[Log Entry: January 20th, 710 A.S. | Unknown System — Post-Jump Evaluation]
Commanding Officer: Capt. Klaus von Tanner | E.V. Morgenstern
Classification: Incident Report — Navigation Disruption & Separation Event
“Sensor drift and navigational recalibration indicate wide dispersal of fleet elements post-jump. Currently unable to establish wide-band contact with Liner E.V. Waldhof, RNC Jena and RNC Mainz, five supply ships, one freighters squadron, Valkyrie Beta.
Initiating regrouping protocol. Rendezvous marker established at large asteroid formation in quadrant Echo-6. Structure appears stable — geologically complex, high-density core. May provide temporary cover and broadcast advantage.
Current star charts do not correspond with known navmaps. Stellar signature analysis reveals intense gravitational distortion from the compact object at system center. Radiation background extreme — suggests neutron star or pulsar presence. Visual and gravimetric confirmation pending.
Dispatched patrol wing to sweep surrounding vectors. Two gunboats and 12 Valkyries accounted for. Holding position until further notice.”
End Log
[Log Entry: January 22th, 710 A.S. | Unknown System, sector Alpha 6]
Commanding Officer: Capt. Klaus von Tanner | E.V. Morgenstern
Classification: Operations Log — Preliminary Survey & Environmental Hazards
“We're slowly moving towards Echo-6 formation. Data from geomagnetic scanners show high metal density and significant magnetic disturbance — probable ferromagnetic core. Low surface irregularities suggest prior tectonic activity, unusual for a free-floating mass.
Radiation background: severe. Readings fluctuate unpredictably. The central stellar object—neutron signature highly probable—emits concentrated pulses every 1.2 to 3.7 hours. These pulses interfere with long-range scanners and telemetry. Crew advised to remain within reinforced bulkheads during spikes. Hull shielding tolerances currently within acceptable thresholds, but margin for error is narrowing.
The system's layout is unnerving: a massive asteroid belt encircling the star like a death halo. No major planets detected so far — only rock, silence, and interference. If this system has a name, it's lost to time or buried in classified archives.
Multiple signal ghosts detected. Sensor interference likely caused by neutron field refraction. Comms attempting encrypted burst pulses — so far unanswered.”
End log
[Log Entry: January 24th, 710 A.S. | Unknown System — sector Beta-6]
Commanding Officer: Capt. Klaus von Tanner | E.V. Morgenstern
Classification: Environmental Hazards & Crew Update
“Noted increase in fatigue among flight wing. Pilots report disorientation, headaches, low focus. Environmental systems nominal — suspect EM interference may be affecting vestibular responses. Medical officer recommends staggered rotations and use of secondary shielding in berths.
Hulk of RNC Mainz found by Valkyrie Alpha drifting in a dense region of the asteroid field in sector Beta-7. Visual identification confirmed, reactor offline, no sign of life onboard. Crew declared KIA. Valkyrie Omega failed to return after sortie to quadrant Charlie-5. Declared MIA.
Considerable static recorded on internal comms. Engineer Kroll reports fluctuations in relay 2B and persistent ghost signals — audio fragments without source. Investigating for possible data bleed or corrupted playback systems.
Morale is… fragile. The men and women aboard are trained professionals, but this place wears on them. The light from the central star is a pale, angry thing. It pulses like a heartbeat.
We still don’t know where we are.”
"End log"
“Hold on,” Neer said, squinting at the screen like it had personally offended him. “High asteroid density… fluctuating EM emissions… scorching radiation fields… Is that—?”
“Ja,” Schmidt said, already nodding. “Omega-41.”
Belck let out a quiet whistle, the kind usually reserved for sinkholes and extremely poorly thought-out marriage proposals. “Now there’s a system you don’t want to end up in accidentally.”
“Or at all,” Neer added, running a hand down his face. “I mean, there’s wandering off course, and then there’s ‘congratulations, you’re now trapped inside a radioactive tomb with a Neutron star thrice the size of New Berlin.’”
Belck nodded. “Between the ambient radiation and the magnetic interference, it’s a miracle they even managed to get these logs recorded.”
Neer rubbed his arms. “Losing multiple wings, fried systems, and they still try to regroup like it's a drill.”
“What else could they do?” Schmidt asked. “You’re surrounded by radioactive rocks, the stars don’t look right, and half your fleet’s gone. You choose the biggest one and hope someone else had the same idea. The situation was bad but they couldn’t even tell how bad it was. They just knew they’d come out of a jump and the fleet was… gone. Scattered. Damaged.”
“Right,” Neer muttered. “Of course. Because the only thing worse than knowing you’re doomed is not being entirely sure how doomed.”
Belck wiped his hands on his coveralls, eyes still fixed on the terminal. “Notice how the logs get shorter?”
“Running out of power?” Neer guessed.
“Or hope,” Belck said.
Schmidt’s gaze lingered on the log dates. “We’re four days in, and they’ve already got ghost signals and disappearing ships.”
“And one hell of a hiding spot,” Neer added, pointing at the asteroid scan from the earlier log. “Ferromagnetic core, magnetic interference, weirdly tectonically stable for something floating in deep space. If you wanted to hide something out here…”
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Mission Record No. 118