I was advised by your colleague aboard the vessel Agathos Daimon to reach out to you regarding a matter of significant scientific and strategic importance. Based on your expertise and position within Phoenix, I believe you may be uniquely suited to assist in the pursuit of a groundbreaking development—one that could prove beneficial not only for myself but for the Zoner cause and the greater stability of the Omicrons.
The Subject of Inquiry
I am currently in possession of an IRG Power Cell Schematic—a technological marvel engineered by the Ingenuus Research Group. If you are unfamiliar with this device, the IRG Power Cell is an exceptionally versatile and highly modifiable energy source, capable of powering and enhancing virtually any system, whether it be spacecraft, infrastructure, or even experimental energy-based technologies. However, the schematic in my possession is heavily encrypted using proprietary IRG encryption protocols, rendering it inaccessible without the proper decryption expertise.
The reason I require this technology to be built is twofold:
Personal Survival & Medical Advancements
As you may already be aware, my cybernetic enhancements require an extremely stable and efficient energy source. The IRG Power Cell, once adapted and optimized, would not only sustain my own augmentations but also allow for the development of superior medical cybernetic technologies—something that could ultimately aid countless individuals across Sirius who depend on augmentations for survival.
Restoring Balance & Stability in the Omicrons
I have long sought to end senseless destruction in this sector, and I believe that the power cell’s potential extends beyond personal use. If properly modified, it could serve as a cornerstone technology for defensive and stabilization efforts, particularly in areas affected by ongoing conflicts.
Proposal for Phoenix’s Involvement
I am reaching out to you and Phoenix with an offer:
If you agree to assist me in decrypting and rebuilding this technology, I will grant you access to the schematics and allow your organization to utilize the modified power cells for your own purposes.
This could provide Phoenix with a cutting-edge energy solution to protect Zoner installations, colonies, and vessels across Sirius, strengthening the security and autonomy of your people.
Additionally, I have also initiated contact with the Enigma Confederacy, who are currently considering the proposal to employ these upgraded power cells in their resistance efforts against The Core’s blockade of Gammu. Should this collaboration succeed, it could help push The Core back into Omicron Delta and Omicron Rho, reducing their stranglehold on critical regions. A Path Toward Peace
I believe that this endeavor is more than just a technological breakthrough—it is a step toward shifting the balance of power in a way that reduces conflict rather than fuels it. With your expertise and Phoenix’s resources, we can ensure that this technology is used responsibly and strategically for the benefit of those who seek to live free of oppression.
I sincerely hope that you will find interest in aiding me, as I assure you that I will do everything in my power to ensure that our collaboration mutually benefits both of us and serves the greater good of Sirius.
Awaiting your response,
John Derius Guerra
Independent Researcher & Specialist in Cybernetics and Advanced Technologies
Our pilot has advised you well. Before anything else, though, there’s something you should know. After your recent conversation around Freeport, the Core pilot of the ship “Kappa-37” pressed us for details about your exchange with the AI. Thanks to our pilot’s quick thinking, they managed to spin a convincing story; however, we’ll need to plant fake evidence somewhere and maintain consistency if we encounter that pilot again.
I’ll forward you the conversation shortly. In the meantime, here’s our plan to keep the Core off our backs: some time ago, during an expedition to Earhart, we found a Zoner wreck called The Wayfarer that will be suitable . We’ll deploy a ship there to leave an old transmitter emitting a faint SOS signal alongside a ciphered message, encoded with an old Zoner cipher dating back to the Omicroners. Once deciphered, it will lead the Core pilot to a Nephilim wreck in Zeta, where they’ll discover an old databank containing encrypted data about a routine Gammu scan recorded by our brethren 15 years ago. With luck, they’ll believe they’ve stumbled upon something valuable and leave us alone.
All we need from you is to prepare what you’ll say if you encounter the Kappa-37 pilot again, and to provide us with your engine type. We’ll need it to plant evidence at The Wayfarer, posing as your vessel’s signature. That way, if they decide to scan for ship traces, they’ll pick up a reading similar to yours.
