Theory: Communication

It’s been a long while since I last did a long theory post, hasn’t it? Hopefully this is worth the wait!

So. Unless the technology in Starbound’s universe operates on principles entirely outside my understanding (which is possible), the ability to communicate long-distance is going to be a serious concern for the intergalactic traveler. Somehow, Esther is able to keep in touch with us no matter where we are, but considering that NPCs have us passing notes, it’s clear the lo-tech stuff hasn’t gone out of style. What’s this mean for worldbuilding?

Communication in space operates on a time delay, thanks to the limited speed of light. Just communicating with Mars takes an average of not quite 14 minutes. That’s a very long time if, say, your moon base is under attack and you’re trying to get the evacuation order from your boss on the planet below. It’ll be even worse with communicating between star systems, and there’s nothing that can be done to improve this, short of breaking the laws of physics. Small wonder the Apex rebellion’s got a solid foothold against the better-equipped Miniknog. They operate out of small regional cells, not dependent on outside powers for instruction, and can take advantage of the communication delay to disrupt the chain of command.

But how does Esther keep in touch? By breaking the laws of physics after all. There’s one substance we know of in Starbound that’s capable of bending space-time and moving things faster than light: Erchius. Supposedly volatile, dangerous to mine, and little understood, this stuff can warp ships between distant star systems, so it’s probably possible to have an erchius-powered device that can run a sort of mini-warp to send data, intel, and voice-chat along. It’s probably not easy to maintain, though, costing heavily on fuel and energy. Your average intrepid Apex rebel can still cripple Miniknog responses once they discover where the communication hub is and disable it until a replacement can be found. Major settlements and military bases might be equipped with such devices, and a spaceship with a FTL drive can probably rig something equivalent to piggyback off the drive, but your average space-colonist isn’t going to be able to afford something this rare. Especially not with Letheia’s chokehold on the erchius market.

That’s where the note-passing comes in. Wireless networks are a work in progress in the frontier, planet-wide and maybe barely system-wide if you’re lucky. For reaching things out of your range, write a note, pay a visiting merchant/space captain, and hope they deliver it where it’s going. Some penguin gangs, wandering novakid, and other hopeful explorers probably make good business as couriers. There might even be official mail teams; a final frontier revival of the Pony Express. If you and the recipient are lucky enough to both have teleporters, you can also send notes that way, or just visit in person.

…of course, this still doesn’t answer how Esther does things. The answer to that is definitely jumping into the deeply theoretical side, but she might use the Ark. She already left a radio recording rigged up to that Ancient Gate, and maybe even all Ancient Gates, transmitted from the one source where she’s sitting when we meet her. The Builders clearly knew how to bend space to suit themselves, if the Ancient Vaults are any indicators. If Esther can set a radio signal to a far-distant Gate that she has probably never visited in person, she’s probably able to reach our SAIL with ease, and SAIL can handle the rest.

The Ark Opens

Spoiler tags from here on out. It’s the final stretch at last.

Esther nodded slowly, her face calm and settled, as if she
had finally found an answer she’d been looking for. “Then I have something to
tell you, dear, and something to show you,” she said. “It’s time for me to ask
more of you than I’ve ever asked before… I believe you’re ready for this task,
do you?”

“I have come this far, Esther.” Nyota touched the Ark,
feeling its ancient, smooth surface. It seemed to hum under her fingertips.

“Good. We should gather the others, then. They’ve been
instrumental in this. I wouldn’t want to leave them out.”

A few minutes later, nine people stood in front of the Ark.
Nuru and the Baron waited beside Esther, the Floran bouncing excitedly on her
toes. Tonauac, Koichi, and Lana Blake waited on the far side of the gate; Lana
caught Nyota’s eye and nodded. Nyota smiled back.

“Only one artifact missssing now!” Nuru exclaimed happily.

Koichi nodded, flipping his book open. “Yes, and according
to our research…” He stopped, frowned, and shut the book again. “Actually, we
appear to not have any recorded data on the final artifact.”

“Correct,” Esther said. “The reason being that it has been
in our possession all along.” She held up her own old Matter Manipulator; it
was slightly smaller than Nyota’s, more curved, black with yellow accents.
“This Matter Manipulator that I’m holding is the only one of its kind. It is
the original—the Master Manipulator—and it also happens to be the artifact
gifted to the humans. Dear, would you like to do the honors?”

Of course. Nyota
stepped forward and held out her hand. The final relic felt warm and light in
her palm; too small for her large hands, but she could feel the power in it.
She bit back a curse as she saw how the device shone under the Ark’s light,
just like the other five. How did I miss
it? Of course the human relic would… humans founded the Protectorate, with the Manipulators as their symbol.

