LOG #082 - Commander A. Adair - TITAN Contractors
08 Nov 2021Aurora Adair (Radiumio)
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LOG: #082
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: T.O.C. Solaris (Drake-class Carrier, Q4V-40N)
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Hiya.
So, things have been... kicking off a little, here. I've been pretty busy trying to working with CSF to expand their interstellar war permit, laying down the ground rules for what Commanders can and can't do. Things went well enough today that we were able to get through it and finalize the changes. So, that was good. Though obviously... we can't have the good, without the bad... so... Bad news.
Paladin isn't so 'dark' anymore... and they've reaffirmed their presence by destroying one of our scout wings. The ships never had a chance. They were out in HIP 74304, on a mission to investigate one of the Paladin positions we previously captured before CSF ended their strike operation. They didn't make it there before they were intercepted by one of Paladin's Corvettes, who ambushed them and... yeah. Haven't heard from the wing since. That was a little earlier, at around 1500 UGT today... But the changes to CSF's permit, to allow Commanders to basically take the fight to Paladin, was only going to come in effect at around 1600 UGT.
So... ha... uhm... I decided to be a little naughty. I went to HIP 74304 by myself, at around 1530 UGT, secretly. Mentioned it off-hand to the operations crew that I was 'going out'. Took my Phantom since - while it's not well armoured or even armed at all - it's fast enough to outrun a Corvette; if it came to that. And anyway... I'm technically a CSF operative. Right? It's... Ugh, never mind. Anyway, the benefits of being SC is I knew where that team were headed. I can tell you now, since it doesn't matter anymore - Castillo Genetics. It's a high-tech facility on HIP 74304 A 1 B, owned by local anarchists. I didn't encounter any ships on the way, nor did I find that CSF scout wing, but... as luck would have it, the settlement itself was garrisoned by Paladin mercs using the whole 'anarchy' thing as a guise. They had a big, blatant '[#$@!]-off' warning broadcast to any ships that entered the vicinity of the settlement.
But, let's be honest... that wasn't exactly going to change my mind. So I parked a few kilometres outside the settlement, making sure my ship stayed undetected, and I walked the rest on-foot. It didn't take long before I could see the settlement, with a ship landing at its pad. It left before I could get close enough to make it out, but I think it was a Cobra... Anyway. I wasn't sure if the settlement would recognise me or... well, obviously I wasn't going to take the chance. I might have the training and all that... but honestly? Training really does not ease the nerves. And I... should probably practise my stealth a bit more. But, anyway.
I wasn't sure what I was looking for, but I made it into the settlement unseen and started to sneak around the buildings in order to see if I could maybe find a network access port, something that might let me figure out any more leads to Paladin's assets or settlements. Started out in one of the habitation buildings, but I almost got seen a few times. I was busy inside the room, as quiet as I could, when someone else walked in and started talking to the other person in there. I didn't really want to kill anyone, but my heart was racing, and hiding behind a waist-height half-wall while trying not to move too much or make any noise... Totally fun.
Eventually, the other one left, just leaving me with the first person in the room. Neither saw me at the time... so I continued poking around the room. I did actually get a few documents, and skimmed one a little. It was definitely Paladin related, but most of it was just personal notes or settlement-related manifests. So I made my way through the numerous hallways in this settlement, trying to not get seen but... Well, I was on my way to the power room, when this guy rounded the corner. I didn't notice or scan him before, so when we locked eyes, I froze. He gave me this weird look, wondering what I was up to, but then he saw me reach for my Tormentor.
I... well, I asked him to... y'know... drop his gun that was holstered on his leg, but the second I spoke his eyes widened and he... he exclaimed something like "goddamnit, it's you", and... Well, I had to shoot him. I guess when I asked him to 'surrender', he kind of realized who I was and... who I represented. If that didn't confirm he worked for Paladin... the stuff I found on his InSight did. But shooting him made a bit of a ruckus, and that's when things got a little intense. One of the guards responded, and walked up behind me. When he saw me and the body, he yelled out and... then a whole firefight broke out in the hallway.
