Learn more about the Ghost Ship: The Adamastor

It all started on April 8 3307, with the following story from Galnet:

The Adamastor, a 200 year old ‘ghost ship’ in orbit around Chukchan 5 b, has received a mysterious encrypted signal. The derelict vessel has been undergoing investigation by Alliance Salvage Guild teams since its discovery last October. They released this report:

“Months ago, we cut open one of the Adamastor’s damaged cargo holds to find an undeployed communications beacon. We managed to power it up, but it contained no data and had never been used.”

“This beacon has now automatically activated, and is receiving and rebroadcasting a long-range signal. The transmission’s source cannot be identified, but is definitely of interstellar origin. Its encoded content has yet to be deciphered.”

The Adamastor vanished in 3111 after an incident that may have involved the first historical encounter with the Thargoids. It reappeared in 3306 when it entered the Chukchan system at sublight speeds on autopilot, with no sign of its crew.

It was recently learned that in 3113 the Adamastor’s sister ship, the Hesperus, also disappeared. Both were owned by a corporation called Azimuth Biochemicals, which was absorbed by a rival named Pharmasapien. Little is known about either company, but it is believed they were competitors in the field of xenological research.

So we paid a visit to the Adamastor and obtained Access Codes and details of the Listening Post contained in the Megaship.

 

So we learn that the H1 Listening Post is in the Taurus region. Taurus Dark Region. The first researchers set off on their adventure and two commanders, Rudi Raumkraut & Nicou, discovered the Listening Post (LP) in Taurus Dark Region UY-R B4-0.
Three Keys are also obtained:

  • H1 Key -E
  • H2 Key +H
  • H3 Key -C

To accelerate the article, we understand later that it is -E = negative 5 // +H = positive 8 // -C = negative 3

 

Note that we obtain the start of the Equation:

  • A3:-L_
  • C3:+AF_
  • G2:*-A

 

Here on H1 we also receive two lines of codes for H2 and H3, the two other LPs.

  • H2 FBJILYIFUILOMPDYAFRGMKIULIN 1333
  • H3 ADFFGDKIOOPLFNIHLRFEUOPQJWLSEDM

With this information, it is first Ian Doncaster who understands that a Negative Rotation 3 must be applied (ROT3: 3 because C is the third letter of the Latin Alphabet, and Negative because it is -C). If we arrange the code of H3 in three columns then we get the following text. The letters in the third column indicate « CALIFORNIA »: The California Nebula.

XAC
CDA
HFL
LMI
CKF
EIO
CBR
LMN
GTI
PBA
J

So we have to find the LP H3 in California.
We apply the same procedure to LP H2 with +H so ROT Positive 8 to discover that it is located… on NGC 1333.

NJRQTGQN
CQTWUXLG
INZOUSQC
TQV 1333

 

Direction NGC 1333 where it is Peter_Quill who found the LP H2 on Perseus Dark Region LN-K B8-0.

We get information on H1, and we check our previous process with -E so ROT Negative 5 : TAURUS.

VXBOT
HIBTA
PDKGU
BCPDR
WGPDU
JKFHS
BOM

 

More details to the Equation now with:

  • A2:/B
  • C1:+BL_
  • G1:+DF_

 

Then direction California to find the missing LP H3. This last one was long to find but finally it’s Disgo who could get his hands on it first: California Sector IH-V C2-1.

Here we again get the continuation of the Equation which seems now complete, we can work with this:

  • A1:-AX_
  • A2:/B
  • A3:-L_

 

  • C1:+BL_
  • C2:*-A
  • C3:+AF_

 

  • G1:+DF_
  • G2: *-A
  • G3:+E_

 

After many hours of work and a fix to the Equation from Frontier, we understand that _ has to be replaced by 0.
Use Alpha as Base26.
Concatenate the As together, Cs together, Gs together.
So we get A=1, B=2, AX = 50, BL = 64.

Additional notes

I’m not 100% sure of this one anymore as we ran so many iterations of our tests… you can ignore this safely.

