While the majority of the 1st ExoFinders Fleet leaving Sol, and the few remaining headed to Hektor Station, only the
ESS Zero Gravitas responded to ESF Command’s request to examine the Voyager probe. The ship intercepted the probe, and its engineering and science crews began examining Voyager’s systems. With the aid of the ship’s scanners, Lt. Grey and the science team was able to determine that a the probe received the Alpha Centauri system at the same time Earth had, which somehow repowered the probe’s generators. The change of the probe’s trajectory occurred a week after the probe reactivated, and well before Earth became aware of the revived Voyager. Examining the probe’s computers revealed unfortunately little, with no records of how or why the probe was sent off course, but what was discovered was the Alpha Centauri signal saved into probe’s memory, along with a second signal, similar but different from the first. The engineering team managed to jury rig an FTL drive, and modern sensors and communications equipment onto the probe, then allowed it to continue on its new path. ESF Science Council confirms that Voyager 1 is continuing to send information, and is now pouring over the data retrieved from the probe by the
Zero Gravitas. While the nature or new objective of the modified probe remains unknown, its new voyage will be monitored closely.
ESS Zero Gravitas 7d20+13=88(12+17+9+9+16+4+8+13) vs. DC30
Extreme Success
Result: +120RCs for
ESS Zero Gravitas
The Hektor Station crisis originally seemed as if was going to be covered up in the shadow of extrasolar exploration, but two of the 1st ExoFinders starships, the
ESS Tian Shan, backed up by the
ESS Scarborough, diverted from their original tasks to the station. Hails from the
Tian Shan initially went unanswered, with only a constant pre recorded loop of anti-extrasolar exploration, anti-Earth and pro-Belt messages being broadcasted from the station’s long range communications, but the
Tian Shan’s sensors picked up a weak, short range communication coming from the station. It revealed that the uprising on Hektor was much less organised than the propaganda loop was letting on, with the Hektor Church group being made up of less than two dozen individuals. The rest of the station’s personnel only nominally joined the uprising, and have since distanced themselves from the hostage takers.
With the assistance of the station’s regular population in bypassing the station’s docking lockdown, shuttles from the
Tian Shan and
Scarborough were able to safely drop in command and security teams. Further cooperation brought the ship’s joint command teams, backed by the
Tian Shan security crew and three squads of the
Scarborough’s marines, to hostage takers’ stronghold in the station’s SEA office. Negotiations were highly successful, with the rebels quickly surrendering in the face of the superior ESF numbers and equipment. Talks between the station’s residents and the freed SEA and ESF personnel, arbitrated by the
Tian Shan and
Scarborough captains, led to the assuaging of many prior disagreements, and by the time ESF reinforcements arrived, a measure of informal power sharing was in place. SEA and ESF command agreed to only charge the Hektor Church rebels, taking them back to Earth for trial, leaving the rest of the station’s population to continue life as normal. News peaceful resolution of the crisis has already begun calming tensions throughout the outer colonies, showing that the SEA and ESF may be able to handle the worries of belter communities in a more gentle manner.
ESS Tian Shan 5d20+3=42 (2+17+11+6+6(+3))
ESS Scarborough 5d20+2=75 (20+8+17+12(+1)+16(+1))
117 vs. DC50
Extreme Success
Result: +72RCs for
ESS Tian Shan, +128RCs for
ESS Scarborough
The
ESS Leviathan was initially scheduled to jump to Alpha Centauri with the rest of the fleet, but due to unforeseen miscalculations, ended up in the Beta 8 sector. Making the best of the situation, the ship surveyed the nearby red main sequence star system. It discovered a few small planets in close orbit of the star, far too hot and with too variable of atmospheres to be suitable for human activity. Further out in the system was an asteroid ring, and among those rocks was the
Leviathan’s most interesting discovery. A weak signal, which the crew correctly assumed to be some sort of distress signal, led them to a wrecked alien vessel, floating with minimal power and severely damaged. Further scans indicated several weak life signs aboard the ship. No communication attempts have been succesful.
