LIU Atlas - Fovea
There are billions of stars, millions of planets, but there is only one man, Terrance McDoogal. Welcome to LIU Atlas.
LIU Atlas - Fovea
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.
LIU Atlas - Fovea
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.
Doog: “Welcome to another episode of LIU Atlas. I’m your host, Terrance “Doog” McDoogal. As you know, my crew and I recently survived a raid by some vicious Space Pirates. Unfortunately, the Magellan did not fare as well as we did. The pirates stole most of her fuel cells. We used the little energy we had left to come to the planet Fovea, one of the LIU Galaxy’s largest producers of fuel cells. Why go to a store when you can go right to the source?”
Doog: “Fovea is an arid wasteland with few landmarks and almost no signs of life. Its surface is dotted with large sinkholes.”
Doog: “The first signs of civilization come into view as our ship flies over one of these large sinkholes.”
Doog: “As you can see, the bottom of the sinkhole is covered in a large green lake.”
Doog: “As we circle down the sinkhole, one of Fovea’s service stations comes into view. That’s where we’re headed.”
Doog: “Alright folks, we parked the Magellan, and the repairs are underway. Unfortunately, it’s going to take most of the treasure we stole to pay for these new fuel cells. Even worse, the repairs could take several hours. So, we’re going to be stuck here for a while. To pass the time, I’ve decided to do another impromptu episode. All I need is a guide…”
Doog: “Excuse me? Does anyone here want to be my guide?”
Guard: “Anyone that talks to the human gets forty lashes!”
Doog: “Hey, what’s your problem?”
Guard: “Anyone that talks to the human gets forty lashes!”
Doog: “Hey, what’s your problem?”
Piger: “Perhaps I could be of assistance?”
Doog: “Who are you?”
Piger: “What do you mean, ‘who am I’? I’m Piger, High Archon of the Fovean Consortium.”
Doog: “The what?”
Piger: “Good heavens man, don’t you do any research before you come to a planet?”
Doog: “Generally, my research is limited to finding out whether or not I can breathe there.”
Piger: “Sigh. The Fovean Consortium is an union of this planet’s two sentient species, the Rego and the Proles. My race, the Rego, evolved in a separate sinkhole than…”
Doog: “Who are you?”
Piger: “What do you mean, ‘who am I’? I’m Piger, High Archon of the Fovean Consortium.”
Doog: “The what?”
Piger: “Good heavens man, don’t you do any research before you come to a planet?”
Doog: “Generally, my research is limited to finding out whether or not I can breathe there.”
Piger: “Sigh. The Fovean Consortium is an union of this planet’s two sentient species, the Rego and the Proles. My race, the Rego, evolved in a separate sinkhole than…”
Piger: “…the Proles. Of course, my race was the first to develop technology, emerge from our hole, and explore this planet. When we eventually discovered the Proles, we took their primitive species under our care. Now, they serve as the worker class for our society.”
Doog: “So in other words, you enslaved them?”
Piger: “What! Of course not. We simply harnessed their natural abilities. The Proles are extremely efficient workers; they just lack the necessary motivation and intelligence to succeed. If it wasn‘t for us, they‘d still be living in caves.”
Doog: “I guess. Well, I was wondering if you could show me around your operation?”
Piger: “Normally, I’d say no, but I’m going to make an exception for you.”
Doog: “Because I’m famous?”
Piger: “What? No! Because I want to convince you that this consortium is not as bad as you think it is.”
Doog: “So in other words, you enslaved them?”
Piger: “What! Of course not. We simply harnessed their natural abilities. The Proles are extremely efficient workers; they just lack the necessary motivation and intelligence to succeed. If it wasn‘t for us, they‘d still be living in caves.”
Doog: “I guess. Well, I was wondering if you could show me around your operation?”
Piger: “Normally, I’d say no, but I’m going to make an exception for you.”
Doog: “Because I’m famous?”
Piger: “What? No! Because I want to convince you that this consortium is not as bad as you think it is.”
Piger: “If you want to see our operation, it’s better to start from the bottom up. Try to keep up.”
Doog: “I’ll try, but I’m not making any promises, especially if there are stairs involved.”
Doog: “I’ll try, but I’m not making any promises, especially if there are stairs involved.”
Doog: “Ew, it smells like my grandma’s house down here, and that isn’t a compliment. Where are we?”
