Alexandria

Alexandria
Overview
Model	Megaship
Class	Wells-class Carrier
Hyperdrive	Frame Shift Drive
Usage
Years in Service	April 22, 3307 - August 3307
Affiliation	Independent
Owner	Aegis Research
Commander	Captain Jacob Morales
Crew	Amel Grant Landis Vernier ~4,000 other crew
Location
System	Wregoe TC-X b29-0
Orbit/Body	AB 2
Date Discovered	January 20, 3308

The Alexandria was a Wells-class Carrier Megaship owned and operated by Aegis Research, a division of Aegis. It was commanded by Captain Jacob Morales, and crewed by over 4,000 Aegis personnel. The vessel was first deployed in the Delphi system on April 22, 3307 to host an Aegis campaign to collect Guardian artefacts for research into new anti-Thargoid technologies. The campaign was successful, but the concentration of so many Guardian artefacts in one location appeared to provoke the Thargoids into launching a wave of attacks in ten systems across the California Nebula, Coalsack Nebula, and Pleiades Nebula, including Delphi. The Alexandria attempted to flee to safety in Sol and jumped from Delphi to HIP 16538 to restock its tritium reserves, but the Thargoids followed it and locked down the system. As fears mounted that the Alexandria would bring Thargoids with it wherever it went, the Federal Navy banned the ship from entering Federal territory. Once it was safe to depart from HIP 16538, Aegis decided to divert the Alexandria to HIP 30944, an independent system with a minimal population where the Guardian artefacts could be safely offloaded and distributed to multiple locations. After making its scheduled jump on June 3, 3307, the Alexandria failed to appear in HIP 30944, and was presumed to have been hyperdicted by the Thargoids.

The loss of the Alexandria dealt a severe blow to Aegis's reputation, and prompted the Federation, Empire, and Alliance to agree to partially suspend Aegis on July 27, 3307 and conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident. The investigation concluded on January 12, 3308 with a recommendation to dismantle Aegis for the sake of preventing similar deadly mishaps, which the superpowers accepted.

The mystery of the Alexandria was finally solved on January 20, 3308, after Professor Alba Tesreau received a tip about unidentified objects that had been sighted several hundred light years outside the Core Systems. Independent pilots who searched the area on Tesreau's behalf located the Alexandria's wreckage strewn in the rings of Wregoe TC-X b29-0 AB 2. Captain Morales's logs were recovered from the wreckage, and revealed that the Alexandria had in fact been sabotaged and stranded in interstellar space, then raided for its cargo by an unidentified party with implied ties to Azimuth Biochemicals. The surviving crew tried to make an emergency jump to an inhabited system in August 3307, but the alterations they made to the Alexandria's Frame Shift Drive instead caused a catastrophic misjump that hurled the ship to its final resting place and tore it to pieces.

Flight Plan

Date	Location	Events
April 22, 3307 - May 21, 3307	Delphi	Vessel deployed by Aegis to take on cargo of Guardian artefacts to be analysed in Sol
May 21, 3307 - June 3, 3307	HIP 16538	Vessel stops to restock tritium fuel reserves for its planned jump to Sol, and comes under Thargoid attack; vessel barred from Federation space over security concerns and ordered to divert to HIP 30944 to offload its cargo
June 3, 3307 - August 3307	Interstellar space	Vessel stranded at unknown position in interstellar space due to sabotage, then boarded one month later by unidentified operatives who space most of the crew and seize its cargo
August 3307	Wregoe TC-X b29-0	Vessel misjumps and is destroyed, wreckage left adrift in the rings of Wregoe TC-X b29-0 AB 2

