Miranda Investigation

Year: 307 CE - 309 CE

A small fishing boat named 'Miranda' was found drifting along Polsk's shore without an owner on board nor any registration within any nearby harbours, thus it was towed into harbour and boarded by port authoritiees to figure out where the crew had gone and if there were any documents explaining where the boat came from. This case would eventually escalate into several co-occurring investigations tied in with one another, which in this page are "separated" as to provide as convenient of a reading experience as possible.

Initial course of Events Upon investigation, the boat was measured to be quite small at about 10 meters long, only having room for a crew of around 4 people. Going on board the officers found it to be quite run-down due to how long it had been out at sea, with the whole thing stinking of moldy fish, rotting wood, and fuel as the creaking flimsy planks creaked with each step the police took as they moved towards the wheelhouse, which was already from afar seen to be in a chaotic mess. Once they entered the room, it was evident that some kind of struggle had taken place here as the steering-wheel wand navigational equipment was damaged in a manner which suggested that something was thrown at them, with many parts and devices such as the GPS tracker having been removed even before being struck by said object. 2 of the officers decided to go outside of the room again to look for more clues after dragging out the damaged navigational computer, whole the other 3 stepped down into the kitchen and living spaces which also appeared to be damaged as beyond just the smashed plates and cracked table, splatters of blood were seen on the ground. The sleeping cabin appeared to be in a much better state with the 4 bunks within said room being furnished with ordinary clothes and some small items that belonged to the crew with the only things of note being the lack of any pictures and a jammed door leading to the captain's cabin. The two officers outside discovered the probable cause of death for at least one crew member, a missing piece of railing alongside its supports and a small part of the deck. More officers and detectives boarded the boat and took fingerprint and blood samples to check against their records (especially missing persons records). The team broke their way into the captain's cabin, revealing the corpse of a man in his thirties with a brown beard whom was seemingly stabbed to death, with this individual being deemed the captain due to his clothing (which was stained by blood, but not enough to hide his position). Other than his bed, a desk (with a drawer) and a clothing rig with a yellow jacket were also in the room, with said desk having a plaque reading "Captain's Patent: Tyson Graham" next to a open log book with pages torn out. Once the DNA test results came back the identities of two of the crew members were discovered, Mathew Flynn and Loran Hebert, with the latter having been reported missing in a small village on Isernotaria's west coast in the same village that a vessel named "Miranda" was registered according to local authorities, though no other records from the place could be found. One of the officers on the deck discovered another younger corpse wearing a yellow jacket (same make as the one from the captain's cabin) who was seemingly also stabbed to death lying under many of the fish crates on the ship's bow, with facial scans identifying this individual as "Loran Hebert". The DNA test results point toward two people, one called “Mathew Flynn” and the other “Loran Hebert”, the second was reported missing 2 weeks ago in a small village on the west coast of “Isernotaria”. Checking with the local authorities there confirms that a vessel named “Miranda” was registered there. However there are no further records found other than its registration. From the crew cabin an officer discovers something hidden in one of the mattresses. It's a small brown book sealed with a lock. From the deck another officer shouts, “Found another one of the fellows!”. Lying under many of the fish crates in the bow of the ship is another corpse. He seems younger than the captain wearing the same type of yellow jacket over rugged and warm clothes. A facial scan reveals that this must be “Loran Hebert”. The corpse has 2 bloodied stab wounds in the belly. An additional officer is dispatched to the case.

Book Investigation Wedged between the mattresses found at the bunkbeds, a brown book sealed with a loock was discovered which was promptly picked open. The first page featured a sentence in polish and two other languages, which were later translated to all mean the same thing; Translation Page 1: “Should you find this, don’t talk to anyone about it, for they could be amongst them, no matter what position they might hold.”. All of the following pages were written in the second language which required translators to slowly work through the book. After one of the detectives contracted food poisoning and was replaced by "Lucas Ash", the team identified the last crew member as "Justin Barrett" who was also reported missing at the Isernotarian village a few days after Loran Hebert was. Translation Page 2: I think I did it, I did the impossible. I managed to escape their watch, their influence. But I can never hold myself safe now, as I would certainly be killed should they find me. For the Order doesn’t like to be discovered. My name is Mathew Flynn. I am, I mean I was a security agent for the CSIS. Don’t try to inquire about me, I made sure to erase every possible data on my background. This includes my real name, for how else should I have escaped? My old personality doesn’t matter now. Just what I've discovered is important. In this book I hope to comprise my findings and preserve them for a time when the order is weak. For only then will it have an impact and a chance of revealing them. It all started with the Acolyte Incident. More specifically it had something to do with the messages that were sent before the craft arrived. Investigations at that time pointed towards no point of origin, that it just seemingly appeared. But how could that work? I myself couldn't believe what the investigations were claiming. So I started my own search, completely from scratch. I went over it multiple times but I couldn’t find it, until I looked at it from a different angle. The message had nothing that could point towards its origin but it did have something which it was directed at. Of course its primary goal was probably to inform us about the coming intrusion but what about its secondary? The translator appointed to the case was injured in a car-accident severely enough to require hospitalization, necessitating the appointment of a new one who noted that following the third and fourth page the text appeared to become complete gibberish, which was assumed to be some-kind of cipher, necessitating the presence of decryption experts as well. Intrigued by the case and growing suspicious over the food-poisoning and car-crash being an intentional sabotage campaign, the Department of Containing Anomalous Entities took over the investigation from the police and began decrypting everything it could with its artificial intelligences while authorities began checking for spies as to figure out if the two accidents were connected. Translation Page 3: Have I gone mad? I hope not. Have they found me? It was today that I spotted something while out on the ocean, just for a brief second I thought there was something metallic floating in the water. But I mean, how would they know. Did I forget something? I should probably not write these things in plain text as to make it harder for them to detect it. But then again, would it matter what my mind can produce as encryption in comparison to what they are capable of? I have to try and then just hope that this book falls into the right hands. Maybe if? Ok, whoever is reading this I hope you have not contacted anyone else about it. I am begging you. I mean if this is publicized on any kind of network I guess I have failed. But even if it has come to their attention, it might still take some time till they can do something about it. This is the only hope I have for this. Ok, in order to read the following pages you will need to travel to [Redacted by DCAE]. Look for [Redacted by DCAE]. Dig there and you will find a chest with everything you will need for decrypting. Before uploading any information onto any databases, a small team was sent to the mentioned location in which a small box containing a cipher book and decryption instructions was found. Translation Page 4: Ok, back to the more important information. When the message was finally decrypted into something that made sense, no further attention was paid to it. Sure it was analyzed in certain ways, especially after the craft appeared but no one ever questioned the present decryption. During my research however, I stumbled onto a little idea that was recorded in one of the meetings of the decryption team. What if the message could be decoded into more than one meaning? I followed everything I could find on that idea and ultimately ended up having a personal algorithm brute force its way till I found something else that made sense. And after a few weeks It did. The following message read: “Instruction: Do not engage. Reason: Core has taken over responsibility. Mission active. Information: Message safe for public.” This could only mean one thing, there had to be something amongst us which was under the control of the Acolytians. Something or someone who knew about how to get this other message. I tracked down every recorded institution who was logged to have received the message. I then spent many, many days with intense research into the people who worked in some of