Star Atlas Never Alone Mission 1: Scraps and Spoils Lore
All the lore from each quest in the Star Atlas Never Alone Campaign Mission 1 is below. Lore was written by ZeSKK and has been arranged for ease of reading.
Influence and Influencers
“All right, time to get your adventure started, friend!” Saand says while climbing up on your ship. “Dam, I feel like announcing this to the entire galaxy! Feeling HYPED!” The Punaab shouted.
“Why don’t we do just that?” You reply to your new friend with a half smile. “Did you bump your head while saving me in the desert?” Saand asked with genuine worry while looking at you. “We can’t shout something for the entire galaxy to hear us, silly.”
You laugh and explain to him how social media works, realizing it will take some time until he is up to speed on everything. “This is sick. Let me try.” The Punaab said while typing on the app you downloaded for him on the bracer. “Here.” He says while showing you. “Does it look cool enough to start our adventure?”
“For sure, friend.” You smile at him while he pushes the send message button.
“Let’s goooooo!” Saand said while the ship took flight.
Spreading Awareness
“Saand! Let me show you something.” You call out for the Punaab.
“I’m coming, just a minute.” The Punaab replied from the other side of the small room you two were using as a base on this space station. After a few minutes, he arrives, drenched in sweat, to the point that it was dripping from his fur. You ask him what he was doing, and with a smile, he answers: “Oh, nothing major actually, just doing some exercises to keep the machine in good shape, you know? As you can see, my past self took excellent care of this temple.” The Punaab said while flexing his biceps. “So I’m going to keep it in good condition. I’m following an outstanding coach. He is the current mister Galia, a legend amongst bodybuilders, the one and only, Cataclysm. Have you heard about him?” Saand asks while drying himself with a towel.
Everyone in Galia has heard about Cataclysm, a 2.3m anomaly-tall Sogmian, hailing from the noble house Lutavira. He is well known as the strongest being in the Galaxy and a formidable fighter involved in many of the deadliest expeditions to the dangerous inner zones of Galia.
“Yeah, I did.” You reply. “Speaking about keeping up with good content, I have something here for you.” You gesture to Saand for him to come closer. “This is the Star Atlas main page. Make sure to follow it to have updates from all over the galaxy. Perhaps one of the news might spark your memories.” You tell your friend.
“This is fantastic. Great idea, pal. Done, followed. Now let me go back to my workout. Do you want to tag along? You surely could use some exercise….” Saand said while looking at you from top to bottom.
“Another time, for sure.” You promise the Punaab.
A Visit to the SSRD — Step 1
“I discovered something.” Saand suddenly says in a somber tone while looking motionless at the Council of Peace Sapient Species Resources Department Officer’s desk. “I for sure wasn’t working in the SSRD for the Council of Peace before losing my memories.” He said impatiently while looking at his bracelet clock.
You nod, agreeing with your companion. The Punaab was too anxious for this kind of fine work, as the ten whole minutes you two were waiting for service showed.
The officer calls your service number, and Saand rushes forward to the desk. The Council of Peace officer was a gentle MUD that welcomed both of you with a smile as he introduced himself:
“Welcome, gentlemen. My name is Seykel Ohmson, at your service. From your forms, I deduce you guys are here to renovate your Council of Peace ID, looking at you and, in your case, generating a brand new one, mister…Saand, is it?”
“That’s absolutely correct, sir.” Saand suddenly answered, getting his back erect and his tone as gentle as a Mierese impersonating a member of the Sogmian nobility.
You realize that the Punaab habit of getting impressed with members of different species kicked in again, and you barely could hold your laughter.
“Fantastic!” Mister Seykel answered, full of energy. “Now, to get you guys started, all I’m going to need is a signature here, here, and here, and you also need to appoint at least one career you want to work on in your galactic journey. Is that clear?” He asked with sincere care for the two of you.
Saand looks at the holographic form, his face showing signs of the anxiety he was feeling earlier. “What I’m working on, huh…” The Punaab starts mumbling.
You touch his arm and say: “Don’t worry, friend. Let me help you with this.”
A Visit to the SSRD — Step 2
“Fantastic!” Mister Seykel Ohmson said while receiving your form with the career of your choice. “I’m sure you will have lots of fun in your field of expertise,” he added while setting the next form.
“Now, we want to know about your ancestrality. Please, add any information you have about your family origins. This helps us on our public policies decision-making and also enables us to reunite families that got separated during the Convergence War.” The MUD SSRD officer explained while grabbing a cup of Ko’fy.
Immediately, Saand looks and you with an interrogation on his face, and you take the cue to intervene in the situation.
“Mister Seykel, unfortunately, my friend didn’t meet his family. He was raised in a Mierese orphanage in a rural area of Neuno, and as you know, the Mierese don’t keep written records, so I’m afraid we can’t help you with that.” It was a lie, of course, but a necessary one. Telling him the truth would raise suspicion about Saand, the kind that could get the two of you arrested.
“Oh dear, this happens more often than you would believe. I’m really sorry, Saand, but it seems that now you have found a proper family! The past is already behind us, so let us make the best of our future, right?” He replied in a supportive tone.
“Absolutely, Sir.” Saand replied, a little surprised by your attitude.
“All right, Captain, what about you? What can you tell me about your origins?” Mister Seykel asks, looking at your eyes.
You take a deep breath and tell him your family story.
A Difficult Choice
“Since I’m a Punaab, shouldn’t I choose the ONI Faction?” Saand asked mister Seykel Ohmson, the gentle Council of Peace SSRD officer, about one of the most important decisions anyone in Galia Expanse could make.
“Not necessarily. We live in an age of peace now, and the citizens of any species are free to choose a faction to be aligned with.” Seykel replied. “For instance, even though I’m a MUD, I’m officially registered as belonging to the Ustur Faction because their policies and views on the galactical affairs were more aligned with my conceptions. That’s why I choose them.” Seykel explained.
“Interesting, indeed,” Saand replied with an air of wisdom as if he was deeply considering the different options. “Do you perhaps have any idea about which Faction you are going to align yourself with, friend? I think I will follow you on this one.” The Punaab says.
You look at the holographic form and think about the three different options: MUD, ONI, and Ustur… A big decision that will mark your intergalactic career forever. You take a deep breath and choose the one your heart calls for.
The Intern
The two of you are finally released by Mr. Selkey after filling out every form and doing every test imaginable in the galaxy. Nevertheless, the two of you are now proper citizens of the Faction order, which will make your travels much easier through the faction-controlled space of Galia.
“Let’s move pal, I’m starving. I have already eaten 10 Nutty Nut bars already, and I need proper food now.” Saand said while going for the main door of the SSRD.
“For Iris Child, ten bars?! You will need the support of a deluxe edition Sacra Bovis Apparel. Where do you even fit all that food?” You ask in disbelief.
