The Polaris System, the first system to be explored by the Arcadian. Home to the North Star and the system has baffled scientists for centuries. A three star system and one that has been in Earth's night sky for time immemorial. Now the Arcadian will be the first human ship to not just visit the system. But be the first humans to explore it first hand and maybe gather enough data to solve the quetions that scientist have been wanting to answer.

The first systems of many that will be visited and explored by the Arcadian and seeing what lies beyond humanity's borders. A task that has attacted many, scientists, military, explorers, and more. The first grand endeavor of the young United Systems Federation and a promsing one at that. For some this is a chance of a lifetime and for some others, a opportunity to see the stars and discover new things.

For the captain of the Arcadian, Captain Mathis Lauzon. It is one last hurrah before his early retirement due to injuries he suffered sometime ago. Injuries that will not stop him from commanding the Arcadian and performing his duties as captain. Which after making check up at the Medbay and getting an all clear. Mathis proceeded to the bridge with a soft smile on his face.

For why not be happy, the Arcadian's mission has started and they were in route the Polaris system. Morale was high, the ship was alive with activity and Mathis bet the scientists of the ship were eager to study the Polaris System. For all of the questions the system had for the ones who studied the night sky.

As he got close to the bridge, and wearing his regulation navy captians uniform. Mathis made one final look at his datapad and typed into it and a photo of his family appeared on it. A bittersweet feeling started in his chest as he slightly frowned. Despite how he felt about joining the Pathfinder Initiative and doing one last run before he retires. His family was not so excited about it. More so his wife, but this is what Mathis wanted and he knows he will see his family once this is all over. Plus, his wife will be overjoined once he retries.

So after exiting out the photo and putting his datapad away. Mathis, took a long deep breath as he focused his on new duty. Closing his eyes as in inhaled and opeing them once he exhaled. Now he was ready to be the captain of the Arcadian.

Thus, he walked through the last door that led to the bridge, he heard someone say. "Captain on deck."

Mathis quickly spoke, "at ease," in a calm tone. Which he quickly walked over and sat down in the captain's chair. Taking note of how unexpectedly comfortable the chair was in comparison to the ones he is used to. A positive in his mind as Mathis and thanked the builders of the Arcadian in silent. For such a longtime mission, he was glad someone thought to make sure people were comfortable during the trek.

From his position in the center of the the spacious room. Which he was flanked by his XO's chair. With other chairs in the room were stationed with consoles in various points in the bridge. Mathis gazed among his new bridge crew and after a moment of this. Ignoring viewport of the strange spectacle of colors and lights that is hypersapce. Mathis asked everyone in the room a question with a calm but curious tone. "So, now that we have started our mission and on route to the Polaris System. How is everyone feeling about the ship and our first destination?"

The Arcadian

24 September 2190, 1302 Central European Standard Time

Alistair Kaelen Vance, the XO of the the Arcadian, always took a methodical approach to his duties onboard the ship. It was structured, efficient. This sequence of checks was his way of helping to manage the ship in the inherent chaos of deep space, a practice that often offered a sense of control and purpose.

He began his rounds in the main engineering bay, massive room that thrummed with the controlled roar of the fusion reactors that fed the Argos drive. In his hand, Vance held a datapad that show the limited AI running diagnostics. He spoke quietly to Hobby, the Chief Engineer from the Epsilon Eridani system. Together, they had checked the power output metrics, heat dissipation, efficiency, and the maintenance scheduling for the foreseeable future. After the checks, Vance received and approved two requests for replacement parts for the life support systems in the hydroponics bay, at a small cost at his private hobby in his quarters. This was one of the many ways he showed his care for the crew.

From there, he made a brief visit to the armoury. Vance needed to review the inventory of all the power amour and magnetic weapons, ensuring that they were in compliance with USF regulation with the ship's mission parameters. He exchanged a curt, professional nod with the marines' leader, Major Kashvi Sikander Sadek. Despite the chip on her shoulder, she is a woman he often respected due to her discipline and rise to something greater than the upbringing she received in Shivapoor.

Finally, Vance made the walk through the corridor towards the bridge. His mind wandered for a moment to his homeworld, Eden, and the sight of twin moons, Evae and Adae. The twins were sometimes unpredictable chaos, something he missed from time to time. He shook his head and tightened his grip on his datapad, refocusing on the task at hand. His responsibilities as the XO were clear: manage the ship, its crew, and ensure order. His reserved demeanor was a shield, not a barrier. This was to ensure the protection of the entire crew through precision.

Alistair arrived on the bridge shortly after the Captain had taken his seat. He paused for a moment, observing the vibrancy that was hyperspace. The XO admired its beautiful, yet terrifying and unstructured sight. After settling into his own chair, the XO quickly checked his own console displays. He had heard Lauzon's question, a casual break from protocol to help foster camaraderie.

