The Shard
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The Shard[edit | edit source]
| Chapter 3: "The Shard" | |
|---|---|
| Major players | Universal Council Sera Varse Varse Expedition Team |
| Vote outcome | Analysis of shard |
| Major events | Discovery of shard conduit Incitement of Qyllits Varse expedition team driven deeper into cave system |
| Timeline Chronology | |
| Previous Chapter | Next Chapter |
| "The Crimson Wolves" | "The Crossroads" |
Summary
Amidst the search for the lost squadrons from the Crimson Wolves offensive ("The Crimson Wolves"), and the continued evacuation of Kepler-7, the Universal Council received an update regarding the expedition on Mímir ("The Catalyst"). In her report, Commander Varse stated the fleet had discovered the origin of the unknown signal: a black shard lodged in the walls of a cave system in Mímir. The shard was reported to be approximately 15 feet in height, and 4.5 feet in diameter; vast Quantum deposits were also found located near the shard, which appeared to amplify the signal even further.
While protocol dictated that the shard be removed from the cave and transported for further study on station Ignis, Commander Varse remained skeptical of the shard being the only source of the signal, proposing a theory that it was merely a conduit for a signal originating from something deeper within the planet. Varse advised the Council in her transmission against removing the shard, as attempts to do so would destroy any chance to further investigate the unknown signal; however, she also acknowledged that removing the shard would provide a more immediate solution to the Council’s current problems by removing the signal’s link to the surface, or at the very least weakening it to the extent that it would no longer affect the Federation’s mining operations. The Council took Commander Varse’s considerations under advisement and decided to hold a vote for how the fleet should proceed, with the seated Councilmembers briefing their respective factions.
With all three factions voting in favor of analyzing the shard, the Council was unanimous in their decision to have the fleet remain on Mímir to better understand the signal, and a transmission was subsequently sent to Commander Varse’s fleet to proceed with the research operation.
Transcript
Report from the 19th conference of the Universal Council: time of ζ Sagittarii 3.32
Held on board station Ignis, in the neutral center of the Core Systems.Councilmembers for the Empire: Ji Young-Joo, Moira Craine, Cael’an Ashuret
Councilmembers for the Federation: Áurea Adonis, San’a, Elijah Burke
Councilmembers for the Union: Aish Fenix, Haley Nguyen, Mandla BankoleAfter these recent events in the Kepler system, the evacuation of Kepler-7 has slowed down somewhat, but is still on track to be completed before the 22nd conference. Investigations around the five missing ships are still in their early stages, and have yielded no results as of yet.
The Universal Council has received word from Commander Varse’s expedition, which was sent out to investigate an unknown signal disturbing communications on the Federation’s mining planets. It appears Commander Varse’s fleet may at last have discovered the source of said signal. From the commander’s report, it would seem the origin of the signal is a large black shard, which has lodged itself into the walls of a cave system on the planet Mímir. The shard measures about 15 feet in height and 4,5 feet in diameter.
From initial experiments it appears the shard reacts to organic matter, with any such contact causing the signal it emits to increase in intensity. Another peculiar aspect to the shard is that there are vast Quantum deposits concentrated around it. This in itself would be strange, as Quantum is usually found in isolated deposits, but the Quantum also seems to be reacting to the shard; amplifying the signal further.
Normal procedure would be to remove the shard from the cave, and have the fleet transport it back to station Ignis for research with more advanced equipment. However, Commander Varse mentions in her report that she is skeptical of the shard being the entire source of this signal. She presents a theory that suggests this initial shard is a conduit- that the actual signal originates from something larger, further inside the planet Mímir. She advises against removing the shard, stating that “if we take this thing [the shard] out of the earth, any chance of locating the original signal will be lost”. Proving Commander Varse’s theory would require her research team to remain on the planet’s surface for some time, so as to analyze the shard and determine whether or not its signal is unique.
