06/21/2175 0407, Earth Standard Time: Transmission Sent, TES Nightshade III YCC-1017: O RN-06: 06/22/2175 1116, EST: Transmission Received, TSS Swordfish LCM-1201
Begin Transmission
"This is Captain John Normon of the Terran science vessel Nightshade III to any ship within range. We are under attack by an unidentified vessel. It broke free of planetary orbit and approached us at high speeds. It has energy weapons and high maneuvering capability [explosion in background]. We are in orbit of RN-06 3, the third planet [static] Zakaal Faah. [static] Terran science vessel Nightshade III, registry YCC-1017 to any ships-[explosion][static]."
End Transmission
Captain's Log, TSS Swordfish LCM-1201: Captain Cristopher Bouchet
06/22/2175 1127, EST
Received a distress call from a Terran Science vessel in neutral space. The signal was repeating, and a little over twenty-seven hours old. I had Lieutenant Faraday check; RN-06 is definitely in that range. What a Terran science project was doing all the way out there, I can't begin to guess; probably something the Hegemony wouldn't want us to know about, if I know them. I had Stevens relay the message to TIA command and under regulation 7 ordered helm to lay in a course to RN-06. The nearest Warp Gate is almost four days' travel from our current position on the DMZ, so we won't reach the Nightshade's position in under 108 hours. I hope she's still in one piece by then. One thing bothers me about the transmission though; the captain of the Nightshade, John Norman, said the attacker had come from the planet's atmosphere. I've never even heard of a ship leaving atmosphere and then attacking. And the man mentioned energy weapons; even the Grushan don't have those. I think the man might have been exaggerating. Anyway, it can't be something a Terran light cruiser can't handle.
06/22/2175 1705, EST
We've been on course for the Alpha Ceti Warp Gate for approximately six hours. I've received confirmation from TIA Command; they confirmed my invocation of regulation 7 and gave me their blessing. They sent the message on high priority channel, and the message stressed the importance of the mission, which I thought was odd. They say to recover the Nightshade III, her crew and her equipment at any cost. I am authorized to use any force necessary once I reach RN-06. That sounds ominous, in my opinion, but I don't give the orders. The Hangzhou will be replacing our position on the border.
06/23/2175 1702, EST
Proceeding at maximum speed to Alpha Ceti gate. I've ordered additional drills en route; one can never be too safe, after all. The transmission from the Nightshade stopped repeating today at 0408; no additional transmissions were received. Stevens informed TIA at 0416. I'm afraid she might be dead. What sort of thing did they run into out there? End log.
06/24/2175 1712, EST
Continuing present course and speed. The crew is still in high spirits, though I think the drills have them a bit on edge. Performance has been exactly up to Terran standards. I'll have to do something especially nice for them at next shore leave. Will drinks be enough? I know a few good spots on Alpha Ceti 3. Hell, there are a couple good spots on Yveran; they may be glorified geckos, but the Grushan sure know how to make a drink. I'll have to think of something for them, anyway; it's been a long deployment. End log.
06/25/2175 1715, EST
Maintained course and speed. We should reach Alpha Ceti in 24 hours. I think we'll all be glad when this is over.
I've taken the liberty of researching the RN-06 system. Some of the Grushan archives had some interesting stuff. Apparently, the third planet is an oxygen nitrogen atmosphere, so technically colonizable for humans or Grushan. But they didn't colonize because according to orbital surveys it has an unstable crust. Grushan records say that the continental crust had been practically shattered; they described wide scale volcanic activity, fissures and lakes that all formed in a circle, like ripples leading away from a single point on the northern continent. The pictures they took put me in mind of an egg with part of its shell caved in.
The Grushan team also found indications of an advanced civilization on the surface-buildings and roads and whatever else, but almost no signs of activity anywhere. It's like a dead civilization on a forgotten world. But that isn't even the strange part. As the Grushan stayed in orbit, they received a transmission from a satellite in geostationary orbit. They couldn't tell its origins either, but the markings were different from the ones on the planet. The signal it sent started as a numeric sequence, some sort of calibration signal, then a series of videos and images. The Grushan captain describes images of dark creatures attacking and destroying another, unknown species that almost looked insectoid; surface wars, invasions, planetary bombardments, and finally some sort of super weapon that burned the entire atmosphere of a planet off into space. Finally, a series of fleet battles between the black ships of these dark creatures and white ships from these insectoid creatures. The Grushan took it as a terrible omen and left orbit. They set up a satellite of their own to quarantine the place from civilian traffic.
I think Terran Interstellar Authority got it into their heads that there might be advanced technology on that planet. I think that they wanted to spook the Grushan with their guts and get all the glory for themselves. Only something went wrong. And we're going to be the ones to find out what. End log.
06/26/2175 1124, EST
Reached Alpha Ceti gate. We're preparing to make the jump. I've set for us to emerge an additional three hours from RN-06 3 so we can scan and get a missile lock on any hostiles still out there. We should leave subspace buckling in approximately nine hours. End log.
Official Transcript: Bridge Recording, TSS Swordfish LCM-1201: 06/26/2175 2044, EST
Captain Cristopher Bouchet
Helm Officer Thomas Radcliff
Communications Officer Michael Stevens
Sensor Officer Douglas Faraday
Tactical Officer Frances Dubois
Executive Officer Heinrich Kromm
Navigator Algernon Spavins
[Begin Playback]
RADCLIFF: We've reached the terminal of the warp wave, sir. Stabilizing forward momentum.
BOUCHET: Navigation, confirm our position.
