Conclusion
After breaching the door, the crew moved through the empty ship carefully. It was extremely dark, and the only light came from what they had brought. Slowly proceeding through the vessel, they used a set of schematics they had acquired prior to transit to figure out exactly where they were going. The ships interior was a total mess with a large amount of clutter around, likely from the crash. After about fifteen minutes they’d managed to get to the location of the crew quarters where the ‘item’ they were looking for was located. It was found right where it was supposed to be, inside of an enclosed, air ceiled box. The item was visible through a thick but clear screen at the top.
The crew moved then to find valuables on the ship, while at the same time tracking the extra signal that was coming from the vessel. As they moved through the vessel, and the rooms, it was evident that nothing of value was to be found. All of the food stores were completely emptied, and there wasn’t anything to find in terms of jewelry or valuables. They managed to reach the other side of the ship to find what was creating the beacon.
It was a tiny ‘shot-beep’ transmitter, which had been set out on its absolute lowest setting so that it could continue to broadcast a signal. It was located on top of a data recorder. Within it was a recording made by one of the passengers which detailed their voyage and landing. Further search of the vessel revealed nothing, and so before pressing their luck further, the crew left the vessel. Boarding the vehicle parked outside, they travelled back to the ship, and left Shadow behind them.
Audio Recording Found
February 1, 2511
This is Peter Salack, identifier 847-AL-4, passenger on the Guiding Light. It is quickly becoming apparent that this situation is growing more and more hopeless by the day. I have just about lost hope for the whole of it. Because of this, I’ve decided to place this log in a specific order so that you, who ever it is that finds this, can understand what’s happened. If you are Federal forces, all the better, as you will probably look through all of this. However if you are someone with… considerably less time on your hands, this should explain what happened. I ask that you turn this in to the proper authorities if it is found, so that the no doubt large blank in the records can be filled in.
October 14, 2510
This is Peter Salack, with the U.A.P Interior Directorate. With the war escalating even further, and serious dangers of subterfuge at home, certain Federal officials have decided that certain historical artifacts are very much at risk. They have tasked dozens, maybe hundreds of us, with the duty of ensuring that these artifacts remain safe. The plan was quite clever in my opinion, and very simple. Neutral thieves and Independent aggressors would be looking for valuable in the Core, hidden behind some vault with lots of security. But if we put it right in their own backyard, they’ll be scouring the verse’ for something that’s much closer then they’d even dream. I am charged with transporting an ancient weapon, a pistol, which has been so named the “King Killer” by more common people, and the name seems to have stuck. I am posing as a settler seeking passage on the colonist transporterGuiding Light. There are several hundred settlers moving out, and to them I am just a loner looking for a better life. Today we have left port at Selene, and are on our heading towards Conrad, the second moon of Three Hills. The only person aboard who is aware of who I really am is the Captain, who has been paid a nice fee to keep that quiet, while moving hastily and safely. The item itself has been stored behind a wall panel in the crew quarters. This is believed to be the absolute safest place. I will be keeping a daily log of activities here, so that my superiors are aware of every action I take to ensure the artifact itself is kept safe.
October 24, 2510
The captain says we’re being redirected. Apparently fighting in sector 29-G has gotten so bad, that it would be suicide to try to get to Conrad. While our final destination is safe, the space around it is not. The Independents are said to be raiding and destroying just about every vessel that isn’t theirs moving in that territory, so we will just have to find an alternate route.
October 27, 2510
The Guiding Light has moved off towards Sector 81-G. We’re very close to Hera. While fighting for that planet is very harsh, it is serving as a good distraction the captain says while we move our way through. Apparently we are not the only ones, as there has been a lot of traffic of civilian vessels trying to slip through while the Independents are busy trying to defend their hold outs. This is good for us, but everyone on board is on edge. We’ve heard the stories of what the Independents do to Alliance sympathizers, especially those from the Core itself. Hopefully we can make it through unscathed.
October 28, 2510
We were attacked. An Independent frigate caught up to us and delivered quite a volley against us. Fortunately due to the quick actions of our valiant crew, we managed to escape in one piece. But there is apparently quite severe damage done to the vessel itself. Our communications have been all but destroyed, and as I understand it, the engines are close to completely dying. I have to applaud the Independents for being so thorough at crippling unarmed civilian ships. We are very near to Shadow, yes, Shadow. We are very much in Independent territory at this point, and I hope that we can find a way to get through this, without losing our lives in the process.
October 29, 2510
The Guiding Light has made an emergency landing. A ship like this is not meant to land on the ground, so you can imagine it wasn’t the smoothest. However it wasn’t nearly as bad as we all thought it would be. We are on the… recently deceased world of Shadow. The only options were wait for another Independent vessel to tear us to bits, or land on this empty rock and figure something out. Many are scared, but the crew is working round the clock to figure out a solution. Fortunately we landed on what used to be a little town, so that should boost our chances of being found by a Federal Patrol.