H1 = A = Taurus
H2 = B = NGC
H3 = C = California

So

1 = -Taurus.xX_ +NGC.x_ DF_
2 = /NGC.y *-Taurus.y *-Taurus.y
3 = -L_ +Taurus.xF_ -D_

So

A1,-AX_,A2,/B,A3,-L_
C1,+BL_,C2,*-A,C3,+AF_
G1,+DF_,G2,*-A,G3,-D_

So

A1:,45 65 88 95 ,A2:,47 66,A3:,45 76 95
C1:,43 66 76 95 ,C2:,42 45 65 ,C3:,43 65 70 95
G1:,43 68 70 95 ,G2:,42 45 65 ,G3:,45 68 95

Boom, the following Equation now:

  • A = -50_ /2 -12_ = -37_
  • C = +64_ *-1 +32_ = -32_
  • G = +110_ *-1 +5_ = -105_

In the end, we get: A: -370 // C: -320 // G: -1050 → Coordinates to be found on the galaxy map to find the following system… Perseus Dark Region KC-V C2-2 , found by Marxanthius!
Go to the second star, Asteroid Belt, Belt 1.

 

Indeed, the Hesperus Megaship had started an Alarm because it had detected another Megaship nearby, the « Scribes »: Scriveners Clan.
The latter reports that they have downloaded the data from the Hesperus, but the encryption seems to be very difficult and they could not understand the data received. They are going to dismantle the Megaship and warn us that we should let them do their job, they are just simple scavengers.

So we recover the following incomprehensible data:

LOG 1

SCRIVENERS CLAN – UPLOAD LOG 1/4 // Gathered by Mr Glorious Leader Alex and Arranged by Sileo, Dr.Strange and other commanders.
Knowledge Core Input VF-77655657
Status: Fail
Manual Intervention required.
Datagrapher Authell’s report:Most files from the megaship’s computer we uploaded without error but this defied our archiving process. Upon further inspection I found it to be encoded with a customised algorithm.
File Contents:
Timestamp: 12/07/3113 21:05

oadbedba—Temcnigrgoe-y-.EnsiL-ui-etseianhtK-em-leede,nuptu..tc
g-.s-aniceyhtiih–ynocfet-raH-re.sel-psuh-ea-eerrot-t-ophtvbt-hs
-ehah-pi-stynereko-nevatb-e.nes-dmeeiylosr-eoMfohts-e-t-rc-aa-ie
eer-r-htedw-o–nd-rniiih,gdPki.sl-e’tu—slsrapanam-.seiaHhdot-.
eb–yehTah–Isregeenepa-st-ibn,dnaolcri-duow-g-e-osymmfoo-nht-sp
Horwoo-.t-n-h-d–Iehtldiyeesovuocdieh–rkcaeT-m-tehh-ysuva?lebaw
inegn-tia–tt-t-eih-,smiubltott-yadj-yehsu-…ne-o-ifpdeer.ouCwo
m-tsod-n-t-ts-ir-ceifuytsrfoi-dugcnM-Inija,hU-,uhamnert-t-rTb-eg
rirwedc–.er-e-trer-esewamhaehtnt-dehi-oc-cnogdlah–to-sugruiol-
atn-n.-nohpl-,-ynhtrteoclor.-dH-phtreesesuecP-taVirlev-esa–a–l
ndnga-amdeo–oehaagobt-rtutela-fe-fs-ohticheecmaat-dne-,w-n-amti
oedt–t-eh–tfigee-irnengnabvew-hleuosti-tl’niope-g.dsttl-e–eba
didt-selehv-nes-tos-eriuoss-eh-lv’y-elahottnaef–crsuhroi-ssep,n
hsrciow–h-fuoubudl-s–y-ah–wsr-oh’lu-.evepuoP-rhgamtahasf-necr
am-ireneseiafe-.frolienlrtbpoi-se-nriihts-thicytblatui-,t-es-sht
bsigi–eegiyo-tanept-roieht.evreue-llvp-de’enU.s-elams..by–htma
t-eihs-egn–padeoept-nt-ehhsadot-amaMs?rekA’es-.-snhteflye-ea-kc
-ttieadehtdit-o-ueh-sm-rsurm-gspphsori-,ixnlytsnss-w-erouoich-a-
ovaametuitdtllnea-yd-s-tsiaAsegil-st-san-orsmi-.hturahP-amz-ipum
-nenk-tswoasobuoptuor–reba-hta–neht,dnta-sehuo–yisfdnngttfohn
an–nomura-taf-.dtct-snAahekemt-ynal’seh-l-elloy-a-otneng-i.t-eh
f-orit-mtstsT-csnehit-eits-wraksg-em-ani-e-stauons’xe–r-thypeah
s-.e-T’tsatB–usiewev-vr-.—tno–lahdt’evu-c-h-.ulH-ewowoaenaas
-l-ht-evsec-ep?elponalB–k-

