There are billions of stars, millions of planets, but there is only one man, Terrance McDoogal. Welcome to LIU Atlas.
LIU Atlas - Fricare
The Ludgonian Industrial Union's galaxy contains billions of stars and billions of planets. Unfortunately, most residents of the LIU could only name a handful of these worlds. In order to improve astronomy grades across the LIU, TV2 has started a new program called LIU Atlas. Follow our host, Terrance McDoogal, as he takes you on a tour across the LIU and some of its more obscure worlds.
Note: This episode is presented in full screen. The corresponding dialogue is underneath each photo.
Note: This episode is presented in full screen. The corresponding dialogue is underneath each photo.
Doog: “Welcome to another episode of LIU Atlas. I’m your host, Terrance “Doog” McDoogal. Today, we’re visiting the ocean world, Fricare. Almost all of Fricare’s surface is covered in ocean, except for a few thousand jagged stone islands. These islands are under the constant threat of ionic storms – a result of Fricare’s large magnetosphere rubbing against its star’s ionosphere. These storms play an important role in Fricare’s economy, so let’s head down and check it out.”
Doog: “Alright folks, I’ve been dropped off on one of Fricare’s islands. I appear to be in some type of primitive village. This village looks to be populated by a local race. A local race with disgu…unique facial appendages. I think one of them is approaching me now. Wish me luck.”
Illren: “Doog?”
Doog: “That’s me.”
Illren: “I am Maestro Illren.”
Doog: “Thanks for having me Mister Illren.”
Illren: “That’s Maestro.”
Doog: “Maestro? Is that some type of priest?”
Illren: “No. A master of my discipline.”
Doog: “What discipline?”
Illren: “The skies. Their patterns. Their moods. Their messages.”
Doog: “Yeah, sure. So, what can you tell me about your people?”
Doog: “That’s me.”
Illren: “I am Maestro Illren.”
Doog: “Thanks for having me Mister Illren.”
Illren: “That’s Maestro.”
Doog: “Maestro? Is that some type of priest?”
Illren: “No. A master of my discipline.”
Doog: “What discipline?”
Illren: “The skies. Their patterns. Their moods. Their messages.”
Doog: “Yeah, sure. So, what can you tell me about your people?”
Illren: “We are simple, but efficient. We are simple, but capable. We need not the LIU’s gadgets. The old ways have always been successful.”
Doog: “Are you referring to the fishing lines?”
Illren: “Fishing. Building. Reading the skies. We are capable of much.”
Doog: “Are you referring to the fishing lines?”
Illren: “Fishing. Building. Reading the skies. We are capable of much.”
Illren: “We farm Hethna as the ancestors did. Same bucket. Same pots. Same harvests.”
Doog: “Plant with blue leaves. Got it.”
Illren: “It is. But once, it meant more. People would gather to have its tea. To listen. To ask about the winds. Ask about the rains. Now? They forget the Hethna as they have forgotten the sky.”
Doog: “Are you depressed or something?”
Doog: “Plant with blue leaves. Got it.”
Illren: “It is. But once, it meant more. People would gather to have its tea. To listen. To ask about the winds. Ask about the rains. Now? They forget the Hethna as they have forgotten the sky.”
Doog: “Are you depressed or something?”
Illren: “The bell would ring as I deployed the kites. Both a warning of storms and a celebration of our ways. Now, it sits quiet, rusting in silence. As do I, now…I suppose.”
Doog: “Seriously, man. Do you need to talk it out? I’m not really an expert in listening – or helping for that matter – but I’ll try.”
Illren: “Time for talk is over. It is done. The LIU has silenced our skies…silenced the Maestros.”
Doog: “I really feel like I’m missing something here.”
Illren: “Venture upward we must. It saddens me to see it, but my old home awaits.”
Doog: “Seriously, man. Do you need to talk it out? I’m not really an expert in listening – or helping for that matter – but I’ll try.”
Illren: “Time for talk is over. It is done. The LIU has silenced our skies…silenced the Maestros.”
Doog: “I really feel like I’m missing something here.”
Illren: “Venture upward we must. It saddens me to see it, but my old home awaits.”
Doog: “When you mentioned upward, did you mention how far up? This is killing me.”
