LOG #073 - Commander A. Adair - TITAN Contractors
16 Oct 2021Aurora Adair (Radiumio)
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LOG: #073
RECORDING TYPE: Personal Log LOG PUBLICISED
What does Log Publicised mean?
In our squadron lore, these logbooks are not supposed to be publicly viewable by Commanders. However, in some circumstances, a log may be compromised OR publicised, allowing it to be considered publicly viewable - in this case, the information within can be used for story or discussion purposes in-character. Compromised implies the logbook has been leaked, whereas publicised means the logbook has been willingly released for story purposes.
In our squadron lore, these logbooks are not supposed to be publicly viewable by Commanders. However, in some circumstances, a log may be compromised OR publicised, allowing it to be considered publicly viewable - in this case, the information within can be used for story or discussion purposes in-character. Compromised implies the logbook has been leaked, whereas publicised means the logbook has been willingly released for story purposes.
RECORDING LOCATION: Paladin (Krait Phantom, PN-03X) {TRACKING DISABLED}
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Hey... I'm... still alive... Can't even believe it myself to be honest...
I don't know how... Feel like I've expended all my luck but... okay... uh... where do I start?
So... when I left, and went 'exploring'... I used it as an excuse to run from the squadron quietly... You know that already. But, after I departed... I spent some time making sure I didn't have a tail - I was going completely dark after all... So... when I felt confident that no one was following me, I headed back to Quince. Jeffries High... that tourism starport. I wanted to try find Drake... and he seems to be a fan of the starport so I was pretty confident I'd find him there.
And... I was right. Found him in his usual spot in the bar... Made sure my face was covered, don't worry. Last thing I need is for someone... uh... 'unsavoury'... to recognize me. When I approached him I was... really adamant about this whole idea so... I grabbed his arm and told him we needed to talk. He got a bit of a surprise but... I dragged him along and we took the elevator to his hangar.
His Asp Explorer was still there in that rundown hangar when we arrived... and no one else was around... so I jumped straight to the point and asked him how much he knew of Hivemind. As in... bases... operations, that kind of thing. [#$@!]er turned around and said that information was going to cost me... with this smug attitude... So I... uhm... I got... super mad, I guess...
Kind of let my anger take over... and the next thing I know... I'm shoving him against a crate with my Tormentor pressed into his neck. Then I... uh... asked him again... and he just kind of laughed... and made note that I was shaking. Yeah... my heart was racing and I was quivering... but we both knew that in that moment, I was prepared to pull the trigger. So he told me after a bit of hesitation that he knew what I wanted - that there was a way to draw out the leadership of Hivemind and kill 'AC', their leader or whatever.
But he said it would be impossible... at some point a lone wolf would be overwhelmed and killed by their 'strike teams', and a group of people would just encourage them to go into hiding - they'd realise what was happening and avoid confronting it. And if Hivemind goes into hiding again... Well... they'll just keep getting better at it. So... I... I let my feeling of... 'doing the right thing' get the better of me... told him he was going to tell me how to do it.
So eventually he said I could hit some Hivemind outposts... draw the attention of the strike teams and maybe, just maybe... if I can take out those strike teams, they might have information on them relating to the leadership... or I get captured by them and go straight to the source... Or hell, maybe even one of the outposts will have something... but either way, I'd have to defend myself against a strike team who would eventually be sent after me...
It was a dumb decision... but I asked him to give me the locations of the settlements. He said there were three he knew of... one industrial settlement in Didarengu where they hoard explosives, a munitions outpost in Merek... and a research facility in Atarapa - all in anarchy jurisdictions. It's a good thing I brought the Paladin... needed the range... though now that there's this 'Paladin Interstellar' merc group trying to kill me, I think I'm going to rename my Phantom... I'm open to name suggestions...
Okay, anyway... so I uh... I hit Atarapa first... it was a biochemical facility but... at the time it was unoccupied, surprisingly... I guess they either cleared out or knew I was coming... and to be honest I wasn't sure at the time if I could take out an entire settlement alone... but... ugh... I didn't think my safety through. I just knew what I had to do... so, the next settlement I hit was the industrial settlement in Didarengu.
