THE SAMPLE
26 Mar 2024Jav Marlo
THE SAMPLEAfter discovering a Thargoid Hive Ship within the interior of the Taranis Maelstrom, commander Jav Marlo is requested by professor Palin to test a new Wave Pulse Xeno Scanner and to collect a tissue sample from the Thargoid Hive Ship.
15 JUN 3309, Hodgkin Dock, Senocidi system.
This is a log by commander Jav Marlo for professor Ishmael Palin.
First of all, I must say that this second trip into the inner of the Maelstrom has been by far more bumpy than the last one. I am afraid to report that the Hive Ship, or the Titan as they are calling it, is now fully aware of our presence and has deployed a wide array of defence systems. It is not dormant anymore. This is what we have seen, so far.
From the moment we surpassed the Shock Wave and arrived to the surrounding asteroid belt, we could see that there was more activity than the last time we visited. Interceptors now patrol the asteroid bell.
The Xenophon approaching the Titan Taranis
We used the asteroids to mask our presence and kept the Xenophon cool to avoid detection until we found a window to approach the maw of the Titan.
The Xenophon approaching the maw of the Titan Taranis
We triggered the Wave Pulse Xeno Scanner and it soon identified some sample extraction points on the edges of the maw.
The Xenophon using its Wave Pulse Xeno Scanner
So, we approached one of the maw edges and launched a collector limpet towards it.
The Xenophon launching a collector limpet to the Titan Taranis
We waited for the collector limpet to get the sample while keeping an eye on the maw in case it will launch against us another Interceptor, like last time.
The Xenophon collecting Titan samples
But no Interceptor came. Instead, a huge energy pulse started to build emanating from the maw’s edges. Then a huge blinding flash… and just like that, we were dead on the water. I think we were stroke by a much bigger version of the Interceptor’s shutdown field.
The Titan Taranis triggering a shutdown field
We were adrift… helpless. I could see the collector limpet still in front of the Xenophon. The pulse had not melted it, but it was shutdown too. And that is when I saw it. Approaching us. A little bit slimmer and smaller than an Interceptor… but faster… its petals quickly spinning around the main body. A new type of Thargoid vessel… a hunter.
A Thargoid Glaive approaching the Xenophon
The Thargoid ship continued hovering around the adrift Xenophon. I guess it was evaluating what kind of threat we were. But then the Xenophon systems started to reboot. The limpet finished collecting the sample and flew back to the Xenophon.
The Xenophon collecting a Titan’s sample
And that unleashed the Armageddon. First the Thargoid hunter fired a lightning beam on us, melting our shields and attracting any other Thargoid vessels on the vicinity.
A Thargoid Glaive firing its lightning beam on the Xenophon
We were clearly outnumbered, so I boosted the Xenophon engines to prepare for a runaway, and then is when the Titan finally showed its teeth. The whole of the Titan surface is covered with turrets that fire projectiles similar to those of the Interceptors, but at a much faster rate. It is like a flak system that can melt the shields and hull of any close ship in seconds.
A Titan firing at the Xenophon
And that is not the end of the bad news. Those new Thargoid hunters… they are fast… I mean, faster than a Basilisk. The Xenophon cannot outrun them. I doubt many ships can. And they are deadly. Lucky for us, they did not pursued us beyond into the Maelstrom. I am sharing the data we collected with Aegis. We have a new threat to face.
The Xenophon running away from the Titan Taranis
Nevertheless, we made it back to human controlled space and we have your sample in the cargo hold. We are now at Hodgkin dock patching the hull and refitting the Xenophon from all the damage it took, but we will be in Abel Laboratory soon to deliver. This log should get to you faster.
Jav Marlo signing out.