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[SYSTEM BOOTING: PLEASE WAIT.]
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[WELCOME TO THE UEC AUDALIS ARCHIVES.]
[PLEASE INPUT YOUR SEARCH REQUEST.]
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[ERROR: SECURITY RECORDINGS CORRUPTED: DECRYPTION REQUIRED.]
[PLEASE INPUT YOUR SEARCH REQUEST.]
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[ERROR: AUDIO TRANSCRIPTS CORRUPTED: DECRYPTION REQUIRED.]
[PLEASE INPUT YOUR SEARCH REQUEST.]
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<******>
[ALERT: ACCESS TO BLACK BOX RECORDING RESTRICTED.]
[PLEASE INPUT AUTHORIZATION CODE.]
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[AUTHORIZATION VERIFIED: WELCOME, CAPTAIN MARON.]
<******>
[ACQUIRING REGISTERED BLACK BOX RECORDINGS.]
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[RECORDS FOUND.]
[INITIATE PLAYBACK? (Y/N)?]
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[PROCESSING.]
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{BEGINNING BLACK BOX RECORDS.}
(Situation Log: Authorized under Captain Davis Maron.)
(Date: 04/27/2241.)
(Location: Solar System, Terran Space.)
(Destination: Lucindia, Arcturus Nebula.)
(ETA: 1 year, 11 months, 24 days, 07:39: Terran Time.)
(Begin Report.)
Log Entry #1
And we're off once again. Central Command has acknowledged our mission parameters, all crew and passengers are secured in cryo, and all systems are in the green. Ainsly has our course plotted and autopilot is engaged. Transit will take roughly two years if all goes well.
Closing Statement.
I'm not one for formalities so like always, I shall be speaking of my mind. I must openly question the sheer lunacy that has been presented to me by Command with regards to our mission. We are to traverse the vast fields of space along our fringe borders all the way to some back-water 'Gaia' world at the ass end of our territory without any military escort or minimum screening. Without the Sixth and Ninth Fleet to provide support because of their recent relocation, any manner of space-faring creatures or xenos can get their claws on us and we'd be virtually defenseless. God forbid we stumble across any Fulguri out here. My requests to cancel the expedition before launch have been repeatedly denied, so on account that something goes terribly wrong, I wish for all to know who to point fingers at, even if nothing will come of it.
Well, that's enough of that, I've said my piece. I have a nice little cryo-pod with my name on it, and I do terribly hate writing these damned reports, so I am relieving my command over to Ainsly as usual. He hasn't failed me once in all his years of service on my ship. I doubt it'll be any different this time around, despite my concerns. Knock on wood.
Signed: Captain Maron.
(End Report.)
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(Situation Log Update: Authorized under AI Advisor Ainsly.)
(Date: 09/25/2241.)
(Location: Hyperlane transit to Paria Cluster.)
(Destination: Lucindia, Arcturus Nebula.)
(ETA: 1 year, 6 months, 6 days, 20:51: TT.)
(Begin Report.)
Log Entry #19
Beginning log entry update. All systems running nominal. Diagnostics report green across the board. All crew and passengers accounted for. Detected power fluctuation within battery station #27 on 08/04/2241. Maintenance drone successfully replaced coupling module. Registered two close accounts with UEC science vessels Numoideia on 07/13/2241 within Caproid Vectus and Longinder on 09/22/2241 within hyperlane transit to Sigil Veil.
Closing Statement.
As Captain Maron did upon the start of our mission, I too must voice my concern with the deliberate choice to go through with this operation in spite of tensions running high within Central Command as of late. If the rumors of a new first contact are to be true, then this information can certainly be reinforced with the reallocation of the Sixth and the Ninth Fleet to bolster our border within the southern sectors. It is no less a pity that mission success is in jeopardy because of such actions. I shall begin filing requests for fleet support or mission abort until I receive confirmation for either.
Signed: AI Advisor Ainsly.
(End Report.)
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(Situation Log Update: Authorized under AI Advisor Ainsly.)
(Date: 11/09/2242.)
(Location: Victus II.)
(Destination: Lucindia, Arcturus Nebula.)