Logs

The Alexandria

Log No.	Log Text
1/6	May 28th, 3307 Captain Morales, private log. I guess it's about time for an update, huh? These past few weeks have been rough. After the Thargoid attacks I mentioned last time, the plan was for the Alexandria to leave Delphi and seek refuge in the Sol system. It's about as safe a location as humanity has to offer, right? Well, the Thargoids followed us to our first waypoint in HIP 16538. The only reason the Alexandria is still intact is due to independent pilots jumping in to protect us. God knows how this war would have panned out without them. To really put the spit-shine on things, the Federation banned the Alexandria from entering its space a few days ago. They're convinced that our cargo is attracting the Thargoids. Maybe they're right. I thought the 'Thargoid Curse' was nonsense, but something's drawing them like flies around crap. It's no secret that Guardian tech stirs Thargoids up pretty badly. Maybe Aegis should have thought of that before filling my ship's cargo holds with the stuff. A few of my crew have suggested jettisoning the Guardian artefacts. I understand why. They're nervous. But the cargo is critical to Aegis's work. We have to make sure the cargo is dispersed securely via Aegis craft - not easy to do while there's Thargoids and a civilian population to worry about. Since Sol's off the menu, The Alexandria has been redirected to HIP 30944. It's a practically empty system. We have vessels farming the tritium for the jump but it's dangerous out there with the Thargoids prowling. I estimate a week before we're ready to move. Anyway, that's it for now. I need to contact Admiral Tanner to discuss the cargo exchange schedule. Hopefully I'll have some better news next time.
2/6	Attention all crew. This is Captain Morales. The Alexandria has not arrived in HIP 30944, as planned. Our current location is unknown. All navigational systems have been disabled, and our FSD is offline. Long-range sensors are fried. Communication arrays are down. I'll be honest with you: it looks like the ship has been sabotaged by someone who knew exactly what to do. My guess is we're floating between systems. 'Dead space', my grandpa called it. Could be here for a while. What I can tell you is that life support is still running and emergency power looks stable. We're not going to run out of air or heat anytime soon. Our cargo and stores are intact. There's a lot of work ahead of us, ladies and gentlemen. I'm confident that we'll get ourselves home but it's not going to be easy. I need every one of you calm and focused. Officers will be given a full rundown of tasks in the next hour or so. Do everything you're told as efficiently as possible, and the Alexandria will be up and running before you know it. Stay frosty. Morales out.
3/6	July 3rd, 3307. Captain Morales, private log. It's been a month since the failed hyperspace jump. We're still dead in the water, so to speak. Our technicians are working sixteen hour days but aren't achieving much. Whoever sabotaged us knew everything about the Alexandria's operation. They corrupted our computer and wiped all alternates and backups. Most of our interface panels are useless. I can't even order a hot drink from the god-damned vending machines anymore. The hardware was crippled as well. Even our shuttles and fighters. Grant assessed the damage and can't work out how the hell it happened. But it happened, all right. I'd be impressed if I didn't have four thousand crew looking to me to get them home. Instead I want to strangle whoever did this to us. Morales. Where? Port side? Meet me in docking bay one. Vernier says a bunch of heavy freighters just dropped out of hyperspace nearby. Given that we're not broadcasting a signal, they're either the luckiest search party in the galaxy or they knew exactly where to look.
4/6	This is Captain Morales. We're on the engineering deck of the Alexandria. About... three hundred of us, roughly. We're all that's left. The unidentified ships hailed us. Claimed a problem with our FSD was detected just before the failed hyperspace jump. Someone called 'The Witch' had arranged the rescue operation and spent a month tracking us down. I reviewed their orders and everything seemed legit. Not that I had much choice. The Alexandria is stranded. We agreed to take the shuttles, and my crew was separated into groups of a hundred per shuttle. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, though. I noticed our rescuers were still carrying their weapons. Amel saw him first. Dammit, I can't remember the man's name. He hit the viewport from the outside. Just floated out of the black and bounced off the screen. They must have ejected him out of a shuttle. He won't have been the only one. I gave the order to resist. Not many of us had weapons but my crew trust me. We fought hard but they were better equipped and well trained. I managed to secure a rearguard as we funnelled everyone we could to the rear of the ship, towards the engineering deck. The main entrance is defensible and the hatches have been barricaded. Vernier managed to grab a captive, too. I'll get some answers out of them soon. It must be the Guardian artefacts they're after. They're the only items on board valuable enough to kill for. No, slaughter for. So many of my crew... We need a plan, and fast.
5/6	July 15, 3307. Captain Morales, private log. We're still alive for now. The invaders are long gone, along with the Guardian artefacts and almost all our supplies. The Alexandria's remaining food has been salvaged from vending machines and personal items. The crew are rationing pretty hard, but we'll be lucky to make it over a month. They've left us here to starve. The captive didn't give us much. Just a name, age, rank... nothing about the organisation that hired him. We roughed him up a bit but he still wouldn't spill. The only interesting thing he said was after I warned him that the amount of Guardian tech his friends were stealing would probably attract Thargoids. The guy smiled and said 'That was the point all along.' Anyway, we've left him tied up. It's obvious we need to get the Alexandria moving again. One of the engineering team, a rookie named Landis, has proposed a method of getting a single jump out of the frame shift drive. I'll admit, it sounds more dangerous than I'm comfortable with but we're out of options. The odds are stacked against us but we have one more roll of the dice. Maybe.
6/6	This is Morales. We've just activated the FSD fix. In a minute or so we'll know if it works. It took longer than expected and we ran out of food six days ago. Anything drinkable from the recycling system was finished yesterday morning. The crew is exhausted; some can barely function. If this is gonna work, it's gotta work now. Whatever happens, I want to state for the record that the crew of the Alexandria have carried out their duties beyond any reasonable expectation of... the service they should need to give. Despite the sabotage, they betrayal by our supposed rescuers, the stress of tight rations... the gamble that we're taking now. The crew has done everything asked of them and more. I'm proud of the never-say-die attitude, and the dedication shown to the Aegis project. Okay. Landis. Start her up. You have to be kidding me. Come on! Just give us a break for once, you no-good stupid piece of sh-

