01 NOV 3309
*Pilots’ Federation ALERT*
Crazed pilots that were killing civilians in the Shamash system have been eliminated.
The local security force vessels participating in Fleet Exercise Grey Swan were exposed to an anomalous signal, which then circulated through the fleet’s networked comms. This apparently triggered a violent mania that caused them to attack passing traffic.
Captain Ulrich Maurer of the megaship Khonsu Gleam announced that an operation to eliminate the threat had concluded:
“All Grey Swan ships have now been targeted and destroyed. Though tragic, this action undoubtedly saved many thousands of lives and has brought peace to the system once more. San Tu State Network, in agreement with Shamash Future, has agreed to reimburse all independent pilots who took part. Payments are available for collection at the Khonsu Gleam.”
Shamash Future confirmed that Garrett Orbital, which was locked down due to several of its crew becoming homicidal, is now functioning as normal. The scars of the survivors may take much longer to resolve, however.
Research has begun into the cause of this event, although few details of note has been identified. One possible explanation was floated by Jaya Chaudhary, host of historical ICE-cast Ghastly Pasts:
“The horror which unfolded in Shamash bears strong similarities to the fate of the generation ship Thetis. This vessel from the 22nd century was discovered in the Nefertem system in 3303. Logs describe how its entire population turned on each other in a murderous rage, after a signal was picked up while passing an unnamed planet. This ‘whispering’ sound compelled everyone who heard it to kill on sight.”
“The Thetis phenomenon had never been encountered before or since – until now. What was once a chilling tale from the pages of history has become a sickening reality. We do not know where the signal was transmitted, how it interacts with the human mind or whether we’ll encounter it again. These questions are attractive to researchers, but uncovering any answers may prove highly dangerous.”