Without diverting his gaze, Vance responded, "The ship is operating at 98.4 percent efficiency across all major systems, Captain." His voice was crisp and professional. He paused for a second, allowing for a rare smile before adding, "Our destination represents a significant step forward for humanity."

Just a moment after Alistair Kaelen Vance walks out of the armory, the head of a tiny woman pops out from behind one of the stacking boxes. Evie Lu looks around the room which suddenly becomes tense and the crew full of nervous energy, her smile turns into a frown for a millisecond.

“Did the XO just come here?”

She, like most people, hates it when the superior just doesn’t seem to leave them alone. Especially if the superior in question is a kind of person that seems to have trouble with every little thing the crews do.

“Anyway. Like I said before, these are the armors for ground operation. The armors for zero-G operation are near the entrance, as for the exo-suits….” She explains the inventory layout to Major Kashvi Sikander Sadek who comes to check on the operation gears. “...do you have any requests, Major Sadek?”

Is weapons and armors’ placement so important that it warrants a lengthy discussion before the ship even begins to leave the federation border? Yes, yes it is. Evie Lu just has to work with the person from a military background a few times, and the importance they seem to hold is abundantly clear. Some dickhead would even go as far as firing a crew for just one little misplacement. She knows that in battle situations, efficiency is key. Some battles can be won or lost just by arriving a few seconds too late to the battlefield. She still thinks most people just use it as an excuse to be an asshole.

Anyway, she didn’t know what type of commander this woman is, so it is better to be on the safe side. Besides, they would need it for the training and simulation. So the earlier Evie gets it out of the way, the better.

As she waits for the response, Evie mentally lists every task she has yet to go through. The emergency supplies still need checking, as well as the artificial farms, the cooking station, the drainage system, and the clean bots. Oh, looks like today will be another long day.

The day of departure is often the most busy day for the supply crew, Evie just wishes it isn’t THIS busy. But alas, you can’t have every wish in life. The only thing she can do is to cross off the duty list, one bullet point at a time.

---

Click, click, click, the rhythmic sounds of metals and glass. “One, two, three… four.” Each noise, each word, vaguely on rhythm with the drums of his record.

Richtofen was particularly about the sets of vials, about how each was paired with a scalpel in the shelf across the room. Each in sets, each available to be readily grabbed and used. Another click, another preparation, another tally on the inventory form.

Everything seems to be in order, except all of the disorder. Whoever stocked this ship clearly had no sense of organization, but the art of such was a proficiency he had and enjoyed.

But even this stalwart doctor had to take a moment to lean back in the chair, gazing out of the window. One he was against. The patient room could have one, but this was the medbay! The amount of exposure could ruin his tests or medicines. At least he had the Highpoint that there was none in surgery.

A swell of guitar reminds him to keep at his work. With this much crew aboard, surely one will be by soon enough with an issue or ailment.

Now…how should he organize the pills?

---

The first thing that everyone always noticed with Dr. Rauss was; Annoyance.

The woman had huffed for the nth time this hour. A pen tapped at her desk, brow furrowed so deep it may as well cause wrinkles on principle, a hand braced against her right temple and massaged the inevitable migraine from a particular someone filing medicine in five different fucking formats.

“Alphabetical is fine, numerical if you’re running out of letters.” And unique characters if you were having a stroke. But whatever the chief medical officer had probably planned was more akin to filing on taste, colour and favourite shape. Eccentricity for the sake of it, she figured.

“May I suggest the Russian version? Thirty-three letters by my count.” She offered evenly if only for her own sanity. Not that Richtofen was of a mind or position to listen to anything she offered.

Her head dipped slightly, loose strands of her black hair falling over her hand as she didn’t bother to tug them back into place. Didn’t matter anyway, nobody here to impress beyond the vials and microscopes. And she was sure they wouldn’t ask for proper appearances.

“God’s help.” There was the groan, that I-don't-want-to-deal-with-this sound, Anna had perfected over the ages. Her hand rubbed profusely at the throbbing temple as she jotted down calibrations on a piece of paper she had scavenged off the quartermaster’s domain. The sad thing was? She was going to remember that demented system Richtofen had devised with due diligence, and that damned piece of paper was going to be a sacred text.

Anna’s slouch straightened once she jotted a full stop down, pen twirling lazily between her fingers as her black eyes looked out of the porthole that so conveniently sat at eye-level. Her lips twitched in what some people might call a smile as she took in the sight and the promises it teased so well.

