THE FIRST EXPEDITION

Preparations were never the strong suit of Cantor-13's personnel, especially with the ongoing crisis surrounding the walls of their facility. Contacting AEON and attempting to bring the support of the broader Eusan Nation became a top priority, though many were skeptical if the events that led up to Cantor-13's besiegement potentially led to the extinction of life as they knew it. There was nothing that could confirm the existence of life beyond the bulkhead without cycling it first, -- and so the first ever expedition was established.

It consisted primarily of a wide range of Volksarmee personnel, having woken up out of cryo-stasis several cycles prior and having been cobbled up to make this kind of effort work. The rest of the facility and its Protektors were forced to stand on guard in case something were to happen or reinforcements were needed. The force would be sent out to search the ruins of what used to be Cantor-13's 'Third Floor', which was entirely abandoned with scattered garbage littering the hallways and rooms.

Eventually, the team made their way inside of an intersection before being ambushed by their first group of hostile attackers. They took on the appearance of their Comrades; overtaken by some kind of fungal growth that sprouted along their bodies. Several hours later, the expedition team was able to defeat a large wave of enemies before sending themselves back through their bulkhead to rest. Now, the existence of hostile life was confirmed-- but a threat bigger than the Imperials appeared to have emerged.

What was this strange growth covering the bodies of their fallen Comrades? Were they dead, and their corpses were reanimated? Or were they conscious, and simply gone mad?