In accordance to directive from Nemezida, Pripyat and her escorts are to be deployed to Omicron Delta system, following operation codenamed "Nochnoy Dozor", designated curator is Commodore Korbut Yelena Vladimirovna. The purpose of this operation is to infiltrate the crossroad between Human and Nomad territory.
Overwatch and The Order > Cooperation and communications are to be reduced to bare minimum. They must not be made aware of our intentions in the region. Maintain low suspicion by covering the entire operation as a simple study of local planets and nebulae.
The Core and APM > To be monitored. Observe Durban Drydocks and monitor Iridium excavations and supply routes. Their opportunistic philosophy may prove dangerous and unreliable, yet rewarding if directed properly.
Technocracy and AI units > To be monitored. Their unorthodox methods and knowledge of the region may prove useful.
Cretans > To be avoided. Observe Xeno Relic shipments.
Maltese > To be avoided.
Nomads and their thralls > The main objective of this operation, to be monitored and studied. Employ various tactics and act upon the situation. Upon signs of curiosity, it is to be endorsed, the interaction with the unit is to be documented. Upon signs of aggression, the unit is to be forced into retreat or terminated.
Any non-mentioned elements are to be documented and reported to Nemezida for directives
Designated deployment sector - Golf-One. Our loaded supplies should last us for a month, but due to intensity of the region, we were authorised a double load of medications, oxygen and immediate repair kits. Our Camouflage Projection System should allow us to remain undetected as long as we keep our distance. In case if Pripyat becomes damaged beyond field repairs, we are to make an immediate hyperspace jump to New Moscow.
CO: We had a surprise encounter with Rheinland Military, Comrade Overseer. To be exact, two "BIsmarck"-class Battleships. They were in Omicron Theta, their intentions in the region yet remain unknown.
N: I believe my directive was to avoid any direct confrontation with any elements.
CO: So we would, yet there were Hessian forces in the area, SOA included. We didn't want to attract unnecessary attention by not engaging the Military.
N: You have also strayed from your designated area. Omicron Theta, while a neighbouring system, is not within your zone of operations. Care to elaborate?
CO: We've encountered a Zoner Juggernaut monitoring the access hole to Theta. They stated that the other side was not safe, nothing more could be heard from them. Due to multitudes of possibilities, we decided to investigate the matter. Rheinland Military warships were certainly not within our calculated outcomes.
N: I see. Not engaging the enemy in this scenario would definitely raise some questions from the Hessians. Good choice, Commodore. I am ordering the Pripyat to be equipped with Pulse weapons that would allow you to confront hostile fortified elements at a much favorable range. Once the maintenance is finished, you are to redeploy to Omicron Delta and continue the monitoring.
CO: And the Rheinlanders?
N: Deploy Sokol Three to monitor Omicron Theta. Our main concern is still with the Nomads, but Rheinlanders advancing as far as Omicron Theta is troubling. They're probably looking to establish a foothold in the region after losing connection with Omicron Xi, which may become problematic for us. Given SOA and The Rot Front presence at the time, I expect the information about Rheinlanders has already begun its circulation between their leaderships and the Commissariat. Proceed with the operation, Comrade Korbut, but no more deviations, only in case of an emergency.
CO: We've received word from a local, Comrade Overseer. Hans von Goeben, an MFE Zoner. According to his report, there was indeed an increase in activity in the region. The Nomads and their thralls have made an attempted assault on Kadesh Orbital City, yet it was repelled by a conglomerate of the Order, Zoners and guns-for-hire.
N: Kadesh... I know the place. It's nigh impenetrable, but it's at a crossroads of both the Nomad and the Order territories. Could it be that they have something in mind?...
CO: I think so too, Comrade Overseer. It is possible that those are just the symptoms of bigger plans at play.
N: An assault this big on a target that they know they can't take down with all the efforts of humanity combined... Could be a distraction. Relocate to Kadesh and investigate the scene in person. I will contact their administration, see if I can dig up more details of the assault, if there are any. If you don't find anything extra, you're to return to Delta. Double the patrols, specifically in Delta, Theta and Zeta.
CO: Doctor Von Goeben was correct, Comrade Overseer. A wave of heavily armed and fortified Alien Warfrorms has attemped to lay siege on Kadesh a few hours ago. We were there to witness it in person, so were a number of Zoner and Order assets, with barely a few Overwatch entries present.