Before Saand can give you a not-very polite answer, a young MUD, not older than sixteen earth cycles, appears before you and says:
“Hey… Hello There! I’m an Intern in social media here at the SSRD, and it would mean a lot to me if I could make a post about the two of you! Mr. Seykel shared with me your story, and I think it could be a big hit on our social media!”
You were about to refuse politely, but Saand took a step ahead and said: “All right, intern, you indeed have a good eye for greatness. I will let you interview me and take a couple of shoots.”
“Come on, Saand, were you not starving?” You replied at the terrifying prospect of having to wait a couple of hours of Saand bragging.
“It’s the duty of an idol to serve its people, even if it means sacrificing oneself.” Saand said while preparing a pose for the picture.
“Oh wow, you are so cool, Mr. Saand. This will be the biggest post ever in our account!”
“I’m sure it will, kiddo. I’m sure it will. Remember to tag me @Mr.Saandnab.” Saand said while flexing his biceps
“Will do sir! Will do!” The intern eyes shined while taking dozens of pictures.
You sit in disbelief on the nearest chair, opening a volume of the Atlas Star to read.
The Power of Propaganda
You are sitting in a restaurant, waiting for Saand to finish his trinkets shopping in the traditional Ustur fair of planet Verube. You start watching the news passing through the hologram terminal at the back of the saloon to pass the time. After some brief updates on the politics of the medium zone, a Council of Peace update starts passing on the program, reminding the citizens of the Medium zone to add the Council’s channel to their personal A.I. trusted programs.
At this moment, Saand arrives, wearing a MUD Cap and carrying a bag filled with Rochinol stones, Sogmians candies, and Ustur chakras. “What’s up!” He asks you while sitting in a chair right at your side.
You point him to the news display and ask him if he has already subscribed to the Council’s channel. The Punaab answers that he is following a couple of media, like Mister Cataclysm, but not the Council’s, and that he will start the procedure to add the Council’s channel to his account.
“Good.” You reply. “Now, let’s get to eating. I could eat an entire Jupran Ox.” You add while looking at the menu.
Exploring the Medium Zone Step 1
You have finally managed to find your way together with Saand to your spaceship. The Punaab quickly runs before you, jumps to the passenger’s seat and proceeds to open the galaxy map as you showed him on the way to the station.
As you check the fuel and overall status of the vessel, Saand already has a plan.
“All right, listen up.” The Punaab says seriously while expanding the star map. “I have divided it into a grid of ten thousand squares to make it easier for us to plan our route. As you can imagine, we are not the only ones after the spoils of the Council of Peace Incursion in the middle zone, so I think we need to think about some sort of strategy here instead of warping blindly across the galaxy.” He adds while grabbing a protein bar and immediately starting to munch on it.
He is right, you think to yourself. Swarms of adventurers will be looking for the same prize you guys are, and although you don’t know where the battles will happen, perhaps you can find other information to increase your odds of success. So you start thinking, gazing through the window of the spaceship, as if the answer could be found there or in Saand’s loud chewing sounds.
After nothing happens, you decide no wisdom can be found this way, and you turn on the ship’s engine, deciding it’s best that you guys just get started and figure something out along the way.
Then, something happens.
As you start your journey, you connect to the Council of Peace fleet network, where information about the registered captains in space is tracked. “This is it!” You suddenly laugh while uploading the information about every civilian fleet to the Punaab’s map.
“Whout?!” Saand replied, surprised by your sudden interjection, his mouth still full of protein. Nevertheless, after seeing the new version of his map with a heat map of all the moving fleets in the galaxy, he gulps it down and says: “Yeah! This is what I’m talking about! Now we can go to the less crowded areas and look for our spoils and my memories!”
You both smile excitedly and design your course. It’s time to start exploring space.
Exploring the Medium Zone Step 2
“Man… space travel is tiring. Can you pass me the sauce, buddy? You should try it. I’m telling you, the hot sauce makes the Peli sticks shine.” Saands says casually as the two of you, stranded in a small space station, have decided to grab a bite while waiting for the Council of Peace to finish their inspection across the station.
You automatically pass the sauce to the Punaab without raising your eyes from the Peli fish sticks. After traveling with Saand for a while now, you know better than to leave your food unprotected and dangerously close to the ever-hungry Punaab.
While you and Saand were preparing to warp to the next system, a Council of Peace Pearce X6 stood in your way, asking you to land on this particular small station and wait for inspection. It seems all fleets traveling across the system had been directed here for the same reason.
He smirks at you, knowing that you have learned to keep your food safe, and when he was about to continue the conversation, enraged shoutings coming from a table to your right caused everyone at the bar to turn their eyes to a strange scene.
Two massive humans rose from their seats, knocking their table over and lifting a very thin Mierese, wearing a black cloak with golden drawings from the other side of the counter. One of the ruffians kept him suspended in the air and said:
“Are you trying to rip me off, you tentacle freak?! I have eaten many-a-Peli bigger than you. Now, repeat again what you just said.” The Mierese, undoubtedly drunk, tried to respond apologetically: “Look, I’m sorry, friend. I don’t choose your destiny. But, unfortunately, it is what it is.”
As you turn to check on Saand, the Punaab is already walking, soaked with beer that spilled from the other table. “For Iris’ sake.” You talk to yourself while going after him, knowing this won’t end well.
Before you can reach the Punaab, Saand’s thin voice fills the entire bar: “What are you two morons doing?! If you can’t handle your beer, just give it to Papa Naab here, and I will drink it.”
The duo turned to face the voice, and when they saw Saand, they started laughing. As one of them kept holding the Mierese, the second one came to your companion’s face and said, while touching his whiskers: “Oh, I’m sorry, little fella, but children shouldn’t drink, now leave, before I turn you into a fried Punaab stick, hahaha.”
“Oh, so you like sticks huh,” Saand replied with a mean smile, and, in a flash, the Punaab stuck his Peli fish stick on the big guy’s right eyeball. The man screamed with pain, leaning behind and falling on his back.
Before his partner could make sense of the situation, you move quickly and knock the second one, making him fall and splattering food over another table. Then, chaos ensued, and a generalized bar fight started.
You two used the confusion to escape from the bar, and when out of there, you realized that the drunk Mierese was not actually drunk enough and followed the two of you. Before either of you can say anything, he starts:
“Thank you for your assistance. I see you are branded by fate, so let me try to help you on your journey…” The Mierese reached at Saand’s paw and licked it, to the Punaab’s horror and bewilderment. He then continued, but now with sadness and compassion filling his face. “Yours is not an easy fate, dear Punaab, but you will find answers at the wings of a mythological human bird. I don’t think we will meet again, so keep strong, ok? Farewell.”
This encounter was so weird that it left you speechless. You had many questions on the tip of your tongue, but the Mierese was already getting away. Nevertheless, Saand asked one last question:
“What did you say to that guy that made him so mad?” The Mierese, surprised by the question, started laughing and replied as he was leaving:
“I told him that he would get blinded by a fish stick and spend the last of his days in a cryogenic prison.”
