There are billions of stars, millions of planets, but there is only one man, Terrance McDoogal. Welcome to LIU Atlas.
LIU Atlas - Fere Mane
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 Galaxy, 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 mining world, Fere Mane. Fere Mane closely orbits the Class G star, Flammae, subjecting the surface to high-levels of heat and radiation. Typically, mining on a world this dangerous would be cost-prohibitive, but I’m told that Fere Mane is home to a rare type of ceramic that makes the risk worthwhile. We’re here to learn about this rare ceramic and the unorthodox means used to extract it. Let’s head down.”
Doog: “Alright, folks. I’ve been dropped off at the Lambda Gulch Terminal, one of a handful of permanent structures on Fere Mane. Even though it is just before dawn, it’s still incredibly hot here. It’s probably over a hundred degrees Fahrenheit (37° C). I’ve been here two minutes, and my shirt is already soaked. It gets worse though. Daytime temperatures exceed four-hundred degrees (204° C). I don’t even want to contemplate how that feels. You’ll see a weird set of lights over my shoulder – the ones that resemble the starting lights at a drag race. These are warning lights. As you can see, it’s currently green, indicating that surface conditions are safe – AKA it’s not a burning oven yet. We need to head in, though. Dawn is coming.”
Doog: “Lambda Gulch Terminal is underground, where it is safe from the relentless daytime sun. Hopefully, it has great AC too. I need my shirt to dry.”
CJ: “Hurry up! Quit lollygagging! The train’s close to departing!”
Doog: “Don’t rush a man that’s this sweaty. I don’t need to complicate this problem.”
CJ: “The train! We have to catch the train!”
Doog: “The train?”
CJ: “Hurry up! Quit lollygagging! The train’s close to departing!”
Doog: “Don’t rush a man that’s this sweaty. I don’t need to complicate this problem.”
CJ: “The train! We have to catch the train!”
Doog: “The train?”
CJ: “The Morning’s Edge waits for no one. Put some pep in your step!”
Doog: “I have so many questions already. Train? Edge of morning?”
CJ: “Your questions will have to wait. We have about two minutes before the train departs. If we miss the train, I’ll lose my job, and you won’t be able to make a show.”
Doog: “The stakes seem much higher for you. It won’t hurt my feeling to miss a show.”
CJ: “Let’s go!”
Doog: “I have so many questions already. Train? Edge of morning?”
CJ: “Your questions will have to wait. We have about two minutes before the train departs. If we miss the train, I’ll lose my job, and you won’t be able to make a show.”
Doog: “The stakes seem much higher for you. It won’t hurt my feeling to miss a show.”
CJ: “Let’s go!”
CJ: “The Morning’s Edge only stops at Lambda for seventeen minutes. Just enough time to refuel, resupply, and unload her wares. Once she leaves, she won’t be back for weeks. Missing this train is not an option.”
Doog: “Again, not an option for you. I’ll be fine missing the train. Wait! If I board the train…does that mean I’ll be stuck on the train for weeks?”
CJ: “I’m not sure. There’s no time to think about that for now.”
Doog: “Again, not an option for you. I’ll be fine missing the train. Wait! If I board the train…does that mean I’ll be stuck on the train for weeks?”
CJ: “I’m not sure. There’s no time to think about that for now.”
Doog: “Going for a ride with unknown consequences due to peer pressure… sounds like that brothel on Camana V. I guess that worked out ok. Medication will help. Right?”
CJ: “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Conductor: “ALL ABOARD!”
CJ: “Let’s go!”
CJ: “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Conductor: “ALL ABOARD!”
CJ: “Let’s go!”
Doog: “We’re on the train. Happy?”
CJ: “Yeah. That was too close for comfort, but I’m good now.”
Doog: “Now that we’re not rushing, care to tell me what’s going on? Why are we on this train?”
CJ: “We just boarded the Morning’s Edge, a mining train.”
Doog: “You mine from this train?”
CJ: “Yes. It’s too dangerous to mine Fere Mane’s surface during the day. It’s too hot, and solar radiation is off the charts.”
Doog: “Why not mine at night? Why do you use a train?”
CJ: “We mine a ceramic called Aerococta. It’s practically indestructible when it’s hot. It’s impossible to mine during the daytime heat.”
Doog: “Again, why not mine at night?”