The main engineering deck of the Arcadian was a cavernous space, or at least it would have been if the naval architects hadn’t been afflicted by a genetic predisposition to try to cram every cubic centimeter with as much plant and tech as they could fit. Six massive steel drums, each one the size of a cement mixer's barrel, were laid out against the bulkheads. They were painted the surplus navy off white which was always used for the purpose, giving them a banal appearance that belied the fact that each one contained a self-sustaining fusion reaction hotter than a class-M star. The fusion bottles were connected to the ships subsidiary system by a complex network of pipes and cable junctions which sprang off them like capillaries from major veins. Douglas Hobbs was old enough to remember the bad old days when a tramp freighter might have a single fusion bottle. These days freighters almost always sailed with an integrated duplex to provide redundancy. The most powerful modern warships boasted four, as much a hedge against battle damage as for power generation, but six… well it was a thing to see. Two of those bottles were dedicated entirely to the FTL drive, a vast installation which dominated the back wall of the bay. Even that visible section, larger than a suburban home, was only the tip of an electro mechanical web that networked the ship from prow to stern. The power drain was immense. And it was slowly rising.

“Chalkin, where are we with that power drain?” Hobby demanded, turning to glare at the tech. Lev Chalkin was a rangy youth with dirty blonde hair and an innocent looking face which always surprised his superiors when they were forced to bail him out on whatever station was foolish enough to grant him liberty. Chalkin was tossing the jacket he had been wearing for the inspection and pulling a number of non standard tools from various hiding places. Similar scenes were being replicated by the other members of the engineering team, as they ditched their pretense of military parade readiness for what might be generously described work place casual. Power tools whined and welders sizzled as everyone went back to work, tending to the constant labor of keeping a giant steel box hurtling through the void of space.

“No closer than we were when that jackass interrupted us,” Chalkin gripped, pulling on some heavy gloves.

“Addressing an officer that way is insubordination, I think they hang you for that,” Hobby observed as he leaned over and began punching a holographic keyboard with unnecessary enthusiasm.

“You going to report me chief?” Chalkin asked, arching an eyebrow.

“You are going to report to medbay to have my boot surgically removed from your ass if you don’t get in there and figure out whatever is causing our power drop off,” Hobby replied in a tone of perfect reasonableness. Chalkin groaned and levered himself into an access hatch.

“Can you pass me..” Hobby picked up a palm sized multi-spec and tossed it into the hatch after the kid. Chalkin cursed a blue streak as the analyzer struck him but went to work without further comment. Convinced that no one was watching Hobby allowed himself a smile. He had received a mountain of applications for this gig since being appointed chief. Many of them came from the most prestigious universities and technical schools in the USF, some of them were the kids or clients of politicians with considerable pull, he had even been offered bribes for the opportunity to burnish a glittering career or two. He had rejected every single one. Each and every member of the engineering team were men and women whom Hobby had worked with or, more frequently, vouched for by people he had worked with. For the most part they weren’t career navy, they were void prospectors, tramp freighter men, asteroid miners, and even, Hobby believed, the occasional pirate. The resulting crew was a little scruffy, a little insubordinate, but they had more experience in making do and working with what they had than any crew in the USF. Chalkin might have a smart mouth, but when the engine room on the Lizze May had caught fire, Lev had charged in with nothing more than a plasma cutter and a pair of boxer shorts to cut the vacuum seals before she burned up. Every crewman had a similar story, they were a fractious bunch, but there wasn’t one Hobby wouldn’t trust with his life when the excrement hit the rotary impeller.

Hobby laid his hand on the number too junction line and judged the vibration through his calloused hand. Every ship he had ever crewed had a certain… nature to them. Some ships were sweethearts who gave you no trouble no matter what happened. Some were cantankerous bastards which tried to fuck you at ever turn, there were lucky ships, jinxed ships, ships that leaked no matter how much you patched, ships that would take you to rich ore loads ninety nine times out of a hundred. All could be worked with once you got to know them. The Arcadian was different. It was too new, no history to it yet. That bothered Hobby. He drew in a deep breath, taking in the familiar mingled scents of hot electronics, lubricant, steam, nitrogen coolant, and the burned ozone smell the FTL kicked off.

“Relax Caddy darlin’” he murmured to the ship, “we got a long way to go.”

0500 - Revile
0515 - Breakfast
0545 - PT
0700 - Range
0845 - Basic Zero G demolitions
1100 - Boarding Exercise
1300 - Lunch

“Top, we wont break for lunch, have the mess send hotboxes so we can eat without breaking the exercise,” Kashvi Sikander Sadek declared as she scrolled through the itinerary for the next day cycle on her PDA. First Sergeant Charming made a pained expression.

“They are going to love you,” Charming opined as he made a note on his wrist mounted PDA. The two soldiers were striding down the central companionway, the crewmen flowing around them like water on rocks. Partly this was due to the sense of purpose projected by two military professionals habituated to violence, partly it was due to the fact that Charming was still wearing his powered battle armor that made him look like a boxy, brutal insect. Kashvi was wearing her second class uniform, dove gray with scarlet piping on the seams, an electro motive pistol hung in a holster at her waist and a non-standard PDA was strapped to her wrist. She didn’t bother to consult it, instead turning to face her First Sergeant as she reached the bridge hatch. Two of her marines, Bashasville and Chang, were standing post beside the hatch. They were in gray battle dress and carried their rifles at port. Both snapped to attention with almost mechanical precision. Kashvi touched her brow in an abbreviated salute but kept the frown from her face. Too many of her men were parade ground troops, men and women who had checked all the right boxes but had never seen any real action. They were badly in need of whipping into shape. Charming at least had seen the elephant, no one made master sergeant if they hadn’t spent some time putting rounds down ranger for real.