Illren: “The best place to deploy a storm kite is…uh, was, at the peak. Not much further to go. Be strong.”
Illren: “The best place to deploy a storm kite is…uh, was, at the peak. Not much further to go. Be strong.”
Illren: “This used to be the heart of the village. The highest perch. The best place to read the skies and sense the storms. The place to fly my kite.”
Doog: “Huff, huff, huff…I’ll have a…follow up question…in about ten minutes. Must…work…on…breathing.”
Doog: “Huff, huff, huff…I’ll have a…follow up question…in about ten minutes. Must…work…on…breathing.”
Doog: “Ok, I think I’ve recovered. Tell me about this kite.”
Illren: “It flew through many storms. Saved the village many times. Now, it sits in disrepair, devoid of purpose.”
Doog: “What did the kite do?”
Illren: “The ionic storms are fierce, but invisible. Great clashes of lightning could explode at any moment, even in the clearest skies. As Maestro, I learned to read these skies. Read the wind. Feel the charges building. I would deploy the kite into the building wind. It would ascend high above the island. There, it acted as a conductor, alleviating the sky’s charge.”
Doog: “So, it was the highest thing on the island? And lightning would strike it instead of the village.”
Illren: “Yes. Then my people would cheer. I was purposeful. I was content.”
Illren: “It flew through many storms. Saved the village many times. Now, it sits in disrepair, devoid of purpose.”
Doog: “What did the kite do?”
Illren: “The ionic storms are fierce, but invisible. Great clashes of lightning could explode at any moment, even in the clearest skies. As Maestro, I learned to read these skies. Read the wind. Feel the charges building. I would deploy the kite into the building wind. It would ascend high above the island. There, it acted as a conductor, alleviating the sky’s charge.”
Doog: “So, it was the highest thing on the island? And lightning would strike it instead of the village.”
Illren: “Yes. Then my people would cheer. I was purposeful. I was content.”
Doog: “So, I think I understand some things. You, in your expertise, could predict these ionic storms.”
Illren: “Yes.”
Doog: “And, once you knew a storm was coming, you deployed a kite to redirect the lightning strikes.”
Illren: “Yes.”
Doog: “Then, why does your home look abandoned? Why are you so depressed? Why do you long for the old ways? What changed?”
Illren: “The LIU stole the storms from the sky.”
Doog: “Wait, what?”
Illren: “Whatever the LIU does from its towers has stopped the storm. There is no more lightning.”
Doog: “Isn’t that a good thing?”
Illren: “For some. Not for me. I have lost my purpose. I have lost any chance at an apprentice. I must live with the fact that my art will go extinct. In a few generations, no one will know how to read the sky. No one will be able to craft a storm kite.”
Doog: “I guess that’s sad.”
Illren: “I’ve peaked.”
Doog: “Hey, I peaked in third grade when I won that pie-eating contest. It’s been downhill ever since.”
Illren: “Yes.”
Doog: “And, once you knew a storm was coming, you deployed a kite to redirect the lightning strikes.”
Illren: “Yes.”
Doog: “Then, why does your home look abandoned? Why are you so depressed? Why do you long for the old ways? What changed?”
Illren: “The LIU stole the storms from the sky.”
Doog: “Wait, what?”
Illren: “Whatever the LIU does from its towers has stopped the storm. There is no more lightning.”
Doog: “Isn’t that a good thing?”
Illren: “For some. Not for me. I have lost my purpose. I have lost any chance at an apprentice. I must live with the fact that my art will go extinct. In a few generations, no one will know how to read the sky. No one will be able to craft a storm kite.”
Doog: “I guess that’s sad.”
Illren: “I’ve peaked.”
Doog: “Hey, I peaked in third grade when I won that pie-eating contest. It’s been downhill ever since.”
Tessa: “Hey, Maestro Sourpuss, are you still lamenting the woes of your craft? Get over it, dude. You’re safe now. The LIU is here. Go drink a beer and take a nap, geez.”
Illren: “Your empathy is on full display, as usual, Tessa.”
Tessa: “What are you waiting for TV guy? Aren’t you ready for something a little more upbeat?”
