While the two prepared to fight for their survival, the signal that had sent earlier had now finally reached the nearest comm buoy. As fast as light travels, it still took days before it reached this comm buoy.
Floating on its lonesome as it orbited around one of the forming stars in the nebula, this innocent thing was probably the most important thing in this sector of space. It isn’t life nor the resources since all of it would be useless without this little line to civilization.
A marvel of engineering, a primitive mass relay the size of a car. Dwarfed by their bigger cousins, these constructs are just as important to the stability of civilization as they know it.
As it received the distress signal and the VI’s processed the data packet, three things happened in succession. First, it triggered the parameters for the use of QEC emergency line to human space as the Humans have jurisdiction over the Armstrong Nebula. Second, it prepared the normal channels for the burst data its supposed to send every second. Finally, it sent the signals to the places it programmed.
One signal was sent was sent to the nearest System Alliance system while a weaker signal that didn’t use the QEC emergency line was sent to a random buoy.
It might have been random at first glance but if a Salarian technician were to scrutinize the comm buoy, they’ll find that the thing was bugged.
It takes an ungodly amount of comm buoys to provide just enough bandwidth for the people of the known galaxy. Even with the thousands dotting citadel space and beyond, the demand is still greater that what’s available. The Citadel and private communication companies are forced to churn out more of these things and even then they’ll need to limit the available bandwidth.
If companies ever hope to keep up with the ever growing demand, they needed things done cheaply and launched as fast as possible. It just so happens most of the major governments of the galaxy and many private entities are more than happy to manufacture parts. Some parts are OK but some are bugged.
It was said that for every comm buoy launched after the meeting of the Salarian’s and Asari’s, there’s thrice as many bugging device out there attached to who knows which buoy. Sufficed to say, there’s a lot of the people listening. As to why the citadel isn’t that concerned is due to the STG and the Spectres.
One mustn’t try to eavesdrop on things they can’t handle and the STG just happens to have sensitive information of those that step over the line while the Spectre’s… well they’re the spectres and nobody wants them snooping around.
Back on the signal, the Quantum Entanglement of the particles for these devices made it so that the signal arrived as soon as it was sent from the Buoy. The relative cost of making them though and the limit them to being only in headquarters of departments that require them such as The System Alliance Patrol, the coast guard like entity of the Alliance
Processed by the VI, this distress signal was resent back to the Comm Buoy’s within alliance space to nearby Ports that harbor SAP Ships that are available for rescue operation of the two scientist. All of this dome in a single hours thanks to VI’s and the robust communication system
Thankfully there was one such ship that was already ready for such an operation. The SSV Himilton with its highly decorated and experienced crew.
While it took days for the signal to contact the authorities, it only took hours for the authorities to prepare. When life is in the line, there’s no room for slacking off. The captain of the ship was quick to gather his mean for the briefing of the mission
“Now listen up. At 800 hrs standard galactic time today, a comm buoy in the Armstrong Nebula picked up a distress signal from the scientific exploratory vessel the CS Northern Wind.” Said the captain as he stood in front of the gathering of hardened men and women.
Behind him was the holographic map of the Armstrong Nebula, a dime in a dozen nebula which only serves as an anchorage point for most ships from the Terminus System.
“Not much is known due to the distance from which the signal came from but we can trace the signal just on the edge of the Nebula over here”. He said as his hand pointed at the far end of the Nebula which was far away from even most civilization.
“What we can gather from the distress signal is that the two scientist are now trapped in a rogue planet with possibly hostile life forms. Fortunately, the rogue planet doesn’t seem to move that much since the signal is still regularly being sent from the same location. This however doesn’t mean we should just take our merry time”
“We are the System Alliance Patrol after all and we respond as soon as we can not unlike our brothers in the Navy with their lumbering behemoths.” This elicited some chuckles from the crowd.
“We have the one fastest ship in the Patrol’s arsenal and by god we shall use it now suit up and prepare to leave port at1200 hrs. I want every single one of you to be ready by then. We are of the first, the oldest and the finest group in the Patrol and we shall show them why we are the best.” His mean cheered as they scrambled to get the ship ready.