October 30, 2510
I’ve spoken to the captain about our problem. Who am I fooling, our very long list of problems. Things are really looking bad. The communications aren’t working at all. We could attempt to throw a large signal pulse out, but we know that would bring the Independents here. And an Alliance vessel on this, newly hallowed ground? That is a grain of salt in a painful wound, and we would most certainly be doomed. Fortunately we have huge amounts of supplies, as this was in fact a vessel for colonization. I just hope we can find a solution soon.
November 6, 2510
To our long list of problems, you can now add no power, and widespread panic. Earlier this morning the engine completely blew out. It killed a dozen men, injured many more, and the power is completely gone. This has left most people here in a state of absolute fear. The captain and his crew are doing what they can to maintain order, but I feel his efforts are only trying to prepare us for the long haul. As you can imagine, the initial plan of only being on Shadow for a day… has left many in a bad state of mind since we’ve been here a week.
November 30, 2510
Its been a month of sitting on this planet, and people are getting very restless. Many are sick because of the air that is coming through the vents. With no where to go, and nothing to do, most are just trying to figure out what they can do. As much help that is offered to the captain and crew to help get us out, the captain suggests that all that can be done is being done. But these stranded people don’t like hearing that.
December 11, 2510
The last of those severely wounded by the engine explosion died today. When the knowledge of his last words “There is no hope” spread around the ship, people are starting to get even worse, as they seem to see it as the real underlining theme of this whole mess.
December 13, 2510
Another group of people went outside of the ship today, in order to look for something that could help. A large dust storm came in a few hours after they left. I don’t expect that we’ll see them ever again.
December 19, 2510
There is a great suggestion around the ship that the captain no longer knows what’s best for the crew. Accusations from hoarding food for himself and the crew, all the way to he secretly has an escape shuttle he’s been rebuilding are rampant. I am actually of the belief at this point that no one, other then the crew that is, doesn’t believe at least two or three of these rumors. It’s causing the passengers to become…. A bit rebellious.
December 25, 2510
The captain and most of the crew are dead. It seems there was quite a plot moving around from some of the passengers to seize control of the ship. They raided the crew quarters last night, stole most of the firearms and fashioned their own blades, and they and the crew had at it. What was left of the crew though wasn’t much, and some of them were in on the plan. So now the only one left that knows where the artifact is, or even that it exists on the ship, is me.
December 27, 2510
You know things have hit rock bottom, when the captain of your crashed vessel has a large metal pipe run through him, and he is placed up like a scare crow in the dust. The passengers, for the most part, seem to have completely lost it, and fearing for my own safety, I have hidden my pistol in a place where it won’t be found, yet still where I can get it. The passengers are trying to figure out what can be done now, and are becoming violent.
January 5, 2511
There was a large fight yesterday. Apparently some of the crew still loyal to the captain remained. The settlers fought with them, but moments later started fighting with each other to see who would be in charge. I’m not sure how many were killed, I just know that there were a lot of bodies that were carried out into the dust. If there is one good thing I can see in all this…. It would be that they have used up the absolute last of the ammunition aboard.
January 15, 2511
If there is a hell, it can’t be much worse then this. People are losing their minds. Last night a whole group of people swore that they saw a rescue ship about a mile away. Dozens of men, woman, and children ran out into the night, and kept on running. There wasn’t anything there. They’re minds had pretty much just given up and gave them a way to end it all.
January 30, 2511
You know what I’ve started to think. The war could be over and we’d have no idea. All the people who knew how to make a signal pulse are dead, and the rest of the people here have more or less just lost it. But the thing is, they all still have a hope of getting off this planet, they just don’t know what it is. The fact is, there is no hope. No one knew where we landed. And in this war, ships went missing day after day, never to be found. And no one was looking for them. These people don’t seem to realize that. And at the rate things have gone, I absolutely believe that by the time someone finds this ship, we’ll all have been thrown out into the dust.
February 5, 2511 – Final Entry
Another day, just more misery. Some child outside got his arm cut, and got dust all throughout it. If this were a few months ago they’d probably treat it properly but they decided to let him “tough it out”. This…
<Another voice is heard> Hopeless huh!? Is that what our situation is!?
What!? Oh God! No, I didn’t mean… you weren’t supposed to..!
<A crack is heard, followed by repetition of the same sound, and loud breathing. There is mixed grunts and rumbling following. The remaining recording goes on for thirty minutes, with absolute silence, before it auto ended>