N: Those are indeed concerning... Multiple Archon and Artillery nodes, all in one assault. No wonder we couldn't receive a reply from the Kadesh administration. What could've possibly happened for them to provoke such an assault?
CO: According to a statement from a Bounty Hunter, Bessie Bishop, Alias "Bison", the Phoenix Organisation is sponsoring the defenses for while the assault is ongoing. They've mentioned a Two Million Credit bounty for every confirmed Alien takedown.
N: Sounds truthful. That would explain the increased presence of other interested elements, and the Order's intervention. I wouldn't expect them to be guarding the installation as rigorously otherwise, the Overwatch isn't exactly known to be fond of those who don't swear allegiance to them. Capitalism. Nothing else.
CO: You wouldn't expect them to put their lives on the line for their allies in the Phoenix?
N: I'd expect them to discourage the Phoenix from building an orbital city so close to the Nomad homeworld. Liability and provocation risk. The decision is logically unsound. Palmyra is too far from any reliable supply routes and is too deep within the Nomad territory. The fact that it managed to stay up for so long is either a miracle or plays into the hand of the Nomads.
CO: Giving them an object of distraction for when they are ready.
N: Exactly.
CO: We've also encountered a number of individuals associated with the Technocracy. They themselves support that theory.
N: Not surprising. Their group is enigmatic at best, they appear to be knowing the ins and outs of the Universe around us, but remain very secretive about it. They either push their speculations as truth, or they actually know something we do not.
CO: Yes, but they weren't alone. They were accompanied by The Platform represenative.
N: The Platformer. Did they have any comments on the matter?
CO: Only confirming our suspicions. Apparently, the aliens are making movements in Rheinland and surrounding Omegas.
N: This is definitely linked to the re-emergence of Omega-58 connection. Good work, Comrade Commodore. Recall all patrols and return to New Moscow. We will be entering a new phase of our operation, you will be debriefed upon your arrival to Aralsk.
N: Comrade Commodore. I hope you enjoyed your "vacation" in Omegas. because now we may have another opportunity on our hands.
CO: Comrade Overseer. And here I hoped that I would never receive a message from you ever again.
N: Perks of the job. You know where I work and what kind of subtlety is needed in my profession. Don't tell me you missed me, now.
CO: Let's get down to business. What attracted your interest this time and why should I command to deploy the Pripyat into another hell hole?
N: Have you seen the announcement posted by our dear colleagues from the Overwatch recently?
CO: I have, yes. To be quite honest, I am concerned by what's happening over there. Doesn't sound good at all.
N: Which is why I need you and the Pripyat, again. You are to deploy immediately to Omicron Zeta and maintain observation of the situation at hand. Find out the truth behind their PSA. Provide them with no support, do not give them a slightest signal of your presence in the area, even if our dearest colleagues are to suffer critical losses. You were never there, Comrade Commodore.
CO: Hm. I have to ask, Comrade Overseer. Why is it so important to keep the Order out of this? Why can't we help them?
N: Because as much as they are our "allies", I believe our feelings are mutual when the question of their origin arises. We both know the Order and their roots. There are no such things as "former" Libertonians, and their so called "protectorate" is nothing more than a way to gain influence over the region, so that they may propagate their dictatorship into a no-man's-land. Surely you remember the announcement they've made back when they had a scandal with the Zoners of Freeport Eleven about their alleged cooperation with the Core?
CO: You make a good point, Comrade Overseer, but you fail to reinforce it with any solid proof. Though I do not blindly believe the Order, either. Yeah, sure, in the end, they are Libertonians, and their mania of control does indeed raise an eyebrow. But, in the end, you aren't any different from them.
N: We need raw information, Yelena Vladimirovna. Unfiltered, not processed by the Order. Their allies from the Phoenix have already failed to respond to our request. We cannot afford to rely on anyone, other than ourselves. And if the Order finds out about our little operation, there could be two outcomes. First - they tell us to stop whatever we are doing and leave it in their capable hands. Second - they would be glad to share the information they have, but this information is likely going to be misleading or something we already know. Whatever is happening in Zeta - whether it's a cover-up for some experimental procedures, a diplomatic arrangement or a genuine alien incursion, - we need it cut straight from the source. And it is something you and your crew are very capable of.
