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Shrouded in the steamy jungles of planet Tiris lies a major fossil fuel mining facility operated by the Post Terran Mining Corporation. Logged as MN1999, the facility known as Piccu Station is one of several such PTMC mining operations in the Beta Ceti system, including a massive new Special Research and Acquisitions Division laboratory complex, also on Tiris. Though Piccu was partially destroyed during the last outbreak of the alien Virus, the repairs to the station are nearly completed, and it has been fully operational for some time. That is, until approximately 56 hours ago.

Your callsign is Concord 6, and you are a promising young mercenary pilot on the company payroll for part-time Material Defender duties. Recruited by PTMC to clean up a series of mines during the Beta Ceti Virus Incident, you are no longer technically a "rookie" pilot, but that hasn't quite earned you the respect of other merc pilots yet. Rookie or not, the Director of Crisis Contingency Management, S. Dravis, is requesting you specifically, for an extended mission contract. Just over two days ago, PTMC lost contact with Piccu Station, and Dravis suspects a new outbreak of the Virus. Since it is believed that the Virus outbreak in Beta Ceti was eradicated on your last mission, Dravis suspects that you may not have done such an impressive job after all. That, or a new strain of the Virus has emerged to threaten PTMC holdings on Tiris.

During this operation, you will be offloaded by military transport at a rear entrance to the facility, and are expected to disinfect the station by eliminating all robots encountered inside. If indeed another Virus outbreak is the cause, then it's probable that the personnel have evacuated -- or worse. It is of great value to Dravis and the PTMC if you can recover any evidence of a new outbreak, and if so, its source. In addition, once the station is secure, you are to establish a data link with the head of Scientific Research at the nearby SRAD laboratory who will dispatch forces to quarantine the area. Once under SRAD control, the Virus can be fully researched and a means to prevent further outbreaks can hopefully be found.

You will pilot the Pyro-SE, a medium-armament vessel suitable for combat missions ranging from microgravity to Class XB heavy planetary gravity. Standard primary armament is two lasers; secondary armament consists of twin concussion missile launchers. The Pyro-SE will automatically pick up any PTMC-standard weapons and ammunition you find within the mine, and auto-config all weapon functionality with your Head-Up Display ("HUD") and control systems. Shield orbs, encapsulated energy units, and other PTMC-standard military accessories will be incorporated by the Pyro-SE to patch ship systems as needed.

Dravis has made it quite clear that the mission to Piccu Station is of the utmost importance to the PTMC, and that it is to be executed surgically and covertly, to avoid any unpleasant media attention which could further erode public confidence in the Corporation. Completion of this mission, Dravis assures, will likely earn you the insignia patch of Material Defender First Class, which of course comes with a modest pay increase, an offer that should appeal to a "rookie" like yourself.

Directory contents last updated: 2026.08.05