Commander Varse does admit that this is a hypothesis, not a certainty, and that removing the shard may provide a more immediate solution to the problem, by severing the signal’s link with the Quantum in the cave. She makes clear that even if there is another origin to the signal, removing the shard may well weaken the signal enough to mitigate any impact on the Core Systems. In light of these considerations, she has asked the Universal Council to provide directives on how her fleet should proceed next. Thus, the vote placed before the Council is as follows:
Should the research fleet remove the shard, in preparation for transportation and extensive research on board station Ignis, or should the shard and the fleet remain on Mímir, to conduct further analysis on the shard’s signal, and possibly discover said signal’s true nature?
Your faction contact will issue a statement shortly in your respective vote channels before the commencement of the vote.
Faction Storylines
Transmission from San’a, Valkyrie of the Federation and representative of President Lee
Good sol, Explorers. While what happened within the Kepler system was truly a tragedy, the Federation commends you for your well-considered judgment in the face of the dilemma. Such is the cost of dealing with factions like the Empire and the Union; one chooses to allow its own people to die, while the other votes to ignore a threat to all of the Core Systems. Rest assured, if the Federation’s planets are similarly threatened, we will have sufficient security measures in place to avoid such heavy casualties.
As it stands, our current vote will also require some form of compromise. Though pursuing Commander Varse’s hypothesis surely seems like the way forward for progress, it is only a hypothesis as of yet. Progress is often made in increments, and moving forward into the unknown requires caution. A fool’s errand can, eventually, end up harming more people than just the fool; being a Valkyrie has taught me as much. It is, of course, not at all surprising that a member of the Union is found lacking in such judgment, but I digress.
This being said, we mustn’t forget to consider the situation on Vargas and its sister planets. As mentioned in the last transmission, the sooner communications are restored, the better. Following Commander Varse’s investigation through to its end would be the most reliable way to reach that goal. Furthermore, until system-wide communications are restored, there is currently no way to efficiently funnel mining resources from the planet. President Lee estimates that only a few weeks remain before the mined resources exceed our facilities’ capacity, at which point her sector will begin to suffer severe financial losses.
It is in our best interests to conclude this as swiftly as possible, but moving too quickly might incur even more risk. The voting opens in fifteen minutes, Explorers; I’m confident you’ll make the right call again.
Stay vigilant.
San’a
A directive from Ji Young-Joo, emissary of the Emperor
What a magnificent time to be a citizen of our Empire, Explorers! What a triumph! The commander of our Third Fleet has brought back the bastard Montez to our exalted Emperor – may he outlive the stars – and shown the galaxy that the might of the Empire is truly unmatched!
Imperator Solas has ordained that a public execution of this “pirate lord” shall be held on the Eden of House Lycanis, to allow the nobles of the house to bear witness to the restoration of their honor. Concluding this, a festival will be held on Eden Lycanis to celebrate the flawless victory of Ivona Craine, as well as the lives of those on the Forge Worlds of Kepler, who bravely gave their lives for the capture of an Imperial enemy.
As for the current vote: from what our Emperor has deigned to tell his council, the Oracle now sings songs of change, though whether this change will come from removing the shard, or from returning it to the Core Systems, is unclear. It is also too early to tell if the change, when it comes, will be a curse or a boon for the Empire; at times the Oracle’s songs cast too wide a net to be heard in their entirety.
In practice, moving foolhardily into the caves of an unknown planet may be ill-advised, especially when the leadership is entrusted to a Union wretch. On the other hand, there is no telling what may happen when this shard is removed from the earth. Furthermore, the Council still insists they need their military resources for the evacuation at Kepler-7, and as the research fleet returns, they may not yet have the adequate means to rebuke a potential attack- no doubt the Federation or the Union might want to seize this artifact for themselves.
Whatever may happen, the Oracle, and the Emperor, are never wrong. Change is coming to the Core Systems, Explorers, though its nature may very well be in your hands. The voting will open in fifteen minutes. Let the Emperor’s will be your guide, and your strength.
Sic itur ad astra.