5d20=45 (15+11+4+5+10+)
Result: Beta 8 45% discovered, +45RCs from
ESS Leviathan
First Responder
Yellow Alert
A damaged alien ship is adrift in the system’s asteroid ring, with only minimal power. Several weak life signs aboard a sealed section of the ship, and the ship could lose power at any moment. The ship’s damage is extensive, and scans indicate that while the power core is weak, it is also unstable. ESF Command is of course willing to allow any ship to evacuate the survivors, but is also puts a priority on discovering how and why the ship was damaged in the first place.
The
ESS Catalina jumped to the sector dubbed Utah, discovering a star redder, and slighter larger, than Sol, and managed to survey about 40% of the sector before the end of the month. In the Utah-1 star system, the
Catalina has so far found a handful of barren planetoids in distant orbits, a gas giant roughly the size of Neptune, and a planet about 70% the mass of Earth, and at a slightly further orbit. Being in a suspected habitable orbit, the
Catalina further inspected the planet, Utah-1 Prime, and scans indicated it likely indeed did harbour alien life. Unfortunately, only a little over a month ago, a large asteroid had collided with the planet, creating catastrophic conditions, and the blanket of dust and ash smothering the planet has made precise sensor readings impossible from orbit.
ESS Catalina 3d20=39(16+11+12)
Result: Utah B3 39% discovered, +39RCs for
ESS Catalina
Before the End
Blue Alert
It may be possible to take a shuttle into the atmosphere of Utah-1 Prime, a planet dying from a catastrophic asteroid strike, as the blanket of dust and ash smothering the planet has made precise sensor readings impossible from orbit. There is still could be some life on the planet despite the hellish conditions, but the situation is more dire than that of the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event on Earth, meaning anything enduring the suffocating dust, smoke, starvation and extreme heat, could perish at any moment. Of course, any away team would also have to contend with those conditions, but there is definite scientific value in examining an extinction-level event first hand.
The
ESS Dave Bowman had brief scare as it jumped into Sepang G17, directly into the face of a massive black hole. After finding a stable position far enough from the Sepang black hole, the ship managed to scan over half of the sector, finding a number of fascinating anomalies. Perilously close to the black hole’s event horizon is a vast ring of dust and asteroids, most less than a metre in size, but with some up to 20km across, somehow stable and showing no signs of orbital degradation. Odd energy and chemical readings have been detected throughout the ring, sometimes on asteroids, and other times seemingly drifting through the great gaps between the rocks.
ESS Dave Bowman 6d20=52(17+20+5+5+3+2)
Result: Sepang G17 52% discovered, +52RCs for ESS Dave Bowman
On the Edge
Blue Alert
An oddly stable ring of asteroids and dust surrounding the Sepang black hole is by itself worthy of in depth, close-up study, but the chemical and energy readings throughout the ring demand further attention. If the ring is stable, it may be safe enough to approach, or even enter, the ring and sample or land on the asteroids. There is of course a great risk in approach the black hole, and there is no way to know how the anomalies may impact ship or life functions
Deep Dive
Blue Alert
The Sepang black hole is the first of its kind to be viewed up close by humanity. This presents a huge opportunity for groundbreaking studies into the nature of black holes. The presence of the ring also indicates it may be possible to approach the black hole itself, probing the edge of its event horizon. Depending on the study’s results, ESF is considering establishing a permanent science station in the system. Assuming, of course, the black hole is proven to be safe.
The
ESS Midway discovered a red dwarf star in the eponymously named the G8 Midway sector. While only surveying 28% of the sector, the
Midway located a small planet, intensely hot, and very close to the Midway star. Of more interest was the sighting of a large rogue comet, 23.4km in diameter, in the outer reaches of the sector. While initial scans indicated it was just a standard, if large, ball of ice and rock, further inspection detected an unknown material deep within the comet.
ESS Midway 2d20=28(8+20)
Result: Midway G8 28% discovered, +28RCs for ESS Midway
Rock Wrangling
Blue Alert
A large rogue comet, 23.4km in diameter, in the outer reaches of the Midway sector has been determined to contain an unknown material deep within it. The ESF Science Corp would love to get their hands on a sample of the material, if there is any way to drill or blast down into the comet’s core. There is obvious risk in putting a crew directly on the comet’s service, while the safer option of blasting the comet at a distance risks damaging the inner material, if ships’ weapons are even effective against an object of this size.