CJ: “Aerococta is a great thermal insulator, meaning that it holds on to a lot of the heat it absorbs during the day. It reaches its lowest temperature just before dawn. It’s much easier to mine then.”
CJ: “Yeah. That was too close for comfort, but I’m good now.”
Doog: “Now that we’re not rushing, care to tell me what’s going on? Why are we on this train?”
CJ: “We just boarded the Morning’s Edge, a mining train.”
Doog: “You mine from this train?”
CJ: “Yes. It’s too dangerous to mine Fere Mane’s surface during the day. It’s too hot, and solar radiation is off the charts.”
Doog: “Why not mine at night? Why do you use a train?”
CJ: “We mine a ceramic called Aerococta. It’s practically indestructible when it’s hot. It’s impossible to mine during the daytime heat.”
Doog: “Again, why not mine at night?”
CJ: “Aerococta is a great thermal insulator, meaning that it holds on to a lot of the heat it absorbs during the day. It reaches its lowest temperature just before dawn. It’s much easier to mine then.”
Doog: “So, this aero-business can only be mined at dawn.”
CJ: “It can only be mined in a cost-effective manner at dawn, yes.”
Doog: “But dawn is only a few minutes a day.”
CJ: “That’s where the train comes in. The Morning’s Edge travels at the same velocity that the planet spins, roughly 1,000 mph. This keeps the train in perpetual dawn. It literally travels at the morning’s edge.”
Doog: “It’s always dawn as long as you are onboard the train?”
CJ: “More or less. The train does speed up before it reaches a terminal, so it has enough time to unload and resupply. When it leaves the terminal, it returns to its position at morning’s edge.”
CJ: “It can only be mined in a cost-effective manner at dawn, yes.”
Doog: “But dawn is only a few minutes a day.”
CJ: “That’s where the train comes in. The Morning’s Edge travels at the same velocity that the planet spins, roughly 1,000 mph. This keeps the train in perpetual dawn. It literally travels at the morning’s edge.”
Doog: “It’s always dawn as long as you are onboard the train?”
CJ: “More or less. The train does speed up before it reaches a terminal, so it has enough time to unload and resupply. When it leaves the terminal, it returns to its position at morning’s edge.”
Doog: “I guess that makes sense – at least, it satisfies the ‘why’ part of a train. What about the ‘how’? How do you mine from a train going a thousand miles per hour?”
CJ: “Good question. Let’s start at the engine.”
CJ: “Good question. Let’s start at the engine.”
CJ: “This is the train’s engine. This is where she’s piloted, and where train-wide operations are monitored. The guy in the blue is the conductor. The conductor is essentially the head of the operation. He oversees everything throughout the entire train. Although, you’ll usually find him in the engine.”
Doog: “I’d hope so. Doesn’t the conductor drive?”
CJ: “No, that’s the engineers job. That’s the guy dressed like me – up in the front.”
Doog: “So, you’re an engineer too?”
CJ: “Yes. In the rush, I don’t think I introduced myself. I’m Casey Jones. Call me CJ.”
Doog: “CJ, I’m Doog. I’m not usually this sweaty…just so you know.”
CJ: “Noted. So, like I was saying, I’m an engineer too. There’s several of us onboard the Morning’s Edge. We take turns driving, plotting, and monitoring the hovertrain’s systems.”
Doog: “I’d hope so. Doesn’t the conductor drive?”
CJ: “No, that’s the engineers job. That’s the guy dressed like me – up in the front.”
Doog: “So, you’re an engineer too?”
CJ: “Yes. In the rush, I don’t think I introduced myself. I’m Casey Jones. Call me CJ.”
Doog: “CJ, I’m Doog. I’m not usually this sweaty…just so you know.”
CJ: “Noted. So, like I was saying, I’m an engineer too. There’s several of us onboard the Morning’s Edge. We take turns driving, plotting, and monitoring the hovertrain’s systems.”
CJ: “Morning’s Edge has a crew of twenty-five individuals. Besides the conductor and engineers, there are porters, maintenance workers, and miners. The train cars behind the engine are used to house the crew. There’s a galley car for making and eating food, a bathroom car for nature’s business, and sleeping cars like this.”
Doog: “You sleep in here?”
Doog: “You sleep in here?”
