View source for Serene Harbour

{{SettlementInfobox
| image               = Serene Harbour.png
| system              = R CrA Sector AF-A d42
| body                = 3 b
| coordinates         = 56.42, -8.35
| affiliation         = [[Imperial Intelligence]]
| logs                = 4
| discovered          = January 28, 3307
}}
'''Serene Harbour''' is an abandoned [[settlement]] located on planet 3 b in the R CrA Sector AF-A d42 system. Based on logs recovered from the site, it was a secret prison and interrogation facility operated by [[Imperial Intelligence]]. Almost all of the prisoners and staff were killed on January 26, 3307, after a team of soldiers in Imperial uniforms sparked a riot to provide cover for the rescue of a group of prisoners designated "Theta Group", who were members of the [[Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army]]. A distress signal activated by Serene Harbour's commandant, Captain [[Gabriel De Luca]], was picked up on January 28, and independent pilots subsequently discovered the facility. The [[Empire]] officially denied any knowledge of Serene Harbour and alleged the facility and the logs were fabrications created by the [[Federation]] to damage the Empire's reputation, but this claim was refuted by the exposure of the [[Lords of Restoration]] conspiracy in February 3308.

== History ==
Since the start of the [[Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army]]'s attacks in September 3306, a number of [[Marlinist refugee crisis|Marlinists]] arrested by the [[Imperial Internal Security Service]] were turned over to [[Imperial Intelligence]] for interrogation at the covert prison Serene Harbour. On January 20, 3307, Serene Harbour received a group of NMLA members captured in LTT 1935 who were designated "Theta Group". Commandant [[Gabriel De Luca]] personally oversaw their interrogation, but the prisoners proved unusually resilient. On January 26, a supply shuttle that was intended to delivered a new piece of interrogation equipment arrived, but used Imperial Intelligence protocols to disable Serene Harbour's security systems, allowing all of the facility's prisoners to riot. The shuttle deployed a unit of soldiers in Imperial uniform who eradicated the prison's staff and all prisoners except Theta Group. The assumed ringleader of Theta Group, [[Theta Seven]], then used the interrogation equipment transported by the shuttle to torture Commandant De Luca to death before he, his cohorts, and the soldiers departed aboard the shuttle.<ref name="Serene Harbour Logs">[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/galnet-twitter-an-unknown-vessel-needs-our-help.564188/ Frontier Forums: Galnet & Twitter: "an unknown vessel needs our help!"]</ref>

A public distress signal activated by De Luca was picked up by [[Commander]] Elsa Solomon on January 28 as she passed through the Swoilz XX-D c1-30 system. She reported the signal to the [[Pilots Federation]], who issued a general request to scour systems within an 80 light-year radius of Swoilz XX-D c1-30 for the signal's source.<ref name="Distress Call">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/6012b579de0817548b161589 GalNet: Request for Pilots to Trace Distress Call]</ref> Later that day, Theta Seven himself sent an encrypted tranmission to the Pilots Federation containing the surface coordinates for Serene Harbour.<ref name="Anonymous Location">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/6012e18984e09d125e030977 GalNet: Anonymous Source Refers to Distress Call Location]</ref> Independent pilots discovered the Serene Harbour settlement soon after and recovered the commandant's personal logs. Based on what De Luca witnessed, it appeared that the NMLA had infiltrated Imperial Intelligence or had NMLA sympathizers within its ranks.<ref name="Serene Harbour Logs" />

[[Senator]] [[Karl Nerva]] spoke to the media on February 3, 3307 about Serene Harbour, denying that the site had any association whatsoever with Imperial Intelligence or the Empire. He claimed that Serene Harbour and Commandant De Luca's logs were a disinformation scheme staged by the [[Federation]] to damage the Empire's reputation, and offered assurances to the public that Imperial Intelligence acted within the law at all times and was prepared for all possible threats. He did confirm that Gabriel De Luca was a member of Imperial Intelligence, but clarified that the commandant had died years earlier and his identity had presumably been stolen.<ref name="Empire Denies">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/601a9e6c37048e1ffb13f4b4 GalNet: Empire Denies Existence of Secret Prison]</ref>

