"Meeeeh…." That's the reaction that goes through your mind when you first taste the famous six-mushroom omelette from Lorrah Dock.
Many visitors have spoken highly of it on nearby networks. But as luck would have it, the banality of this dish will change the course of your day.
While your senses are not at all captivated by your meal, your ears are lost in the hubbub of the bar. You overhear a conversation between two people just a few feet away. You even stop chewing for a moment to take in the whole discussion. Finally, something interesting!
The secret conversation
What a strange discussion. The call of adventure awakens in you. You decide to set out in search of this lieutenant.
You recall their conversation and according to them, their last stop to look for a trace of the lieutenant was the Tseen Foo system. There must be something hidden there.
That omelette won't keep you any longer. After paying for your meal, you make your way down the hall stairs towards the elevators. Your ship's engine is ready, and off you go!
A listening post is hidden in the system. Find it with your FSS scanner.
Once you've discovered the message hidden in Tseen Foo, proceed to step 2
A thin trail
Eventually, you find a listening device. You scan the device and download its contents.
A partial message appears on your monitor.
Listening post
…Corrupted Transponder Signal ABW-372-A Detected,
Matches signal detected at listening posts: (hip 98406, swoiwns ym-j b 1-6)
Approximate Signal Range: 32-34 LY
Get out, abort, abort… long:-170.92903 ..they know……….
…Beacon Signal Lost..
Eventually, you find a listening post. But as this man said to Lorrah Dock: the message seems incomplete.
Yet there must be some way of finding out where this message was sent. Maybe you're missing some pieces...
The message has two correspondences: the system hip 98406 and the system swoiwns ym-j b1-6.
Once you've found your next destinations, move on to step 3
Gathering the pieces
You can easily discover that the message has two correspondences in two neighboring systems: Hip 98406 and Swoiwns ym-j b1-6.
This means that with the data from these other two messages, you'll be able to trilaterate the position from which the message was sent.
Go to the two systems with a match. Scan the hidden listening post to obtain the two missing parts.
Once you've obtained the 3 messages, continue with step
Listening post
You have the three incomplete messages. Put them together and you have the planet's coordinates, but you're missing the system.
Use your on-board computer to trilaterate.
PS: You can also do it yourself with this tool.
BINGO !
You are now organizing the other information gathered. You finally know your destination. Forward, detective!
The 3 messages give you the exact coordinates: Planet A 2, latitude -1.1357 and longitude -170.9290.
Once you've reached your target, move on to step 4
The hiding place finally identified
As you approach planet A 2, you point out the coordinates of the three incomplete messages and begin a descent to "UNLISTED WRECKAGE SITE".
The lieutenant's last known position.
You swoop down on the target and discover what looks like an uncharted shipwreck site.
The kind of place that looks more like a cover than anything else.
You take out your SRV and start exploring the base in search of a living soul... But no one!
You also notice signs of fighting on certain parts of the installation. You fear that a fight may have taken place.
Let's hope the lieutenant made it out alive!
Traces of fighting.
Maybe the lieutenant left a clue or a new lead... Uplink data links!!!
You download this data in the hope of finding out a little more.
The inside man 1/5
This is Lieutenant Stott, I’m in.
The gang bought the back story hook, line and sinker.
Once I have their confidence, I should be able to find out who’s funding these clowns.
The inside man 2/5
This goes deeper than we thought.
This is no petty gang of pirates, these guys are highly organised.
The gang leaders are a tight group and keep everything on a need to know basis, but I think I’ve found my way in.
The inside man 3/5
I was right !
We’ve uncovered a major crime ring here. Guns, drugs, bootleg liquor, slaves, protection rackets!
These guys have their fingers in every criminal activity in the sector. My plan to gain access to the leadership is a go.
I’ve just shown the boss evidence that one of his trusted lieutenants is leaking information to the local security services.
The inside man 4/5
I know what they’re saying about me.
I’ve switched sides, I’m a traitor. It’s not true. What I’ve done I had to do to maintain my cover, And it’s got me results.
I’ve stashed a data packet on a derelict ship on Belu B 1. Lat 7.15, Long -40.
It contains a full manifest for the gangs next big deal. The boss is going to be overseeing this one personally, it’s big and if we can catch them in the act, there’ll be no getting out of it.
ATTENTION: There's an error in the game: it's latitude 7.15 and longitude -40!
The inside man 5/5
Stott… Stott… Get out, abort, abort.
Operation has been compromised. They know about you.
We found a leak in Command, they’ve been working with the gang all this time. Get out now!
All the pieces of this great puzzle are falling into place in your head. You can't find any trace of Lieutenant Stott, but at least you know where he hid what he discovered.
Without wasting a second, you climb back into your ship and head for the hideout.
It's a long way to Belu B 1, but this may be your only chance to save Lieutenant Stott.
