Episode 6

Up Close With An Invader

Analyst’s Note: The reopening of the slip point has allowed me to receive these logged transmissions from a cul-de-sac comms channel inside Periphery.

The Gallant and Unlimited Vistas have been joined by the perimeter patrol ship Humanity’s Vanguard, two trading vessels (the Timely Rejoinder and Casiopeia Likes Dancing), as well as several yacht-class private ships. This flotilla departed Generosity@Hive 42 hours (UT) ago and is accelerating for a constant burn to Starview, the Expansionist colonial station in orbit around Shian’s World. From scattered comms chatter, it appears that Starview is being used as a redoubt rendezvous against the attacking alien faction we have been calling the Invaders. Commander Xeres and Shipmistress Indigol have agreed to joint leadership roles for our small fleet, with Commander Xeres leading on military matters and Indigol responsible for overseeing domestic duties.

The master of the Timely Rejoinder has shared footage he intercepted as a transmission from Latterly Bay, a settlement near the Kotharhead chrysolite mine on Osiris. We thought that the creatures we fought—HT2s—were beyond belief, but the evidence from Osiris is that we got off lucky. Hostile Type Three looks to be the mass of a Kulaq! I am sending the footage attached because it’s hard to believe without seeing for yourself. That’s not a zeo, it’s an alien! 

More evidence of the “Blaze” weapons analyzed by Havelard and Powalski, even more destructive in the hands of that monster. There were some of the HS1s and HS2s there as well, and they tore through the whole of Latterly Bay in less than three hours, including taking out two battle zeos and the local security teams and drones. 

Commander Xeres has urgently been hailing all GuardCorps frequencies. We picked up a coded automatic reply to enact Full Defensive Evacuation. That means getting our asses to the slip point and then getting our asses out of Periphery. Looks like Ridgeway and Interhelios are both pulling out their troops and leaving the Starbound and Expansionists to face this alone. Xeres has promised Shipmistress Indigol that the Gallant will not abandon Periphery without a fight.