All incidents and casualties related to Expedition - by Jimmy Manderson

[34th Brigade]

Case number: #1-833-C1
Date: 14/12/833
Category: Psychosis
Persons/units involved: Ensign Chris Hartley & Lieutenant Quinn Santos, 351st Wing.

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Details: At 16:17, the 34th Brigade arrived in the "Abyss-7" system and plotted a course for the suspected hyperspace jump source at the other end of the system. A massive asteroid field, similar in structure to those found in the Tau-23 system, blocked the unit's path. A brief analysis revealed the presence of beryllium deposits with gradually increasing radiation levels. This prevented the Brigade from detecting objects further than 5K.

No foreign objects were detected. The unit's personnel were divided into several groups to slowly advance and plot the most convenient route. Ensign Chris Harley and Lieutenant Quinn Santos of the 351st Wing were assigned to Group 5. The distance between them and the flagship, the CV-Hades, was 3.2K, according to the entire expeditionary group's field of view. The first Psychosis incident occurred at 16:45. The conversations are being recorded.

One: CV-Hades
5-2: Chris Harley
5-1: Quinn Santos
6-1: Tim Smith

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5-1: 5-1 to One.
One: One is is listening.
5-1: Flight report - no any suspicious signatures were recorded, moving further, coordinates set. Over.
One: Understood, 5-1, over.
5-1: 5-1 to One, changing data right now. We've got hostile signatures right near us. Nomad ships. We request immediate support!
5-2: 5-2 confirms, enemy ships have been spotted. Engaging!
One: 5-1, retreat immediately to Group-Six, the remaining units have been notified of enemy ships in the system. Do you copy?
6-1: Group-Six to One, we don't see any enemy signatures near 5-1 and 5-2. We are waiting for their retreat or an order to intervene.
One: Stand down, Group-Six, do not engage. Group-Five, return to formation immediately for assistance. Do you copy?
5-1: Group-Five to One, we still need help, hull got an heavy damage, reactor almost destroyed!
One: We see you performing combat maneuvers in relation to each other, 5-1 and 5-2. Get back in line immediately!
6-1: They do what?
5-2: Somebody help us, damn it, why the fuck we should deal with these Nomads on our own?!
One: All active escort and reconnaissance groups are to stay away from battle site 5-2 and 5-1. Attempts to disobey orders will be considered treason!
6-1: 6-1 to One, We're requesting data on battlefields 5-1 and 5-2. Are enemy Nomad signatures visible there?
One: We don't see any signatures at all. We have a clear picture of 5-1 and 5-2, both ships are engaged in combat.

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Note: Group-Six really couldn't get a clear picture of what was happening with 5-2 and 5-1. Meanwhile, Hades was pre-equipped with more powerful sensor systems suited to the negative environment, allowing for battlefield analysis at a range of 5K. Therefore, it saw everything.

© Jimmy Manderson

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5-1: They're going to shoot us down now... Damn... I'm going to ram, over! Do you copy?! I'm going to ram.
5-2: 5-2 to One, got heavy damage on my ship. Cannot escape or even eject. Going to ram hostile target. Wish you luck guys. Over.

Following the transmissions, 5-1 and 5-2, known as Lieutenant Quinn Santos and Ensign Chris Hartley, performed a ramming maneuver. A visual explosion, visible from a distance of 3.2K, as well as the disappearance of two signatures from CV-Hades sensors, indicated that the two ships had collided. Analysis of the ships maneuvers also suggested that no Nomads were in the vicinity, and that the two pilots of the 351st Wing had engaged each other.

Group-Six, led by Commander Tim Smith, volunteered to verify the location of the incident (as they were the closest). CV-Hades had previously verified the sensor range of Group-Six and received a figure of 2K. The decision was made to dispatch Group-Six to the incident site, provided that all formation members were within 2.5K of each other. The group also received direct orders to make an abrupt stop in the event of any suspicious activity.

Further negotiations are recorded.

One: CV-Hades
6-1: Tim Smith
6-2: Sarah Silverstone
6-3: Alex Ross

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6-1: 6-1 to One, Group-Six is ready for provide search mission. All ships is on range out of scanners of each other.
One: We've verified the distance between your ships. On average, it's 2.6K between each of you. CV-Hades can still see you. Requesting confirmation of the lack of visual information about your group members, 6-1.
6-1: 6-1 to One, no visual data of my group members. Over.
6-2: 6-2 to One, no visual data of my group members. Over.
6-3: 6-3 to One, no visual data of my group members. Over.
One: Received, Group-Six. Cleared to proceed toward the incident zone. We will advise you personally of any potential encounters between group members. Speed ​​limit: 30 m/s. All group members are requested to enter radio silence mode and communicate only on the individual frequency with CV-Hades. Do you copy?
6-1: Understood, One. Radio frequency changed.
6-2: 6-2 to One, frequency changed. Can hear you and only you now.
6-3: 6-3 to One, frequency changed. No any messages of other members of Group-Six. Awaiting for your instructions.
One (simultaneously to all members of the group): Start moving.

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Note: We assumed it all this way. If the group members couldn't see each other, they wouldn't be able to engage in combat. Someone would also obviously be outside the range of the supposed source of the mental infection. We would have to move on anyway, and the anomaly was right in our path. We had to take risks.

© Jimmy Manderson

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6-2: 6-2 to One, engines stopped, got visual contact. I stumbled upon it by accident, but I'm not going any further.
One: One to Group-Six, cut your engines immediately!
6-1: 6-1 to One, engines are turned off.
6-3: 6-3 to One, engines are turned off.
One: 6-2, the estimated range of source still about 1.2K away. What do you see? Can you send it to us?
6-2: Yes One. I'll try. Photo sent. Awaiting further orders. Over.

A photograph of the object appeared on board CV-Hades at 17:40. The object was located 1.2K from 6-2 and consisted of a small structure resembling two spearheads joined together. Due to radiation interference, a more accurate image was not possible.

Group-Six was ordered to return to their original position. The return was uneventful. The entire expedition team was ordered to maintain a distance of 1.5K from the unknown object. After lengthy discussions, it was noted that the high background radiation prevented 5-1 and 5-2 from seeing anything further than 500 meters, and the density of the asteroids precluded visual contact with the source.

Group-Six was assigned to replace Group-Five. The expedition resumed its journey at precisely 18:00. Three hours later, at 21:44 expeditionary group reached the jump hole to the next system, "Abyss-8".

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