Applying the Atbash Latin cipher yielded the message:

CHKKNM MDUDQ BZQQHDR BZQFN

Applying the Caesar cipher with a shift of +1, we arrived at the final message:

DILLON NEVER CARRIES CARGO

The supplementary data in the message is a more traditional clue which directed us to PRE Logistics Support Alpha in the 42 n Persei system.

• The top dog in a pack is known as the Alpha.
• The 42 n Persei system has two stars.
• The 42 n Persei system has a purple gas giant with three moons.
• The outpost orbits a purple gas giant.

PRE Logistics Support Alpha

42 n Persei Herald
26 Aug 3302

***Carrier signal compromised***

***Encrypted data incoming***
.-.. ..-. –. -..- …- –. …- / .–. — …. / –.- – –.. –. -. / .— –
.. .-.. .-. .–. –. -..- / …- …. -.- -..- .. / -.. -… -.-. ..-. / …. -.- .. –
.-. — .-.. / –.. …. / …. .. .-. -..- -..- – – -… / – .- /

***Supplementary data received***

The legal defendant sits by 14 lumps of ice. They
might be able to provide the answers in shorthand.

***End of line***

The bulk of the message consists of morse-code, when the first line break is treated as a break in the morse character, but the second line break is ignored, and slash symbols treated as breaks between individual parts, it yielded the message:

LFGXVGV POH QTZGN JTILRPGX VHKXI DBCF HKICOL ZH HIRXXTTB TA

Applying the Vigenère cipher with a key of TRUTH yielded the message:

SOMEONE WHO WASNW QMPUXWZE BODER KUJO ODPLUS GQ OBYGDAMI ZH

It was clear that an error had occurred in transmission; the cipher was breaking down because of the missing apostrophe in the word “wasn’t”. We inserted an apostrophe in the appropriate place in the original message:

LFGXVGV POH QTZG’N JTILRPGX VHKXI DBCF HKICOL ZH HIRXXTTB TA

And then we re-applied the Vigenère cipher with a key of TRUTH to arrive at the final message:

SOMEONE WHO WASN’T CARRYING CARGO WILL ARRIVE IN APADEMAK AT

Unfortunately no time is given in the message.

The supplementary data in the message is a more traditional clue which directed us to PRE Logistics Support Delta in the Hyades Sector AB-W b2-2 system.

• In legal shorthand, the defendant is identified by the delta symbol.
• The Hyades Sector AB-W b2-2 system consists of fourteen icy moons around a single star.

PRE Logistics Support Delta

Hyades Sector AB-W b2-2
26 Aug 3302

***Carrier signal compromised***

***Encrypted data incoming***
30 30 2e 30 31 20 67 6e 20 59 56 4e 50 20 61 76 20
72 69 76 65 65 6e 20 79 79 76 6a 20 79 75 62 58 20
71 72 79 79 6e 70 20 65 72 71 6e 65 67 20 4e

***Supplementary data received***

The wearer of the royal seal from Hatshepsut’s court,
he of Nubia, invites you to his landing at the third of
nine.

***End of line***

The bulk of the message consists of a series of hexadecimals numbers that can be interpreted as ASCII, which yielded the message:

00.01 gn YVNP av riveen yyvj yubX qryynp erqneg N

This message is reversed to yield the message:

N genqre pnyyrq Xbuy jvyy neevir va PNVY ng 10.00

Applying a ROT13 encoding (equivalent to a Caesar Cipher with a shift of 13) , we arrived at the final message:

A trader called Kohl will arrive in CAIL at 10.00

The supplementary data in the message is a more traditional clue which directed us to Nehsi Landing in the HIP 17655 system.

• Nehsi was an official at the court of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Hatshepsut.
• Nehsi held the position of Wearer of the Royal Seal.
• The word Nehsi translates to “He of Nubia.”
• Nehsi Landing is on the third planet of nine in the system.

Nehsi Landing

HIP 17655 Herald
27 Aug 3302

***Carrier signal compromised***

***Encrypted data incoming***
XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLIX XXXII XLVIII
XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XXXII XLVIII
XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLIX XLVIII XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLIX
XLVIII XLIX XLIX XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII
XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX
XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII
XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII
XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX
XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII
XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX
XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII
XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX XLIX
XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII
XLIX XLIX XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX
XLIX XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII
XLVIII XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLIX XLIX
XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLIX XLVIII XLIX
XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII
XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII
XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX XLIX XXXII
XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XXXII
XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLIX XLIX XLIX XXXII XLVIII
XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLIX XLVIII XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLIX
XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLIX
XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII
XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX
XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XXXII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII
XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII
XLIX XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII
XLVIII XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX
XLVIII XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII
XLVIII XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII
XLVIII XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX
XLVIII XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLIX
XLVIII XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX XLIX XLVIII XLIX
XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLIX
XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX
XXXII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII
XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLIX XLVIII XLIX XXXII
XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XXXII
XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XXXII
XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLIX XLIX XXXII XLVIII
XLIX XLVIII XLIX XLIX XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLIX
XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLVIII
XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLIX
XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLIX XLVIII XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII
XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII
XLVIII XLIX XLIX XLVIII XLIX XXXII XLVIII  XLIX XLVIII XLIX
XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX
XLVIII XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX XLIX
XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLVIII XLIX XLIX
XLVIII XLIX XXXII XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX XLVIII XLIX XLIX
XLIX X

