Log of Cdr. Mohenjo

[Mohenjo]

Ship's log, Space Vessel CALYPSO (Adder)

Had my first Thargoid encounter today, one I initiated. Exploring the HR 1183 system in the Pleiades Nebula, we detected an unidentified sensor signal. Initial scan suggested a non-human signal. Threat was rated quite high, but I decided to investigate notwithstanding. I selected an escape system to warp to in case of emergency, and warped down into the proximity of the signal source.

There, we saw a field of debris surrounding three wrecked ships, and in the center of the field was a Thargoid ship. It flew directly at us at moderate speed, despite the fact we were at full reverse, so I maneuvered to avoid it. After a few moments, all systems failed, presumably the Thargoid disabling "weapon." It then ignored us, and proceeded to project a beam of some sort, perhaps a tractor beam, which retrieved the damage escape pods from the wrecked ships. It seemed to have no interest in the ships themselves, nor in the tactical data cannisters the ships had apparently been carrying. CALYPSO, not having any cargo hold, was unable to retrieve the data once the Thargoid ship departed.

This raises the question: Why did it take the escape pods? Presumably, there were people IN them, so what could they want with them? Also, why would the Thargoid ship ignore US? Presumably, if they're collecting humans, they would have wanted to collect us as well, but they made no effort to do so.

Further investigation is clearly warranted.

Mohenjo, commanding CALYPSO.


Supplemental:
While exploring the system, we have encountered a great many similar signals (10 or 12 of them), all with Thargoids retrieving escape pods from wrecked ships. I had the thought to scan the Thargoid ship with our Data Scanner, but it seemed to become hostile (or at least defensive), launching a large swarm of small vehicles as we tried to approach close enough to do so. We retreated and it became nonthreatening again.

 

[Pumabear8]

Good clear log, I'm also curious about the escape pods, maybe they're rescuing them, as you say, they ignore us if we don't interfere.

 

[Mohenjo]

The Thargoids are Insectoid, if I recall correctly. A staple of science fiction insect races is that they use mammals for food. They're certainly not interested in them as prisoners to interrogate, or they would also be collecting the tactical intelligence and such other debris as there is.

 

[Mohenjo]

Ship's Log, Space Vessel CENTURY FAULCON (Cobra IV)

Prior to departure from Oracle Station, I had the ship refitted to assist in rescuing escape pods from marauding Thargoid vessels. We still have no idea why they are capturing escape pods (or rather, the people IN the pods), but I can't imagine it's for any reason we would approve of. So, we refitted the ship from its cargo configuration, adding a collection limpet controller and wake scanner to the ship.

After launch, we patrolled the system and soon came upon a non-human signal. Preparing for the worst by selecting an escape system, we dropped from warp to the proximity of the signal. There, we found the usual collection of destroyed earth vessels and a Thargoid interceptor (as I believe they're now known). As usual, it approached us rapidly, and scanned us with some sort of green beam that disrupted our systems. As usual, our own scans were interfered with, and no data on the ship itself was collected.

There were no escape pods in the wreckage, so the Thargoid warped out of the system, leaving its distinctive wake. Powering up our new wake scanner, we approached and scanned the wake. I had thought to pursue the Thargoid ship, or at least learn its direction, perhaps for further investigation, but the wake resisted immediate analysis. We will have to return the data to base for scientific evaluation. We further collected the remaining debris, and exited the area to return to base.

Mohenjo, commanding CENTURY FAULCON.

SUPPLEMENTAL

While en route to Oracle Station, we stopped to investigate another non-human signal, preparing ourselves as before. As we were approached by the Thargoid ship, we spotted an unusual item amid the debris, a Thargoid Probe of some sort.

