There are billions of stars, millions of planets, but there is only one man, Terrance McDoogal. Welcome to LIU Atlas.
LIU Atlas - Osculum
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 - Osculum
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. Today, we’re visiting the agricultural planet of Osculum. Osculum isn’t all that exciting on its own, but it exists in a rather unique planetary system. One of the other planets in this system, Osculo, is visible here behind the planet Osculum.”
Doog: “Osculo has an oblong, eccentric orbit that occasionally brings it super close to Osculum. This time of close approach is known as ‘The Kiss’. During ‘the kiss’, Osculum breaches Osculo’s roche lobe, and excess gas from Osculo flows to Osculum through the system’s Lagrangian Point #1. Essentially, the two planet’s briefly share the same atmosphere. While it sounds cool, the process is very violent, with Osculum absorbing large amounts if tidal force. It should be interesting.”
Doog: “Alright folks, I’ve been dropped off on the surface of Osculum. The first thing you notice here is all the bright foliage. It’s colored in various shades of pink and purple. There also appears to be several people working the fields. One of these guys should be my guide.”
Pir: “Doog, over here! By the bell!”
Pir: “Doog, over here! By the bell!”
Doog: “You must be my guide.”
Pir: “Yes, I am Pir Hazrat, tribal chief of the Osculum Race.”
Doog: “Osculum Race? Are you not human?”
Pir: “No, but we are closely related…at least…genetically. We share many characteristics, like bone and facial structures.”
Doog: “How close are we talking? Say, for instance, I meet a nice Osculum female…could we…you know…do things?”
Pir: “Putting the highly inappropriate nature of your question aside, the answer would be no. My reproductive organs do not match yours.”
Doog: “Wait, you’re a female? I thought you were the chief?”
Pir: “Well yes. I am both female and chief. Is that so hard to believe? The Osculum people follow matrilineal customs.”
Doog: “I guess not. I didn’t know. I guess that would make my previous question a little inappropriate. I wasn’t referring to you specifically…not that there’s something wrong with you…I’m just saying that I wouldn’t ask…perhaps, we should just continue on?”
Pir: “Indeed.”
Pir: “Yes, I am Pir Hazrat, tribal chief of the Osculum Race.”
Doog: “Osculum Race? Are you not human?”
Pir: “No, but we are closely related…at least…genetically. We share many characteristics, like bone and facial structures.”
Doog: “How close are we talking? Say, for instance, I meet a nice Osculum female…could we…you know…do things?”
Pir: “Putting the highly inappropriate nature of your question aside, the answer would be no. My reproductive organs do not match yours.”
Doog: “Wait, you’re a female? I thought you were the chief?”
Pir: “Well yes. I am both female and chief. Is that so hard to believe? The Osculum people follow matrilineal customs.”
Doog: “I guess not. I didn’t know. I guess that would make my previous question a little inappropriate. I wasn’t referring to you specifically…not that there’s something wrong with you…I’m just saying that I wouldn’t ask…perhaps, we should just continue on?”
Pir: “Indeed.”
Doog: “So, agriculture, huh?”
Pir: “Yes. Many of the species native to Osculum are fruit bearing. The fruits are popular here and off-world.”
Doog: “Any fruits that I know?”
Pir: “Yes. Many of the species native to Osculum are fruit bearing. The fruits are popular here and off-world.”
Doog: “Any fruits that I know?”
Pir: “Probably. They are pretty well distributed in the galaxy. The Berberian Berry, which grows on these lavender vines, is our top seller. Its sweet, tart berries are galaxy renowned.”
Doog: “Never heard of it.”
Doog: “Never heard of it.”
Pir: “Hmm, well then, perhaps you’ve heard of the Iecur Fruit? It’s classified as a super-fruit. It’s high in restorative vitamins and antioxidants. Pretty popular among the health food crowd.”
Doog: “Never heard of it, but I don’t really run with the health food crowd. Also, I consider myself to be mostly carnivore, so I don’t know many fruits in general.”
Doog: “Never heard of it, but I don’t really run with the health food crowd. Also, I consider myself to be mostly carnivore, so I don’t know many fruits in general.”
Doog: “So, I don’t know my fruits, but I think I know what this is. Is this a bell?”
Pir: “Yes. It’s one of the sacred bells of Osculum. There are many spread throughout these lands.”
Doog: “What makes them so sacred?”
