On the 16th March 3309, Aden Tanner (Aegis Military Advisor) sent out “A Call For Assistance”, stating that Seo Jin-ae had gone missing.
Tanner requested that commanders travel to the Ngaruayanka system, to begin the search for Seo Jin-ae.
A CALL FOR ASSISTANCE
Commander,
The following is a matter of urgency and discretion.
Seo Jin-ae, formerly known to some as Subject D-2, is missing and likely in danger. Her last known location was traced to the Ngaruayanka system.
I’ve asked for an Aegis security team to search the area. Even so, the Pilots’ Federation has always been a trusted ally and I consider its members people of integrity. I hope that you’ll help uncover Seo’s whereabouts.
Let’s bring her home.
Aden Tanner
Aegis Military Advisor
After travelling to the Ngaruayanka system, a Listening Post can be found in a “Hacked Comms Beacon” signal source, orbiting body 3.
Upon scanning the Listening Post, the following messages (with audio) are received:
Logs:
NEMESIS INVESTIGATION 1/3
Seo: You finally figured out how to contact me. It took you long enough.
Tanner: I’m out of practice. It‘s been a while since I received an anonymous tip from some hot-head charging across the galaxy.
Seo: Skip the lecture about how I shouldn’t be ‘flying around the galaxy by myself‘. Or that the noises in my head are ‘too important’. Alba already tried.
Tanner: Are you sure? I’ve been planning my speech for hours.
Seo: I found something, Mr. Tanner. Data pulled from an Azimuth archive. The files are still corrupt in places, but if the decryption I‘m running is good then-
Tanner: Hold on a second. What do you think you’ve found?
Seo: Salvation had a failsafe device. Some kinda digital storage for human consciousness. He called it the ‘Nemesis’ protocol; just the type of codename an arrogant prick would give themselves. It must have been activated before the Bright Sentinel was destroyed. The recovery crew only saw a corpse, right?
Tanner: Yeah. The body’s ID was confirmed but Thargoids showed up before it could be recovered. I saw the report from the rescue crew. I can’t say I doubted its authenticity.
Seo: There‘s no chance Salvation would have been on that ship if he didn’t have a getaway plan. He’s too much of a coward to face death. Final death, I mean. I know he escaped somehow.
Tanner: I understand why you’re keen on this, Seo. But this idea of uploading someone’s mind onto a databank is-
Seo: Is what? Crazy?
Tanner: Never said you were crazy, kid. Just don’t want you to exhaust yourself chasing rumours.
Seo: I’m always exhausted. I didn’t ask to join your stupid war with the aliens. Now I’m trapped in the middle of it, because of him. This Nemesis device will prove Salvation‘s still out there. If l can find it. Are you going to help me or not?
Tanner: I already said I would. What have you got?
NEMESIS INVESTIGATION 2/3
Seo: The upload’s finished. Check your inbox.
Tanner: Message received. There‘s a lot of stuff here, Seo.
Seo: I’ve checkmarked the important parts.
Tanner: So you have. Where did you learn to find this information?
Seo: I used to be a private investigator. My boss had a soft spot for people who’d been screwed over by the corporations. He taught me how to access private networks without setting off any alarms.
Tanner: You‘re a hacker, then.
Seo: Oh yeah, a real ‘cyber-net-hacker’. Nobody talks like that anymore. Info is only as safe as the network it lives on. Didn’t you ever learn how to bypass in the Federal Army?
Tanner: Federal Navy. And no, it wasn’t part of my training to steal classified data. I had a network of spies who did that for me.
Seo: I read that you tried to seize data from Azimuth’s computers at Hind Mine, but failed. Maybe that wasn’t part of your training either.
Tanner: I can hear your grin, Seo. Instead of smart-mouthing your way onto my bad side, how about you explain how you found out about this Nemesis thing?
Seo: Fine, fine. Remember when Azimuth was forced out of several systems last year? They left a few unmarked data clusters on local servers – I doubt on purpose. One had access port info for a primary…
Seo: Did you send someone after me?
Tanner: No. Why do you ask?
Tanner: Are you still there. Seo?
Seo: I could have sworn there was movement on my radar. Can‘t see anything now. You’d tell me if you did, yes?
Tanner: It depends what my objective was. But I’m telling the truth. I’m not aware of any plan to have you followed.
Seo: Okay… Okay. Let’s go through this data. Start at the first checkmark.
NEMESIS INVESTIGATION 3/3
Tanner: I’ll be completely honest with you, Seo. I’m still not convinced.
Seo: How can you say that after everything you’ve just read? Salvation had a failsafe for when he physically died.
Tanner: All I’ve seen is a theory about using Guardian tech to build a storage device for the mind. But having an idea and making it a reality are very different things.
Seo: Salvation had the credits and resources to build anti-Thargoid megaweapons. He convinced the fleets of all three superpowers to join his cause. Do you really think he’d design a way to cheat death and not go through with it?
Tanner: Show me in this document where it says he built the Nemesis device.
Seo: You’re being dumb.
Tanner: Show me.
Seo: …There’s no mention of building it.
Tanner: Then you’re still chasing a rumour. I agree that this is interesting, and maybe there’s more to find. For now, come back to the Aegis facility and we can plan the next phase of your search together.