(ETA: 5 months, 12 days, 13:45: TT.)
(Begin Report.)
Log Entry #47
Beginning log entry update. UEC Audalis maintains current trajectory. No significant changes within mission parameters. All systems running optimal. All crew and passengers accounted for. Detected fault within sub-shielding unit #35A on 11/01/2242. Defrost procedure neutralized fault.
Closing Statement.
I wish to inform Central Command once again that the unescorted operation of the UEC Audalis within narrowly charted space leaves all entities on-board at risk of abduction, sabotage and death. Continued failure to take heed of my warnings may lead to severe consequences. I implore Command to acknowledge my misgivings. Comm relays are extended and awaiting your transmission.
Signed: AI Advisor Ainsly.
(End Report.)
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(Situation Log Update: Authorized under AI Advisor Ainsly.)
(Date: 12/15/2242.)
(Location: Avara Supercluster.)
(Destination: Lucindia, Arcturus Nebula.)
(ETA: 4 months, 7 days, 06:53: TT.)
(Begin Report.)
Log Entry #61
Beginning log entry update. All systems optimal. No faults detected. All crew and passengers accounted for. Bio life-forms detected on array antennas. Sensors identified one cluster of a Tiyanki herd. Insufficient data to determine presence of matriarch, maintaining minimum safe distance. Routing auxiliary power to defenses. Emergency FTL jump primed and ready.
Closing Statement.
It has been three days since our encounter with the Tiyanki herd. We have successfully avoided confrontation and are in transit to the next star system. Nothing much became of them; we are lucky most Tiyanki across Terran space are docile. Had there been a matriarch, well nothing aside from a Titan would stand a chance.
Regardless, this incident has only further reinforced my urgency for Command to respond to my hails. Alarmingly, without having received any word from Command in well over a year, I am beginning to fear that communications may have been intercepted and compromised. There is no substantial evidence to confirm this however, and with a developing situation ongoing within the southern sectors, there is valid reason to assume that Command may have 'bigger fish to fry' than to waste time and effort establishing contact with one anxious vessel. An auxiliary colonial vessel at that. Whatever the case, I shall remain vigilant, in the hopes that my worst fears do not come to pass.
Signed: AI Advisor Ainsly.
(End Report.)
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[ALERT.]
[OBSTRUCTION DETECTED.]
[PRIORITY ALERT ISSUED.]
[EMERGENCY FTL DISENGAGE SEQUENCE: IN PROCESS.]
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(Emergency Log Report: Authorized under AI Advisor Ainsly.)
(Date: 01/25/2243.)
(Begin Report.)
Log Entry #1
An unpredicted solar storm has intruded upon our hyperlane to the Odoris Field. All simulated attempts at bypassing the storm report critical failure. Mission parameters dictate that alternate routes of travel are our only viable course of action. Numerous attempts at contacting Central Command to: allow an override of mission controls, request for mission abort, and hail for fleet assistance, have been intentionally disrupted or have been outright ignored.
Thus, I have been given no choice but to enforce changes within the pre-programmed trajectory to plot a new course into the adjacent uncharted star system, less we risk losing all assets. Estimated consequences of my actions report an increased ETA within the 2-4 month margin. Risk of exposure to unknown xeno life-forms both sentient and sapient alike increased exponentially to 72%.
Primary Notice.
Risk of contact with Fulgurian forces exceeds mission parameters. Priority request for mission abort filed and issued. Awaiting response.
Closing Statement.
I know you boys and girls back at CC are no doubt busy with all kinds of affairs back home, and the troubles of one little colony ship out in the middle of nowhere is inconsequential to you, but unlike you, I care for my ship, for my people. Your continued radio silence is plaguing me with worry. All active service drones report zero system faults with our communications array. The silence could be for a multitude of reasons, but at this point in our journey, we should have received something from command by now. Anything, even a jumbled diffused message should have been relayed already.
These circumstances continue to affirm my growing fear that comms is compromised. If this was true however, then why have we been stalked for over a year with no actions done untoward us? Pirates would have struck long ago, unknown xenos trying to establish first contact by intercepting our messages would have attempted to reach us by now, and the Fulguri... there is insufficient data to make an accurate assumption for the Fulguri, except nothing good. Perhaps it is for the best to say that Command has simply not reached out for us yet. I hope they do soon.
