Unlock: Distress Lanius Ship feeding on Beacon

Occurs in:

1. Lanius Swarmlands
 at a distress beacon.

This event can lead to unlocking the Lanius Cruisers, but the player must first assist the civilians and then **communicate with the vessel** to learn about the Beacon Eater before defeating them, otherwise you won't be able to continue the quest. Once the player asks the civilians about the Beacon Eater, they will be given said Lanius' location. To finally unlock the ship, the player must defeat the Beacon Eater by any means.

## Event

Ship: None

*It appears the distress call is coming from a civilian station. One of the few brave souls left trying to defend their weak claim to this territory, it seems they've now fallen victim to some sort of attack. Fearful help will never arrive, they're willing to pay you to sort out the issue. They just give one warning - these Lanius aren't like the usual.*

1. Promise to assist.
	* *The civilians weren't kidding about the Lanius being... different. A feverent and bizarrely colored Lanius vessel is disassembling the nearby beacon. If they succeed, it would cut off the entire system from the Atlas!*
		1. Contact the Lanius.
			+ *"Interruption not! Gathering! Gift the Beacon Eater! Queen demanding!" With that brief refusal, the Lanius go back to tearing apart the beacon. The only evident option here is to fight!*
				- Fight the ship with knowledge of the "Beacon Eater".
		2. Fight the ship.
			+ *You decide the best option to handle the situation is to fight the Lanius ship.*
				- Fight the ship.
2. We have other matters to attend to.
	* *Lanius are no small threat and you aren't sure its a good idea to get involved with any 'strange Lanius', especially when you have a much more important mission at hand.*
		1. Do something aboard the ship
		2. Do nothing.

## Fight the Harvester

If you have contacted the Lanius before fighting them, the following text is appended to the outcomes below: *But what the hell is a 'Beacon Eater'?*

* (**After destroying enemy ship**) *The Lanius ship splits apart. Luckily, the beacon still remains intact but heavily damaged.*
* (**After killing enemy crew**) *No more life signs detected on the Lanius ship. Luckily, the beacon still remains intact but heavily damaged.*
	+ You gain a **high** standard reward.
		- Contact the civilians.

## Contact the Civilians

*"Thank you so much, you saved us from what could have been a slow and painful death from isolation. I don't know what we were thinking building a station here... Hopefully the beacon will remain functional until a repair team can arrive, but for now let us pay you for your assistance."*

* You gain a **medium** standard reward.
	1. **(Contacted the Lanius)** Ask if they know what the 'Beacon Eater' is.
		+ *"Oh... I know a little. From what I understand, he goes by many names. I've heard he feeds exclusively on beacons, which is where his current name comes from. The King of the Lanius Swarm is extremely ancient and vindictive. His swarm is the one that has claimed this territory, and they've been terrorizing the settlers here ever since the Civil War. I'm not sure what you could possibly hope to do, but if you could try and stop the attacks, I'm sure the Union as a whole would be grateful."*
			- You gain a quest marker
				1. Thank them and carry on.
					* Nothing happens.
				2. Stay behind and take some time to harvest beacon parts to bring with you.
					* *You scoop up some of the parts left behind from the battle. The Rebel fleet will likely be catching up to you by now, but you can probably use these later.*
						+ You gain the Beacon Parts augment and the fleet pursuit is doubled by **1** jump.
	2. **(Did not contact the Lanius)** Continue...
		+ Nothing happens.