CJ: “Yeah, it’s not so bad. These beds fold down. There’s a small place for storage and a small TV.”
Doog: “It’s alright, I guess. At least you get to watch awesome shows, like LIU Atlas.”
CJ: “Yeah, you’ll have to let me know when your show gets released. I’d love to watch it, well, this episode, at least.”
Doog: “What do you mean, ‘gets released’? LIU Atlas has been on TV for thirteen years.”
CJ: “Uh…h…h…has it? I thought this was a new thing.”
Doog: “Sigh. This is what I meant when I said the stakes were higher for you.”
Doog: “It’s alright, I guess. At least you get to watch awesome shows, like LIU Atlas.”
CJ: “Yeah, you’ll have to let me know when your show gets released. I’d love to watch it, well, this episode, at least.”
Doog: “What do you mean, ‘gets released’? LIU Atlas has been on TV for thirteen years.”
CJ: “Uh…h…h…has it? I thought this was a new thing.”
Doog: “Sigh. This is what I meant when I said the stakes were higher for you.”
CJ: “The Mapping and Plotting Car sits behind the housing cars. It uses ground-penetrating radar to locate pockets of Aerococta. This information is not useful this pass, but it is used to determine future routes.”
CJ: “When we’re not driving or sleeping, us engineers usually hang out here, in the Mapping Car.”
Doog: “Seems like a blast. How does any of this help mine things from a fast-moving train?”
CJ: “We’re getting there.”
Doog: “Seems like a blast. How does any of this help mine things from a fast-moving train?”
CJ: “We’re getting there.”
CJ: “The next six cars house the train’s fusion engines. These puppies power the whole train.”
Doog: “Wonderful. So, do you guys reach your hands out and pick up the ceramics or what? Doesn’t seem safe at these speeds.”
CJ: “We’re getting to that in a bit. The engines are an important part of that process. Not only do they provide the power, they provide the weight.”
Doog: “The weight?”
Doog: “Wonderful. So, do you guys reach your hands out and pick up the ceramics or what? Doesn’t seem safe at these speeds.”
CJ: “We’re getting to that in a bit. The engines are an important part of that process. Not only do they provide the power, they provide the weight.”
Doog: “The weight?”
CJ: “Yeah. The car immediately following the engines is the Raker. The weight of the engine cars makes the Raker more productive and helps keep the train stable when the rakers are deployed.”
Doog: “What’s a raker?”
CJ: “It’s a train car with large metal blades on its exterior. These blades drag across the soil, pulverizing the hardened surface. Essentially, they are like giant plows that churn the soil and free the Aerococta chunks from the planet’s surface.”
Doog: “What’s a raker?”
CJ: “It’s a train car with large metal blades on its exterior. These blades drag across the soil, pulverizing the hardened surface. Essentially, they are like giant plows that churn the soil and free the Aerococta chunks from the planet’s surface.”
CJ: “Aerococta is formed by the planet’s continuous heat cycle. Surface clays are heated to high temperatures by the sun, and then they slowly cool overnight. The process, called annealing, makes the clays tougher and removes internal stresses. This means that Aerococta is only found near the surface. The blades don’t have to penetrate deep to reach the ceramics.”
Doog: “There’s plenty of things you can get without penetrating too deep – trust me. Ever hear of Collum Gonorrhea?”
Doog: “There’s plenty of things you can get without penetrating too deep – trust me. Ever hear of Collum Gonorrhea?”
CJ: “A vacuum car follows the Raker. It sucks up all the loosened regolith.”
Doog: “Wait…you just vacuum the planet’s surface?”
CJ: “Yeah. It only works if the surface is plowed first, but that’s how me mine from a train, vacuums.”
Doog: “I wasn’t expecting that. I’m essentially riding on a high-speed Roomba.”
Doog: “Wait…you just vacuum the planet’s surface?”
CJ: “Yeah. It only works if the surface is plowed first, but that’s how me mine from a train, vacuums.”
Doog: “I wasn’t expecting that. I’m essentially riding on a high-speed Roomba.”
CJ: “These vacuums are a little more advanced than a household appliance.”
Doog: “How so?”
CJ: “Aerococta is nonconductive and nonmagnetic. Electromagnetic filters utilize these characteristics to remove non-Aerococtic materials from the vacuums.”
Doog: “How so?”
