What's Going On Out There?

A small expedition to Sagittarius A* recently returned to civilized space with a startling tale.

“Something’s not right out there,” said Kyle Klasky, the expedition’s leader. He explained that his group had encountered several incidents during their trip that could not be easily explained away.

“We’ve all seen shipwrecks on our journeys,” he said, visibly concerned. “But we were finding them quite frequently on this trip. Not just single ships either, but several at a time. I suppose it could be pirates, but I find that difficult to believe.”

“We also noticed high-energy wake signatures near black holes on more than one occasion. Maybe they were from other explorers, but how many times does it have to happen before it stops being a coincidence?”

Critics are dismissing the testimony as being ridiculous exaggerations, but Klasky insists on its veracity, saying “Look, if you don’t believe me, go out there and see for yourself!”

Commander Driggers

Sagittarius A* Messenger | Interstellar Press

Published in Sagittarius A* and Quince.

Forgotten Corners of the Galaxy: Quince

The orange giant star Quince is reaching the end of its lifespan, and lies some 500 ly north of inhabited space on the galactic disc. Nevertheless, the nascent Empire created a far-flung colony here some 900 years ago, which today supports a thriving populace of approximately 10 million people under the Quince Citizens of Tradition government.

Four of the system’s six planets are abundant in metal reserves, and a station was historically established around the richest of them all, Kosmala Rewards. In modern times Millerport has become a surprising agricultural economy, with large sections of the station turned over to hydroponics, supporting a large resident population.

The two other planets are an ammonia-based water world, and a terraformed Earth-like given the appellation New America. New America’s year is just over 12.5 Earth years in length, with each day lasting roughly 26.4 hours. Oxygen is low at 8.7%, but with a surface pressure of 2.3 human inhabitants are safe from the dangers of hypoxia. With negligible carbon dioxide, but a thriving eco-system, New America is a pilgrimage site for exo-biologists, with much of the planet’s flora subsisting off glucose-rich nutrients, and a huge variety of native fauna to study. Average temperatures are a balmy 26°C, with high humidity creating a tropical ecosystem across much of the planet, and the star system is known for its famed exports of Quince Sweetfruit and other exotic foods. Many tourists visit New America for the breath-taking vistas, or for the challenge of catching a glimpse of the dangerous wildlife, taking transports from Jeffries High station.

Cmdr Stateira "Starcloak" Eleshenar

Sentient Life | Interstellar Press

Published in Quince.