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We’ve made it deep into the Arkadian system without encountering any hostile forces. So far no-one has seen a trace of any new intelligent species, nothing of either the Arkadians or the Oratan. Personally, I’m just happy that it wasn’t a trap, even though it would have been more exciting if it was. Space battles might be hard to survive, but at least they’re usually over quickly. Instead of fighting enemy ships, we’re travelling through a thin asteroid field. It isn’t the hardest thing to do, but it definitely takes a toll on the nerves. You can never take your eye off the ball, if you don’t want to become just another fossil floating around in this graveyard. Call me crazy, but it’s not my idea of a good time.
We emerged from the wormholes hours ago and, when the initial scans discovered nothing, we flew on towards Arkadia. As the Fleet moved further into the system, we began encountering the ever thickening sea of space junk that we saw in the Celeste probe’s pictures. There really must have been a huge battle here. I bet the flying will get really interesting when we approach Arkadia itself.
The remains of asteroids and destroyed ships drift around the planet like a protective shield, a silent testimony to the lives lost in the battle. A sea of lost souls, destined to maintain their eternal watch over the planet. How many died here? How many were torn from those they loved?
——————– Log paused ——————–
I’ve just come off duty again. I have to admit I’m quite excited. I got my first good look at the planet through our short range sensors. It’s breathtaking. I remember the first time I saw Earth from orbit. The feeling was amazing, of pride and belonging to that rich world of blue and green. The view of Arkadia is similar and just as incredible, for all its differences. Wide oceans separate continents and clouds roam freely across the sky. Twin moons chase each other around the planet in an infinite race. Although we are the strangers to this world, it feels inviting, as if the planet itself is welcoming us. I wish I could go down with the landing parties to explore the surface. I’m drawn to it in a way that I never expected; like the sailors of old, I cannot resist its Siren song.
I’ve heard that the scientists and miners aboard the other ships are excited about the potential for new compounds and alloys to be discovered amongst the debris and wreckage. I wouldn’t want to pilot the shuttles collecting the samples; flying close enough to collect anything would be a nightmare. Even for someone of my ability it wouldn’t be easy. This far away it’s not that concentrated but I still have to be constantly alert to avoid any collisions. Unlike the civilians, I’ve seen firsthand what would happen to this ship’s atmosphere if any of this floating junk punctured the hull.
I haven’t heard what the Fleet Commander intends to do now, since the planet appears to be deserted. There’s been no indication of intelligent life. I knew there wouldn’t be ten minutes after we arrived. It’s too quiet out here. We haven’t picked up any communications, let alone seen any space traffic. This just shouldn’t be possible if anyone remained, since we know that both species have achieved space travel. We’d have heard or seen something by now. All we have heard since our arrival is The Signal, loud and clear and continuously repeating. It hasn’t been switched off since we got here. Does nobody know we’re here? Or are we too late?
——————– Log paused ——————–
The planet is almost primitive. Not lifeless; we’ve detected movement, so there’s something down there, but not anything that The Signal implied we’d find. I feared we’d arrive in system amid a massive space battle or just get attacked before we could work out who was who. But we were lucky and now it’s up to the scientists and archaeologists to discover what has happened so far. I can’t help feeling this isn’t over yet. Someone ought to have survived, yet they haven’t hailed us. Maybe they can’t, but what if they just don’t want to? But hey, I’m just here to fly the ship and make sure that everyone gets down to the planet in one piece. It’s more than enough to keep me busy since there’s a million bits of rock and metal threatening to steal the air from our lungs if I make a mistake and let them hit the ship.
——————– Log paused ——————–
I ran into Lieutenant Chan in the mess during my last break. His troops will be among the initial landing party. We were discussing how the Fleet and the mission have been run so far. The Commodore knows what he’s doing and the intent behind every order has been clear. The man’s service record is outstanding. He has fought in countless battles. Then suddenly he was removed from active duty, I can’t find any record that explains why. One minute he’s commanding a fleet and the next he’s reassigned as commander of a support unit. Chan and I were wondering what did he have to do to get his command back? Maybe, given that the Fleet could have been destroyed as soon as it arrived, he was just seen as expendable? If that is the case, who set him up to fail?
He’s well suited to command. The veterans in the Fleet who’ve fought with him previously swear he’s one of the best. They say he’s never left a comrade behind. I can’t help but think that he feels that he hasn’t got much to work with. I would have blown a gasket if I was in his position. The Government has given him a bunch of civilians to look after; civilians who are armed with our guns and military hardware but have no idea how to use them. The miners look like a tough bunch at least, I reckon they’d be able to hold their own in a fight. I can’t see the scientists being much help, though they could probably explain how our most complex weapons work at a glance, but I doubt they could fire them. The archaeologists seem more promising, that Doctor Zhen seems to know what she’s about and the others from her Society take her lead. It doesn’t surprise me since she’s incredibly smart and good with people. She is one of a kind that one.
——————– Log paused ——————–
I swear none of the civilians have any idea about how a military campaign is supposed to be run. The Commodore has ordered all the captains on the civilian ships not to accept any orders unless they’re approved by him. He wouldn’t have wanted to stifle a captain’s initiative or flexibility, but was forced to issue that order after the Newton opened fire on one of the larger wreckages. Apparently her captain was talked into it by the scientists on board ‘to see what effect our weapons had on the unknown compounds.’ What kind of idiot could have thought that that was a good idea? It was comforting to see that we could destroy the pieces, even if it was just a wreck, but I was on patrol at the time and spent the next ten minutes dodging the shrapnel. We were lucky we didn’t lose a shuttle. A little warning from Newton would have been nice or even better, the authority to open fire in the first place.
I’m back on duty soon. With any luck the Commodore will order the troops deployed down to the surface when we arrive in orbit around Arkadia. Hopefully I’m wrong and we’re not too late for this party after all.
——————– Log ends ——————–
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