Operation Boldly Go

There was a series of progress reports at regular intervals from when the fleet left from Earth until it turned for home. Here are the headline reports from the journey outbound. There were, obviously more detailed scientific data sent as well, but I've limited the reports to the important parts. Reports of the return journey are not logged here, being largely technical data.

Newest reports are at the top to save scrolling.

Sent 3206.300 Received 3207.277 Distance to Sol 755 parsecs Distance to target 0 parsecs (0 light years)

We have now had reports from the other worlds (See attached map). These too have been probed, using the same method, by the robot probes, and the local response was virtually identical to the response at Tiamat. The species (or the equipment) at each world was pretty much identical, though there appear to be minor visual differences between individuals.

The first (home?) world, Tiamat, has the most developed industry and orbital activity, and we infer that this is probably the homeworld. From observations we have found that the planets have very few obvious settlements like cities - but they do have industry on a what appears to be a fairly small scale. Of course this might also be large scale industry using technologies we do not understand and with a tiny environmental footprint.

Ms Gabriella Fabrik-Soffnagh (GFA) has had to be confined to quarters after a hysterical outburst based on her perception that winning a “meet the aliens” competition would allow her to actually meet aliens. She had to be prevented by security officers from operating the ship's transmitter, and is currently in communication with the Centauri legal team about breach of contract.

The mission is preparing to return to human space.

Sent 3206.250 Received 3207.227 in Quadrant 0 Distance to Sol 755 parsecs Distance to target 0 parsecs

• 3206.190-200: Probe accelerated to run-in speed in hyperspace.
• 3206.201: Exit hyperspace. Start deceleration at M25
• 3206.212: External cameras detect shuttle-sized USO 'objects' matching velocity. These objects and their approach have been invisible to observers on the M25.
• 3206.213: Probe boarded. Cameras record eight-limbed tool-using armoured figures that might be robots or might be armoured aliens. No damage is reported.
• 3206.214-218 There is no interference with the probe, and the USOs escort the probe, matching its deceleration with no visible burns.
• 3206.219: On arrival in orbital space, the robot probe cut power as planned and the USOs take the probe in tow, and into one of the orbital structures (about the size of a human orbital station). There is no effort to prevent the probe transmitting or operating. During its orbital transmit there is a clear view of an alien ship moving up from the planet. There are some calibration issues, but it woud appear to be over 1000 metres long and was seen to be heading away from the planet on an interstellar course (i.e. away from the plane of the ecliptic).
• 3206.220-225: There are many more of the multi-limbed 'Alien Beetles' - again, from the camera pictures these might be robotic, might be alien space suits, or some scientists suggest they might even be a space adapted life form and not in armour at all. These use passive devices to study the probe. They display complex symbols in front of the probe's cameras.
• 3206.226: Probe is dismantled by the Aliens and stops transmitting.

The aliens have some sort of burnless or gravitic interplanetary drive system unknown to us. This makes their ships nearly completely undetectable by human technology. Their ships are of all sizes and their interstellar ships are huge - and capable of landing on a planet using whatever exotic drive system they use.

This would imply a means of faster than light travel far in advance of our hyperspace drives. The aliens are clearly very advanced technologically - although so far we have little evidence of their weapons technology, we can infer that it would be formidable.

The aliens have some sort of symbolic language that might be translatable - our teams are working on it.

Sent 3206.200 Received 3207.177 Distance to Sol 755 parsecs Distance to target 0 parsecs

Lt Cdr Bastrop (GFAN) has suggested the construction of a series of robot probes utilising extremely simple electronics which can act as our eyes and ears, but be simple enough to give no clue to our own technology level or origins should they be intercepted. Work has progressed under the direction of Jean-Luc Pea-Cardo (RWN), who has added the refinement that they be sent in on a track which if extrapolated would point to a star nowhere near human space. The Venerians have added a relay of similar lack of complexity at the system edge which will allow the fleet to stand off from the system.

We have sent one of these into the system on a 0.314159 g deceleration course into the system towards the inhabited planet to see what will happen. The probe has passive detectors only and cameras etc - which will be continuously transmitting back to a disposable automatic relay station on the M25. We have made arrangement for this data to be relayed on.