The
ESS Alamo made its first FTL jump to Alpha 6, now known as Torus A6, a sector containing a known red dwarf star. Initial scans unfortunately proved less than satisfactory, uncovering only a smattering of planetoids drifting around the star, none of which seemed any more exciting than those in Sol at first glance, though further scans would be necessary to better map out the sector.
3d20=18 (3+14+1)
Result: Torus A6 18% discovered, +18RC for
ESS Alamo
The
ESS Colombus jumped to the Gamma 18 sector, naming it Etruria G18. The ship’s powerful scanners and sweeped a little under half the sector, but uncovered nothing of note in the vast empty expanse of deep space.
4d20+8=39 (2+10+15+4(+8))
Result: Etruria G18 39% discovered, +39RCs for
ESS Colombus
The
ESS Tiamat made its way past Alpha Centauri to the Beta 7 sector, renaming Anastasia B7 after the captain’s mother. Scanning over half of the sector, the
Tiamat found a few planets and planetoids orbiting a blue main sequence star. The most interesting finds were on the system’s earth-like second planet, and on a moon of the third planet, a gas giant.
The A-class is the first of its kind discovered outside of Sol, and while scans indicate the atmosphere isn’t safely breathable without light assistance, it should otherwise be safe for human activity. Scans have also indicated abundant life signs spread across the planet, with large clusters dotting the continents, though there are no indications so far of sapient life.
The moon is smaller than Luna, roughly the size of Europa, with a very thin oxygen atmosphere. Activity on the surface would require a full suit, if it wasn’t for
Tian Shan’s amazing discovery of a massive dome, encompassing what appears to an intact city and well tended surrounding farmland and woodlands. Scans have detected well over a hundred thousand life forms and huge energy readings, and the internal atmosphere appears to be survivable for humans, if a bit too oxygen rich. So far the city does not seem to have detected the
Tian Shan, or indeed even have any capability to do so.
4d20=52 (14+11+20+10)
Result: Anastasia B7 52% discovered, +52RCs for
ESS Tiamat
World of Green
Blue Alert
The second planet of the Anastasia system, an A-class planet, despite scans indicate the atmosphere isn’t safely breathable without light assistance, should otherwise be safe for human colonisation. Scans have also indicated abundant life signs spread across the planet, with large clusters dotting the continents, and ESF command would like for one of these clusters to be studied up close. If humanity plans to live on this planet, it will need to know what it will be living with. If possible, obtaining specimens of whatever lives on the planet would be preferable, assuming it is safe to do so.
Under the Dome
Yellow Alert
On a moon roughly the size of Europa, with a very thin oxygen atmosphere, is a massive dome, encompassing what appears to an intact city and well tended surrounding farmland and woodlands. Scans have detected well over a hundred thousand life forms and huge energy readings, and the internal atmosphere appears to be survivable for humans, if a bit too oxygen rich. The city does not have the ability to detect or communicate with the outside world, and there appears to be only one gate into the dome, but ESF command would like to make first contact with whatever is living in the dome, and is particularly interested in the dome technology itself, which is far beyond anything like the domes used in the Sol colonies. There’s no way of knowing if the inhabitants will be friendly, or if they will even open the gate (if it opens), or what kind of weapons or advanced technology they have. You’re going in blind.
Only a few short days before its scheduled jump with the other 1st ExoFinder ships to the Alpha Centauri sector, the
ESS Ghost in the Machine had to deal with a malfunctioning crew-droid. Ensign X-1241132 was removed from crucial ship tasks, and investigated by the science team. They found that something had indeed been changed in ‘32s positronic brain, but the change proved to be incredibly small, and difficult to really comprehend what had been altered. The Ensign was indeed playing the signal over and over in its systems, but it was also changing the signal, making different rythms and patterns. There was also no indication that ‘32 was conscious of playing the signal, and was determined to not be lying. Even more strangely, 24 hours after being removed from most of its tasks, the android began making sounds, which after substantial research was determined to be ‘humming.’ When asked what it was doing, Ensign X-1241132 replied that it was ‘bored.’ With the diagnosis showing nothing clearly wrong with the android, it was allowed to return to its duties, though under strict surveillance as it continues to display a tendency to be, for a lack of a better word, ‘creative.’ ESF Command has indicated it would be interested in taking the android back to Earth for a full diagnosis, but leaves the choice up to the captain.