“I’ll tell you what, why don’t you have them get together and take a vote on it, then remind them that they are in the Corp and beat the democratic impulse out of them,” she suggested. Charmin’s face went Marine Corp blank and one of the sentries stifled a snicker. Kashvi spun to glare at the man, her cold eyes boring into him. The man went pale and swallowed hard at what he saw there.

“We will train every minute we aren't fighting Top and we will train until I’m satisfied, and when am I satisfied marine?” she demanded of the pale sentry.

“Never ma’am?” Bashisville asked uncertainly.

“Never ever,” she confirmed.

Kashvi stepped through the door and onto the bridge. For a moment there was an overlay of another bridge, this one depressurized and with the arti-grav gone, globes of blood and burning debris. Kashvi’s body flushed cold and her fingers twitched for her weapon she needed to... and the bridge of the Arcadian was back. She fought through the tingling after rush of adrenaline as she moved across to her station. All was 4A. No problem. She nodded to the Captain, she didn’t salute, it wasn’t appropriate if they weren't wearing head gear and people who worked and fought in zero-g quickly learned to limit unnecessary gestures. The simple body language learned in the gravity well would give you reflexes that would send you spinning off in unpredictable vectors if you weren’t careful.

Astrid quietly approached the table where three Ranger pilots sat, gesturing for the two facing her to be quiet. She took a slow breath, slapping her hand on the shoulder of the pilot she stopped by.
“Gertie!” The pilot jumped at her voice and sudden hand on his shoulder, rolling his eyes as his two compatriots broke out in chuckles. “Last I saw you, you were a bomber wing leader on Mars, what are you doing here driving a bus?” She took the empty seat.
“And the last time I heard, you were a test pilot and yet here you are, driving the entire bus depot so who’s the loser, really?” The other Pomonan pilot shot back without swallowing his mouthful of scrambled eggs, a round of “Oooooh!”s from the other two pilots sounding around the table.
Astrid went silent, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Okay, this one’s yours, I walked right into that.”

“So, boss, what’s this I heard about the head bullet catcher thinking she’s a pilot?” One of the pilots Astrid didn’t know too well asked.
“What?” She asked flatly, mentally strangling whichever desk driver didn’t think to tell her.
“Not your regular ‘Likes to sit in the cockpit jump seat and thinks she learned by observation’ grunt, actually certified.” Gerhard filled in what he knew.
“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Astrid shrugged in doubt.
“Looks like the Major is in for a sim date she doesn’t know about yet.” Gerhard stage whispered to the rest of the table, earning himself a light jab in the ribs with Astrid’s elbow as she headed out to take her watch.

---

A message from engineering inquiring about the jump jolted her from the routine.
“Signals, helm, position check?” Astrid requested over her headset as she checked her own readouts, the situation still within the realm of ‘anomaly’ instead of ‘problem’ and thus not worth bothering the captain with.
Her own station only had limited position information available when it came to FTL - a system similar to an inertial navigation system someone in her department off-handedly called ‘Guesstimate Positioning System’ during the shakedowns and it stuck - working based on destination, starting position, speed and jump time whereas the signals officer had full access to the Arcadian’s sensors, including the prototype arrays that could detect celestial bodies during a jump - a revolutionary system Astrid had spent a whole week grasping the basics of because anything to do with hyperspace might as well have been magic to her.

After all: Any sufficiently advanced technology was indistinguishable from it.

But Laina’s report lined up with what Astrid was seeing. They weren’t off course, they weren’t under or overspeed. “Engineering, helm, no issues on my end. Do you want updates if anything changes?”
Between the normal stress tests of the ship, leveling out uneven fundamentals in her department because the pilots and helmsmen got grabbed from both military and civilian spheres and one of the Rangers burning down in the hangar on day three about two hours before some pointless VIP visit, the shakedowns had unfortunately kept her too busy to pull the chief engineer aside for a drink - or sleep properly if she were to be honest - and hash out everyday procedures outside of SOPs, leaving her guessing what information the engineers did or did not have access to.

Astrid checked her thermos when the XO arrived, making sure the lid was closed and the magnetic base was holding it securely to the side panel. Scuttlebut said he was a micromanager who quoted regulations like scripture and she wasn’t risking anything until they were too far from port for his complaints to matter. Hearing the captain’s question and the XO’s comment, she waited for anyone else to speak, eyes flicking between her instruments.
“On track and on schedule, captain.” She leaned back in her seat, resigned to several more hours of this.

