Deterrence [DTR] - Message Dump

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┝┅{Sender: The Office of Multannus Cerratus
┝┅{Recipients: Deterrence High Command
┝┅{Location: Omicron Gamma, Planet Crete
┝┅{Subject: Converted and Adjusted Science Report

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Below is a highly altered copy of the original report. Much of the meaningless content has been removed and some extra information has been obtained for the benefit of the High Command to review. Sarge told us to get this out there quickly.

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Date: December 05th 828AS
Location: Omega-11
Report by: Professor Milo Chronus

Here we are, out in Omega-11 again. The anomalies out here are absolutely fascinating. They seem to be completely different to the ones we located in Omicron-Lost. The wavelengths of the readings ...<ommitted>... I feel we're getting closer every time to a new breakthrough.

Some other ship is out here, today.
I don't care, that's what the escorts are for, I sent them some sort of cursory greeting and went back to my research. No-one seems too bothered to see them.

What? Yet another unexpected ship? Wait, why are you kicking me off the bridge? This is MY ship...
<sounds of sirens, running footsteps and shuffling about, followed by sound of person sitting down>

Ensign Cryus here, we have spotted Coalition Corvo approaching us. Visual contact attached. As per High Command's orders, we have escorted Professor Milo to the safe-room, ready to be ejected if required.

Initial contact with the Coalition is hostile. They have demanded that we hand over our research data. The enemy vessel is alone, while we have two escorts. The combat commander has ordered a scan of the enemy, he wants to determine their loadout.

Scans have indicated that the enemy Corvo is carrying Corsair pilots. The combat commander has demanded their return but things are not looking good. ...The enemy ship has opened fire! Suspending this report and proceeding to combat stations.
<report suspended>


<report resumed>
Ensign Cryus again, the battle has concluded, with our overwhelming victory. Unfortunately the 3 corsair prisoners were lost in the destruction of the enemy vessel. But at least they are now free and they died with the honour expected of any Corsair. The professor has been released and will return to this station shortly.
Ensign Cryus, out.


Milo Chronus here,
The damn monkeys who crew this ship finally let me out of that prison they call a safe room. Thankfully, there is no lost data and my instruments are undamaged. I understand that the Corsairs are only trying to protect me, but do they have to take my ship into battle? What if everything became uncalibrated?

Apparently, the remaining ship is from the Zoners. For political reasons, they didn't get involved in the fight. I apologised to them that they had to see such a thing, and they were understanding. Said they're out here for scanner adjustments on some sort of solar scanner.
They refuse to say too much, but an educated guess leads me to believe their new scanners work on the princip... <ommited> ...I told them about the base in Knossos. The Corsairs seem to want people to know, so they can drum up more business, as such they have standing orders that any "prospective" clients should be told.

When this whatever-his-name-is mentioned their interest in nomad tech, I cunningly dropped it into the conversation and did not just randomly blurt out the information while discussing science, no, no.

They seemed interested and mentioned finding their way to the ruins one way or another. Because of the political situation there, I thought it would be best to warn them, how much of a bad idea it is to upset a bunch of Corsairs with warships.

They seem to be leaving now and anyway, the data from these instruments is most fascinating. I mean, imagine if I could link the waves fro... <rest of report ommited>

Conversation Logs

Code:

<Logged excerpt from conversation between Milo Chronus and "JJ" of
the Zoner vessel Stormhawk>

JJ: Have you had any encounters with the Nomads?
Milo: ...but then we found this desolate place, it seemed perfect...
      Why yes, we've seen a few.
      Their larger ships can be seen in Zeta, which I believe you would
      probably be aware of. With all the Core and Order Activity.
JJ: We have seen them alot in Zeta also, destroyed many in there.
Milo: The cosairs also have [nomad] ruins in Knossos.  They were
      very disappointed when they heard I don't know archaeology.
JJ: Knossos?  What is that?
Milo: I'm not too certain myself, sensors are ineffective around the
      vicinity, with the radiation and nebula dust.
      It's either a very non-dense gas giant, or... something else.
      Again, my speciality lies in quantum manipulation, I am not an
      astronomer.
JJ: This is news to us, anything to do with Nomad tech of any sort is
    very much intriguing to us.
    Where is this Knossos place located, if you don't mind me asking?
Milo: The location is no secret, the Corsairs are operating business out
      of there. Though they are... twitchy about it.
      It's located in Omicron Xi.
JJ: Over in Xi huh?  We have only been there a few times and noticed low
    Nomad activity, but also it being a stonghold for the corsairs, we
    don't want to step on their territory without some authorization.
Milo: You'll known when you're close.  There are some barely functional
      nomad weapons platforms surrounding the... Planet, I suppose.
      If you approach with a trader, they would welcome you.  
      With a warship?  I don't know.
JJ: You know in what part of the system it is?  We seem to have limited
    data on it. We stayed out due to limited interest, but if something
    is in there worth our time, we have ways of getting to it no matter
    who is in our way.
Milo: <obviously flustered> It's within the North Agean Nebula. My sensors
      go funny in there, so the exact coordinates are unknown.
      I just follow the landmarks I'm told by the corsairs... Which is
      why they left those platforms there. I wouldn't go forcing your way
      in if I were you.
      I respect the corsiars for saving me. I suggest if you want to
      know the way?  You send a trading vessel and ask for it.
      They'll escort you themselves.
Other: ...it's there sir, just, the coords may be off, I see it there.
JJ: Very well, this has been quite useful intel for us I must say.

<conversation devolves into Milo ranting about science>

Afternote: Mission concluded successfully. 25 optical storage arrays of research data have been collected and returned to Knossos base.

Message end.

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