3d20=39 (12+16+11) vs DC20
Substantial Success
Result: +60RC for
ESS Ghost in the Machine, Either 150RC or Ensign Entertainer
While many of the 1st ExoFinders broke out on their own bold paths into the stars, six ships, the
ESS Geneva,
ESS Azrael,
ESS Hiawatha,
ESS Ghost in the Machine,
ESS Angela Ziegler, and the
ESS Liberty, warped into the Alpha Centauri sector in formation, chasing the signal that had started this new age of exploration. Their combined scans quickly and efficiently mapped out the entirety of the sector
ESS Geneva 3d20=27 (8+10+9)
ESS Azrael 6d20=49 (4+13+7+13+10+2)
ESS Hiawatha 5d20=44 (3+14+8+12+7)
ESS Ghost in the Machine 3d20=30 (9+8+13)
ESS Angela Ziegler 4d20=45 (16+17+2+10)
ESS Liberty 4d20=51 (11+19+15+6)
Result: Alpha Centauri A4 100% discovered,
ESS Geneva +10RCs,
ESS Azrael +20RCs,
ESS Hiawatha +18RCs,
ESS Ghost in the Machine +12RCs,
ESS Angela Ziegler +18RCs,
ESS Liberty +21RCs
What they found was staggering. At the beginning of the month, humanity was just beginning to crawl out of its cradle, and by the end of the month, it had made first contact with alien life. Twice.
The first came from the Earth-sized planet orbiting Proxima Centauri discovered three centuries ago, determined to be the source of the signal received last year. As the fleet entered the sector and began scanning the planet, the signal once again was received. It was the same rhythmic pulsing, but faster, and after a few hours, a second signal was received with a different rhythm. Every five hours, a new signal was sent from the planet, but scans of the planet were not as expected. They revealed minimal life signs, likely limited to microscopic, or possibly insect at best, life forms, and the planet’s surface was severely chaotic, indicating hugely active tectonic movement. So active, that over the first few days of observing the planet, the fleet detected no fewer than three thousand earthquakes large enough to be discerned from orbit. They could physically see mountain ranges raising or collapsing by metres, and the planet’s night side was illuminated by constant volcanic eruptions forming island chains in the ever widening oceans. The source of the signal seemed to be coming from the planet itself, with no structures at all to be seen. After a few days of ogling the planet, the
ESS Ghost in the Machine was the first to initiate contact, with its newly licensed ‘musician’ having the bright idea of mixing and returning the signals. The planet responded immediately with a flurry of auditory and visual rhythms and patterns, though none appeared to contain any sort of script, language, or clear way to carry information. Attempts by the fleet to send written, spoken, or coded messages were met with silence, while anything vaguely musical was met with similar bursts of activity. Whatever is responding is clearly intelligent in some fashion, but its still unclear what it
is.
The second first contact with obvious alien life came simultaneously with the ‘conversation’ with the planet. A ship, larger and far more advanced than the ESF ships, was also found orbiting the Proxima Centauri planet, likewise scanning it. The unknown ship immediately sent a package of signals to the fleet, many of which were indecipherable, while others were found to contain a series of prime numbers and other mathematical constants. The fleet responded in kind, and soon after the ship sent an audio and visual reply, presumably of their script and speech, though what they said is still unknown as linguists race to decipher the alien language. Since the second signal pack, the ship has not responded to any further messages, nor has it changed its orbit above the planet, and has only done cursory scans of the fleet before returning to scanning the planet.
In the proper Alpha Centauri binary star system, a number of small planets were discovered, some with their own mysteries.
A planet smaller than mercury very close to Alpha Centauri B appears to be widening its orbit at a progressively faster rate, lengthening its year by nearly an hour every full cycle, which at this point is roughly two Earth-months. The planet surface is inhospitable to human life, with a tenuous and rapidly changing atmosphere, and temperatures either far too hot or far too cold. Any surface activity would have to be done quickly before safety measures break down.
