Commentary: Despite elaborate analysis very little was learned from the encounter. The metric waveform was unlike any known human drive system, with a decay rate suggesting an extremely efficient status transformation (see appended analysis). The copied response contained very little noise and distortion, suggesting an efficient sensor system and digital storage (see appended analysis), but no processing. The behavior of the ship remains mysterious; it has been suggested that it was not expecting the encounter and decided to return home to report rather than initiate contact (but this is contradicted by the return message), or that the message was considered threatening.
Analysis performed using AUTOBAHN system at a space-time distance of 2 light months suggests the following sequence of events: at 0045 MLRF at least 4 carrier-equivalent crafts enter the system within 0.4 AU of Storm. At 0047 FTL missiles strike Storm Control, BCB-43 and the planetary surface. Emissions indicate antimatter warheads. At 0050 emissions indicate the dispersal of at least 20 antimatter-propelled crafts, mainly towards Storm and the solar-polar industrial facility. At 0155 orbital antimatter bombardment of the surface of Storm begins. At 0212 the solar-polar facility is destroyed using antimatter warheads. The orbital bombardment of Storm ends at 0431 after a saturation of the stratosphere with hellflowers and 43 groundbursts. During the next 18 hours the crafts appear to search the system, destroying all detected human installation as well as some natural features. At 2215 MLRF a weak metric distortion suggest that the crafts leave the system.
The BCB system was briefly visited May16 by Takida-4, a fast courier ship sent from Ibrahim after repeated soliton signals went unanswered. The data gained suggested a near total biocide of Storm, the total destruction of all human installation and likely death of all humans in the system. Rescue frequencies were silent, and as the risk of scorpions was high Takida-4 immediately returned. During the Xi Ursae Majoris attack an ICMA squadron surveyed the system in January 3-4 2071, finding no evidence for scorpions or other remaining hostile forces.
Comments: This attack marks the first contact with the enemy. The attack on the system appears to have been overkill, striking at anything that could be a target. It is very notable for its extreme speed and force; the defense devices of Storm Control was completely inadequate.
Several unusual facts should be pointed out:
Comment: very little is known about the fate of al-Chwarizimi, despite several arabian attempts to study the remains. The undefended research station was likely an even easier target than Storm.
At 0543 GMTALF the carriers Secure, Iwiza and Euclid emerged above the ecliptic of Xi Ursae Majoris AB and at 0548 Nishido, Galit and Heisler in the ecliptic of XUM CD.Astrographic information
XUM is a quaternary system, consisting of two G-type stars and two magnitude 13 M dwarfs. The AB subsystem contains three planets (XUM A-I,II and XUM B-I), the CD one planet (XUM C-I) and an extensive asteroid belt (XUM C-IIA). XUM A-I,II and B-I are all mercury-type hot zone barren rock worlds, while XUM C-I is a saturn-type gas giant with 12 known moons. Initial scans had suggested alien presence in the XUM C system and at least one orbital construction at XUM A. [Full astrographic data enclosed]
At 0544 to 0556 the XUM AB team dispatched the in-system crafts, directed mainly towards the orbital structures at XUM A and a survey flight towards XUM B-II. They discovered an extensive orbiting facility (model enclosed) of a type strongly suggesting antimatter production; the subsequent detonation (0659) when attacked confirmed this. As the squadron approached they were attacked using antimatter missiles released from co-orbiting stations, and what appears to be alien fighter crafts (model enclosed). After the destruction of the orbiting facilities the fight moved outwards towards XUM B, where the survey flight attacked the alien crafts from the rear and destroyed them.
At 0613 to 0620 the XUM CD squadron spread towards the CD system; Heisler sent its crafts towards C-I while the others initiated a belt-sweep. At 0733 hostile contact was made near C-I-IX with similar fighter crafts. During the ensuing battle several ships were lost (see attached list), and help was requested from the Galit squadron, which arrived in 0841. Meanwhile the other ships were attacking numerous astroid bases; a strategic retreat and re- alignment was made at 0822. In 0900 the remaining hostile crafts in the C-I subsystem and the three orbital facilities orbiting the planet had been destroyed. The ships moved outwards to give support to the belt squadron (the Euclid group joined the battle in 1243). During the next 25 hours the ships continued the battle for the belt, destroying 221 installations and 49 fighter crafts.
During January 2 the system appeared to be pacified. Attempts to contact the remaining known installations were not answered, and an attempt to get close to an orbiting complex in the belt led to its self destruction. All signs indicated that no other activity was occuring in the system.
At 0456 January 3 the ships patrolling the C-IIA belt were suddenly attacked; a well coordinated surprise attack was made with resources from hidden asteroid bases all over the belt. In the ensuing confusion alien craft attacked the Nishido group near C-I- III and destroyed it at 0523. The commander of the Galit ordered a temporary withdrawal, but found that the enemy had prepared an englobement using scorpions and wasps. Secure, Iwiza and Heisler aligned for support, but as the situation deteriorated the commanders decided to organize a retreat from the system. At 0745-0751 January 3 the ships left the XUM system.
Commentary: This battle demonstrates the agility and coordination of the enemy, and the danger of underestimating it.
The alien crafts appear to be composed of three identical modules, each a double cone around twenty meters long and 3 wide. They are propelled either using antimatter or antigravity. Each carries at least ten semi-independent modules similar to human wasps. The regular black spots on their surface has not been identified; they may be decorations of some form of instrumentation.
The crafts are significantly more agile than comparable human crafts (accelerations of 100 Gs have been observed), but lack in size and ordnance capacity. The same is true for their wasp-equivalents, which have extreme agility but lacks acurracy. They appear to act together as a swarm instead of being hierarchically controlled or independent as human wasps. It is not known if the crafts are crewed or automated.
The spectral emissions of the crafts during annihilation suggests that the hull is mainly composed of beryllium and titanium. The interior seems to consist mainly of hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen and silicon. The amounts suggest a significant amount of water, either acting as a propellant or for life support. The carbon emissions suggested on the order of 700 kilograms of organic matter in each fighter.
Very notable: no communications between the crafts, the missiles or the orbital facilities was ever intercepted, despite long-range cooperation.
The orbital installations appear to be mainly industrial, with solar collectors likely serving as an energy source for antimatter production. They consist of regular hexagonal prisms combined with hexagonal solar collectors; both designs appear to be highly modular and extensible. Little is known about the interior of the installations, although detonations suggest that they contain significant amounts of antimatter and metal.
A very significant amount of activity appears to occur in asteroid bases, of which many are extremely well hidden.