PROTEUS WAVE INCIDENT: AV TRANSCRIPT ABOARD EM-12A "IATHRANA"
09 Aug 2022Ember Lacson
-THE FOLLOWING IS A COVAS TRANSCRIPT-SHIP: ASP EXPLORER EM-12A "IATHRANA"
ALL EVENTS OCCUR ON 3308-08-09
-PERSONNEL-
COVAS EDEN
CMDR EMBER LACSON - PILOT
CMDR NICOLE WOLFF - COPILOT
ONLY TIMESTAMPS DETERMINED RELEVANT BY COVAS ARE GIVEN
-BEGIN TRANSCRIPT-
[12:57:00]
LACSON: Almost charged. Could be any minute now.
WOLFF: So, do you still believe it will all backfire?
LACSON: Probably. If nothing else, this will piss them off everywhere else. Once it goes off I'll have Eden scan for sources. Then, if it's safe, we'll see if we can find a disabled one. Maybe we'll wait for one to crash and then pay it a visit.
WOLFF: Have you ever seen one on foot?
LACSON: Yeah, after the first Salvation weapon went off I visited a crashed Cyclops. They're huge. Jumped up on it. Firm but a little squishy. Kinda chitinous in a lot of places. That thing in the center definitely looks like a cockpit, but we've never seen a pilot in the seat, so maybe they're autonomous but can also have a pilot.
[CMDR WOLFF takes CMDR LACSON's hand, tracing lines on the palm]
WOLFF: Like telepresence?
LACSON: I'm not so sure. It'd be easier if they were just...alive. That's how I've always thought of them.
WOLFF: (pause) So this really is xenocide.
LACSON: (sigh, pause) Yeah.
WOLFF: (pause) Do you ever feel bad? You know, for all the killing you've done?
LACSON: (pause) Sometimes. But then I remember what they did to Dahan Gateway. I remember that this is a war. And it's kill or be killed sometimes. Just like in a Haz RES. This isn't just for the sport, like some people. This is something I never wanted to do. But...I find I do enjoy it. I finally understand why people used to pay so much money to hunt lions and stuff.
[13:00:10]
WOLFF: I can see the site. Oh my God, it's glowing.
EDEN: Incoming critical message.
SALVATION: To all humankind...this is Salvation. Future generations will remember our triumph today: the Thargoid threat, consigned to the past. With my guidance, Azimuth has constructed the means to destroy our enemy, my final gift, born from a century of sacrifice—The Proteus Wave. Our victory is delivered in this moment. Humanity's next great chapter begins now!
EDEN: Proteus Wave firing in approximately twenty seconds.
[CMDR LACSON and CMDR WOLFF join hands and intertwine fingers]
[13:01:31] EDEN: Proteus Wave activation in five, four, three, two, one.
[13:01:40] EDEN: All Thargoid signatures in the vicinity have disappeared, CMDR.
WOLFF: Holy shit....
LACSON: He did it. It's kind of...bittersweet.
[13:02:00] EDEN: Energy surge detected at Proteus Wave site.
[13:02:04] WOLFF: What?!
[13:02:06] LACSON: Nicole, strap in. We're leaving.
[13:02:07] [CMDR WOLFF descends to co-pilot's seat]
[13:02:13] [Secondary wave reaches EM-12A]
[13:02:14] EDEN: Trajectory disrrrrrrrruption. Sysssssssstem error.
[13:02:16] EDEN: Module mallllllllllllfunction! [DIAG: Guardian FSD Booster] Taking dam- dam- damage.
[13:02:36] LACSON: (groan) Nicole, are you okay?
WOLFF: (no response)
LACSON: Nicole!
WOLFF: (no response)
[13:02:50] [CMDR LACSON unstraps harness and descends to co-pilot deck. CMDR WOLFF is unconscious. CMDR LACSON uses scanner to assess medical needs.]
[13:03:05] LACSON: Come on, Nicole, wake up. Wake up, honey, wake up!
[13:03:09] [CMDR LACSON continues attempting to revive CMDR WOLFF]
[13:03:25] WOLFF: (groan) My head. It hurts so much.
[13:03:31] LACSON: Nicole, listen to me, baby, you have a really bad concussion. I have to get you to sickbay right away, okay? I'm going to strap you in, and try not to move.
[13:03:40] [CMDR LACSON manually activates CMDR WOLFF's suit medical systems with the emergency controls on her chest plate]
[13:03:43] WOLFF: (playfully, dazed) Ember, this is hardly the time for that....
[13:03:44] LACSON: I'm not trying to touch you. I'm getting you meds with your suit. How's your head now? [CMDR LACSON takes CMDR WOLFF by the waist and moves her into copilot seat]
[13:03:50] WOLFF: Better. It doesn't feel like my brain is.... [CMDR WOLFF momentarily loses consciousness]
[13:03:53] LACSON: Nicole! Stay with me, dammit! Stay awake!