Comm from Haley Nguyen, Union member and Vox representative
I’d start this comm with a greeting, Comrades, but there’s days where that seems ill-fitted. A million dead… and for what, really? No doubt the Union members under Ivona’s command also left that battle with a bitter taste in their mouths. The only thing keeping me sane is that she skipped the Council’s debriefing, so we were all spared the sight of her gloating from the Imperial Council’s side of the table.
All we can do is move forward. The Union can’t let moments like this discourage us from doing what we believe to be right. That last vote was very close, and I’d like to convey the gratitude and respect that I’ve heard echoed from many Vox members to everyone who made their voices heard. We’re building this future together; it’s the only way we can. Let’s just hope the Crimson Wolves stay away for a long while.
As hard as it might be to get out of a funk like this, I do have another vote to discuss with you. Looking at the situation pragmatically, the Vox is in full agreement that the shard should stay where it is. We can’t disregard Sera’s theory completely, and for the Union’s safety it’s important we know what the hell’s behind this signal; the Bastion is the cornerstone of our entire faction - not to mention our military operations - and we can’t afford to have it compromised in future. On the other hand, there’s no ignoring the potential danger we’re putting this fleet in by keeping them on Mímir. Personally, I can understand if some of you would rather avoid any more loss of lives. The vote’s up in fifteen minutes, Explorers. As usual, your majority will be the single Union vote; remember that the Vox will stand behind any decision you make.
Here’s to a brighter tomorrow.
Haley
Voting Results
The Universal Council has consolidated the votes of each of the factions: Remove the shard 0 () , Analyze the shard 3 (Empire,Federation,Union)
The final vote is in favor of analyzing the shard as it remains on the surface of the planet Mímir, in order to better understand its signal. A transmission has been sent to Commander Varse, and the research operation should begin shortly. We expect to receive a report detailing the initial results of this research soon.
Quantum's Wrath[edit | edit source]
Summary
Under the Council’s direction, Commander Varse’s team proceeded with their analysis of Mímir and the shard. Further investigation of the planet’s fauna - mammalian cave-dwellers termed Qyllits - revealed a connection between their development and the increased Quantum levels in the area. The team’s analysis of the shard also confirmed Commander Varse’s initial theory that there was another signal located deep within the cave system; the investigation also pointed to the existence of several more shards, all acting as amplifiers. Varse and her team then experimented with sending a Quantum pulse through the shard.
In the reports that were received by the Council, the following disjointed transmissions suggested that something had gone terribly wrong with the experiment:
"That’s excellent, Milo– keep stabilizing the signal, we need to isolate it! Selin, push that dial up a little– perfect! Not yet, Kate, not yet!
(shattering, rush of air)
Kate! You let go of that console, and we came here for nothing, got that? Hold on!
(clatter, scream)
Shit! Kate, are you- oh you absolute star! Five more seconds, can you do that?
(billowing)
That’s it! There’s the signature- flip the damn switch!
(rush of air subsides)”
Despite having managed to get the situation under control, the team was suddenly interrupted by what sounded like low growling over the transmission shortly after the incident. Signs of a struggle could then be heard before the transmission was abruptly cut off.
Transcript
Transmission from Sera Varse
Origin: surface of the planet Mímir.
Designation: research report14th report on the investigative mission from Vargas, outside Federation space
Further observations on the planet: the incredible density of the atmosphere shows no signs of change. The yellow phosphorus clouds still hang overhead, and the torrent of silicate rain sweeping the surface is once again headed in our direction. This lack of change suggests previous speculation that the density was an irregular meteorological phenomenon was inaccurate. Discarding that theory, however, only poses more questions regarding how the temperature on Mímir regulates itse- (chuckles) oh, stop it!
Erhem, apologies- you see, we’ve begun studying the fauna that I mentioned in my 13th report, as there does actually appear to be a connection between the increased Quantum levels and the development of life in this system, at least on Mímir. These creatures – we’ve taken to calling them Qyllits – are docile, cave-dwelling mammals, and we can observe quite a few of them from the equipment stations set up around the shard.