She swallowed the bitterness in her throat. First Asra Nox,
now this. Nox, she could understand. Esther hadn’t wanted to believe her
adopted child’s treachery. But hiding something so important as the final
relic? I have no right to be angry, Nyota
told herself. After all the secrets I
have kept… She shook her head. Emotion later. She held the Manipulator up
and let go. It hung in the air above her head, then vanished. Yellow light
filled the last empty slot; the tiny click that accompanied it seemed to
resonate deeper, somehow, than just hearing.

The ground shook. Massive yawning cracks split across the
gate, each one rattling the stones beneath their feet. Nyota staggered,
dropping to one knee; Lumen grabbed onto Namina to stay upright. Tonauac caught
Lana and Koichi before they fell.

“Esssther! What’s happening?” Nuru called.

The old woman’s reply was lost as great chunks of the gate
fell away, sucked into a swirling void. Light rippled just behind the Ark’s
arch, as blue as the holograms above. The air was still again.

“Nine hells…” Lumen whispered, staring into the blue vortex.
“That’s it, huh? That’s where the Cultivator locked that Ruin away?”

Namina hissed and bared his teeth. “Floran doesss not like
this.”

“Yes, that’s where the Ruin is. If you step through that
gate, you can find and destroy it,” Esther said, her voice confident. “If
anyone can do it, Nyota can. She brought the relics together, after all.
…Nyota?”

Nyota didn’t answer at first. She couldn’t. Smoke. Reek of blood, the dead sprawled
across the auditorium floor, Leda Portia’s eyes as the Ruin coiled around her,
tentacles lashing through the walls and—She gasped and shook herself. “I’m
sorry,” she said. Her hands trembled. Deep
breaths. “It… it just caught me off guard. The smell of it.”

“We’re with ya, Captain,” Lumen said. Nyota just nodded,
covering her nose with her hand to draw another deep breath. Namina studied
her, fidgeting with his sword belt, worried but unsure what to do.

“It’s alright if you need to prepare, dear,” Esther offered,
her face creased with worry. “The Ark can’t close again.”

The Apex shook her head. “If I turn back now, I don’t know
if I could come back, knowing what’s in there,” she whispered. “I… can handle
this. I will handle this. I have come this far.” Red coils touched the corners
of her vision at every breath and she clenched her fists, forcing the memories
back down.

“Here.” Lana Blake stepped forward, pulling off her scarf.
“I would only slow you down in there,” she said, “but take this. You can cover
your face with it. Should keep the smell out, at least.”

Nyota murmured a quiet thanks as she took the scarf and
wound it around her neck, too surprised to object or even register the
surprise. It smelled heavy and warm: fur and steel and a summer gale, with the
faintest hint of smoke as the thick fabric brushed against her face. It was a good, clean wood smoke, and it pushed away the memory of heavy chemical smog the Ruin had left behind.

“Make sure you return it,” Lana whispered, adjusting the scarf slightly before she stepped back.

Nyota nodded and turned toward the Ark, gesturing for Lumen
and Namina to follow her. One foot on the threshold, she paused and looked
back. “Commander Blake,” she asked, “if I make it out of this… may I make
dinner for you sometime?”

Lana’s small, surprised smile and nod were the last things Nyota
saw before she stepped through the Ark.

At the Ark Steps

Nyota turned the Mobility Augment over in her hands as she
headed back around the base of the Ark, watching light play off its glassy
surface.

“So, yer happy,” Lumen said. “Makin’ a new friend?”

Nyota jumped and bit back a curse as she almost dropped the
Augment. “Stars, Lumen, don’t scare me! How long have you been standing there?”

“Not that long. Just after she opened that ol’ crate,” he
said, fizzing cheerfully. “She’s nice, ain’t she?”

“Commander Blake? In her own way, yes,” Nyota said,
pocketing her treasure.

“Clever too,” he continued.

“Oh yes. She’s famous—well, infamous, as one of the best
Apex tacticians in history,” Nyota told him, starting to smile. “Even my old
mentor feared her.”

Lumen nodded, humming. “And real purdy to boot, eh?”

“Mmm…” Nyota stopped short as she caught herself nodding. “Lumen.
Just what are you getting at?” she asked sharply.

The Novakid raised his hands in a classic gesture of
innocence. “Nothin’, nothin’, just askin’ a question, that’s all.” He chuckled
as Nyota fixed a hard stare on him. “Criminy, Captain, ya haven’t noticed?
Arjun ain’t the only one gettin’ friendly. Poor fella’s gonna get the mitten,
though,” he added, shaking his head sadly. “They hit off mighty fine, but ol’
Esther ain’t lookin’ for company right now.”

“Get the…ah.” She remembered that slang from Isobu, when one
of their classmates got rejected. “You think Arjun is… romantically interested in Esther?”

“He sure is leanin’ that way,” Lumen said. “It didn’t start
like that, but hoooo did it get there. I ran a saloon for more’n a decade,
Captain. Ya learn to spot these things.”

Nyota laughed quietly, shaking her head. “And you think that
I—”

“…Captain?”