Regarding your deal, there’s good news and bad news:
Bad News:
Ingenuus was actually a breakaway faction from our research division.
Good News:
Since their work originally began with us, we still have the foundational research materials and know the source of that Power Cell. I’ve asked our personnel at Corinth to dig up everything we have on Ingenuus, and I’ll do the same from my current post at Ames Research Station.
As for the Enigma Confederacy, we currently have no relationship with them. All I know comes from your conversation with our pilot, as well as the recent battle reports from Kappa, where both sides remained somewhat neutral while pursuing their own objectives.
Lastly, we’ve noticed the Technocrats collaborating with the AI, and I strongly advise against dealing with them. In the past, when we were engaged with Nomads, they opened fire on us—an incident that has made us wary of any future cooperation. We also observed an alliance between the Corsairs and the Technocracy during the last Kappa event, so bear in mind that any technology placed in Technocrat hands could easily end up with the Imperio.
So unless our relationship with the Technocracy improves significantly—which I doubt—or unless they are absent from this arrangement, we intend to remain uninvolved.
[15.03.2025 00:15:08] Kappa-37: Alright, now that that is out of the way...
[15.03.2025 00:15:20] Kappa-37: I got a few questions.
[15.03.2025 00:15:26] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Fire away
[15.03.2025 00:15:51] Kappa-37: You know, when the whole conversation around Gammu erupted... it grabbed my interest.
[15.03.2025 00:16:07] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: It seems to grab everyone interest
[15.03.2025 00:16:34] Kappa-37: I know enough to know whatever it was is secret. And whatever it was involved you.
[15.03.2025 00:17:01] Kappa-37: Now, your organization interacting with AIs and more importantly - Core business is completely fine.
[15.03.2025 00:17:12] Kappa-37: As long as it is limited to shooting those robots out of space.
[15.03.2025 00:17:37] Kappa-37: Thats not what it was about.
[15.03.2025 00:17:55] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Indeed.
[15.03.2025 00:18:03] Kappa-37: Mind giving some answers?
[15.03.2025 00:18:12] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: They interfered in a deal between me and john.
[15.03.2025 00:18:27] Kappa-37: John... John who?
[15.03.2025 00:18:34] Kappa-37: What deal did they interfere in?
[15.03.2025 00:18:48] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: The freelancer. And about old zoner tech.
[15.03.2025 00:19:20] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: They wanted some old code from an old era. ZTC and Omicroners
[15.03.2025 00:19:40] Kappa-37: Mhmm..?
[15.03.2025 00:19:50] Kappa-37: What /kind/ of code are we talking about?
[15.03.2025 00:20:53] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Communication code, to decypher and old transmission. The AI seems to be interested in as, (]o[) where around gammu at that-
[15.03.2025 00:20:56] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: time
[15.03.2025 00:21:20] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: And until we find the code I have no clue what it is about
[15.03.2025 00:21:36] Kappa-37: ...
[15.03.2025 00:21:40] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Missing people? The next nomad jelly? I have no idea
[15.03.2025 00:21:55] Kappa-37: Fascinating.
[15.03.2025 00:21:59] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: It was like 14 years ago.
[15.03.2025 00:22:13] Kappa-37: The old transmission?
[15.03.2025 00:22:23] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: I don't even know if we still have those archive after the loss of freeport 9
[15.03.2025 00:22:46] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Yep
[15.03.2025 00:23:24] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: But the freelancer was sure it was worth the try.
[15.03.2025 00:23:29] Kappa-37: How did the Freelancer come to know about this..
[15.03.2025 00:23:34] Kappa-37: How did /you/ come to know about this?
[15.03.2025 00:24:26] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Well he came asking zoner as the code is zoner.