“Oh wow, this guy is good.” Saand said while turning to you. “Say, friend, did that for the lack of a better word ‘prophecy’ make any sense to you? Where can we find a mythological human bird?” The Punaab asked, confused.
You knew exactly what the Mierese meant, and you didn’t like that at all. Regardless, if you had any doubts before, this prophecy showed that the very cosmic currents were guiding your journey with the Punaab, so now what was left to be done was try to find the bird.
The ECOS Superphoenix.
Searching for Treasure Step 1
Your warping was flawless.
You arrive precisely at the beginning of a silent graveyard of metal floating aimlessly across this system.
“Wow… so this was done by the Council of Peace huh. Imagine if they were the council of war or something like that…” You couldn’t react to your companion’s attempt to lighten the mood. You had never seen so much raw destruction like this before, and this left you wondering how dreadful an actual war would be in a galaxy where you had ships the size of moons.
Saand, who was now somewhat uncomfortable with his joke, said: “So huh… we better get started, right? Can you teach me how this scan works?”
“Yeah, for sure, pal, sorry. Let’s get done with this.” You reply to the Punaab.
Searching for Treasure Step 2
Another day, another hunt for spoils. The two of you got really early on this one, perhaps too early, as you can still see some Jorvik Fleets trying to warp out of the system on your readings.
That’s when you realize that you are not alone.
A group of Fimbul Mambas decided to stick a little bit longer, deviating from their squadron formation, in search of spoils before getting out, and they think your ship is the spoils they are bringing home to the pirate king.
Saand looks at you and instinctively reacts by channeling the power output to the ship’s engine and shields while you engage in fine motion control of your vessel and hurry away from them.
A chase amidst scraps and spoils starts. You reach the communication devices, hoping to talk the Jorvik out of this and strike a deal, but Saand starts raining cover fire on them before you can do anything.
“Crazy Punaab! Why are you shooting them?! We could have made a deal!” You yell at him without taking your eyes off the controls for a single moment.
“Jorvik raiders don’t negotiate, only captains.” The Punaab replies calmly, as if this was the most obvious truth in the universe, and keeps firing on the space debris to obscure your chaser’s line of sight.
Before you could ask him how he knew that, a missile from one of the Mambas strikes the remains of a packlite only a few meters away from the two of you.
The explosion sends waves that make your ship waver, nearly sending your vessel to an unpleasant meeting with another piece of debris.
Nevertheless, this proved an advantage, as your small ship could pass through a small gap between the floating remains and gain some distance from the attackers. So you speed up ahead, hoping to use your advantage to lose them in a nearby asteroid field.
Unfortunately, the Mambas are made for this kind of situation, and they start closing in again, to the point where their firing power starts taking a toll on your shields. “We just need to hold a little longer!” Saand said, looking at the ship scan reading.
Before you can understand the situation, an enormous C11 suddenly appears before you, covering the whole horizon of your line of sight.
“This is the Commander of the Dawn Vanguard. Turn off your engines and wait for the tractor beam,” a Sogmian voice thunders its order to you and, most likely, to the Jorvik raiders.
You promptly oblige, but the Jorvik Raiders decided that they would try their luck by fleeing.
Fatal mistake.
Before they could maneuver back to the remains of the previous battle, the C11 simply obliterated them with a missile barrage.
“Space traveling is tiring….” You say while the adrenaline finally subdues and the tractor beam gets the two of you inside the Dawn Vanguard.
Searching for Treasure Step 3
“So, this is the one million POLIS question. How do we find this ECOS Superbird or whatever?” Saand asks you while you guys are going through another treasure hunt session amidst the scraps of what used to be a Pearce R8.
“For the hundredth time, it’s Superphoenix. If anyone from the ECOS hears you saying that, we are dead, and yeah… no clue about that.” You reply while sighing. Truth be told, you have been considering the same question over and over after hearing that weird prophecy from the Mierese after the fish stick situation. It’s not like the ECOS advertised its location, as the Council of Peace would surely use the opportunity to attempt an attack on the heart of the outlaw faction.
“Should we really be pursuing this? At all? I won’t dispute that the Mierese looked mystic enough, but it was just some rambling from a random guy, right? Perhaps he was on some cuivalian mushrooms. Who knows?”
You don’t consider yourself the most superstitious adventurer in the galaxy, but you know better than to ignore such a clear manifestation of the cosmic currents. After traveling in space for a while, one learns how to identify the silent cues the universe sends your way.
“He was a Herald of Vignus, and those guys are the real deals in voicing fate’s wills. Unfortunately, we struck a deal by saving him from those tugs, and once a deal is made, the destiny he prophesizes cannot be avoided.”
“Huh…” Saand mumbles as he sits back on the chair with his arms crossed behind his back and starts considering the situation. “Well, we have nothing to fear in this scenario, right? If the prophecy is unavoidable, we will somehow make it into the ultraphoenix.” The Punaab concludes with a smile and looks at you.
“Huh.. you are right.” You reply to your mischievous companion. “Now get back to scanning. We need to find some loot to sell if we want to acquire the resources necessary to get to the thundereagle.”
“Geez, that was awful. I love it though” Saand laughs at your attempt at a joke and gets back into researching the R8 carcass for leftovers.
Exploring the Medium Zone Step 3
“Oh wow!!! Look at that! It must be it,” Saand said, jumping excitedly from his seat and pointing towards the humongous vessel that covered the entirety of your line of sight. He was right. Against all odds, you two found the flagship of the ECOS Fleet, The Superphoenix.
The Titan was a sight to behold. Even though you had seen your share of wonders across Galia, you couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the sheer magnificence of the last line of defense of the ECOS in the medium zone.
Even the hangar was beyond your imagination. When you jumped out of your ship, you could immediately feel the sun’s warmth bathing your body, and the lush emerald grass was soft under your boots. Saand immediately removed his shoes and started running around the paradisiac grove that mingled perfectly with the high technological hangar.
A sense of accomplishment filled the two of you. It was no easy task learning the location of the main ECOS fleet amidst a major conflict between them and the Council of Peace. You had to travel half of the galaxy, investigate, negotiate, fight, run, and mostly survive through many different hardships, but finally, you guys arrived at your destination.
A lingering thought started forming in your mind: “Was this the end of your adventures with Saand?” You took a liking for the crazy little fellow, and a small part of you feared that whenever his memories recovered, the two of you would part ways.
“Hey man, come on! Destiny is waiting!” The Punaab laughed with delight as the grove you had been walking through suddenly opened up to huge plains filled with all sorts of crops growing under the warm day.
Amidst the fields, there was a train, which the signs indicated as leading towards one of the commercial areas inside the gigantic vessel. So you buy two tickets for a couple of ATLAS and embark on the train.
