LIU Atlas - Euripus System
The Ludgonian Industrial Union’s galaxy contains billions of stars and 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.
Grimani: “That‘s completely wrong. My name is Grimani, not Doog. I have no idea where you heard otherwise.”
Doog: “I don’t know. I was told you were the Doog of the Euripus System. I was going to be like, ‘Hey Doog of the Euripus System. I’m Doog of the Cunabula System’. It was going to be so cool.”
Grimani: “Yeah, sorry to disappoint. I am the Doge of the Euripus System, not the Doog. Doge is my title. Doge means leader.”
Doog: “So you’re the big boss around here?”
Grimani: “Big boss might be stretching it. I’m in charge of the little city here. I keep things in order for the LIU.”
Doog: “The city’s not that big? I thought this ring stretches for millions of miles?”
Grimani: “Indeed it does, but much of it is uninhabited. The city is restricted to a small cluster of asteroids, which are trapped in the Lagrangian Point between Euripus and the nearby gas planet of Fumi. This point of gravitational equilibrium stabilizes the asteroids allowing them to be colonized.”
Grimani: “Keeping time in a gas torus is a much different affair than keeping time on a planet. There’s no traditional time markers here, like rotational periods or day/night cycles. Euripus is always visible and it is always day time.”
Doog: “Always day? How do the ladies of the night know to come out? When do you know when to go seek them? I would never survive here.”
Grimani: “It’s not typically an issue for normal people like myself. But, if you ever move here, we’ve devised our own time system, based off star rotations, to make things easier for you.”
Doog: “Star rotations?
Grimani: “Yes. Magnetars, like other neutron stars, spin at a precise rate. By measuring Euripus’ rotations, we can measure time. Euripus spins about 6 times a second or 22,000 times per hour. Eleven, as shown on the clock, is at the half hour mark because it denotes 11,000 star rotations.”
Doog: “How many star rotations did we just waste staring at a clock? Maybe we should just move on.”
Grimani: “ Indeed. To venture further into the village, we’ll need to take a Hover Gondola. Follow me.”
Grimani: “It is possible I suppose, if you have enough escape velocity. These little asteroids have very little gravity.”
Doog: “So...avoid high velocities? Shouldn’t be an issue. I’m not typically a fast mover. Anyone you know ever fall?”
Grimani: “Very few. My people have become accustomed to these low gravity environments, so there’s few accidents. It’s a tad more dangerous for us than it would be for you. I mean, at least you have a environment suit on. If one of my species would get pushed out of the gas torus, they would suffocate and freeze to death. Anyway, you shouldn‘t worry. You‘re plenty safe here.”
Doog: “Oh, I’m not worried. I’m as tough as they get. I’m 100% manly man.”
Grimani: “What?! No. Why would we hold hands?”
Doog: “You know…for safety. Ok, fine…because it’s a romantic gondola ride through beautiful sky city. I got caught up in the moment.”
Grimani: “100% man, huh?”
Grimani: “We try. It’s difficult. There’s a few crop species from our homeworld that can survive in the atmosphere, but the other conditions aren‘t great. There’s no real soil, too much sunlight, and little water. We import most of our food.”
Doog: “Ugh, stay clear of the Lacertae. They’re always trying to force their wieners on me.”
Grimani: “Alrighty then. That was weird. Anyway, we’ve also tried relocating various cattle species here with mixed results.”
Doog: “Is that a camel with an oxygen tank on its back?!”
Grimani: “Like I said, we’re experimenting.”
Doog: “What is your economy then? Everything you’ve pointed out seems to be failing. You can’t farm, there’s little water being produced, and the whole camel thing has failure written all over it.”
Grimani: “My people are mostly scientists for the Meditor Institute. The others are support staff for the researchers . They take care of things like food and water, so the research staff can focus on their finds.”
Doog: “I know the Meditor Institute. They’re the research division of the LIU that focuses on historical studies, like archeology. Did they find something here?”
Doog: “Wow, cool. Who built it?”
Grimani: “We believe it was built by the Progenitors themselves.”
Doog: “The Progenitors? I’ve heard about them a few times.”
Grimani: “Yes, evidence of their existence is spread around the galaxy. They’ve left technology behind and even seeded certain portions of the galaxy with genetic material. This temple, though, is one of our greatest sources of Progenitor knowledge.”
Doog: “Can we go inside?”
Grimani: “Sure.”
Doog: “Maybe. In my experience, reading stuff doesn’t really do anything for me. Maybe give me a headache.”
Grimani: “The information in this temple is priceless. It must be protected at all costs. Researchers work under close guard.”
Doog: “Why I am allowed in here then?”
Grimani: “Well, I guess they are certain you won’t be able to glean anything from your visit. You did say you had “little use for reading’.”
Grimani: “Exactly. That’s what we are trying to find out. We’ve gotten some strange readings from these pillars, and the written language on the wall is much older than any other text we located. They are some interesting anomalies.”
Grimani: “Energy readings. The pillars are still emitting power after all these years. Their power source must be something truly amazing.”
Grimani: “No, not yet anyway.”
Doog: “Mind if I give it a shot?”
Grimani: “Haha. Go for it. This should be good. What can your little TV Host brain decipher that the hundreds of brilliant scientists could not?”
Grimani: “Haha. Figured it out already? Hahaha. Well, spit it out. What does it say, Mr. Genius?
Doog: “It doesn’t say anything…at least, not in words I know. But I think it’s a picture. I know pictures, trust me.”
Grimani: “Well, mystery solved. It’s a Progenitor art project. Haha. Great work Doog.”
Doog: “No, really. Look at it sideways. There’s three sets of pictures representing the three columns behind us. The middle one shows something on the center column. I think that something is a person.”
Grimani: “Are you crazy? Does that suit have a leak?”
Grimani: “What have you DONE!”
Grimani: “I…I don’t know. Get a hold of everyone from the Institute. I want everyone here right now!”
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