Seo: Together? Right. You’ll keep a close eye on me, I guess. It‘s important to make sure your Thargoid wiretap is safe.
Tanner: You’re sulking?
Seo: Don’t talk down to me. I’m right.
Tanner: Is that what you think? That we’re more interested in what you can give us than who you are?
Seo: lf l couldn’t hear the Thargoids we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
Tanner: Maybe you’re right. But I‘m not sure we’d be talking if I hadn’t been a Federal Navy Admiral. It doesn’t matter what brings us to the dance, Seo. What matters is you’re here now, and we have a duty to care for you.
Seo: I wish I could believe you. I want to, but… I’m so messed up. Aden. It‘s like my brain isn’t my own anymore. The noises are sometimes loud and sometimes quiet but I can never switch them off.
Tanner: And that’s a crappy hand to be dealt. I wish there was a way to take it back. But the doctors say we can’t. Not yet, at least.
Seo: Maybe not-Need to go. Ships arrived with weapons ready. NO identification.
Tanner: Name a destination, I’ll have a squadron deployed to meet you.
Seo: Shangdi. Dropping comms.
Tanner: Wait, Seo! Stay on the-
After travelling to the Shangdi system, a “Curious Ship Debris” signal source can be found orbiting body A 2.
When entering the “Curious Ship Debris” signal source, a single piece of wreckage can be found with a Ship Log Uplink attached, upon scanning the Uplink with a Datalink Scanner, the following message will be received:
CURIOUS SHIP DEBRIS
MESSAGE CORRUPTED. ANALYZING…
TRANSCRIPTION COMPLETE
-Are you sure that’s her wake?
-One of them is. Can’t tell for sure. She gate-crashed a wedding and sent ships scattering. Damn barges are everywhere.
-Who takes a wedding barge to Shangdi?
-People who live in Shangdi, probably.
-Shut up, you two? We’ve got a job to do.
-Just analyse the wakes, jeeze.
-None of them give her name. She‘s hardly gonna have ‘D-2’ stamped on her ship, either.
-Would make our lives easier if she did.
-Look, let’s take one system each. I’ll search Alectrona.
-EGM 95.
-Ankaa here.
-That leaves me with Main.
-What do we do when we find her?
-Stick to the plan. Disable her ship and force her to use an escape pod.
-What if she doesn’t jettison?
-Disable her ship more. Trashing life support can change anyone’s mind. Trust me.
Following the discovery of the message in the Shangdi system, the systems of Alectrona, EGM 95, Ankaa and Main were searched.
While nothing of interest was found the 3 of the systems, when searching the Ankaa system, a “Notable Degraded Emissions” signal source was found orbiting the star.
When entering the “Notable Degraded Emissions” signal source, wreckage field can be found with a Ship Log Uplink attached one of the large pieces, upon scanning the Uplink with a Datalink Scanner, the following message will be received:
E-*ENGHY…..6E…88-#@
MESSAGE CORRUPTED. ANALYZING…
TRANSCRIPTION FAILED.
W4HHATIN TH@ EFUU9….##’.’@%%AT
Note: Due to an error with the codex, this log overwrites “The Alexandria 1/6”.
Unfortunately, at this point the trail goes cold.
However, on the 23rd March 3309, it was announcing via Galnet, that the Far God Cult had rescued Seo Jin-ae.
Far God Cultists Rescue Seo Jin-ae
23 MAR 3309
Seo Jin-ae has arrived safely in the Luyten’s Star system, aboard an Order of the Far God megaship.
A message was transmitted by the First Apostle of the True Chapters, a proactive sect of the pacifistic religion, from aboard the Testament:
“The one known to non-believers as Subject D-2 or Seo Jin-ae is sacred to us as the Preceptor – the first human to interpret the will of the Far God. We know her to be a holy emissary, on a personal pilgrimage that exposed her to great danger. I was able to convince my brethren to locate the Preceptor and offer her safe harbour from the heretics.”
“I beseeched the Preceptor to help us hear the Far God’s divine thoughts as she does, but she informed me that the time was not yet right. She requested a reunion with her friends, who also seek ways to commune with Its heralds. While this insistence on collaborating with the unworthy is curious, we have faith that the Far God guides her path. One day the Preceptor will prepare us for the extinction of all life. It is our honour to serve her.”
Professor Alba Tesreau gave a statement to the media:
“I am very grateful to the First Apostle for her help. The Testament’s timely intervention routed several unidentified hostile ships that were hunting Seo Jin-ae. Once she has completed a medical assessment, we hope to learn more about her recent findings.”
Congressman Tom Gillespie has instructed Aegis not to make formal contact with Far God cultists, whose faith is outlawed in the Federation as well as the Empire. A week’s clemency has been issued in recognition of Seo’s safe return, but the Testament’s presence deep in Federal territory is likely to irritate President Hudson.
On the 30th March 3309, an additional Galnet was released: Seo Jin-ae: ‘I Believe Salvation Survived’, stating Seo Jin-ae’s belief that Salvation is still alive, and that the Far God megaship – The Testament, had now left the Luyten’s Star system.
On the 3rd April 3309, another Galnet was released: Nemesis Failsafe: Fact or Fiction?, where Azimuth Biotech rejected Seo Jin-ae’s claim, and the scientific journal The Empirical, addressed the concepts featured in Seo Jin-ae’s statement.
