Captain's Log // Pathfinder Telamon // 24.06.5240 // 18:12 Fleet Standard Time

Captain's Log // Pathfinder Telamon // 24.06.5240 // 18:12 Fleet Standard Time

This is Commander Vayth of the Pathfinder Telamon. We are well into day 36 of our voyage, and currently docked with Godalhi Platform A in the Alnilam system for our final resupply. Tomorrow morning, we venture forth into parts unknown. Preparations are almost complete.

[beat]

The crew generally seems to be in high spirits, though anyone can see the apprehension just beneath their cheerful demeanor. I can't say I blame them; I'm just as nervous. Our advance scouts have reported unusual instrument malfunctions, and have confirmed the existence of those unsettling... I suppose the best word for them at the moment would be signals.

[beat]

(quieter)

Most of the crew doesn't know this, but Captain Zuvan of the Aristarchus has had tests run on the signal and they're convinced it's of intelligent origin. They've had no luck on deciphering it yet, but I'm sure they can figure it out. I just hope... (sigh) I don't even know. I hope it's nothing to worry about.

[beat]

I've always harbored a certain fondness -romance, even- for exploring. The unknown has never scared me before. But there's something about this expedition, and our destination, that leaves moths in my gut.

[beat]

I hope I'm wrong.

[beat]

Commander Vayth, signing off.

[log terminates]

wrote a teaser prologue thingy for a Hyperlanes campaign I want to run, called Orion’s Echo. possibly more parts to come!

Captain's Log // Pathfinder Telamon // 20.5.5240 // 05:15 Fleet Standard Time

[several seconds of silence]

(quietly) ... I never know how to begin these things, even after twenty years of recording them.

(normal volume) This is Commander Akair Vayth of the Pathfinder Telamon, Argo-class capital ship for the Pathfinder Initiative expedition into the Trapezium Cluster. We're currently docked in Palladion Skyharbor, and preparations to leave Athenian orbit are nearly complete. We're scheduled to launch at 0600, bound for 45 Orionis. Our plan is to take the jumpgate routes to Rigel to resupply, then make the jump to Alnilam. From there, we're on our own as we fly into unknown territory.

[beat]

Our fleet is twelve ships strong: the Telamon herself, a support carrier and the capital ship; four Asterion-class exploration frigates, the Archimedes, Pythagoras, Aristarchus, and Eratosthenes; four Hephaestion-class industrial frigates, the Prometheus, Brontes, Arges, and Steropes; two Heraklion-class support frigates, the Balius and Xanthus; and an Asclepion-class medical support corvette, the Dione. I'll admit, when the commission proposed a mere twelve ships for an expedition of such long duration, I was quite skeptical, but in composing the fleet I've grown confident in the crew's capability.

[beat]

Still... I worry. We're going further into the Orion Nebula than anyone ever has, and we don't know what lurks in the dark between the stars. Previous expeditions in the Clouds have described unusual readings from the Trapezium Cluster, hinting at... well, we're not sure. It could be a black hole. Could be a high-arity pulsar, or an exotic star. Or something... organic.

[beat]

I'm overthinking this, I'm sure. We're just going to chart the cluster, gauge its habitability, and set up a jumpgate if possible. But in any case, I'm needed on the bridge again. Commander Vayth, signing off.

[log terminates]

Captain's Log // Pathfinder Telamon // 06.11.5242 // 02:12 Fleet Standard Time

This is Commander Vayth of the Pathfinder Telamon. We’ve recently ticked over into day 900 of our voyage, and we are approaching the center of the Trapezium Cluster. As I mentioned in my log on day 648, our scientific complement verified the long-standing idea of a central black hole within the cluster, and it has been the focus of our telescopes for most of this time. After surveying the major stars, we’ve decided to investigate the object. All hands are on deck, pulling round-the-clock shifts to maintain peak performance of the Fleet. We’ll soon be entering its orbit.

[beat]

(quieter) There’s more. Zuvan managed to crack the encryption of the signal themself. All it says is “She wakes,” over and over... and the signal has been getting stronger as we approach the singularity. Whatever it means, whoever she is... the signal is coming from the black hole, or something orbiting it.