Another small planet is pock marked with a huge number of craters, which is odd given the comparatively thick atmosphere and active weather patterns. Further scans seemed to indicate that comets and meteors throughout the system were actual being somehow pulled towards the planet, and in just this year alone is projected to receive dozens more substantial impacts.
Energy readings have detected what appear to be automated mining stations dotting the asteroids in the system’s outer asteroid belt. Scanners show around twenty of these stations, and among them absolutely no biological life. The stations appear to have docking stations, most likely for cargo ships, but no ships are currently present in the system beyond the alien vessel around Proxima Centauri. The mining stations may be related to the alien ship, but there is no way to tell without further inspection.
Lastly, an odd reading located some sort of space station far in the outer reaches of the system. There are no apparent life forms, nor are there any readings to indicate active robotics or computers. The station is a large ring, with the empty space having a diameter of nearly two kilometers, with the structure itself being about 50 meters across. Once again, it may be related to the alien ship or the mining stations, but further inspection is required.
Singalong
Blue Alert
Proper communication has yet to be established with whatever is sending the ‘musical’ signals from the chaotic planet orbiting Proxima Centauri. ESF Command considers it a top priority for comprehensible contact to be established with the signal-senders, and to determine who or what they are, why they sent the signal, and most importantly, if they are peaceful.
Curiosity or Lack Thereof
Yellow Alert
The ship orbiting and scanning the Proxima Centauri planet has only made brief contact with the fleet, and instead seems more preoccupied with scanning the planet. ESF Command considers establishing proper communications with the ship of utmost importance, as it is the first clear indication of intelligent, at least marginally human-like alien life in the galaxy. The ship is larger than any other FTL capable ESF ship, and scans have indicated it is more advanced in nearly every way, though whatever shielding the ship is using have made interior scans impossible. Peaceful communication is most obviously preferred, but ESF Command authorises any and all measures necessary to protect the fleet, should the aliens prove less than friendly.
Ascending
Blue Alert
A planet smaller than mercury very close to Alpha Centauri B appears to be widening its orbit at a progressively faster rate, lengthening its year by nearly an hour every full cycle, which at this point is roughly two Earth-months. The planet surface is inhospitable to human life, with a tenuous and rapidly changing atmosphere, and temperatures either far too hot or far too cold. Any surface activity would have to be done quickly before safety measures break down. ESF Science Council is very interested in how or why this is happening.
Hard Attraction
Yellow Alert
A small planet orbiting Alpha Centauri B is pock marked with a huge number of craters, which is odd given the comparatively thick atmosphere and active weather patterns. Further scans seemed to indicate that comets and meteors throughout the system were actual being somehow pulled towards the planet, and in just this year alone is projected to receive dozens more substantial impacts. It could be very useful for future colonisation or terraforming efforts to understand what is happening. Approaching the planet could prove dangerous, as small meteors are constantly assaulting the planet, many of which are too small to be detected with substantial forewarning, and the planet’s surface is also less than hospitable, with frequent dust storms raging across the world.
Off to Work We Go
Blue Alert
Automated mining stations dot the asteroids in the system’s outer asteroid belt. Scanners show around twenty of these stations, and among them absolutely no biological life. The stations appear to have docking stations, most likely for cargo ships, but no ships are currently present in the system beyond the alien vessel around Proxima Centauri. The mining stations may be related to the alien ship, but there is no way to tell without further inspection. The SEA is interested in discovering how these stations operate, as they appear to be far more advanced than the automated stations in the Sol system.
In the Ring
Yellow Alert
An odd reading located some sort of space station far in the outer reaches of the system. There are no apparent life forms, nor are there any readings to indicate active robotics or computers. The station is a large ring, with the empty space having a diameter of nearly two kilometers, with the structure itself being about 50 meters across. Once again, it may be related to the alien ship or the mining stations, but further inspection is required.
****
Ship Challenges
Map
Writing Bonuses
ESS Azrael +50RC
ESS Zero Gravitas +50RC
ESS Hiawatha +50RC