At barely 100 meters long, the cutter was on the small end of large ships but it’s nearly unmatched with its large Eezo core to tonnage ratio. While it does boast some of the highest speeds, it does need to frequently discharge.
At 1200 hours, the ship was ready and heading straight for the nearby Mass Relay.
The captain stared at the massive monolithic structures. Left by the Protheans, near instantaneous travel between two points in the galaxy.
“Captain, approaching Mass Relay.”
“Keep her steady”
It’s almost disorienting for most people to see how the sky changes in an instant. It was smooth sailing from there as they hopped across several relays before getting to their destination. It only took hours before they started to decelerate.
“Ok people, in and out as fast as we can. Remember its nearly the ships 1st anniversary and I don’t want any mishaps”
Turning to the window, he watched as the ship’s VI counted down. “Brace for deceleration” As the ship decelerated, the captain could only watch as they came rushing towards the densest debris
“Take evasive maneuvers!” Shouted the captain braced himself as the shields were pelted by micrometeorites. It was a testament to the pilots skill as they weaved around each tumbling rock ranging from boulders to mountains.
The ship shock as they tried to get out but found that the erratic gravitational field in the area was making things hard. The ship was pulled from every which direction and it required the delicate hands of the pilot to get them out of here alive.
Finally, after a few close calls they managed to clear the debris field and now they came face to face with the planet.
“That is the ugliest son of a bitch I’ve ever seen...” Whispered the pilot as he stared at the almost skull like pattern on the planets blackened surface was illuminated by a star in the background. Its “eyes” looked like dark pits while its mouth were high mountain ranges. Over all, it looked like a creepy rogue planet
While they scanned the planet to find the possible crash site, the pilot called for his captains attention.
“Sir… doesn’t that sun look strange?” the pilot asked as they saw the star peeked from the back of the planet
The star looked… odd, Like it was too close for some reason. It doesn’t seem to match any known star here and there wasn’t enough material in this part of the nebula to make a star. It was then the “eyes” of the planet opened.
A static screech echoed across all radio signals, drowning the cockpit in a cacophony of screeches.
“Get us out of her now!” Shouted the captains and it was only the quick actions of the pilots that prevented them from being pulled into the planet.
The asteroids where their location was previously was suddenly pulled in, burning up and heading straight to the planet like slugs fire from the main gun of a dreadnought
What could only be described as screams of frustration echoed in the ships comm as the eyes of the planet focused upon them, squinting even as it tried to locate them.
“Holy shit! That things alive!”
“Fly you fools!” Commanded the captain as the sensors picked up the rapidly building gravity in the area. An auxiliary engine was ripped out as it was caught at whatever gravity field the planet was producing.
Rushing over to the comms, the captain pushed aside the greenhorn manning the station as he tried to open up a communication to an old friend of his. “Computer, give me a real time connection to Admiral Hackett, this is an emergency!”
The ship shook as meteors from ahead of it was pulled towards the planet, hitting the ship as it passed by. Fire bloomed on the planet's surface as it began to move.
“Chad? It’s been a while since you’ve talked to your old mentor.”
“Admiral, I don’t think my mean and I are going to be able to escape this but there’s a planet here in the Armstrong Nebula”
Klaxons rang as the ship was tugged by the planets gravity but was able to break free.
“Chad? Is it a pirate attack?”
“Worse. I don’t think you’ll believe me but hopefully this recording would be able to reach you” He replied as he accessed the cameras of the ship over the terminal, pointing them at the monster barreling towards them.
It was moving past, space warping around it as barreled towards them.
“I don’t think one dreadnoughts going to be eno-!” He was ripped off his seats as the planet finally won and caught the elusive ship, sending it hurtling towards the surface. The connection cuts off leaving Admiral Hackett waiting as a video was sent to him”.
As it arrived he played it once before he played it again and again before he was finally convinced. It was a lot to take in but it seems that something out of the realm of fiction seems to become reality.
“Computer, cancel all my schedules today and send this video to Ambassador Udina and the Alliance Parliament. It seems that we have a problem that might require more than just the guns of the navy”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.