The Still Lady

Metaphysical / Paranormal event

A deep-space derelict divulges disturbing information.

In an empty patch of space, one of the Greenbriar probes discovered a derelict ship, built into an asteroid. The ship was crudely designed, little more than a hollowed out space rock with some engines attached. Seeing an opportunity for easy salvage, Billy Rigers and a small team boarded the vessel.    They were surprised to find a grisly scene aboard. Crewmen had been brutally murdered by religious cultists aboard, all swearing reverence to a being called The Still Lady.   The cultists fell upon the Greenbriar expedition party, and only quick thinking by venting the ship allowed the team to eliminate most of their opposition. Fighting their way to the bridge, they found eight cultists kneeling around a floating jet and gold pyramid, worshiping it. The object was somehow sustaining them, and shielding them from attack, though overwhelming heavy weapons fire finally broke the magical barrier.   A handful of prisoners were taken, along with the pyramid. A strange cloud began to manifest, signaling the time to evacuate for the team. Billy marked the location, and spike tugs dragged the ship home a few days later.   Upon learning the cultists were from Acastus, Desmond returned to the vessel, now in Gudrun space, with Billy. The being manifested again, this time announcing herself as The Still Lady- and she promised to ease their suffering, and their lives if they would but embrace her. With both unwilling, she triggered a lifeboat with her essence aboard, heading toward the planet. A race to intercept the pod before it hit the surface began, the Lone Star narrowly scoring a direct hit with its torpedo launcher.   Desmond had a vision that she is not gone, her essence slowly reforming on Acastus, and she swore she was not done with them.   Over the following month the object was relentlessly studied, the young researched Devnoc finally applying a bit of heat from a welding torch- causing the pyramid to burst open.   Some type of strange, MES like energy erupted from the cube- crossing the planet in a forceless blue wave. Gudrun is slowly changing under the influence of this new power, though to what end remains to be seen.