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I think we have enough information to formulate the hypothesis that the transmitter was planted there by the same people who sabotaged the Westward and caused it to hit the Octoturtle artefact in the first place.
It was an elaborate ruse to... sabotage the colonization mission, I guess? I dunno. Maybe they'll find out that there never were any aliens; the transmission was fake, the alien who "killed" (actually tied up in a family-friendly manner) our redcoated colonist was an animatronic puppet with remote control, and the episode will end with someone pulling a mask off of Phobos to reveal Dr. Faust, the old man who runs sickbay! He just wanted to keep the planet for himself! And he would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling pioneers.
Rico's all-business stare lets us know he's blissfully unaware of the superb double-entendre he's created.