He told me the settlement was a small, one-hit-wonder kind of deal... just a family business trying to scrape by by acting as an trafficking point for the local pirates... Not a corporate franchise or whatever. So... it was quite small and not very well-defended. I wasn't really going to wipe out the entire settlement but... I was walking around, trying to find a way to enter in the main building and disable the alarms... so I could take a look at their network, but one of the [#$@!]ing guards stopped me...
Told me she was going to scan me... so I froze... and she started the scan, staring at me... I knew when she was finished, she'd have my name and... yeah... But I didn't... want to kill anyone.
... [#$@!]... I didn't have a choice... she... uh... finished the scan and locked eyes with me, freezing... before she suddenly reached back for her rifle a-... and I just... instinctually responded. Put a round right into her chest... from my Tormentor... I'm glad I bothered to get it suppressed... since I didn't really want the entire settlement coming down on me. I tried to suppress my nerves... get her auth and... [#$@!]... I hate to say it, but I went on complete autopilot... Made it my goal to get to the alarms no matter the cost.
So I worked my way up the auth levels... broke into the industrial settlement... please, please believe me, I swear... I told them to drop their weapons but... I didn't have my helmet on... they saw my face and I guess they knew who I was... even the [#$@!]ing workers put up a fight. So... I... had to... [#$@!]...
I... eventually... disabled the... uh... alarms... made my way to the industrial control room... They had a network access port there... so I plugged in and immediately... there was a delivery log... talking about some kind of chemical weapons shipment arriving to the settlement from another important location... So I downloaded a copy of the data and wiped the location info on the original data port... and... well, I checked around... Apparently the shipment was here already... and I'm pretty sure I found it. Scanning the crates manifest revealed a biohazard container inside... but I didn't bother to tamper with it... But hey... Chemical weapons, am I right?
Anyway... I just left after that. Made my way to Merek next... with the goal of just making as much chaos as I could. Get the strike teams on my back, as per the plan, right? So... I uh... I did. Got to the munitions outpost and walked into the settlement... They were already on high alert, and the second I was seen, they suddenly opened up. So... I... I k-...
[#$@!]... I had to... I'll just... uhm...
So, once I'd... taken down the settlement guards and... whoever posed a threat... I waited. I knew they'd surely have sent out a strike team by now... took me like twenty minutes to clear the settlement without getting hurt, so they should've arrived by now, right? And... I was right. Vulture dived in a few minutes later and did this really crazy insertion... it was so fast... if you blinked, you might've missed it...
A shame they're the enemy, they'd have a spot in CSF Eclipse for that one... Anyway, uh... they dropped off a six-man team... and when I saw them, I knew who it was. [#$@!]ing Paladin Interstellar. They're a... uh... new player on the board... black-ops mercs. Known for their covert operations and... multiple warcrimes in federal and imperial space. So... they weren't going to [#$@!] around with me... they were here to kill, and that's that.
At that time I... uhm... I came to... I came to terms with the fact that this might be it for me. I was scared... I don't want this to be the last time I see Alexis... or... Tori... or anyone, really. That kind of fuelled my 'try not to die' attitude, I guess... Just remembering the times I've spent with them... The feelings I've had. That kind of stuff...
So I made sure I upped my A-game... I'd quickly memorised the layout of the settlement's command building, so I knew where I could choke them and where I would be cornering myself and... I got to work. The first merc to walk through the airlock of command... I shattered his shield with one plasma round, and took him out with the second. And then all hell broke loose... Four more rushed in through the airlock... and then came a flurry of rounds from them. I ducked behind cover... and they started to throw grenades... and charge me... so I quickly changed positions and rushed outside through the other airlock...
But I walked right into another merc who was flanking me... and we both shot at the same time... him with his shotgun and me with the Tormentor... We both lost our shields and stumbled... but I stepped in and knocked his shotgun aside before he could bring it up again... and... [#$@!]... as I went in with the Tormentor, there was a shot and then a sharp pain in my side. I took him out but... not before he grabbed his sidearm and put two kinetic rounds into my side...