[15.03.2025 00:25:11] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: then those damn machine came
[15.03.2025 00:25:32] Kappa-37: How does he know about the code if its lost? [raises eyebrow]
[15.03.2025 00:25:50] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: He don't know, that why he asked if we have it
[15.03.2025 00:26:18] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: And to link it to zoner it's easy
[15.03.2025 00:26:35] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Have you seen the zoner graveyard in zeta
[15.03.2025 00:26:43] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: That old nephilim
[15.03.2025 00:26:46] Kappa-37: Yeah
[15.03.2025 00:27:40] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: you can sometime pick it's last echo. Omicroners ship that departed, sending a sos signal.
[15.03.2025 00:28:21] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: His transmission he want to decipher start with the same stack
[15.03.2025 00:30:03] Kappa-37: And what was that stack?
[15.03.2025 00:31:15] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: A signal packet start with some uncyphered data. In the first bytes, you have 16 bit for identification
[15.03.2025 00:31:32] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Those sixteen match omicroners
[15.03.2025 00:31:59] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: The rest is curently unknown
[15.03.2025 00:32:11] Kappa-37: Omicroners?
[15.03.2025 00:32:23] Kappa-37: Like, Zoners or Outworlders?
[15.03.2025 00:32:43] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Zoner, it predate the term outworlder
[15.03.2025 00:33:17] Kappa-37: You wouldn't have the unciphered data at hand on you, would you?
[15.03.2025 00:34:28] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Sadly no. He wanted to deliver it to corinth and the staff itself. In a way that's logical. Who am I to receive it. I just -
[15.03.2025 00:34:34] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: - do escort duty
[15.03.2025 00:35:34] Kappa-37: I see.
[15.03.2025 00:36:23] Kappa-37: So it's some important data that leads to somewhere in Kappa concerning an old Zoner colony ship from about 14 years ago?
[15.03.2025 00:37:20] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Old data sure. It match omicroners. Butif it has something to do with our colony ship.
[15.03.2025 00:38:02] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: As the ai had an interest. Maybe a colony ship landed at gammu long before the takeover by core
[15.03.2025 00:38:24] Kappa-37: Hm
[15.03.2025 00:38:27] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: You should check your the data you have harvest from gammu
[15.03.2025 00:38:54] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Maybe it has trace of a colony ship landing. Jinkutsu class
[15.03.2025 00:39:54] Kappa-37: [under his breath] and consequently the story of the birth of their kind
[15.03.2025 00:40:09] Kappa-37: Where was this data found? That derelict colony ship?
[15.03.2025 00:40:17] Kappa-37: Can it still be found from it?
[15.03.2025 00:40:44] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: I have no idea where it come from.
[15.03.2025 00:41:13] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Also it's Jinkusu class. I just checked our archive
[15.03.2025 00:42:26] Kappa-37: [sighs disappointedly]
[15.03.2025 00:42:28] Kappa-37: Alright.
[15.03.2025 00:42:55] Kappa-37: I'm gonna need that data, Zoner, and soon.
[15.03.2025 00:43:04] Kappa-37: I know you don't have access to it.
[15.03.2025 00:43:08] Kappa-37: But you're gonna need to get it.
[15.03.2025 00:43:13] Kappa-37: And you're gonna need to give it to me.
[15.03.2025 00:43:52] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: There is one exception to it. If its purely related to zoner stuff.
[15.03.2025 00:44:10] Kappa-37: Heh heh, no.
[15.03.2025 00:44:13] Kappa-37: I'm gonna need everything.
[15.03.2025 00:45:04] Kappa-37: And you're going to find a way to get it - with or without the knowledge of your superiors.
[15.03.2025 00:45:09] Kappa-37: And you're going to send it to me.
[15.03.2025 00:45:15] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Damn I hope it's about old zoner politics then. You will know true boredom
[15.03.2025 00:45:44] Kappa-37: Understand?
[15.03.2025 00:46:00] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: You are asking me to betray my people ?
[15.03.2025 00:46:18] Kappa-37: I'm asking if you want to live.