Pir: “They are used to spread word of the ‘Great Meeting’, or what you call, ‘the kiss’. They are only sounded for this purpose, so their echoing tones have become synonymous with the event. Their tone is seen as spiritual.”
Doog: “So, in other words, I can’t ring it?”
Pir: “Yes. It’s one of the sacred bells of Osculum. There are many spread throughout these lands.”
Doog: “What makes them so sacred?”
Pir: “They are used to spread word of the ‘Great Meeting’, or what you call, ‘the kiss’. They are only sounded for this purpose, so their echoing tones have become synonymous with the event. Their tone is seen as spiritual.”
Doog: “So, in other words, I can’t ring it?”
Pir: “No. But you won’t have to wait long to hear the sacred bells. Osculo approaches.”
Pir: “Let’s leave the fields and head into town.”
Doog: “I’m following you.”
Doog: “I’m following you.”
Pir: “Our towns are centrally located in the middle of growing fields. No one has too far to go to get home.”
Doog: “The buildings look to be pretty simple. Some are pretty small too.”
Pir: “Yes, but not because we lack the technical aptitude to make them bigger.”
Doog: “The buildings look to be pretty simple. Some are pretty small too.”
Pir: “Yes, but not because we lack the technical aptitude to make them bigger.”
Pir: “The approach can be a violent event. Tidal forces from Osculo create tremors and earthquakes here on Osculum. These buildings are designed to handle the stresses. Their simple wood construction allows the structures to bend and bow without collapsing.”
Doog: “What kind of earthquakes are we talking here? Am I safe?”
Pir: “Yes, you should be. My race has survived this event for millions of years.”
Doog: “Yeah, but you guys aren’t me. I’m the kind of guy that accidentally gets swallowed up by some crack in the ground.”
Pir: “Maybe you shouldn’t walk by me then.”
Doog: “What kind of earthquakes are we talking here? Am I safe?”
Pir: “Yes, you should be. My race has survived this event for millions of years.”
Doog: “Yeah, but you guys aren’t me. I’m the kind of guy that accidentally gets swallowed up by some crack in the ground.”
Pir: “Maybe you shouldn’t walk by me then.”
Pir: “If you paid close attention in both the fields and the town, then you saw that they are surrounded by walls.”
Doog: “Yeah, I noticed. I also noticed that we’ve exited the walls. I sense danger.”
Pir: “Ha. There’s no danger to you or I. There’s only danger to the crops.”
Doog: “Danger to the crops?”
Pir: “Yes. You can see there’s a lot less foliage outside the walls. That’s because…”
Doog: “Yeah, I noticed. I also noticed that we’ve exited the walls. I sense danger.”
Pir: “Ha. There’s no danger to you or I. There’s only danger to the crops.”
Doog: “Danger to the crops?”
Pir: “Yes. You can see there’s a lot less foliage outside the walls. That’s because…”
Pir: “…of this creature, the larvae form of the Osculum Moth.”
Doog: “Aw, it’s a caterpillar. It’s kind of cute…you know…in a manly sort of way.”
Pir: “Cute, no doubt, but they’re also huge pests. These ‘caterpillars’ have a voracious appetite - they never stop eating.”
Doog: “Sort of like me. You know, if I had food.”
Pir: “They are free to feed outside the walls, but we must be vigilant that they never bypass the walls. We could lose enormous amounts of crops very quickly.”
Doog: “Aw, it’s a caterpillar. It’s kind of cute…you know…in a manly sort of way.”
Pir: “Cute, no doubt, but they’re also huge pests. These ‘caterpillars’ have a voracious appetite - they never stop eating.”
Doog: “Sort of like me. You know, if I had food.”
Pir: “They are free to feed outside the walls, but we must be vigilant that they never bypass the walls. We could lose enormous amounts of crops very quickly.”
Doog: “This might sound a little cynical, but if they’re such a pest…why not kill them off? It might be the LIU propaganda bouncing around my brain, but you could really ramp up production without these things eating everything.”
Pir: “Yes. It’s an idea the LIU explored early, but the Osculum Moth is vital to the whole fruiting process. The moths are the only pollinator of this planet’s plants. Without them, we’d have no crop. We had to find a natural balance.”
Doog: “I guess. So, where are these moths? I haven’t seen any yet. If their caterpillars are any indication, these moths must be huge.”
Pir: “The moths are migratory. They only return to Osculum during ‘the kiss’.”
Doog: “Wait…what? Return to Osculum? You mean they’re not on the planet?”