CO: Alright. Consider me convinced, Comrade Overseer. But, since we have to divert ourselves from our current standing orders from the Office-
N: I already handled it. Your official MO is the same as the last time. As always, it is identical to my request. They know everything you will be conducting in the region and I already have their approval.
CO: Hm. Well, then, since it's a request, then I would like something from you, as well.
N: Ask away, Comrade Korbut.
CO: What do you really pursue in this?
N: Oh, wow. A sizeable request, indeed. However, considering all that you have done for me. you did earn the right to ask. But first, you have to tell me something. In your opinion, how big are the odds of me telling you the actual truth?
CO: Fifty-fifty.
N: Good. In that case, depending on success of your mission in Zeta, I may share that little secret with you. But, you have my word. Return to me with all the data you can gather and you will be... "initiated" into my humble parlor.
CO: Have I not been already?
N: My dear Yelena. We have barely scratched the surface together.
CO: It was unlike anything we've ever seen, Comrade Overseer. Nothing like I've ever seen. I saw massacres conducted by the Corsairs, the brutality of Bretonian Marines as they tried to sweep Gran Canaria under their hands, but never something of this scale. The PSA sent out by the Order was not a cover-up - it was a distress signal. The Nomads came out on the march in full in Omicron Zeta. Both Capetown and Cairo are in ruins.
N: I see. They did not alarm the public or their allies of the real threat. Indeed, it is something they would do. Have you managed to stay undetected?
CO: I doubt the Order cared much about our presence. Surprisingly, the aliens have shown no interest in us, as well. As much as it pained me, we... We resolved not to provoke them in any way. No interventions, no combat assistance. Didn't even suggest the Order to use our docking bays for swift repairs.
N: Good. I have no doubts that they saw you as the rest of pesky nuisances in the area, but aligning with the Order would've made you and the Pripyat a target. Though I don't question your crew and their capabilities, I also have no doubt that you would have sustained severe damage in an open confrontation against such odds, and given their predicament at the time, I doubt the Order would be too keen on letting you use their drydocks. Not to mention it would also mean compromising ourselves to them. It was a tough decision, Comrade Commodore, but a correct one. I hope you stayed out of harm's way not without a result.
CO: Right. Although we could not approach enemy vessels for close-up scans, nor could we overstay our welcome nearby to conduct any long-range surveys, we did get the visuals. You may find them... peculiar, I would say.
N: How I wish I could probe those things with a scalpel to learn their secrets. Even though you couldn't get any scans, your camera shots are already telling me a lot. Quite a lot, indeed...
CO: So? I take it you are satisfied with those results?
N: More than. Don't worry, I remember our deal. We will talk about it - and your findings - in person. Relocate to Point ZI-35. I will be there shortly.
CO: ZI-35? That's relatively close to our location, but you?
N: Not to worry. It's far away from the prying eyes. If there was a "nowhere" in our space, that would be it. Nemezida, Out.
CO: Comrade Overseer... You look a bit different than I imagined.
N: Do I make an impression of someone much taller?
CO: Certainly.
N; [chuckle] Pay no mind to my manner of speech, now. In the end, physical might is not everything.
CO: How do you like the Pripyat?
N: Better than her original form... Much more renewed, even though it mirrors the fact that it's an asset of the reserve rather than a well-funded exploration corps... You are familiar with the original Pripyat, aren't you?
CO: Hm. Now that you mention it, no. I was first assigned to it three years ago. There wasn't much documentation for it, other than that it was a clean new "Tempest"-class Carrier. But, to answer your question - no. No links to exploration corps or her "original form". Guess it's something you want to talk about?
N: Hm. Well, it's not entirely related to our primary subject, but I could share the story. It is, after all, a ship that you are in charge of.
CO: Yes, and for that very reason, I would like to know.
N: Very well. Do you remember the Sirius Coalition Expeditionary Corps? It was a small gathering of scientists particularly interested in happenings of the Omicrons and how the Coalition could, potentially, utilize those.
CO: Hm... I heard of the name, but never was familiar with what they were doing, no.
N: Ah, well. It's all water under the bridge, anyhow. Though they were a group of brilliant scientists, some ambitions got the better of them. Point ZI-35 is exactly where the fire of their candle has begun to fade.