[15.03.2025 00:46:41] Kappa-37: It's not betrayal. It's saving the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
[15.03.2025 00:47:26] Kappa-37: If this is something relevant to Gammu - which it very well could be - we're going to need to know about it before-
[15.03.2025 00:47:43] Kappa-37: -all hell breaks loose down there
[15.03.2025 00:48:07] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Sure, if it's anything related to gammu, I'll let you know then
[15.03.2025 00:48:47] Kappa-37: How am I supposed to know you wouldn't just keep quiet even if it was?
[15.03.2025 00:50:13] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: That's a good question.
[15.03.2025 00:50:36] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: But I think I have an idea
[15.03.2025 00:51:10] Kappa-37: ...Go on
[15.03.2025 00:54:17] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Once I know where it's from, I'll give you the coord so you can yourself pick the transmission and decipher it on your own
[15.03.2025 00:54:51] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: So I can't tamper with it.
[15.03.2025 00:55:43] Kappa-37: So I would know about the transmission but you wouldn't have any involvement.
[15.03.2025 00:55:50] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Correct
[15.03.2025 00:56:18] Kappa-37: Smart.
[15.03.2025 00:56:29] Kappa-37: As long as I end up with the information.
[15.03.2025 00:56:52] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Yes else I know I'll have some issue. Like the AI a moment ago
[15.03.2025 00:57:17] Kappa-37: That's right.
[15.03.2025 00:57:39] Kappa-37: And the difference between the AI's and myself, is that they haven't spent three years bounty hunting.
[15.03.2025 00:57:49] Kappa-37: I have. I know how to find you if I need to.
[15.03.2025 00:58:11] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Well it's pretty easy. I told you my job like a moron
[15.03.2025 00:58:41] Kappa-37: [grins]
[15.03.2025 00:59:20] Kappa-37: The names Marlin. Andrew Marlin. I'm expecting a transmission to my Neural Net with the access code to your transmission-
[15.03.2025 00:59:54] Kappa-37: -as soon as possible. I can't see it taking longer than a few days for you to get it
[15.03.2025 01:00:10] /y h: well i guess that's settled then? except if you also want to coerce me into giving you my pudding recipe
[15.03.2025 01:00:34] Kappa-37: Once you do, just let me know, and you'll be a free man.
[15.03.2025 01:00:43] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Indeed. We just need the freelancer to contact us, dock at livadia and start the research.
[15.03.2025 01:01:17] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Well I guess that's settled then? Except if you also want to coerce me into giving you my pudding recipe
[15.03.2025 01:01:47] Kappa-37: I think I'm alright. Though if you wanted to I guess I wouldn't have any opposition to it.
[15.03.2025 01:02:04] Kappa-37: I'll take my leave from you. Good day, Zoner.
[15.03.2025 01:02:25] (\^/)Agathos.Daimon: H: Okey... safe journey I guess *sigh in relief*
Thank you for your swift response—I appreciate your promptness and willingness to engage in this endeavor. Time is a precious resource, and every moment we act upon could be the difference between success and the potential fallout of The Core's relentless expansion.
On The Core's Pursuit
As a gesture of good faith and to alleviate any immediate concerns, I am transmitting my engine data to you now. This should provide sufficient diversion to throw The Core off our trail, at least temporarily. The last thing we need is their prying eyes and invasive protocols interfering with what we aim to achieve. Rest assured, I will do everything possible to ensure that our actions remain discreet and secure.
Regarding my collaboration with the Enigma Confederacy, I want to emphasize that my sole intention is to assist in the effort to push The Core back—to halt their expansionist ambitions before they destabilize the already precarious balance within Omicron Delta. While I remain an advocate for neutrality, it is evident that The Core's unchecked growth threatens not only the inhabitants of these regions but the equilibrium of the entire sector. If their influence spreads further, it could lead to a level of dominance that would leave no room for autonomy or independence. My assistance to the Enigma Confederacy is a calculated measure to mitigate this potential catastrophe. On the Technocracy
As for the Technocracy, I am intimately aware of their origins. Before adopting their current identity, they were known as Battlegroup Auxesia—a name that still echoes in the shadows of their past. I understand their ambitions, their methods, and their capacity for manipulation. They see themselves as the architects of human advancement, but their methods often tread the line between innovation and oppression.