Curiously enough, this one has no windows, and you can feel the summer breeze on your face while the train gains momentum toward a city on the horizon. A poke brings you back to reality.
“Thinking about that Sogmian we met back at the Ayakepoli, huh?!“ The Punaab smiled devilishly. You get flushed, and to change the subject, you ask the Punaab if anything is occurring to him about this place.
He decides to drop his banter and tells you that everything seems familiar, but nothing major has struck him so far. He then stops for a second and says, looking directly at you:
“Thank you for everything, truly. If nothing else, I’m having lots of fun with you. I couldn’t hope for a better sidekick, and I promise that, no matter what we uncover here, we are going to be friends forever.” He said that, extending his furry fist, an ancient gesture of true friendship.
You smile and say that you swear he is reaching new levels of cringes, but you bump into his fists anyway, with your heart a little lighter.
A few moments later, you two arrive at the city, and it’s very different from any other place you have ever been to. The place was fully integrated into nature. The benches on the streets, the architecture, the canals, everything seems to be built into nature as opposed to nature being accommodated into it, and you can’t help but to pluck a ripe fruit that was hanging invitingly from a nearby tree.
Since neither of you had an idea of how to fulfill the fortune teller’s prophecy, you two decide to explore what the unique city offers.
You two start by going to the fashion stores and acquiring clothes made of pure cotton — if the seller was to be believed. Then, you move to one of the many bars to try the ECOS exotic beverages. After that, you guys attended a seminar where a “druidess” explained the ethos of Earth Conscious Ontological Society.
It was a fun day, and a little after sunset, the two of you were already exhausted and strolled aimlessly across one of the many city parks. As the night grew dark, another wonder, a cloud of fireflies, started to dance towards a small lake ahead.
When you turn to Saand, the Punaab suddenly says: “I remember this.” Dashing off towards the border of the lake.
As you follow your friend, you see a tree with a small bench close to it, and Saand is standing still with his pawn on the tree trunk, and you see tears streaming down his face. You immediately reach out to him, asking what is wrong, and you look to where his paw is placed, and to your surprise, it was a perfect fit, right next to another one, a little bit smaller than his.
Right under them, a single word, Etira, was written with small cuts.
“I was here with someone… Someone very important to me, but… I can’t remember.” The anguish was clear on your friend’s face, and since he didn’t seem to know what Etira meant or was, he fanatically started looking for more clues on the site.
The two of you tried to search together with him, but to no avail, no other piece of information could be found, and the Punaab was feeling disheartened by the cruel play of fate after the many hardships you guys had to go through to get to this point.
“Cheer up, Saand. This only means we have more adventure ahead of us. Someone out there is bound to know about this Etira, whatever that is, so all we need to do is keep looking.” The Punaab started to mumble something, but you cut him off.
“Etira is waiting for us, pal, so let us do our best to find it as soon as possible.” You say to the Punaab, lifting him up.” Wiping away his tears, the Punaab says: “Yeah… you are right. Let’s find Etira.”
Become Famous in Galia Step 1
“So, let me get this straight.” The Punaab asked while you worked on creating his profile and writing down his story so far. “You want to make me famous by generating content in an intergalactic social network, hoping that someone in the galaxy will recognize me and reach us out? Do you think this will work?” Saand asked with a skeptical tone.
You tell him not to underestimate the power of social media, as people spend a lot of time on them. Who knows? You tell the Punaab there is also a chance that he was famous amongst a certain niche of people. Perhaps someone will recognize him.
“Ohh, you are absolutely right! Perhaps I was famous indeed! Great idea, friend. Ship it. I’m ready for my close.”
Become Famous in Galia Step 2
“Welcome, Welcome everybody! This is another episode of your favorite Punaab, Saand, the elusive hero of the medium zone! After this video series started, my DM’s have been filled with requests about my fur care routine. It’s only fair because this pristine pelt of mine is only partly a gift from my parents, and today I will tell you the top 5 things you must know to cultivate such a beautiful pelage like mine, so sit tight, watch, and learn!”
The Punaab ended his theatrical rehearsal flawlessly. Hell, the little rascal was probably an actor before losing his memory.
You tell him the recording was interrupted and show him the images you just recorded.
He has a serious and unsatisfied look on his face as if he disapproves of the content.
“Come on, friend, this angle is making me look fat. Add some filters or whatever. Geez, you are lucky you are not a cameraman, or you would starve. How do you want the galaxy to know and love me huh?! Again! From the beginning now!” The Punaab commanded with the authority of a professional director.
Here we go again… You thought to yourself.
Become Famous in Galia Step 3
“I don’t know, friend… This whole influencer stuff doesn’t seem to be my natural call…” Your Punaab companion commented melancholically while looking at the statistics of his followers.
You try to shake him off from his depression. You tell him nothing good happens without perseverance and hard work while reminding the Punaab that you two barely started making content!
“Perhaps you are right…” Saand answered. “All right. We need something huge that will drive people to watch me and go viral. Something that only I can do!” He looks at you, looking for the answer about his unique abilities.
You think for a few seconds, and to prevent the silence from becoming awkward, you shoot your best guess:
“Eating one hundred Peli Fish Sticks in a single go?”
“YES! HAHA! This has an absolutely 110% chance of going viral and making me famous! To the restaurant, and don’t dare to forget the camera!”
Raise the Banner
“Hey, what is this thing people use behind their profiles on social media?” Saand asked, pointing to his holographic display.
“Oh, that’s a banner. It’s a way of showcasing beautiful art or something meaningful for you.” You reply to your friend while browsing a few examples.
“Huh… Our team needs a cool banner.” Saand said while looking at your examples. “I know just the right stuff. Take a picture of me and add that as your banner,” Saand said confidently.
“No way this is happening, pal.” You reply, laughing.
Keeping up with the Galactic Affairs
“Man, the Punaab Whisper is the best reporter in the galaxy, 1000%. Do you follow him yet?” Saand asked you while scrolling through a story about a planet called Tenebra, where something dark was believed to be happening.
“Yeah, he is cool indeed, a bit crazy, like you, but he is a real one. I will subscribe to his channel. Thank you for the reminder.” You answer him.
“I got you, buddy.” Saand replied while returning to his reading.
The Scriptorium of Lumikir Step 1
“Welcome to the Scriptorium of Lumikir. Is this your first time here?” A pleasant Mierese attendant with a strong accent from Neuno welcomed both of you to the biggest repositories of knowledge in Galia.
You have been hearing tales about the Scriptorium and the Lumikir for a while now, but you couldn’t believe that a whole world had been dedicated to becoming a giant vault of artifacts and information.
That is, until now.
The beautiful dome on the other side of the hangar you just landed was indeed very real and spammed for thousands of kilometers. Through the protection glass, you could see inside the hurried pace of researchers, academics, and the overall staff of the scriptorium tending to the living history of the galaxy protected within those walls.