***Supplementary data received***

Let’s get Sirius – it’s not tall or green but after setting
sail 1,804 years ago this portugese explorer’s
settlement sits in a small sedimentary basin, maybe
once part of the centralian superbasin.

***End of line***

The bulk of the message consists of a series of roman numerals that can be interpreted as the decimals:

48 49 48 49 48 48 49 49 32 48 49 48 48 48 49 48 48 32 48 49 48 48 49 49 48 49 32 48 49 48 49 49 48 49 48 32 48 49 48 49 48 48 49 49 32 48 49 48 49 48 48 48 49 32 48 49 48 48 48 49 48 48 32 48 48 49 48 48 48 48 48 32 48 49 48 49 48 48 48 48 32 48 49 48 48 48 48 48 49 32 48 49 48 49 48 48 48 49 32 48 49 48 48 48 49 48 49 32 48 49 48 49 49 48 49 48 32 48 48 49 48 48 49 49 49 32 48 49 48 48 48 49 49 48 32 48 48 49 48 48 48 48 48 32 48 49 48 48 49 49 49 49 32 48 49 48 48 49 49 48 49 32 48 49 48 48 48 49 48 48 32 48 49 48 48 48 49 48 48 32 48 49 48 48 49 48 49 49 32 48 48 49 48 48 48 48 48 32 48 49 48 48 49 49 49 49 32 48 49 48 48 49 49 48 49 32 48 49 48 48 48 49 48 48 32 48 49 48 49 48 48 49 49 32 48 49 48 48 48 48 48 49 32 48 48 49 48 48 48 48 48 32 49 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 49 48 48 49 49 32 48 48 49 48 48 48 48 48 32 48 49 48 49 48 49 48 48 32 48 49 48 49 48 48 48 49 32 48 48 49 48 48 48 48 48 32 48 49 48 49 48 49 48 48 32 48 49 48 48 49 49 48 49 32 48 49 48 49 49 48 49 48 32 48 49 48 49 48 48 49 49 32 48 49 48 48 48 49 48 49 32 48 48 49 48 48 48 48 48 32 48 49 48 48 49 49 48 49 32 48 49 48 48 48 49 48 48 32 48 49 48 48 48 48 48 49 32 48 49 48 48 48 49 49 49 32 48 49 48 49 49 48 49 48 32 48 49 48 49 48 48 48 48 32 48 48 49 48 48 48 48 48 32 48 49 48 48 49 49 48 49 32 48 49 48 48 48 48 49 48 32 48 49 48 48 49 49 48 49 32 48 49 48 49 48 48 48 48 32 48 49 48 49 48 48 48 49 32 48 49 48 49 49 48 48 49 32 48 49 48 48 49 49 48 49 32 48 49 48 49 48 49 49 49 10

These decimals can be interpreted as ASCII, which yielded a series of space-separated binary numbers, ending in a newline character:

01010011 01000100 01001101 01011010 01010011 01010001 01000100 00100000 01010000 01000001 01010001 01000101 01011010 00100111 01000110 00100000 01001111 01001101 01000100 01000100 01001011 00100000 01001111 01001101 01000100 01010011 01000001 00100000 10000000010011 00100000 01010100 01010001 00100000 01010100 01001101 01011010 01010011 01000101 00100000 01001101 01000100 01000001 01000111 01011010 01010000 00100000 01001101 01000010 01001101 01010000 01010001 01011001 01001101 01010111 \n

Once again these binary numbers can be interpreted as ASCII, apart from the long sequence for that we use the full Unicode character set, and the newline which we ignore, which yielded the message:

SDMZSQD PAQEZ’F OMDDK OMDSA – TQ TMZSE MDAGZP MBMPQYMW

Applying a Caesar Cipher with a shift of 14 (possibly intended to be ROT13 followed by a shift of +1 given other clues), we arrived at the final message:

GRANGER DOESN’T CARRY CARGO – HE HANGS AROUND APADEMAK

The supplementary data in the message is a more traditional clue which directed us to Kippax Dock in the Ngalia system.

