Commander Adrella//SJCS Artemis//3308-02-04 - <SPOILERS> Deciphering the HIP 290 Omega Grid
04 Feb 2022Adrella
After listening to the Galnet reports, and the ACT's request for help, I decided to head to HIP 290 and check out this goose chase. I haven't taken much interest in galactic or Imperial affairs, but something about this spoke to me.On arriving in HIP 290, I made my way to the nav beacon and downloaded the system info. I initially plotted a course to the Intermutual Relay, but then a fellow commander told me about the Imperial Beacon located around HIP 290 B 2 C. After travelling the 32k Ly, I made it and scanned the beacon.
Initial message from the listening post reads as follows:
"YMPZ PZ YVWXBHYBZ HGHSIVS DVWR VS LZYHGQPZMPSN H
SLD STQH KPNBWLMLHI SV LCPZYPSN JHSIPIHYLZ MHAL
ZBKKPJPLSY ZBUUVWY YV WLUQHJL YMLYH ZLALS MPZ
THWYFWIVT DHZ LCULJYLI GBY MHZ BSKVWYBSHYLQF
MHUULSLI HMLHI VK ZJMLIBQL KVW SVD JVSJLSYWHYL VS
HAVPIPSN ILYLJYPVS YMLWL DPQQ GL VYMLW JMHSJLZ YV
WLTVAL YML WLTHPSPSN IBAHQS”
Obviously, this means nothing, so I applied the cipher supplied in the Galnet article, with the lower case being deciphered letters. The message then became:
"tMus us toWquatus abaSIoS woWR oS establusMuSN a
Sew SmlH fuNuWeMeaI So eCustuSN caSIuIates Mave
suffucueSt suUUoWt to WeUlace tMeta seveS Mus
mHatFWIom was eCUecteI but Mas uSfoWtuSatelF
MaUUeSeI aMeHI of scMeIule foW Sow coSceStWHte oS
avouIuSN IetectuoS tMeWe wull be otMeW cMaSces to
Wemove tMe WemauSuSN IuvalS"
There were still a lot of pieces missing, so I applied some logic to reach:
"thus us torquatus abandon worR on establushuing a
new nmla fuNurehead no exustuing candudates have
suffucuent support to replace theta seven hus
maatyrdom was expected but has unfortunately
happened ahead of schedule for now concentrate on
avouduing detectuon there wull be other chances to
remove the remaunuing duvalS"
I then tried to tidy it up further, but I was using less logic and more guesswork. New (guessed) additions are in capitals:
"thIs Is torquatus abandon work on establIshing a
new nmla fIgurehead no exIsting candIdates have
suffIcIent support to replace theta seven hIs
maRtyrdom was expected but has unfortunately
happened ahead of schedule for now concentrate on
avoIduing detectIon there wIll be other chances to
remove the remaIning duvalS"
My final recreation of the message:
"This is <TORQUATUS?>.
Abandon work on establishing a new NMLA figurehead.
No existing candidates have sufficient support to replace <Theta Seven?>.
His martyrdom was expected but has unfortunately happened ahead of schedule.
For now, concentrate on avoiding detection.
There will be other chances to remove the remaining Duvals."
Obviously, there is a bit of speculation on "TORQUATUS", as if I apply the logic I used to decipher other parts of the message, it could become "TORQIATIS". Again, having not paid attention to recent galactic events, either of those could be right or wrong, or mean something else. Theta Seven is also a mystery. It must refer to someone who died for the NMLA cause, but I don't remember who that is...
I'll need to rely on the intellect of my fellow commanders in the Pilot's Federation to unravel this.