Timeline

02 MAR 3308

• The leaders of Aegis have formally petitioned the Alliance, Empire and Federation to reform the anti-xeno organisation. Although all three superpowers are in the process of building their own taskforces to replace Aegis, they have been unable to assist against a recent surge of Thargoid incursions. Chief Administrator Carter Armstrong gave a statement to the press: "Surviving members of the leadership council have submitted an appeal to reverse the decision to disband Aegis. The essence of our case is that the superpowers are currently distracted by various internal situations, but the Thargoids care nothing for our politics and must be met with a unified show of force. Aegis support ships have recently been repurposed by other crews in several regions, including the Dan, HIP 12314 and Nauni systems. But they could have been operated officially by our trained personnel, if only we were allowed to do our job. In addition to the increasing Thargoid threat, the rediscovery of the Alexandria in the Wregoe TC-X B29-0 system proves that Azimuth still exists. This sinister group slaughtered four thousand people to obtain Guardian artefacts, and we have logs proving it performed unlicensed xenological research in recent years. Aegis could provide centralised opposition to these criminals as well as defending against alien attack."

07 FEB 3308

• Shutdown procedures for the anti-xeno organisation are continuing, despite Aegis's warnings that Azimuth has returned. Conrad Sterling reported on the situation for Vox Galactica: "We now know that the Alexandria megaship was targeted by a hostile force that could be Azimuth Biochemicals, the 200-year-old corporation which owned the Adamastor and Hesperus. In the face of this new evidence, Aegis leaders have petitioned for it to be reinstated. Even while accounting for this new evidence, the Baumann Report has exposed a litany of organisational failures within Aegis. There is still a broad consensus among politicians that the organisation should have done more to repel the Thargoids. Many senior military figures have switched focus to Aegis's controversial rival Salvation, despite his mysterious nature. As one Imperial Navy admiral succinctly put it: 'Salvation's methods have proved more effective in counteracting the Thargoid threat.' The issue of military staff defections also appears to have been resolved. Alliance, Federal and Imperial fleets have opened channels of secondment, allowing naval crews to voluntarily take positions aboard Salvation's vessels without resigning their commissions. However, one of Aegis's requests has been authorised. There will be a public ceremony to posthumously award medals of honour to Captain Jacob Morales and the four thousand people who lost their lives aboard the Alexandria."