[13:03:57] WOLFF: It's hard.
[13:03:59] LACSON: I'm getting us out of here. [CMDR LACSON fastens CMDR WOLFF's harness]
[13:04:08] [CMDR LACSON ascends to pilot deck]
[13:04:10] EDEN: Warning, hazardous environment!
[13:04:12] LASCON: I know! Set a course for the Morningstar while I strap in.
[13:04:15] EDEN: Course laid in.
[13:04:20] [CMDR LACSON resumes piloting EM-12A] LACSON: I know the booster is toast but is the drive OK? Is it safe to jump?
[13:04:26] EDEN: Yes, CMDR. Frame Shift Drive integrity at one hundred percent.
[13:04:31] LACSON: Good. CMDR Ember Lacson to USS Morningstar, do you copy?
[13:04:35] MORNINGSTAR: (no response)
[13:04:38] LACSON: CMDR Ember Lacson to USS Morningstar, do you copy?!
[13:04:42] EDEN: There seems to be too much interference, CMDR.
[13:04:45] LACSON: Then we'll just call when we get there.
[13:04:48] EDEN: Frame Shift Anomaly detected.
[13:04:51] LACSON: Shit!
[13:04:51] EDEN: Frame Shift Drive charging.
[13:04:53] LACSON: Come on, come on, come on, charge! We gotta goooooo!
[13:05:02] EDEN: Warning, energy surge detected.
[13:05:05] LACSON: Move!
[13:05:07] Five, four, three, two, one.
[13:05:12] [EM-12A enters hyperspace]
[13:05:17] LACSON: Nicole, can you hear me? Nicole, please answer me.
[13:05:22] [EM-12A exits hyperspace in HIP 21852]
[13:05:23] LACSON: Nicole, please. Let me know you're awake.
[13:05:27] WOLFF: (faintly) R— Roger.
[13:05:29] LACSON: CMDR Ember Lacson to USS Morningstar, come in.
[13:05:34] MORNINGSTAR: We hear you, CMDR.
[13:05:36] LACSON: I'm coming in hot. Reserve Pad 09 and have a trauma team on standby. CMDR Wolff has a concussion. She's in and out of consciousness. She needs medical attention immediately.
[13:05:47] MORNINGSTAR: Roger that, CMDR. Trauma team will be on standby. What is your distance?
[13:05:54] LACSON: Six second holding at twenty thousand klicks.
[13:06:02] MORNINGSTAR: Roger that, CMDR. See you in a minute. Pad 09 is on standby and trauma team is en route.
[13:06:29] [EM-12A exits supercruise]
[13:06:31] LACSON: Nicole, we're home. Look, it's the Morningstar! We're just a few seconds away from home now. You stay awake, you hear?
[13:06:40] WOLFF: (faintly) Copy....
[13:06:55] EDEN: Landing successful.
[13:06:57] LACSON: Take us down, Eden.
[13:06:59] EDEN: Aye, CMDR. Entering hangar.
[13:06:59] [CMDR LACSON descends to copilot deck and unstraps CMDR WOLFF]
[13:07:05] [CMDR LACSON pushes CMDR WOLFF through corridors, maintaining her momentum with his hands]
[13:07:20] [CMDR LACSON adopts carrying position with CMDR WOLFF as they descend on elevator to hangar deck]
[13:07:22] [Crew telemetry lost]
[14:02:16] [CMDR LACSON boards EM-12A and enters cockpit but does not sit]
[14:02:31] LACSON: Eden, transcribe and post everything from three minutes prior to 1300 hours. Audio and visual.
EDEN: Acknowledged. Do you want to proofread the entry before I post it?
LACSON: (audible restraint of tears) No, just post it.
EDEN: CMDR, are you well?
LACSON: No.
EDEN: Is CMDR Nicole well?
LACSON: No.
EDEN: Is...did she survive?
LACSON: (tone of confusion) Why are you so concerned?
EDEN: You chose me for this, remember? I am not a normal COVAS. I feel concern for you and for the woman you love. I am your friend.
LACSON: She hit her head pretty hard. 400 tonnes of ship right to the dome isn't very healthy for a person, even if it's only a little nudge to the hull. They said there's a seventy-five percent chance she'll live. If she does she'll make a full recovery. But that's not enough for me. I want a hundred percent assurance.
EDEN: If I could hug you I would.
LACSON: Thanks, Eden. You don't have to....
[CMDR LACSON sits against the cockpit door and dissolves into tears]
[14:25:47] MORNINGSTAR MEDICAL: CMDR Lacson, Nicole wants to see you.
WOLFF: (weakly) Hey Ember. I stayed awake for you. Come see me so I can rest, you cheeky bastard.
LACSON: (holding back tears) I'm on my way. Eden, I'll leave it up to you to decide how much to post.
EDEN: Sure thing, CMDR.
-END TRANSCRIPT-