And, if hangar number 9734 was any indication, it was indeed a lot of data that the Lumikirs guarded. Hopefully, you would be able to tap into this sea of knowledge and find something that would spark Saands memories.
“Yeah, it is! We would like to access the wisdom of the Lumikirs. My friend here is doing some research about his past, so we figured here was the best place to get started.” You reply with your best smile, hoping to get on the good side of the attendant.
“If it’s knowledge that you seek, you have indeed come to the right place! We are the biggest repository in the galaxy, and as you will soon learn, we strive to preserve the history and knowledge of Galia, independent of political and social contexts, so as long as you comply with the Scriptorium rules, you are welcome here. Shall I handle you two the forms, and we get started on our tour?”
“This sounds awesome!” Saand replied excitedly while seeing the multitude of ships flying through the maze of data and artifacts behind the attendant’s counter. “Where do we sign?” He then asked the young Mierese, hardly being able to withhold his curiosity.
“Right here, sir!” She replied with two holographic contracts, which spammed for forty more pages. “also, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter. It will keep you updated about everything that happens in Galia Expanse!”
“I think we should read this first, Saand. You know there is a lo-” Before you could finish your sentence, Saand had already signed and subscribed to the newsletter.
“Please, this is just bureaucracy. If those things were important, we wouldn’t have villains in the galaxy. Now let us move! I’m getting hyped about this, I have a weird feeling I have been here before.”
There was no use arguing with the Punaab, so you just sighed and signed the document.
“All right! Time for a tour! You will learn everything about the Scriptorium and the noble quest of the Lumikir! Please follow me, gentlemen!” As soon as the attendant finished her speech, the ground under your feet rose, and suddenly, the three of you were flying on a platform that pretty much resembled the external plates of a Rainbow Arc.
“For Iris Majesty!” You shouted, surprised by the sudden movement.
“Let’s go!!!!” Saand shouted as well as he surfed through the endless halls of the strange library.
Honest Work
“Let it be known, from the depths of Akenat to the very heart of Iris itself, that this piece of land is now under the authority and protection of Saand, the Punaab, and his fearless sidekick.
Should anyone dare to trespass, they will feel our armada’s might and my fists’ fierceness.” Saand said solemnly while deploying the claimstake on the planet’s surface.
You see the marvelous piece of Armstrong engineering starting to move, spreading to the planet’s floor while sending signals for the primary infrastructure components to come and start making the place habitable.
“This looks rad.” Saand replied while seeing the machinery working its magic on the planet’s surface. But then, he suddenly stops and says, “I have seen this before. Images of powerplants, mining rigs, and farms are coming to my mind… Perhaps I was a miner in my previous life?” The Punaab asked while trying to piece together the fleeting memories.
“There is a good chance.” You reply. “Statistically speaking, most of the galaxy population works directly or indirectly with the activities from the claimstakes. So don’t rush here, buddy. Just let the memories flow.” You advise Saand.
“Yeah, it gets crazy sometimes, as if something was close to making sense, you know? I think I’m close to making sense of some of my memories!” He said excitedly.
“That’s awesome, pal! We will get them all back, don’t worry, one memory at a time.” You reply with a smile.
Echoes of Convergence — Core Ep. 5 Quiz One — Step One
Another intense day of dodging smoldering scraps of Jorvik ships and searching for loot has come to an end. You and Sand decide to find shelter on the nearest planet, as both of you are tired.
Upon arriving, you discover you guys are in Ahkavorah, an Ustur colony deep into the medium zone. When you arrive, every citizen seems to be watching the two of you and talking among themselves.
“Weird. I don’t recall seeing so many Usturs in this part of the galaxy… What do you think they are up to?” The Punaab asks in a suspicious tone.
You reply that it seems indeed a little weird, as you guys are far from the Ustur Sector. Perhaps the two of you could investigate further tomorrow? You suggest, already exhausted from the long day.
Sand, whose tiredness was now greater than his will to investigate, agrees with you, and you both find food and shelter inside a mildly decayed inn just after the sunset. The Innkeeper tries to ask why you guys are here, saying that this place is not appropriate for the two of you, especially the Punaab.
Before Sand causes a commotion, you assure the Innkeeper you are only staying for the night and quickly go to your room, leaving the Ustur talking alone while going quickly to bed.
Nevertheless, your sleeping was short-lived, as the sound of machines broke the silence of the night as if a battle was being fought on the streets of the small village a few hours later. You pick up your weapons and equipment and run to your companion’s bedroom, which was still in deep sleep.
You wake him up with your hands on his mouth, and while he is surprised at first, he quickly understands the context from the gestures you make and set himself ready to verify the situation.
The two of you leave your room on the second floor of the building and slowly make your way downstairs, only to find the inn completely empty.
Sand makes a gesture for you two to go outside, and as both of you move as stealthily as possible, you realize the streets are also empty, and the huge noises are coming a little further down the streets, where a glowing purplish liquid floats all the way to the skies.
“Ok, friend, this is getting super weird… perhaps we should flee from this planet before they notice us.” The Punaab whispers to you. Yet… your sense of adventure tells you that this is something important. You had never seen purple liquid flying before, and perhaps this knowledge alone is worth something. So you whisper back, asking him if you two can do a quick investigation before going off.
“Iris help us.” The Punaab protests. “All right, but just a quick sneak peek, ok?” You nod back with a smile, and the two of you move along the shadows of the empty city toward the floating liquid fountain.
What you two find is an enormous crater right near the outskirts of the town, where the purple liquid comes as peaceful floating streams, defying the law of gravity.
“There is no way we missed this when we landed on this planet.” The Punaab spoke with absolute certainty, and he was right. The two of you and the ship scanners couldn’t have missed this in broad daylight.
The phenomenon was as beautiful as it was absurd, and you two were automatically drawn to the hole’s edges. There, a horde of Usturs went deep into the crater, working with the heavy machinery you could hear from so far away.
Before you two can move deeper, a voice behind you says: “Beautiful, but quite deadly, especially for strictly biological beings.” You automatically turn, weapons on hand and aiming at a particular exotic Ustur, the smallest you have seen so far, and he wore protective clothing.
“I’m a chemistry researcher, the name is Caolany.eldr, at your service.”
The small Ustur introduced himself with his hands still in the air as a gesture of no ill intention. As you both hold down your guns, the Ustur smiles and says: “It’s pretty rare for us to have visitors at this archeological site. Come, let us move elsewhere so that we can have a proper chat.” The academic signaled for you two to follow him.”
“Can’t we do this here?” Sand replied, still suspicious of the Ustur’s intentions.
“We sure could. But I wouldn’t recommend it. The compound below is very unstable, and should you spend too much time here breathing the substance, you might have a seizure or something worse.” The Ustur said, his face turning purplish from the reflection of the substance floating just a few meters around your location.