Thankfully I had a medkit and I knew where others were around the settlement but... it hurt like hell... and it just got progressively worse as the fight went on... All the movement I was trying to do was making the wound worse and... my vision was doubling... I felt sick... it was just... ugh... awful... But... I tried my damnedest. To not die... and I played it safer. Stuck to range... took my time with the shots... but the mercs were too adamant on rushing me. I took out a third as they stepped around a crate... and the other two took cover, waiting for me to make a mistake...
But I noted there was some fuel hazards around the settlement, so I tried to get one between me and them... it was dark, so it was kind of hard to see without night-vision... and even then, with everything a monotone green, it's kind of hard to see a red barrel... So they both realised I was mobilising and stepped off to chase me... and just as they came close to a fuel barrel near them, I shot it. Fragmentation shredded both their shields and the shockwave and remaining shrapnel f-... uh... finished the job...
[#$@!]... I still can... 'feel it'... y'know? My heart racing... the slight panic of not knowing if I would make it out alive. So... when I took out the strike team and... saw that was it, I quickly treated my wound properly... letting the medkit and suit do the work... couldn't help but laugh, to be honest... But it was more a laugh of disbelief... I don't know how I pulled it off... taking down two entire settlements and fending off a Hivemind strike team of... highly trained mercs... Did I just get super [#$@!]ing lucky or did they want me to win?
Or... was this all me? I... I don't know... I... How many people did I kill? [#$@!]... I... it was... self defence but... they're still people...
I... uh... once I'd... got myself together, I searched the strike team for... anything, really... and I found a note on their... squad leader, I guess. It was like... laminated... and printed out, not hand-written... and... [#$@!]... his armour was a mess. He got caught in the blast of the barrel and there was just... so... so much blood... I tried to focus on reading the note, wiping the blood of it and... it just said... "impressive"... and had a system name written there, I guess... The same system name I found on that data port with the chemical shipment...
So, by this time, I... was exhausted... couldn't breathe in my suit... so I ran back to my Phantom and... boarded. I wanted to rip my suit off but... I thought I might still need the armor on... so I just took the helmet off and gasped for air. I was shaking so badly, crashing from the adrenaline... I've never had a [#$@!]ing rush like that in my life... not even at Obi... so I didn't know how to handle it. So I just sat on the floor just outside the airlock and... tried to relax, stop shaking...
I don't know how long I sat there, but it didn't feel like long before I heard another ship outside... it was quite a big one, the thrusters were even shaking the Phantom a little... But I'd powered down most of my ship and landed outside the settlement to stay covert... so I wouldn't be able to power it up in time to escape, if the ship was armed...
So, when I heard them land, I grabbed my rifle and waited... Heard the lift on the front landing gear work, but the ship was locked down under my access after all, so they weren't getting in... Then the lift went back down and it was silent for a while... before I heard something while patrolling the ship... uhm... like... something was 'tapping' on the back airlock - like rocks. It was super, super soft... but everything was so quiet, so I could hear it.
I... uh... I decided to go to the back airlock and extend the lift. It sounded like it was one person, since the... tapping had this... like, delay... and they weren't blowing open or cutting my airlock doors, so... anyway... the lift's proximity sensor on the console lit up, so someone was on it... I retracted the lift... waited a bit, and then I heard them in the airlock.
So... here's me prepared to kill someone else... again... not knowing who they are... but I couldn't take the risk. So I waited in the very dim hallway outside the airlock... mostly all the lights were off... and when the inner door opened, I stepped forward and put my rifle ahead... There was someone there, so I just pulled the trigger. Saw their energy shield flash in the dark, and a round riocheted off this... panel they were holding. Like... a physical shield... and then he suddenly started yelling... telling me to relax and that it was "Novus"... then I saw his pistol drop to the floor as he tried to reach it.
My heart sank and I yelled at him... dropping my rifle and... well, I practically fell to the floor... I'd just [#$@!]ing shot one of our own Commanders... Novus somehow found my ship and... I guess he was following me to 'save me' or whatever. I tried to ask him why he was here but... ugh... couldn't really... speak... it was hard to say the words...