Once you've reached Belu B 1, go on to step 5
Hidden data
You are alerted by your on-board computer that the destination is in sight. It's not very clear, but you may have closed your eyes for a moment.
As you approach the planet, you launch reconnaissance probes to scan the surface.
"The Crashed Ship" finally appears!
You begin your descent.
After a few long minutes, the abandoned ship comes into view.
Stott's hideout.
The ship's old frame has been eaten away by time.
You'll notice that there's more debris from newer ships just around the corner. Maybe the lieutenant was shot trying to recover the data. Or maybe he was the one who shot down one of the pirates. Impossible to say at the moment.
If you find any occupied escape pods, take them away. Whether it's Stott or a pirate, you can't leave a human being here.
You notice that an on-board computer can be scanned on the anaconda's carcass. You deploy your scanner and start downloading the data...
"Encrypted data"... (These data are not obtained in the game; they are part of the adventure only. ) Perhaps your on-board computer can give you more information.
You climb back aboard your ship and try to decipher the data obtained from the carcass.
UNYONATNNL 3 N - JRYPBZR QRIVNGVBA
It's not much better... But you can't give up. This is clearly the trail Lieutenant Stott had discovered!
By applying an ROT13, the sentence is revealed: HALBANGAAY 3 A - WELCOME DEVIATION (cf Dcode.fr).
Once the destination has been decoded, go on to step 6
New trail
You've finally arrived in the Halbangaay system, but you still don't know what "Welcome Deviation" is. A station? A political party? A music group?
In any case, something is hidden here around the planet 3 A.
BINGO !
The listening post around Halbangaay 3 A.
Scanning it reveals its contents:
Matching Signals Detected: Kachirigin
This is it – I’ve reached my limit. I’ve been with these pirates for too long now and it’s time for me to leave. I know they won’t let me go willingly, I’m too important to them.
As well as joining in on raids I’ve – become the de facto bookkeeper, and that makes me invaluable. They’d rather kill me than let me leave.
But I have to go, and not just because this is a dangerous way to live. There’s no other way to say this, but I’ve fallen in love. Erin is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. It’s just my dumb luck that she also happens to be the daughter of our eponymous leader, Norman.
If he found out I know I’d be dead — bookkeeper or not. It’s risky but I have to make a plan the raid on the Welcome Deviation will be my last. We have to get away from here.
No kidding. The gang had a deserter in its ranks. Maybe he was Lieutenant Stott's accomplice.
Maybe that's how he got the information.
What's more, the message reveals what the Welcome Deviation is. Much to your chagrin, it's not a typical new local dish, but well and truly a ship.
So, the gang's next transaction was a raid on a capital ship.
A signal identical to this message seems to have been detected in the Kachirigin system!
Don't waste a second, the Welcome Deviation may still be safe and sound!!!!
Once the Welcome Deviation has been found, proceed to step 7
The operation revealed
You emerge from hyper-navigation facing the massive star of the Kachirigin system. Without missing a beat, you search for nearby signals...
The analysis starts...
You've got it: the Welcome Deviation!!!
At full speed, you reach her level and get out of super-navigation. You're stunned to discover that it's already too late!
The Welcome Deviation destroyed.
A lot of debris is floating around the ship's hull. The modules have all been destroyed, and nothing remains.
Scanning the ship, you discover that 3 data uplinks are still powered. What a miracle!
You scan them to discover their contents:
A way out 1/3:
I’m on a cargo ship. It’s called the Welcome Deviation, I think.
Just another in a long list of vessels this gang has ransacked, but I’m determined this will be my last.
I’m going to make my move soon. Just need the right opportunity.
A way out 2/3:
I’ve managed to hide some of the loot on this ship.
I’ll be back to pick up the stash when the rest of the gang have left.
Then with any luck Erin and I will be halfway across the galaxy before anyone realises we’ve gone.
A way out 3/3:
I’ve managed to pick up the loot. Now I’m taking off, literally.
I‘m going to rendezvous with Erin in the Gaura system. I can only hope Norman doesn’t try and come after us.
He'd planned it all, right from the start. Sneak out while Lieutenant Stott's men arrested the pirates.
Perhaps it was even his condition for delivering the location of the next raid to the lieutenant.
Stott's accomplice explains that he's fled to the Gaura system, so go and have a look... Even if your hopes are low.
Once in the Gaura system, proceed to step 8
Ears everywhere
Once in the system, you'll find no trace of Stott or his accomplice.
You search from top to bottom, but nothing...
This Norman definitely has eyes and ears everywhere. By now, Stott and his accomplice have almost certainly disappeared. Perhaps thrown into the vacuum of space.
You've done everything you can to track them down, but to no avail. This case is beyond you!
You've earned a break. Perhaps at Nowak Orbital, you heard recently that they have a very good chef in the station bar.
You can complete this adventure automatically by connecting to the site with your Frontier account.
Share your pictures of the Welcome Deviation on discord in the channel #trophées !
