Work Text:
13.03.2251, 22:30
New directive from: Monolith Cooperative
Analyze Nauvis
Its location has been put on your navigation computer
The captain looked at the directive she’d just been given. “How far is that… ugh, 3 hyperjumps and a trip through Fringe space. Well, that should be fine if we’re quick and inconspicuous.”
She looked around her little private quarters. The various accolades from middle management, mostly for getting colonies to “behave” lined the walls, alongside her plaque marking her as a member of Monolith. Also, the plaque made by her predecessor, who christened the ship something very vulgar when drunk. She really needed to get that changed to something else.
The trip to Nauvis was mostly without hitch. There were a few close encounters with pirates, but nothing that endangered the mission. So, the captain started handing out orders once they entered the correct system.
“Alright. Science crew, you will man the space-to-ground telescopes, and also the atmospheric analyzers.”
“Radar crew, specifically stay on the radar. I cannot stress this enough, we need to know when to book it before any pirates could notice us.”
“The rest of you, just be ready to fuel the thrusters if we need to leave.”
“Oh, and Julius, stay on the cockpit, so that we don’t need to wait for you to get settled in to fly us out.”
And so, on 14.03.2251, they finally entered orbit of Nauvis. The first thing the captain noticed was the large amount of water, clouds and greenery. The second thing she noticed was that there was a lot of tectonic activity, which likely means a lot of easily accessible ores. Monolith would kill to have this planet as an industrial powerhouse.
It’s the third thing she noticed that threw her for a bit of a loop. The large amounts of metal and rust covering a portion of one continent. The only reasonable explanation is the remnants of preexisting abandoned industry.
“Who— wha— why is there already industry here? Who could’ve made it? This system is too far from the Imperium to have them be the explanation, the Cabal isn’t big on industry, the Fringe Systems aren’t unified enough to have this scale of planetbound industrial power be useful, and Monolith would’ve known if this were one of our factories.”
She continued musing on this matter for a few hours, her various hypotheses including:
- This being from before the Monolith Cooperative became the Monolith Cooperative, back when it had been the Armstrong Mining Cooperative
- Some group that fell apart when Sol was destroyed
- A few friends getting together on an unknown planet and deciding to industrialize it
- A rogue AI screwing around
- Alien intelligence
HallucinationsSleep deprivation and effects of Monolith-approved ‘enhanced coffee’ combining
Fortunately, the science crew’s report about a day later proved that she wasn’t hallucinating. She took a look at it.
Report on the planet Nauvis:
- 11 artificial satellites found in orbit
- Animal life found, hypothesized to be descended from Earth arthropods. Largest specimens found measure about 3 meters long
- Signs of preexisting industry include large scale mining and refining operations, although these seem to be in decay
- No signs of current sapient life, but writing on various sections of the factory are in English
- Factory appears to have insufficient computing capacity for AI, suggesting human creation
- Analysis of the technology used places the factory at mid-2100s
- The planet is rich in industrially-useful materials
How interesting. Well, she’d have to draft up an email to Monolith with her findings.
Dear Monolith Middle Management,
We would like to bring up 2 topics.
First of all, can you please change our ship name in the database to something less vulgar? We can’t be taken seriously with a name like that.
Secondly, we have done our assigned analysis of Nauvis. We have found signs suggesting human colonization in the middle 22nd century, as well as seen that it would be a very valuable industrial site.
Sincerely, Captain of the Shitfuck 13.