Pir: “No, the moths live on Osculo. They only come here to breed and lay their eggs.”
Doog: “Wow, that’s crazy. Inter-planetary moths.”
Pir: “To those not accustomed to the ‘Great Meeting’, I imagine it is a unique creature. Speaking of the ‘Great Meeting’, we need to start making our way to the ceremonial grounds.”
Pir: “Yes. It’s an idea the LIU explored early, but the Osculum Moth is vital to the whole fruiting process. The moths are the only pollinator of this planet’s plants. Without them, we’d have no crop. We had to find a natural balance.”
Doog: “I guess. So, where are these moths? I haven’t seen any yet. If their caterpillars are any indication, these moths must be huge.”
Pir: “The moths are migratory. They only return to Osculum during ‘the kiss’.”
Doog: “Wait…what? Return to Osculum? You mean they’re not on the planet?”
Pir: “No, the moths live on Osculo. They only come here to breed and lay their eggs.”
Doog: “Wow, that’s crazy. Inter-planetary moths.”
Pir: “To those not accustomed to the ‘Great Meeting’, I imagine it is a unique creature. Speaking of the ‘Great Meeting’, we need to start making our way to the ceremonial grounds.”
Pir: “The approach is a deeply religious experience for my race. It signifies the return of the moths, the pollination of our crops, and the rebirth of the atmosphere.”
Doog: “Rebirth of the atmosphere?”
Pir: “Yeah, another benefit of ‘the kiss’. Osculum is too small to hold its atmosphere for very long. Much is lost to the solar winds every year. During the ‘Great Meeting’, some of Osculo’s atmosphere is transferred to Osculum, replenishing what has been lost.”
Doog: “Gotcha. So, this is some type of religious temple?
Pir: “Yes. This is the Temple of Gressus. My people believe that the temple is the point of closest approach. Osculo ascends directly overhead. It has other areas of symbolic architecture as well. There are thirteen steps, signifying the thirteen months between approaches. There are four sides, signifying that the event lasts for four days.”
Doog: “Rebirth of the atmosphere?”
Pir: “Yeah, another benefit of ‘the kiss’. Osculum is too small to hold its atmosphere for very long. Much is lost to the solar winds every year. During the ‘Great Meeting’, some of Osculo’s atmosphere is transferred to Osculum, replenishing what has been lost.”
Doog: “Gotcha. So, this is some type of religious temple?
Pir: “Yes. This is the Temple of Gressus. My people believe that the temple is the point of closest approach. Osculo ascends directly overhead. It has other areas of symbolic architecture as well. There are thirteen steps, signifying the thirteen months between approaches. There are four sides, signifying that the event lasts for four days.”
Doog: “And the statue on top?”
Pir: “This is the personification of Osculo. Before the time of knowledge, Osculo was thought to be a god. Although we now know that Osculo is another planet, we still worship the deity associated with it. Osculo is the life bringer.”
Doog: “If I could pry some that gold off, he’d be a life bringer for me too.”
Pir: “Sigh.”
Pir: “This is the personification of Osculo. Before the time of knowledge, Osculo was thought to be a god. Although we now know that Osculo is another planet, we still worship the deity associated with it. Osculo is the life bringer.”
Doog: “If I could pry some that gold off, he’d be a life bringer for me too.”
Pir: “Sigh.”
Pir: “The events of the approach involve many celebrations. During one of the first celebrations, priests ascend the temple and ring the Osculo bell.”
Doog: “The statue’s a bell too?”
Pir: “Yes. It’s the first to be rung during the approach. When it is heard, the other bells are rung too, spreading the news to all corners of Osculum.”
Doog: “Cool.”
Pir: “You’ve been given a great honor. The priests would like you to make the ascent and participate in the ringing of the bell. You will be the first human to do so.”
Doog: “Hmm, thirteen steps though. I’ll pass.”
Pir: “But it’s an honor.”
Doog: “It’s not an honor for me. It’s thirteen steps of pure dishonor. Besides, I’ve seen enough adventure movies. I’m not climbing steps during an earthquake with a large ball sitting on top. This guy isn’t getting bowled over and crushed.”
Pir: “So be it.”
Doog: “The statue’s a bell too?”
Pir: “Yes. It’s the first to be rung during the approach. When it is heard, the other bells are rung too, spreading the news to all corners of Osculum.”
Doog: “Cool.”
Pir: “You’ve been given a great honor. The priests would like you to make the ascent and participate in the ringing of the bell. You will be the first human to do so.”
