Coordinates B: Industrial Planet

It was difficult to see the surface of … through the thick smog still circling above its factories. Much of the planet's surface has been ravaged by cosmic storm damage, leaving large crevices in the homogenous industrial landscape. One of these presented a perfect landing opportunity for our ship.

There is no sign that any attempt was made to dismantle these production facilities. They were simply left behind, and many still contain production material. Analyzing this may allow us to understand what purpose the planet served within the ancient civilization's mercantile infrastructure. It might also tell us more about that celebrated machine referenced on ….

Early analysis of the industrial materials at use on … indicate a highly volatile makeup. These products were part of a larger process, and not to be used on their own. The substances were eventually transported through a system of conveyors towards a centralized collection depot.

From the surrounding scorch marks, it's clear that this depot was in constant use by interplanetary transport. The question is where was the product being delivered? Given the explosive nature of the cargo it could not have been far.

Nearby we discovered several shipping crates. Pains were clearly taken to securely package the contents, as the remnants of warning labels remain printed on the sides. Only one word is still legible: "Critical."

Our … quickly dismantled the precariously packaged crates.

Upon opening the first crate, a strong hiss denoted the presence of a climate controlled inner chamber, prompting a momentary panic that the contents might destabilize. Fortunately, they remained undamaged.

Closer inspection revealed a wonderfully crafted and carefully placed machine component, inside of which was a quantity of the volatile material produced by the factory.

A shipping label on the inside of the crate mentions something called 'Sectoral Disturbance Depressors.' Our … are unsure as to what this means, but given the heavy duty storage container and the warnings plastered on the outside of the crate, it must have been something important.

As such, we will bring the part aboard for further study. Our … should not spend more time on the harsh surface of … than necessary.