From: Kashvi Sikander Sadek <kssadek@arcadian.mil>
To: Douglas Alexander Hobbs <DAHobbs@arcadian.gov>
Subject: Venting Bays 26-A and 27-A

Chief Hobbs,

I noticed you have denied my request to vent 26-A and 27-A for vacuum training. Vacuum training is an important component of military readiness. I request that you reconsider.

KSS
_______________________

From: Douglas Alexander Hobbs <DAHobbs@arcadian.gov>
To: Kashvi Sikander Sadek <kssadek@arcadian.mil>
Subject: RE: Venting Bays 26-A and 27-A

Major Sadek,
I hope this message finds you well. I denied your request because the wastage of gas is too great. While I appreciate the need for training, I cannot commit irreplaceable stores. If you wish you may use evacuation pumps to drop pressure to 2%.

Chief Hobbs

_______________________

From: Douglas Alexander Hobbs <DAHobbs@arcadian.gov>
To: Kashvi Sikander Sadek <kssadek@arcadian.mil>
Subject: RE: RE: Venting Bays 26-A and 27-A

Chief Hobbs,

A 2 percent vacuum is not a vacuum . I need to train my men under realistic conditions.

KSS

_______________________

From: Douglas Alexander Hobbs <DAHobbs@arcadian.gov>
To: Kashvi Sikander Sadek <kssadek@arcadian.mil>
Subject: RE: RE: RE: Venting Bays 26-A and 27-A

Major Sadek,

Maybe they can use their imagination?

Chief Hobbs

_______________________

From: Kashvi Sikander Sadek <kssadek@arcadian.mil>
To: Douglas Alexander Hobbs <DAHobbs@arcadian.gov>
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: Venting Bays 26-A and 27-A

Chief Hobbs,

Just spin up fresh gas to replace it.

KSS

_______________________

From: Douglas Alexander Hobbs <DAHobbs@arcadian.gov>
To: Kashvi Sikander Sadek <kssadek@arcadian.mil>
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Venting Bays 26-A and 27-A

Look lady, I'm sure you know a bunch about kicking in doors or whatever but leave the engineering to me. You can spin up oxygen from water but nitrogen doesn't grow on trees.

Chief Hobbs

_______________________

From: Kashvi Sikander Sadek <kssadek@arcadian.mil>
To: Douglas Alexander Hobbs <DAHobbs@arcadian.gov>
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Venting Bays 26-A and 27-A

Grease Monkey

I'm pretty sure nitrogen does grow on trees.

KSS

_______________________

From: Douglas Alexander Hobbs <DAHobbs@arcadian.gov>
To: Kashvi Sikander Sadek <kssadek@arcadian.mil>
BCC: Lalao Borida <lborida@arcadian.gov>
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Venting Bays 26-A and 27-A

Major Sadek, I hope this email finds you and beats some sense into you. I am not authorizing the venting of any compartments.

Chief Hobbs

_______________________

From: Douglas Alexander Hobbs <DAHobbs@arcadian.gov>
To: Kashvi Sikander Sadek <kssadek@arcadian.mil>
BCC: Lalao Borida <lborida@arcadian.gov>
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Venting Bays 26-A and 27-A

Major Sadek, damage control reported to me that bays 26-A and 27-A were vented due to an unexplained mechanical failure. I also note that all security monitors on that deck malfunctioned. Any idea how such a localized system failure occurred?

Chief Hobbs

_______________________

From: Kashvi Sikander Sadek <kssadek@arcadian.mil>
To: Douglas Alexander Hobbs <DAHobbs@arcadian.gov>
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Venting Bays 26-A and 27-A

Sounds like an engineering problem a shit kicker like me wouldn't know anything about. Maybe use your imagination.

KSS

---

“Chief! Not good!”

Evie Lu raised herself from the hydroponic field she was inspecting, looking at the crew who almost stepped on the green leaves in panic.

“Careful! You might ruin our next meal.”

“Sorry chief. Wait, no. We are in trouble! There is a report from vent 26-A and 27-A, they were accidentally vented due to unexplained error. Now the fuel is 0.8% less than what we anticipated. What should we do?”

The quartermaster’s brow folds together. Something about this situation seems... off.

“Unexplained error? What do you mean? Did they not find out the cause yet?”

While they were conversing, the two of them already exited the door of the garden room. Looks can be deceiving, as the poor crew member would learn very quickly. Despite having shorter legs, The young Soteirian woman would walk at a pace that felt more like a marathon than a stroll.

“No *Huff* not likely. The monitor device around those vents also malfunctioned, is what I heard.”

Evie stops in surprise, almost bumping with the man behind her.