In February 3308, Senator Nerva was exposed by the [[Affiliated Counter-Terrorism unit]] as a member of the [[Lords of Restoration]], a cabal of senators, corrupt Imperial Intelligence agents, and [[Darkwater Inc]] contractors that had secretly provided resources to the NMLA in an attempt to eliminate the [[Imperial Family]] and restore executive authority over the Empire to the [[Imperial Senate]].<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/620a5094eb024118526134da GalNet: ACT Exposes the Lords of Restoration]</ref> This development indicated that the Serene Harbour logs were almost certainly genuine, and the Lords had used their cohorts in Imperial Intelligence to free Theta Group from the prison to allow the NMLA to resume its terror campaign.

== Logs ==
{| class="article-table mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1"
! Log No.
! Log Text
|-
|1/4
|COMMANDANT’S LOG SH-343 20/01/3307 18:30

A new group of inmates were delivered today — Theta Group. My guards gave them the usual welcome that all our guests have to go through. Afterwards they were assigned their designated numbers. Nobody gets to use their name here, myself included. Even these voice logs are automatically processed to remove all identifying markers. It makes our job much easier, knowing there were never any real people at Serene Harbour.

Everyone In Theta Group is a confirmed member of the NMLA. We’ve had Marlinists here before, but they didn’t last long before telling us what we wanted to know. The IISS were grateful for the information, and their raids on terrorist cells were very successful. As always, we’re happy to let them take the credit. As long as it keeps the spotlight away from Imperial Intelligence.

What’s slightly unusual about these Marlinists is where they were captured. Prisoner files say they had an advanced workshop hidden in LTT 1935, a Federal system. It’s thought that these were the people who built the enzyme bombs that were used in the starport attacks last year. So we have some real celebrities in our cells.

It’s a mystery to me Why everyone is so scared ofthe NMLA. I’ve handled radicals like them before. Emperor’s Dawn, Silver Oracle, League of Reparation… they all broke eventually. These will break too.
|-
|2/4
|COMMANDANT’S LOG SH-343 24/01/3307 19:12

Theta Group are proving to be harder to crack than I expected. Most of them haven’t said a word so far. Screams don’t count as words, obviously.

The man we think is their leader, Theta Seven, is supposedly something of an engineering genius, despite being covered in corrosive scars. During questioning, he just closes his eyes and lets it happen. Something tells me he might have gone through this before.

A few of the others are more vocal, but not with anything useful. Theta Twelve just spits abuse, whereas Theta Two is always shouting some nonsense about ‘remembering the nine martyrs’. She’s using a technique I’ve seen from other extremists, where they self-reinforce by reminding themselves of their cause. But they don’t usually hold out for this long.

We’ve been told that these terrorists need to look healthy and intact for a public execution, which limits our usual methods. Therefore, I’m taking an alternative approach. I’ve requested a neurosensory amplifier to be loaded onto the next supply shuttle. It’s a delicate piece of medical equipment, so I told them to mark it as fragile.
|-
|3/4
|COMMANDANT’S LOG SH-343 25/01/3307 00:22

Situation report. We have a major incident. A large-scale security breach is in progress. I cannot explain how this has happened, but… the prisoners are no longer in captivity. They got free. All of them!

Just as the supply ship was coming in to land, most of our automated systems shut down simultaneously. Cell doors unlocked, electric barriers were disabled, even the sentry Skimmers outside just dropped to the ground. And the inmates came surging out – too many to stop.

I managed to reach my office, but I’m watching what’s going on via the monitors. It’s brutal. Several of my men have been killed already. There are prisoners running riot everywhere, smashing whatever they can find, although… Theta Seven hasn’t joined them. He’s still sitting in his cell, even though the door’s open. It looks like he’s waiting.