CJ: “Aerococta is nonconductive and nonmagnetic. Electromagnetic filters utilize these characteristics to remove non-Aerococtic materials from the vacuums.”
CJ: “Aerococta is also much heavier than standard regolith. Flushing tanks take advantage of this feature.”
Doog: “Flushing tanks? Do you mean toilets?”
CJ: “No. Flushing tanks, like these, are full of water. Vacuumed materials are deposited into these tanks and agitated. The heavy Aerococta sinks, while lighter things like dirt float to the top. The lighter material is then flushed away.”
Doog: “Flushing tanks? Do you mean toilets?”
CJ: “No. Flushing tanks, like these, are full of water. Vacuumed materials are deposited into these tanks and agitated. The heavy Aerococta sinks, while lighter things like dirt float to the top. The lighter material is then flushed away.”
Doog: “Can I flush it?”
CJ: “Again, it’s not like a toilet. The flushing is computerized and automatic. There’s no handle to pull down.”
Doog: “I see plenty of buttons to push.”
CJ: “Seriously, it’s not a toilet.”
CJ: “Again, it’s not like a toilet. The flushing is computerized and automatic. There’s no handle to pull down.”
Doog: “I see plenty of buttons to push.”
CJ: “Seriously, it’s not a toilet.”
CJ: “Electromagnetic filtering and water-flushing do the majority of the work, but nothing beats a good pair of eyes. Before it’s stored away, sorters personally inspect the Aerococta haul for impurities.”
Doog: “Dirt inspectors, huh?”
CJ: “Ceramic Sorters is the preferred term.”
Doog: “Right. And I’m a Galaxy-Class Investigative Reporter.”
CJ: “Okay, titles aside, they’re technically dirt inspectors. That doesn’t mean their job isn’t hard. They are our last line of defense. The more impurities that make it through, the faster the storage tanks fill up. The train only has so much storage, so wasting space with non-ceramic soils is a big waste. It will quickly cut into our profits.”
Doog: “Dirt inspectors, huh?”
CJ: “Ceramic Sorters is the preferred term.”
Doog: “Right. And I’m a Galaxy-Class Investigative Reporter.”
CJ: “Okay, titles aside, they’re technically dirt inspectors. That doesn’t mean their job isn’t hard. They are our last line of defense. The more impurities that make it through, the faster the storage tanks fill up. The train only has so much storage, so wasting space with non-ceramic soils is a big waste. It will quickly cut into our profits.”
CJ: “Aerococta is easily distinguished from other materials. It’s glassy, jet-black, and much heavier than other chunks of regolith. It’s easy to identify with just your bare eyes and a shovel. A spectral scanner makes it even easier.”
Doog: “What’s this blackened ceramic used for?”
CJ: “Some of the properties we’ve already discussed makes it extremely useful.”
Doog: “Remind me of those again. I was totally paying attention…for some parts of that. But, let’s be sure the audience knows.”
CJ: “Galaxy-class reporting, indeed. Anyway, Aerococta is nonconductive, nonmagnetic, and extremely durable when energized or heated. It’s great for plasma battery cases and fuel cell components. It’s one of the best insulators for Fusion Star Chambers. It’s often used in weapons containers too.”
Doog: “And it’s only found on Fere Mane?”
CJ: “Oh no, it’s found several other places – notably, the Inferno Mines of Kaustós and the ejecta rings of the brown dwarf, Spadix. Fere Mane probably has the safest and most cost-effective operation, though.”
Doog: “What’s this blackened ceramic used for?”
CJ: “Some of the properties we’ve already discussed makes it extremely useful.”
Doog: “Remind me of those again. I was totally paying attention…for some parts of that. But, let’s be sure the audience knows.”
CJ: “Galaxy-class reporting, indeed. Anyway, Aerococta is nonconductive, nonmagnetic, and extremely durable when energized or heated. It’s great for plasma battery cases and fuel cell components. It’s one of the best insulators for Fusion Star Chambers. It’s often used in weapons containers too.”
Doog: “And it’s only found on Fere Mane?”
CJ: “Oh no, it’s found several other places – notably, the Inferno Mines of Kaustós and the ejecta rings of the brown dwarf, Spadix. Fere Mane probably has the safest and most cost-effective operation, though.”