• Ngalia basin is a sedimentary basin in central Australia, and may have once been part of the centralian superbasin.
• Ngalia system is controlled by Sirius Inc.
• 1804 years before 3302 is 1498.
• Francisco Serrão is probably the explorer, though he set sail in 1512.
• Three stations in the system; Green Enterprise, Tall Enterprise, and Kippax Dock; clue says not tall or green.

Kippax Dock

Ngalia Herald
26 Aug 3302

***Carrier signal compromised***

Congratulations, Commander – you’ve reached the
end.

You should have everything you need to find us.

See you soon.

Cail Community Goal

While it appears that this was intended to be the end of the mystery, a community goal was later posted in the Cail system containing the same text but also containing a clue like the Galnet articles from the other systems:

Carrier Signal Compromised

***Encrypted data incoming***
01010101 01001001 01000111 00100000 01000110 01011001 01010010 01010001 01010000
01010011 01000111 01010111 00100000 01011000 01000011 01011000 00100000 01001101
01000011 01011000 01010101 00100000 01010101 01001010 01000110 01001111 00100000
01001110 01001111 00100000 01010101 01000100 01010100 01010101 01000111 01010010
00100000 01010001 01001011 01001000 00100000 01010101 01010001 01010000 00100000
01001001 01000111 00100000 01010011 01000110 01010110 01011010 01010011 01001111
01010101 00100000 01000110 01000010 01000101 01001101 00100000 01000101 01000011
01000100 00100000 01000010 01010110 00100000 01010101 01001001 01010100 01001010
01000110 00100000 01010010 01010010 00100000 01001000 01001111 01011001

***Supplementary data received***

Congratulations, Commander – you’ve reached the
end.

You should have everything you need to find us.

See you soon.

***End of line***

The appeal had no delivery requirements or goals, the only listed tier was:

OOPS – 9223372037854775807 UNITS

The bulk of the message consists of a series of binary numbers that can be interpreted as ASCII, which yielded the message:

UIG FYRQPSGW XCX MCXU UJFO NO UDTUGR QKH UQP IG SFVZSOU FBEM ECD BV UITJF RR HOY

Applying the Vigenère cipher with a key of OOPS yielded the message:

GUR RKCYBERE JNF YNFG FRRA VA FLFGRZ CVP GBX UR ERGHEAF RNPU QNL NG GUERR CZ TZG

Applying a ROT13 encoding (equivalent to a Caesar Cipher with a shift of 13) , we arrived at the final message:

THE EXPLORER WAS LAST SEEN IN SYSTEM PIC TOK HE RETURNS EACH DAY AT THREE PM GMT

Combined Clues

The combined information from each article, and the community goal, provided the following clues:

• The Red Trader was carrying Fish during the incident.
• The Asp is Yellow.
• A Cobra is due to arrive at 21.00.
• The T9 pilot’s route takes them to system Cail.
• Dillon never carries cargo.
• Someone who wasn’t carrying cargo will arrive in Apademak at.
• A trader called Kohl will arrive in Cail at 10.00.
• Grander doesn’t carry cargo – he hangs around Apademak.
• The explorer was last seen in system Pic Tok he returns each day at Three PM GMT.

Logan Kohl

At 10:00 on 28 Aug 3302 a trader by the name of CMDR Logan Kohl, flying a red Type-9, appeared in the Cail system and transmitted the following communication to all pilots within range:

So you figured it out! Well done, Commander.
I realize you were probably expecting something a little more exciting than some loser in a T9.
But there’s something cool coming up, I promise.
See, we found something, me and my pals. It’s going to blow your mind!
The thing is, I’m not allowed to tell you what it is.
Or where it is. The boss said so. And I know better than to argue with the boss.
So I’m going to give you a clue. Now, what was it again? I wrote it down somewhere.
Ah, here we are:
One of my friends always lies. The system has a single M-class star.
I know what you’re thinking: is that it?
Well, there’s more, but it’s going to cost you.
The idea is that people bring me narcotics, and I give out another clue
Assuming they bring me enough, that is. Simple, right? Right
There’s nothing more I can give you now.

An appeal was later issued to appropriate the requested narcotics:

Narcotics for Logan Kohl

Deliver Narcotics to Bridger Enterprise in the Cail system to receive a second clue from Logan Kohl.

A smuggler by the name of Logan Kohl claims to have made a discovery of profound importance. Although Kohl has offered a clue to the location of this discovery, he has said he will only reveal further information if he is given “enough narcotics to kill a rhinoceros.”

Independent pilots are therefore invited to deliver quantities of narcotics to Bridger Enterprise in the Cail system. If Kohl’s targets are met, he will offer the public a second clue.

