This is Paladin Nova Hawken, requesting a pickup from Planet Pygar in the Omicron Theta system. I am the sole survivor of an expedition that included myself, several Core marines, a high profile alien Ruins researcher and, most unfortunately, Erik Nodtviet. Dolor transit, gloria aeterna est.
In the six months I have been gone I am sure people have noticed Nodtviet's absence. Regardless of whatever official reason was given for it, I would suggest we keep the truth between us. Saying this as his personal adviser, this is what he would have wanted. I have only recently been able to construct a communicator after much painstaking effort. I am not an engineer after all.
I will patiently await a pickup tomorrow. Whilst I can manage, I would ask for some urgency as I have run out of supplies.
Long time no see, really sucks about Nodviet, he was quite a guy. I knew him pretty well considering I was his capital warfare tactician and general, it was never clear to me why he left but I'll keep things quiet.
None the less I'll have shuttle transportation dispatched from the Nemesis to get you.
Actually how the hell did you keep your hair like that all this time? I'd like to know what barber or salon you visited.
Thank you for the pickup. And if you must know, Mr. Bishop, the reason why my hair is so immaculate is the same reason why you wear sunglasses indoors.
Onto my report:
The expedition onto Pygar was part of an operation to secure a highly powerful alien artifact. Although I do not understand why Nodtviet kept the operation so covert, I believe he may have had selfish intentions regarding the artifact. Being his personal aide, I had slowly noticed him lose his grip on reality and a gain progressive lack of focus. I believe this may be a result of the Lung Cancer he had acquired several months before the expedition. I do not think he told anyone about that.
How Nodtviet knew of this 'artifact' I do not know exactly, but he hinted at having a third party informant. This informant is at the crux of why this operation went awry I believe. When we approached the coordinates of this artifact, the ground caved in beneath our feet. It was a trap. I am at loss as to how Nodtviet fell for it. Upon falling through the ground, all our other operatives died upon impact with the floor. Nodtviet survived the initial fall but broke his legs. I survived as well - albeit suffering a concussion. I was submerged in rubble, and was unable to move.
Before passing out, I witnessed an individual climb down from the surface. He was wearing a helmet and thus I couldn't make out his face. There was no indication he was affiliated with any of our enemies. He walked up to Nodtviet and brandished his pistol. He pointed the gun to his head. "This bullet will be the herald of a new chapter. No longer will you be in the way. My dream – her dream – will become reality. Die." he said, I think, before he pulled the trigger and killed the late Guildmaster. And then I lost consciousness.
When I came to, with much effort, I was able to get myself out of the rubble. I looked for the assailant but he was nowhere to be found. I buried the bodies of the dead before retrieving some rope we had packed, to help us scale down any chasms if needed. Eventually I ascended out of the pitfall. I was able to navigate back to our tent, wherein I had found our equipment to have either been destroyed or missing – most likely the work of the assailant. Using whatever I could find, it took me months to construct a transmitter to send for help.
Now that I am back, I hope we will investigate and apprehend whoever Nodtviet’s murderer was. I think it’s highly likely it may have been someone within The Core, hence why I have kept this between us. Be on guard.