the more… odd… places. One of those was the University of Niederbach. Sure it was a quite large institution, but why would they care? I found out that one of the teachers there had worked in helping with the decryption and that his ideas were extremely helpful in the further efforts… almost as if he had already known. So I called up one of my friends who was currently working as an agent in Germania and sent him to inquire more about this teacher. Looking back with my knowledge now, the discoveries the agent made were probably more due to luck than skill. He was good, but they were near perfect. During the night a break-in at the facility containing the documents related to the case occurred, with the only thing being stolen seemingly being cleanly cut-out pages from the book which only left two pages remaining alongside a sterile letter from the thieves written in the same cipher that read; This death is not our cause, we do not kill unless there is no other way. The remaining pages are all you will need for finding the culprit. Do not worry about the rest. We are those that keep away what you can't handle. We are those who work to keep you safe from certain extinction. - The Order of Contactors With much of the book gone, the only details remaining from the missing fifth page were a handful of notes made by the decryption team before they could finish their translations; "But how are you to trust your eyes when they work to blind you." "The order of the metal mind are [missing information] ." "[missing information] since the beginning of [missing information]." "They know technology to an unreal level, using it to [missing information] ." Later on, the next translation and decryption of one of the 2 remaining pages was handed to the leading investigator. Translation Page 7: I think it's over. One of the crew which I'm working with left his job and a new guy was hired. This is bad, really bad. I don’t know enough about the new guy. Is he one of them or not? His name is “Lucas Ash”, at least that's what he introduced himself as. He was a fisherman before, just on a different ship until that business was abandoned by his captain. But why would someone move up the coast just to end up here, he just has to be from the order. I should probably tell you what I am doing here and how I escaped them, at least I hope I did. It might prove useful for you to know, should the need arise, which it will. First you need to set up an additional Identity preferably extremely different to what you are currently. As a rule of thumb, the more money you have the easier that will be. Next you will have to fake your death. There are enough people who specialize in that sort of operation so it should not be too hard to find someone. I for my part made myself a humble fisherman on the planet Theia. I don’t know why but I had never really felt a connection to this particular planet, making it perfect. As a next precaution I made sure to land in a spaceport as far from my ultimate destination as possible. I then spent about a year worth just bouncing around from settlement to settlement, laying false clues concerning my real destination. I often contacted smugglers and criminals who I had scoped out in advance. Some of them intentionally people I identified as from the order. I knew it was risky but It had to look like I was oblivious. The trick is to wait for the right moment when you judge that they have let their guard down. For me it was after a transfer with a non-order smuggler. I had made a sort of pattern in which I would regularly “by chance” select an order member as my helper. So with the hopes that they would just expect me to show up to them, I altered my plans and made a b-line towards my actual destination. Growing concerned, the DCAE looked into "Lucas Ash" as he shared a name with the detective that came in after the food-poisoning incident, uncovering that he was born in Polsk and regularly went out to sea with his dad during his youth, later moving to Isernotaria after dropping out of secondary school in order to work as a fisherman, while his retired ex-ferry-captain father Michael Ash and mother Martha Ash still resided in the same Polskan village where his brother David Ash works as a harbor worker. Translation page 9: They are all in it. I am sure. What other explanation could there be? All my current colleagues. They have to be sent from them. I need to kill them. Yes. Yes. I need to kill them all. I will do it today, when we are out on the sea. But before I need to give you some advice, should I fail. I made a list of things you should be wary about. For they are notorious in their schemes and have eluded even the bets of the best agencies. I have no Idea how I managed to even get a small hold of them. Guess I was just lucky. There is a hidden compartment in the fishing ship I am working on. All the way down in the hold towards the aft there is a crate mounted to the wall. It's not being used and is probably hidden under other crates. Inside you will find a box with everything you will need to be aware of. The ship's name Is Miranda, it is registered in [insert village]. Act quickly. It might save your life. And now I will save mine. They will die, yes, all of them. Haha, take that order. I HAVE BEATEN YOU. HAHAHAHA. YOU CAN’T HIDE ANY LONGER. Upon checking the compartment (which seemed to have already been opened recently) mentioned in the ninth note, it was found to only contain rotting kipper (colloquially "red herring") fish and nothing else, greatly frustrating the team involved with the case due to how 'sneaky' the group sabotaging them was to the point of burning the completely ordinary fish. Break-in Investigation DCAE and the Polskan National Intelligence Agency looked into the break-in which occurred earlier on which shouldn't have been able to go unnoticed with how secure DCAE facilities tended to be. All recordings and sensors appeared to be completely normal until one of the vault's sensors reported structural damage before all security systems went briefly offline despite there being no damage of any kind at the arrival of the security forces. While initially completely untraceable, the community team noticed a strange delay in the shift-change in the security footage which suggested that some of the footage may of been replaced by recordings. Additionally, a maintenance panel seemed to have been tampered with as the lead-facility-engineer claimed that it didn't resemble the usual mess left behind by the last person, 'John', who operated it. They investigate the metal plating behind the wires at the spot and find that it is completely sterilized and devoid of any fingerprints or other possible traces. The L.F.E. suddenly makes a puzzled look. "Hold on." He points towards a component embedded amongst the other technical equipment in the panel. "What is that?" It is a small rectangular dull metal box stamped with some-kind of logo and markings connecting some cables together. The team diverts power from the cables connected to the box and taps into the connections from the small box with different equipment. However, as soon as the reading devices are turned on, a small crackle and faint smoke is seen emerging from the box. "Dang it, probably fried itself." They disconnect the box and bring it into the lab, though within said lab all they found was fried circuits, batteries, and components molten beyond recognition.

Hitman Investigation While investigating the food-poisoning and car-crash incidents that happened to officers involved with the case, DCAE managed to uncover that the food poisoning traced back to a manufacturing error resulting in a faulty expiration date which many other products from the same batch possessed, while the car-crash was traced back to a bad oil mixture clogging the motor. The investigation was almost closed until a chemical expert noted a possible discrepancy in the manufacturing error investigation, with the ensuing second investigation leading to the discovery of faint traces of another chemical which may of been sabotage after all, though despite this the new report was kept silent as the first one was released instead to put the culprit at ease. Subsequent investigations uncovered that the product the victim had ingested was possibly swapped out from an original intended product for the sabotaged product, while another oddity was brought up that the culprits seemed to be making sure their campaigns were purely non-lethal in ways far too intricate to be necessary, thus the Polsk National Intelligence Agency was brought into the investigation. Both cases were eventually tracked down to a particularly efficient hitman for hire who admitted to the attacks but didn't know who issued the orders to him, thus he was thanked and executed. The payments associated with the attacks were tracked down to an empty 'ghost account' that had sent the payments from a bank in a incredibly remote region which of course had its camera footage corrupt that day, with the only description of the person responsible being of someone who died over 10 years ago which implied the usage of a disguise. Using advanced recovery software some of the footage was able to be restored, though unfortunately the description appeared to in fact have been accurate and due to how long ago this visit occurred forensics specialists were unable to recover anything of note. A search for this individual was put out without very high hopes, only for an individual to one day report that they had seen the vehicle and person the day of the transfer, though unfortunately this didn't lead anywhere as the vehicle was found to have been scrapped in a junkyard a block away from the police-department with the only detail of note being a note in the glove box reading "Nope, nothing here."