[beat]

This is wrong. This is all so wrong. As we fly closer to the source, my mind... it feels... hazy. Like I’m half awake, still almost dreaming... echoes of another time... memory like stardust dripping from a comet... And something else, a presence filling the void...

[brief beat]

(sudden dread) We shouldn’t have come here.

[bolting to his feet]

(shouting away from the mic) BARO! TURN THE FLEET AROUND, SOMETHING IS OUT THERE! IT’S–

[monumental crash, log terminates]

wrote a teaser prologue thingy for a Hyperlanes campaign I want to run, called Orion’s Echo. possibly more parts to come!

Captain's Log // Pathfinder Telamon // 20.5.5240 // 05:15 Fleet Standard Time

[several seconds of silence]

(quietly) ... I never know how to begin these things, even after twenty years of recording them.

(normal volume) This is Commander Akair Vayth of the Pathfinder Telamon, Argo-class capital ship for the Pathfinder Initiative expedition into the Trapezium Cluster. We're currently docked in Palladion Skyharbor, and preparations to leave Athenian orbit are nearly complete. We're scheduled to launch at 0600, bound for 45 Orionis. Our plan is to take the jumpgate routes to Rigel to resupply, then make the jump to Alnilam. From there, we're on our own as we fly into unknown territory.

[beat]

Our fleet is twelve ships strong: the Telamon herself, a support carrier and the capital ship; four Asterion-class exploration frigates, the Archimedes, Pythagoras, Aristarchus, and Eratosthenes; four Hephaestion-class industrial frigates, the Prometheus, Brontes, Arges, and Steropes; two Heraklion-class support frigates, the Balius and Xanthus; and an Asclepion-class medical support corvette, the Dione. I'll admit, when the commission proposed a mere twelve ships for an expedition of such long duration, I was quite skeptical, but in composing the fleet I've grown confident in the crew's capability.

[beat]

Still... I worry. We're going further into the Orion Nebula than anyone ever has, and we don't know what lurks in the dark between the stars. Previous expeditions in the Clouds have described unusual readings from the Trapezium Cluster, hinting at... well, we're not sure. It could be a black hole. Could be a high-arity pulsar, or an exotic star. Or something... organic.

[beat]

I'm overthinking this, I'm sure. We're just going to chart the cluster, gauge its habitability, and set up a jumpgate if possible. But in any case, I'm needed on the bridge again. Commander Vayth, signing off.

[log terminates]

wrote a teaser prologue thingy for a Hyperlanes campaign I want to run, called Orion’s Echo. possibly more parts to come!

Captain's Log // Pathfinder Telamon // 20.5.5240 // 05:15 Fleet Standard Time

[several seconds of silence]

(quietly) ... I never know how to begin these things, even after twenty years of recording them.

(normal volume) This is Commander Akair Vayth of the Pathfinder Telamon, Argo-class capital ship for the Pathfinder Initiative expedition into the Trapezium Cluster. We're currently docked in Palladion Skyharbor, and preparations to leave Athenian orbit are nearly complete. We're scheduled to launch at 0600, bound for 45 Orionis. Our plan is to take the jumpgate routes to Rigel to resupply, then make the jump to Alnilam. From there, we're on our own as we fly into unknown territory.

[beat]

Our fleet is twelve ships strong: the Telamon herself, a support carrier and the capital ship; four Asterion-class exploration frigates, the Archimedes, Pythagoras, Aristarchus, and Eratosthenes; four Hephaestion-class industrial frigates, the Prometheus, Brontes, Arges, and Steropes; two Heraklion-class support frigates, the Balius and Xanthus; and an Asclepion-class medical support corvette, the Dione. I'll admit, when the commission proposed a mere twelve ships for an expedition of such long duration, I was quite skeptical, but in composing the fleet I've grown confident in the crew's capability.