Doog: “Hmm, thirteen steps though. I’ll pass.”
Pir: “But it’s an honor.”
Doog: “It’s not an honor for me. It’s thirteen steps of pure dishonor. Besides, I’ve seen enough adventure movies. I’m not climbing steps during an earthquake with a large ball sitting on top. This guy isn’t getting bowled over and crushed.”
Pir: “So be it.”
Priest: “Let the festivities begin!”
Doog: “Wow, I hear it. More bells in the distance.”
Pir: “Yes, like I said, after the first bell, the rest follow.”
Doog: “It’s sort of like a hymn or something. Like a chorus of bells. Sounds pretty cool. Whoa. I felt a tremor too.”
Pir: “Yes. It is time.”
Pir: “Yes, like I said, after the first bell, the rest follow.”
Doog: “It’s sort of like a hymn or something. Like a chorus of bells. Sounds pretty cool. Whoa. I felt a tremor too.”
Pir: “Yes. It is time.”
Pir: “As the atmospheres become joined, you will feel a rush of warmer air. Osculum’s atmosphere is being forced downward. It’s density is increasing.”
Doog: “I feel it.”
Pir: “Soon, the moths will return.”
Doog: “Holy Kaadu! I see them! They’re huge!”
Doog: “I feel it.”
Pir: “Soon, the moths will return.”
Doog: “Holy Kaadu! I see them! They’re huge!”
Pir: “The air-bridge created by the atmospheric exchange allows the moths to fly back to Osculum. The phenomenon is hard to see, but it can be felt.”
Doog: “Yeah, we’re going to have to get some stock footage or simulation to show this exchange. I can see anything from down here. But I definitely feel the change in the atmosphere. I’m also feeling the increase in tremor strength.”
Doog: “Yeah, we’re going to have to get some stock footage or simulation to show this exchange. I can see anything from down here. But I definitely feel the change in the atmosphere. I’m also feeling the increase in tremor strength.”
Doog: “Wow, these guys are pretty awesome. They just hang out here in the fields?”
Pir: “They are drawn to the fields because they want to lay their eggs close to where they larvae can feed. While mating and laying these eggs, the moths transport pollen around the planet, securing the next generation of crops.”
Doog: “They don’t feed on anything?”
Pir: “No. Nothing down here. We don’t really know what they eat up on Osculo either. Much of the adult stage of the moths is still unknown. We believe they feed on various gases and advanced sugars detected in the atmosphere of Osculo, but we’re not sure.”
Doog: “Hmm, interesting. I guess there’s some type of protocol for moving the eggs?”
Pir: “Yes, great observation. We cannot let the eggs hatch in the fields. After the event, great care is taken to move all the eggs outside the walls before they hatch. If we miss too many, the crop could be lost.”
Pir: “They are drawn to the fields because they want to lay their eggs close to where they larvae can feed. While mating and laying these eggs, the moths transport pollen around the planet, securing the next generation of crops.”
Doog: “They don’t feed on anything?”
Pir: “No. Nothing down here. We don’t really know what they eat up on Osculo either. Much of the adult stage of the moths is still unknown. We believe they feed on various gases and advanced sugars detected in the atmosphere of Osculo, but we’re not sure.”
Doog: “Hmm, interesting. I guess there’s some type of protocol for moving the eggs?”
Pir: “Yes, great observation. We cannot let the eggs hatch in the fields. After the event, great care is taken to move all the eggs outside the walls before they hatch. If we miss too many, the crop could be lost.”
Doog: “Well folks, Osculum is an interesting place. It exists in a weird planetary relationship with its neighbor, Osculo. The two planets come to a point in their orbits where they nearly touch. A point called the ‘Great Meeting’ or ‘the kiss’. While it seems like such an meeting would be detrimental to life on Osculum, it actually enhances it. Osculum couldn’t exist in its current form without interactions from Osculo. Well, these tremors are picking up a bit. I think I’m about ready to head out. See ya!”
Note: “Advance simulations show that this system’s strange planetary interactions will only be stable for another ten thousand years. At that point, Osculum will breach Osculo’s Roche Limit and will be destroyed. Osculum will form into a ring around Osculo.”
Note: “Advance simulations show that this system’s strange planetary interactions will only be stable for another ten thousand years. At that point, Osculum will breach Osculo’s Roche Limit and will be destroyed. Osculum will form into a ring around Osculo.”
