Greetings, traveler, there are millions of sights to see in the universe. While the team at THE OBSERVIST is here to make sure you get the best traveling experience possible, the true traveler goes beyond the safe and secure into the wild and unpredictable edges of the universe. This is OBSERVIST DARK, where we chronicle the systems where safety is not guaranteed.
Nul System came from very inauspicious beginnings. Discovered in 2290, the popular story says that when the NavJumper Antoine Lebec (a resident of an Old Earth country called France) returned from the new system the first time, he was met by a group of fellow explorers. They asked if he found anything on the other side. He looked at them and said “Nul” and moved on. That might not have been entirely true. A Classic Cepheid supergiant resided on the other side, along with a handful of planets, none of which could be terraformed. For centuries, the system was empty, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t inhabitants, or, more importantly, places to visit.
ASHANA The fifth planet, known locally as Ashana, is a gritty, unforgiving place that mirrors its inhabitants. Though it’s generally portrayed as a planet-wide desert, Ashana does have more variety in its biomes than the Vids give it credit, as seen in the mountain ranges in the north and frozen tundra in the south. Since the atmosphere is toxic to Humans and landing options are limited to the large desert, it’s easy to get confused. The other deceptive element of Ashana is its gravity. As in, it’s high, like dangerously high. It was this little planetary attribute that led to the inadvertent formation of the planet’s prime landing zone.
INTRODUCING OLYMPUS In 2571, the UEES Olympus entered the Nul System, attempting to subjugate a growing refugee and criminal element of both Human and Tevarin that had been fleeing since Messer ascended to Imperator. The ragtag group of ships was no match for a fully armed carrier, but they were saved by one thing: arrogance. The Rear Admiral stationed aboard the Olympus was desperate to turn this simple sweep-and-clear operation into a boost for his career and ordered the carrier to personally pursue the refugees. When the carrier came within the reach of Ashana, the planet claimed its prize.
The impact of the massive carrier on the surface presumably killed everyone on board. It was only a matter of time before the same Tevarin refugees moved into the wreckage and rebuilt the systems to make it habitable.
Once you hit the landing deck of the old carrier, you will meet two characters that couldn’t be more different. Well, you’ll definitely meet one. A young Tevarin mechanic named Elo generally rushes out to see what ships are inbound. He runs a small shop called RAPID DESTABILIZATION, where he spends his days tinkering and repairing.
The wild card is KOD, who runs a shop in the old engineering section of the ship if he’s not too whacked out of his mind on WiDoW or homemade booze. If you can find him, he’s the guy to go to for fuel.
If you’re here to trade, GEN STORE is your spot. It’s the conduit for anything coming in or leaving Olympus. Weapons merchants, both buyers and sellers, can go to THE ARMORY, but that seems pretty self-explanatory, right?
If you need a drink, the Olympus’ old bridge has been converted into a bar called DARK SUN; just be careful not to be hypnotized by the dunes outside the windows. Or that effect might be triggered by something in the drinks. You never know.
The most important thing you should know if you’re thinking about visiting Olympus is the power structure. A Tevarin named NESCUS runs Olympus and generally wanders its halls if he’s not attending to business. If (more likely, when) you meet him, you will probably find him to be an amenable, pleasant person. Do not ever give him cause to dislike you. Nescus used to be a hitter for a syndicate known as the Coriolus Initiative. Though the rumor is that he amicably severed his ties with that organization, you have to wonder if you can ever really leave them behind. In short, he is well schooled in dishing out pain and death. Never put yourself in a position to receive a lesson.
Sounds crazy and dangerous, I know, but what’s wrong with living a little dangerously time-to-time, right? At the end of the day, while it’s nice to hear about it, you really should observe it for yourself.