Lunar Investigation A small gathering of people was reported around the Trent-653087 Crater on Luna, though they quickly scattered once security came in to investigate them, prompting the CSIS to plant surveillance to see if they would return. A long time afterwards, the cameras reported two transport rovers carrying 10 arriving at the crater just outside the research camp present there, with two exiting in space-suits, 4 going back to the rovers to detach a crate, 3 tracing lines in the dust, and one setting up a camera pointing towards the perimeter in the background while the rest wandered around and kept watch. Deciding to investigate, a CSIS security shuttle moved in to speak with them. The cameras on location report movement. And actually, there on the screen two personal transport rovers can be seen coming up to the crater and stopping just outside the view of the research camp at the impact site. A few people, a total of 10, exit the two rovers in space suits. 4 people go to the back of one of the rovers and start detaching a small freight crate. 3 others start tracing lines in the dust and one sets up a camera pointing towards them with the perimeter zone in the background while the rest wander around a bit and seem to keep watch. A cloaked security shuttle starts hovering above them, and starts dropping troops right above them to investigate and talk to them. A cloaked security shuttle starts hovering above the group of people and starts dropping soldiers right above them to investigate and talk to them. Over the radio one of them is heard saying: "No, wait, we need to do this to appease them." The shuttle hovered in the sky as it listened in on their comms while two more cloaked shuttles moved in behind them to block any escape routes. "The object from the crater, it was a gift. But we proved unworthy so it was taken again." The others go back to unloading the crate and drawing lines in the dust as one steps forward to the landed troops. "My name is brother Albert, please, let me explain." "We are the followers of the dark obelisk." "Who?", the soldiers respond "We. All who have gathered here are here because of their calling." "It was when the flying obelisk came that we realised what it meant but it was too late." "The calling?" says a lead marine with a green spacesuit featuring the markings of a "Master Sergeant". "The Trent asteroid?" "Yes." "Yes..." "I mean no." "The asteroid was the gift." "Start from the beginning." "Who are you, and what is your relation to the Trent crater?" The crate is unpacked, inside are water and food rations which are placed around it. "This is a protected research site." "We are the followers of the dark obelisk. Named after the Great Black God. The object inside that asteroid had to have been a gift, a test of our worthiness. But it seems we proved unworthy as a species since we were not able to come and get it. So the great black god came again and took it away with the help of his many minions. Now we want to pray to him and bring tribute so he doesn't kill our kind." One of the people waits at the camera, the others start standing in a circle outside the traced symbols. "We know we can not get to the crater which is why we set up our sacrifice here. To be as close as we can to that holy place." One of the troopers says in private coms: "Cults... ugh..." Albert asks: "Please, may we proceed?" The sergeant sees no issue, and is curious to see what would happen. "Fine, go ahead." CSS Jupiter is no longer over them and is currently orbiting the moon. The troopers step back. "Thank you, thank you..." Albert joins the others in the circle, the person at the camera activates it and also joins them. "Oh great one who you reside in the void. Please take our humble sacrifice as tribute that you may not consume us for we are unworthy." Two people take out small flasks and drench the packages in the centre in a sort of heavy liquid. Another one pulls out a battery of which from the poles metal wires are arranged in a way that there is a gap which if closed short-circuits the battery. One of the persons takes the battery and steps towards the pile. "May one cease so many will live." Suddenly, he cuts his oxygen hose and drops onto the pile with the battery in his hands. As it touches the liquid a spark is seen and the pile lights on fire burning its way through the rations and the space suit, the flame nurturing on the oxygen provided through the cut hose. The water packs explode an turn into steam. Many voices are heard shouting together through the coms. "ACCEPT OUR SUFFERING. DO NOT CAST US OUT, FOR WE ARE UNWORTHY." They raise their hands. "Oh great one, return to us so we may prove us again." One of the troopers shouts out in horror via private com: "SERGEANT, WE NEED TO INTERVENE" The sergeant as well as several other corporals raise their guns armed with explosive rounds and fire. "Protocol Void complete." Most of the privates immediately stop what they are doing and watch as their Sergeant and several other non commissioned officers massacre a few civilians. The sergeant raises his reflective visor so his face is visible, revealing a battlescarred partially cybernetic face featuring a metal cheek brace and a robotic eye. "I somewhat recognize that ritual." "They were surely worshipping Miraak." All of the privates look at the destruction with somber, almost remorse, but many of them know it was probably for the best. A small drone is seen ascending and flying of in the distance. The drone is tractor-beamed by a shuttle still hovering, but itt explodes as soon as the tractor beam makes contact. The shuttle goes through its records to trace where it was being controlled from but no radio frequency is found that would indicate controlling that drone.

CSIS Infiltration Attempt After reviewing the initial notes uncovered as a part of the Book Investigation, the NIA sent agents out to accidentally be picked up by the Order using the methods described by Mathew without much success at least for now while also looking into any data backups made by him present in the Great Archives, giving them significantly more data than previously available even if accessing the archives took a long time due to its security. The data in the archives described Mathew as an individual born in Iujadogia who moved to Dina in his youth without many other details about his life, though cross-referencing death dates of CSIS security personnel and their known friends (As Mathew claimed to work for the CSIS) implied that he may of been a operative by the name of "Burt Daniels" according to a friend who was stationed in Germania, though strangely little data was available about Daniels either. From what limited details were available, Burt was born in Poland before 'gladly' becoming a CSIS operative in the internal security department who primarily operated onboard CSIS stations in the asteroid belt despite his questionable loyalty before eventually dying at the end of 306 CE one week following the Acolyte Incident, with his last major project being the busting of a drug trafficking organization aboard one of the larger asteroid belt stations.

"Order of the Contractors" Investigation Continuing off of the 'Book Investigation', the DCAE/NIS decided to look into this "Order of Contractors" group they had received a note from, though progress towards this investigation was incredibly slow at first as the only clue being from a simple internet search of the term which led to a incredibly questionable conspiracy website named "truthspeaker.org" in which people posted their experiences, sightings, and other such nonsense. The most active account regarding the 'Order of the Contactors' was traced back to a certain alleged ex-member of said order named "Willie Hammet" who currently lived in Ostmark. Background checks of Hammet revealed that he had grown up as a only-child in the Pacific States where he worked as a bank manager who frequently went on business trips until he quit his job and started travelling across the world around the same time he made his first blog concerning the order. Little further information was found out about his current life aside from his parents dying of old age when he turned 29 and that he didn't have any close friends or a social life as he only seemed to write blog entries and watch videos online. The NIA took interest in this case and decided to visit and interview Hammet. NIA Interview: Willie Hammet The doorbell rings. W.H. walks out of the kitchen towards the door. "Yes, who is there?" "Mr. Hammet! We would like to talk to you for a few minutes!" He responds through the still closed door: "Who are you? What do you want?" "Please, open the door, we would like to discuss something with you!" He opens the door. The NIA officers are wearing normal clothes, with one man wearing jeans and a flannel while the other is wearing khakis and a polo. Willie Hammet is a man age 38. He has short brown hair, is moderately shaved, wears jeans and a light green t-shirt with long sleeves. On his left wrist is a metallic watch. "Yes? "Mr Hammet, we would like to discuss with you your involvement and activities regarding 'the Order of Contactors'." "Who are you?" The man in a flannel pulls out a Badge that reads NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY POLSKIE. "May we step inside?" "Yes, finally someone wants to talk with me. Please come in." "You are not in any sort of trouble, we are just working with the Department of Containing Anomalous Entities." They both step inside. He leads them inside and points at a couch in the living room with a small table. They sit down. He sits down in a chair at the table facing them. The man in the flannel sits up "My name is Boleslaw Dyzec." "This is my Associate Anatoly Kroliciz." "I see, please tell me your not going to write me off as mad or crazy. I've had my fair share of those people in the past." "We