31 JAN 3308

• Information recovered from the Alexandria has prompted Aegis to insist that it was not responsible for the loss of the megaship's crew and cargo. The wreckage of the Alexandria was recently located in the Wregoe TC-X B29-0 system. There were no survivors, but fragments of the commanding officer's log were found. Chief Administrator Carter Armstrong published this statement on behalf of Aegis: "The logs made by Captain Jacob Morales tell a bleak tale. The Alexandria was deliberately sabotaged to leave it stranded and powerless. They were met by an unidentified group posing as a rescue team, who slaughtered most of the crew and hijacked the Guardian artefacts. The survivors later made a desperate attempt to initiate the hyperdrive, which sadly led to their destruction. We can now prove that the Alexandria's loss was not caused by negligence, as claimed by the Baumann Report. In reality, the megaship was snared in a trap laid by an organised quasi-military force. Furthermore, Captain Morales discovered that the raiders worked for someone they referred to as 'the Witch'. That name was mentioned in logs discovered at HIP 22460 regarding Project Seraph – vile experiments perpetrated by Azimuth researchers to install human test pilots into Thargoid vessels. This evidence suggests that Azimuth Biochemicals has survived in some form over the last two hundred years, and remains focused on aggressive xenological research. Aegis must be reinstated immediately to counter this dangerous organisation before more lives are lost."

22 JAN 3308

• *Pilots' Federation ALERT*
  The Aegis megaship Alexandria, which vanished in hyperspace seven months ago, has been found in the Wregoe TC-X B29-0 system. A select group of independent pilots located the Alexandria following a search instigated by Professor Alba Tesreau, former head of research at Aegis. She was forced to resign as a result of the Baumann Report, which was instigated by the controversial loss of this megaship. In June 3307, the Alexandria was pursued by Thargoid vessels due to a considerable number of Guardian artefacts held on board. It initiated a hyperspace jump to the HIP 30944 system to offload its cargo but never arrived. The megaship was assumed to have been hyperdicted by the Thargoids, resulting in the death of all four thousand crewmembers. According to on-site witnesses, the remains of the Alexandria are currently scattered across the planetary rings of Wregoe TC-X b29-0 AB 2 A. Ships are investigating the debris, but so far have not reported finding any survivors or Guardian relics. Chief Administrator Carter Armstrong made a public statement: "Losing the Alexandria was as tragic as it was mysterious, but we now have an opportunity to learn what happened. Aegis should remain operational until a full analysis has been completed and we can understand the cause of the megaship's destruction."

12 JAN 3308

• The independent inquiry into Aegis has delivered its final conclusions and recommended that the organisation be closed down. Dr Paul Baumann, who chaired the board of inquiry, summarised the detailed report: "Aegis was established on solid foundations in 3303 with strong leadership. Over the years, poor mid-level management and general negligence reduced its effectiveness. A silo mentality developed, with each department focusing on itself rather than strategic goals. Reduced funding undoubtedly contributed to low morale among staff and a lack of any further breakthroughs in AX technology. But a reliance on independent pilots to combat the Thargoids became normalised, with some staff considering them 'disposable mercenaries'. More specifically, the loss of the megaship Alexandria and the illegal attack against Hind Mine are both catastrophes that could have been anticipated and prevented. This board cannot in all conscience recommend any scenario that might enable further loss of life in Aegis's name." Observers have noted that the Baumann Report, as it is commonly referred to, does not discuss Salvation or suggest methods of replacing Aegis. In related news, the court martial of Admiral Aden Tanner has concluded with a verdict of guilty and a dishonourable discharge from the Federal Navy. However, his sentencing has been postponed by request from newly promoted Fleet Admiral Tayo Maikori, who has ordered a full review of evidence provided by Ram Tah.