LOG 2

SCRIVENERS CLAN – UPLOAD LOG 2/4 // Gathered by McRay and Arranged by Sileo, Dr.Strange and other commanders.
Knowledge Core input VF-77655658
Status: FAIL
Manual intervention required.
Datagrapher Authell’s report: This is the second file that has resisted automatic processing due to its coded structure. The encryption resembles that of file VF-77655657, sugesting a common source. I am passing both files to Lector-General Calligore’s department for further analysis.
File contents:
Timestamp: 13/07/3113 02:32

eadhbbea—eeiaeLnunKmttel-m,nryeg-ecoeel-nn-,lrg-fat-ei.yn-‘ea
dWnvmeoaet-g-omr–ovadduenuneet-sefcd-eotverolarwrs-uoa-h-,nght-
eliohfstule–ilhi-ekthi-e-psed-tTseer–dseh.-raohclgh–dodasenus
ph-dd-poroefp-eidlsirehomt-nwer-dec,eleo-h-ue-rrua-tio-shsthnni-
urtggo-hihgroehrsti-rrbdc-,od-tetunsd-yluehywlani-tleu.–teqPiDa
a-rdhsem-ipam..–nG.y,oo-htdy-ehhsopct-ps!saaeWel—vp-ahna-m-o-
.tsjppehuV-i-saallschot-onuv-reo-e-etepudxesesocelhi-gtav-srac-e
io-rtdraets-ntc-eawi,l-hol-ieaeeelrdvnoy-t-olhtub-nea-sc-yahel-o
e.r’-rhdv-de–re-ejtrn-oosuiodn–ab-tareneh-c-.nfo’laart-of-lt-s
rdeooe—-.hhehv-Teyatnn-am’teg-kabdocyl-m-oaocde–mndycm-soo,tl
be’—als-eloelgube–f-ttll-ono-lcotlatfr-l-c-en-hdsoypaexeriron
fl-aoa-ct.tr-f-f-A-eoeitwcshttn–ehiselasipv-itxeopneieegcnrtf-n
y,aoulStr-.efemteoh—neoevm-awot–ntnuctnio-t-ineshmosse-,i-iyh
aaent–rgeremsy-iswtshrie-nttgnayatehao–c-m-atlaniia-eentrn.caL
-fet-setses’efigu-e–oatw-t-fvir-lsei-mt-‘l.gogtc-oi-np-nyrest–
-tlhes-oenigeehtctr-n-pacmol-etoru-rsasP,amh-ipodanew-e’ntete-t.
-c-tmtiBhzAuwtulnmlhiaa,–d-sl–‘ttety-hallewonapktwhan–eph-.ds
nes.aitu.-gmvyerah–en-meegat-oketerahe-eH-tsep-ksbr.n-lu–a