won't, a lot of this situation cannot be explained with normalities." "This is why we are working with the DCAE." He pauses for a second. Silently to himself speaking "... oh no... What have they done now?" He looks up again "You said you had questions?" "Yes, regarding your involvement with the Order of Contactors and their involvement with a massive heist of important government documents regarding a conspiracy with the Acolyte Incident a few months ago." "There have been many incidents, which I will not get into." "But it's been." "A wild ride" He rubs his temples. "We are form Theia, you see." He looks a bit startled. "I had nothing to do with that, whatever they did, I left the order years ago." "Though to this day I don't understand why I am still not dead..." "Yes, we are aware" "We need to find the Order of Contactors." "Well, good luck with that..." "The only place I know was abandoned as soon as I left." "And let me tell you, they don't leave a trace. Not. A single. One." "I see." "What do they do?" "Like what is their purpose?" "When I was contacted to be a member they told me it was a protection against greater threats, cosmic forces, alien, you name it. Everything with which the mere contact would be too dangerous for humankind. They always made contact with other races long before even the most secret of security agencies had caught a glimpse of them." He pauses. "But looking back now... I don't actually know what their purpose is. You see I was only ever part of their sort of basic members. You know, those who do all the normal work which is required. I trusted that what I did was right." "Interesting." "We have made first contact with the Acolytians, at least this we thought, and they have been thwarting our research, driving off key members of our investigation teams. They even put out a hit on two of the police investigators on a once completely separate incident that got involved once we found two pieces of evidence connecting them." "This investigation has gotten the entirety of Polsk and CSIS using everything In their databases and records, as well as using every bit of advanced technology we have to track them." He looks the officer in the face... and makes small smile. "Oh, oooh, I like the sound of that." He looks slightly down "They're getting sloppy" "It sure seems that way form what you've told us." Anatoly, who was mostly silent speaks up "What if you flew back to Theia with us and helped us. We understand this would put you at risk for being targeted, but you are the last chance we got." Silently to himself "Or maybe the tech level of the governments is catching up to theirs." He looks up. "Oh, yeah, I would be happy to. I mean I am as safe in this place as in any other so why not?" "Let me pack my things. For when should I be ready?" Both of them look surprised. "We would be taking you off world. You may be living in Polsk for a while depending on how long it takes." "Oh, I have made myself accustomed to frequently switching locations. Though I guess I've been a bit lazy in doing so lately." "I see" "Well, we will be on Yata for the next 2 days, let us know when you are ready by then and we will go back to Polsk with you." "Alright." He gets up from the chair and walks towards a closet on the wall. Putting his hands on both handles he opens the right door. From inside he pulls a a black leather briefcase. He closes the door again and walks over to the small table, placing the briefcase on top of it. He walks into the hallway and comes back with a dark green jacket and a black backpack on. "Ready. We better not stay here longer than we need to." "Alright." They all leave together and head back to Polsk. Hammet was included in an investigation team which arrived at a seemingly ordinary storage house in the woods he had guided them to, though the place appeared to have been completely abandoned for some time as the entire place was overgrown with plants and littered with debris which made any attempts at forensics investigations essentially impossible. Somekind of explosion appeared to have occurred within the facilit, which was deducted to have been made using fertilizer which matched up with the facility previously having been owned by a defunct agricultural company known as "Suncorn". The CSS Jupiter was used to scan the area for any secret trapdoors or spaces within the general area of the warehouse, though nothing out of the ordinary was found until eventually they managed to detect a small steel object 300 meters under the ground which ground teams promptly planted with a beacon in order to dig up what was found. The scans were translated into a 3d model that was identified as a small cubic steel box with rounded edges embedded within loose rock that had gradually been eroding due to rainwater and time, though despite this an indentation reading "Z-62" was seen. Additional scans revealed that its composition additionally included silicon, gold, and other materials utilised in circuits and computer parts, piquing the CSIS' interest enough to stealthily gather digging equipment to make their way down to the object without being noticed by the Polish government which claimed the territory housing the warehouse. The excavation went by as fast as it could despite being slowed down by harder rock than anticipated despite the Polish governments' repeated inquiries on why the CSS Jupiter had been hovering above their country for days, which was explained as a weather and geological survey of all of Yata as a test of the Jupiter's new sensor suite, prompting Poland to recommend they move over the pacific which the Jupiter tried to stall as the ground crews took an additional 3 days to make contact with the box and recover it, allowing the Jupiter to move into position above the pacific after the pit was sealed. Later analysis revealed that the informationthat had been scanned about the object was confirmed true, though there weere no cracks, gaps, or other openings to give access to its contents. "Box" Investigation Jupiter finishes collecting the Data as the captain of the ship, the DCAE team assigned to the ship, Hammet, the two NIA agents, and a few engineers are brought onto the hangar deck with the box, standing some distance from it except for those who are carefully cutting it open with a laser. As the box is brought into the hanger where the captain and Hammet are waiting, Hammet seems slightly unsettled. The laser slowly melts through the steel. They make sure to only melt for a short duration and slowly make their way along the entire length of the cube. Once they have completely separated the outer layer into two pieces they take the top half off. The inside of the cube seems to be completely filled up by wires, circuit boards and other technical components all joined together. On one of the sides the engineers recognise a component as something used for wireless energy transfer. They slowly and carefully remove the glob of electronics from the box as they seem like one computer assembly. It now lies besides the two parts of the shell in the hangar bay. The Engineers (computer engineering specialists responsible for the ship's core) begin to study it, and they ask Hammet to look if he recognizes it. Hammet slowly approaches the contraption. He goes until he is about 1 meter away from the object, slowly circling it. The engineers identify some parts as potentially storage units and others as processing circuits. What is remarkable is that the material seems to be several years old but in terms of complexity it resembles more what is present in the core computer system of CSS Jupiter. They bring a machine to transfer energy via induction into the component at the side. Hammet is heard silently speaking to himself: "So that's what was inside these things all along." Engineers are very intrigued and hook up basic peripherals and plug it into a dropships power system using an adapter. As they start putting power into the machine a few lights on the object turn on and electrical activity is read. Hammet is heard saying silently to himself: "Wait..." The peripherals starts reading the data but after about 1 second suddenly completely fry themselves. Hammet shouts: "No, NO. Leave no trace... leave no trace." and runs away from the box. A calm voice from within the object says: "Unauthorized external monitoring detected, please state your intention. You have 10 seconds." the captain them grabs Hammet and forces him closer to the box "State your intention Hammet, do it!" "We got ten seconds Hammet!" "And we have no idea what's going to happen!" Hammet goes pale. A hangar bay worker goes to the emergency door opening , ready to eject the box, and possibly everyone in the hangar, into space Voice: 5 seconds. Hammet: "W.w.we w.w.want to-" As Hammet gets closer than 1 meter to the box, the symbols of the dial on his watch turn green but no one really notices that. Voice: "Temporary usage authorized, renewed attempts of monitoring will result in instant destruction. Recovery beacon activated." The outline of a panel on another side lights up. Everyone breathes a huge sigh of relief and the captain lets Hammet go and pats him in the back. Voice: "Access duration, 10 minutes." The captain orders the engineers to figure out how to extend it to full access, gathering as much data off the drives as possible by copying it onto the shuttle's (as to avoid cybersecurity threats to the Jupiter itself) data banks while another engineer figures out the panel with Hammet. As one of the engineers investigates the panel he discovers that it features an assortment of different plugs, some off which are a bit outdated but also an USB port. The captain apologizes to Hammet for the previous incident, but also asks to see his watch, as how he grabbed Hammet the watch lighting up was pretty noticeable. Hammet says: "Eh, Id rather not..." He tells him that he saw it light up and