Event XXXX-A
Date: January 14, 2008
The following is a transcription of audio taken from aboard the Korolev-3, a spacecraft that was the product of a joint effort between the Foundation and several world governments, built with the purpose of being the first manned spacecraft to venture beyond the limits of the solar system. This transcription was taken at 13:43, 2 hours before the Korolev-3 would pass the outer edge of the Kuiper Belt.
[BEGIN LOG]
T████ ██████: Mission control, this is M████ reporting in.
Mission Control: This is Mission Control, we copy you, M████. This is not your scheduled check-in, do you have something to report?
T████ ██████: Actually, I have a couple of questions Mission Control. Do I have permission to ask?
Mission Control: Permission granted, what are your questions M████?
T████ ██████: Well, first, how long until we pass the outer edge of the Kuiper belt?
Mission Control: Approximately two hours and counting, M████.
T████ ██████: I see, well, are we supposed to be able to see some kind of comet, I guess, from out the portside window?
Mission Control: I'm sorry, a comet?
T████ ██████: Well, it doesn't actually look like a comet, that was just the closest thing I could approximate it too. J██████ was the first one to see it. It looks more like a sort of… a ball of light.
Mission Control: Do you mean a star?
T████ ██████: Well, it looks sort of like a star from a distance, but it seems to be about the size of the ship, and about 100 meters away.
Mission Control: T████, you can't just contact mission control for a prank, that's unacceptable.
T████ ██████: I promise you I am 100% serious.
Mission Control: Fine.
Mission Control distantly: Access external cameras. Camera 4. Wait, you actually see something? Let me- holy shit.
Mission Control: Ok, we're going to need you to do a scan for energy output.
T████ ██████: Yes sir. Activating energy differentiation sensors now…
Mission control: What's your reading?
T████ ██████: Um, well… I think it might be broken.
Mission Control: Tell me the reading, T████.
T████ ██████: 23,000 an climbing, sir.
Mission Control: 23,000?!
T████ ██████: That's what I said, sir.
Mission Control: Listen, we need you to get out of there as fast as you possibly can, so you're going to activa-
T████ ██████: Well, that might be a problem, sir.
Mission Control: And why is that?
T████ ██████: It seems to be… following us.
Mission Control: I'm sorry, it's what?
T████ ██████: Well, we've been moving at a constant speed, and it doesn't seem to be getting any farther away.
Mission Control: Ok, well… we're going to change your trajectory by 7 degrees, let us know if it continues to follow you.
Several seconds of silence
Mission Control: Well?
T████ ███████: It's still following us, sir.
Mission Control: Alright, listen closely we're going to activate the emergency anti-gravitational thrusters, so get everyone into the-
T████ ███████: SIR, IT'S GAINING GROUND!
Mission Control: ARE CERTAIN!?
T████ ███████: YES, ABSOLUTELY. IT'LL BE AT THE SHIP IN APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS.
Mission Control: LISTEN TO ME, T████. REMAIN CALM. DO NOT PANIC. WE ARE GOING TO ACTIVATE YOUR EMERGENCY ANTI-GRAVITATIONAL THRUSTERS, WE NEED YOU TO GET EVERYONE TO THEIR SEATS AND STRA-
T████ ███████: SIR! SIR, IT'S TOO BRIGHT, I CAN'T SEE, I CAN'T SEE ANYTH… HEL…
Several seconds of silence
Mission Control: T████!? ARE YOU THERE!? DO YOU COPY!?
T████ ███████: IT HA… INSTRUM… MALFUNCTi… LOSING CONTR…
The connection to the Korolev-3 suddenly cuts out entirely
Mission Control: HELLO!? DO YOU COPY!? T████?! J██████?! R█████!? ANYONE!?
Mission Control Distnatly: What readings are we getting?! NONE!? What do you mean it's like the ship disappeared!? Spacecraft can't just teleport away, it's there somewhere, find it! AND DO IT QUICKLY!
[END LOG]
Conclusion: The Korolev-3 and all 5 of its crew were recovered unscathed in a cornfield in Kansas, US 2 days later. For an interview with J███████ █████, a member of the Korolev-3 crew, please see document XXXX-B.