Firing our thrusters to starboard, we raced past the Thargoid ship as it started to turn, and deployed collector limpets at a distance of 100km. One limpet attached itself to the Thargoid Probe, the other to an Occupied Escape Pod the Thargoid ship was in the process of capturing. The Probe was brought aboard our ship, but the Escape Pod was captured by the now aggressive Thargoid vessel, the limpet having been destroyed. The Thargoid ship had launched its interceptors, and approached us rapidly. The Thargoid drones made short work of our shields, but our armour seemed more resistant, and we were able to escape to a neighbouring system with moderate damage to the ship.

However, the ship continued to take damage from the Thargoid Probe we had captured. We dropped from warp, and ejected the probe. As we flew close to it for a better look and perhaps a more detailed scan, it flared red and our systems were completely shut down by some sort of EMP pulse. Clearly, the device was dangerous, and our computer identified it as an illegal commodity, so rather than leave it to be found by the Thargoids, we destroyed it, and returned to Oracle Station for repairs and to turn in our data.

 

[Schmack]

Ship's log, Space Vessel CALYPSO (Adder)

Had my first Thargoid encounter today, one I initiated. Exploring the HR 1183 system in the Pleiades Nebula, we detected an unidentified sensor signal. Initial scan suggested a non-human signal. Threat was rated quite high, but I decided to investigate notwithstanding. I selected an escape system to warp to in case of emergency, and warped down into the proximity of the signal source.

There, we saw a field of debris surrounding three wrecked ships, and in the center of the field was a Thargoid ship. It flew directly at us at moderate speed, despite the fact we were at full reverse, so I maneuvered to avoid it. After a few moments, all systems failed, presumably the Thargoid disabling "weapon." It then ignored us, and proceeded to project a beam of some sort, perhaps a tractor beam, which retrieved the damage escape pods from the wrecked ships. It seemed to have no interest in the ships themselves, nor in the tactical data cannisters the ships had apparently been carrying. CALYPSO, not having any cargo hold, was unable to retrieve the data once the Thargoid ship departed.

This raises the question: Why did it take the escape pods? Presumably, there were people IN them, so what could they want with them? Also, why would the Thargoid ship ignore US? Presumably, if they're collecting humans, they would have wanted to collect us as well, but they made no effort to do so.

Further investigation is clearly warranted.

Mohenjo, commanding CALYPSO.


Supplemental:
While exploring the system, we have encountered a great many similar signals (10 or 12 of them), all with Thargoids retrieving escape pods from wrecked ships. I had the thought to scan the Thargoid ship with our Data Scanner, but it seemed to become hostile (or at least defensive), launching a large swarm of small vehicles as we tried to approach close enough to do so. We retreated and it became nonthreatening again.

 

[Limoncello Lizard]

The Thargoids are Insectoid, if I recall correctly. A staple of science fiction insect races is that they use mammals for food. They're certainly not interested in them as prisoners to interrogate, or they would also be collecting the tactical intelligence and such other debris as there is.

Lore says they are ammonia breathers. They would find our flesh as toxic as we would find theirs.

 

[Mohenjo]

Ship's Log, Star Liner ENDEAVOUR (Dolphin)

Picked up some passengers in the Pleiades from a laboratory planetside. He was to be taken to Obsidian Station in Maia. As we launched, he requested that we divert to visit a tourist beacon in a "nearby" system. It really wasn't very near, but I agreed. I was somewhat leery of making extra stops, considering we were still carrying a large load of Insulating Membranes for trade, but thought we might easily evade any attempts at piracy.

We stopped at the tourist beacon, and he was pleased with the side trip, and we carried on toward Maia. However, while en route and IN WARP SPACE, there was a sudden distortion, and our warp drive became unstable. The ship warped down, and all systems began to fail. We could not see them, but the distinctive sound of the Thargoid scout ships could be heard. After several seconds, systems began coming back on line, and I quickly selected a new destination and engaged the Frame Shift drive. The Thargoid ship, which appeared to be somewhere behind us, gave chase as I engaged maximum thrust and boost, but was unable to prevent our warping out. We arrived in Maia, somewhat shaken.

