Generation Ship - Hyperion
07 Oct 2017Robert Phillips
Rumours have been around for a while that a number of ancient generation ships had been discovered in various parts of the bubble.Always eager to discover something new, I sought some clues. Various sources led me to LHS 1596 where I found a Listening Post orbiting LHS 1596 2.
A scan of the Listening Post transmitted the following data packet:
DATA OF UNKNOWN HUMAN ORIGIN
…Transponder Signal HYP-457-A Detected…
Matching Signal Detected. Lalande 2966. Time Stamp Predates Parameters.
…Lalande 2966 4…Support for the child…they’re…calling him… They’re hailing him…7…ship’s…going to…promised land…Yemaki…talking…recognise… ship…ceremonies….
…Signal Lost…
2 things stood out as being useful in the garbled message:
- Lalande 2966, (Planet) 4
- Yemaki
The signal suggested the ship was travelling from Lalande 2966 to Yemaki, so I decided to do the same.
I flew to Laland 2966 4 and upon arrival, targeted Yemaki. I then began flying in that direction at Supercruise.
Nothing immediate came up on my scanners. But around 6500LS from the primary star, I got a signal! Generation Ship Hyperion. I dropped out of Supercruise and was met by an awesome sight:
The ship was completely abandoned, but had 5 ship log uplink points. I scanned them with my Data Link Scanner to receive the following logs:
THE PROMISED LAND 1/5
Midshipman’s Log 54/6:
Our voyage continues apace. All systems fully operational. We had some issues with the hydroponics units, but maintenance has managed to solve that problem. The only other thing to report is the religious fervour that seems to be gripping some sections of crew and passengers. Apparently there’s this boy – I think he’s around ten or something – and people are heralding him as the second coming. There’s a rumour he can perform miracles but it’s obviously only a story. Commander Jefferson wasn’t too impressed when he heard but l managed to calm him down. Told him it was good for people to have something to believe in… especially on a voyage like this one.
THE PROMISED LAND 2/5
Midshipman’s Log 57/9:
This situation is becoming critical. Support for the child – they’re just calling him Zachariah – has developed into some sort of mass hysteria. They’re hailing him as a kind of messiah. Over half the ship’s population now thinks this boy is going to deliver them to the promised land. Jefferson has tried talking to his acolytes but they no longer recognise the commander as the main authority figure on the ship. It wouldn’t be so bad but there are whispers of weird ceremonies, and people have started to go missing. l don’t know what Jefferson’s next move is but he needs to do it quick if we’re gonna regain order.
THE PROMISED LAND 3/5
Midshipman’s Log 59/6:
We have an emergency situation. Commander Jefferson is… he’s dead. They killed him… an offering they called it. He went with a security team to break up one of their gatherings and take Zachariah into custody when they just turned on him. The kid refused to go and ordered the security team to throw Jefferson out of the air lock. I can’t believe they did it! It’s like he has some kind of power I’ve never seen anything like it.
There’s only me and a few others who don’t follow him now, but it’s safer if we just go along with these religious fanatics until they find their promised land and I can ditch them. I don’t want to be the next one getting vented!
THE PROMISED LAND 4/5
Midshipman’s Log 62/4:
I don’t have much time. He’s going to kill everyone… and I have to stop him. Turns out Zachariah’s ‘promised land’ isn’t a fertile planet. It’s the cold vacuum of space!! He intends to open up every airlock on the ship and vent all the corridors and containment units. He just proclaimed it to the entire ship in that little voice of his. Everyone seems to be going along with it – thinking it’ll take them to a higher plane or some garbage. Am I the only one here still sane? Because it sure feels like it.
I have to stop him. I got a loaded carbine and I’m not going to let anyone get in my way. I just hope I’m in time.
THE PROMISED LAND 5/5
AUTOMATED SYSTEMS MESSAGE:
SYSTEM REPORT: LIFE SUPPORT COUNTERMAND REQUESTED AT 09:43.
MANUAL OVERRIDE GRANTED ON ALL AIRLOCKS.
FULL SHIP PURGE INITIATED 09:52
++ PURGE COMPLETE ++
++ PURGE COMPLETE ++
++ PURGE COMPLETE ++
++ PURGE COMPLETE ++
With all hands lost, there was nothing more I could do here, so I left.