Leaderboard

Field Report A-2: The NSS Discovery Incident The NanoTrasen Science Station Discovery remains as one of the company's darkest and most well-hidden mysteries, one that remains secured behind Authorization Level Epsilon to this day; I myself was only authorized to peruse through existing logs due to the nature of my investigation, and even then was forbidden from directly quoting any part of them, being forced to utilize indirect references and "close-enough" paraphrasing. With construction beginning in 2401 and ending in 2432, the NSS Discovery was the first in a new series of research station design iterations that would eventually culminate in the Cyberiad-Pattern Research Station design. The Discovery was set to become the very first NanoTrasen-owned installation dedicated entirely to Xenobiological studies. To that end, it was equipped with multiple decks of reinforced containment cells, several high-tech Hydroponics units and approximately three times more weaponry and riot control gear than most other research installations extant at the time of its inaugural shift. Its final location was chosen to be the Tau-56 system, located in the far reaches of the Tau Fringe, next to a star cluster notable for its high incidence of Earth-like planets inhabited by unique fauna and flora. It operated from 2432 to 2498, after which it was officially declared "Missing Under Suspicious Circumstances". The loss was designed as "Category C", ostensibly standing for "Catastrophic", considering the amount of resources and personnel invested into the facility. While officially NanoTrasen has never provided a reason for the Discovery's disappearance, the "unofficially accepted" explanation is that it was destroyed via unauthorized activation of the on-board Nuclear Failsafe Device, ostensibly installed in order to prevent hostile takeover by the part of any hostile entities, sentient or not. However, the few records that do exist in regards to the Discovery do not support this hypothesis, as no radiation bursts were detected from its last known location, and no debris belonging to the station was ever found. For all intents and purposes, the station disappeared, and was not simply destroyed. However, the last two shifts recorded as having taken place aboard the NSS Discovery shed a light on the most likely reason for the facility's vanishing: a successful Ascendance Event. Approximately sixteen hours before all communication with the Discovery ceases, the second-to-last ever shift begins with no incident. Research into captured Xenos specimens continues as programmed, with only a few minor scuffles reported by on-site Security staff, ostensibly over a "rigged" arcade machine that on-site Engineering staff had installed in the cantina. However, approximately eleven hours before communications cease, just beyond the halfway point of the shift, several abnormalities in the station's power grid are reported, with several departments issuing formal complaints with the on-site Chief Engineer, one James Blasky, over the constant brownouts experienced by the crew. No abnormalities with the Singularity Engine are reported, and Engineering officially explains the power grid failures as being the result of faulty wiring. Despite extensive repairs over the course of the rest of the shift, powergrid issues persist without being resolved, and Chief Engineer Blasky officially faxes the NAS Karakorum (attendant administrative center to the NSS Discovery) requesting the following shift be equipped for more in-depth repairs of the grid, including potential SMES unit replacements. The rest of the shift proceeds without other incidents. However, at the beginning of the following (and final) shift, the NAS Karakorum issues a notification to the NSS Discovery, warning on-site captain, Melinda Bernstein, that a crewmember from the previous shift, one John Berkeley, never reported at the end of their work period, and that a full search of the station was mandatory in order to ascertain their whereabouts. Captain Bernstein indeed orders on-site Security staff to search the station for Mr. Berkeley, to no avail. Powergrid issues persist, and in fact worsen throughout the first half of the shift, until an odd report on the part of the on-site Cook has Security staff investigate the walk-in freezer, where they find multiple slabs of meat missing, along with one of the back doors being hacked open. Security is unable to follow any trail, but comms chatter logs indicates that Security staff suspected it was the work of the missing crewmember. Approximately three hours before communications cease, all lights within the Medical Department simultaneously fail, plunging the area into darkness for approximately ten minutes before Engineering staff respond with enough replacements. All contact with medical personnel ceases past this point, and Medbay goes into lockdown. On-site Security staff respond by issuing an arrest order for the on-site Chief Medical Officer, one Andrew Adams, and issuing Riot Control gear to multiple officers. Approximately two hours before communications cease, the NSS Discovery's powergrid shuts down, plunging the station into complete darkness. On-site Engineering staff do not respond to this, claiming they were evacuating and citing multiple encounters with hostile entities in the maintenance tunnels around Medbay and within the department proper. Command-level comms chatter is rather confusing, and it seems that the administrative staff was never quite aware of what was happening, believing the situation to be some sort of mutiny, up until approximately one hour before communications cease, when Captain Bernstein issues a request for an Emergency Response Team, citing an infestation by unknown lifeforms that had, to their best of their knowledge, consumed most of the Medical and Engineering staff. The NAS Karakorum scrambles ERT Gallia-15, a Red-Level Emergency Response Team composed mostly of close combat specialists and accompanied by three medics. Upon boarding the NSS Discovery, approximately 15 minutes before communications cease, Gallia-15 reports that all on-site comms chatter has died down, and that none of the facility's electronics appeared to be functional, the team being forced to use emergency crowbars to force open depowered airlocks in order to progress. Gallia-15 reaches the Discovery's Bridge, only to find it empty, and the Captain's office ransacked. Gallia-15 reports this to the NAS Karakorum, presumably the reason why an unauthorized nuclear activation is believed to have been the cause for the disaster, the on-site Authentication Disk being missing. At this point, approximately 5 minutes before all communications cease, Gallia-15 reports a loud scream that seemed to be audible throughout the entire station. Following this message, Bluespace distortions severely compromise communications with Gallia-15, with the last few words audible in the logged recordings speaking of red eyes, Bluespace teleportation and large mobs of brainwashed crewmembers. Eventually, all communications with Gallia-15 cease, and no further messages are received from the NSS Discovery from that point forward. With no further information to work with, the NAS Karakorum authorizes activating ERT Mercury-3, a Gamma-Level Emergency Response Team. Mercury-3 would deploy to the last known location of the Discovery, only to find all traces of it had disappeared. Despite searching the Tau-56 system and surrounding star cluster, no signs of the station, or debris belonging to it, were ever found, and NanoTrasen officially files the "Missing Under Suspicious Circumstances" notice 3 standard days later, followed by classifying all information pertaining to it as Authorization Level Epsilon, despite the lack of any hard evidence concerning any tangible, known threats. However, NanoTrasen's actions betray an already budding interest in the Xenos Umbra threat, as the disappearance of the Discovery occurs several years after the company was made aware of the species' existence, and follows many of the patterns exhibited by known and recorded Ascendance Events, such as frequent powergrid issues, lighting system malfunctions and progressive subversion of the crew, in addition to frequent mentions of red eyes and brainwashing, not to forget the massive amounts of Bluespace distortions both reported by Gallia-15 and recorded on long-range scanner arrays. This seems to indicate that early action taken towards these creatures involved an attempted suppressing of information, rather than dissemination and study. To this end, I will need to attempt to identify similar attempts at censoring vital information, and seeing where they may lead me, then attempt to ascertain what caused a shift in attitude towards these creatures, seeing as modern NanoTrasen policy both acknowledges the existence of the creatures, and actively encourages its research divisions to acquire as much information as possible about them. Signed, Quincy D. Huxley END LOG.