“Monitor malfunctioned?” After a short pause to process the information, she asked another question. “Tell me, are there any other monitor devices that also malfunction other than the one around vent 26-A and 27-A?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

The man suddenly feels the shiver run down the spine, more so when their little quartermaster’s lip raises into a smile that’s a little too big to be normal.

“Filipp. Go get the camera in the tool room and meet me at vent 26-A”

“H-huh?”

It’s understandable that he would be surprised. First of all, he didn’t think their quartermaster would know his name, he is just some random guy in the crew after all. Second, the request in itself is a little strange, why camera of all things?

The answer to the later question will become abundantly clear once they reach the scene of the crime.

“You heard me, don’t be late.”

---

They first come to the changing station between the two vents.

“Chief- I don’t think we should be h-”

“Shhh just come here.” Evie quiets her staff and beckons him to come closer to the row of lockers. “As I thought”

With one touch, the fact that those suits have been used recently become obvious to the trained personnel. Filipp's eyes widened. Even he would know the implication of such a situation. And he was terrified.

“Come, let’s collect more evidence.”

What do you mean by evidence? Filipp swallows his saliva, suddenly feeling like his life is not safe any more. The chief won’t pick a fight with the marine on our first day right, RIGHT?

They finally go into the vents after taking pictures of some equipment.

“I see. Well, at least we won't be left guessing.” She said while dismantling the camera in both rooms. Of course, after taking enough pictures.

It’s obvious from the broken part that the damage came from magnetic guns. Evie even has a candidate of what type it is based on the diameter of the shots, which all can be found in the armory.

“Take a look at those model supplies, note the remaining amount and report back to me. Oh, don’t forget to take a lot of pictures while you are there.”

“R- right, chief.”

Looking at the small woman who somehow extruded an even more menacing aura than before, the man swallowed back his objection and bolted out of the room as fast as possible.

---

From: Evie Lu <Evie_Lu@arcandian.gov>
To: Alistair Kaelen Vance <AKVance@arcandian.gov>
Subject: vent 26-A and vent 27-A malfunction report

Regarding the malfunction incident of vent 26-A and 27-A, after the primary inspection and investigation we have found an unusual amount of items lost which will be listed below.

1) Nitrogen fuel - 0.8%
2) Railgun battery shell, variant M34 EM Battle rifle - 1 unit
3) Railgun battery Shell, variant AK47 EM Battle rifle - 1 unit
4) The Arcandian’s monitor component which was damaged during the malfunction

As for the cause of the incident, we also gather some clues which will be attached, as well as our own hypothesis of what happened.

(Evie writes the content of the investigation above, including the inventory record before the incident and the pictures she took at the scene)

Unauthorized use of the supplies is a serious matter, since we will be traveling for a long time without a way to reliably replenish our lacking supplies. I hope the problem can be solved as soon as possible.

With respect,
Quartermaster Evie Lu

As Alistair transferred notes from his datapad to his council, he received a notification from Quartermaster Lu.

From: Alistair Kaelen Vance <AKVance@arcadian.gov>
To: Evie Lu <Evie_LU@arcadian.gov>
Subject: RE: Vents 26-A and 27-A Malfunction Report

Quartermaster Lu,

Thank you for the rapid and thorough report. Your efficiency and initiative in the matter is noted and appreciated.

These findings are concerning. The details you have provided strongly indicate a potential saboteur in our midst, even more so with the unauthorized usage of M34 and AK47 shells and the systematic destruction of monitoring equipment. Destruction and unauthorized usage of mission-critical systems and armaments while in hyperspace is a severe breach of regulation and is a threat to the safety of the ship and, more importantly, the crew.

I am initiating a full security sweep. I will include the Captain and Major Sadek in the loop. This information is on a need to know basis only. We cannot have this potential saboteur being tipped off during humanity's most important mission. Please coordinate with the Major to see who accessed the armoury and these sections of the ships within the last 24 hours. I will also be reviewing all relevant footage, assuming similar incidents did not take place.

In addition, please secure all evidence you have collected.

The missing nitrogen fuel is also a concern. It will be logged and accounted for in the next calculated burn.

It is imperative we deal with this swiftly and efficiently.

Commander Alistair Kaelen Vance
Executive Officer, USF Arcadian

Alistair then forwards this email chain to both the Captain and Major Sadek, letting them know the urgency of this situation and that it is on a need to know basis.

---

Allison leaned against the wall as the battle raged on around her, her pulse nearly record high as she scrambled to think up her next move. Off in the distance, some of her teammates were receiving heavy enemy fire, two of them going down instantly. Determined, she swallowed hard and pushed through in that direction, rushing to their location and hoping it wasn’t too late.

“Sorens, on your six!” the voice in her earpiece shouted, but the warning came too late. Just as she turned around, her rifle aimed straight ahead, an enemy combatant shoved a pistol in her face and pulled the trigger.

