The Alexandrias demise [Alexandria megaship found - 20th Jan 3308]
20 Jan 2022M. V. Coehoorn
The Alexandria 1/6 May 28th, 3307.
Captain Morales, private log.
I guess it’s about time for an update, huh? These past few weeks have been rough.
After the Thargoid attacks I mentioned last time, the plan was for the Alexandria to leave Delphi and seek refuge in the Sol System. It’s about as safe a location as humanity has to offer, right? Well, the Thargoids followed us to our first waypoint in HIP 16538. The only reason the Alexandria is still intact is due to independent pilots jumping in to protect us.
God knows how this war would have panned out without them.
To really put the spit-shine on things, the Federation banned the Alexandria from entering its space a few days ago. They’re convinced that our cargo is attracting the Thargoids.
Maybe they’re right. I thought the ‘Thargoid curse’ was nonsense, but something’s drawing them like flies around crap. It’s no secret that Guardian tech stirs Thargoids up pretty badly. Maybe Aegis should have thought of that before filling my ship’s cargo holds with the stuff.
A few of my crew have suggested jettisoning the Guardian artefacts. I understand why. They’re nervous. But the cargo is critical to Aegis’ work. We have to make sure the cargo is dispersed securely via Aegis craft - not easy to do while there’s Thargoids and a civilian population to worry about.
Since Sol’s off the menu, the Alexandria has been redirected to HIP 30944. It’s a practically empty system. We have vessels farming the tritium for the jump but it’s dangerous out there with the Thargoids prowling. I estimate a week before we’re ready to move.
Anyway, that’s it for now. I need to contact Admiral Tanner to discuss the cargo exchange schedule. Hopefully I’ll have some better news next time.
The Alexandria 2/6
Attention all crew. This is Captain Morales.
The Alexandria has not arrived in HIP 30944 as planned. Our current location is unknown. All navigational systems have been disabled, and our FSD is offline. Long-range sensors are fried. Communication arrays are down.
I’ll be honest with you: it looks like the ship has been sabotaged by someone who knew exactly what to do. My guess is we’re floating between systems. ‘Dead space’, my grandpa called it. Could be here for a while.
What I can tell you is that life support is still running and emergency power looks stable. We’re not going to run out of air or hear anytime soon. Our cargo and stores are intact.
There’s a lot of work ahead of us, ladies and gentlemen. I’m confident that we’ll get ourselves home but it’s not going to be easy. I need every one of you[r] calm and focused. Officers will be given a full rundown of tasks in the next hour or so. Do everything you’re told as efficiently as possible, and the Alexandria will be up and running before you know it.
Stay frosty. Morales out.
The Alexandria 3/6
July 3rd, 3307.
Captain Morales, private log.
It’s been a month since the failed hyperspace jump. We’re still dead in the water, so to speak.
Our technicians are working sixteen hour days but aren’t achieving much. Whoever sabotaged us knew everything about the Alexandria’s operation. They corrupted our computer and wiped all alternates and backups. Most of our interface panels are useless. I can’t even order a hot drink from the god-damned vending machines anymore.
The hardware was crippled as well. Even our shuttles and fighters. Grant assessed the damage and can’t work out how the hell it happened. But it happened, all right. I’d be impressed if I didn’t have four thousand crew looking to me to get them home. Instead I want to strangle whoever did this to us.
Morales. Where? Port side? Meet me in docking bay one.
Vernier says a bunch of heavy freighters just dropped out of hyperspace nearby. Given that we’re not broadcasting a signal, they’re either the luckiest search party in the galaxy or they knew exactly where to look.
The Alexandria 4/6
This is Captain Morales.
We’re on the engineering deck of the Alexandria. About… three hundred of us, roughly. We’re all that’s left.
The unidentified ships hailed us. Claimed a problem with our FSD was detected just before the failed hyperspace jump. Someone called ‘The Witch’ had arranged the rescue operation and spent a month tracking us down.
I reviewed their orders and everything seemed legit. Not that I had much choice. The Alexandria is stranded. We agreed to take the shuttles, and my crew was separated into groups of a hundred per shuttle. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off, though. I noticed our rescuers were still carrying their weapons.
Amel saw it first. Dammit, I can’t remember the man’s name. He hit the viewport from the outside. Just floated out of the black and bounced off the screen. They must have ejected him out of a shuttle. He won’t have been the only one.
I gave the order to resist. Not many of us had weapons but my crew trust me. We fought hard but htey were better equipped and well trained. I managed to secure a rearguard as we funnelled everyone we could to the rear of the ship, towards the engineering deck. The main entrance is defensible and the hatches have been barricaded. Vernier managed to grab a captive, too. I’ll get some answers out of them soon.
It must be the Guardian artefacts they’re after. They’re the only items on board valuable enough to kill for. No, slaughter for. So many of my crew…
We need a plan, and fast.
The Alexandria 5/6
July 15th, 3307.
Captain Morales, private log.
We’re still alive for now. The invaders are long gone, along with the Guardian artefacts and almost all our supplies.
The Alexandria’s remaining food has been salvaged from vending machines and personal items. The crew are rationing pretty hard, but we’ll be lucky to make it over a month. They’ve left us here to starve.
The captive didn’t give us much. Just a name, age, rank… nothing about the organisation that hired him. We roughed him up a bit but he still wouldn’t spill. The only interesting thing he said was after I warned him that the amount of Guardian tech his friends were stealing would probably attract Thargoids. The guy smiled and said ‘That was the point all along’. Anyway, we’ve left him tied up.
It’s obvious we need to get the Alexandria moving again. One of the engineering team, a rookie named Landis, has proposed a method of getting a single jump out of the frame shift drive. I’ll admit, it sounds more dangerous than I’m comfortable with but we’re out of options.
The odds are stacked against us but we have one more roll of the dice. Maybe.
The Alexandria 6/6
This is Morales. We’ve just activated the FSD fix. In a minute or so we’ll know if it works.
It took longer than expected and we ran out of food six days ago. Anything drinkable from the recycling system was finished yesterday morning. The crew is exhausted; some can barely function. If this is gonna work, it’s gotta work now.
Whatever happens, I want to state for the record that the crew of the Alexandria have carrier out their duties beyond any reasonable expectation of… the service they should need to give. Despite the sabotage, the betrayal by our supposed rescuers, the stress of tight rations… the gamble that we’re taking now.
The crew has done anything asked of them and more. I’m proud of the never-say-die attitude, and the dedication shown to the Aegis project.
Okay. Landis. Start her up.
You have to be kidding me. Come on! Just give us a break for once, you no-good stupid piece of sh-
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Journal end.
Logs found by Cmdr Namix
Pictures by Cmdr Node_
Transcript by Cmdr M. V. Coehoorn
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As you can see in Log 5/6, the Guardian cargo of the Alexandria was meant to be a bait, which proves my previous theory and explains how Salvation was able to "predict" the attack on Cornsar. The truth is, he didn't. Ship wrecks with Guardian commodities were found floating around in Cornsar. The cargo of the Alexandria was stolen by Azimuth operatives on orders of 'The Witch' and distributed in Cornsar, causing a massive Thargoid incursion and the loss of many human lives. All of that, just so Salvation can present his weapon and provoke the Thargoids into launching a full scale attack on humanity.
I'd say I'm happy to be right. Nothing is as good for the ego as a theory being proven. But right now, I hate to be right. Please, boycott Salvation and the inhumane ways of Azimuth. Let us work on a brighter future than perpetual war.
veritas manet in aeternum
May the Voidseeker guide your vessel, friend.