I heard all the cool kids genderbend their characters. For the fun of it, here's Joline Bright and Zayna Varloss. Not the first time I've drawn them as ladies, and probably won't be the last Fun fact, back in 2016ish, Zeke was forced... Turned into a woman a bunch of times. and now you know why he looks so overly feminine...

@FursamieI've actually done this very Umbra thing before, but ended up dropping it after it got too noodley for my taste. I've since decided to reboot it properly and use what experience I've gained in writing to make it a more streamlined and palatable narrative. And yes, the thought of similar reports on other creatures has went through my mind, potentially Changelings as a first experiment.

I got a commission ordered for my character Szlaa Kaallu, I'm sooo happy with how it turned out, having it for profile pic makes me so happy ? The artist's deviantart deviantart.com/sumicoarts/ Discord @Sumico#7836

When I initially looked at this I was thinking "Oh neat, it'll be cool to see Jonah as a chick and Zeke as a dude" and then I realized the failure in my thoughts... I GET SO CONFUSED BY HIM!

Don`t do it Reach, retirement is just five years away Do NOT touch the goddamm Skrell Reach ..... A bugger touch

Nice! Good art as always

It basically is. At least he's sexy... Right... Right?...

Here's something dramatic; And nothing is more dramatic than popping out of the cloning machine nude and on the cold floor, thinking to yourself how you fucked up or how did this happen. How at this moment and time you're vulnerable and exposed.

Here's an animation!! Look at this sexy bastard being all full of himself.

Everyone needs a sassy gay friend right?