Belck was tapping at the keyboard with the same delicacy one might use to play a battered accordion. The terminal, for its part, seemed in no particular rush to cooperate: it emitted an intermittent hum, flickered through two cryptic screens, and then spat out an error message.
“I just need to... convince it that it’s still 714 A.S.,” Belck muttered. “And that we forgot the password for a century.”
“Want me to try saying please?” Neer offered, arms crossed.
“You could try”
A prolonged beep broke the tension, followed by a prompt shift. Lines of raw code wobbled for a moment, then gave way to a grainy gray-green interface — full of distortion, but miraculously functional.
[Access Granted] Mission Archive Access – Tier III Clearance
Origin: E.V. Morgenstern – Designation EV-RH-1130-MGN
Commander: Capt. Klaus von Tanner – Rheinland Ministry for Space Exploration
Mission Type: Geological Reconnaissance and Strategic Survey (Post-War Federal Reconstruction Directive 29-A)
“Bingo,”Belck said.“Voice logs. Standard ministry format. Buckets of boredom incoming.”
“Play them,”Schmidt said.“If this ship has a story to tell, that’s where it’ll start.”
[LOG ARCHIVE – TRANSCRIPT – CAPT. KLAUS VON TANNER]
Date: 01 January, 710 A.S.
Location: Planet New Berlin High Orbit
Commencing Mission Deployment
[Begin Log]
This is Commander Klaus von Tanner, Rheinland Ministry for Space Exploration, captain of the E.V. Morgenstern.
This marks the first official entry for Geological Reconnaissance Convoy 710-A, under Directive 29-A: Post-War Reconstruction and Resource Assessment.
Convoy deployed from Planet New Berlin at 07:45 Standard Time. Composition as follows:
Primary objective: charting, sampling and viability assessment of underdeveloped and uncolonized systems in the Omega sector and adjacent unclaimed zones.
Secondary objective: search for long-term extractable mineral assets capable of supporting post-war industrial revitalization.
Crew status nominal. Formation assumed at standard survey interval spread.
We have passed through the Stuttgart gate with standard security clearance. Civilian traffic light.
Initiated preliminary diagnostic checks. Morgenstern’s long-range antennae functioning at 87% capacity; recalibration scheduled en route.
Dr. Heinze (Geological Division) reports satisfactory instrument calibration. Humpback Wing One has completed gravimetric baseline runs in Stuttgart minor belts — minimal returns. Expected.
The Waldhof reports slight radiation irregularities in one of its onboard labs; investigation pending. Likely residual contamination from pre-departure equipment loads.
Convoy has entered Omega-11 via Stuttgart exit node. System conditions: hazardous. High radiation pockets detected on arrival; navigational adjustments initiated.
Proximity to red giant star (designation: VD-1405) causing temperature spikes on outer hull plating. All vessels transitioned to reinforced shielding protocols.
Notable: asteroid field density far above predicted values. Preliminary scans indicate high concentrations of unrefined Cobalt, trace Niobium. Worth further examination.
Survey deployment scheduled for 09 January. Humpback Wing Two will commence descent into belt clusters Alpha-3 and Delta-9.
Valkyrie squadron performing outer perimeter security runs. No known hostiles detected — however, system categorized as “Unregulated – Moderate Threat” per Ministry classification.
Morale steady. Minor equipment strain. The Waldhof suffered a temporary coolant loop failure; rerouted within protocol.
E.V. Morgenstern holding position in high orbit above inner belt cluster.
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Mission Record No. 001