Piger: “We are on the bottom of the sinkhole, which is home to a large green lake. This is true of all Fovea’s sinkholes. These lakes get their color from the algae growing within it. This algae, unique to Fovea, catalyzes the rock into energy. Over the course of millions of years, the algae and its eating habits have created these large sinkholes.”
Doog: “And what does this have to do with fuel cells? Please tell me and my olfactory senses that we came down here for a reason.”
Doog: “And what does this have to do with fuel cells? Please tell me and my olfactory senses that we came down here for a reason.”
Piger: “Have some patience, I’m getting to it. As the algae ate its way farther and farther down the sinkhole, less and less sunlight became available. Now, at this depth, the algae only receives direct sunlight a few times every year. To
overcome this critical lack of sunlight, the algae developed an unique body structure that maximizes the amount of energy it can store. We realized early in our studies, that this structure would be useful in fuel cells.”
Doog: “So…fuel cells are made of algae?”
Piger: “Fovean Fuel Cells are, although, there are other methods. As you can see, the algae water is pumped from the lake into our facility. You will also notice, that none of the Proles are required in this step of production. This part is run entirely by my race and our technology.”
Doog: “Your race is responsible for sucking the algae up into the facility?”
Piger: “Exactly.”
Doog: “So, it’s safe to say, you guys specialize in sucking.”
Piger: “I will not justify that statement with a response. Come on, let’s head to the next step in production.”
overcome this critical lack of sunlight, the algae developed an unique body structure that maximizes the amount of energy it can store. We realized early in our studies, that this structure would be useful in fuel cells.”
Doog: “So…fuel cells are made of algae?”
Piger: “Fovean Fuel Cells are, although, there are other methods. As you can see, the algae water is pumped from the lake into our facility. You will also notice, that none of the Proles are required in this step of production. This part is run entirely by my race and our technology.”
Doog: “Your race is responsible for sucking the algae up into the facility?”
Piger: “Exactly.”
Doog: “So, it’s safe to say, you guys specialize in sucking.”
Piger: “I will not justify that statement with a response. Come on, let’s head to the next step in production.”
Doog: “And I thought it couldn’t smell any worse. It sort of burns too.”
Piger: “Yes, one of the byproducts of production is a noxious gas. It smells pretty unpleasant, but it doesn’t really cause any harm to healthy adults. There are minor risks for the children, the elderly, and the sick. As you can see, a ventilation system removes most of the gas.”
Doog: “What was that? I was gagging too much to hear you. You know what, let’s just make this quick. What’s going on here?”
Piger: “Yes, one of the byproducts of production is a noxious gas. It smells pretty unpleasant, but it doesn’t really cause any harm to healthy adults. There are minor risks for the children, the elderly, and the sick. As you can see, a ventilation system removes most of the gas.”
Doog: “What was that? I was gagging too much to hear you. You know what, let’s just make this quick. What’s going on here?”
Piger: “The algae, drawn in from the sinkhole, is placed in a growth chamber directly below us. When the sunlight starved algae is given ample energy, it reproduces quickly. This allows us to take less algae from the crater. If we took too much, we would eventually run out of algae. The algae is then pumped into the tank to your right - the viewers’ left - where it floats to the top of the tank. Water, which settles to the bottom of the tank, is drawn out and used to meet the facility’s water demands. The algae is pumped up to the next stage of production.”
Doog: “Hurry, let’s go.”
Doog: “Hurry, let’s go.”
Piger: “The final step involves mixing the algae with classified gelling agent, which turns the algae yellow. You didn’t think we’d give away all our secrets, did you?”
Doog: “Honestly, I wish you would have just said the whole thing was classified and saved us a little time.”
Piger: “Uh, yeah. So where was I? Ah, the gelled algae is then pumped into preformed glass containers.”
Doog: “Honestly, I wish you would have just said the whole thing was classified and saved us a little time.”
Piger: “Uh, yeah. So where was I? Ah, the gelled algae is then pumped into preformed glass containers.”
Piger: “A Prole worker hammers a lid on, and we have a finished Fovean Fuel Cell.”
Doog: “That’s great and all, but you haven’t really shown me anything to ease my concerns for the Proles. You guys handle the ‘sucking’ which requires zero work, while the Proles do everything else, including working in that awful smell chamber.”
Piger: “Hey, we have some guys in smell…I mean, growth chamber too.”
