Simulacra

Again, there are worrisome developments on the Drifter crisis. Pilots (among them Michael Minate who reported it publicly) have found simulated baseliners. Vast amounts of data to create a copy of one particular person! Additionally, fragments of what appear to be images of an invasion plan have been found. 

Others have been asking why the Drifters experiment on us, exposing helpless monks to radiation and testing their limits. They are rightly expecting the Drifters to already have more than enough accurate information on our physiology. What they might not know accurately are our cultural habits, our psychology - different from empire to empire, for which they would have to redo their experiments in each of the four powers. 

Putting it all together, I think they plan to build a simulacrum - a copy of an existing person, to inhabit and behave in a manner that does not raise suspicion. They need the information on our behavior to make these simulacra blend in. 

This could be to create a spokesperson, or a negotiator to talk to us - if so it would be a first real attempt at conversation. The more probable explanation is that they want to infiltrate our ranks, replace people in crucial positions with their puppets, to help their invasion. 

I have discussed it with mr. Firth, who assures me that the MIO is having the situation under control and that I should not worry. I do worry nevertheless, and insisted that we devise a secret passphrase and commit it to memory, to be able to make sure that we haven't been replaced by Drifter simulacra.

PS. I need to warn Baron Redwolfe to be watchful for simulated pilots infiltrating his fleets. Oh, I also should not forget to ask him about the missing bookshelf LXXIII in his Order's library.