CO: Namely... A spot where there used to be a connection to now lost Omicron Chi?
N: Indeed. One of their expeditions has yielded a fascinating result - an uncharted world with potentially staggering amounts of Dom K'Vosh cites, deep within the Edge Nebula, right where what was considered as the Omicron Chi system. And so they elevated a skyhook installation, right in orbit - the Rostock Research Outpost. Our dear premier, comrade Tykovkin, was once the headmaster of that station, believe it or not.
CO: Huh. That's a career leap if I've ever heard of one - from headmaster to premier.
N: Yes, indeed. However, the station itself got compromised. The details are hazy, but that was the starting point of Expeditionary Corps' downfall. The entire corps was suspected to have been infiltrated by the infectees, and this very ship around us... is the living proof of it. The entire story was slid under a carpet and forgotten. By many.
CO: [sigh] Let's assume, for a second, that I believe you. What does that have to do with the Pripyat?
N: Ah, dear Pripyat. The ship you are commanding nowadays is a retrofit, and a very large one at that. The moment Aralsk could afford to mass-produce the "Tempest"-class carriers - albeit at the cost of quality - the Pripyat was one of the many candidates. But, in her original iteration, she was a mere "Typhoon"-class, assigned to Expeditionary Corps as a security vessel under command of one Anatoliy Grachov. Are you familiar with the name?
CO: Negative.
N: Thought you wouldn't be. Grachov was a Major of Task Force "Sipukha" - a name only I and very few others have ever heard in their lives. You are now among those others. Officially, the Sipukha was nothing more than a Security Cell of the Expeditionary Corps, yet their agenda went far beyond mere surveys and applied science. Namely, their real goal was to infiltrate the commissariat itself and replace the acting head of government with their own person who would divert the budget to Expeditionary Corps' needs, establishing more technocratic views and making the Coalition technologically superior to the rest of the houses. A goal they have, in one way or the other, achieved... Though, not according to their plan. The Pripyat itself was the command centre of the entire task force - every bit of information that circulated through the Sipukha was filtered and stored in her databanks.
CO: Hah. Now that's hard to believe. When I came aboard, I checked everything. There were no traces of data tampering or purge - the databanks were pure as a newborn.
N: Because the old databanks have been extracted during the retrofit. When I came to examine them. surprisingly, none of the entries have been erased. It's almost as if Grachov wanted to leave the information that he had accumulated over the years to the first person to find the Pripyat.
CO: What do you mean "find"?
N: Right... I haven't gotten to that part yet. [shuffle, holographic tablet flare up] Here. Something for your ears.
CO: Clear as day, he poisoned his XO and used some means to fake his identity as him. And the bastard also sabotaged the ship's life support, killing everyone aboard.
N: Smart conclusion, Comrade Commodore. The Pripyat was left adrift in New Moscow, A patrol stumbled upon it, and when they attempted to hail the Pripyat, there was no response. No movement, either, and no signs of activity. She was towed back to Aralsk, and... the rest is history.
CO: Has Grachov ever been found?
N: No. he might have been a turncoat, but he was smart. He likely changed names and appearances multiple times, while also faking many deaths on his way from one identity to another. Either way, he no longer is a concern of ours - we know everything there was to know about the Sipukha thanks to his little gesture.
CO: And? What of them?
N: That is the problem. We know their approximate numbers, but they don't show up anywhere. Regardless, it's like chasing a ghost in a lightless alley. But it doesn't matter anyway. If they haven't come out to greet you while you were in the Omicrons, I suppose they've either dispersed or met some other end.
CO: Huh. So that's why we were sent all the way over there? To work as bait for rogue conspirators?
N: Not entirely. [clears throat] Your primary directive has always been observation and monitoring. Trying to lure out the Sipukha was just a little bonus. After all, they would definitely recognize the transponder of their former headquarters.
CO: Or it would make them stay far away from it, knowing that somebody is looking for them.
N: Then they best cover their tracks. Regardless... All this talk about Expeditionary Corps, the Sipukha, the Pripyat herself... It's not why I'm here today. Let us get to the real topic.
CO: Alright. Still, I appreciate you telling me. I mean, it won't affect my view of the ship that I'm in charge of, but it's good to be aware of any rabbit holes. Anyway. Why don't you tell me what you're really after, Comrade Overseer?