SPAVINS: Working. [pause] Star chart analysis confirms. We're in the RN-06 system.
BOUCHET: Distance to the third planet?
SPAVINS: Two light minutes.
BOUCHET: Excellent. Helm, calculate orbital trajectory and engage thrusters on my mark. Mr. Faraday, what's your analysis of the region?
FARADAY: I'm running scans on all frequencies. No indication of hostile presence. I am picking up multiple contacts in orbit of the third planet on high wavelength bands. No active heat signatures or power spikes. They're all too small to be the Nightshade, sir, but it might be debris.
BOUCHET: Is it on our side of the planet?
FARADAY: Yes sir.
BOUCHET: Pull up visible spectrum imagery. We'll have a look and see if it's debris.
FARADAY: Aye sir.
[Pause]
BOUCHET: I don't like the looks of that.
KROMM: Look at this section. That looks like the end of a single engine cutter.
BOUCHET: The Nightshade was a single engine cutter. Dante class.
KROMM: What do you think that part is? I've never seen anything like that on a Dante class.
BOUCHET: It might have been an external cargo pod. In fact, that's my guess; Dante class aren't really made for deep space assignments. Or maybe it was a hanger for additional landing craft. I don't know. What really worries me is that part there.
KROMM: Good lord, that looks like the habitat ring!
BOUCHET: I'm almost certain it is. And that is a very large hole right there; even with a compartmented hull, I don't think anybody could survive that.
KROMM: Still, we have to try.
BOUCHET: Of course. Mr. Stevens, send a standard hail, all bandwidths. Helm, engage main thrusters and bring us into orbit.
STEVENS: Aye sir.
RADCLIFF: Aye sir.
KROMM: I've never seen missiles do damage like that. She looks like she's been cut apart with a knife.
DUBOIS: Energy weapons could do that in theory, sir.
KROMM: Not even the Grushan have energy weapons.
DUBOIS: Then we can probably rule out the Grushan, I should say.
FARADAY: Captain, I have a possible new contact at -124º by -97º. I have no infrared signature and minimal radar profile. Distance is 900 meters and closing. It just showed up on sensors.
BOUCHET: What do you mean it just showed up?
FARADAY: I mean, one minute there was nothing, and the next, there it was. It's closing on us fast, sir; I estimate 33 meters per second.
BOUCHET: Mr. Dubois, get me a firing solution for launchers three and four. Helm, fire maneuvering thrusters; get us out of its way. Stevens, send a standard warning on all frequencies.
DUBOIS: Sir, I don't have enough of a sensor lock for a firing solution.
FARADAY: Distance is 800 meters and closing.
BOUCHET: Helm, put some distance between us and it. Dubois, can you get a manual firing solution on visual?
DUBOIS: Working on it.
RADCLIFF: We're at 100% thrust with uncorrected momentum towards the third planet.
FARADAY: Distance is 700 meters and closing. They're correcting course and speed to match ours.
DUBOIS: I have a solution.
BOUCHET: Stevens, have they answered our hail?
STEVENS: No sir.
FARADAY: Distance is 600 meters and closing.
[Metallic Groaning]
BOUCHET: What the hell was that?
KROMM: Engine one has lost outer hull integrity. We're venting fuel.
FARADAY: Sir, I'm picking up massive heat readings from the objects outer hull. It looks like its burning through our hull, sir.
DUBOIS: Energy weapons sir.
BOUCHET: I don't give a damn. Mr. Dubois, open fire all missile launchers.
DUBOIS: Aye sir.
BOUCHET: Mr. Faraday, give me a visual on that ship.
FARADAY: Aye sir.
[Metallic Groaning]
KROMM: It's cutting through engine four, sir.
BOUCHET: Black ships...
DUBOIS: Direct hit, four missiles.
FARADAY: No change in target mass.
BOUCHET: We didn't even scratch it!
[Explosion]
KROMM: Engine four just ignited. We've got fires in C, D, and E sections.
BOUCHET: Deck guns, fire! Give me a second missile volley!
FARADAY: Sir, it's less than 100 meters away, we'd blow ourselves up with it!
[Explosion]
KROMM: We've lost engine two!
DUBOIS: Deck guns are having no effect.
[Metallic Tearing]
KROMM: They're cutting into the habitat ring, D section!
BOUCHET: All hands to emergency escape pods. Set course for the third planet.
STEVENS: All decks confirm.
BOUCHET: Get down there, all of you. I'll see what I can do to slow that thing down.
ALL: Aye sir.
BOUCHET: Transfer all command controls to helm.
KROMM: Controls transferred.
[Explosion]
STEVENS: Good luck, sir.
[Metallic Tearing]
BOUCHET: Get the hell out of here.
[End Playback]
06/26/2175 2051, EST: Transmission Sent TSS Swordfish LCM-1201: O RN-06: 06/28/2175 0442, EST: Transmission Received TSS Hangzhou LCT-1117
Begin Transmission
"This is Captain Christopher Bouchet of the TSS Swordfish [static] answered distress call from RN-06 system. Encountered unknown vessel. It attacked us without provocation [static] damaged engines and habitat [static] abandon ship [static] destruction. I've included all our sensor data in this transmission [static] crew should receive highest commendations for bravery. I send apologies to their families. Tell them that [background noise. Loud crashes. Inhuman yells. Alien language. Screams. Static]"
End Transmission
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Hey guys! Thank you for reading chapter 1. I'd love to hear feedback; I'm still not too sure about the narrative style on this project, so any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, the real jonbrain.