We are still over four weeks from reaching a jump waypoint, and the Lincoln will use any means within her power to prevent us from reaching that safe passage and telling the rest of the galaxy of the atrocities perpetrated by BeiTech on the Kerenza colony.
It is with deepest regret I inform you all that last night at 21:15 (shipboard time), the Lincoln launched a surprise assault on our fleet, resulting in the destruction of the heavy freighter Copernicus.
I know many of you had friends, family and colleagues aboard the Copernicus, as did I. Survivors aboard nine shuttles were rescued during the assault by the Alexander’s Cyclone pilots, and we extend to them our heartfelt thanks for their heroic efforts.
Due to the health concerns on the Copernicus in recent times, the survivors have been quarantined aboard the Alexander. This has slowed our efforts to compile a list of names and details; however, please rest assured we understand the urgency of this task.
We are renewing our efforts to make good time toward a jump waypoint and safety. Please assist and support those around you who have lost family, friends, or colleagues. Interdenominational memorial services will be arranged shortly, with details to be posted in the mess halls.
Participants: ByteMe, CitB
Date: 07/21/75
Timestamp: 08:15
ByteMe: u seen the PIR? it’s bull****
CitB: huge surprise, the brass r lying. KNEW this was coming
ByteMe: u psychic now?
CitB: should have started digging when they took down civilian comms on the Copernicus. “maintenance” my ***.
ByteMe: so they were hiding something, let’s work out what
CitB: you got any gen?
ByteMe: working on it now.
CitB: u still there?
ByteMe: trying to get past the ICE wall, takes a while. systems are SO busy over there. seems like they have their main engines off, but that makes no sense. we should be accelerating fast as we can before the Lincoln gets busy again.
CitB: tick tock tick tock
ByteMe: u can do any better, feel free
CitB: sorry. r u ok?
ByteMe: fine. found a court martial list
CitB: …
CitB: say again?
ByteMe: they’re court martialing the pilots that heroically saved all the people on the Copernicus shuttles
CitB: what the ****?
ByteMe: got the records here. u tell me why they do that if the pilots were under orders
CitB: not the only mystery, grasshopper. i’m hunting for any scans or records showing Lincoln got close enough to us to take a shot. nothing so far. it’s still way behind us, far as i can tell
ByteMe: so no attack from Lincoln, and they’re court martialing our pilots. are we saying it was our guys who took out the Copernicus?
CitB: **** me
ByteMe: ew no
CitB: this is getting weirder and weirder. but that can wait, trying to find u a survivor list first
ByteMe: don’t need one
CitB: course you do
ByteMe: i don’t want to talk about it
CitB: you need to know who made it off
ByteMe: i need to know who shot down the Copernicus, that’s the real mystery here
CitB: look, we both know i have no social skills, but if you need to talk about it
ByteMe: need you to tell me what you’re finding
CitB: …
CitB: finding something weird.
CitB: I can’t get a read on AIDAN. thought I was just hitting ICE walls but it’s more like nobody’s home…
COURT MARTIAL LISTING (PAGE 3)
PILOT IDENT: Cayla Alton (UTN-924-776ad)
RANK: Major
CALLSIGN: Sting
FLIGHT GROUP: Delta
PILOT IDENT: Eli Hawking (UTN-912-842ad)
RANK: Major
CALLSIGN: Prophet
FLIGHT GROUP: Echo
PILOT IDENT: Zhenya Alvaranga (UTN-945-817ad)
RANK: First Lieutenant
CALLSIGN: Dreadnought
FLIGHT GROUP: Echo
PILOT IDENT: Ezra Mason (UTN-966-330ad)
RANK: Second Lieutenant
CALLSIGN: N/A
FLIGHT GROUP:
——LIST INCOMPLETE——
-——ACCESS INTERRUPTED——-
To: Ezra Mason/EMASONALEXANDERONBOARD
From: Kady Grant/KGRANTHYPATIAONBOARD
Date: 07/21/75
Timestamp: 10:00
Subject: Hey Ezra
I’ve tried writing this email ten times already and I can’t get it right, so I’m just going to send this through, whatever it ends up saying.
I’m sorry I didn’t write you back. I should have. I mean, when you say “I’m never going to speak to you again,” you don’t think your planet’s going to be invaded that afternoon. It was more, you know, an opening position on negotiations. I was angry.
But you said in your email maybe the universe was telling us it wasn’t going to work out. You’re the most romantic idiot I know, so I guess if you think so, it must be true. That stung, but still, I’m sorry I didn’t write back. Because yeah, I should have let you know I was okay.
I’m still on the Hypatia, I’m in intel training. Since I heard about the Copernicus, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you—this is not me retracting my promise to kick you into the soprano range if you ever come near me again, but I had to check you’re okay. So, let me know if you’re okay, then we can go back to being…whatever we are now.
Kady
Participants: Ezra Mason, Second Lieutenant,
UTA Airborne Division, James McNulty,
Sergeant, UTA Marines
Date: 07/21/75
Timestamp: 10:02
Mason, E, LT 2nd: well played, McNulty. well played, indeed
McNulty, J, Sgt: wut
Mason, E, LT 2nd: You have just overstepped the line, chum. I put you on notice
McNulty, J, Sgt: this my wtf face—> ?_?
Mason, E, LT 2nd: What I want to know is how you jacked her User ID. You pull in Dorian from commtechs to help? What did you do to convince him to help? ****job?
McNulty, J, Sgt: r u dusted or sumthing
Mason, E, LT 2nd: I thought the chipheads would have their hands full trying to figure out what made AIDAN go all HAL on us. Instead, they’re piggybacking secure IDs and helping you **** with my head. I didn’t think your ****jobs were that good
McNulty, J, Sgt: chum wtf u talkin bout
Mason, E, LT 2nd: I take this as a declaration of war. Presuming they don’t line me up against a bulkhead and shoot me after my court martial tomorrow, I will be making sweet, sweet love to your sister by week’s end. This I do solemnly vow
McNulty, J, Sgt: ezra don’t joke about my sister I ****ing warned u
Mason, E, LT 2nd: sweet
McNulty, J, Sgt: chum…
Mason, E, LT 2nd: sweet
McNulty, J, Sgt: mason…
Mason, E, LT 2nd: lurrrrrrve
McNulty, J, Sgt: DON’T JOKE ABOUT MY ****ING SISTER ********** I WILL RIP OFF UR ****ING ***** AND JAM IT UP YOUR ****ING ***
Mason, E, LT 2nd: I LIKED THIS GIRL. I TOLD U THAT. I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WALKSTRAIGHT AT THE TIME BUT YOU SAID IT WAS IN THE VAULT
McNulty, J, Sgt: WUT GIRL U CRAYZ ****
Mason, E, LT 2nd: KADY GRANT
McNulty, J, Sgt:…who?
Mason, E, LT 2nd: oh you don’t know, **** you chum, this is some pistols at dawn **** right here