What followed was Allison startling herself into consciousness once more, her breathing heavy and a tad uneven. Beads of sweat gleaming on her face and flushed cheeks were a sure tell of the stress she’d just endured. Allison waited a moment to settle down, then removed the Neuralink and placed it beside her. Another failed training simulation due to her lack of tactical skills, though she couldn’t blame herself as this was only the third time she had run it, and without any corrections along the way at that. But maybe she’d seek the help of someone who actually knew what they were doing, maybe then she could last beyond a few minutes in battle.

She had a plan now. Allison got up from her bed and felt her stomach rumble. The short-lived adrenaline had apparently made her spark up quite the appetite and so she figured it was time to head out to have a quick meal. She had no scheduled appointments for the rest of the day, and she was well ahead of the research she had tasked herself with completing. The young woman thought that maybe it was time to get to know some people onboard the Arcadian, foster a relationship with someone beyond professional acquaintances. Now she only needed to find the type of people who were social enough to want the same.

---

Unaware of the trouble brewing through the ship, Martin looked over himself one more time. Yes, the uniform was spotless (technically not a requirement for civilian personnel when not for a formal occasion, but he couldn't imagine that it wouldn't help with his image with the rest of the crew to wear it.) His hair was neat, everything was spick and span. He was ready to head out.

He went with a briskness out among the ship, checking in with his lab first. As he brushed his hand against the clean instruments, Martin took a revel in how this was all his now. All the years, all the sacrifices and the work, the late nights and the gallons of coffee, all leading to this place, to this moment. Now he needed to prove that it was all worth it. With a final inspection, he walked briskly through the corridors up to the bridge, saluted the captain at his chair, and then went to his station near the Signal Officer's and started looking through his monitors and readouts. Of course, going through hyperspace was the worst time to get any astral readings, but it was still a good time to get use to his equipment. And besides, it gave him a good excuse to be up here. It wasn't like he had anything else worth doing on the ship and seeing the stars pass by was a delight.

---

@Xandrya

Alice got up with a good stretch before riffling through her drawers for her usual outfit and getting dressed. Ship's status showed that they were still in hyperspace. The Geology department didn't need her. The Xeobotany and Xenobiology departments didn't have anything either. And certainly the archeology department wasn't busy right now either. The days ahead were her own at the moment, so why not enjoy it while it lasted. So she'd go get a bite to eat, maybe talk with someone, then head up to see the Bridge and maybe be there when they arrived at the upcoming planet. She was pretty sure any civilian personnel were allowed to come up and watch things as long as it wasn't an active combat situation or some other emergencies (though of course she only skimmed the rule book)...But she'd worry about if she was wrong later. First, breakfast. And so she pushed back her hair, slid on her satchel, then rushed out out into the hallway and towards the mess. There, she about ran into Dr. Sorens. "Oh, sorry. Guess I got a bit carried away... Are you alright?"

---

@Cyrania

Wearing a fitted white shirt with the Arcadian logo on the upper right chest and gray slacks, Allison walked toward the mess hall completely oblivious to her surroundings. Datapad in hand, she was looking at the latest notification. Only 47% of the crew had submitted their initial mental health assessment, originally sent out a few days prior with a deadline of EOB today. She'd have to send out a follow-up email to all staff as a reminder, CC'ing Vance in the process. The questionnaire wasn't long; the questions all being multiple choice with the option to further elaborate on a response. Hopefully that number would dramatically increase in the upcoming hours to avoid having to hover over people, so to speak.

With that thought in mind, she suddenly looked up as someone stepped in her path, though not necessarily colliding with her. Allison set her foot down mid-step, stopping herself in the process.

"Oh, hey there!" Allison recognized Alice straight away. "All's good, no worries."

She pressed the datapad against her chest, holding it in place with arms crossed. "Busy morning or empty stomach?" Allison smiled.

---

@Xandrya

Alice grinned sheepishly. "Empty stomach. I kinda just woke up and since there's not much happening yet, I thought I may as well grab some grub. You heading that way yourself? Oh, excuse my manners." Then she offered her hand. "I'm Janice Rogers, but you can call me Alice. And you are?"

---

Alice's Report (Submitted Early as She was Bored and it was Official Business)

Alistair looked over the evidence that was sent to him and then to the captain. "Captain, if you will excuse me from the bridge," he whispered. "I would like to take personal command of this investigation. It's serious, but not as serious as we may have thought. Potentially, we have a stowaway." The XO stood up and looked around. "Please alert me the moment we transition into the Polaris system. I want a full scan of all DRADIS contacts sent to my datapad the second we drop back into real space. This will include the stars, potential planets, and potentially unusual objects such as ships or stations." Then he left the bridge.