LOG 3

SCRIVENERS CLAN – UPLOAD LOG 3/4 // Gathered by Qui and Arranged by Sileo, Dr.Strange and other commanders.
Knowledge Core input VF-77655770
Status: FAIL
Manual intervention required.
Datagrapher Biblian’s report: This file was flagged due to its encrypted nature. Cross-referencing has found two similar instances (ref VF-77655657 and VF-77655658), but their encryption keys do not match. Research-Sergeant Indesh obtained this file from the internal drive of an empty EVA suit.
File contents:
Timestamp: 22/07/3113 09:40

bbaadcddmidjbgdfebldbbflnacifdcddndgjdfebbhkgbchbeafddfjebdbggbd
dggbbhnaffcdgicjcbbmcddldeebejjcalbfafchfcfcajdcahnecdcecchbcifc
jcajcdcagiegeabkakagjbhgbchbbgcjbehchgfejagjdhadegbfockibdfeedbe
cgbdgeldcfehcbddfhccmdnleackdebbgoceigdb
-cdb
.dsna-ikltuexn.teonot..teyhre’rse-T.urmerdsnetioheT’rytoh.tollim
e-n’onktheTiwyal-.slhat’stveo,ertockaoptreyhsalteftianao-oserpsp
eruethknHeakoepeonlltgeatbamt-hyembrhugotonlynsaaiepPh-rmaetmath
lrlhetll’teaemh-l.eltetll’slelhasl.lthTt’aneir,en-angeju.tdsteu’
mlm.arBoreelngownwhiade-kytehlraybeigme.mTh-ratkdclasdunoctmmoyh
muisinso-tpadchtnteeyhnaiasclo-,tgxteisheneodchosldup?ilt-ireshs
ngithirehaktttsemhs-lhitaro?ndkicnbootgba-thsyeecH.veascepeadaeo
ptmasagn-chewrziAutmktfenhomsaoeknlwbolye-l?beiatreeneldishdohwa
t-tsita…e!seWrneoela-semeoetssboreehaeg.nThhloTkioto-go.dhlvea
tei.edisrsuoneeselangonynlusseivl,ieefl-ateoyebne-hnlodbtlteumlg
hiaio.hrnsihettisl-labbydlsn’ropenhitaga-ttsoiponssxiseilftth-so
tf.fyimuiskiaghnisrttkanCt-‘..dni.-fdunockoanseaerlighuthcatkroh
epmacbs.mCasl-lomcosLkatech.nkattlconteoubo-sewlgea,hdetramdysaw
e-reorrarsenseifath-erdngideeonwstsrtacheefi.hrheTngifoT-leokoy.
eerwaththdatcewendalorotoynratdgtathusi’-Agimzeu,insgnilsamaubsn
-nrnhongifodeaschrbelnueWeove’huhl.lnsohet-ostdunl.waawa-..sl!lt
lxheteamllidteg’n-ksmeohitodGsS.hioyhml.l.t.thu-asndamoneyis-eth
sireewrthicfeoolonathplysngieyhre’eds-T..kdasGisoneo..enp.ervony
unoaedanlbfd-seiphtontheacbhikcote-mejestu.rl’vl’NOileneiraer-on
gEeJsniuhitsiss.i.e.thhsTingi…ecRrdo

LOG 4

SCRIVENERS CLAN – UPLOAD LOG 4/4 // Gathered by Nicou and Arranged by Sileo, Dr.Strange and other commanders.
Knowledge Core input VF-77655771
Status: FAIL
Manual intervention required.
Datagrapher Biblian’s report: A second file from the same source as VF-77655770 has been encrypyed,preventing automatic transcription. Lector-General Calligore has ordered that this and any similar files be transferred to the Strategy College.