Could he have done this? Top-rank Imperial Intelligence officers have override codes giving them remote control of assets, which would explain this security shutdown. But Theta Seven can’t know those codes, unless he’s stolen them somehow?

All of Theta Group look calm, like they knew this was going to happen. Maybe that’s how they resisted our questioning for so long... they had hope. They probably timed this so they could hijack the supply ship and escape.

But it’s not going to work. I’ve ordered my remaining guards to retreat to the control room and await reinforcements. We anticipated breakout attempts like this, which is why all our shuttles carry a full squad of combat troops. I can see them on the external cameras now, leaving the ship and heading inside. They look heavily armed. Good. I think we’ll have everything locked down again soon.
|-
|4/4
|COMMANDANT’S LOG SH-343 25/01/3307 00:58

This is an emergency broadcast on all frequencies from Serene Harbour. We are an Imperial Intelligence detention facility, and I’m the... my name is Commandant Gabriel De Luca, ID code XTU67065. I might… might be the only survivor. There’s been a breakout. A massacre!

The soldiers from the ship killed them all. They just stormed in and started shooting, gunning down prisoners and guards alike. I watched it happen, all the corridors filled with laser fire, the bodies piling up. My men didn’t stand a chance.

They wiped out every single person... except Theta Group. The troops let them live. More than that, they escorted them back to the ship like they were senators!

Why are our own soldiers doing this? Are they… has the NMLA infiltrated Imperial Intelligence? Used our override codes against us? It sounds impossible. It must be impossible!

I’m not sure if this transmission is getting through. They might be jamming our comms. I’ll try again once the ship’s taken off. I don’t know why it’s still Sitting there, or what the hell is happening -

Wait. I can see on the monitors, two people have come back in through the airlock. They’re still suited, I can barely see their faces through the helmets, but one looks badly scarred… Theta Seven! It’s got to be. Why has he come back?

They’re heading inwards, past all the corpses. I think they’re… I think they’re heading for my office. And they’re carrying something between them. A large steel box with writing stamped on it, that says... it says...