Near the vent corridor, Vance's expression grew colder than the vacuum outside the hull. He once again finished reviewing the report from Evie Lu regarding the magnetic weapon discharge, missing fuel, and damage that had taken place. Vance, along with some marines, began a sweep of lockers, bathrooms, the cargo hold, and vents until they found what they were looking for: a disheveled figured huddled behind a crate of spare environmental suits.

The marines with Vance immediately pointed their guns at the disheveled man. Vance didn't shout, telling his men to stand down; he just merely beckoned the intruder out. As the stowaway stood, Alistair leveled a gaze that could have frozen a star. "This ship was built with a singular purpose," he stated, his voice echoing with authority throughout the room and the corridor outside. "Every member of this crew was hand-selected as paragons of the United Systems Federation's ideals - disciplined, specialized, honored, and devoted to our mission. I will not have it tarnished by some parasite." He paused for a moment, with a dangerous glint in his eyes. "You are an uncalculated variable in a mission that demands absolute precision. Until we decide what to do with you, to the brig." He looked over to the marines and ordered them to take this man to the brig.

Mathis noted the crewmen on the bridge who had answered his question. First was Alistair Vance, his XO, based on the personal records that Mathis reviewed. Alistair is a brilliant officer and perfect for his role aboard the Arcadian. A match that Mathis approves of greatly, and while Mathis knows he is breaking protocol by asking this question. He is glad that Alistair seems okay with this. At least this minor one, since they are all going to be together for a long time, and he might as well start fostering some good relationships with his crew.

"As it does, Mr.Vance, as it does." A satisfied and calm voice tone, he spoke, indicating he was pleased with his XO's response.

Then the second voice, Astrid Weiss, his Chief Helmsman or Helmswoman, he should say. Mathis read her personal records as well. Hers and the rest of the bridge crew. Plus, the department heads on the ship. She was a survivor just like he is, both of them had survived ordeals, and while he was not forced to get a cybernetic limb. Mathis's damaged body, he can hide beneath clothing, his flesh hiding the metal in him.

"Good, to hear Helmswoman Weiss." Again, his voice was one of calm and satisfaction.

Which when Major Sadek appeared on the bridge, Mathis noted how she did not salute him. Instead giving him a nod and rather not make a fuss about it. Mathis chose to let this slide and see if this becomes a trend or not.

But this cheerful mood would soon sour as he got a notification on his datapad about an act of sabotage. He almost said the word outloud as he was very surprised by this news, and soon put on his poker face so the crew would not see how concerned he was. Sabotage, but how, he thought, confused. The ship is just jumping to its first system, and somehow, there is a saboteur aboard causing problems and maybe more.

Mathis thought about who this could be or what faction they are from since the USF has been at peace for a long time. Who would try to ruin humanity's latest venture into exploring space? Mathis could not think of who or why they chose the Arcadian for this criminal act.

But his concerned thoughts were interrupted by Alistair as he whispered about taking charge of the investigation into this sabotage. "Granted, and tell me who it is once you have found the perpetrator." He whispered back, "I want to know who they are and how they got on the ship." Mathis's tone was clear and serious.

He watched as Alistair left the bridge and would sit back in his chair. Again, hiding his true feelings, his face did not betray him. So Mathis could only wait and see who this saboteur is and await the rest of the responses from his bridge crew. This is beginning to feel like a very long mission, and they have barely started.

---

@Cyrania

"Alice, pleased to meet you," she added, extending a hand to shake Alice's. "I'm Allison, also professionally known as Dr. Sorens—but please, I much prefer Allison."

Alice was the first crewmember to submit her assessment, and early at that. Her name and photo had popped with the notification, leading Allison to conclude that she didn't like to have any tasks pending. But of course, that was nothing beyond a guess.

"Want to have some food together? I don't have much going on, and I don't know anyone else here. Safe to assume it'll remain that way for a while."

From: Kashvi Sikander Sadek <kssadek@arcadian.mil>
To: Percival Adonis Charming <prcharming@arcadian.mil>
Subject: Vac Exercise

Top,

Given the fact that we now have a hard vac training space I want a training exercise at 0600. All personel suited and booted by 0530.

Semper Fi.

---

@Xandrya

Her eyes glistened. "Sure, I'd love to. I really don't have much going on yet either." Then she walked with Sorens to the mess, hands gesturing as she talked. "Really, I won't have much to do until we find some planet, meteor, asteroid, moon, or other place to land on. Or if something else happens that isn't just normal space flight. That's really the beauty of being on this ship, you don't actually know what could come up tomorrow. We're headed out where no man has gone before, the depths of space itself. We could see a neutron star up close, planets where diamonds fall like rain from the sky, maybe space whales. And of course, there's the chance of finding more alien artifacts and ruins like are on Tau Ceti. We may even find living alien races. But of course, you never really know." She looked out as if through the walls into the space beyond. "Perhaps the whole trip will mostly be like this." Then she turned back to Sorens. "What are you most hoping to see, Allison?"