While I have maintained a neutral stance with them, I am fully aware of their propensity to view others as tools—pawns in their grand design. They perceive themselves as superior, considering the rest of us beneath their intellectual grasp. That arrogance, however, grants me some measure of freedom of movement, as they consider me a non-threat, an outlier unworthy of their deeper scrutiny. I assure you, however, that I will exercise every effort to ensure my technology does not fall into their hands. The last thing I desire is for them to exploit these advancements for their own opaque and questionable objectives. The Core of Our Collaboration
Now, let's move to the crux of the matter—the IRG Power Cell Schematic and its encryption. If you could devise any form of encryption key or a potential access protocol that we could use as a starting point to crack the IRG encryption, it would be invaluable. Even a fragmented key or partial access code could help us begin unraveling this cipher. The sooner we extract the schematics from the encrypted item, the sooner we can proceed with actualizing the project's potential.
I am prepared to meet you at Ames Research Station whenever you are ready to begin. Given the Zoners' reputation for discretion and resourcefulness, I trust that Ames will be a suitable and secure location for our initial collaboration. Once we breach the encryption, we can assess the full potential of the schematics and strategize how to implement the upgrades effectively.
I eagerly await your response and hope that this marks the beginning of a productive partnership.
John Derius Guerra
Independent Researcher & Specialist in Cybernetics and Advanced Technologies
I have finalized all necessary preparations for my journey to Ames Research Station. My vessel is fully equipped with everything we might require to tackle the encryption challenge ahead. Aboard my ship, I am carrying a comprehensive selection of data archives, decryption tools, and specialized hardware—equipment that should significantly enhance our ability to break through the encryption layers and uncover what has been hidden from us.
Additionally, I have secured various technological assets that may aid in our broader research, not just in decryption but in advancing the potential applications of what we uncover. This collaboration could pave the way for new discoveries that might benefit us both in ways we have yet to fully realize.
I would like to check in on your progress regarding this matter. Have you managed to obtain any additional data, leads, or insights that might assist us in this endeavor? Any patterns in the encryption, any anomalies, or even any external factors that might influence our approach? The more information we have before I arrive, the better we can streamline our efforts upon my arrival.
Let me know your status as soon as you can. If there are any adjustments to the plan or if you require additional resources, inform me before departure so I can make the necessary arrangements.
Looking forward to working alongside you on this.
John Derius Guerra
Independent Researcher & Specialist in Cybernetics and Advanced Technologies
Thank you for providing the engine data. We’ll dispatch a vessel to create a convincing false trail for the Core pilot to follow.
As you mentioned, we must keep this entirely under wraps—Phoenix cannot afford to antagonize the Core, especially after the Nomad assault in Zeta.
I’m also glad we share the same perspective regarding the Technocracy.
First, I suggest you proceed to Livadia. I’ll have Mr. Donogan grant you access to the Corinth annex, where he can help you explore the archives and any remaining Ingenuus materials.
We still have extensive information on Finn McCool, who was once one of us, as well as records of his research.
If nothing turns up there, you can move on to Ames, which was once Ingenuus’s base of operations—though they left long ago. This will give me time to gather everything I can here; many different Zoner groups have passed through Ames over the years, leaving the public databank in a state of disarray.
Once you’re ready to make your way to Kepler, I’ll send you the latest safe route.
No need to call me Mister Guerra. Either John or Derius will do. Formalities aren’t my strong suit, and since we’re working together, there’s no point in keeping things stiff.
I’ve arrived at Livadia and will be heading to the bar for a cup of coffee before getting into the real work. Something tells me I’ll need it. Information gathering starts soon, and I’ll make sure to move fast—I don’t intend to linger longer than necessary.
John Derius Guerra
Independent Researcher & Specialist in Cybernetics and Advanced Technologies