Fragile.
|}

== Timeline ==
{{Scrollbox-begin}}
07 JAN 3308
*[[Senator]]s have refuted [[Affiliated Counter-Terrorism unit|ACT's]] claim that the [[Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army|NMLA]] made use of official but highly secret [[Empire|Imperial]] communications devices. Captain [[Saskia Landau]] maintains that the terrorist group's dark-comms network was very similar to the [[Omega Grid]], an undetectable messaging system used exclusively by [[Imperial Intelligence]]. Senator [[Karl Nerva]] told the media: "In her desperation to seek out the NMLA, Captain Landau is chasing shadows. Imperial Intelligence must operate under total secrecy, but I assure you that this 'Omega Grid' is just as much of an invention to discredit the Empire as Serene Harbour was. Landau has overstepped her authority with these outlandish accusations. I once again propose that ACT be disbanded and its operatives returned to normal duties." The [[Imperial Herald]] reported that other senators are calling for [[Emperor]] [[Arissa Lavigny-Duval]] to overrule those who are blocking ACT's investigation. The [[newsfeed]] highlighted that she did not attend any functions in person during the past year, and has not broadcast any public messages. In response, [[Chancellor]] [[Anders Blaine]] gave this statement: "Her Majesty was placed under secure protection in early 3307 after several failed assassination attempts by the NMLA. She has been communicating remotely with the [[Imperial Senate|Senate]] on all official business, but does plan to return to [[Capitol]] very soon."<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/61d87063b2c1d9324e172402 GalNet: Imperial Intelligence Denies NMLA Connection]</ref>
08 NOV 3307
*The creators of the [[Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army|NMLA's]] caustic enzyme bombs have been arrested, although the terrorist figurehead [[Theta Seven]] remains at large. Theta Group is directly responsible for 17 [[starport]] bombings conducted by the NMLA across the [[Core Systems|core systems]]. These attacks resulted in a combined death toll of almost 800,000 people, with twice as many suffering serious injury. Senior Agent [[Tanya Ramirez]], one of the [[Affiliated Counter-Terrorism unit]]'s co-leaders, told the media: "We have finally tracked down the NMLA's bomb-making engineers, and a joint task force made the arrest with minimal casualties. Large quantities of [[Thargoid]] corrosives and explosive components were also seized. This achievement was only possible due to intercepting Theta Group's communications with Neo-Marlinist sympathisers. We are unsure why the NMLA's dark-comms network was not used in that instance. As our intel predicted, the group's leader Theta Seven was not among those we captured. We have confirmed that he and a handful of followers disappeared after the bombings in July, anticipating their imminent capture. ACT will not rest until the galaxy's most wanted terrorist has been brought to justice." The name 'Theta Group' was assigned to the bomb-makers during their incarceration at Serene Harbour, an [[Imperial Intelligence]] penal facility in the R CrA Sector AF-A d42 system. After escaping, their leader adopted his prisoner designation – Theta Seven – as a reaction to what he viewed as dehumanising treatment of Neo-Marlinists by the [[Empire]].<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/618408bbda7f467e00745f08 GalNet: ACT Captures Theta Group]</ref>
19 MAR 3307
*Private investigators [[Erik Gunnarson]] and [[Francesca Wolfe]] review the [[Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army]].<br/>Gunnarson: "We don't usually get involved with political cases, but it's hard to ignore the [[Nine Martyrs|largest terrorist attack in history]]. The NMLA is a radical offshoot of Marlinism, a democratic movement named after the [[Republic of Achenar]]'s original ruler, [[Marlin Duval]]. Most are peaceful protester types, but Neo-Marlinists want to overthrow the government by permanently removing the [[Imperial Family]]. What nobody knows is how the NMLA went from minor troublemakers to interstellar terrorists. The starport bombings last September came from nowhere, and their assassins have killed many [[Empire|Imperial]] bigwigs including Prince [[Harold Duval]]. Smart money was on them being funded by Empire's enemies, but now the NMLA treat the [[Alliance]] and [[Federation]] as equal targets. Hitting all three superpower capitals was a hugely symbolic gesture, and should have been impossible. How did they bypass security and plant explosives without detection? Who the hell are these people? Even [[Wallglass Investigations Agency|Wallglass]] doesn't have a clue. But we won't stop searching."<br/>Wolfe: "Despite my enquiries – and some unauthorised snooping – there's no trace of the rumoured NMLA bomb factory in LTT 1935. But it did once exist, because the Empire captured its occupants. Not that they'll admit it. 'There is no such place as Serene Harbour', right? Well, I've been to R CrA Sector AF-A d42 3b and seen it myself. It's bleak. Hope-crushing. And yet the NMLA prisoners listed as Theta Group escaped, broken out by what seems like [[Imperial Intelligence]] double-agents. That genuinely scares me. If the NMLA can worm inside the most shadowy security organisation in known space, they could be anywhere. And none of us are safe."<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/60549ee6523a1708b207c060 GalNet: Galactic Mysteries: The NMLA]</ref>
12 MAR 3307
