Personal log entry - Commander's record: Secrets of Gamma [2/3]
11 Sep 2023N.Copernicus
Date: 10. September 3309Entry 2/3
The engines of the Cerberus sweep small stones and sand from the surface of the planet as it touches down with a short jolt. Now a green light comes on over our heads. "Go! Go! Go!", shouts Sergeant Okuma and disappears into the Cerberus' combat SRV. The vehicle bay opens and the Scorpion is dropped, which arrives on the surface with a thud. Its four sprung wheel legs absorb the impact in a controlled manner. The Scorpion is the armoured best fellow of ground troops and nightmare for every enemy. Its stinger is a double hardpoint turret equipped with a rapid-fire plasma repeater and an Aculeus missile launcher. Hopefully, we won't need its services. The Scorpion speaks clearly and sows death and destruction in the ranks of the enemy if it´s necessary. But as a diplomat, it is good to have the appropriate security personnel provided in case diplomacy fails - and the "bad boys toys".
The forces immediately start securing the drop zone. Over the radio we get the okay. Now it's our turn, running crouched we leave our ship. "Hey, Roy - hurry up a little! They want to leave!", Kiefers calls to his colleague who is carrying a backpack. "Damn, what have you packed Frank? Your Russian grandmother's samovar?", shouts Kiefers. "Come on, make an effort! There's hardly any gravity here. Probably again..." Kiefers doesn't get any further, because the Cerberus's engines roar to life. The swirling rocks and sand worsen visibility. "Hey. And no jokes about my grandmother. What are they doing? Are they leaving already?", wonders Summers. "Yeah, right - come on hurry up! If you don't want to get blown away! And turn on the night vision so you can see where you're going! Bystreye!" shouts Kiefers. Frey Rodriges runs towards Summers, grabs Summers' backpack with a "Need a helping hand? Don´t answer - no time left. Let´s go!" Then the two of them run towards us. I smile at Frey, because I like women who take the initiative. The Cerberus takes off in a slight turn. Like a black bird she turns into the starry sky. Her lights fade in the swirling dust and in the darkness that encloses us like a shroud.
After a short walk we reach the abandoned base, silhouetted in the light of the Scorpion. Then Sergeant Okuma reports over the radio: "Everything is secure Commander! We are now beginning to explore the station. There are some comm interfaces. I'll leave Martinez and Koch here for the safety of the team. The Cerberus is in stand-by in orbit. We'll contact you as soon as we know more. Good luck. Copy?". "Roger. Thank you Sergeant Okuma! You too! We're investigating the first wing of the base. Over and out!", I reply and turn to our team. "You heard it. I don't think anyone wants to be here any longer than absolutely necessary. Let's begin our investigation."
Kiefers opens the first airlock, which couldn't resist the arc cutter for long. But then it jams again, as if the station wants to keep its secrets. Together we manage to open the airlock. "Does anyone think there's still oxygen inside?" asks Peter Sanders. "And if so, we shouldn't breathe it in because we don't know what's inside", replies Frey, shining his helmet lamp on a button. "They have left the base, haven't they? Didn't they?", says Kiefers. "According to the protocols? Yes!", Sanders replies. "Okay, away from the inner bulkhead of the airlock please, in case there is still oxygen in the rooms", I warn the team. We enter the airlock and bypass the fuse for the outer airlock. Then everyone stands to the side so that no one is directly in the area of the inner airlock. "Everyone ready?", I ask the team, after reassuring myself where everyone is standing. "Open Airlock! Countdown to 3" "Okay Commander. 3-2-1", Kiefers confirms. The airlock opens, a little oxygen pours out, kicking up some dust that has settled over the years. The darkness inside awaits.
"We've received crew records on the base com ports! We're on our way back. Are you all right Commander? Copy?", Sergeant Okuma reports over the radio. "Roger! We have entered the base and are now beginning our investigation. We'll meet at our final rendezvous point. Copy?", I reply to Sergeant Okuma. "Roger! We are on our way. Over and out."
We step through the airlock, into the history of Hawkins Gap Gamma. Admittedly, I'm not comfortable with this. "Messages transmitted!", the helmet display announces. We activate the logs transmitted by Sergeant Okumas, who had received them through the base com ports.
I begin to read the entries....
Start of entries - transmitted by scorpion srv - id: Vodel-TN3308SN938A21
Date: 10. September 3309
---Start---
HAWKIN'S GAP GAMMA MISSION 1/4
Expeditions-Logbuch: 30/08/3270
"A beautiful part of the galaxy, really dense star clusters, pretty much half way to the core. It's been a long journey though. We're out here setting down a series of beacons. Randomius doesn't know what for, but they're paying, so no questions!"
HAWKIN'S GAP GAMMA MISSION 2/4
Expeditions-Logbuch: 12/09/3270
"The funny thing is that I've asked a few other people about this mission and no one seems to know who's behind it. We all picked up ads promising lots of money for a long voyage and just sort of landed on board. We're not sure if it's the Feds, the Imps or the Alliance. Regardless, credits are credits!"
HAWKIN'S GAP GAMMA MISSION 3/4
Expeditions-Logbuch: 18/09/3270
"Arrived on site today. A couple of guys had to go EVA to deliver the beacons. We're jumping back and forth between different systems here in the Gap. One of the beacons activated itself and started squawking some strange code before it was turned off. We were told we didn't hear anything."
HAWKIN'S GAP GAMMA MISSION 4/4
Expedition Log: 01/10/3270
"I'm logging this, but I shouldn't. A couple of guys were talking about the beacons yesterday and then there was a mysterious accident in the airlock - they're all dead! The mood on board is mutinous. I just want to get back home. I'm not doing any more top-secret missions, that's for sure."
-- End--
Vodel - independent-aligned subsidiary of Core Dynamics - have a nice day!
We have left the airlock behind us and are slowly moving through the station. It's a strange feeling to see the old technology of yesterday. Almost like entering a time bubble, time that stands still. The protocols worry the team. But then the silence is broken. "Damn it! What happened here?", shouts Summers. In the beam of his helmet are the remains of several astronauts, mummified or decomposing in their spacesuits. "No, they've run out of oxygen, they are miserably suffocated.", said summers. "Wait Summers!", shouts Frey. "There are still some here! And it looks like they fought!", she says in dismay as she spots the gun in the skeletonised hand of one of the bodies. "But why? There's no mention of fighting in the logs?", I retort, looking into Frey's distraught face. "Look at this! Some of them must have been naked. Straight into the airlock without a spacesuit?", exclaims Kiefers in horror. "Klyanus' vsemi svyatymi! I don't believe it. Oh God...", replies Summers, who has found the frozen remains of other members of the crew in an airlock.
"Wait a minute... this is weird!", says Frey in amazement as she looks at the remains of one of the astronauts. "What's weird?", asks Sanders. "I don't want to commit myself right now, I have to take samples and compare them," Frey replies. As she does so, she collects bones, skin remains and teeth, while Sanders continues to look around. "Why teeth?", Sanders persists. "What about teeth?", Sanders follows up. "I have a theory and no solution! That's not how science works Sanders, you know that.", Frey retorts and turns back to her investigations. He continues - "Are you a dentist now or my assistant? I thought your speciality was evolutionary research and genetics, Doctor Rodriges." "Doctor Rodriges... and I'm just a technician. But I know I want to get out of here. So hurry up, I don't like all this", Kiefers grumbles, kicking one of the apparatus lying on the floor.
--
End of entry EOF