The Blood-Stained Stars: Automation Impediment – Part VI

Everyshore region – Chasnaye constellation
Harerget system – Planet V – Moon 1
CreoDron Factory station

5 June YC 127

Delphine looked at me expectantly, waiting for the penny to drop. It didn’t. I felt stupid.

“Erm…” I said, “You need to unpack it for me.”

“Don’t you see,” the agent said impatiently, “someone, or something, was grafting microcontrollers onto our drones. You have found a datacore which contains the code with which those microcontrollers were programmed. It’s quite possible that your datacore is the source of that code. If Immuri can find out where the code came from, we will know who, or what, was present at the site where the Damsel was destroyed.”

It made sense, now that she explained. There was one thing that caught my attention, though. Continue reading “The Blood-Stained Stars: Automation Impediment – Part VI”

The Blood-Stained Stars: Automation Impediment – Part V

Crossing Enemy Lines

Everyshore region – Chasnaye constellation
Harerget system – Planet V – Moon 1
CreoDron Factory station

27 April YC 127

“I’ve found it,” I said, handing the scorched datacore to Delphine.

She accepted it as if it was a treasure, and said hesitantly, “And… was there anything else?”

I guessed she was asking about Dr Castille’s remains, and shook my head, “The explosion was really violent. There were hardly any debris larger than this datacore.”

Delphine nodded and asked, “And the pirates?”

“Terminated.”

Tears glistened in Delphine’s eyes, as she came to me a kissed me on a cheek. Continue reading “The Blood-Stained Stars: Automation Impediment – Part V”

The Blood-Stained Stars: Automation Impediment – Part IV

Gistii Impaler

Data Retrieval

Everyshore region – Chasnaye constellation
Harerget system – Planet V – Moon 1
CreoDron Factory station

27 April YC 127

Having transferred the rescued scientists to CreoDron security, I headed to Delphine Xarasier’s office. When I pulled the door, I heard strange sounds coming from her room. Carefully peeking inside I discovered Delphine sitting in a guest chair with a commlink in her lap, crying.

I closed the door and asked in a gentle tone, “Delphine, what happened?”

The agent raised her head, saw me and suddenly burst out of the chair spilling the commlink on the floor. In a split second she crossed the distance between us and… hugged me tight, burying her face against my chest. Taken aback I stood there not knowing what to do. Continue reading “The Blood-Stained Stars: Automation Impediment – Part IV”

The Blood-Stained Stars: Automation Impediment – Part III

Serpentis Research Laboratory Explosion

Lair of the Snakes

Everyshore region – Chasnaye constellation
Harerget system – Planet V – Moon 1
CreoDron Factory station

27 April YC 127

When I entered Delphine’s office, she was nervously pacing up and down.

“Captain,” the agent cried as soon as she saw me, “you have to save her!”

“Save whom?” I asked, confused.

“Aspasia! I mean, Dr Aspasia Castille. She is one of CreoDron’s top minds.”

“Um… Save from what? Or whom?” Continue reading “The Blood-Stained Stars: Automation Impediment – Part III”

The Blood-Stained Stars: Automation Impediment – Part II

Colony Station

Rendering Assistance

Everyshore region – Chasnaye constellation
Harerget system – Planet V – Moon 1
CreoDron Factory station

27 April YC 127

“You see,” said Delphine Xarasier, “there is a colony in Harerget which experienced an outbreak of Lumivent Sieve and which needs an urgent delivery of antibiotics. We sent them a batch three days ago but it never arrived. Now the colony is in desperate need of the medicine. Can you deliver it to them?”

I hesitated, “Um… Aren’t you an R&D agent?”

“I am. Why?”

“This is actually my question: if you are an R&D agent, why are you handling distribution contracts?” Continue reading “The Blood-Stained Stars: Automation Impediment – Part II”

The Blood-Stained Stars: Automation Impediment – Part I

CreoDron Factory

Studying the Scene

Everyshore region – Chasnaye constellation
Harerget system – Planet V – Moon 1
CreoDron Factory station

27 April YC 127

As I was jumping through the gates toward Harerget system, I contacted Delphine Xarasier, a Level 1 R&D agent who agreed to help Alitura with deciphering the datacore.

“Good morning, Ms Xarasier,” I said cheerfully, when a disheveled, sleepy agent appeared on the comms screen. Continue reading “The Blood-Stained Stars: Automation Impediment – Part I”

The Blood-Stained Stars: Quality of Mercy – Part IX

Going Gallente

Essense region – Peccanouette constellation
Arnon System – Planet IX – Moon 3
Sisters of EVE Bureau station

27 April YC 127

In the end, it turned out neither of The Damsel survivors I brought to Sisters of Eve had a clue what had happened. After interrogating Sister Alitura’s greatest hope, engineer Tahaki Karin, we were none the wiser. Tahaki spent all her time in the engineering section and made a lucky escape in a pod when she heard an evacuation alarm. Otherwise, she had no idea who or what attacked The Damsel. Sister Alitura tried to track other survivors but to no avail. The days went by and there were no good news; any news, for that matter. Gradually, I came to believe that it was a cold case and returned to my usual pastime of harassing Guristas in Okela constellation. Imagine my surprise when more than a month after my last SOE mission I got a call from Alitura. I immediately jumped into Kaukokärki and flew to Arnon. Continue reading “The Blood-Stained Stars: Quality of Mercy – Part IX”

The Blood-Stained Stars: Quality of Mercy – Part VIII

Heartbreak Explosion

Engineering a Rescue

Essense region – Peccanouette constellation
Arnon System – Planet IX – Moon 3
Sisters of EVE Bureau station

17 March YC 127

I spent a rather uneventful morning in SOE Bureau station and was considering my lunch options when I received summons from Sister Alitura. I winced. The previous day had been intense and if today was going to be the same then I’d have to make do with intravenous nourishment.

When I entered the office, I saw that Alitura was excited.

“Captain, we have found the key survivor,” said the agent, her eyes gleaming. “She was an engineer on The Damsel, and now she is signed on to the crew of the Heartbreak. She may be the only one who knows what really happened.” Continue reading “The Blood-Stained Stars: Quality of Mercy – Part VIII”

The Blood-Stained Stars: Quality of Mercy – Part VII

Dead Drop Location

Delivering a Doctor

Essense region – Peccanouette constellation
Arnon System – Planet IX – Moon 3
Sisters of EVE Bureau station

16 March YC 127

I took a seat and looked at Sister Alitura expectantly.

She composed herself and said, “We didn’t really learn anything interesting from Mr Azil, but we managed to locate the ship’s doctor. Can’t say that Sisters can take credit for it as we found her by way of ransom demand.” Continue reading “The Blood-Stained Stars: Quality of Mercy – Part VII”

The Blood-Stained Stars: Quality of Mercy – Part VI

Infester Alvi

Chivvying a Chef

Essense region – Peccanouette constellation
Arnon System – Planet IX – Moon 3
Sisters of EVE Bureau station

16 March YC 127

Sister Alitura followed me into the office and closed the door behind her. She did not offer me a chair and remained standing herself. Obviously, the agent took a leaf out of my book which brought a knowing smile to my face.

“Captain,” Alitura started drily, “we received information from Mr Centrien about the ship’s cook, Mr Aubrei Azil, but there is a problem. It appears that he has shipped out as well.”

That new intel made me frown, “There is no way three of them could get reassignments so soon after an incident like this. I think they are being shuffled through the system so that we don’t find them.” Continue reading “The Blood-Stained Stars: Quality of Mercy – Part VI”