System 0609 human signal report

1 INITIAL DATA AND SET UP
A weak human distress beacon that was found to be unaffiliated with any of the known ark ships was discovered by the automated scanning of the Radiance.

The signal was also surrounded by several unknown signals presumed to be of alien origin. These signals were not the purpose of the exploration, but were to be avoided at this time.

A squad comprised of myself, Thaddeus Deacon, Algenon Digsby, Mateus Walker and Interrogator Ekrund as well as a provided pilot and 20 personnel divided between Ekrund and Algenon used a class C scout ship to investigate the anomaly.

1.1 INITIAL CONTACT
Upon arriving in system, all alien contact was avoided and the pilot took us in to the ship. Initial observations placed the ships size as far, far under the normal size for an ark ship, with best approximations placing it at being able to hold a complement of less than one thousand people.

The ship was found to be surrounded by a cloud of debris of an unknown material, scored by multiple carbonmarks seemingly caused by the weaponry of the ark ship.

The scanning equipment on the scout ship was at this time damaged by squadsman Thaddeus Deacon in an attempt to further divine the nature of this debris.

Assessment of the hull of the ark ship found it to be scored by general small asteroid scarring but otherwise undamaged. A partially damaged ship designation was recreated by the crew, primarily Ekrund and the ship’s designation was revealed as the "Red Kelly". Attempting to find information about this Red Kelly revealed one slight reference in ancient Lewis, Luis, & Louis documentation. No further information was forthcoming.

Assessing the ships readings, it was found that the power was undergoing problems, with power diverted primarily to an assumed cryo storage and the bridge, emergency supplies of power going to life support. The beacon was still weak at this point and it was decided that the most likely reason for the weakness of the beacon was the low amount of power designated to it.

Assessing the design of the Red Kelly found that it matched no known design of ship in the database. We only received automatic handshake protocols from the ships on-board computer and prepared to board while the auto-turrets tracked our ship.

1.1.1 BOARDING AND EXPLORATION
Upon landing it was swiftly discovered that the life support and gravity was functioning perfectly and we prepared to board the ship, with Algenon and Ekrund staying back to coordinate the exploration.

During the exploration a human man (approximately 50 years old) was discovered. In physically good health but sanity stretched beyond breaking point the man, "Jim", talked to us and upon us asking him to lead us to the bridge took us down to the primary hanger. Arriving in the hanger had us discover an alien ship, made of material that seemed similar to the debris cloud surrounding the Red Kelly.

Terminals on-board the ship were then datamined for information. It was found that the ship had a complement of 20 crew and 324 passengers. A full ship schematic was uploaded to the scout ships on-board computers. Scouting the ship found that multiple cryo pods were smashed inwards with their occupants missing (both inside the bridge and in the cryo storage). Further investigation yielded a large pile of bones and partially eaten individuals, presumably eaten by Jim himself or the ship’s other awake occupant.

Further datamining of the ships computers found that the power issues started approximately 30 years ago (presumably when Jim woke up and the alien ship crash landed into the Red Kelly) it was also found that the Red Kelly’s original destination was the 0308 system. Jim also talked of large, pretty bugs on the Red Kelly, although at the time, this was partially ignored due to Jim’s clear lack of sanity.

Further investigation of the alien ship by myself found it to be of clear alien origin. Suspected to be grown rather than made. A sample of the ship has been brought back with one of Algernon’s underlings.

While investigating the alien ship, the metal of the ship moved up my arms, whilst psionically bombarding me. The rest of this report will be second hand, as from this point onwards I was insensate and then unconscious. Mateus rushed to my rescue, unfortunately removing my arms to free me from the ship’s grasp.

It was found by Algenon and his underlings that the power problems experienced by the ship were the result of a broken battery, the power being produced by the ship could not be stored and was simply bleeding out. Emergency repairs were enacted and the ship’s battery was fixed.

Exploration by Mateus found an alien life form on the ship, despite his best efforts at diplomacy the alien attacked him, perhaps driven berserk by many years alone bar for Jim. Mateus dispatched the bug-like alien life form while suffering minor injuries. A description of the alien is found in Appendix A.

Whilst trying to revive the ship’s captain a bug in the system forced every cryo pod to open. It was at this point that the captain informed us that the ship was in fact a convict ship from Lewis& Luis& Louis, carrying over 300 of the era’s worst criminals who were all bent on blood.

The remaining crew and members of the scouting mission then retreated to the scout ship whilst defending themselves with extreme prejudice against the blood crazed convicts. Measures were taken to ensure minimal danger for the return journey to the Radiance, as all up we numbered 40, far too many for the ship’s life support system to support. Unfortunately, measures taken resulted in massive loss of life both from our own team and from the Red Kelly’s crew.

2.1 APPENDIX A

 * Unknown Alien Lifeform– Carapace covered– 6 limbs ending in large claws– Brightly coloured

2.2 APPENDIX B

 * Items recovered1. Alien blood and bodily fluids2. Chunk of alien material3. Partial crew of the Red Kelly4. multiple data files