N: It is directly tied to the camera shots that you've provided me with. Namely, the presence of two certainly human ships on the battlefield, fighting for the Nomads. And from the looks of them, they were outfitted with something hybrid. I am not surprised at the presence of a Kusari Battleship amidst their ranks, but a Gallic one? Now that is a curious subject...
CO: We didn't really get to see those things up close, let alone scan them. We both know how that would've ended. Still, they were a real sight to behold... Especially that Valor. Both fascinating and frightening.
N: Mhm. But, what that further proves, is that the hybrid technology of such a scale is possible.
CO: Ah, I can see where you're going with this. Word of advice? Forget it. They might have been able to create something like that, but you? A project of such a scale would be too expensive and too risky. Not to mention that we simply do not possess the technological prowess of the Nomads. You may see an opportunity in what the Expeditionary Corps attempted to do, and you may want to retread that path - with additional precautions - in hopes of reaching the El Dorado of technological progress, but I don't. And you won't find anyone amongst my crew who will agree to this. I doubt that the higher echelons will be fond of your idea, either.
N: Think carefully, Comrade Commodore. We are talking about a leap in technology that will elevate all of Coalition above the rest of mankind. Things will return to how they always have been. We are but a fraction of the true Coalition's glory, and I believe that harnessing the ways of hybrid technology is our way out of this pit. Think of what they will say about us - those who not only opposed the alien menace, but also conquered it, converted it to their ways, the shining beacon of mankind's technological advancement!
CO: My answer is "no". And it will remain so even if you find someone to replace me with.
N: Comrade Commodore, although the thought of finding a more obedient hound does indeed sound tempting, I need a person with their own head on their shoulders. I need an open-minded individual who considers all possible consequences, and you are that individual. Yet I do insist that we see this through. I am fully aware of the risks and I am ready to take them. The results could be exceptionally worth the investment. Surely you can see it for yourself.
...
N: Think about what I said. [metallic surface friction - chair; shuffle] And when you're willing to commit to the idea, I will be waiting for you at Point ZI-6.
sndlog: [CO Quarters Door Open]
CO: Vostok? I take it it's also been a part of your project?
N: From its very incantation. Be seeing you soon, Yelena.
sndlog: [Steps, High Heels]
sndlog: [CO Quarters Door Close]
CO: [exhausted exhale] Why did I ever sign up to this?... She probably has her strings attached to every crew member, as well. And if I keep saying "no", I'll become a public enemy. Yeah, she made it clear as day that I'm replaceable... Can't veer out of it, either. I already know too much, and if I try to abstain from it... No, she won't let me. Not alive. [sigh] I really have no choice here...
V: Voronin Chudomir Vladislavovitch, Expeditionary Corps Security, Senior Sergeant.
N: What was your post, Senior Sergeant?
V: Rostok Research Depot. Primarily making sure the ground teams are out of the harm's way from unwanted visitors. The Core, the Corsairs, everything else you could find in Chi.
N: Hm. You must realise that every officer and employee stationed at Rostok is marked for termination. Question is, why would you approach the Pripyat in that case?
V: The Pripyat used to be our headquarters. One thing I knew for sure that Grachov would know what happened out there, or he would have a solution for… Something. Then I saw that it wasn't the Pripyat that I knew. The rest you already know.
N: Grachov. Do you know where he was during the assault on Rostok?
V: Last time we checked in, he and the Pripyat were transferred to the army’s reserve. He never told me the reason behind it, we all assumed it was a decision from the higher ups.
N: So you are not at all aware that he was the one who requested the transfer?
V: Negative.
N: Very well. What can you tell me about Task Force “Sipukha”?
V: Don't think I've ever heard of it.
N: You haven't?
V: Negative.
N: Mm. What I have here, Senior Sergeant Voronin, is the list of names and ranks, all within Task Force “Sipukha”. Yours isn't at the very top, but it is nonetheless there.
…
N: You were not wrong when you assumed that the Pripyat you approached was Task Force “Sipukha's” Pripyat. When we were investigating your detachment, we found the Pripyat itself adrift in Jiangxi's orbit. Everyone on board was found dead, save for one. Major Anatoly Grachov. Its last black box readings showed that he sabotaged the ship, stole his XO's identity and fled our space, leaving every single bit of data about your little operation for us to find in a gambit of saving his own skin. Only to find out that one does not simply leave the Coalition, especially when meddling with its internal affairs.