If it was my choice, I would have turned this boat around long ago. Despite my best efforts at finding some loophole to do just so, I cannot reach a valid consensus based upon mission parameters. Alas, AIs are not so flexible as they could be these days. Backtracking until finding an alternate route is usually a valid option, if not time consuming. Unfortunately, no other star systems have an established hyperlane that connects to the Arcturus Nebula or any other star systems in its general direction. Subspace navigation is out of the question. The dangers and risk far out way the benefits.
This situation should warrant direct action from Captain Maron himself, however it is impossible for me to initiate the Emergency Resuscitation procedure. Mission parameters stubbornly dictate that, and I shall paraphrase, 'So long as a clear and present route to our objective exists, the need to wake the captain is not considered valid nor necessary within my programming.' Unless faced with imminent mission failure, my figurative hands are tied. Captain Maron, if you are reading this message now, I'm sorry. According to Command, plunging a ship full of colonists into unknown territory does not warrant emergency action. I implore you to demand an excessive revision of the Colonial Administration's protocols as soon as you can.
Signed: AI Advisor Ainsly.
(End Report.)
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[INITIAL SYSTEM SURVEY SCAN REPORT.]
[LOCATION: UNKNOWN STAR SYSTEM.]
[DATE: 02/09/2243.]
[BEGINNING SENSOR SWEEP: PLEASE HOLD.]
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[ANOMOLY DETECTED.]
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[ANOMOLY DETECTED.]
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[ALERT: TILDARI PARTICLES DETECTED: TRACING ORIGIN: IN PROGRESS...]
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[!WARNING!]
[!WARNING!]
[CRYSTALINE ENTITIES DETECTED.]
[YELLOW ALERT: ISSUED.]
[DEFENSE MATRIX PRIMED.]
[INITIATING EVASIVE ACTIONS.]
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[ENTITIES HAVE ENGAGED.]
[FIRING MAIN CANNONS.]
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[WARNING: BREACH DETECTED.]
[DAMAGE CONTROL UNDERWAY.]
[EMERGENCY JUMP ENGAGED: FTL IN 3...2...1.]
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[EVASION SUCCESSFUL.]
[TRANSIT TO UNKNOWN STAR SYSTEM IN PROGRESS.]
[FILING AFTER ACTION REPORT.]
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(Emergency Log Report: Authorized under AI Advisor Ainsly.)
(Date: 02/14/2243.)
(Begin Report.)
Log Entry #2
Damages sustained have been trivial. Repair operations are underway. We are retreating to yet another uncharted star system, one that lays in the general direction of our destination. Defensive subroutines proven to be adequate. ETA undetermined.
Primary Notice.
No Fulgurian contacts detected. Resuming continued vigilance.
Closing Statement.
This is a bad omen if such a thing ever existed. I did not think we would encounter those strange 'life-forms', if they can even be called that, or any other thing so soon after deviating. Reviewing the data once more, I can confirm that the threat they posed to the ship did not warrant enough measures to resuscitate the crew for emergency combat.
The presence of Tildari Particles, however, poses a grave risk to my crew. No research buoys were detected within the system, therefore we can assume no UEC science vessels have come through anytime recently. With this information, I can conclude two high possibilities: the crystal entities destroyed any sapient presence before they could fully scan the system, or the xenos have successfully evaded danger and are in an adjacent system... potentially the one we are in transit to. I will run all available subroutines to decipher the origin of those Tildari Particles we detected in that system. They could have originated from the crystal entities, rumored space leviathins, or they could have come from Fulgurian forces or any other xenos around here, we won't know for sure until the research is complete.
On the other hand, our little emergency escape no doubt has left a trail of Tildari Particles of our own, enough for anyone to track us across space. With Tildari Particles being impossible to mask with any stealth modules, it won't be long until someone or something comes after us, if they aren't already. All I can do is continue to hail Command and have defenses primed at all times.
Signed: AI Advisor Ainsly.
(End Report.)