[beat]

Still... I worry. We're going further into the Orion Nebula than anyone ever has, and we don't know what lurks in the dark between the stars. Previous expeditions in the Clouds have described unusual readings from the Trapezium Cluster, hinting at... well, we're not sure. It could be a black hole. Could be a high-arity pulsar, or an exotic star. Or something... organic.

[beat]

I'm overthinking this, I'm sure. We're just going to chart the cluster, gauge its habitability, and set up a jumpgate if possible. But in any case, I'm needed on the bridge again. Commander Vayth, signing off.

[log terminates]

so naive

SOS Transponder // Pathfinder Telamon // 05.01.5244 // 00:06 Fleet Standard Time

(weary, broken) This is... (sigh) Stars above, I just don’t know what to say.

[beat]

I’m stranded on a cold, lifeless desert moon without a name. This planet’s sun is like a dark, angry eye, glaring down at me. At night, the sky shines with violet clouds. I think the word for it is nebula. ...I’m alone. Nobody else lives on this world, as far as I know.

[beat]

(sigh) Judging by the wreckage, I must have crashed, though I only have the vaguest notion of how long ago that happened.

...Months? ...Years?

The remnants of the hull are intact enough for me to read the name Telamon. I feel like I should know what that means, but I don’t. Most of the systems on the ship are destroyed beyond repair, at least as far as I can tell. I feel like I used to know how to fix these things, but that’s all gone... The only system still in working order, besides life support, is... this. Whatever this is. Some sort of communicator, I think.

[beat]

...I hope.

[beat]

(more broken) If anyone out there is listening, please come find me. Or at least send some sort of reply. I need help, however you can help, please just... help me. I don’t know where I am, or how I got here. But worst of all...

(wavering) I don’t know who I am.

[transmission terminates]

wrote a teaser prologue thingy for a Hyperlanes campaign I want to run, called Orion’s Echo. possibly more parts to come!

Captain's Log // Pathfinder Telamon // 20.5.5240 // 05:15 Fleet Standard Time

[several seconds of silence]

(quietly) ... I never know how to begin these things, even after twenty years of recording them.

(normal volume) This is Commander Akair Vayth of the Pathfinder Telamon, Argo-class capital ship for the Pathfinder Initiative expedition into the Trapezium Cluster. We're currently docked in Palladion Skyharbor, and preparations to leave Athenian orbit are nearly complete. We're scheduled to launch at 0600, bound for 45 Orionis. Our plan is to take the jumpgate routes to Rigel to resupply, then make the jump to Alnilam. From there, we're on our own as we fly into unknown territory.

[beat]

Our fleet is twelve ships strong: the Telamon herself, a support carrier and the capital ship; four Asterion-class exploration frigates, the Archimedes, Pythagoras, Aristarchus, and Eratosthenes; four Hephaestion-class industrial frigates, the Prometheus, Brontes, Arges, and Steropes; two Heraklion-class support frigates, the Balius and Xanthus; and an Asclepion-class medical support corvette, the Dione. I'll admit, when the commission proposed a mere twelve ships for an expedition of such long duration, I was quite skeptical, but in composing the fleet I've grown confident in the crew's capability.

[beat]

Still... I worry. We're going further into the Orion Nebula than anyone ever has, and we don't know what lurks in the dark between the stars. Previous expeditions in the Clouds have described unusual readings from the Trapezium Cluster, hinting at... well, we're not sure. It could be a black hole. Could be a high-arity pulsar, or an exotic star. Or something... organic.

[beat]

I'm overthinking this, I'm sure. We're just going to chart the cluster, gauge its habitability, and set up a jumpgate if possible. But in any case, I'm needed on the bridge again. Commander Vayth, signing off.

[log terminates]

I love phylogenetics because you expect something like this (Tarpon)

To be related to this (Milkfish, or herring in general)

But turns out it’s more closely related to eels (due to a stroke of luck that most of their other relatives presumably died out, therefore their respective orders and only a handful of other make up the extant survivors). (Pic: European Eel)

And you’d expect these (Anthias: Hawk Anthias and Lyretail Anthias)

To be related to this (Chromis, or damselfish in general)

But they’re actually related to groupers (Goliath Grouper)