This appeal began on 29 Aug 3302 and was successfully completed; the clue provided by Kohl was:

The latitude was -26 and it was cold moon in the Pleiades sector with the letters ‘AB’ in its name.

Mahina Dillon

At 15:00 on 28 Aug 3302 a pilot by the name of CMDR Mahina Dillon, flying a yellow Asp Explorer, appeared in the Apademak system and transmitted the following communication to all pilots within range:

I was wondering if anyone would show up.
Ive been flying in circles for hours. Granger and his stupid games.
I guess you want to know what all the clues and messages are about.
Well, my friends and I made a discovery – a discovery so big, the whole galaxy will want to see it.
We figured the find was worth something, so we decided to make you work for it.
Hence the clues and riddles.
But the funs not over yet – there are more clues to come.
The good news is that the next one is free. Here it is:
I visited a rocky planet at latitude 34 near binary pulsars.
To get the second clue, you’ll have to do something for me.
See, theres nothing I like more at the end of a long day than lighting up a nice cigar.
So…
If you and the other fine people playing this little game deliver tobacco to me at McMullen Vision,
Ill give you a second clue.
Thats the deal take it or leave it.

An appeal was later issued to appropriate the requested tobacco:

Tobacco for Mahina Dillon

Deliver tobacco to McMullen Vision in the Massagetae system to receive a second clue from Mahina Dillon.

A gambler by the name of Mahina Dillon claims to have made a discovery of profound importance. Although Dillon has offered a clue to the location of this discovery, she has said she will only reveal further information is she is given “enough tobacco to last a lifetime”.

Independent pilots are therefore invited to deliver quantities of Tobacco to McMullen Vision in the Massagetae system. If Dillon receives enough of the popular plant, she will offer the public a second clue.

This appeal began on 30 Aug 3302 and was successfully completed; the clue provided by Dillon was:

I found something around planet eleven – a planet with the letters ‘CJ’ in its name – at longitude -13 in the Spirograph sector.

Otto Granger

At 21:00 on 28 Aug 3302 a pilot by the name of CMDR Otto Granger, flying a white Cobra Mk3, appeared in the Apademak system and transmitted the following communication to all pilots within range:

I suppose youre wondering what its all about.
The clues. The messages. Well Ill tell you.
We found something, me and my associates.
Something the whole galaxy will want to see.
You want to know what it is, right? Well Id love to tell you…
But with information this valuable, Id be a fool to give it away for free.
So here’s what Im going to do. Im going to give you a clue, right now.
Are you ready? Here it is:
I visited a system with ten bodies and one sun. After the incident I woke up in a system far away.
It isnt much to go on, I know, but if you do something for me, you’ll get a second clue.
See, Ive always had a weakness for the sauce. Lavian Brandy being a particular favourite.
So Im going to ask folks to deliver it to me at Scott Orbital one of these days.
If I get enough, Ill give you all another hint.

An appeal was later issued to appropriate the requested brandy:

Lavian Brandy for Otto Granger

Deliver Lavian Brandy to Scott Orbital in the Apademak system to receive a second clue from Otto Granger.

A smuggler by the name of Otto Granger claims to have made a discovery of profound importance. Although Granger has offered a clue to the location of this discovery, he has said he will only reveal further information if he is given enough Lavian Brandy to “drink himself into an early grave”.

Independent pilots are therefore invited to deliver quantities of Lavian Brandy to Scott Orbital in the Apademak system. If Granger receives enough of the popular libation, he will offer the public a second clue.

This appeal began on 30 Aug 3302 and was successfully completed; the clue provided by Kohl was:

The longitude was 97 on the tenth body in the Pleiades sector in a system with the letters ‘B2’ in it’s name. Oh, and Khol always tells the truth.

Combined Clues

Logan Kohl:

• One of my friends always lies. The system has a single M-class star.
• The latitude was -26 and it was cold moon in the Pleiades sector with the letters ‘AB’ in its name.

Mahina Dillon:

• I visited a rocky planet at latitude 34 near binary pulsars.
• I found something around planet eleven – a planet with the letters ‘CJ’ in its name – at longitude -13 in the Spirograph sector.

Otto Granger:

• I visited a system with ten bodies and one sun. After the incident I woke up in a system far away.
• The longitude was 97 on the tenth body in the Pleiades sector in a system with the letters ‘B2’ in it’s name. Oh, and Khol always tells the truth.

It can be deduced that Mahina Dillon is the liar.

While the clues implied that Mahina Dillon was the Explorer, since she arrived at 15:00, the CG identified her as a Gambler. It was never established who the Bounty Hunter was, while Granger is the remaining candidate, the CG identified him as a Smuggler.

The clues led to the Crashed Thargoid Ship, and was found by CMDRs Noctrach and Ihazevich after the end of the first community goal, without the additional two clues.