I guess I sound a little bit monotone for what happened but... I don't know. Survival instinct kicked in or something... But everytime I kill... someone... I... I just feel this guilt. Guilty of the fact that I lied to everyone... if it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be in this random settlement in the middle of nowhere, fighting some stupid war and killing Paladin mercenaries like it's nothing... But I guess it's not the worst thing I could do. They are wanted for warcrimes, after all... and I guess someone has to deal with them sooner or later. I just... After what I found at the settlement... I just feel 'off' again.
And... on that note. The firefight finished as quick as it started. I think the building isolated most of the noise, and none of them called it in. So, I only had three additional guards to deal with, and some of the workers who decided it'd be a good idea to get stuck right in. After... clearing them out, I took a look at a small command room, more like a security checkpoint but anyway... And I found an access port to the settlement. It had... Uhm... Should I say this? I... hm...
Okay. I'll say it... since it's not just pertinent to me. On the settlement's network, there was... uhm... a... uhh... a fair amount of information about me. They had my physical appearance... what training they thought I had... all the information regarding the ship's I own... my birthplace. Nothing that isn't super private but... still. Seeing it all collected in one space gave me the creeps. They have references to Novus, Solix... Isabella. Sharales. Though not Thallia... or Connor, Mal... Just those four. And it's mostly just... information on the ships they fly, and what they look like. I guess every Paladin settlement has this info now, to ensure they know who's who...
But it got me thinking, I guess... I'm... what if... what if they go after my family, right? I'm scared of that. I know that'd be a bold move for them since my parents live right on the Federation's doorstep but... they're not strangers to stuff like this. What if this drags on too long and they decide to... y'know... do that? To get to me? And... yeah. It would probably work... But I... I can't think about that. They're safe, I think. Li Qing Jao might've been bombed by the NMLA once but... since then, they've tightened security and... when my parents moved back onboard after the repairs completed, everything seemed to be fine. So... it should be fine now as well. Right?
Anyway... uhm... Right, the settlement. After having that little firefight and seeing all that data... I made copies of it and wiped the network... but I decided I couldn't just leave the settlement like that. So I broke into the power centre room and pulled the plug. Free power regulator too that I can use for... uhhh... Well... I mean, it's a power regulator... it regulates power to things... so I guess that's what I can use it for... Ah, never mind. Dumb joke. Anyway, let's just say the rest of the settlement wasn't too pleased that their power went off... so I had to deal with two more guards before I made a break for my ship.
There was some other data on that network but it was encrypted, so I've handed all that over to Mantis now that I'm back at the Solaris. We'll see what comes of that... but the only downside with what I did is that I probably annoyed Paladin more. It'll take them a bit of time to reboot that settlement, but that's not including them replacing the guards I took out. So... yeah. Coolio. So... What else... what else. Oh, right. So I mentioned the permit went through, and we have new changes that will allow Commanders to get involved in the war - after they pass an evaluation period. We've had a few new hires into CSF as well, and as such I've been helping directly with the evaluation process alongside one of the CSF squad leaders, Captain Griffith, training them and helping them get to grips with what we're doing.
But, guess who I met through that? Well... I mean, the guess is probably obvious but... I met Connor. Connor Shephard, the same guy who saved me at that Thargoid site in HIP 18117. The son of the Herald... the Hivemind leader that Drake killed. Funny how things turn around, huh? He's been aboard the Solaris for a while now, unsure what to do with himself, so now he's working for CSF. Just a regular soldier but... hey, we need all hands on deck at this point. He's pretty funny too, made me laugh a bit with some silly jokes - much to Captain Griffith's annoyance.
I like him, though. Seems like a decent guy. He's got some audacity though - first time we've met and he already asked me out for drinks. But... I dunno. Maybe I'll just take him up on that offer when I have the time. Could be nice to get to know him more... his backstory with Hivemind and all that. I'm sure he has some interesting stories to tell.
Anyway, sorry, but I gotta go for now. I asked them to give me a short break before they give me a debrief about Castillo, and I've expended that break now, so I best get back to the ops room and finish this up.
Thanks for listening. I'll talk to you later.
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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 Isabella Levine, Thallia Thorn, Mal, Solix, Novus, and SpectreKryik for allowing me to use their characters in the story!
INARA page here.