02 JAN 3308

• Sima Kalhana reviews the most newsworthy events of the past year in this series of articles.
  "July began badly for the Federation, with more factions seceding in response to the Proactive Detection Bureau's establishment. The newly independent nations severed all links with these new surveillance efforts, inspiring many other systems to do likewise. This secession crisis would rumble on for the rest of the year. The Blue Viper Club, one of the rarely seen dredger clans, joined forces with the Kumo Crew to manufacture a medicinal drug that turned out to be a new strain of onionhead. The drug would ultimately end up being legally distributed by Neomedical Industries, causing Archon Delaine to seek revenge against the corporation. Tensions soared in the Marlinist Colonies during an election for the head of their diplomatic consulate. Aaron Whyte's candidate had the support of an Imperial senator, which would have given the Neo-Marlinists a powerful voice within the Empire. When a more moderate candidate was elected, the NMLA reacted by bombing both Marlinist starports, murdering tens of thousands including First Minister Jenna Fairfax. It seemed Theta Seven's extremist views allowed anyone to be targeted as an enemy, even his fellow Marlinists. The civil war concluded in August, with Whyte killed in battle as his supporters were overcome in direct combat. Following accusations of incompetence regarding the vanished Alexandria megaship, Aegis was officially suspended and subjected to a board of inquiry. This would have ramifications for the ongoing conflict with the Thargoids, and encourage Salvation to position himself as an alternative. In the corporate sphere, Zemina Torval created a new subsidiary of Mastopolos Mining that would eventually become an autonomous company. There were rumours that the Torval and Mastopolos families were now at loggerheads after decades of working in unison. In September, the mystery of Hyford's Cache was finally unlocked. The trail led to revelations of dark experiments which are believed to have involved human test subjects and Thargoid technology. When the Thargoids themselves appeared en masse in the Cornsar system, Salvation was ready for them. An anti-xeno superweapon of undisclosed nature was deployed, wiping out some of the aliens and driving away the rest. It seemed that the self-titled 'man of science' had developed something revolutionary, inspiring many to place their faith in him to end the Thargoid menace once and for all."

29 DEC 3307

• Continuing a series of articles by historian Sima Kalhana that look at the most newsworthy events during the past year.
  "April 3307 saw the creation of the Federation's Proactive Detection Bureau in reaction to the Nine Martyrs bombings. This organisation monitored all public and private communications for evidence of terrorists, to prevent similar attacks in future. But its highly controversial nature would soon present the Federation with new challenges. ACT's investigation led them to the Neo-Marlinist Order of Mudhrid, which had helped deliver the caustic enzyme bombs to their nine targets. The faction's defeat was an early victory against the NMLA, but much of the organisation remained a mystery. When the 'ghost ship' Adamastor began receiving an encoded signal, this began an entire saga of mysteries. Its long-lost sister ship, the Hesperus, was soon located by pilots who had been recruited by an anonymous figure named Salvation. His interest in Azimuth Biochemicals, the 200 year old corporation that owned both vessels, would bring a strange twist to the ongoing Thargoid conflict. In May, Hadrian Duval was targeted by Federal forces after accusations that he was the mastermind behind the NMLA. The spectre of Empire-Federation war rose once again as Nova Imperium successfully defended itself, but ACT concluded that evidence had been falsified to implicate Hadrian and his new wife Lady Astrid. Aegis came under intense scrutiny when the megaship Alexandria, laden with newly collected Guardian artefacts, began attracting Thargoids in every system it jumped to. The Alexandria later vanished completely in hyperspace, and to this day remains missing presumed destroyed. The Alliance election finally took place at the end of May, having been delayed by three months due to the Galactic Summit. Councillor Nakato Kaine fought a spirited campaign, but Edmund Mahon was re-elected to serve a second term as prime minister. Supporters of Neo-Marlinism gained a voice in June, when Minister Aaron Whyte offered a peace deal with the Empire to prevent further terrorism. The idea of a political wing of the NMLA gained support from those fearing further bombings, but opened major rifts within the Marlinist Colonies. Salvation once again contacted pilots to track down survivors from the Hesperus. This led to the discovery of an ancient Guardian-Thargoid battleground, where Azimuth scientists had built a research base around their vessel Proteus. All were killed by unusual experiments into weaponising Guardian crystals. The Proactive Detection Bureau had been generally accepted by Federal citizens, but many claimed it was a violation of civil liberties. Halfway through the year, the Azaladshu Free faction took the bold step of seceding from the Federation, thus triggering the possibility of mass rebellion."