Doog: “Uh, yeah. Sure. Uh, thanks Illren. I hope everything works out for you.”
Tessa: “Everything has already worked out! He’s the only guy I know that’s upset that he got to retire!”
Illren: “Forced to retire.”
Tessa: “Same slag, different shine. Now, what are you waiting for TV guy?”
Doog: “I’m coming. It’s Doog, by the way.”
Tessa: “Illren, I’ll see you soon. I’m stopping by later tonight. I have a contact in the village below that’s selling me some of that delicious chopped Skamp. Get this, all he wants in return is some old circuit fuses. He thinks they look pretty.”
Illren: “The old ways have died…”
Illren: “Your empathy is on full display, as usual, Tessa.”
Tessa: “What are you waiting for TV guy? Aren’t you ready for something a little more upbeat?”
Doog: “Uh, yeah. Sure. Uh, thanks Illren. I hope everything works out for you.”
Tessa: “Everything has already worked out! He’s the only guy I know that’s upset that he got to retire!”
Illren: “Forced to retire.”
Tessa: “Same slag, different shine. Now, what are you waiting for TV guy?”
Doog: “I’m coming. It’s Doog, by the way.”
Tessa: “Illren, I’ll see you soon. I’m stopping by later tonight. I have a contact in the village below that’s selling me some of that delicious chopped Skamp. Get this, all he wants in return is some old circuit fuses. He thinks they look pretty.”
Illren: “The old ways have died…”
Doog: “Weren’t you a little harsh on Illren?”
Tessa: “I wouldn’t say harsh, just direct. The guy needs to get over it. The rest of his people have.”
Doog: “He mentioned that the LIU stole the lightning from the skies. What does that mean?”
Tessa: “Stole? How dramatic. We didn’t steal it – we harvested it.”
Doog: “You harness the ionic storms?”
Tessa: “Yep. We borrowed the Kaari’s way of doing it too. I bet that chaps Illren’s tentacles.”
Doog: “You use kites?”
Tessa: “Yep. And, I’m not talking about those Kaari kites. Those things are made of sticks, fabric, and prayers. Honestly, I’ve seen laundry put up a better fight in the breeze.”
Doog: “You are brutally honest. I sort of like it. Roast me.”
Tessa: “Roast you? Don’t you think you’ve had enough roast, Mr. Big Belly. The only thing on this planet constructed more poorly than you is a Kaari kite. Don’t even get me started on your fashion, rocket boy.”
Doog: “Marry me?”
Tessa: “I don’t do charity work.”
Doog: “My feelings only grew stronger there.”
Tessa: “I wouldn’t say harsh, just direct. The guy needs to get over it. The rest of his people have.”
Doog: “He mentioned that the LIU stole the lightning from the skies. What does that mean?”
Tessa: “Stole? How dramatic. We didn’t steal it – we harvested it.”
Doog: “You harness the ionic storms?”
Tessa: “Yep. We borrowed the Kaari’s way of doing it too. I bet that chaps Illren’s tentacles.”
Doog: “You use kites?”
Tessa: “Yep. And, I’m not talking about those Kaari kites. Those things are made of sticks, fabric, and prayers. Honestly, I’ve seen laundry put up a better fight in the breeze.”
Doog: “You are brutally honest. I sort of like it. Roast me.”
Tessa: “Roast you? Don’t you think you’ve had enough roast, Mr. Big Belly. The only thing on this planet constructed more poorly than you is a Kaari kite. Don’t even get me started on your fashion, rocket boy.”
Doog: “Marry me?”
Tessa: “I don’t do charity work.”
Doog: “My feelings only grew stronger there.”
Tessa: “Power is harvested from twenty or so islands across Fricare. This collection of islands is operated by the LIU subsidiary, Aerocline. Its motto, ‘power from the tears of Illren’. I just made that last bit up.”
Doog: “So, you launch the kites from here?”
Tessa: “The kites are launched from the top, yes, but there’s more to it than that. This whole island, specifically its interior, is devoted to the power harvesting operation.”
Doog: “So, you launch the kites from here?”
Tessa: “The kites are launched from the top, yes, but there’s more to it than that. This whole island, specifically its interior, is devoted to the power harvesting operation.”
