

It then dawned on him as Massada's eyes filled with panicked terror, "The Nomads themselves could gain valuable knowledge from what this one Nomad has experienced and need it back in the collective to conduct a mindshare of all the experiment data. This could give them the edge they need to corrupt the strongest House in Sirius!"

The Ensign pipes in again, "Maybe this particular Nomad is important and maybe the Navy could gain too much knowledge of them if they complete their experiment?"

"Perhaps that is true as well. Whatever, we need to capture this Nomad and cease any gains by the Navy or the Nomads."

Massada stumbles out of bed, "I must get going! I will need a small taskforce to infiltrate the Prison Station."

He moves to a computer terminal, entering access codes, and pulls up the intelligence detail of Prison Station Fairbanks, "Damn, the only agent we have been able to get in there is a janitor. I suppose I will have to trust this person with the mission of his life."

Massada, in direct violation of Order policy, sends the operative an encoded mission briefing.

---MESSAGE BEGINS---

Attention: AGENT 42957
Priority: HIGHEST

UPON RECIEVING GO MESSAGE TAKE CONTROL OF THE DOCKING STATION BY ANY MEANS NECCESSARY. PERMIT MY SHIP, CALLSIGN BS|MASSADA, TO DOCK. SEND WORD WHEN SUCCESSFUL THEN PROCEED TO ESCAPE BY ANY METHOD AVAILABLE.

---MESSAGE ENDS---


Massada rushes to his Nepthys and races towards Alaska and The Fairbanks Prison Station. Upon reaching Fairbanks Massada sees the Nomad fleet bombarding the station and its fleet of defenders. A few Order pilots are in the fray focusing their attention on the Nomad fleet.

"Good, plenty of distraction."

As Massada flies past the engaged ships a message begins to stream in on his console.

YOU WILL FIND THAT THE DOCKING BAY IS WIDE OPEN. DOCK NOW!

Massada engages his cruise engine and bolts directly for the open dock. Nearly crashing his Nepthys, he haphazardly flies into the dock. The docking bay is empty of ships as they are all engaged with the Nomad fleet. However, a few guards in the bay see the unmistakable Order vessel and motion for the dock defense gun to open fire. The blasts from the gun nearly destroy his Neppthys' but Massada, by sheer luck, is able to fire of a few precise blasts into the gun. His ship's reactor core is heavily damaged in the assault and the emergency system begins to discharge tritium all over the docking bay.

Landing on a seemingly safe spot, Massada puts on the meager hazmat suit from his emergency kit and readies his sidearm. Taking a deep breath Massada runs out of his cockpit for the entrance to the rest of the station. The radiation is strong from the reactor leak and after he makes it into the station and closes the blast doors behind he falls to his knees. He grabs at his stomach as he begins to feel the early signs of gastrointestinal failure due to high levels of radiation. However he presses on, charging through halls as though he knows exactly where to go. He stops at a closed door with no descriptions, not even a room number. An inhuman shout shakes the metal walls.

"I AM FREE AND NOW YOU WILL ALL DIE!"

Massada, instinctively, turns away from the door. A blast throws the doors off and they slam against the hallway's walls. Massada is thrown to the floor, again wretching at his stomach. A figure emerges from the room. A man, the Rogue, appears but he is very different. His eyes shine brightly as his gaze bears down on Massada.

"You could hear us, couldn't you? We could sense you too. Now, you will die."

The Rogue-Nomad picks up one of the heavy remains of the doors and prepares to crush Massada with it. Massada quickly fires his sidearm blindly. The neutron bolt strikes his attacker in the forearm and knocks him back dropping the door next to Massada. Massada uses the opportunity to try to get a clean shot but the Rogue-Nomad runs the other direction at a speed no normal man could imagine to match. Just as he was about to pursue a grey old man carrying a tachyon rifle comes rushing from behind.

"Massada, sir! I am Agent 42957. There is a contigent of soldiers coming up behind me. We have to go, right away!"

"Nick? Nick Bryson, is that you? I thought you were dead!"

"No time now, sir. Let’s get out of here!"

They begin running to the opposite docking bay.

"I'd have us go back to your ship, but what you did in there would kill the both of us now."

Just as they arrive at the dock a Nomad ship is taking off.

"What the hell? Are they not invading the station?", Bryson is obviously confused.

"They got what they want. My mission is failed. Let’s just get out of here."

They hijack the only ship left in the bay, a griffin.

Bryson, amused, "What luck, this ship should be fast enough to get us out safely!"

Massada vomits as he collapses in the cargo hold.

"Hold on, I'll get you home soon enough!"

They undock and slip by the raging battle, though it appears that the Nomad fleet has begun a retreat.



Days later, Massada is in a debriefing. A council is studying him carefully as one of them begins to speak.

"What you did, was completely out of line and in total violation of the rules we have set forth for all Order pilots and officers to follow. By all means we should have you stripped of all honors and rank and give you a dishonorable discharge. However, it seems, by what you have detailed in yours and Agent Bryson's mission debriefing, that you acted in the best interest of mankind in Sirius and did something so necessary that it couldn't wait for authorization. In that case you will be placed on involuntary leave until further notice."

Another council member speaks up, "Is there anything else you would like to add that was not in your report?"

"Yes sirs, the Nomad hybrid was able to send me one last mindshare as it retreated. 'In remembrance of you this human vessel shall now be known as Apollumi and you and all your kin will learn to fear it.'"

Many months later...

Massada is at a desk in the barracks on Planet Toledo. He has his face in his hands and is mumbling to himself.

"mm...so...mmmble...matrices...ungh"

He looks up and stares at the cold steel wall in front of him.

"DAMNIT....damn it all"

An ensign enters the quarters.

"Sir, is everything alright."
"NO! Nothing is right. I can't figure out how to control this. Nightmares are no way to communicate with them. I must have a living specimen."
"But you know that isn't possible. It is protocol to kill..."
"I KNOW WHAT PROTOCOL IS...NOW BE GONE!"
"Yes sir, but keep in mind they could really use you out there. Things aren't getting any better you know."

Massada stares at the young pilot until he shrinks out of the room.

"Hmm...perhaps I need to get out there again."