Sent 3206.150 Received 3207.127 Distance to Sol 755 parsecs Distance to target 0 parsecs

• We have been observing from the M25 (which is 29AU) for 20 days. Learnt that there is some slight emission from the main world, which may be inhabitable by humans. There are no burns to and from the M25 consistent with a major world, neither is there and detectable orbital activity. We have made a fast reconaissance pass, which revealed some artefacts in apparently stable orbits - these are in the wrong orbits to be natural.

There was some transmission leakage indicating possible orbit-planet communications - though there is no way of telling whether we are looking at very big weather satellites, or occupied orbital structures. There is no indication of surface to orbit travel - so how these orbital structures are maintained in orbit is unclear. The relative paucity of technological items has given ammunition to the 'post-catastrophe' theory proponents, although Forerunner specialists point out that the Forerunners also appear to have maintained a fairly 'low footprint' civilisation. The timing of course is completely wrong for a Forerunner civilisation, but the possibility of a Forerunner regression colony is now being taken seriously in some quarters. We are preparing to send vessels to some of the other potential target worlds.

We have provisionally named the first target world Tiamat.

Sent 3205.350 Received 3206.302 Distance to Sol 700 parsecs Distance to target 55 parsecs

• No change to target. Some initial indications are that there are some neighbouring worlds with similar micowave scatter profiles. We have identified 21 star system which might indicate further study - might these be colony worlds? They are all very close together in a volume of space around 9 parsecs across. The relatively tight focus of alien colonisation has caused a good deal of speculation, some arguing that it speaks of a lower than human technology level, others arguing that the aliens are perhaps temperamentally less inclined to explore than humans. Some feel it gives greater credence to these being the remnants of some form of catastrophe.

Sent 3205.200 Received 3206.127 Distance to Sol 650 parsecs Distance to Target 105 parsecs

• Nothing new to report. The level of transmissions from the target are at the same low level.

Sent 3203.300 Received 3204.150 Distance to Sol 500 parsecs Distance to target 250 parsecs

• Transmissions are decreasing over previous levels. There in a decrease in broad band transmission - our experts speculate that this may be as a result in an increase in directed and focussed tight beam communciations.

Sent 3204.050 Received 3204.350 Distance to Sol 600 parsecs Distance to target 150 parsces

• There are practically no broad band transmissions now. If we were not looking we probably wouldn't notice these worlds. There is some background scatter of coherent microwaves, which would support the theory that there are tight beam communications in use.
• There is some discussion here as to why there is such a high degree of communcation security. Professor Langsdottir (MAFC) believe that the aliens may have already encountered the Exterminators, and either been badly hit or converted their transmissions to tightbeam microwaves as a secrecy measure. Dr Saito (UoX) prefers the 'increasing technology argument', rendering old and more 'profligate' sources of signals unnecessary. Dr Odom (Centauri Conglomerate) sympathises with the Exterminator Contact argument but argues it may have been a self-inflicted nuclear or AI-related catastrophe, or even the impact of some stellar body.
• At a New Year dinner Sir Edmund Khayam, former Earth Ambassador to New Venus, was able to ease tensions with the Venerian contingent via a series of amusing anecdotes about Venerian and Earther society.

Sent 3203.150 Received 3203.350 Distance from Sol 400 parsecs Distance to target 350 parsecs

• Transmissions have continued to increase in intesity, consistent with an advanced technological society using electromgnetic radios in the radio and microwave spectrum for communication.
• The Sirians have refused to have any further contact with the GFA contingent due to comments made about Dr Archie Steel by the Very Rabid Alan Burnham (Church of the Latter Day Mukuls).

Sent 3202.325 Received 3203.025 Distance from Sol 200 parsecs Distant to target 550 parsecs

• Indications from transmissions are that there is a technological civilisation ahead of us.
• Broadband radio 'noise' consistent with an early technological civilisation is being received.
• The Marine contingents have been conducting joint operations. Owing to feelings about combat robots, this has bifurcated into a Martian-Venerian-Wolfer-Centauri exercise and an Earther-Sirian-GFA-Xyonist exercise.
• The expedition has halted briefly, as planned, and is conducting surveys. The DDIs are off visiting nearby systems.