Tessa: “Most of this island is devoted to power storage. The whole lower level is covered in battery banks, like this.”
Doog: “Why are you putting the power in batteries?”
Tessa: “Where else would we put it, mange-beard? We’re collecting enough juice to power a city every few seconds. It has to be stored somewhere until it can be exported.”
Doog: “So, Fricare is an energy exporter?”
Tessa: “Yep, a profitable one too. Once we got established, there wasn’t many costs. This planet is giving out free energy faster than Illren gives out bad vibes and mumbled regrets.”
Doog: “That is a lot of energy.”
Doog: “Why are you putting the power in batteries?”
Tessa: “Where else would we put it, mange-beard? We’re collecting enough juice to power a city every few seconds. It has to be stored somewhere until it can be exported.”
Doog: “So, Fricare is an energy exporter?”
Tessa: “Yep, a profitable one too. Once we got established, there wasn’t many costs. This planet is giving out free energy faster than Illren gives out bad vibes and mumbled regrets.”
Doog: “That is a lot of energy.”
Worker: “Yeah, I see the blinking lights! I’ve been seeing them for SIX straight years! I didn’t go to tech school for three WHOLE weeks to be a battery babysitter! What am I DOING with my life!”
Doog: “That guy seems a bit unhinged.”
Tessa: “All of us techs are. It comes with the territory.”
Doog: “You’re a tech?”
Tessa: “Yep. I’m a Skytech.”
Doog: “You fix the sky?”
Tessa: “Did a bolt of lightning sneak past our collectors and burn out your brain?”
Doog: “What do you mean?”
Tessa: “Fix the sky? You know what, I’m not even going to answer that. Let’s head out.”
Doog: “That guy seems a bit unhinged.”
Tessa: “All of us techs are. It comes with the territory.”
Doog: “You’re a tech?”
Tessa: “Yep. I’m a Skytech.”
Doog: “You fix the sky?”
Tessa: “Did a bolt of lightning sneak past our collectors and burn out your brain?”
Doog: “What do you mean?”
Tessa: “Fix the sky? You know what, I’m not even going to answer that. Let’s head out.”
Desk #1: “Spike on the ion-trace. We’re pulling too fast on the loop array again. Rerouting.”
Desk #3: “Yeah, Kite #1 is drifting. We need to reharmonize before we start cooking the upper lattice.”
Desk #2: “Harvest rate’s still climbing though. We’re above 90% conversion on the transfer conduits. That’s not bad for midday. That’s if the peristaltic feeds stay non-linear, of course.”
Doog: “These guys sound like a bunch of nerds.”
Tessa: “That’s the most accurate thing you said all day. These are the desk jockeys, the total opposite of us techs. They’re arrogant, bossy, and not nearly as fun.”
Desk #3: “Yeah, Kite #1 is drifting. We need to reharmonize before we start cooking the upper lattice.”
Desk #2: “Harvest rate’s still climbing though. We’re above 90% conversion on the transfer conduits. That’s not bad for midday. That’s if the peristaltic feeds stay non-linear, of course.”
Doog: “These guys sound like a bunch of nerds.”
Tessa: “That’s the most accurate thing you said all day. These are the desk jockeys, the total opposite of us techs. They’re arrogant, bossy, and not nearly as fun.”
Desk #3: “Always a pleasure, Tessa Wren. You know, I heard everything you just said.”
Tessa: “I wasn’t saying it quietly, was I?”
Desk #3: “I…uh…never mind. You’re needed on Kite #1. Its harmonics have destabilized. I’m seeing oscillations in the phase-lock anchor, probably from a fatigued tension coupler.”
Tessa: “So, it needs a new stabilizer cable. Why didn’t you just say so?”
Desk #3: “I wouldn’t say it is quite that simple. I…”
Tessa: “It is. Cable and a wrench. I’m on it, Buzzword Barry. You sit here and keep reading that techno-jargon thesaurus you guys have.”
Desk #3: “We don’t have…sigh…why bother. Thanks, Tessa.”
Tessa: “I wasn’t saying it quietly, was I?”
Desk #3: “I…uh…never mind. You’re needed on Kite #1. Its harmonics have destabilized. I’m seeing oscillations in the phase-lock anchor, probably from a fatigued tension coupler.”
