What follows is a transcription of the recordings received by various ships in the HN-843 sector, in the period between 0604 and 0843 on 18/03/2XXX. Transmittor - unknown. Radio signature cannot be matched to any registered ship in the past four hundred years.

Commander: hello? hello? hello? can anybody hear me? This is the captain of the Asteroen speaking.

C:  Captain Andromache Flint, calling to transport vessel Santa Maria- 

Ship’s AI: "cargo bay hatch: opened" 

C: who the fuck-"

Unknown crewmember: "Captain, look - it says here that a single jump propelled us 4,382.43 lightyears...strange"

Ship’s AI:“navigation systems: malfunctioning…”

C: Calling to the Siphyd - Siphyd, do you copy?

 "it-she just dropped, I don't know what to do-" 

 C: ...low on fuel, we can hardly- we require immediate assistance, some of the crew are injured, some- [Commander is interupted by a crush occuring near the site of recording]

Ship’s AI: "escape pods: malfunctioning"

 C:   calling to all ships,

 C:   calling to all ships,

Ship’s AI: "life support-" [voice dies down, presumably out of power]

 C: hello?  please, does anybody copy?

            why won't you answer?