The Mystery Deepens -- Unknown Artifacts with Cats -- My conversation with EXO command staff
23 Dec 2015iModar
I spent the better part of the day running goods back and forth and doing errands for EXO in Wayaliti. One task literally had me going back and forth between three systems. An ear was kept focused on the comms. Usually I have a text feed I occasionally check for EXO updates and orders; however, this time I had all channels open listening in. I was just about to dock again at the Wayaliti outpost when I heard two words which I knew would be important: "Unknown Artifact." Once docked, I searched the Saunders's Dive records and found instances of Unknown Artifacts corresponding with the power fluctuations. What I found astonished me.NOV 25 — SERVICES SUSPENDED AT GAIMAN DOCK AND WEYN DOCK
DEC 02 — SERVICES SUSPENDED AT KOROLYOV HUB
DEC 10 — SERVICES SUSPENDED AT CARTER PORT
DEC 14 — TECHNICAL ISSUES SPREAD TO HARMA AND WOLF 1301
DEC 21 — TECHNICAL ISSUES SPREAD TO MAIA
I couldn't believe it. Those are just what I found with the minimum effort... I also found two articles specifically about Unknown Artifacts... One states that there is a direct correlation between UAs arriving at stations and those stations suffering major malfunctions. The other details an expedition to study them and the effects they have. Wolf 1301 is mentioned. Sanders's...The Dive...my home.
The officers' lounge has always been open to all EXO pilots; I've never felt the need to go in though. I returned to the Dive just to ask some questions.
Me: "So can someone explain the UAs to me? Did they cause something to happen to the station?
CMDR Larzok: *ahem* "UAs are still largely unexplained in both their function and overall purpose. They have a few side effects when brought into contact with human technology...namely they eat it. Once a station's name hits Galnet, it's only a matter of time until all services except shipyard are non-operational."
CMDR Nerth: "It doesn't help when iP1lot keeps one in his locker...!"
Larzok: "So since they have this effect, some people have been using them as a technoviral bomb in political disputes."
Just as I was wondering if it had something to do with iP1lot's Space Cat ramblings...
Larzok: "They are hailed as a holy relic by the Church of the Space Cat...often referred to with the proper noun 'The Nip.' That answer your question, iModar?"
Me: "Yes, so the Dive gonna get screwed up and we can't do crap about it?
Larzok: "...Pretty much."
On my way back to my quarters, I heard one of the SysSec pilots say he kept hearing about Space Cat from pirates while on patrol. Now what? EXO has made a crack down on UAs being smuggled into Wolf 1301, but now that the Dive is affected, we just have to hold on tight. I'm putting emergency supplies onto my Cobra and Viper in case things get really tight. It may be time to put trading on hold and begin patrolling. I have combat experience.