Tessa: “So, it needs a new stabilizer cable. Why didn’t you just say so?”
Desk #3: “I wouldn’t say it is quite that simple. I…”
Tessa: “It is. Cable and a wrench. I’m on it, Buzzword Barry. You sit here and keep reading that techno-jargon thesaurus you guys have.”
Desk #3: “We don’t have…sigh…why bother. Thanks, Tessa.”
Tessa: “You ready to see why they call me a Skytech?”
Doog: “I guess.”
Doog: “I guess.”
Doog: “I take it back! I take it back! I didn’t realize that it meant a technician in the sky!”
Tessa: “The kite’s not going to fix itself.”
Doog: “Seriously, how high are we? I can barely see the islands below.”
Tessa: “You can’t see anything because you’re to chicken to get near the edge.”
Doog: “You’re not wrong.”
Tessa: “You’re lucky they lower the kites for repair. These things are usually up in the exosphere at the edge of space. They brought it down to 25,000 feet for us.”
Doog: “We’re 25,000 feet in the air? I think I’m going to faint.”
Tessa: “Because of the thin air or your frail fortitude?”
Doog: “Both!”
Tessa: “The kite’s not going to fix itself.”
Doog: “Seriously, how high are we? I can barely see the islands below.”
Tessa: “You can’t see anything because you’re to chicken to get near the edge.”
Doog: “You’re not wrong.”
Tessa: “You’re lucky they lower the kites for repair. These things are usually up in the exosphere at the edge of space. They brought it down to 25,000 feet for us.”
Doog: “We’re 25,000 feet in the air? I think I’m going to faint.”
Tessa: “Because of the thin air or your frail fortitude?”
Doog: “Both!”
Doog: “This looks nothing like a kite. Not only that, how does it fly in the air currents way up at the edge of space? Isn’t there almost no atmosphere?”
Tessa: “Looks nothing like a Kaari kite, which is good thing. To answer your other question, they don’t technically fly – not on air anyway. They ride Fricare’s magnetic field lines using the Lorentz Force.”
Doog: “I’m not sure I understand.”
Tessa: “Good. Don’t be like those nerdy know-it-alls down in the control room. Except it for what it is – magnetic-something ion collector that vaguely resembles a kite.”
Doog: “I don’t really think that’s educational, but I also don’t think I want to be labeled a nerd. I’ll except it for what it is.”
Tessa: “Like Illren never will.”
Doog: “You had to get one last dig in, didn’t you?”
Tessa: “Looks nothing like a Kaari kite, which is good thing. To answer your other question, they don’t technically fly – not on air anyway. They ride Fricare’s magnetic field lines using the Lorentz Force.”
Doog: “I’m not sure I understand.”
Tessa: “Good. Don’t be like those nerdy know-it-alls down in the control room. Except it for what it is – magnetic-something ion collector that vaguely resembles a kite.”
Doog: “I don’t really think that’s educational, but I also don’t think I want to be labeled a nerd. I’ll except it for what it is.”
Tessa: “Like Illren never will.”
Doog: “You had to get one last dig in, didn’t you?”
Doog: “Well folks, that’s Fricare. This is a story of two groups and two different times. The native Kaari once conquered the planet’s storms with traditions and ingenuity. Skies were read and winds were interpreted. Maestros predicted the coming storms, and kites were deployed to force the lightning away from the villages. Now, mimicking the methodology of the natives, the LIU deploys advanced kites to collect this energy. It keeps the natives safe and makes the LIU lots of money. However, the subtle art of sky reading risks being lost forever. Oh well, I’m going to close my eyes and hold onto this pole until we are back on the ground. See ya!
Note: Harvester kites utilize the Lorentz Force to stay in the exosphere, but the force is much too weak to keep the kites aloft when lowered to repair altitudes. To stay at repair altitude, the kites utilize ion drives, slowly wasting some of the energy they’ve collected.
Note: Harvester kites utilize the Lorentz Force to stay in the exosphere, but the force is much too weak to keep the kites aloft when lowered to repair altitudes. To stay at repair altitude, the kites utilize ion drives, slowly wasting some of the energy they’ve collected.
