Guarijio Mystery
25 Oct 2022Nalethion
On a tip from a friend, I headed out to the Guarijio system. Apparently strange beacons started showing up so I plotted a course and jumped the Pandemona into the system. Firing up my trusty AspX, I scanned the system and found something odd, 3 Unknown signals emanating from some moons orbiting the secondary star 250,000Ls away...lets get on it.A cup of coffee later I entered orbit around the first body, B 2 C. Its a populated moon with a few mining colonies set up. What piqued my interest though was a faint signal coming from above the surface. I approached the odd signal and came across a listening post! The identifier was strange, "The Trial", and I intercepted an encoded message from the small beacon.
Uli vevib sfnzm dsi vevi vcrhgvw
Gsviv rh z ylip lu wvvwh
Orhgrmt vevmgh ylgs rmhrtmrurxzmg zmw whhwmgrzo
Drgsrm gsvhv xlfmgovhh kzhhztvh
Dslhv hglirvh xlmgzrm z gdrhg
Z hvxivg gszg nfgh yv ivevzovw
Z xirnv gszg nfhg yv kfmrhsvw
Wvzgs'h prhh szh yvvm trugvw gl vzxs hrmmvi
Fklm gsrh kozmvg gsv girzo yvtrmh
Urev zllidzbh gl z mvd olxzgrlm hgllw sviv
Dsl droo vmgvi gsvn?
I'm not the best decoder around so I sent it back to the Pandemona for processing. While the circuits get to work decoding it, I'm going to see what else I can find out here.
After scanning the rest of the moon, I found a small facility not listed in the normal registry, Vardey Prospecting. I set the approach vector and started my decent down to the surface. I made several sweeps around the facility and found no signs of life. Perhaps everything is automated? Abandoned? Its time to break out the SRV and get up close. I still have time before the decoding finishes so lets get our feet dirty.
Rolling through the facility I see now that everything is abandoned. The auto miners are quiet and everything is either offline or in cold standby. I located the settlements com log. I think something happened with the computer system here. The quiet is getting to me, I'm heading back to my ship to read these logs.
Something caused everyone to be forcibly loaded into escape pods. The destination is listed as B 3 b in this system. I don't like this, I'm not sure if the listening post is related to this but I think its time to leave. Pandemona just signaled they decoded the message.
"For every human who ever existed there is a book of deeds listing events both insignificant and essential within these countless passages whose stories contain a twist a secret that must be revealed a crime that must be punished death's kiss has been gifted to each sinner upon this planet the trial begins five doorways to a new location stood here who will enter them"
Oh god. I think something bad happened to these prospectors. I'm already here, I might as well see what else I can find. I've got enough firepower I can simply glass this if needed but damned if it isn't creepy. Off to B 3 b to see if I can gather any more information.
I am curious about the 5 doorways mentioned in the last message. Does this have something to do with those strange objects that have recently appeared? I heard in the news about some Thargoid cult nutters, I hope I'm not getting into a bad situation with religious bug worshipers. Getting into orbit, found another listening post, again I'm going to send this off to the Pandemona and poke around the surface for clues about the escape pods.
Fklm gsrh kozmvg gsv girzo xlmgrmfvw
Gvhgrnlmb dzh svziw
Kovzh dviv yzitzrmvw
Z ufoo xlmuvhhrlm dzh ivjfrivw
Gl zyhloev gsv hrmmvih lu gsvri hrm
Gsv qgwtv ivxltmrhvh gifv ivnlihv
Lmob gsv gdl nlhg slmvhg droo ovzev gsrh kozxv
Gl uzxv z urmzo eviwrxg
Z xszmxv zg ivwvnkgrlm
There is another unmarked facility, Goddard Mill, and a crash site I need to investigate. I'm getting pretty focused on this, I need answers. I'll start with the crash site, setting approach vectors.
Well that was fun. Upon arrival at the crash site I found several people walking around the site. I attempted to open comms with them and got hot plasma in response. My scanner just finished its analysis, wanted. I don't know if these jokers were scavengers or actually caused the crash but I wasn't going to be of any use in my AspX. I settled down outside of their range and hopped in my SRV. I dismissed my ship to keep it safe and approached the crash site again. I got the same response. No comms, they just started shooting. Fine, enjoy some plasma slugs. Not many people can stand up to the dual repeater on the Scarab. I collected their bounties and left them where they lay. I scanned the crash, it looks like an old satellite. Not sure why it was worth dying for, I collected the data and headed back. I don't think this is the same group, it doesn't feel the same. Off to Goddard Mill. I hope Pandemona can crack that message soon.
As I was on approach to the facility, Pandemona sent the decoded message to me. I guess they used the same cypher.
"Upon this planet the trial continued testimony was heard pleas were bargained a full confession was required to absolve the sinners of their sin the judge recognizes true remorse only the two most honest will leave this place to face a final verdict a chance at redemption"
Great, sounds like they either plan on or have executed all but 2 of the prospectors. I'll find out more once I get to the surface and check out the facility.
Never underestimate the dark side of humanity. People go out to the black or find isolated outposts to hide from their past or make a new life, it seems these cultists have other ideas. The 5 they brought here have a sordid past, murder, cartel work, drugs, prostitution. They extracted confessions by strapping bombs to their heads! Many of the buildings show signs of blast damage and there are parts strewn about. I don't know what happened after but I got another set of coordinates. B 4 a, I hope I can finally get some answers.
Fklm gsrh kozmvg gsv girzo vmwh
Eviwrxgh szev yvvm kzhhvw
Qfhgrxv uli zoo
Wrw blf wrhxlevi sld gsrh hglib vmwh?
R dlmwvi dszg blfi yllp xlmgzrmh
Dszg nlnvmgh uroo blfi ivxliw
Dlfow blf yv xlmhrwvivw rmmlxvmg?
Hlnvgsrmt gl pvvk rm nrmw
Uli mvcg grnv...
Another listening post, another message. Pandemona's crew must be getting better at this, I got the translation almost immediately.
"upon this planet the trial ends verdicts have been passed justice for all did you discover how this story ends? i wonder what your book contains what moments fill your record? would you be considered innocent? something to keep in mind for next time..."
I'm starting to think that these events may have happened in the past. I realize that none of the messages I've recovered have a date stamp. I guess we'll find out soon, I found another offline facility. Downey's Junkyard is below, setting approach vectors.
What a mess, it looks like something came through here with a wrecking ball. I set down and carefully worked my way through the wreckage in the Scarab. I found the comm logs amid the rubble and listened with horror to the end of this tale. They forced the final 2 prospectors to play a macabre game of russian roulette. They were given a device with a button that activated the explosives implanted in one of their heads. There was a struggle but someone finally hit the button instantly killing one of them. The last survivor was promised salvation and an escape pod was given. They didn't know the captors had reprogrammed it to enter the system's star. They were incinerated. Nobody survived the so called "trials". I still don't have a date stamp on any of these communications and have no further clues on who perpetrated these acts. It could have happened 5 minutes ago or 50 years ago. I'm heading back to Pandemona to transmit these logs. Hopefully the victim's families will find comfort in knowing their fate.
I'm going to need a stiff drink tonight.
CMDR Nalethion signing off.