Galdate 2-16-5625

The crew was tasked with running mail to the mining outpost, UMC-249AZ-1X, in the Villissard System, with an additional task of the contract to transport miner personnel to another nearby system. The crew of Orion’s Belt arrived in the Villissard System, several hours away from outpost UMC-249AZ-1X. Despite several attempts, there was no response from the station, but automated navigation indicators appeared to be operational and there was a recent solar flare, likely explaining communication problems with the station.

Upon nearing the station, its MADS (Meteoroid Automated Defense System) activated and targeting the ship. Hemorrhaging fuel and severely damaged, the craft limped into the docking bay. The crew found the hangar deserted, powered with emergency lighting, and much of the dock in disarray. Investigating further the company discovered the hangar fuel depot lines were opened and their contents jettisoned. All emergency life support pods were also activated remotely, absent of any passengers.

Investigating further in the seemingly abandoned station, the group found what looked like some type of battle with makeshift barricades and damage from light arms. Exploring further they were attacked by personnel infected somehow, acting like slow moving automatons and hideously disfigured. The crew reached an administration center and met with a survivor, Dr. Delia Sanders. She explained that weeks ago miners were exposed to some type of fungal pathogen. This overtook their brains and made them act as shambling creatures intent on beating and slaying uninfected staff. A fellow survivor was locked in the main station control room, protected by several lumbering repair droids.

The group tried to negotiate with the other survivor to discover he had initiated a chain reaction with the fission reactor. He had dumped the fuel and jettisoned any lifepods, convinced the fungal pathogen was airborne, and certain the station needed to undergo a thermonuclear explosion in order to kill the infected so that no trace reached other systems.

Dr. Delia Sanders explained there was a cure and infection was not airborne, but through physical contact and abrasions fighting with the transformed personnel. The crew made frantic repairs, finally storming the station control room to speed up refueling efforts, killing the barricaded survivor in the process.

In a frantic race against time, the group rushed to Orion’s Belt. Only to be attacked by some type of monstrosity which appeared to be a fusion of several infected crew. Inflicting mortal wounds with withering firepower, the group escaped the station with Dr. Sanders accompanying them. As the mining station self-destructed in a nuclear fireball, the ship jumped to the Aldeirook system.