11 AUG 3307

• An investigation into the tri-superpower organisation Aegis is seeking to establish the reasons for its failures. Dr Paul Baumann, chair of the independent board of inquiry, outlined its scope: "The initial phase is to fully understand the work of Aegis, before examining strategic and operational decisions. Interviews with senior staff have been scheduled, with Admiral Aden Tanner providing details on military activity. One specific area of attention is the lost megaship Alexandria. We are performing a thorough analysis, including background checks on its crew. Hyperspace physicists are theorising probable causes for its failure to arrive at HIP 30944. We will be raising issues of culpability, specifically whether the concentration of Guardian artefacts aboard the Alexandria directly led to systems coming under Thargoid attack. Other incidents will be reviewed to identify possible grounds for negligence." Many prominent figures within Aegis have resigned including Professor Alba Tesreau, Director Yazhu Xing and Dr Mia Valencourt. All active projects have been suspended, with routine activities continuing under independent observation. Some politicians in all three superpowers have protested against the inquiry, concerned about weakening defences against the Thargoids. Others believe Aegis is not fit for purpose, calling for a more localised approach to anti-xeno operations.

27 JUL 3307

• The superpowers have partly suspended Aegis and authorised an inquiry into the Alexandria megaship, which disappeared in hyperspace. Freelance journalist Alexei Keel reported on this development for Vox Galactica: "Public opinion regarding Aegis has always been chequered, but its founding governments insisted that it played a vital defensive role against the Thargoids. The tragic loss of the Alexandria, carrying thousands of crewmembers and valuable Guardian artefacts, has now raised questions about the organisation's competence. The Alliance, Empire and Federation have jointly ordered an independent inquiry to determine the facts about the Alexandria. Many Aegis operations were shut down, and detailed investigations have begun. Professor Alba Tesreau and other senior members have already been forced to resign. Part of the reason for such scrutiny is the emergence of the anonymous 'Salvation', who many view as running an alternative anti-xeno effort. Some security agencies suspect him to be the leader of an Aegis splinter group, composed of rogue agents and stolen resources."

24 JUN 3307

• *Pilots Federation ALERT*
  Aegis Research and Taurus Mining Ventures have requested deliveries of Guardian artefacts to the PMD2009 48 system. Their rival campaigns follow the discovery of an ancient battleground between the Guardians and the Thargoids on Trapezium Sector YU-X c1-2 1a. Patience Middleton, representing Taurus Mining Ventures, broadcast this statement: "'Salvation' has claimed the exclusive rights to exploit the Proteus site, which was only discovered because of his specialist knowledge. He has contracted us to pay for Guardian caskets, orbs, relics, tablets, totems and urns brought to the Glorious Prospect megaship." Aegis Research has also positioned a megaship, the Archimedes, in the PMD2009 48 system. Professor Alba Tesreau announced: "It is vital that Aegis replaces the Guardian artefacts that were lost aboard the Alexandria. Without sufficient materials, our anti-xeno research programme will be severely hampered. We recognise the risk that collecting Guardian technology on a megaship may attract the Thargoids, as happened in the Delphi system. However, this system is much farther from any known areas of Thargoid activity, so we hope to avoid drawing their attention." The Alliance, Empire and Federation consider depriving Aegis of resources to be a criminal act. As a result, pilots are warned that any ship modules received from Taurus Mining Ventures will be marked as 'hot', thereby incurring extra costs to be cleaned prior to installation.