## The Beacon Eater

*You've certainly found... something. A humongous artificial mass of garbage hastily thrown together from millions of tons of scrap metal hosts a swarm of Lanius, flickering about like bees in a beehive. None of the ships pay you any mind, but rather carry with them heaps of metal to add to the structure. In the center of the massive sphere between it all, you notice a much more refined vessel of gigantic proportions.*

1. Approach.
	* *A crackling sound screams through your intercom, followed by a robotic voice. It seems they have a much better translator, because you can actually understand what they're saying, minus some grammar issues. "Pestulent outsider. Our kind endured millenia of suffering under the Forefathers, and stand here triumphant. Still, you learn not to grant us the space and respect of the last standing elder race? Get OUT of my territory, or I will tear apart your puny bodies like your invasive beacons I devour."*
		1. This guy and his swarm are a threat, and we need to destroy them.
			+ *You raise the weapons and attack the Beacon Eater. Indignant towards you for attacking, the cruiser lurches forward to meet you. "If this is your choice, be it so. I will look forward to your death."*
				- Fight the Beacon Eater.
		2. Try to negotiate with them to stop eating beacons.
			+ *You try in vain to negotiate with the Beacon Eater. "You are deaf? Unclog ears and listen to words I am saying. This sector belongs to my people. You are invaders. Pests. If you desire your own extermination so much, then I will appease you."*
				- Fight the Beacon Eater.
2. Dear god, this thing is huge. We have to leave.
	* Nothing happens.

## Fight the Beacon Eater

* (**After defeating the enemy ship by any means**) *As the Beacon Eater falls, defeated, the entire swarm around you freezes in apprehension. In one last desperate effort, the Beacon Eater claws his way through your airlocks, dragging his deteriorating body towards you. "I... I have lived longer than your species has been alive. Yet, this is how I dying? Pity..."*
	1. (Beacon Parts) We still have the beacon parts. Give them to him.  (does not appear as blue in-game)
		+ *The Beacon Eater assimilates the part into his body, healing rapidly. "You... you have saved me. This is unusual mercy." The elder Lanius attempts to stand as his body continues to take back its original shape. "I have never known such gratitude of outsiders. The Forefathers... they never would have done the same."*
			- You lose the Beacon Parts.
				1. The Forefathers?
					* *"I dare not speak their name. Long ago, there were 5 ancient empires. The Imperials, the Dynasty, the Swarm, the Utopians, and... the Forefathers. They made the technology you use to lay war on existence. In the end, they destroy themselves and nearly all other empires. Only the great Swarm resist them! In my immortality I have lived through the worst of those days. It is where I have learned to trust none but my own. If all kinds tended to themselves, and themselves only, war there wouldn't be."*
						1. Sounds like what the Rebels want.
							+ Recruit the Beacon Eater.
	2. He won't last long, just put him out of his misery.
		+ *A blaster charge to the back of the head is all it takes to finish off the once threatening King of the Lanius. The Lanius ships outside stir once again, and you receive several hails at once.*
			- Respond.
				* *It seems the entire swarm had been watching the spectacle. "Outsider King murder! Bow, bow!" You can't stay for long, but accept the tribute from the concerned Lanius and hope that this victory will be enough to discourage the ravaging of Union settlements a little longer.*
					+ **You unlock the Lanius Cruiser**, gain a **high** standard reward and a random Weapon.

## Recruit the Beacon Eater

* *"You compare me to the visions of the great tyrant Wentworth? I am insulted; had you not bested me here, dead you would be now. My ship... it is in ruins. I have a great debt to pay off, and an insatiable curiosity. I will journey with you and see if your people are worthy. If you are truly different from the Forefathers. Perhaps... perhaps we can yet find truce."*
	+ **You unlock the Lanius Cruiser**, gain a **high** standard reward and a random Weapon.
	+ The Beacon Eater joins your crew with level **1** in all skills.
		1. Continue...
			- Nothing happens.
		2. Ask about the strange Lanius ship you saw earlier.
			1. *You explain to the Beacon Eater the origins of the gift. "Hmm... the Anointed returns. Long ago, my people had great schism. In the end, two halves were made. The repugnant 'Augmented' left on a great exodus to harness the power of the Forefathers. The rest, pure and clear minded, remained loyal to me. We do not speak of them unless we must. Be fortunate it is you who carried this gift. If it were them, I would have waged a war so great it would tear the galaxy in half. How dare she try to settle such irreconciliable* *differences."*

## Trivia

* This event is called "BEACON\_EATER\_START" and "QUEST\_BEACON\_EATER" respectively in the datafiles.