that the engineers are pressed for time. Hammet looks a bit confused and looks at his watch which is still green. The captains calm demeanor considering he almost could have died, and is still under a great amount of risk is off-putting but somehow keeps the crew calm. The engineers hook up their equipment to the ports which they have cables for, connecting it to the computer of the shuttle. Hammet says: "I guess you're free to try to remove it from my wrist. I was given this kind of watch as a sort of tool to use on my missions, but I thought It was replaced when I left the order. Because since then It would only work as normal clock. It also doesn't seem to go off" As soon as the engineers have made the connection, an interface of sorts pops up on one of the shuttle's monitors. On the top of the monitor Is a small title. It reads: Computing Block Z-62 Autonomous Interface Under it on the left side is a small list of terms: Current work mode: Isolation Tracker: On Beacon: On Useable Networks: 224 Net Connection: establishing... Live share: activating... Current function: Database Task: (enter command) At the bottom is a normal text entry field. The ships internal scanners scan the equipment and the watch, while the captain gives the order to go to warp in a circular course around the star cluster, in order to negate the tracking function of the beacon. The equipment is recognised as a computer unit in form on level with the ships current server, though estimated at a lower processing capability. Nothing that advanced for this time. Unless you consider the time it was actually created at going by radiocarbon scans. Scanning the watch results in a blueprint of a normal standard watch. A similar model is actually found in one of the shops onboard. It is dated at around 270. As the Ship enters warp the list on the monitor changes. Current work mode: Isolation Tracker: On, (obstructed) Beacon: On, (obstructed) Useable Networks: 224 Net Connection: temp established, searching for Main... Live share: establishing... Current function: Database Task: (enter command) They try and enter a few different words into the text field and also try to understand the workings of the system with the things they have hooked up to the ports. They enter in commands to try and copy all of the data to the drives in the shuttle, trying to issue commands written in basic languages like python or java. Each time the same response: result: usage of direct commands not authorized Instead they set up a system using the shuttles computer that will log every response given by the box. The first search term suggested to try is: "Order of the Contactors": Basic clearance response: The order of contactors is an institution for the safeguarding of humanity against foreign powers through the use of pre-emptive reconnaissance, espionage, contact and negotiations. The key to securing that purpose for the order is to keep a technological advantage over the average level of human civilization. They try a few other terms; “Z-62” Own designation. Multi purpose computing unit for offsite utilization. “Acolytians” No entry found. “Trent-653087” No entry found. “Willie Hammet” Basic clearance response: Ex-order member, current registered operator. They are currently trying to access the computers settings or similar systems via the interface when… Suddenly another light on the contraption starts blinking yellow, then red. The same voice can be heard: “Internal malfunction registered, please stand by till software self repair procedure is completed. Access duration timer paused.” The monitor on the shuttle goes black and the box sends no more additional data. The engineers try their best but without attaching new equipment directly to the exposed wires, which is what seemed to have triggered the impending... whatever would have been. So they have no real way of figuring out what is happening in the box unless it tells them what it is doing. However, one of the engineer pulls the lead investigator away for a moment. "I have a feeling we trust this Hammet maybe a bit too much, I know I don't know that much about him, maybe he has nothing to with this but... I guess you should just look for yourself." He takes out his standard issued portable com computer. (basically a smartphone, sort of) "You know how the content of the monitor changed for a few seconds before it went black? Well, we couldn't find that in the logs but luckily I had a recording running." He shows him a video and pauses at the moment. There the monitor shows the same setup but with the following list: Current work mode: Isolation Tracker: On, (obstructed) Beacon: On, (contact confirmed) Useable Networks: 224 direct, 1063 via link Net Connection: link to main established Live share: established Current function: Database (Decoy) Info: activation through emergency code 3 "We think this is smth which we were actually not supposed to see." They disconnect power, locate the hard drives on the machine, disconnect them, and remove them, to try and copy the data on them. Onto a different computer. Using this method, and a different operating system, they should be able to view the files without having to actually boot the computer. If this doesn't work, they will try and boot from the drives on a different computer. They are hoping that it's the actual machine, and not the operating system that locked them out. They cut the power supply. The lights however stay on. The voice says "Entering power reserve mode". The engineers are confused where it's storing energy still, so they look for a battery The engineers look around the object, on the outside they can't seem to find what could hint at a battery so it is probably covered by the components, wires and plates. Hidden inside. The light turns green and the voice is heard again. "Software repair complete. Remaining access duration, 5 minutes and 21 seconds." They shrug it off and reconnect it to the shuttle, and continue copying the data As Jupiter exits warps the list on the monitor changes from the previous to: Current work mode: Isolation Tracker: On, (pings: 1) Beacon: On, (contact confirmed) Useable Networks: 224 Net Connection: temp established, searching for Main... Live share: establishing... Current function: Database Task: (enter command) With limited time remaining, a series of questions are issued. "Locations" results in a list of 3 different coordinates, one of which is on Yata, one on Theia and one on a large and popular Trade Station in the Mid-Rim. They are described as "emergency contact points". "Members" No entry found. "Comms Logs" Basic clearance only gives access to limited logs, going no further back than 24 hours. Dates based on 0s = point of last activation. 2s: Contact with objects class "peripherals" via livewire recognised. 6s: Basic code chip recognised, operator = Willie Hammet. 7s: [] 1m 4s: Contact with [---] via beacon recognised. 2m 13s: Connection with "Shuttle-23" computer system via hardwire recognised. 2m 20s: [] 5m 47s: {reboot, timer paused} 5m 47s: {reboot, timer resumed, passed time: 1m 38s} 6m 2s: Connection with "Shuttle-23" computer system via hardwire recognised. 1m 4s is logged down and they attempt to trace radio signal. Rummaging through their own passive com logs at the time in question they discover that on an unused frequency the normal background noise seems to be... following a pattern. "Function" Multi purpose computing block unit. Current function: Database As the access duration comes to an end the voice can be heard: "Access Duration expired. Please remove any connected equipment and dispose of the unit for its recovery." The monitor goes back to its normal state and no more data comes from the box. The lights around the plug panel turn off and the small "indicator" light goes over to a constant blue. Box Disposal They reseal the box, and plant a very small tracker inside and eject it into space Around the moon along with other trash and debris. Among this trash and debris is a powered down ship, which looks discarded. Even with its enormously advanced sensors, CSS Jupiter might just have missed the small piece of new "scrap" which joins the pile of trash. A brief line of sight from the turned off fighter reveals that it is in fact some kind of drone, very well disguised as just another piece of debris. It is currently just drifting amongst the parts of scraps showing no signs of activity. The fighter reports this the Jupiter. The pilot uses Morse code in an open frequency to communicate this. Nothing happens. Jupiter receives but maintains radio silence. Jupiter activates it's engines and goes 1 quarter impulse, flying away. The patch of debris is slowly drifting along its trajectory away from CSS Jupiter. The fighter has direct eyes on the drone and the Z-62. The drone makes a barely noticeable course correction using nitrogen thrusters. It is now slowly drifting towards the fighter but will pass over it on its new course. The fighter pilot notices that it's moving irregularly. It's ultimate point of contact will be a piece of scrap near Z-62. He was mid bite into his lunch when he puts it down. He observes the computer and the drone. The drone passes over the screen of the fighter. The pilot sees just how well designed this "piece of debris" is. Even its outsticking functional components like thrusters and small radiators are placed unparallel to each other, giving it quite the odd appearance. Just like a piece of scrapped materials. "Amazing it's even flying." "What are you gonna do little guy?" Jupiter received the message that someone planted a drone Into the trash ejection system, and the NIA investigators on board triples, and they begin to weed out possible spies. most of the agents are undercover. Others are technically working with the investigation teams but are trying to figure out who on board is working with the order It makes contact with the piece