Upon entering the solar system at the coordinates of 175, 94, spacefaring captains will pick up a distress call. This comes from a Captain Smelenuf of the Empire Colony Ship Lasthope, a drifting ship. The message was dated October 10, 3480. Smelenuf stated that two thirds of the colonists and his crew on board were dead and that they were going to try to set down on the first planet of the system, along with giving out the coordinates of the landing spot. An explosion had crippled his ship, forcing them to evacuate.