18 JUN 3307

• *Pilots Federation ALERT*
  An Anaconda from the Hesperus megaship has been found at a historical battlefield on the moon Trapezium Sector YU-X c1-2 1a. The discovery was made by pilots who tracked down a series of signal beacons, following instructions provided by the anonymous 'Salvation'. The beacons were deployed by the Hesperus during its voyage nearly 200 years ago. The Anaconda, named Proteus, was one of the megaship's secondary vessels and had been outfitted for long-range exploration. It was used by an Azimuth Biochemicals science team to flee the Hesperus after the megaship was overtaken by saboteurs from rival company Pharmasapien. Upon landing, the Proteus was converted into a research facility to study the ancient structures and wreckage on the moon. The proximity of both Guardian and Thargoid technology suggests this was the site of a battle fought by the two civilisations over a million years ago, although in 3113 neither species had yet been identified. Professor Alba Tesreau of Aegis Research gave this statement: "This is a significant xenoarchaeological find – physical evidence of the war between the Guardians and the Thargoids. Our advance teams are conducting preliminary surveys, and a megaship is being prepared. Following the Alexandria's tragic disappearance, we hope this may serve as a fresh source of Guardian artefacts for our anti-xeno research programme."

04 JUN 3307

• The Alexandria has failed to arrive in the HIP 30944 system as scheduled, and may have been hyperdicted by the Thargoids. The Aegis-owned megaship triggered an attack by Thargoid vessels when it travelled from the Delphi system to HIP 16538 on the 20th of May. Aegis believes this was caused by the large quantity of Guardian artefacts in its cargo holds. To reduce the risk of further casualties, the Alexandria plotted a route to a low-population prison colony in the HIP 30944 system. All independent ships were undocked before it made the hyperspace jump on the 3rd of June. However, the megaship never reached its arrival point and all communication with it has ceased. Search teams in local systems have not detected its presence. Admiral Aden Tanner, chief military liaison with Aegis, informed the media: "We regret to announce a complete loss of contact with the Alexandria. Although there is no evidence of damage or destruction, its disappearance while travelling through hyperspace raises the possibility that it was intercepted en route by Thargoid forces. Captain Jacob Morales and over four thousand crewmembers will be listed as missing presumed dead. In addition to this great tragedy, Aegis's research programme into Guardian technology has been severely impacted by the loss of many precious artefacts."

01 JUN 3307

• *Pilots Federation ALERT*
  All independent ships aboard the Alexandria in the HIP 16538 system will be undocked on Thursday the 3rd of June. The megaship triggered an invasion of Thargoid vessels when it arrived from the Delphi system. Aegis believes this was a reaction to the large quantities of Guardian artefacts being stored in its cargo holds. Captain Jacob Morales, commanding officer of the Alexandria, outlined the next steps: "On Thursday we will make a hyperspace jump to the HIP 30944 system. Since this has a small population, the risk of casualties will be low if the Thargoids continue to pursue us. Once there, we will arrange to offload our cargo and distribute it to multiple locations." “As a precaution, shortly before the jump we will uncouple all independent ships and leave them in the HIP 16538 system. We advise all pilots currently docked with the Alexandria to depart as soon as possible." The Alexandria was ordered not to enter any Federal systems, causing many newsfeeds to refer to it as a 'plague ship'. There are widespread concerns that it will attract Thargoids to any system it travels to.

24 MAY 3307

• The Alexandria megaship has been warned that it faces destruction if it attempts to travel to any Federal system. The Aegis-owned vessel triggered a full-scale Thargoid incursion when it arrived in the HIP 16538 system. This seemed to be a reaction to the huge quantities of Guardian artefacts currently stored within its cargo holds. Captain Jacob Morales, the Alexandria's commander, broadcast this message: "The Federal Navy has instructed us not to resume our scheduled journey to Sol or enter any system within the Federation. They're treating us like a plague ship! I understand their concern that more Thargoids will follow us, but we have several thousand crewmembers who need to reach safe harbour." A strategy was outlined by Admiral Aden Tanner, chief military liaison for Aegis: "We are attempting to clear the HIP 16538 system of Thargoid vessels, greatly aided by independent pilots and anti-xeno squadrons. The megaship will then jump to a system with a minimal population, where we will offload its cargo." Aegis has reiterated that the option to jettison the Alexandria's cargo is a last resort, since the Guardian artefacts are vital to its research programme and cost billions of credits to acquire.