“This is a compelling argument. After you ser.” The Punaab answered, hurrying to follow the Ustur.”
Your group arrives in a field tent that used force fields to isolate itself from the compounds outside. It was filled with equipment of all sorts, from protective suits to fragments of what seemed to be archeological relics displayed on the walls. In the corner, many canisters filled with the purple substance were sitting close to the wall.
The Ustur signals seats for your two while he accommodates himself in a comfortable chair, lights up a pipe, and starts explaining the mysterious excavation around you.
“What you see before you are the remains of an old Ustur outpost during the Convergence War.” The Professor starts sharing his tale as rings of smoke start to form around his head.
“Unfortunately, we only discovered this one year ago, when this substance started leaking, slowly killing every non-Ustur resident that used to live here. It’s a curious compound, nothing that we had ever seen before, and was hidden deep inside a subterranean base.” He added in a somber tone.
“How come no one noticed this before so many casualties happened?!” Sand asked, flustered.
The Ustur inhaled deep the pipe before answering, and for a moment, he seemed a lot older than before, as if the shadows of the room were drawn to his face.
“This weird substance is very tricky. It only appears during the darkest hours of the night. We can only imagine that since it was hidden so deep into the ground that whatever quantity that leaked was invisible for the ordinary eyes.” He explained.
“It also dissipates under sunlight,” The Ustur added with a sad smile. “So it probably piled up on the bodies of this forgotten planet population for a long time before causing their demise. So now we are here, under the Council of the Elders’ orders to clean up the mess left by our antecessors while also trying to investigate everything related to the convergence war.” He concluded.
“One of our artists has been doing a dramatic recollection of everything we have uncovered about the ones behind this catastrophic event. It’s a really good work, named CORE. It’s been published all around the galaxy, and there are some enigmas and secrets hidden there, written in Ancient Ustur.” The Ustur narrates as he types something on a bracelet on his right arm, then suddenly, the Punaab starts receiving files with the stories of CORE.
“I need to get back to my research now.” He says as he gets up. “It was a pleasure meeting the two of you.” Don’t worry about the substance, just drink this here, and you will be cleansed of whatever little specs of it you breathed.” The Ustur said as he gave you two small vials from his coat.
You both thank the professor and bid him farewell, deciding to leave the planet immediately.
“The convergence war.” The Punaab talked to himself while you prepared to warp to another system. “This is important, friend. I can feel that I was involved with this, somehow.”
“Absurd.” You answer as a reflex. “The war ended more than one hundred years ago.” You explain to your companion while shrugging at the absolute impossibility of the suggestion.
“I’m serious. We need to investigate this. I will start reading this right away.” The Punaab says as he opens up the files and starts reading.
“Be my guest.” You reply as the ship engages the warping drive.
Echoes of Convergence — Core Ep. 5 Quiz One — Step Two
“Saand… it’s late already, pal, turn off the lights and go to sleep.” You urge the obstinate Punaab to stop studying the CORE transcripts he received from Professor Caolany.soul on planet Ahkavorah.
It was already late on planet Vergilia, and the small room you two could afford made it impossible to sleep while the Punaab had the lights turned on.
“Sorry friend, just a minute, let me finish this last part. Gyun & crew just met Huricanno.” He replied without turning his head away from his bracelet holographic production, which showed the figure of the imponent Punaab, jumping out of his battle suit.
You grump and turn your head around, trying to sleep. After a minute, the Punaab turns off his hologram, and darkness envelops the small apartment.
A few heartbeats pass in complete blessed silence, and then you realize that Saand couldn’t sleep. Already regretting your decision, you ask him what’s wrong.
“I don’t know to be honest… I feel this story of Convergence War resonates with my past, somehow, but I still can’t figure out how.” You hear your friend reply while contemplating the ceiling.
“Perhaps you were researching that period in your previous life?” You try guessing, even though you honestly couldn’t picture the energetic and impatient Punaab being an academic.
“I don’t think so… it feels almost as if I lived in the period of the Convergence War, somehow. Yeah, I can feel you frowning in the dark. I know it’s impossible, but this feeling of familiarity when I read CORE is excruciating. I can’t stop reading!” Saand vented.
“You know what? I will help you out.” You say while turning the light on. “Let us read everything, and perhaps something will trigger your memories. I saw a repository of questions about this period used to help students learn about the Convergence War in the Iris Academy application. Let’s go through that as well!” You say, full of resolution.
Saand laughs and replies: “All right, all right! Thank you, buddy! Let’s do that first thing in the morning! I’m actually sleepy now, GN.” He claps his small pawns, and the lights turn off.
“There is no way you just said that.” You reply, throwing one of the pillows over the Punaab.
”Echoes of Convergence — Core Ep. 5 Quiz One — Step Three
“So, are you sharing what is this big surprise or what?” Saand asks, virtually incapable of holding back his curiosity on the content of the surprise you promised him when the two of you reached planet Carvum, the base of the famous Iris Academy.
“You will discover soon enough. Hold your Juprans Saand.” You laugh while you reply to the Punaab, who is clearly impatient with all your teasing.
As soon as you enter the planet’s orbit, you quickly set the course to a rural village, where Saand’s surprise awaited. You managed to schedule an interview with one of the most prominent MUD veterans of the Convergence War, Commander Goe, who was responsible for leading many successful expeditions into the heart of the High-Risk Zone.
Rumor has it that he even saw Iris itself.
Although not as young as he used to be, the Commander was said to live with his family on a farm in one of the many rural villages next to Carvum. His daughter, Helle, who was the one that arranged the meeting, said that his father was suffering from some blanks in his memories, but he loves sharing whatever he remembers with anyone who came to visit him.
As soon as the two of you landed in the village, you told Saand the good news. The Punaab was overjoyed and hopeful: “This is exactly what I needed! Now, after hearing everything firsthand, we will manage to uncover the secrets behind my memories!” He said, full of confidence while untying his seatbelt.
“I will go and search for their home. Can you please find a better parking spot than the village plaza?” You ask the Punaab.
“Sure, buddy! I will follow after you!” Saand said while moving to the pilot’s chair to maneuver the ship.
You have no trouble finding Commander Goe’s city house, where the meeting was scheduled. A stone construction that reminded the style of the Council of Peace Mothership architecture. You were welcomed by the smiling Helle, and while she conducted you to her father’s room you couldn’t help but notice the pleasant smell of pastry in the air.
Commander Goe was sitting on his chair with a dignified posture. You could see that the military lived strong in his spirit, forcing his not-so-young body to perform accordingly, welcoming you to his home.
The room around you seemed like a museum of the days of the Convergence War. Aside from the vintage furniture, the chamber was filled with medals of honor, pictures of factions leaders signing the Treaty of Peace, weapons, many of them of all kinds, and models of Pearce ships. Everything combining into a somewhat cozy decoration.