V: You already know everything then. I have nothing to comment on. Why am I not shot yet?
N: Because you might be the last surviving specter of a conspiracy that rooted out any possibility of us establishing a foothold in the Omicrons and to gain a vanguard against the alien threat that we face here twenty four seven. Not to mention all the possible discoveries and findings on Vanuatu and their potential applications in our technological development. Tell me. What happened that day?
V: It's not the order of events that I would say I have a fuzzy memory about. The station's headmaster left Rostok half an hour prior to the onslaught, without us realising that he initiated total lockdown. At first we thought it was a malfunction in the system, those happened quite frequently. We never knew that we would come under a siege led by the Order and the army. All six hundred of us locked down in a melting pot from which there was no escape. Some started taking the easy way out, going out on their own terms, not burned by capital fire, sucked into the vacuum of space or crashed by armature. When the station's reactor reached critical, the emergency protocols kicked in. The lockdown was lifted and those of us who were still alive and conscious ran for the docking bays and life pods. “Sipukha” in its entirety went to fend the Order off to give the scientists a chance at escaping. We knew for sure that the Order was going to target the life pods and we couldn't allow that to happen. Some of the personnel joined the fight, but you can imagine how well that went. I made a call for “Sipukha” to retreat and provide coverage to the very few life pods that shot off into the nebula. Only me and four others made it. We searched for the pods but found only one of them. What was left of it, rather. Since then we spread out, assumed now identities, laid low. I took on escort jobs for the Zoners, made an honest living until I saw the Pripyat’s transponder. Thought that if it was Grachov, he would know what exactly happened.
N: Did you know that the reason behind the station's assault was a security concern? Mainly because the Order suspected that the station had been infiltrated by the alien minions.
V: We were never told, but we figured that might have been the reason. I don't believe it, though.
N: Care to share your theories?
V: The Order didn't like it that we were conducting research in the Omicrons without their mandate and without them getting the share of the results and fruits. Our station's defenses have been firing on their vessels periodically, but I don't think someone sabotaged them. It's almost like the Order used deliberate tactics to create a tainted picture of anything that had to do with Rostok. Convincing enough to make the army kill their own people en masse and to hunt down the life pods.
N: Were there any other survivors?
V: If there were, I wouldn't know. We cut ties in an event if one of us got caught by either the Order or the Coalition.
N: Is there anything you can tell me about the Sukhoi wing of Task Force Sipukha?
V: Sukhoi… They were the designations for the quick response squads on Rostok. They were all destroyed in the assault.
N: Do you recognize these ships, Comrade Senior Sergeant?
V: I do. These are our bombers. However… There's something wrong about them. I'm not sure…
N: Ships that look like they're not supposed to be there, but they are there nonetheless. Ghosts, probably?
V: If that would be a way to describe them…
N: Those very bombers were sighted with Expeditionary Corps Security transponders, flying alongside alien and compromised rheinlander ships. Under the callsigns of the Sukhoi wing.
V: Can't be. I saw them all get shot down.
N: You and the other four unnamed musketeers were not the only survivors of Rostok, Comrade Voronin. These doppelgangers, to put it mildly, have expressed their desire to behead comrade Tykovkin multiple times. Their motto appears to be “Rostok Lives”. Do you have anything to say on that matter?
V: Negative. Unless one of us got caught by the Nomads and got their mind probed, which is still a possibility. Then they would use this as a terror tactic.
N: That's what I'm thinking.. Of course, the Supreme Council is unlikely to trust your word, especially considering how ships with your transponders were sighted assaulting the Coalition and its allies. However, a bill was passed down not too long ago to outlaw the Order presence in our space. The public version is that they were found guilty of assisting the Corsairs and in providing them with the blueprints of highly sensitive technology, a courtesy which even we were never bestowed upon. Now the Order faces extinction, and in an event if they find themselves forced to turn to our aid, they will be reminded of that one time they crossed the line. Which still leaves us with a question of you, Comrade Voronin. What are we to do with you?
V: You have me now. Death has been breathing down my neck ever since my MND days, it's an old acquaintance.
N: Yet I believe there is something you are not telling us. Take him for the preliminary.
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Escort Contingency Names and Vessels