Sargasso of Souls – Session 24

Amongst the scientists there was much excitement over the footage from the last mission that showed the huge conical spoil-heap out on the plain. In particular, both Phipps and Lucius Fox, the liaison for the Certified Bioware team, were strongly in favour of going out again to gather more data on what had produced this curious phenomenon.

Despite the question mark still hanging over Phipps, I decided to oblige by putting together a second mission team and including him in it. He’d been passed fit as of a couple of days before and it was difficult to ignore how valuable his insight could be across a wide range of subjects. Also his newly acquired alien eyes might pick up on things that others wouldn’t see.

The rest of the team were: the ATV driver Stig Launaston, Heather McKay of Certified Bioware, and Karel Novic and Roger Olembe from security.

However, throughout the 18th, poor weather prevented their departure and they were forced to wait.

Fortunately, there was enough of a lull that, with its instruments, the Salvation was able to brave the conditions and descend to the surface. Aboard the shuttle was the twelve-man construction team that we were expecting to get the base expansion underway and a first shipment of additional base modules.

Reassuringly, after surveying the plans, the head of construction estimated that if work started immediately they could have a cavern with capacity for an additional one-hundred-and-twenty-five people excavated by the 24th. Obviously the base modules would still have to be assembled after that but I was pretty pleased with his assessment.

There were now sixty-five people on the surface in accommodation only really intended to house fifty, so things were going to be a little cramped for a while. Some reorganization was required and a number of personnel were asked to double-up and share quarters. To show willing Maya and I moved in together. It was hardly an inconvenience and seemed sensible under the circumstances.

The Salvation was to depart as soon as there was a suitable opportunity and was scheduled to return on the 22nd with additional supplies for us to stockpile ready for winter. It would also bring a second shipment of base modules. In addition I asked for a hydroponics specialist to start figuring out how to sustain a population on the surface and, at Santino’s, request an assistant for him, in the hopes of lessening his workload somewhat.

On the 19th the weather cleared sufficiently for the Salvation to depart and for the mission team to embark on the return journey to the spoil-heap.

With Launaston at the wheel, the ATV carrying Phipps, McKay, Novic and Olembe set off up the canyon and soon disappeared into the swirling clouds of dust.

Other than a few minor seismic tremors, which were a common occurrence on the planet, the trip proved uneventful. They negotiated the plain with relative ease, reaching the foot of their objective without incident. The spoil-heap loomed over them, towering up into the darkness, while foreboding clouds continued to boil overhead. Flashes of lightning repeatedly lit up the landscape as again and again they arced down to strike at the summit.

While Launaston remained in the ATV, the four passengers disembarked and made ready to attempt an ascent. At this distance they were close enough to see a much smaller, four metre high mound about three-quarters of the way up the spoil-heap. Through some as yet unidentified propulsion it was slowly moving towards the top.

Even more intrigued, the team started upwards. It was slow going, almost wading, as their boots sank into the loose rock.

Then without warning a much larger tremor suddenly shook the plain and dislodged an avalanche of rocks that tumbled down the side of the mound towards them. The team were forced to scramble for safety and only narrowly escaped. Fortunately, though Heather McKay was partially buried under the slide, the others dug her out with little difficulty. Nobody was harmed but there was concern that the tremor might be the precursor to an even larger quake. Also worryingly a crack had appeared across the surface of the plain behind them and, should it widen, could cut off their escape. Launaston recommended that they turn back while they still could rather than unnecessarily risking the ATV and their own lives. After a short debate the others reluctantly agreed.

Somewhat downhearted at their failure to produce any significant findings the team returned to base.

Later that same day I sent out a second mission to conduct a reconnaissance of the plain to the right of the canyon. The team which was composed of Launaston, Bauman, Voronova, McKay and one of the cartographers, returned a few hours later with the carcass of a two-metre long centipede-like-creature, which had been bagged by Bauman, and reported that they had located a collection of caves in the cliff face surrounding the plain. They had also spotted a five metre high conical mound and once again had attempted to approach it but this time due to the frequency of lightning strikes in the vicinity had been unable to get close to it.

Frustratingly the planet was still jealously guarding its secrets, continuing to offer up more questions than answers. At least the base expansion was now underway.

On the 20th the geologists reported that their analysis of seismology readings suggested that either a meteorite or a small spacecraft of some kind had fallen to earth in the next canyon. Despite the deteriorating weather conditions a team was put together and sent out to investigate. This time Launaston, Johansson, Hasek and two geologists headed off in the ATV.

Once again however the weather worsened and they were forced to abort the mission and turn back with wind ripping down the canyon and visibility reduced to at most twenty feet. The conditions were possibly the worst yet.

After they returned it hailed again but thanks to our reinforcement of the external structures there was no significant damage.

On the 21st the weather improved somewhat so the team made another attempt. This time they were able to reach the next canyon where they found a large crater with an armoured probe in it. The probe was severely damaged but still had some power as lights were flickering on its control panel status display.

The team recovered it and brought it back to base where Vaughan and Phipps dismantled it.

A few hours later Vaughan reported that the probe’s shutes had probably failed and that its broadcast range had been crippled by a power surge, most likely a lightning strike. Charring on the body of the probe supported this theory. They had also found markings on some of the components that indicated the manufacturer was a company called Ryman Electronics.

I immediately sent up one of the escape-capable communication modules with a message for Morris. I provided him with details of what we knew about the probe and asked if there was any indication of how it had got there.

The following day the Salvation arrived on schedule carrying supplies, base modules and Rachel Carnahan, an assistant for Santino. They were still working on finding a hydroponics specialist.

 There was also a message from Morris, which stated that sensor logs showed an unmarked Frigate entering the system, dropping into orbit, launching the probe and then departing. He had also learned that Ryman Electronics was a subsidiary of the Weyland Corporation and advised us to exercise extreme caution.