[Darkness]

There are many words next to buttons, all of which are in Aphorite. There is also an Aphorite corpse in the back of the lift.

[Neraphym]

Neraphym nods to Varulla; she knows what to do. She takes out a katana and checks the corpse. Neraphym reads the aphorite languange and checks the destinations.

[Darkness]

Most of the names are obscured by scorch marks. The one at the top, however, is partially readable. It says 'Brid', and the rest is blasted.

[Neraphym]

Neraphym: "To the bridge we go!"

The send the lift up tot he bridge.

[Darkness]

It goes up and then stops. The doors open.

[Neraphym]

They cautiously exit the lift and examine their surroundings.

[Darkness]

You appear to be in the bridge. There is a large window at the far end, and three chairs, two with computers before them, before it. Computer panels line the walls, and there are several other chairs and computer everywhere else. The signs of battle are evident everywhere. Aphorites lay dead, strewn across the floor, as well as even a few Karlorons. Several things appear to be on fire. That strange, living fleshy thing is here as well. It covers parts of the floor. There are blast marks in several places, some scorching now dark computers.

[Neraphym]

Neraphym sits down at one of the computer terminals and tries to download this ship's datalog onto is 10 petabyte thumb drive (they have those!). Neraphym reads it as it loads...

[Darkness]

It begins downloading, and stops rather soon. Considering the poor state of most of the ship, you'll be lucky if you got very much at all.

[Neraphym]

Neraphym reads what he has so far.

[Darkness]

The datalog is, of course, in Aphorite, but since you know the language, interpreting is no problem.

***** SHIPBOARD DATALOG *****
Warning: data access locks missing or invalid!
Warning: Data may be corrupted! Please contact a system administrator for assistance.

Authorization not found for access. Please check authorization.

. . .

Data access lock found corrupt. Access granted.

//Ship's Datalog
//UNIT x84279 Aphorite K-407 Eridaan Mothership-Class

Date: 27 Sundown 7th Millenia 9th Turning 22nd Annual, 03:55
Location: Unknown
Event: Unusual lepton radiation detected at bearing -62.9 degrees by 16 degrees from travel path. [See signature data capture]
Analysis: Repetitive patterns indicate possible intelligent origin. No known probes or space vessels are reported lost in this region.

Requesting authorization to realign travel path by bearing -62.9 degrees by 16 degrees.

. . .

Travel path realignment authorized by Commodore Arellis Vurivin.
Reporting to ground control: overridden by Control System. Reason: Contact is impossible.

----------------------------

Date: 27 Sundown 7th Millenia 9th Turning 22nd Annual, 04:01
Location: Unknown
Event: Systems shutdown.
Analysis: Abrupt unexplained loss of power in all areas. Main reactor: offline. Sensors: offline. Control systems: on auxiliary power.

----------------------------

Date: 27 Sundown 7th Millenia 9th Turning 22nd Annual, 04:07
Location: Unknown
Event: Unauthorized activity detected in aft engineering section.
Analysis: Logged 3 failed attempts to log into engineering control terminal.

Requesting authorization to dispatch security team to aft engineering section.

. . .

Security team dispatch authorized by Commodore Arellis Vurivin.

----------------------------

Date: 27 Sundown 7th Millenia 9th Turning 22nd Annual, 04:09
Location: Unknown
Event: Loss of communication to security team dispatched to aft engineering section.
Analysi

The screen begins to fill with static. After a few moments, the static recedes... The datalog is no longer being displayed. All that is there is a single sentence.

I see you, Aphorite.

Once more, the screen fills with static, and once more, it recedes.

s: Static energy generated by lepton radiation cloud may interfere with radio signals.

----------------------------

Date: 27 Sundown 7th Millenia 9th Turning 22nd Annual, 04:14
Location: Unknown
Event: Unknown lifeform spotted in Central Power Station, Central Hallway System, Reactor Core, Auxiliary Power Core, and all Armories and Weapons Platforms.
Analysis: A strange, fleshy creature has appeared in many parts of the ship. Suspected Karloron origin.

Requesting authorization to activate automated on-ship defenses against unknown lifeform.

. . .

Authorization granted by Commodore Arellis Vurivin.

----------------------------

Date: 27 Sundown 7th Millenia 9th Turning 22nd Annual, 04:16
Location: Unknown
Event: Automated weapon systems ineffective against unidentified lifeform.
Analysis: There m

Auxiliary power lost.

***** DATALOG CLOSED *****




***** OPERATOR MESSAGE *****

Have you found the emergency hatch yet? Because the automated weapons were ineffective, it is probably opportune that you do not meet any on your way there. Your personal weaponry might not work against them as well.

Since auxiliary power is down, I can't access any maps to lead you, so I'll have to work from memory here. Fore of you and up is the computer bay. You'll have to climb out of the rotating habitation module and into the zero gravity core. You remember your foothold combat training, right?

Once you're there, look for the computer core. I have a feeling that the doors have already been opened, so you won't have to worry about the security locks.

Once inside, there are a number of service panels. Open them and press the big red Emergency Reset button. It should be painfully obvious which one it is. That should load some emergency bootup code and restart our AI. Hopefully the damage to her primary data loop won't be fatal. If that's the case, we are

They've found the bridge. Good luck, Aphorite. I'm afraid that my story ends here.

Commodore Arellis Vurivin
***** END MESSAGE *****

[Neraphym]

Neraphym: "Ah, we must head to the computer bay, find the reset button, and hope it still works..."

Varulla: "Seems simple enough. None of these bodies are hostile... yet. Maybe we should incapacitate them?"

Neraphym: "I think we're above desecrating the corpses of fallen comrades. We'll only bother with them if the come alive. To the bay!"

They head into the computer bay.

[Darkness]

For some reason, the lift doors are closed. After a few moments, they open, and the lift is full of Karlorons!

[Neraphym]

Varulla takes out her katana and stabs the closest Karloron in the leg. She pulls out her shorter wakazashi and thrusts it through the same beast's shoulder. Neraphym unsheathes his fiery blade and hacks off another Karloron's arm with it.

[Darkness]

The Karlorons attack! Half attack each person.