COLONIAL FLEET MEMORANDUM
13 Aug 2041 AE
FR: LT(JG) Marko Scaurus (VAQ-141)
TO: MAJ Cidra Hahn (CAG, CVW-14), LT Kal Trask (CO, VAQ-141)
CC: MAJ Clive Tillman (XO), LT Cora Nikephoros (Intel)
RE: Saggitaron Reconnaissance Mission of 13 AUG 2041 AE
INCIDENT SUMMARY
Acting on orders from Major Hahn, we departed from the Cerberus' flight deck about 2115 hours and began to make the series of jumps that would allow us to reach Saggitaron without revealing our approach vector. We arrived in system at approximately 2120hrs (BSC time).
Upon entry into the system, we were able to detect no trace of Cylon presence in the space around Saggitaron, either in the form of basestars or patrolling raiders. Furthermore, we were surprised to find that the debris field from the recent battle had been completely cleared. Fearing this to by an enemy ruse, and that the Cylons were using the planet to hide their presence, we performed a high-orbit pass, again, we found nothing. As of the time of our departure from the system, there is no enemy activity in the space around Saggitaron.
With this established, we began our descent to perform our primary mission of reconnaissance and searching for survivors. Before entering the Colony's atmosphere, we employed Harrier-303's optics package and detected a series of nine (9) Cylon bases that had been built on the surface. Precise co-ordinates for these are included at the end of this report. The largest of these bases encompassed an area of roughly five square kilometers, with the others being significantly smaller. Because of operational constraints, we were unable to do a complete visual survey of the Colony and more bases could possibly exist on areas of the world we were unable to investigate.
Further investigation of these bases revealed that they were completely empty. No trace of Cylon presence, or of human life could be detected at any of the sites we surveyed. The purpose of these facilities and the reason for their abandonment are unknown. Though, LT(JG) Smythe reports having seen pens for human prisoners at some of the sites, I cannot faithfully report that I saw them myself. A full review of the fly-over images should be sufficient to determine if this report is true or a trick of light and shadow.
Upon concluding our investigation of the furthest Southwesterly of these bases, we detected a series of irregular heat blooms emanating from the jungles of Southwest Saggitaron. Believing this to be a potential Cylon threat or a sign of human survivors, we cut short our overflight of the Cylon bases and pursued this lead, as per our orders. The jungle area in question is, according to available reference material, a 'triple canopy rainforest' which made pinning these thermal anomalies down to a precise location impossible with the equipment on board.
However, also detected through Harrier-303's RF scanners, were a number of encrypted wireless transmissions of a type that conform neither to Cylon or Colonial military frequencies or known cryptography. Our RF scanners indicated we were receiving both incoming and outgoing transmissions of a frequency and modulation sufficient for long-distance, interplanetary communication. Attempts to decrypt these signals failed. It was noted by Averies that the patterns resembled an old, pre -war encrypt related to what she termed as a 'sect of antidisestablishmentarianists'. Interestingly, the directional finders indicated that at least some of the incoming and outgoing transmissions involved the Jharkand Basin. It was here that we ventured next.At the Jharkand Basin, we again detected a number of thermal anomalies, as well as wireless traffic.
It must be stressed that at no time during our reconnaissance mission did we make visual contact with a human survivor.
PERSONNEL
- LTJG Mara "Mouse" Smythe, Pilot: VAQ-141
- LTJG Marko "Flasher" Scaurus, ECO: VAQ-141
- Ms Sawyer Averies, Civilian Observer/Advisor
FULL REPORT
Please see attached.