You introduce yourself and advise him that there is another companion coming any minute now. He shakes your hand, ancient MUD style, and gestures for you to find a comfortable seat close to him.
You start asking questions about his life, which he promptly summarized to the best of his abilities. Old memories from his days as a solder recruited from the ranks of Pearce industries, the many battles across the medium zone when the MUD started to create the supply chain necessary to reach out to the cataclysm, the loss of loved ones, and the happiness when the war was over, and he settled for good.
You couldn’t stop listening to his brief introduction, and amidst your excitement, you couldn’t help but ask about the most mysterious place in the galaxy, The Cataclysm, where Iris was hidden.
For the first time, you see an expression of discomfort in your host’s face. You quickly start apologizing for the question, which seemed to be inappropriate, but he interrupts you and says:
“I’m sorry, my friend.” He says, taking one hand to his head. “For some reason, this old mind of mine seems to forget my days in the high-risk zone. I knew I was there, and I had found something important… But unfortunately, the details are now just a big blank.” He added with a sad, tired expression while holding his hands together.
You instantaneously reply, saying that is no problem at all while thinking about another topic to drive the conversation away from the awkward silence.
That’s when you hear the blessed sound of the door opening behind you and Saands voice filling the room: “Oh wow what is that!” The Punaab runs towards an old Ganz Industries laser pistol model that is a few meters to the right of Commander Goe.
You turn your head to talk to Saand, half introducing him and half apologizing for the Punaab
Suddenly, when you turn back to your host, you see that he is standing up for the first time, eyes livid with fear.
“No!!! Go away!” He shouted towards Saand. “Not again, please no!!!”
Saand stopped a few meters away from him, completely surprised by the reaction of the Commander.
“Hey, sir…” The Punaab started speaking while gesturing he meant no harm “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you or be disrespectful. I guess I got a little excited with the pistol.” He added while slowly walking towards the Commander. “I’m Saand, by the way.” He tried to introduce himself.
Nevertheless, your host got even more scared and shouted with all strength he could muster while throwing a glass of water in Saand’s direction: “Guards! Guards! He is coming for me! Again! Guards, come!”
You break out from your surprise and quickly go for Saand, telling him it was time to leave. Helle quickly enters the room and runs straight to her father, trying to calm him down.
While embracing him, she shouts: “I’m really sorry. This almost never happens, but it seems a bad memory was triggered. Could you please leave?”
“Thief! He comes to steal from me again! The Light! Guards, arrest him!” Goe shouted to his imaginary soldiers, a scene that broke your heart.
Saand was devastated, and you had to half drag and carry him from the house.
Once you two left the building, Saand started apologizing, visibly shaken: “I’m sorry, friend. You went through all this trouble to set this up, and I blew it…” He said while sitting on a bench a few meters away from the house.
“Saand, don’t blame yourself. It wasn’t your fault. He was already unstable before you arrived,” you offer reassuringly to your friend. “Maybe he had some bad memories from the Convergence War, like getting his ass kicked by a bunch of Punaabs,” you add with a light-hearted tone, hoping to lift Saand’s spirits.
“Huh… Perhaps that is what happened,” Saand replied. “Punaabs are resilient people. Facing our own kind in battle is an experience that can leave lasting scars.” he added seriously.
You encourage him, saying: “That’s the spirit! We will find our answers about the war elsewhere.”
“Oh, for sure!” He replied excitedly. “There is a place I actually want to go, I feel we will learn a lot there.”
“Oh really? All right, let us see if it’s close, then we can try going for a visit.”
Echoes of Convergence — Core Ep. 5 Quiz One — Step Four
You arrive at the curious space station that Sand has been talking about non-stop the whole week.
Upon arrival, a soft A.I voice welcome you through your ship’s system:
“Welcome to Mondra 8, the ludic museum where you can learn history by being part of it! Come and enjoy the most realistic recreation of the Mondra 7 space station, the stage of the events that changed Galia Forever!”
“Really?” You turn to your Punaab companion. “A children’s museum?”
“It’s called a ludic museum. Now shush, you are breaking the immersion.” The Punaab replied while leaving the spaceship and running towards the tour starting area.
You leave the ship slowly. Truth be told, you were not particularly interested in the Punaab’s obsession with the Convergence War, but he made you promise that you would take him here, and a promise is a promise, so you decide you would make the most of your time inside “Mondra 8.”
As the tour started, Sand ran toward the expedition guide while you stayed at the back and watched the scenario and displays of Mondra 8.
One thing you had to say, it was as realistic as a real space station could be. You saw members of the Punaabs Huricanno family running around the hangar, members of the Order of Light spreading the Photoli gospel, and even a pair of MUD agents searching for Gyun’s crew.
While you are lost in your observations, Sand comes back to stand by your side, and his voice brings you back to the present. “Do you know which character I relate to most within CORE? The Punaab suddenly asks.
“I have no clue.” You admit. “Perhaps Huricanno, you seem to be as tyrannical as him, and the two of you are Punaabs. Perhaps you were an underworld boss in your previous life.” You laugh at your own answer.
He laughs a little and then replies: “No chance, I hate his beard. My favorite character is Timpo, because he is on a quest like me, searching for what is most important for him in his life. Well, in my case I’m searching for my life haha, so yeah, I really like him.” The Punaab said while looking at the character’s statues just ahead.
“Well, one thing is for sure. Like Timpo, you have people you can trust to help your search come true. Let’s go. I will help you start another galactic war,” you banter with the Punaab.
Sand rolls his eyes and replies. “I’m sorry to say you are not cool enough to be a main character, perhaps one of the wandering citizens. Now come, I heard they have a restaurant serving Peli fish sticks.”
Echoes of Convergence — Core Ep. 5 Quiz One — Step Five
The tour through Mondra 8 was over, and if you were, to be honest, it was kind of fun and enlightening.
Each one of the visitors was taken to a different cabin at the end of the excursion, where a holographic display offered you the option to take on a quiz for a mysterious prize.
Well, since you were already here and went through the whole experience, why not take your chances, right?
You start the quiz and face the first question.
Echoes of Convergence — Core Ep. 5 Quiz One — Step Six
The questions were actually quite challenging and kept scaling in difficulty. Had you not paid attention to Saands stories about CORE and the Convergence War, you probably wouldn’t be able to get even a single correct one.
Nevertheless, the last question was now in front of you, and a huge display showed on the screen:
“Final question: If you get this right, you are getting a limited customized Timpo plushie!”
Man, Saand would go crazy if you managed to get him this prize. It was now or never, and you focused 110% as the question appeared on the screen.
The SSRD Test — Step 1
“Great! Thank you for filling all those forms! I know it’s a bit tiring, but it’s necessary.” Mister Seykel Ohmson of the Council of Peace’s Sapient Species Resources Department said warmly.
