Beech Wood Embers

  YEAR: 52028 HE SHIP: Matriark II, Super-Frigate Exploration class SUPERVISORY COMPUTOR SYSTEM: Exterior Guard Drone five LOCATION: Nojo memorial Farms and Gardens PRESENT: CORPORAL MACKING   Sub-Captain Ortner’s Watch Log      ORT: There falls another Hahaoyan day. The darkness grows like a fog over the dust. I don’t like it. This wall is all that protects us from the night. The drones picked up nothing. But I can’t shake the sense that something is watching us after the sun goes down; one of those grey-skinned mother fuckers. It’s almost time for the changing of the watch. I feel much safer when I’m inside the steel. This watching and waiting doesn’t help. It’s like we are waiting for an attack. I would like to take a few solar trucks filled with troopers over the mountains and raid.      MACK: You think there’s more of those grey skins over the mountains?      ORT: I don’t know, but nothing survi...

  YE AR: 52028 HE SHIP: Matriark II, Super-Frigate Exploration class SUPERVISORY COMPUTER SYSTEM: Tabib Medix scanner (TMS) LOCATION: Isolation ward   SPECIMEN ALPHA AUTOPSY REPORT   Autopsy Authorised by: Professor Sinuah   Age: Flesh carbon date 591 years Race: Alien unidentified, provisional name: Grey Skinned Pond Ape Sex: Male Length: 271 Centimetres Weight: 497 Kilograms Eyes: Dark Red Hair: White Body Heat: Refrigerated Clothing: Light brown loin cloth, made of unidentified plant material. External Examination: Well nourished, well developed male, with several scars across the body, which appear to be a form of tribal marking. There are multiple fractures of the skull from a Blade Rifle blast, part of the brain cavity missing. Blast wounds on the left calf, right bicep, and stomach.   Final Diagnosis: Specimen Alpha received a shot of super-heated metal to the head. The shot was the cause of death.   Mo...

    YEAR: 52028 HE SHIP: Matriark II, Super-Frigate Exploration class SUPERVISORY COMPUTER SYSTEM: Hahaoya X80 (HX80) LOCATION: Prime-Captain Larkina’s Cabin, Matriark II   Larkina’s Log        LARK: Do you think I was too harsh on Pines Hahaoya?      HX80: I am not programmed to make judgment on your decisions. I can only advise on potential consequence, causality, and effects of a human decision.      LARK: Can you list any negative consequences of my decision to reprimand him the way I did?      HX80: There is a potentiality that Sub-Captain Pines may resent you after his suspension. This could linger in him for months, even years after, and I could get in the way of the streamline management of the colony.        LARK: That’s a very circular way of saying I was too harsh.      HX80: Would you like me to list the p...

  YEAR: 52028 HE SHIP: Matriark II, Super-Frigate Exploration class SUPERVISORY COMPUTER SYSTEM: Hahaoya X80 (HX80) LOCATION: Prime-Captain Larkina’s office IN ATTENDANCE: PRIME-CAPTAIN LARKINA, SUB-CAPTAIN PINES, SERGEANT FRINTS, PROF SINUAH PHYSIOLOGY DEPT, SHIP’S CORONER BETNA   FATALITY REPORT PINE: At 28:00 Hahao time, we lost private Heart. An unidentified Humanoid emerged from the pond and dragged her under. We were unable to neutralise the threat before she drowned. The hostile target was eliminated with sustained Blade Rifle fire. LARK: I am looking at you captain. How did one hostile get the better of twenty? PINE: I checked the pond. The scan came back green. LARK: Clearly the scan failed. What were you doing gathering water from a pond before virology and zoology had given you the okay? PINE: I gave no order to collect water. Private Heart operated independently while I was supervising the making of our camp. The footage will back me up. L...

  YEAR: 52028 HE SHIP: Matriark II, Super-Frigate Exploration class SUPERVISORY COMPUTER SYSTEM: Hahaoya X80 (HX80) LOCATION: Ship’s Conference Room   MEETING TRANSCRIPT IN ATTENDANCE: PRIME-CAPTAIN LARKINA, SUB-CAPTAIN ORTNER, SUB-CAPTAIN PINES, PROF GRUBER ZOOLOGY DEPT, PROF HARDERK AGRICULTURAL DEPT        LARK: By now, everyone present should be aware of the discovery in the gulch. We are not alone. There are humanoids upon this planet. They may or may not pose a threat to our operations. But we must assume the worst from here on. I ask for your thoughts on how to proceed, baring in mind the need to cultivate a successful food supply within the year.      ORT: We have to treat this as a hostile land from here on. No one should venture off without a twenty strong protective unit. We should increase the radius of the drone scans around the site of the footprints, and, we must build defences around the farms. I suggest watch towers...

YEAR: 52028 HE SHIP: Matriark II, Super-Frigate Exploration class CHRONICLER: Markus Hadey LOCATION: Matriark II Landing zone, Hahao.   DAY ONE HAHAO EXPLORATION CHRONICLE Sub-Captain Ortner, a five-strong armed protection unit, the professors, and I, stepped onto the virgin earth of the newly named Hahao. The air is as breathable as Earth, with a near identical mix of Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon, and Argon. Regulations stipulate: full Purple Hazmat protection gear must be worn until virology can confirm there are no hidden alien viruses in the surround. There is a hot dusty breeze in the air. Luckily, the Hazmat suit has air-conditioning.      The Matriark II lies on her side like a downed skyscraper made of black steel. The thrusters are out of action as they were designed to absorb the impact upon landing. The rest of the ship is functional and will be running green within the week. The antiquated nuclear power-cells will be stored for future use. ...