File contents:
Timestamp: 22/07/3113 13:08

daacbaabdgbebbhaeibbfcdbkeefdcdcbgjacbhifafebhlekfidclfbhjfaefhe
bdgbadkbckehfefgadhddkhdcffoafalkddoedckadfdaeakllaicjabrdadedgd
fdhcjganbcebbicldadgdgjcaigficoaafldgdcgfjbcdefhealgdbjbmebghf
-cdb
o?dT-.dodleroWnathgnow?ooid-dlwhetba-lo…Hodldwheue?raytinonhas
slonl-cgdH?wnoamwnyautbho-nka,tsarpxteavhese.tre-Wonsaiighnowlru
tninuis’st-n.yiM-th..oensugoldubeehstwocabwearpatfesd-nusjreeka,
ervwhyinrnegliagenicmlsaelshecfbohetkecs-tbeepohreell’p.iThtreis
h-eehnteatnrtentomiata’ecdl-eanc,snutblelowdhithasteTR-aco.ldue.
mdlerbetouervonyf.lnEgheiserudlngi.-gncletginhlivinvev-ryeddeuto
.ltipWdiuoidwhohest’ashs.-kThdetnorwtiannoenviltatoe-hdtentigxni
pp.e.eibhitk.nd,llt-geahosis’orttintsshseiecomrtht’ry-fe.n.hetOX
TC.lrkadienka-mscaistleceemheesthcacinpaghi.stwa-krsAnnaldsoss.r
prlceohepicratbosmimrryath-eperohghuhigttteefind–eyrbmettsnomca
rpviiganth-eleostllaegdshaveafeTulo-hdone.cewdoomsseiehdrrlaletr
n.oeolrcengctntoupsorpliie-fneihetbl-md’oabd.relnnuoveeyorllidoe
shhske.-dndAbedinhnlnfteeaveebstuha-Shtxmesca’.oe’selVetgaysD-la
dborf,smyitniuecsriungiath-wsarenS.e’hthorseitle-hkeialsneoeldcp
,isotahownypdigrerhbosg-ntkalonkio.as’mldlihitmaobdnon-ewestu…
t’ihjsacb,tkco-eemidd’tncrrwaegiialnheTor-nee.edshtppateuhawunoh
od’vlTfe

 

The more skilled CMDRs in decryption then got to work, wit the following notes from the Scriveners:

  • « Most files from the Megaship’s computer were uploaded without errors »
  • « Encoded with a customised algorithm »
  • « Logs 2 & 1 have a common source, same encryption »
  • « Log 3 doesn’t have the same encryption than Log 2 & 1, but they have some cross-referencing similar instances »
  • « Log 4 is similarly encrypted as Log 3 »

It was necessary to reverse the text of logs 3 and 4 which were encrypted in a similar way with the AZIMUTH BIOTECH key (uAzhBitmt-c-) and then place them in blocks of 8 characters (or 16? The scramble pattern is (16,3,2,8,7, 11,5,4,13, 12,6,10,9, 15,14,1))
Logs 1 and 2 were encrypted with the PHARMASAPIEN key (.–teqPiDaa-rdhsem-ipam..–nG.) and then placed in 22 character blocks. Scramble Pattern is (5,2,1,7,12,0,8,3,6,11,15,9,4,14,13,10)

Code sample to find text with pattern

data = « eeiaeLnunKmttel-m,nryeg-ecoeel-nn-,…. »
result = «  »
j=0
key= »eadhbbea—« 
pattern=(5,2,1,7,12,0,8,3,6,11,15,9,4,14,13,10)
data2 = list(data)
for i in range(len(data2)):
try:
result += data2[pattern[j]] j=j+1
if j >= len(pattern):
j = 0
data2 = data2[16:] except:
pass
print(result)

 

Many players worked together again for this last game, thanks to Namix, Zenlou, Robot Faust Stoneware, Larzok, Tequila, Shorty, ProxyAlpha, RedRum69, Sileo, Ian Doncaster, Airom and other players in support of correlation deciphering with German, Russian and French languages with TechnoMag, Nicou, John Riddler, Fulgen.

Décrypté, LOG 1

This is lieutenant Kelemen, deputy… acting security chief on the Hesperus. l have to report that the ship has been overtaken by enemy soldiers. Most of the crew are either dead or in hiding, like us. lt’s Pharmasapien. Has to be. They had sIeeper agents onboard, including some of my own trooas. How the hell did they avoid our checks? They must have been waiting all this time, but today they just… opened fire. Cut down most of security first, including Major Umaru, then the bridge crew. The rest were marched into the cargo holds at gunpoint. In an hour, they controlled the Hesperus. Private Velasco and l managed to gather about half of the science team, and we made it to the aft engineering levels without being spotted. I’ve disabled the sensor suite so they’ll have to search for us in person, which should buy us a few hours. I’ve fought Pharmasapien mercenaries before. infiltration is their speciality, but this is the biggest operation they’ve ever pulled. Unless… maybe the same thing happened to the Adamastor? Makes sense. If they attacked either them or us using ships, proximity sensors wound have automatically sent a distress signal to Azimuth. Pharmasapien must know about our probes then, and that they found signs of nonhuman artefacts. And that means they’ll kill anyone to get to them first. The scientists are asking me what’s our next step. That’s easy we survive. But l don’t have a clue how. How can l save these people? Blank

