--------------------------------
| BLACK BOX OS v05.10.16
--------------------------------
Status........................OK
Dead Man Switch........ACTIVATED
Full Dump..................ERROR
DIAGNOSTICS
Battery.......................OK
Integrity.....................OK
Memory Shards.................OK
Primary Antenna.........DISABLED
Secondary Antenna.......DISABLED
QEC Tether....................OK
In accordance with the Articles
Of Venura, authorization is here
by granted to broadcast Black B-
ox data to QEC network in encr-
ypted format.
PROCESS
Video to text...........COMPLETE
QEC Connection..........COMPLETE
Encryption.......MANUAL OVERRIDE
--------------------------------
Day of Journey........LAUNCH DAY
Location of Recording.....BRIDGE
Begin Transcript
===============================================================================
Captain Ragnar Lomere
---------------------
We have finally done it. We have managed to acquire our own ship to fly across
the void. Unlike Roxley, I do not care that it comes with a ten-year debt with
the government. I don't care if they do call it a contract, it's a debt, plain
and simple.
I managed to talk Fenoff into coming with us, this mission will require her el-
ectronic prowess. Especially if we are ever going to locate and remove the gov-
ernment tracker. Of course she wouldn't leave without her Daughter, so Hasig is
here too. But I wouldn't expect anything less from faithful followers of Night
Mothers.
I also got Coldsmith to come along. That was easy though, he would do anything
to get off of planetside. Last I saw him he had his head inside the laser canon
assembly muttering something about "the scravin' government tryna scrimp on the
weapon assemblies." I will feel alot safer with him here, and having his alcoh-
ol still won't hurt either.
I suppose I should mention this "contract" the government has given me, well,
us. It appears that the good governemnt of the planet Antaron have doctored the
history books a little. I know, the shock hit my like planet-side thrust. The
Government hiding things from the people? Oh please, say it isn't so. While I
will forever cry myself to sleep with the burden of such terrible knowledge, I
must press on for the sake of the people. And money, mainly the money.
You see, a thousand years ago, give or a take a bit, Antaron was at bloody war
with her sister planet a few galaxies over. How you can be sister's with someone
who lives five, reavin' galaxies away I will never know. But they were in a lo-
ng and bloody fight with Kassabar. So, the Antaron did what any sane government
would do.
They built several highly illegal planet busters and launched them through spa-
ce.
Obviously, the planet is still there. So, if all the Kassabarbarians are safe
in their beds, then what does the sweet Antaron need with us? Well, it appears
someone didn't quite shut the busters off like they were supposed to.
Last cycle they received a transmission from one of the busters. Not only is it
still active, but it has armed itself and is awaiting authorization to attack.
As you can imagine the Antaron would be quite embarrassed if they accidentally
killed one of their closest allies. That's kinda hard to save face from.
So they've enlisted myself, and an untold number of others to help with this f-
iasco. My task is to emigrate to Kassobar and take up some sort of space-faring
job. While under the guise of whatever our job we must hunt down and find this
planet buster. Once we find it (if we find it) we are to board it and use the
override codes we have been provided with to shut it down. Sounds easy, right?
Well, ya see, given that it is parked in a waiting orbit anywhere between 0.5c
and 3c, it will be like finding a needle in a haystack. Which, I thought, was a
clever name.
I've named the ship Needle, as that is both what we are looking for, and what
we wish to become. Once Fenoff finds and disables the tracker, we will disappe-
ar, making our way to the next solar system that tickles our fancy.
I really don't expect it to take more than a year for her to find it, two tops.
For now, I am going to acquaint myself with my new ship. It's far larger than
we need, but I'm not complaining. I hope the All Sphere guides my hand as I le-
ave the dock. I really don't want to emberass myself by scratching the paint on
the way out.
===============================================================================
END RECORDING
gemini://cosmic.voyage/Needle/Black box - 01.txt