However, our arrival at Obsidian Orbital was not yet to occur, as we were almost immdiately interdicted by not one, not two but a seemingly neverending series of pirate interdictions... 19 in all. A list appears below.

1. Asp Scout, evaded.
2. Imperial Courier, evaded.
3. Eagle, evaded.
4. Viper III, evaded.
5. Asp Scout (same as #1), evaded.
6. Asp Scout, evaded.
7. Vulture, dropped from warp, but escaped with no damage.
8. Cobra III, dropped from warp, but escaped with no damage.
9. Eagle, evaded.
10. Eagle, evaded.
11. Cobra III, evaded.
12. Anaconda, evaded.
13. Vulture, evaded.
14. Sidewinder(!), submitted, then taught him a lesson. He fled.
15. Eagle, evaded.
16. Adder, evaded.
17. Viper IV, evaded.
18. Viper III (same as #4), evaded.
19. Diamondback Scout, evaded.

After all this, we arrived safely at Obsidian Orbital, and our passengers disembarked. Additionally, we were able to trade all the cargo we had aboard.
We refueled and repaired what little damage we had accumulated, then I released the crew for shore leave while I filed a report regarding the Thargoid interdiction and subsequent piracy.

Mohenjo, commanding ENDEAVOUR.

 

[Mohenjo]

Ship's Log Federal Starship INDEPENDENCE (Federal Dropship)

While exploring systems in and around the Pleiades nebula, we came upon a strong signal with a Thargoid signature. The signature was somewhat larger than usual, so we thought to investigate. In the past, such signals were relatively benign, with a single Thargoid scout collecting debris and escape pods from destroyed ships. Left alone, they would remain non-hostile.

However, on this occasion, as we warped down, we found ourselves immediately under attack by some kind of shield disruption weapon. Before our frame shift drive had even completed our transition to normal space, our shields were already down, and our hull was taking damage. However, we did not see the familiar Thargoid scout, but instead a swarm of many small Thargoid ships, perhaps 15 or 20. In either case, they were chewing up our hull despite our armour, so I ordered an immediate retreat. We reengaged our Frame shift drive and escaped with minor damage.

We returned to base following this encounter, for repairs and to report this new vessel and its behaviour. We were informed that others have already encountered ships of this type, and that one had apparently crashed in a remote system. Once our repairs are complete, we will travel there and investigate the crashed vessel.

Mohenjo, commanding INDEPENDENCE.

 

[Mohenjo]

Ship's Log, Space Vessel CALYPSO (Adder).

Recent upgrades to the sensor equipment used for stellar cartography encouraged me to drag CALYPSO out of mothballs to do some exploring. I decided to make my course for the Pleiades Nebula, and warped first into the unexplored system of Morowari. We enabled the new FSS system and began long range scans of the various bodies in the system. On one, we found an unusual reading the computer identified as "Guardian."

I had never seen this sort of thing before, so we immediately closed down the FSS and proceeded to the planetoid. As we approached, we launched surface scanning probes and located the Guardian reading. From there we simply descended to the surface as usual. What we found was not what I had expected.

As we approached, we observed what appeared to be dark metal buildings. On landing, they appeared to be HUMAN in origin, a colony, but with no light or movement apparent. We landed, and I took an SRV to investigate. The colony was dark, and there was debris scattered here and there. In the darkness, I was reminded of the planet LV-426, from the old film "Aliens." It was ominous, and I half expected aliens to suddenly swarm my SRV. I soon found several active data terminals that revealed what had happened. Apparently, research was being done here, to produce a weapon to destroy the Thargoids. They were lured into an attack, with the intent that the new weapons would destroy them... but it didn't work, and the colony was... defeated? I suppose?

If this colony was attacked, why is there not more damage? I see no bodies, where are the people? I suspect the Thargoids simply disabled what defenses were here then took the colonists, as they often do with escape pods in space.

In any case, I transmitted a report back to the nearest base for further investigation.

Mohenjo, commanding CALYPSO.