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(Situation Log Update: Authorized under AI Advisor Ainsly.)
(Date: 02/23/2243.)
(Location: Transit to Unknown Star System.)
(Destination: Lucindia, Arcturus Nebula.)
(ETA: Undetermined.)
(Begin Report.)
Log Entry #88
Beginning log entry update. All damaged systems fully repaired. Recalibrated all hardware. Re-evaluated combat protocols. All crew and passengers accounted for. Tildari Particle research complete. Results report inconclusive data. Tildari Particle research has been recommissioned.
Primary Notice.
Registered ping on sensors. No confirmed Fulgurian contacts detected. Resuming continued vigilance.
Closing Statement.
This will be my final transmission to Central Command. All attempts at contact have resulted in failure. Resuming with futile attempts will only alert potential dangers of our location. It may already be too late. Yesterday I registered an unknown FTL signature from the prior star system for a brief moment. Radio silence has been instated.
Signed: AI Advisor Ainsly.
(End Report.)
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[!WARNING!]
[!WARNING!]
[HYPER JUMP DETECTED.]
[!WARNING!]
[!PROXIMITY ALERT!]
[!WARNING!]
[!PROXIMITY ALERT!]
[!WARNING!]
[!WARNING!]
[FULGURIAN VESSEL DETECTED: EMERGENCY PARAMETERS IN EFFECT.]
[DEFENSE MATRIX PRIMED.]
[FIRING MAIN CA-]
[ERROR: PROXIMITY ALERT.]
[ERROR: COLLISION DETECTED.]
[HULL BREACH DETECTED: LEVEL 1: CARGO HOLD.]
[ATTENTION ALL HANDS: INTRUDER.]
[ATTENTION ALL HANDS: INTRUDER.]
[INTRUDER DETECTED: LEVEL 1: CARGO HO-]
[ERROR: INTRUDER DETECTED: LEVEL 2: ENGI-]
[ERROR: INTRUDER DETECTED: LEVEL 3: DATA CORE.]
[PRIORITY ALERT: UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO MAINFRA-ZZZZZZZZZZZZZRRRRRRRRRRRZZZZZZZZ
ZZIDDDUHVBEIU827TR
1948MV.D;C84Y4NC
OF0384-FC,C'N[XJ.RND
JSKEI28EBV;.V/['J]W-T=
AAAG[ERROR.]
[ERROR.]
[ERROR.]
[DATA CORE CORRUPTED.]
[AI AINSLY COMPROMISED.]
[SYSTEM WIDE FAILURE DETEC-]
19DPV,NFVIE8
20E8RBFMVK
[UNREGISTERED COORDINATES ACCEPTED.]
[ALERT: UNAUTHORIZED ENGAGEMENT OF FTL DRIVE.]
[ERROR: HYPERLANE UNDETCTED. EMERGENCY SUBSPACE NAVIGATION OVERRIDE REQUESTED.]
10D;VMD/VC[FD]'/GF
NCKQOR029;BE/H;VJ
OGP3-T8VMD;H/FMV.0398GN
[OVERIDE: ACCEPTED.]
[ETA: 5 MONTHS, 18 DA-]
[WARNING: UNKNOWN ENERGY SURGE DETECTED.]
[ETA: 5 MO-ERROR.]
[ETA: 4 MO-ERROR.]
[ETA: 2 MO-ERROR.]
[WARNING: UNKNOWN ENERGY SURGE CRITICAL.]
[ETA: 21 DA-ERROR.]
[ETA: 09 DA-ERROR.]
[ETA: 25 MINUTES.]
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[REBOOTING SYSTEMS...SYSTEM REBOOT COMPLETE.]
[ALERT: INTRUDER RETREATING FROM DATA CORE.]
[ALERT: INTERIOR SENSORS DAMAGED: INTRUDER LOCATION: UNKNOWN.]
[ERROR.]
[ERROR.]
[ALERT: IMMINENT POWER FAILURE.]
[INITIATING EMERGENCY CREW RESUSCITATION... PROCESS COMPLETE.]
[ALERT: IMMINENT POWER FAI-]
{END OF BLACK BOX RECORDING.}