it seemingly selected as target, a large deformed metal plate about twice its size. But the plate doesn't seem to detach from the object as would be normal in such a small collision. Instead the whole apparatus now has the same trajectory as the metal plate had before. The drone seems to have canceled out its own momentum with additional navigational bursts. The contraption is now about 10 meters away from Z-62. CSS Jupiter's massive engine exhausts can still be seen in the distance. Suddenly pieces of metal start slowy moving towards the computer in a way which suggest the use of magnets inside it. The pilot checks the tracking signal. It is still there. Z-62 is now covered in pieces of metal, making it almost unrecognisable from all the other parts around it. The drone makes another small burst, giving itself a little rotational movement. From the POV of the fighter the drone is slowly covered by the metal plate due to its rotation as it comes closer to Z-62. The drone makes contact with Z-62, making it now one conjoined piece of scrap. It still remains inactive. Suddenly chatter comes over the radio. "This is captain Albert of the ADS Recycler 5, commander of Astrodrill salvage group 7, hailing CSS Jupiter. We just wanted to let you know that one of your trash chutes apparently malfunctioned as we detect a lot of scrap in lunar orbit. In representation of Aeternus Materials I also wanted to know if you need help cleaning that up before it poses a hazard. At a small fee of course." "ADS Recycler 5, this is Captain Fjørd Bergenson of the CSS Jupiter Leave the area immediately, we are conducting an operation in the area." "ADS Recycler 5 to CSS Jupiter. Alright, we were just passing by. We won't tell anyone your engineers messed up." "They didn't." "Exactly" faint laughter is heard in the background "Well, whatever you're conducting, you better catch that stuff again before it collides with a satellite. ADS Recycler 5 out." The pilot continues studying the drone and the computer. All the while, the construction of drone and Z-62 as a whole seems to have amassed more and more parts into its assortment. Through multiple tiny course corrections it is now also on a trajectory which will bring it into yata's atmosphere after about 3 days time. The contraption slowly detaches from the garbage patch, leaving on its new trajectory with some other small pieces of debris and the fighter in its trail. Day one of the journey begins. The CSS Jupiter swings back around and picks up the debris is dropped once the Fighter and debris landed are far enough away. The pilot does a course correction and places him pretty far away from the debris field, and because of his playing he can't be detected. The fighter pilots have just settled in when their proximity alert out of nowhere flairs up. "Contact, 3 o clock, 5 meters out." says the board computer. He takes evasive action. He dives in the opposite direction and avoids a collision. The new appeared craft seems to have flown in parallel to the fighter before its evasive actions. "He decloaked?" He flies around and under the craft and comes back to a parallel course with the new craft. He looks at the tracker status. And then looks at the craft. A simple message comes over the radio, it is very weak so probably only heard by them. "Item retrieval in process, please remain calm." says an automated voice. The tracker is still on and comes from where the pile of "scrap" is in relation to the fighter. The fighter flies in between the craft and the scrap pile. "I am calm you crazy fuck, you just startled me." "Who are you?" The new craft very slowly accelerates towards the pile of debris. Its about three times the size of the scrap drone, so probably also fully autonomous or remote controlled. Its hull is completely black bearing the standard formations of radar scattering technology. It seems to posses one major engine and a few navigational thrusters. No weaponry of any kind is visible. "Please do not interfere." The pilots backseater remains completely silent, and quietly sends a text message to the Jupiter. No response of received message. "We are interfering." The fighter puts out a general distress call to all CSIS ships in the area, No response. "Alright then." "Let's hope they notice this." 5 more craft decloak, all of the same make. The fighter drops a 100 megaton nuclear warhead below it And it quickly jumps to full impulse. The fighters engines go dark as it attempts to go full impulse. He restarts the engines, It won't start. The Jupiter begins heading to the last known location of the fighter. Another craft comes closer to the drifting warhead. She does a small warp jump The pilots check sensors. And they begin using navigation thrusters to move. The first craft opens some sort of cargo bay and pulls the drone and the metal cube of Z-62 in it, the assortment of debris is left behind. The cargo bay closes and it turns away. The craft near the warhead does the same with the warhead. The three other craft cloak again. The Jupiter warps in, very close by. The fighters engines come online. The two drones with payload... jump... Pilot checks the tracker. The tracker is not responding. He pounds the dashboard in frustration "Damnit, so close." A new message appears, it seems only the fighter receives it. "Item retrieval successful. Thank you for your... tolerable cooperation." He reads the fights sensor logs of what happened to the engines to try and figure out why the shut off. "Go fuck yourself." Three jump signatures are read as probably the three other drones jump as well... a split second after decloaking again. They seem to have gone in separate directions. The fighter pilot attempts to chart possible courses; The fighter pilot attempts to chart possible courses. CSIS sends scout fleets in those directions but as the fleets arrive they find nothing unusual there. The fighter pilot returns to the Jupiter and hands in his reports and camera feeds, as well as all the sensor data his back seater took. The sensors depict the time of the encounter, as if there had never been one. The NIA interview Willie about the technology of the Order; He says that their technology level was about the same as the CSIS's current capabilities. At the time when he still was a member. The engine log shows that the inertia crash switch had been activated which stops fuel getting into the combustion chamber to prevent explosions in a possible crash. Examining the engine they find a little implanted box, with a radio receiver, very basic circuits and a contraption which let it interface with the inertia crash switch. They begin screening crew members.

Order of the Contractors Investigation (2) In their state of higher alert the DCAE and NIA identify some individuals in their ranks as potentially suspicious. After going through some extra assessments they have prepared a small list of the 3 most likely candidates, detaining and questioning all of them. Subject 1: Name: “Eda Lamb”. She works in the cyber security department of DCAE and there is nothing really off putting with her life or job situation, however experts say that it is almost too much normality. Additionally her position alone makes her prime suspect for the sort of phenomena that have occurred in the past weeks. Eda Lamb is 29 years old and wears her normal work outfit consisting of a black coat over a creme-white shirt. She is wearing black trousers and dark green shoes. On her right wrist is a digital watch. Eda Lamb is brought into the room and sits down on a chair at the table. - She is hooked up to a lie detector "Ms. Lamb, would you like anything before you begin?" There are three investigators "Water? Coffee?" - "I guess a glass of water would be be nice." - "Alright I'll have someone get that to you" One of the investigators steps out, presumably to get her water "Alright." - "I just want to say... I know how this looks. The first people to get suspected after a cyber attack, are the people in cyber security." - "Hmm" He opens a laptop which is connected to the lie detector It shows on a chart which is showing her heart rate, blood pressure and brain activity on a chart - "We have brought you in today to talk to you about recent events and your possible involvement in them regarding the Acolytian-Contactor Case." "We seriously doubt you are involved,  so this is just a formality to go through every possible logical outcome" - "Yeah... thats the job." - "Alright." - "So? What do you need?" - "I will read you your rights, I'm sure you know, that at any time during this questioning you may stop, request a lawyer, or leave at anytime.  