Imminent Storm

Surveyor Report: Day 1519

Terrestrial mass driver launch sequence initiated
Target: Beta AS2
Cargo:
Slicer stellar interceptor-craft- 10 units
Minion drone infantry- 10 units
Long-range scanner- 1 unit
All preparations complete

Streaker pod launched
Preparing for stellar mass driver arrival

Streaker pod arrived at orbital mass driver
Preparing for interplanetary launch
All preparations complete

Streaker pod launched
On course for Beta AS2 intercept
ETA- 5 days

Warning-
The above entries have been deemed as external interference and have been logged for review


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Internal Logs: Day 35

Transcender System

System: Advisory- Massive power surge detected
MasCon: Location?
System: Preliminary readings indicate on far side of Beta II in orbit
MasCon: Orbit?… Interesting. Log readings…
System: Readings logged
MasCon: Send memo to Pioneer- “Trouble might be coming”
System: Sending…
MasCon: /SYSTEM- Activity on surface
System:
Broadcasting status queries…
Base 1 reports all clear
…
Base 2 reports all clear
…
Base 3 reports radar contacts at peripheries
…
…
Base 4 reports moderate to severe damage
Base 5 reports moderate to severe damage
…
…
Base 6 reports all clear
Reports complete
MasCon: Damn this missing Pod… /SYSTEM- Reposition over Base 2
System: Executing…

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Mission Log

Author: Captain Nathan C. Jackson
Mission 12, Entry 2

We enter the Calaphysi Belt space sometime tomorrow, after that we estimate it will be about a day cruising around until an asteroid we can use as a site for the Base Pod. But as mentioned before, we will likely be launching before we can get any work started. It’s going to be a long trip back. We haven’t received any updates from Asteri since their first little update was sent about the happenings back on Beta II.

I am genuinely starting to get worried about Transcender’s absence. If it was shot down, we literally would not know until we get back into Beta II’s space and broadcast pings to the Transcender only to be met with silence. I’m starting to believe that splitting up like this was a terrible idea. Especially with Asteri being unable to intervene on the world.

You know what… Maybe I should bring something up about this with Tara. If Transcender falls, I do not imagine the ground bases will survive much longer. If that happens… I am planning on making a contingency for myself. Whatever the Severed has planned for Beta II and this system… I do not want to see it proceed any further.

Oh right, we’re calling the hostile force the ‘Severed’. Tara suggested the name and I liked it. From our understanding, this is a part of the original mission that went rogue for whatever reason. They use our infrastructure and units, but they are apart from us.

But back to the point I was making. As much as I would like to keep fighting against the Severed and ensure that Transcender’s mission can be accomplished, if Transcender gets destroyed, we have no springboard to use. Even if the base pods survive, they cannot stand against constant onslaughts from a force that is numerically and geographically superior.

I need to start thinking about what and how often I log from now on, especially if they end up being the last logs I make.

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Audio Transcript

Location: Pilgrim Command Pod
Time: Mission Day 35, 1947
Cptn. Jackson floats into the command pod

Cptn. Jackson: Hey Tara…
Tara: Yes, Captain?
Cptn. Jackson: I need a word…

Tara form displayed on the console
 
Tara: Go ahead…
Cptn. Jackson: …
Tara: Captain?
Cptn. Jackson: I’ve been thinking… What if Transcender has been downed?
Tara: ... What makes you think that?
Cptn. Jackson: It’s been a while since the last time we received an update. And the last one was a little… grim…
Tara: Well, we have no reason to believe it was shot down.
Cptn. Jackson: Well… I’m just going to peel the scab for this off now… Tara, if the Transcender really has been-
Tara: No. We have no reason to believe that anything happened so we have no reason to entertain those possibilities.
Cptn. Jackson: I’m just preparing for the worst-
Tara: With all due respect sir… where did all that bravado go? What happened to that person who charged headfirst at the Severed back when we were supposed to test the Sentinels?
Cptn. Jackson: He’s been thinking. And he’s come to terms with what might be coming.
Tara: Whatever he believes is coming has not arrived yet. What happened to that reckless and crazy soldier?
Cptn. Jackson: He’s tempered himself. And I’m not a soldier, I’m an astronaut.
Tara: That’s not what your logs say.
Cptn. Jackson: The logs are wrong then-
Tara: Not the official logs, those do in fact say you’re an astronaut. I’m talking about your personal logs.
Cptn. Jackson: That was me in the moment. I felt like a warrior, a saviour. (looks away) But I’m not a god. I’m none of that.
Tara: You’re right, you’re not a god. You’re a human, humans fall. But they can also rise again. If there is anything Asteri and I learned from looking through the history records, that was one of them.

A memo from Asteri arrives

Tara: We have a memo from Transcender.
Cptn. Jackson: …
Tara: Captain? Captain Jackson?
Cptn. Jackson: …
Tara: Captain Nathan Curtis Jackson!
Cptn. Jackson: …
Tara: … (drops her shoulders, sighs) Jackson?
Cptn. Jackson: (turns back) What?
Tara: We have a memo from Transcender.
Cptn. Jackson: Oh. What’s it say?
Tara: “Trouble might be coming.”
Cptn. Jackson: For whom?
Tara: I would assume it’s for us…
Cptn. Jackson: Oh, right…
Tara: Cptn. Jackson! The Transcender is fine, we have a mission we need to complete, and we have trouble coming for us. We need you at your A-game, the Transcender needs you at your A-game.
Cptn. Jackson: Right… Okay… (takes a deep breath) Are there any objects on the long-range scans?
Tara: Yes, in fact, there is an asteroid that should work perfectly as a stationing point.
Cptn. Jackson: Perfect, plot a course for that asteroid.
Tara: Yes, sir.

Cptn. Jackson starts floating to leave.

Tara: Nathan…
Cptn. Jackson: (turns back around)
Tara: Everything is going to be alright. For now.
Cptn. Jackson: … (*chuckles*) That was a good addition. I almost didn’t believe you… but now I think I can.

Cptn. Jackson leaves the command pod, Tara form disappears from the screen.