You want to move to Jonas’ shoulder? Alright, little one- further analysis of the shard is progressing smoothly, and we’re about to proceed with the second stage of our research. I’m pleased to be able to inform the Council that the secondary hypothesis was correct: there is, in fact, another signal in these caves. What’s more, the readings from this shard suggest there are several others, all acting as conduits, pulling the signal from a single source. Finding the location of that source is complicated; it requires an extremely strong reading from one of the conduits. To make that happen, we’re about to send a Quantum pulse through the shard- just enough to let us determine the signature of the original frequency.
Kate, are you ready? You’d better be, or you’re sleeping on a rag tonight. Okay, everyone at their stations? Jonas, get the Qyllit off you- yes, put it on the console or something. Gently! I swear, you soldiers need to learn some delicacy. (laughter) Alright everybody! Now, you’ve all seen what happens with smaller amounts of Quantum– we’re expecting a pretty intense reaction here. Commencing experiment 2.0. Kate? On three– one… two… three! (crackling, buzzing) That’s excellent, Milo– keep stabilizing the signal, we need to isolate it! Selin, push that dial up a little– perfect! Not yet, Kate, not yet! (shattering, rush of air) Kate! You let go of that console, and we came here for nothing, got that? Hold on! (clatter, scream) Shit! Kate, are you- oh you absolute star! Five more seconds, can you do that? (billowing) That’s it! There’s the signature- flip the damn switch! (rush of air subsides) Everyone alright? Excellent job, all of you. Milo, do be a little quicker on the draw next ti- did anyone hear that? (low growling) Jonas, are you alright? Oh shi- (cacophony of sounds: glass breaking, screeching, tearing of metal, many footsteps, echoing screams, static)
-Transmission cuts off.-
Quantum's Wrath: Part 2[edit | edit source]
Summary
Shortly after her first transmission, the Universal Council received a second one from Commander Varse - this time a distress signal. Varse and her team had been forced to abandon the research post after their experiment with the Shard sent the native Qyllits into a frenzy; weather conditions on Mímir had driven them to seek refuge further within the cave system. The research team had also been reduced to about two-thirds of their original strength - trapped by the Qyllits swarming the shard. Commander Varse’s transmission ended with the team having made the decision to head further into the cave system, with only a functioning spectrometer with a record of the signal’s signature to guide them, and six beacons to mark the route taken.
Transcript
Transmission from Sera Varse
Origin: surface of the planet Mímir.
Designation: distress signal15th report on the investigative mission from Vargas, outside Federation space
(static)
Sera Varse here; we’ve had to abandon our research post. After sending the pulse through the shard, the Qyllits’ demeanor suddenly changed, attacking us with a viciousness that was almost... unnatural. Started streaming in through the cracks in the cave, and completely overwhelmed us. Our soldiers started firing, but... there were just too many. The silicate rain had already reached the entrance; there was nowhere else to fall back to, so we retreated further into the caves.
We’ve barely got anything to sustain us down here. Some of us have gone up to check on the base – I think we lost about a third of our crew – but the Qyllits have swarmed the research area, covering the entire shard. There’s no way out. Small joy: some of the equipment we’ve been able to salvage. Most importantly, we still have a spectrometer with a record of the main signal’s signature. Right now, looks like the only way we get through this is by moving towards that, but that means heading further down; it’ll stop us getting lost in the caves at least. We’ll be placing what beacons we have left as we go– as it stands, that’s five of them. Maybe six if I can get the busted one working again.
I just hope this reaches the Panopea.
| Expedition to Mímir: | The Catalyst • The Shard • The Crossroads • The Void • Subjugation • The Cradle • Dire Straits • Last Stand |
| Assault on the Crimson Wolves: | The Crimson Wolves • The Ides • Groundswell |
| The Morn Conflict: | On the Brink |
| The Pinnacle Incident: | Quantum Sickness • First Steps |
| The Vargas Epidemic: | Blackout |
| The Opening: | First Contact |