CJ: “Before being stored, the Aerococta undergoes another round of extreme heating. This builds up the materials’ strength, so it’s not too brittle when stored.”
Doog: “It’s hotter than a spice-pipe on Unification Day. Holy Emperor!”
CJ: “It’s hot, for sure. Given the extreme heat of this train car, the employment of heat-resistant beings was necessary.”
Doog: “That’s a Dokkal. I’ve met some of his race on Dokkalfar before.”
CJ: “Wow, that’s right. Maybe you are a galaxy-class reporter.”
Doog: “Nah, I just got lucky. I was there, last season.”
Doog: “It’s hotter than a spice-pipe on Unification Day. Holy Emperor!”
CJ: “It’s hot, for sure. Given the extreme heat of this train car, the employment of heat-resistant beings was necessary.”
Doog: “That’s a Dokkal. I’ve met some of his race on Dokkalfar before.”
CJ: “Wow, that’s right. Maybe you are a galaxy-class reporter.”
Doog: “Nah, I just got lucky. I was there, last season.”
CJ: “The last half of the train is mostly storage. Raw Aerococta is stored in detachable pods. The pods can be quickly removed and replaced when the train temporarily docks at a terminal. This helps the train maintain its position near dawn. Offloading can’t take too long.”
Doog: “Speaking of terminals, when will the Morning’s Edge re-arrive at one? I don’t want to hang out on this train for weeks.”
CJ: “The train orbits the entire planet once every two days, but the path obviously varies – the Morning’s Edge can’t follow the same path every time. That would be inefficient.”
Doog: “Meaning?”
CJ: “We’re not due for another offload until Iota Basin – twelve days from now. It’s a dozen or so miles south of Lambda Gulch Terminal.”
Doog: “At these speeds, a dozen miles south is practically nothing.”
CJ: “We’re not moving directly south. We’re moving a mile south every rotation.”
Doog: “Math it for me…”
CJ: “Iota is a few weeks away.”
Doog: “And, that means what?”
CJ: “You’re riding with us for a while, unless you want to jump from the train to your ship.”
Doog: “I’ll try anything to get off this train. Don’t underestimate how much I don’t want to be here.”
Doog: “Speaking of terminals, when will the Morning’s Edge re-arrive at one? I don’t want to hang out on this train for weeks.”
CJ: “The train orbits the entire planet once every two days, but the path obviously varies – the Morning’s Edge can’t follow the same path every time. That would be inefficient.”
Doog: “Meaning?”
CJ: “We’re not due for another offload until Iota Basin – twelve days from now. It’s a dozen or so miles south of Lambda Gulch Terminal.”
Doog: “At these speeds, a dozen miles south is practically nothing.”
CJ: “We’re not moving directly south. We’re moving a mile south every rotation.”
Doog: “Math it for me…”
CJ: “Iota is a few weeks away.”
Doog: “And, that means what?”
CJ: “You’re riding with us for a while, unless you want to jump from the train to your ship.”
Doog: “I’ll try anything to get off this train. Don’t underestimate how much I don’t want to be here.”
Doog: “Well folks, that’s Fere Mane. The story here is less about the planet and more about this train. High-speed hover trains, like the Morning’s Edge, circumnavigate Fere Mane while mining the valuable ceramic, Aerococta. Aerococta is difficult to mine when it’s hot, but heat is needed to create it. It’s a bit of a conundrum. Trains solve this problem by mining Aerococta when it is at its most brittle state, dawn. In order to stay in dawn-time conditions, these trains travel at the same speed that the planet rotates. It’s perpetual dawn as long as you stay on the train. I, however, do not wish to remain on this train. So, I’ll need to plan how I’m jumping off this thing. Wish me luck. See ya!”
Note: There are six trains in constant motion around Fere Mane, stopping only to unload their hauls.
Trains: Morning’s Edge, Dawn Drifter, First Light, Antemeridian, Never Rising, and Fleeing Daybreak.
Terminals: Lambda Gulch Terminal, Iota Basin Terminal, and Upsilon North Terminal.
Note: There are six trains in constant motion around Fere Mane, stopping only to unload their hauls.
Trains: Morning’s Edge, Dawn Drifter, First Light, Antemeridian, Never Rising, and Fleeing Daybreak.
Terminals: Lambda Gulch Terminal, Iota Basin Terminal, and Upsilon North Terminal.
