Act One: The Wanderer and His Shadow
 

(Ricor Messman)

Your thought process is gently distrupted by the beeping of your Comm-unit. It's a narrowband-transmission from comm-Liason Cathy o' Hara. You can't help but smile at the futility of this, since she is sitting only meters away and speaks with a raised, strained voice that suggests she has been on duty for too long already. ,,Sir, I've received a memo from the various department heads. They're preparing for a large-scale evacuation as best they can, but want to know if you have any specific orders.'' She pauses, then adds: ,,Oh, and Navigator Johnson..'' - ,,Senior Navigator!'', someone shouts from the other side of the Bridge. ,,..uhm.. yes, SENIOR Navigator Johnson asked me to inform you that we'll enter the Kamonyo-system in 25 hours. We'll arrive at the Outpost 23 minutes later. According to the Research Department, the system will be in scanner range within the hour'', she says.

Ricor Messman
 

Act One: The Wanderer and his Shadow
 

(Scott Avery)

In most ways, the room you just entered looks much like any other. A simple bed in one corner and a desk in the other. On a shelf above a desk are various memorabilia from his research. Cells in a tube, purportedly belonging to an alien, a plant found on an an otherwise deserted planet and several, different coloured rocks.

Papers and pencils are scattered in quite some disorder on the desk, figures and texts concerning his research on them. Much to your surprise, there are also a number of books in the room. One is lying on the table and several others are standing on shelves all around the room. You only notice a single datapad, which is lying next to the notes on the desk.

Act One: The Wanderer and his Shadow
 

(Ricor Messman)

,,Sir, most of the Kamonyo-system is now within sensor-range'', reports Science-Liason Aubron Hermsly. ,,It'll take some time to sort out the details, but the passive sensors picked up something that looks like a major gravitional anomaly, close to the Kamonyo-sun.'' He frowns. ,,I can't give you any specifics yet, but this sure as hell doesn't like anything I've seen before.''

Re: Dystopia: The Fallen Angels
 

(Ricor Messman)

,,Sir, I'm picking up the transponder from one of our scouts. It appears to be heading for the Arioch at maximum speed. No sign of any of the other Ares'', Navigator Jack Johnson reports. ,,If the pilot maintains his current velocity, we will rendez-vous five hours before we reach Kamonyo.''

Ricor Messman
 

Re: Dystopia: The Fallen Angels
 

The navigator frowned. ,,Sir, even if he maintained his maximum speed throughout the journey, the pilot couldn't have made it any further than the edge of the system.''

Ricor Messman
 

Scott Avery
 

"<font color=steelblue> Roger, Security.... out. Sir, if I may examine the data pad</font color=steelblue> "? While moving towards the data pad he examines the book as well.

Re: Dystopia: The Fallen Angels
 

(Ricor Messman)

,,Alert-level Beta, aye sir'', one of the crewmen at the tactical substation confirms. You stretch your mind, but fail to recall his name. Seconds later, the Bridge is cloaked in dark shades of crimson. a visual indication of the hightend state of readiness. ,,We are now at alert-level Beta. Repeat, we are now at alert-level Beta'', echoes the computer. The crew responds immediately, and you notice that several officers enter the bridge and take up positions at the tactical substation.

,,Still too far out to scan for debris, sir'', shouts Navigator Johnson. ,,Besides, there is too much junk floating around.'' Despite the fact that he has raised his voice, you have to strain your ears to make out anything he says. The computer, which is now warning that the ship is about to slow down, and the noise associated with the flurry of activity on the Bridge, make verbal communication almost impossible. Fortunately, most of your orders are confirmed through text-messages. The intercept-fighters were launched sixteen seconds after you gave the order and engineering is preparing to connect the Gölzman-drive to the secondary powergrid.