Décrypté, LOG 2

Lieutenant Kelemen, emergency log, final entry. We’ve managed to move around undetected for several hours now, although it feels like the ship is deserted. The cargo holds had hundreds of people imprisoned there, we could hear their shouts ringing through the corridors, but suddenly they all went quiet. Did Pharmasapien… my God, those psychopaths! We have a plan to jump ship. Velasco has volunteered to use explosive charges to create a distraction, while l lead everyone to the launch bays. l’ve ordered her to rejoin us and not be a hero. l can’t afford to lose her. They haven’t managed to block my command codes yet, so l’ll be able to get full control of all the secondary exploration craft. A few of the scientists have piloting experience, fortunately. Some of them even want to continue the mission, saying there are systems within range that may contain alien artefacts. Let’s see if we get out alive first. l’m going to encrypt these logs in the central computer, so Pharmasapien won’t detect them. But Azimuth will, and at least they’ll know what happened… assuming they ever manage to retake the Hesperus. blank

Décrypté, LOG 3

Recording.. This is Junior Engineer O’Neill. I ‘ve just come back into the ship and found everyone poisoned.. Gassed. They’re lying on the floor with their eyes and mouths all.. oh my god.. something’s killed them all! I was out on the hull. We’ve been searching for non-human signals using Azimuth’s data to try and locate what they were looking for. Thr chief started wondering if the sensor arrays were damaged, so I went out to check. Lost all Comms. Came back through the airlock and found.. Can’t risk taking my suit off – this poison gas it’s probably still in the air. I might be the only one left alive unless anyone else is suited. have to go looking, there has to be someone else! Wait.. was this done deliberately? I know some of the Azimuth crew managed to escape. Have they got back on board? Is this them retaking their ship? I should encode this log in case they patch into my suit comms and track me. They might already know where I am. But I’m just an engineer. That’s all I’ll tell them. I’ll tell them that Pharmasapien only brought my team along to keep the Hesperus operational after they took over that’s all. They won’t kill me too. They’re not murderers. They’re not like us. [.d-na-dbbcdcgogeidckbebnmdalefddchcecfbhcgbddelbedgecbkiedfbegcfodgjdhafhgaejbcjcehhbcgbbjaggbhbeakkagcagieajcdjcchbcifccdcecadcehnffcjcaabfhfcjejlcaddlbeebcbdmcgcdjicnbhfafdbdbggdebgbgdafjdfcgbehbbfekbhddndgjfciddcfbbalnedfdbldmigjbdaadcdbb]

Décrypté, LOG 4

I’ve found out what’s happened. The original crew didn’t come back, it’s just one woman who did this. I’m looking at her body right now, poisoned like all the others. She’s wearing a security uniform, ID badge says ‘Velasco’. She must have been left behind. And she killed everyone on board. I;m in the life support control centre. I realised how someone could have fed gas to all the living compartments, by feeding it through the primary atmosphere processors. And I was right. I can see the chemical tanks marked toxic… they’re from the scientists storage hold – I think being piped into the ventilation network. That’s how she did it. Wiped out every living thing – Including herself. Everyone but me. I could tear this all down, but I can’t decontaminate the entire ship. There’ll be pockets of these chemicals lingering everywhere, and just a few breaths would be enough to… My suit’s running low on air. We have spare tanks, but how many? How long can I stay here? How do I… What do I do now? What do I do? [T–hfbcdmjbgebleabgddbchefcgdjgfaoadflgaicfiddgcgjcbialdbanbcehfdgcjeadddgacjdbrlakilafadedaedokdcaafdlkchdoffhadkddfehgefkadkbcbhebdgfhjfaecidblflbhfekfhieafjbgbacdefccddfcebkehabibbdgbebbacbaaad]