The Core Static (NPC) Assets Database

[The Core]

Ship Entry

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Ship Name: Battlecruiser Luna
Ship Class: AP-540 "Bullhead" Core Battlecruiser
Date of Commission: 812 A.S
Status: Not in Service - Under Quarantine
Captain: None
Crew Number: 180

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Armaments:
• Currently unarmed. Under quarantine. Undergoing a high-level investigation.

Personnel In Detail:
• None currently assigned

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Description

The WV-Luna was commissioned by the Core to serve as an exploration vessel into the deepest sectors of uncharted Omicron space. Its crew was composed mostly of scientists, engineers and explorers. Mainly, the vessel would tractor in alien samples and materials to be analysed on the fly. Whilst not heavy on offensive equipment, the Luna was fitted with a cloaking device. The Luna would be expected to spend long periods away from home territory, spending most of its service outside of Core territories.

In 813 A.S, the Luna ventured on a highly classified expedition into the deeper Edge Worlds where it was expected to be away from home for eight months. Oddly, the vessel mysteriously returned to Capetown Station six months earlier than it was supposed to. As it approached the station, the Capetown administrator hailed the vessel and was met with a cheerful response from the Captain, saying that the Luna had sustained damage from space debris and needed to moor at Capetown for quick repairs. The station administrator acknowledged the request and the Luna proceeded to moor.

The station personnel arrived at the hangar and awaited to greet the crew of the Luna. However within minutes of mooring Core pilots rushed out of the Luna and started attacking the station personnel, carving a path of violence through the hangar. The Core quickly scrambled a response force to combat the 'traitors'. The following battle lasted several hours with both sides suffering losses until the traitors were completely eliminated.

Although the Core originally thought the crew had initiated a rebellion against them, closer inspection revealed a much different story. A post-mortem revealed that the crew had actually been decaying for a couple months prior to the raid and were dead, or at least near death, during the attack. Dissecting a single pilot revealed a Nomad incubus inside, leading the Core to the conclusion that during its voyage the crew of the Luna had been completely infested and possessed by the Nomads in a very short period of time. Seemingly, the Nomads had created a trojan horse to attack the Core by possessing their own men. Analysis of the ship logs several years later also confirmed this.

Soon after all the recovered bodies were gathered up and taken to medical labs for dissection and experimentation. The Luna itself was taken to Alabama Shipyard and quarantined. Even to this day it is still under careful investigation and inspection by the Core, ensuring that no more infected or other types of Nomad influence lurk on the vessel waiting to strike.

Black box recordings of the Luna were eventually retrieved once the vessel was deemed safe enough to board. The Black Box had been slightly tampered with and some of the recordings were either damaged or destroyed completely. What could be salvaged has been archived:

Black Box

Captains Log #1. We decided to head into the Pohnpei Asteroid to gather some alien organism samples. The scientists want to see how they react in different environments, both on board the vessel - within secure rooms of course - and in space. Once we've gathered a load from here, we'll head into the deeper Omicrons via a jump hole a patrol discovered the other day, and jettison them into space. We'll have to be extremely discreet though, due to the high Nomad presence. Fortunately, our cloaking device should keep us concealed.

Captains Log #2. As we approach the jump hole we can see two alien structures besides the jump hole. They don't look friendly but rather heavily armed. The crew is somewhat nervous. I remind them that we are no mere pilots, but are soldiers of the Core. That we have no fear, that we are bastions of courage. That our enemies will tremble before our might. The morale boost seems to have worked, and the crew is now more than adamant about jumping in. Here goes...

Captains Log #5. Jesus christ, we're lucky to be alive. That was really close. I don't think our fighter squadrons are going to make it back alive. Victis honor, pilots. We're taking refuge behind this gas giant for now. Some of the crew are saying they've been having visions and hallucinations. After that encounter... I'm not surprised.

Captains Log #7. We're approaching what looks like an alien station. We're ------- ourselves concealed, so that -- don't alert ---- patrols. I fear that -- we --- too close they'll ------ us. ----- structures appear -- -- explosive. Unknown energy is ------- from ----.

Captains Log #8. -- were attacked. Had to ----. Cloaked --- in time. Ran to ---- looks ---- alien city. Energy field ------ it. ERROR: REST OF LOG MISSING.

Captains Log #10. Alien tradelane? Too dangerous -- use. Going to fly ---- from it immediately. I feel like -- constantly ----- watched.

Captains Log #11. I'm shaken. I don't even understand what just happened. 10% of the crew just committed mass suicide right in the mess hall. They all did it in perfect timing with each other as if they were being controlled like puppets. I keep having nightmares about it. Horrible, vivid nightmares. Huh? Templar Irwin, did you just say something to me? I heard you call out my name, did you not?

Captains Log #12. We've stumbled upon something we can't quite wrap our heads around. The scientists that are still alive believe it could be an alien jump gate. I don't dare to take the vessel in, this bloody system is already killing us slowly and I don't need to speed it up. People won't stop arguing, getting into fights and being angry. We're all upset over this bloody expedition and the people who keep killing themselves every few damn days. People are piling up and I've got to stop this before we all lose our sanity.

Captains Log #13. We've stumbled upon what appears to be an icy world? We sent a couple of planetary probes to investigate and pick up samples, but within moments of sending the data back we lost contact. We got back some data, but it certainly wasn't comforting. I've been trying to calm the crew, but nothing is working. They're all afraid and dare I say so am I. Code: Planet Xerna DIAMETER: 13,459 km. MASS: 5.90 x 10e24 kg. TERRAIN: Ice TEMPERATURE: -44°C to 15°C ESCAPE VELOCITY: 11.80 km/sec Unknown organic forms detected on planet surface. Landing and even approaching this planet is extremely dangerous.

Captains Log #18. Munity -- Luna. Crew charged --- bridge. Battle ensured. Templar ----- dead. CO ----. I killed a few of my own ---. Guncam captured ---- image during --- fight. The voices ---- stop. I keep ------- voices. They're telling me to ---- --- ----. They're telling me to ---- myself. This whole damn time we ---- being watched. Nowhere to --- nowhere -- hide.

Captains Log #20. Accident -- bio-lab. Alien organisms released ---- the air-con. ---- --- highly toxic. Killing everyone ------. Ship contaminated. The voices told me to --- Luna here if I wanted -- live.

Captain Log #21. Oh my god! The dead are walking! They're coming for me! The corpses have somehow re-animated, I have no idea what in the hell is going in any more. No, this IS hell. I'm not going to let them get me! *Sound of a gun loading is heard, followed by a gunshot. Silence follows, before the opening of doors is heard. Footsteps patter across the recording. Quiet, but pained, human speech is heard followed by a quick scream. The recording ends*.

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End Entry

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