Imagine if, in the middle of summer, dozens of service stations closed down one after the other. No more markets, shipyards or repair shops. A situation spiraling out of control, forcing the authorities to take exceptional measures and call on pilots from all over the galaxy for help. Let's travel back in time to the summer of 3301 to discover the terrifying story of the Cerberus Plague.
This adventure is brought to you by your ED Trip agency. Find out more with this article. Have a good flight CMDR!
In this short adventure, MediCorp invites you to relive the terrible few weeks that shook the core systems, as one after another was eaten away by the so-called Cerberus Plague. You'll go to where it all begins and ends, and put yourself in the shoes of the hundreds of pilots who brought the precious miracle drug (plan for a little cargo space).
But you'll also learn about an engineer you're bound to know, because yes, Ishmael Palin is linked to our history!
Go to system BD-02 4304, and more precisely to Newton Dock, 6000 ls from the system's main star.
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June 3301
Let's go back in time: it's the end of June 3301 in system BD-02 4304.
Newton Dock
At this point in our story, nothing out of the ordinary is happening here. The Newton Dock station is operating as usual, immersed in a green atmosphere typical of agricultural stations, and quite a pleasant place to live. However, on June 30, 3301, a news item reveals that a mysterious illness is breaking out on board the station (read the news).
The statement is issued by a certain Carl Simmons, Newton Dock's chief medical officer. Patients suffer from vomiting blood, excessive sweating, sores and waves of intense dizziness!
This is the first stage of the adventure that shook the galaxy in the summer of 3301, and we're going to take you through the story.
CERBERUS PLAGUE BEACON: about ten kilometers from Newport Dock station you'll find a beacon, uniquely, that speaks of the Cerberus Plague.
You're welcome to scan this beaacon and read it a little later if you don't want to learn too much at the moment.
Once you've completed this step, move on to the next.
On the way to Heike
We're now going to the Heike system for a very specific reason, of course linked to our story. You can of course go there directly, or take advantage of the trip to follow a completely different itinerary, that of the Cerberus Plague.
Indeed, this mysterious disease was not confined to BD-02 4304 - quite the contrary. Like a bushfire driven by a strong wind, multiple systems fell one after the other.
Every week, at least, news bulletins listed the systems that had fallen victim to the galactic pandemic. The first three systems infected were 20 Ophiuchi, Eleu and Dajoar.
To get to the Heike system, we invite you to follow the first systems to fall under the Cerberus plague:
- 20 Ophiuchi, which is 16.71 Ly from your system - Eleu, which is 17.72 Ly from 20 Ophiuchi - Dajoar, which is 14.73 Ly from Eleu.
Before you land, you'll note several medical space facilities in the system (where it's not possible for a pilot like you to land): Swords Rest Medical Facility & Emerald Stream Hospital.
Land at Brunel City in the Heike system.
Once you've completed this step, move on to the next.
Heike's Tea
What is produced on Heike is unique in the Galaxy, a rare commodity whose trade is most profitable. But Heike is also where the fate of the Cerberus Plague will be decided.
For weeks, the galaxy has been in turmoil. Imagine you live in the sector in the summer of 3301. The services of your favorite stations are closing one after the other: you no longer have access to repair and refueling services, some of your ships are blocked due to the closure of shipyards.
Living and working in these sectors is becoming extremely complex. The list of closed services in the Galnet is growing by the week, and nothing seems to be able to stop the galactic pandemic!
Take a look at the July 22, 3301 news item at the bottom of the page, which concerns two systems you've just passed through. This type of list, over the weeks, has continued to grow!
On the market of this station you will find a RARE product. It is sold ONLY at this station and can only be purchased in small quantities;
The further you move away from this system, the higher your resale margin. That's what we call trading in rare products!
But what does this have to do with the Cerberus plague? Quite simply. When you buy at least one unit of this tea, you're unknowingly buying the cure for Cerberus plague!