“You will also need to take a general test to assess your general knowledge. However, don’t worry, as we only want to gauge your level of expertise. Based on your performance, we can provide you with the appropriate information to improve your general knowledge,” he explained as he programmed the test.
Saand expressed his anxiety by fiddling with his claws, a common behavior among the Punaab. He remarked, “Oh Iris… here we go.”
“Great, you’re both set to begin. Best of luck!” The Council of Peace SSRD officer declared as he initiated the start of the test.
The hologram before you lights up, and you start to resolve the questions.
The SSRD Test — Step 2
As the test progresses, questions about history, economy, politics, logic, and galactic charting came in quick succession, with varying degrees of difficulty. You take a quick glance to the side, and you see Saand scratching his forehead. “This must be quite challenging in his condition”, but perhaps one of those questions can trigger his memories, you think to yourself, trying to find some comfort.
“Oh wow, this is a tough one”, you talk to yourself while coming back to your own test and reading a question about the Convergence War.
The SSRD Test — Step 3
As you approach the final section of the test, you notice that the questions have become more challenging.
You realize these questions are designed to identify individuals who are experts in various fields related to different galactic professions. Glancing at the time, you realize that you have less than an hour to complete the test. You take a deep breath and begin to focus on the challenging puzzle in front of you.
A Change of Course — Step 1
You have known Saand for a little while now, and one pattern that you learned about the Punaab was that if Saand stays quiet for too long, he is plotting something.
“Saand?” You call out for him, but your voice is lost in the noises of the hurried students of planet Carvum.
The two of you had momentarily lost each other while crossing the gardens of the legendary Iris Academy, the place where most of the galactic elite was trained. Most of the Council of Peace military, alongside the leaders of the many industries of Galia Expanse, studied here.
You stop a mature Sogmian. He stood firm, wearing full academic garb, enlaced with the badge of house Garveil, and upon seeing your apprehension, stopped to listen while you asked him if he saw a white-furred Punaab.
Very solicit, the Professor pointed out that, indeed, a white-furred Punaab had just picked one of the fruits of the garden and ran towards one of the auditories of the university.
The Sogmian stopped briefly as if trying to remember something and then added happily.
“Oh yes, it seems there will be a talk with executives of the MUD Faction. It seems they are about to disclose something huge to Galia.” He added cheerfully, excited to learn what the MUD was hiding, and offered to take you to the auditory.
You thank him, and as you two walk through the gardens, he shares his research on exotic substances like Rayanite.
“One must always be careful, Captain. Although very precious and powerful, many of the minerals that can only be found in the inner parts of the galaxy are highly volatile, and without the proper skills and tools, extracting one of those could spell your death.” He told you in a scholarly tone.
“It’s better to watch my classes before attempting to extract random substances in Iris domains! Hoho!” He laughed deeply at his joke.
You were about to ask him a question precisely about the legendary planet, said to be the epicenter of the Cataclysm, but before you could say anything, you see Saand waving, asking you to join him on a set to watch the speech.
You realize you never introduced yourself to the kind professor, and after you do that, he erects his back and does the Sogmian formal introduction by saying:
“I’m Professor Gontre Garveil. Explorer of the Cataclysm and a member of the Last Stand. I am pleased to meet you, Captain.”
Before you could say anything else, Professor Gontre smiled and left, sitting in one of the front seats close to an old Punaab, who he warmly embraced as he sited.
“Come on! It’s starting any moment now!” Saand called you to join him.
You wish you could spend more time with the Professor, but the lights suddenly went off while you found your way to your seat, and a curious light globe ignited in the middle of the stage.
“All right, let’s see what the MUDs are up to.” You thought to yourself.
A Change of Course — Step 2
After your eyes adjusted to the clarity of the glowing object in the medium of the auditory, you realized that it was not an orb, but a shard, supported by immense and powerful truthers, a shape that every educated citizen in Galia Expanse knew.
It was the last fragment of the long-dead homeworld of humanity, planet Earth.
“Our world is alive again. ” A deep voice resonated in the dark room, as if narrating the movements of earth’s shard, which started to transform into a massive mothership.
“Thanks to MUD technology, what was a lifeless husk is now a thriving ecosystem, creating jobs, providing shelter, and now… entertainment for all citizens of Galia Expanse!”
Suddenly, the room was filled with light, and a huge hologram showcased pilots sliding through the rough terrain of the racetrack in deadly curves that tested the limit of their Pearce X4.
“We are reigniting the love for speed in Galia Expanse! Citizens from any species and background will be allowed to compete and participate in the massive tournaments sponsored by the Council of Peace.
“You, members of this distinct academy, will be not only pilots but entrepreneurs, researchers, and enjoyers of this event that celebrates peace and healthy competition in Galia Expanse. We will create many opportunities and integration through this noble sport, and we hope to count on your support for this new era!”
“Start your engines, and let’s race!” The spokesman finally concluded his speech.
The room was filled with the noise of conversations between the members of the crowd, and the first voice to raise from the whispers was of ECOS students.
“MURDERERS! DESTROYERS OF PLANETS!” One student shouted.
“SADISTS! MUD GREED KILLED THE PLANET, AND YOU WON’T EVEN LET IT REST?!” Another voice came from the crowd.
People started raising from their chairs, some in favor of the MUD, others against them, and chaos was about to start when a thin voice raised above every other, using an amplification.
“We thank you, Ambassador Enantel Artonis, for your presentation. Although I confess, I thought you were here to discuss science, not to advertise your racing tracks! I guess I will send the MUD Faction the bill for everyone’s time here, huh?! Nhonhonho!” It was the voice of the Punaab sitting on the front roll next to Professor Gontre Garveil.
“Now, I know this topic is sensitive to many of our dear students, but I will ask that you please respect the sacred ground of this institution and keep fighting outside of these gates. Everyone is free to go. Mister Ambassador, please be so kind as to follow me to my room.” The animosity instantaneously subdued, and although still angry, the students left the auditory containing themselves, respecting the old Punaab.
“Wow, that Punaab is almost as cool as me”. That was the greatest compliment by his standards, so you were shocked as Saand said that while looking at the ambassador and the older Punaab leave.
“Brother, I know you won’t like it, and I know that the MUD homeworld is a long, long way from here… but…”
“You want to go racing, right?” You asked Saand in dismay.
“I do, yeah.” Without a drop of shame, Saand admitted. “Maybe I can even win us some money using my superb piloting skills.” He added, trying to convince you.
Truth be told, you were also curious about what has been going on in the MUD Central Space Station. Perhaps you could discover something valuable to the data traders in the deeps of the medium zone.
“All right, Pal, Let’s go to the Volant Station.”
About the Author
Krigs is a pioneer in the world of Star Atlas, having founded The Hologram News Network — an independent meta-news organization that keeps players up to date on all developments regarding Star Atlas. An ardent supporter of emerging technologies, Krigs has been covering this game for over a year and believes passionately in their power to revolutionize our collective gaming experience.
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