21 MAY 3307

• *Pilots Federation ALERT*
  The Alexandria megaship has jumped from Delphi to the HIP 16538 system, triggering a Thargoid attack. The megaship is carrying large quantities of Guardian artefacts, which were delivered as part of a research programme by Aegis. Captain Jacob Morales, commanding officer of the Alexandria, has broadcast an SOS: "This is an emergency! We scheduled a stopover in HIP 16538 for tritium refuelling en route to the Sol system, but Thargoid interceptors came swarming in within minutes. We require immediate assistance!" Admiral Aden Tanner, chief military liaison for Aegis, announced: "We believe that the Thargoids are reacting to the concentrated presence of Guardian technology stored within the Alexandria's cargo holds. Not only has the attack placed its crew and the population of this system in danger, but we risk losing these extremely valuable research materials. Aegis is asking anti-xeno squadrons and independent pilots to help destroy all Thargoid vessels within HIP 16538 and protect the Alexandria."

13 MAY 3307

• *Pilots Federation ALERT*
  Thargoid forces have invaded the Delphi system and several systems in the California, Coalsack and Pleiades Nebulas. Huge numbers of Thargoid scouts and interceptors have appeared within multiple systems. Aegis has mobilised available defences, but also requested assistance from anti-xeno squadrons and independent pilots in combating the Thargoids. Shipments of Guardian artefacts were recently delivered to the Delphi system as part of an Aegis research programme. Professor Alba Tesreau has speculated that the Thargoids' well-documented aversion to Guardian technology may be the reason why Delphi was targeted. Two starports recently constructed by the Kumo Crew syndicate – California Freeport in the HIP 18390 system and Fort Xeno in the HIP 62154 system – are among those seriously damaged by the assault. Archon Delaine, the syndicate's warlord, announced: "I'm not going to let these filthy aliens tear down what we've only just built. We need to teach them a lesson that even they will understand!" All attacked stations have called upon the galactic community for help with rescuing their populations.

29 APR 3307

• *Pilots Federation ALERT*
  Aegis's anti-xeno research programme has launched with the mass delivery of artefacts constructed by the Guardians. Many ancient caskets, orbs, relics, tablets, totems and urns were found in the ruins of the mysterious civilisation that collapsed over a million years ago. Pilots then transported these to the Delphi system for analysis. Professor Alba Tesreau made this announcement: "Everyone at Aegis is thankful for the impressive effort made by the galactic community. If we can gain new insights into Guardian technology from these samples, then funding and resources for our work may continue." Aegis has agreed to pursue the development of weaponry and defences that might prove more effective against the Thargoids. However, as yet the research is in its early stages and there are no signs of imminent breakthroughs. Pilots who delivered Guardian artefacts can now collect their rewards from Aegis Research at the Alexandria megaship in the Delphi system.

22 APR 3307

• *Pilots Federation ALERT*
  Ancient objects left behind by the Guardians have been requested by Aegis for a new anti-xeno research programme. The Guardians were an intelligent humanoid species whose civilisation collapsed over a million years ago, and who were engaged in hostilities with the Thargoid race. Professor Alba Tesreau, head of Aegis Research, gave this statement: "At the Galactic Summit, Aegis agreed to undertake a fresh analysis of Guardian technology. The hope is that this will lead to the development of more effective defences against the Thargoids. We therefore require new samples to compare with Ram Tah's groundbreaking work on this mysterious species. Guardian artefacts including those previously identified as caskets, orbs, relics, tablets, totems and urns are needed. These can be unearthed from the ancient ruins scattered across dozens of worlds. I beseech the galactic community to support this project. It is vital that Aegis continues to receive funding, and to achieve this we must push the boundaries of our knowledge even further." Pilots are asked to deliver their shipments to Aegis Research at the Alexandria megaship in the Delphi system.

Gallery

The Alexandria, before its destruction