4: Before the scarecrow hits the floor

The entire Pfhor presence on this planet appears to be oriented around penetrating naturally occurring cave formations for some form of mineral resource. All major Pfhor installations attached to the local data net have been built into or based around caves which have been here longer then the Pfhor. I assume they intend to strip-mine the planet for war-metal. This would help explain the complexity of the local Pfhor data net. Noah seems to be quizzing the local net on the density and electromagnetic profile of the cave rock: he must think the caves would provide suitable protection from bombardment or teleportation.

The first wave of UESC troops have already established a presence here, but have come under heavy attack since the shields dropped. Heavy Pfhor reinforcements appear to be mobilising from within the cave system and refuse channels from the mines. Your role will be to support their defence, and scout ahead into the cave complex that this installation is built on. It is likely that they are simply strip-mining this planet... but I can't help but wonder if the Pfhor are looking for something. See what you can find.

As far as I can gather from the local service net, the Pfhor have set a major dig site at this location. What is more interesting, however, is that the white noise that has been permeating the communications infrastructure seems to have a local nexus within the dig tunnels. If we're lucky, we may establish a lead on what has happened to Noah. Interestingly, when I was querying the service net, I logged approximately three times as many local network nodes as are registered by the Pfhor data net map. This is unusual even for the clumsy approach of the Pfhor empire.

Either the bloated Pfhor beurocracy has impeded mapping of their own network structure, or the Pfhor are using a network which was not installed by them. Given the unusual constant stream of network interference, I am predisposed to assume the latter. My best guess so far is that Noah has somehow accessed these unregistered network nodes. See what you can find down there.

F9FC5C6447154B2A8A289342A579063096A32A52 fiery they fall 321// ~~75662ires of Orc 347.124.556[1463]//active[286csecu_feed{ this is Tatical Operations Art/~.1]hold[ connecting...#ificial Intelligence Isaac ::::remote.feed.timeout..please.hold:::: 2L/0.2]//as::compensating...::4.30.23.47] F9FC5C644715::connecting...::63096A32A52 stream.outid[ESRAI T4-HYB385ISA] of the UESC Venator1463]//active[2860.07.04:14. 30.23.47]//pressuredtransmitting on all UESC- and ESR- wavelengthsctivereturn[28 60.07.04:14.30.29.54]//pr s%urereturn[1. 2L/0.2]//passive[2860.07.04:14.30.23.47] F9C:7&under heavy fi&e_43279063096A32A52 streatrying to reach321//beinner syste_% 60.07.04:14.30.29.54//}...ssurereturn[1. 2860.07.04:14.30.25.49]//activereturn[28 fiery the Angels rise 7.04:14.30.23.47] F9FC5C6447154B2A8A289342A579063096A32A52

I've been monitoring logs of Noah's Pfhor data net access since the crash. Data he has found on the network would seem to imply that the caves we stand in were at one time inhabited by a single prominant species of native lifeform. We can only presume that the Pfhor presence has disturbed or actively eradicated what was once here. The resource base of the occupant Pfhor military is truely astounding. The information I can gather is marred by the usual Pfhor doublespeak and protocol, but the occupant forces appear to have access to unusually high castes of infantry, including a personal assassin clan under the direct control of Admiral T'fear.

There seems, too, to be a specific concentration of bleeding-edge electronics countermeasure technologies, as well as access to deep-mining technologies that have been bastardized from reclaimed ESR Industrial equiment. Whatever is happening here, the Pfhor are deadly serious about keeping this system-wide facility well-stocked. The caves you now stand in are logged in particular detail by the Pfhor. There is a lot of data to examine so I cannot yet be too specific, but be on the lookout for anything unusual. I get the feeling you stand somewhere important.

We're in trouble. My core is under attack. The Pfhor have located my core more easily than I would have anticipated, and have very nearly breached the final lines of defence. I think I spread our resources too thinly, but I'm not sure. I wasn't built for this kind of thinking. Noah would never have made this mistake. I need your help. Quickly!