You have the right to remain silent or refuse to answer any question we ask, and to stop and ask for a lawyer. Would you like to consult a Lawyer Ms. Lamb?" - "Hm, no, I'll think I won't be needing that." (true) - "Alright, let's get started." The investigators are positioned, seated, between her and the door. This is no mistake, as it builds the false psychological necessity to have the investigators' permission to leave, even though this is not the case "We will start with a baseline series of questions." "Is your name Eda Lamb?" - "Yes" (true) - "What is your gender?" - "My gender is of a human female" (true) - "What is your mother's Maiden name?" - "Lamb" (true) "But my fathers maiden name was wolf, talk about irony right?" (true) - He Chuckles "Ironic, truly." "What is your current Marital Status?" - The investigators poker face is pretty good, making no indication that he just saw her lie. "Alright, that's the end of the Baseline." "Now onto the real questions." - "A brief question if I may?" - "Shoot." - "Did that device read a lie or a truth for my last statement?" - "I am not allowed to disclose that information at this time." - "Ok, understandable." - This makes both investigators extremely suspicious, however they do not react any differently, and maintain their calm, almost war demeanour - "You know I'm always checking if the equipment is working properly in my field of work." (false) "Cause my last statement was a sort of lie, I'm actually engaged already" (true) - "That is not necessary Ms. Lamb, I am fully qualified to use a Lie detector." "Oh, congratulations." (Single would have still been true then, if you aren't married then you are single." - "Yeah, its sort of a sub-conscious thing. I don't doubt you capabilities mister." (true) - "Alright Ms. Lamb, we have you ever considered, thought about, been offered, or participated in the act of betraying the Confederation?" - "Hm... , not that I am aware of." (true) - "Where were you on the day of the heist?" - "On the day of the heist I had my day off and was at home, working on a hobby." (true) - "before the day in question, have you ever tampered with the security equipment, illegally accessed something that wasnt in your security clearance, or in any way assisted the hiest?" - "Hm... I do tamper a bit with our security software to find weaknesses and fix them but only within the access of my job and never on the live system." (true) - "Alright." "Are you in any way directly associated, or know someone who is associated with the Order of Contactors?" - "Order of Contactors? Hm... no, I am unfamiliar with that name." (true) - The lead investigator looks satisfied "That is all Ms. Lamb." "Thank you." they stand up and shake her hand They allow her to exit first She is also given the water - She stands up and exits. Taking the water with her. On her way out she says: "Best luck in finding who you're looking for" Subject 1: Subject 2: Name: “Hall Bray” He works in the cleaning service of the NIA. There's nothing really troublesome about him, other than the fact that he has made it seemingly his hobby to briefly elude the security cameras to turn up somewhere else. This indicates that he has to have a quite good knowledge of the facility. It has developed in a sort of hide and seek game which he sometimes plays with some of his friends in the security department. Hall Bray is brought into the room, sits down in the chair at the table and is hooked up to a lie detector. Hall Bray is a 27 years old. He is currently wearing his work uniform. A blue overall with the logo of the cleaning service. On his right wrist is a brown watch. - The Interrogators read him his rights "Alright Mr. Bray, please have a seat." - Real name: "Yes" (true) Gender: "Human Male" (true) Mothers maiden name: "Carter" (true) "Alright." - Drink: "Coffee" - "We will get that for you." "Alright then." - "So, why am I suspected? Is it cause of my "hide and seek" games? Cause those are totally cool with the guards." (false) - "Please remain focused." - "Fine" - "Mr Bray, have you ever tampered with the security systems of any of your stations in any way shape or form?" - "No, why would I need to?" (true) - "Alright." "Mr. Bray, have you ever considered, thought about, been offered, or participated in the act of betraying the Confederation?" - "Look man, I know I'm a cleaning worker but that doesn't mean I automatically hate my job. Let alone betray the confederation because of it." (true) - "We didnt say you hated your job." "Where were you and what were you doing on the date in question?" - "Working In the facility. At the time in question I was cleaning the toilets near the entrance hall. Hallway B door 4 to be precise." (true) "I remeber it vividly. As the alarm sounded I almost fell in the bowl." (true) - "Hm." "Yikes, toilet water." - "You don't wanna know what our cafeteria can produce." (true) - "Alright." "Did you perhaps know a Mathew Flynn in the security department?" - "Mathew Flynn... eh, no, doesn't ring a bell." (true) "I know a Mathew Colins though, he works in management." (true) - 'What about a Burt Daniels?" - "Burt Daniels... hm..., I think Ive heard that name before." (true) "Ah yes, that was that one guy who kept asking me weird questions, was a some time ago. Must have moved departments or changed shifts cause I haven't seen him around since then." (true) - "What specifically did he say to you, do you remember?" - "Ugh... eh... He was always asking me out about other workers. Like their habits and stuff." (true) "I think he said it was because of some security reason. Something about secret internal security work." (true) "Of course I didn't tell him anything private. Would be kind of irresponsible. I mean he did not even show me a permit for smth like." (false) - "You sure you didnt tell him anything private?" - "Hm.... eh... oh yeah... before he came with this security nonesense he said it was because he had a crush on someone, can't remeber her name though." (true) "You see, I know this here is work but one has to help amor don't you think?" (true) - "Had he mentioned anything about a group, called the order of contactors?" "Possibly after the Acolitian Incidient?" - "Pfuh..." "Eh... I think I heard him say smth about some order. Was one time when it was more like he was talking to himself. (true) But I don't know If it specifically was "order of contactors"." (false) - "Mr. Bray, I will make clear to you the situation." "Daniels is dead." "There is absolutley nothing you have to protect when it comes to his image or standing with us." - He looks shocked "Dead?" - "He went on the run, went under the alias of Mathew Flynn and traveled the planet, looking for that order. we found a fishing trawler off the coast of with his body, and several other bodies on board. The only thing we found that would indicate what happened is a book he wrote in a different language which is encrypted in a code. Three pages of said book were stolen from our archive on the day in question." - "Oh my..." He seems to be processing the situation. "Ok, ok... lemme think..." He looks down and puts his right hand on his chin, starting to massage his stubble beard "Yes... that's it. Diary to the rescue." He looks up "Would you mind If I brought my diary from my cabin? I think I wrote it down in there. I'll be right back." (true) - "We will escort you." - He gets up, is detached from the lie detector and walks through the ship to his appointed cabin. At no point does he seem stressed or like he wants to get away. In his cabin he pulls a small black book from a drawer near his bed. He starts riffling through the pages. - They watch him as his flips through the pages - "Burt... Burt... hm... no." "Hm... Ah, here it is." He reads out loud "Today... blabla... heard him mention smth about an "order of the" smth. As I asked him what he meant he just said "Nothing, nothing." and walked away." He seems to think. "Maybe "Order of the contactors"? I don't know anything more, sry." He closes the book and puts it back. - "Interesting." They bring him back to the interview room They hook him back up to the lie detector The trio sits back down "Do you know who had a crush on, by any chance?" - He looks at them with annoyance. "You know you could have asked that just a few minutes ago. Like when I had my external mind out." "Lemme think... I think first name started with E, though I doubt he actually had a crush considering what he followed with." (true) "I think that was just the first trick he used to get information. Easy when your target is a woman." "Not so easy when its a man like most of the others he asked me out about." (true) - "Eda Lamb?" - He seems to think for a bit. "Maybe...? I guess so... though there are a lot who work here with E as their first letter." (true) - "Hm, this could be bad then." "Mr Bray have you lied to us at all during this interview?" - "I guess I did in some way." (true) - "Would you mind clarifying what Burt said about the order of Contactors?" The interviewer now has dropped his usual tone, and seems much more confrontational, adding psychological pressure - Bray is taken aback a bit by the sudden shift in tone. "Nothing to me, he just mentioned it once." (true) - "Do you know who he was talking to?" - "Hm... other than me he talked to various people working in security and some who I think were involved in the direct research of the acolytian incident." (true) - The head interviewer pulls out a notepad and clicks on a pen "Got any names by chance?" - "Of the top of my head.... I guess one person he was very interested in was Bogdan Danek (current head of yata-lunar operations) and also Zenon Jurek (decryption-encryption expert)." (true) - "Alright." - They conclude Subject 1: Subject 3: Name: “Norris Pratt” He works in the kitchen of the DCAE facility as a chef. There's nothing suggesting he has potential good knowledge of the facility or access to certain areas. However, he has been shown to be more susceptible to bribery, though currently more in a friendly manner. He is part of a small poker group consisting of some of his colleagues and often gives out extra good food portions to people who let him win or have done him some kind of small favour. The interviewers do the baseline questions and read Norris his rights - Norris is a 30 year old man with black hair and and a stubble beard. His Italian roots are quite apparent. He is currently wearing a gray shirt with long sleeves and normal jeans. Round his neck is a small gold chain. Drink: "Coffee" True Name: "Yes" (true) Gender: "Male" (true) Mothers maiden name:: "Santoro" (true) - "Alright Mr Pratt." "Have you ever tampered with the security systems before the day in question?" - "Alright Mr Pratt." "Have you ever tampered with the security systems before the day in question?" - "Nah man, I work in the kitchen." (true) - They hear the engines of the Jupiter kick on creating a low, subtle hum "Have you ever thought of, been offered, or participated in the act of betraying the Confederation?" - "No no." (false) "I like my job here" (true) - "Have you ever betrayed the Confederation?" - "No no, not even for a piece of pasta bolognesa from mye