He knelt next to me and... held my shoulders... asking if I was alright and... Uhm... To be honest, him holding me felt... so nice... reassuring, I guess. Part of me wishes it was just for a little bit longer... there was just so much stress and... yeah... but... whatever... even though I appreciate him being concerned for me... I... I didn't want him to get put in danger. I didn't want anyone to be endangered, really. That's why I left alone... to play the [#$@!]ing hero. Try make a difference...
And I kind of did... but I was crashing hard from the adrenaline and... him finding me... I wanted to just cry... and give up. I held it in as best as I could... and let him explain why he came after me... he said I wasn't alone and... [#$@!], he has a way with words. Each thing he said... that I have everyone's support and that... they wanted to help... just upset me. Hard to hold down the emotions but...
Wait... Uhm... This is a public... log that I'm... ugh... [#$@!]... Well, I'm not redoing this... let's just... look past that.
We started talking about how Solix made a replica of my Phantom... now I... don't exactly know Commander Solix, but I have heard of him a little... so I guess I'll just have to trust that Novus knows who he's dealing with. He said he... couldn't get in touch with Alexis to help them out, and that made me panic a little inside... wondering what she was up to... but I distracted myself and told him he shouldn't endanger himself anymore.
But he said he... wanted to do more in the squadron... instead of stand around idly. And I already made it clear to him that I went alone for a reason... but he wanted to use Solix's replica Phantom as bait, while we go somewhere safer... so I told Novus he was definitely not going to take me back... not now, not while I have a lead. And then he... uhm... he said he wasn't taking me back... but he was going to take me to the [#$@!]ing Formidine Rift.
So I got angry... Really angry. I told him that was not going to happen, and that he could get off my ship if he was suggesting I run away... and... he broke eye contact. I could see him get uncomfortable and... nervous... or shy, I guess... and he said that I was maybe right... but he still thought luring them out was a better option - in his opinion... I... I felt bad for getting angry at him... and making him uncomfortable, so... I toned it down a little.
Said we could go ahead with the plan... but that we wouldn't be going to the Formidine Rift... nor would we use the replica as a bait... but instead, we'd use it to strike back. Hopefully this 'Solix' is a good combat pilot... So he agreed... and that ended that discussion... he offered some help with my wound but... Look, I really didn't expect to meet him of all people outside a Hivemind settlement, so I just asked for space... It... was kind of becoming hard to... control... my emotions. I was still shaking from almost killing him and... yeah.
So... he agreed, thankfully... Left me a card with a comms identifier and departed. So I... didn't really think I could fly... and I was safe here for a while... so I locked my quarters and... let it all out. I feel better after it... but [#$@!]... all this worry just stems from the fact that I'm scared to make a mistake. I hope Alexis isn't mad... or... worried. I shouldn't have been so vague but... I was scared she'd come after me or try come with... and... I really don't want anything to happen to her... So... Sorry, Alexis...
I hope I can get back soon... This sucks, but... it has to be done... And I have a good lead on the leadership of Hivemind... Some kind of temple... and even though I'm transmitting this log back to you... so you can know I'm still alive... I'm not telling you where this 'temple' is. So... please don't come after me this time. I'll be alright... and rest assured I'll call for help if I need it... and hopefully by then it's not too late.
While I do this... I'm hoping Solix and Novus can distract Hivemind. I made double... no, triple-sure that this log is encrypted properly, so by the time they decrypt this, if they're even able to, it'll hopefully be too late... Okay. I need to go now...
Thank you... And, Novus, if you're listening to this... I'm sorry... really... How about I buy you a drink when I'm back, to say sorry? Hell... maybe we can all get one. Remember that party, huh?
Okay... anyway... thanks... Thanks for believing in me, I guess... Ugh. Do I say that too much? Sorry, sorry.
I'll see you soon...
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Credit:
This story is only possible thanks to our squadron and community. Join TITAN Contractors, a diverse and talented squadron, and experience our custom lore and events. This logbook as well as associated images and story is property of TITAN Contractors, CMDR Radiumio. A special thank you to CMDRs Alexis Bright, Novus and Solix for allowing me to use their characters in the story!
INARA page here.