Qorgonox Log Entry – 603.24
It has been just over 5 cycles since our ship, the Qorgonox, crashed on the remote planet known as Thraxxon. The six of us that survived had fallen into a good routine, with each of us taking on specific roles as we worked to communicate with AEXOR3, or really anyone in the vicinity of Thraxxon, so that we could facilitate a rescue. As the Ox’s communication officer, that is my assignment – to continue broadcasting our distress signal while also recording the day-to-day activities of our crew, per AEXOR3 operating guidelines. I am not sure what good these logs will be to anyone, but Vellok told me to keep recording, especially now that our crew has been split apart, so that’s what I will do.
Up until today, our crew had been spending the days supporting our camp and ensuring that there were no more unintended encounters with the planet’s native population. After some pretty close calls with the Thraxxians and a herd of scapebacks, it was nice to not have to worry about attacks on our camp. I hate to admit it, but I think the routine allowed us to let our guard down a bit. We had been so focused on the camp’s security in those early days after the crash, and there had been so much activity with the Thraxxians, that the relative quiet that followed allowed us to perhaps forget that we are in a hostile environment of which we still know so little.
Today began like any other, but things very quickly took a turn as two events broke our routine and changed everything we have known so far on Planet Thraxxon. The first of these was an answer to our distress signal. The answer was garbled and very brief, but someone finally heard our call and they responded. I reported this to Vellok and Uularia immediately and we’ve been trying to reestablish a connection with whomever out there had received our signal.
The prospect of making a connection with someone outside of Thraxxon immediately sent our camp into celebration, but that mood quickly changed when two members of the crew did not report back from their recovery mission and there was no reply on their comm units.
Our science officer, Thraya, and our demo expert, Orvar, had taken a trip to the main crash site for the Ox. It is a trip we have made many times to retrieve additional bits of tech or supplies for our camp. They had left before the reply to our signal came in, and we immediately tried to message them to tell them the good news. There was no response from them, but we didn’t get too concerned at first since it is often hard to communicate during the trek to the Ox.
As the day grew later and later, we began to get worried that something had happened. Vellok suited up and was ready to head out in search of the others when our range sensors began to register movement coming towards our camp. It was something large, but it seemed to be a single object rather than a number of creatures moving towards us like we had seen with the scapeback stampede. Vellok told us to be prepared, and he and Kogg grabbed the few weapons we had available to wait for whatever was coming our way.
To say we were surprised by what we saw driving towards us is an understatement. It was some kind of large rover vehicle, possibly of T.U.5.C.C. origins, but obviously not something that was native to Thraxxon. This could be our first encounter on this planet with non-native lifeforms. To be honest, it was exciting to see this, as it proved that others had landed on Thraxxon in the past. If there was a way onto this planet, there should also be a way off of it! Our excitement diminished once the strangers aboard this transport arrived at our camp and told us that they had our missing crew members.
The leader of these strangers was an Athocrian who introduced herself as Kurnn. Removing her large helmet, she explained that our fellow crew members had been attacked by a party of Thraxxian Hunters, but that her people had rescued them. We were obviously relieved to hear this, but our relief was short lived when Kurnn explained that they would only return our science officer in exchange for Kogg.
At first we were not sure what was happening, but our visitors saw our confusion and quickly explained the situation to us. They had been observing our camp from afar and they had watched each of us perform our daily duties. They needed a mechanic back at their own settlement, and they had seen Kogg repairing various items. Basically, they were holding our science officer ransom in exchange for our mechanic, whose skills they said they needed for their own survival.
As a show of “good faith”, Kurnn’s two associates dragged the unconscious body of Orvar from their vehicle and dumped him at our feet. This sent Vellok into a rage, and he moved to attack the visitors, but Kurnn’s associates were fast, and they had stun-sticks in their hands. Vellok barely got moving before they both hit him with the zap and he went down hard.
Thankfully Uularia stepped in before the situation could get any uglier. She asked whether Kogg would be allowed to return along with our science officer once they were done with him. The strangers refused to elaborate any further, only explaining that they needed to set out before nightfall if they hoped to make it to where they were going. The road was dangerous, they said, and they needed to head out soon.
Vellok had recovered quickly from the stun-sticks, and he refused the strangers’ demands, but Kogg stepped forward and shook his big head. He said that he would go with the strangers and he would bring Thraya back. Vellok started to protest, but we could all see that there was no changing Kogg’s mind. He is as stubborn as they come, and as loyal to our crew as any could ask for. I imagine that he felt it was his duty to do what he could for a friend.
Vellok eventually accepted Kogg’s plans, but he insisted that he be allowed to accompany the strangers as well. At first they refused this request, but Vellok argued that if it truly was dangerous out there, then he could help provide a measure of security during the journey. Kurnn conferred with her two companions, and they eventually agreed to allow Vellok to come with them.
It was hard to see Uularia and Vellok say goodbye to each other, clearly not sure if they would ever see each other again. Normally Uularia would be right by her husband’s side, but we need her here at camp to help make sure Orvar was ok and to assist me with coordinates should I be able to reestablish a connection with our would-be rescuers. We all have a job to do in OxKrewe, and as hard as it may be to do it sometimes, we will do that job regardless of what it costs us personally.
We saw the group off as they climbed aboard the strangers’ vehicle. It rumbled away, kicking up dust as it sped off into the distance. It was out of sight within minutes, and a sense of loss immediately swept over us as we wondered what the next cycles would bring. After having lost so much in the crash, the six of us had grown even closer, and now our group had been cut in half. Three of us remained here in camp, and two had gone off to an uncertain fate to hopefully save another.
As I sit here and record these events, our camp is silent. My comm gear is also silent. Whomever we had connected with earlier has not responded to any of our signals since. I keep sending those signals though. That is my job. It’s the one thing that I can do to try to help as we remain stuck here on Planet Thraxxon.
I wish my friends luck. I expect that they will need it as they head out to an uncertain fate in what the strangers called "the Harrow Zone."
::/DISTRESS SIGNAL – AEXOR3 VESSEL DESIGNATION:QORGONOX REQUESTING IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE. Current location = Thraxxon. Current status = 6 surviving crew members / split across multiple locations. Unsure of current safety status. Native contact made – multiple species. COMM BAND REPLY REQUESTED. IMMEDIATE EVACUATION REQUESTED./::
Published on 07.12.24