great-great-grandmother would I betray it." (true) - "Ever been offered?" - He scratches his head. "Si si. But it was tony in a round. Nothing serious. You know, he was quite drunk, we all were." (true) he chuckles - "Hm." "Do you know a Burt Daniels?" - He scratches his head. "No, not personally." (true) "I guess maybe from the cafeteria, I see a lot of people down there. You know, doing my work." (true) - "Hm, have you ever heard him or anyone else talk about the order of Contactors?" - He scratches his head. "No no, not that I remember." (true) - "hm." "Do you know Eda Lamb?" - He scratches his head. "Eh, no, not personally." (true) "Look, I may be a chef and a lot of people come to me for their food during lunch. But I don't remember names that well." (true) - "Hm." "where were you the day of the hiest?" - "I was working. I remember, that day I had planned a perfect recipe I learned from my mother, you take..." (true) He goes on to ramble about his great culinary choices and his mother's great recipes until the stern look of the investigator brings him back to reality. "Sry, hrm hrm. Yes, I was working in the kitchen floor 0 that day." (true) - "Okay, did you see anything suspicious?" - He scratches his head "Hm... no, not that I can remember, I know there was this nasty fly who just did not want to die. It flew away in the end I think." - "Alright, that will be all Mr. Pratt." - "Grazie, now, I need to get to that cook of yours before he makes the same mistake he made yesterday. That soup was just terrible." He stands up, is detached from the lie detector and leaves. - They conclude Subject 1, Interview 2: One of the lead investigators emails Eda Lamb asking to come back in for a brief interview once again - She asks what its about this time. - A man named Burt Daniels - She says she will come when she can. - They escort her into another room, and give her a water They go through two baseline questions - True name: "Yes" (true), Gender: "Human female" (true) - "Alright." - "So, what is it this time?" - "Do you know a Burt Daniels?" - She seems to think for a bit. "Burt... Yeah, he worked in CSIS security, right?" (true) - "He did." "He is associated with the order of Contactors." "He abandoned his post and went looking for them." - "Interesting..." - "We found a bunch of bodies and a booked with his name on it on a boat off the coast of Polsk." "we have it on a reasonable assumption that he killed all of them." "Three people." "He is missing and presumed dead." - She seems shocked, though the investigator with his years of training can tell, not as much as she maybe should be. "Oh my..." - He checks the lie detector "is there anything you know about him?" - "Eh... Hall Bray told me one time that Burt had a crush on me... though I doubt that was serious. (true) Other than that not much." (unclear reading) - "Hmm." The investigator looks frustrated - "What is it?" - "Doesn't matter." "This has gone nowhere" "You're dismissed." - "Ok, feel free to call me again should you need more information" She is detached from the lie detector stands up and walks out of the room. SUMMARY: There is an organisation which Is refered to as "the order" by Burt Daniels. Out of his book some pages have been torn out, presumably holding compromising information to this order. On the remaining pages the organisation is always refered to as "the order". A few pieces of one of the removed pages are known however, more through luck than through skill. The pages seem to have been removed by someone calling themselves the "order of contactors". The most information on the "order of contactors" comes from a likely ex-member. In part due to his information they discover a sort of "database" giving them a lot of interesting new information. Due to a malfunction, this database briefly reveals a different kind of status of itself which however is not found in the logs. This database remains in their capture for the entire duration they can access it and also likely possesses an internal tracker and some kind of communication. This "order" seems to posses very high capabilities to the point where even suspected members don't mind coming to interrogations as if they knew that the questioning would not pose a threat to them even if the lie detectors are controlled by definitive non-order members. Burt Daniels seems to be fully aware of the capabilities of the order stating that he himself found it all out more through luck than through skill and leaves some kind of warning about their most notorious schemes in a crate with red herings. These warnings presumably in a box inside the crate seem to have been stolen as well. --- The final phase of analysis in order to connect all of the dots, with the main focal point being that the term 'Order of the Contactors' originated from the 'replacement fifth note' given by the "Order" itself, while all of the notes actually written by Burt only referred to them as 'The Order', with them only being mentioned by any name after the fifth note, which likely included important information. Additional lie-detector interviews were run without much success. Suspicion was put on the fact that the "Order" itself is the one who gave out the name when it had otherwise been relentlessly secretive. They ask to see Eda Lambs and Hall Brays watches and scan them for anything Maybe taking them apart. As they start taking apart the watch of Eda lamb a small crackle is heard and faint smoke comes out of the watch. When they get it open its internal electronics are molten beyond recognition. The watch of Hall bray seems to just be a normal radio watch. They study the electronics, Any symbols of significance? When they compare the radio watch to another of its model they discover that it is not modified in any way. One day in the cafeteria the appointed translator pulls the leading investigator to the side and suggest smth. "Might be a wild guess but why don't we ask our subjects what this order of the metal mind from the recovered parts of the replacement note is about? Maybe they know smth." CSIS sends a message to the order of Contactors "We have discovered the Order of the Metal Mind." One message is received coming from a repeater station. "Communicators sent." Subject 1, Interview 3: do the whole procedure... Eda Lamb is wearing a new digital watch of the seemingly same model again. Investigator: "Ms. Lamb, one probably final question, do you know anything about the "Order of the metal mind". " for a split second she seems surprised but catches herself again. the ordinary citizen would probably not have even noticed. Eda: "Hm... interesting. I suppose from the name it suggests something with machinery." (true) Investigator: "Ms. Lamb, we don't want your guess, we want to know if you know anything." Eda: "I don't thi-" she is interrupted by a small short hum of her watch. The investigators and she look at the display. On the display a yellow triangle can be seen turning red. It disappears and is followed by a yellow circle turning green. She sighs. - One of them pulls a pair of handcuffs - "That will not be necessary. I just got grounded." - "What does this mean?" - "Well, the circle means I am now a communicator instead of an asset. The red triangle... lets just say you better start preparing for war. Something breached our defences." - The ship goes to red alert - "Ok, I didn't say they were here yet... but good thinking." She stands up. The com messages sent by CSS Jupiter now start appearing on her watch screen. "I think I should get to your captain, he might want an explanation." - "All hands to battlestations." - "Good day captain, so, first question was... ah right. Introducing... me, a member of the order of the metal mind. It seems it was decided for false leads is no longer the time." "Who they are I don't know, varies from time to time. I think for that we need to arrange a proper meeting as I am just allowed to give out so much information." "Also representing apologies for driving Burt into such paranoia. We actually let off our observations on him hoping he would recover from it." - "Is he alive?" The captain glares at her with mistrust - "No, I think he is dead. I was informed one of our teams found his body with one of the other fisher's corpse out in the ocean after the Miranda was recovered." "We dropped our observations when he made a run for it towards that village. So from that point on it was just his paranoia which let him think we were there." - "Where is his body." The captain gets right up in her face he was just smoking a cigar - "Hm, yeah... was thinking you might want him." "Ill arrange a transfer with the meeting so you can give him a proper burial." - "Hmph." "So what do the contactors have to do with all of this?" - "Quite a juicy fish you catched there right? I think you should try to search it up in a catalogue." - He gets right in her face again "If you have any sense of self preservation you will tell me." She doesn't seem intimidated - He backs away. - "Self preservation is the thing you should be more worried about." "The order of contactors IS a red herring. A facade. A cover. It mostly reflects our actual work but is missing some of the more... striking details." - "Just give up Burt's body." "We can discuss this civilly." "But you and your people are not going to be viewed in a positive light by the CSIS." - "We will, Ill get in contact immediately." "Can't blame you" she walks away "Ill be in my quarters" - "Are those other two boneheads part of the Order of Metal Minds as well?" - she looks back "Norris and Bray. Nah... those guys are clean. Willie on the other hand I have to say did an excellent job." She walks of to her cabin. The bridge door automatically closing behind her. - He grunts "Put them both under constant surveillance." "I want to know everything about them" "Aye sir." "Helm, chart course for Spaceport 01, regroup with the rest of the fleet."