*[[President of the Federation|Vice President]] [[Brad Mitchell]] and a number of [[Federation|Federal]] Cabinet members have been killed in the recent [[Nine Martyrs|terrorist attack]] on a [[starport]] orbiting [[Earth]]. The [[Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army|NMLA]] planted caustic enzyme explosives at [[Li Qing Jao]] station, where a government meeting was taking place. The VP and Cabinet members were confirmed to be among tens of thousands of casualties. Eight other starports across all three superpowers were simultaneously bombed. President [[Zachary Hudson]], who was attending the [[Galactic Summit]] during the attack, made this statement: "This atrocity is nothing less than a declaration of war, and we will respond accordingly. For now, we mourn the loss of my close friend Brad Mitchell and other heroes of the Federation. I will personally appoint replacements to their positions soon." The Federation has directly accused the [[Empire]] of being responsible, by allowing Neo-Marlinist bomb-makers to escape from a secret prison facility. The [[Imperial Senate]] reiterated that 'Serene Harbour' does not exist and is part of a Federal disinformation campaign. Followers of [[Marlin Duval|Marlinism]] have also received much public criticism. The [[Marlinist Colonies]] have repeatedly stressed that they do not support the NMLA and are unconnected to the attacks. Independent pilots have been asked to assist rescue and repair operations in the [[Achenar]], [[Alioth]], [[Eotienses]], [[Gateway]], [[Kamadhenu]], [[Lave]], [[Nanomam]], [[Rhea]] and [[Sol]] systems.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/604b64ec0edb312109560151 GalNet: Starport Bombing Casualties Include Federal Vice President]</ref>
03 FEB 3307
*<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pilots Federation ALERT*<br/>An [[Imperial Intelligence]] detention facility discovered in the R CRA Sector AF-A d42 system has been repudiated by the [[Empire]]. The outpost, named Serene Harbour, was located after its distress call was shared publicly by the [[Pilots Federation]]. According to the [[Commander]] Andee-X- who first investigated the site, all its occupants were dead as the result of what appeared to be a prisoner breakout. Unlike the [[Imperial Internal Security Service]], the Imperial Intelligence organisation has no spokespeople or public channels. However, [[Senator]] [[Karl Nerva]] told the media: "The claim that high-security prisoners and terrorists are being tortured for information in an unregistered outpost is categorically false. There is no such place as 'Serene Harbour'. We believe that independent pilots have been duped by a [[Federation|Federal]] ploy to undermine the Empire, using fake locations and logs for theatrical effect. I assure all citizens that Imperial Intelligence operates fully within the law and remains vigilant against all threats." When asked about Commandant [[Gabriel De Luca]], who was identified by surviving logs at the outpost, Senator Nerva replied: "Captain De Luca was indeed an agent of Imperial Intelligence, but died on active duty several years ago. It's obvious that this respected hero's identity has been stolen to add credibility to anti-Imperial disinformation."<ref name="Empire Denies" />
28 JAN 3307
*<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pilots Federation ALERT*<br/>An encrypted message seems to provide planetary coordinates related to the mysterious signal from 'Serene Harbour'. The message received by the [[Pilots Federation]] was as follows:<br/>Welcome to Serene Harbour. 56.4 latitude -8.3 longitude. [[Theta Seven]].<br/>Although this pinpoints a geographical area on a planetary surface, the astronomical location of this body remains a mystery. It is unclear whether 'Theta Seven' refers to additional map coordinates of some kind, or is a code-phrase intended for unknown recipients. Little is known about the original distress call, other than its brief content:<br/>This is an emergency broadcast on all frequencies from Serene Harbour. We are –<ref name="Anonymous Location" />
28 JAN 3307
*<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pilots Federation ALERT*<br/>An independent vessel has detected a fragment of a mysterious message coming from an unexplored region of space. [[Commander]] Elsa Solomon was travelling through the Swoilz XX-D c1-30 system when her ship's communications array picked up a faint transmission. The message was as follows:<br/>This is an emergency broadcast on all frequencies from Serene Harbour. We are –<br/>The transmission ended abruptly and did not resume. The signal did not contain any identification data or indications as to its origin. Commander Solomon gave more details to [[Vox Galactica]]: "The message appeared in my comms panels as text and an electronically generated voice. I wasn't able to determine a source, only that it was broadcast within 80 light years of that system. My schedule was tight so I couldn’t spend long tracking it. I have no idea if Serene Harbour is a [[starport]], a [[settlement]] or even a [[megaship]], but this is obviously a mayday signal. Someone somewhere is in serious trouble. I've asked the [[Pilots Federation]] to share the information in case any of my fellow Commanders can help." To help triangulate the source, there is a callout to any other ships that were in the area at the time, which may have received a similar broadcast. However, no responses have been received as yet.<ref name="Distress Call" />
{{Div-end}}

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Empire]]
[[Category:Lore]]
[[Category:Settlements]]
[[ru:Serene Harbour]]