Doog: “Yeah, the guys whipping the Proles. Not exactly a great argument.”
Piger: “Hmm, you have a valid concern. I guess we could visit the Prole living quarters, and I could show you how well we treat them.”
Doog: “Yeah, let’s do that.”
Doog: “That’s great and all, but you haven’t really shown me anything to ease my concerns for the Proles. You guys handle the ‘sucking’ which requires zero work, while the Proles do everything else, including working in that awful smell chamber.”
Piger: “Hey, we have some guys in smell…I mean, growth chamber too.”
Doog: “Yeah, the guys whipping the Proles. Not exactly a great argument.”
Piger: “Hmm, you have a valid concern. I guess we could visit the Prole living quarters, and I could show you how well we treat them.”
Doog: “Yeah, let’s do that.”
Piger: “The Prole living quarters are just down this hall, beyond this energy shield.”
Doog: “That proves it right there - you guys keep them behind shields!”
Piger: “No! These shields are a safety measure to stop the noxious gas from spreading through the facility. Biological life forms can pass through with ease, but the gas is stopped. They are located all over the facility. We’ve been walking through them all day.”
Doog: “So you say…”
Doog: “That proves it right there - you guys keep them behind shields!”
Piger: “No! These shields are a safety measure to stop the noxious gas from spreading through the facility. Biological life forms can pass through with ease, but the gas is stopped. They are located all over the facility. We’ve been walking through them all day.”
Doog: “So you say…”
Doog: “If the shields are just a safety measure, then you wouldn’t mind if I do this…”
Piger: “Doog! That’s the emergency shut-off button! I do mind! That will turn off all the shields in the facility!”
Piger: “Doog! That’s the emergency shut-off button! I do mind! That will turn off all the shields in the facility!”
Doog: “FREEEEDOOOOM!”
Prole: “What is up with this weirdo, Piger?”
Doog: “Didn’t you hear me Prole? You’re free!”
Prole: “Free from what?”
Doog: “Uh…I may have been mistaken…never mind.”
Piger: “You idiot! It will take hours to get the shields back up. There is probably gas coursing through the facility as we speak.”
Doog: “Well, you said it only affected the young, elderly, and sick. As long as it doesn’t get to any of them…”
Prole: “What is up with this weirdo, Piger?”
Doog: “Didn’t you hear me Prole? You’re free!”
Prole: “Free from what?”
Doog: “Uh…I may have been mistaken…never mind.”
Piger: “You idiot! It will take hours to get the shields back up. There is probably gas coursing through the facility as we speak.”
Doog: “Well, you said it only affected the young, elderly, and sick. As long as it doesn’t get to any of them…”
Computer: “Warning, elevated gas levels detected. Please evacuate the following areas…”
Doog: “Please… please don’t let it be any dangerous areas”
Computer: “…the Retirement Center…”
Doog: “Oh man!”
Computer: “…the Hospital Wing…”
Doog: “Oh crap!”
Computer: “…the nursery…”
Doog: “Oh $&@#!”
Doog: “Please… please don’t let it be any dangerous areas”
Computer: “…the Retirement Center…”
Doog: “Oh man!”
Computer: “…the Hospital Wing…”
Doog: “Oh crap!”
Computer: “…the nursery…”
Doog: “Oh $&@#!”
Piger: “Fifty lashes for the idiot!”
Doog: “Well folks, I’ve got to run! Fovea is an important part of the LIU. Their methods and social structure may seem odd, but apparently it works out for both sides. If anything, I’ve proven today that the two races can be brought together to face adversity or, at the very least, to beat TV hosts. I hope my ship is ready, or this is going to be painful.”
Note: Doog’s ship was ready, but he passed out from exhaustion after about twenty yards of running and received his beating.
CLICK HERE FOR NEXT EPISODE: Season 3 - Episode 7 - Alucinor
Doog: “Well folks, I’ve got to run! Fovea is an important part of the LIU. Their methods and social structure may seem odd, but apparently it works out for both sides. If anything, I’ve proven today that the two races can be brought together to face adversity or, at the very least, to beat TV hosts. I hope my ship is ready, or this is going to be painful.”
Note: Doog’s ship was ready, but he passed out from exhaustion after about twenty yards of running and received his beating.
CLICK HERE FOR NEXT EPISODE: Season 3 - Episode 7 - Alucinor