Buy at least 1T of Heike tea and then head for the Bast system, which lies 124.86 Al from our position. Watch out for pirates along the way!
Due to an ongoing crisis caused by the Cerberus epidemic, certain key services are no longer provided at certain stations. List of affected stations:
- Dajoar System:
Thiel Port Crown Terminal Patrick Terminal Macquorn Rankine Port Ejeta Enterprise
- Système Eleu : Finney Dock Bao Orbital Elder Station Tem Station Pierce Gateway Bradshaw Station
- System 20 Ophiuchi:
Chargaff Port Artsebarsky Gateway
- List of uninsured services :
Munitions Market Display board Appurtenance Shipyard Equipment Black market
The authorities at these stations indicate that services will not be provided (will remain closed) until the Cerberus epidemic is contained and resources can be spared to work on equipment.
Once you've completed this step, move on to the next.
Tea delivery
On your journey to the HART station in the Bast system, imagine you're in the month of August 3301.
Many pilots travel with their cargo holds full of the precious tea, selling it at destination for a few precious credits;
But were they worth the risks? For the road is dangerous, and the lure of gain attracts many pirates who forbid pilots.
This route has been a particularly important community objective. Its success has made it possible to stem the Cerberus plague and put an end to the numerous disturbances on board the stations.
--- Hart Memorial ---
In October 3301, a memorial was commissioned for Hart Station in the name of the 100,000 victims of the plague and those who fought tirelessly against it. Unfortunately, this memorial is not visible from your ship, nor in the public areas accessible on foot. It stands somewhere on this station.
Once you've reached Hart Station, sell your tea unit(s). That's it, you've followed the plot of this adventure.
But, if you like, we can tell you about what happened in March 3302 and Palin, rendezvous in the Nganji system a hundred light-years from our position.
Once you've completed this step, move on to the next.
History of Palin and the Plague
Let's step back in time to March 3302, when the Plague is once again making its presence felt. There, just a few kilometers from the Christian Dock station, is a tourist beacon that you can scan. It tells us about Professor Ishmael Palin... Who, would you believe, is linked to the Cerberus Plague!
--- Instant Lore ---
Did you know that Professor Palin, eminent engineer and leading expert in Thargoid Research, was originally from this system? In fact, this is where the story of Palin, a former member of the Homeland Scientific Council, begins.
Originally a federal citizen, Palin became independent and set up the Palin Institute in Nganji in the year 3301. There, he carried out research on behalf of the Federation on Thargoid sensors. This is how he made a name for himself and became a reference in his field.
He eventually left the Palin Institute and ceded his position to an intimate: Professor Cora Shaw.
At the end of 3301 Palin asked the pilots for help in establishing a new research base in the Maia system (planet A3a), as close as possible to the Thargoid mysteries.
In March 3302, Palin and his team were kidnapped in the Orulas system by the Blue Hang Gang, a criminal organization intent on stopping the professor's research (read news).
Finally, thanks to a strong mobilization, his escape capsule is found. But soon, the health services realize that Palin has been poisoned by a new strain of Cerberus Plague while in custody (read news).
The latter reappeared a few months after its eradication, but fortunately, Heike's tea-based treatment was effective and cured the professor. A new community objective is therefore launched for the delivery of the precious tea (read news).
In October 3302, the Federation, in the midst of a cold war with the Empire, set up a blockade on Maia above Professor Palin's laboratory, with the aim of controlling all stocks of Thargoid meta-alloy.
This blockade will last almost a year until September 3303.
In July 3305, massive Thargoid attacks, notably on the Maia system and Palin's laboratory, forced the professor to leave the area aboard a mega-ship: Carson's Spring (see the news).
Professor Palin will set up his new laboratory in the Arque system (planet 4E). Here again, you can meet him to modify your ship's modules.
You can automatically finish this adventure by logging in to the site with your Frontier account.
You can also share your snapshots on discord in the channel #trophées !