Nyota stopped dead as realization hit her and knocked the
wind right out of her lungs. She sat down hard on the steps, all too keenly
aware of how hot her face felt right now, and buried her face in her arms
despite knowing that would do nothing to hide it. “Stars, I did not ask for this,” she mumbled. “I’m too old for this.”

“No ya ain’t,” Lumen said, crouching beside her. “What are
ya, not yet thirty? I’m a hundred and nine years old, Captain. That’s too old for this.”

“You and I both know Novakid age—No. Lumen.” Nyota took a deep breath, straightening up to look at
him. “In case you forgot, I was a Miniknog soldier for most of my life. She’s
the leader of the Resistance. She
spent her life fighting us. And
that’s not even considering if…” She couldn’t finish that thought. “No. I
can’t—it won’t work out.” She sighed, long and slow, her head sinking back onto
her arms again. “I know the steps in this dance too well, Lumen. I always want
the ones I can’t have.”

Lumen touched her shoulder. “If ya just try—”

“Enough.” She stood up, her tone making it very clear that
this conversation was over. “It’s just a spark. It’ll die soon enough if I
don’t feed it.”

Lumen’s color dulled as he lowered his hand. “Nyota…”

The Apex started walking up the steps to the teleporter,
perhaps a bit less briskly than usual. “No. Don’t give me false hope, Lumen. Go
tell Arjun it’s time to go. We have a relic to find.”

Back to the Ark

“What? You know Grand
Protector Esther Bright?” Arjun exclaimed. “And you’re on first-name terms with
her?”

“Well, yes,” Nyota replied. “She’d the reason I’m out here
wandering, instead of trying to rebuild my life as a farmer on Mimosa Strand.
As far as we know, she and I are the last members of the Protectorate.” A bit
of sadness crept into her voice. They’d sent out so many calls, tried to reach
other survivors, but no one ever… She
shook her head, forcing a smile. “But my crew does count, and the others at the
Ark.”

Arjun’s only reply was a dumbstruck but happy smile.

Esther’s face lit up with a broad grin when she caught sight
of them. “Nyota! Welcome back! How are you feeling, dear?”

“Much better now, thank you,” Nyota said, walking over to
her. “Lumen and the healing water you sent did wonders. We have two artifacts
left, Esther. Which one should I go after first?”

The old woman frowned thoughtfully. “If you’re sure you are
up for it, we need to find the Glitch artifact. Glitch tend to reside on
planets with a lot of volcanic activity; they seem to find it vaguely
comforting. Volcanic planets occur around fiery stars,” she explained. “Best to
search there for clues. I know the Glitch are a little offbeat, but don’t
underestimate them. Look after yourself, dear.”

“I am getting better about that,” Nyota said, offering her a
reassuring smile. “I’ve come too far to get careless now.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Esther said, chuckling. “Now then…
Oh, is this a new crew member?”

“Ah, yes. Esther, this is Arjun. He volunteered as
mechanic.” Nyota stepped aside and gestured for Arjun to say hello. When he
hesitated, she whispered, “Go on. She doesn’t bite.”

Arjun swallowed hard and stepped forward. “It’s, ah, a
pleasure to meet you, Grand Protector,” he said. “I read your research on the Challenge
Doors…”

“Grand Protector? Oh my, aren’t you formal?” Esther laughed.
“Just Esther, please!”

Nyota grinned, shaking her head, as Arjun stammered his way
into a conversation. “That’s not what I expected,” she remarked quietly, “but
it was worth seeing. Do you need anything here, Lumen?”

The Novakid looked away from Esther and Arjun, brand
sparking with amusement. “Sonny asked me to give somethin’ to the old bird
downstairs,” he said. “Might stick around to watch this, though.”

“Pff, shameless eavesdropper.”

Lumen chuckled. “Darn right.”

She found Lana Blake
on the lower terrace, studying one of the holograms. The rebel looked up as
Nyota approached. “There you are, Captain Saimiri,” she called.

“Commander Blake. How have you been settling in?” Nyota
asked with a polite smile. She looked a lot better than the last time Nyota had
seen her, both of them tattered and bloody and exhausted. Nyota had expected
the leader of the Resistance to look out of place here. She was entirely wrong.
Lana Blake practically glowed with skill and confidence under the Ark’s eerie
lights.

“Well enough. It’s quiet here. It is badly undefended,
though. Nuru and I are the only capable fighters.” Lana considered her for a
moment, then held out her hand. “This is yours.”

Nyota reached automatically for the familiar memory card
before stopping herself and looking up at Lana, her smile fading slightly. “No,
the Resistance will make better use of it that I will,” she said.

“In case you have not been informed,” Lana said, making no
move to lower her hand, “you killed Big Ape. That makes you one of us. You are
part of the Resistance now, soldier.”

Nyota was silent. She had not thought of that. She had not
dared to think of it. But she did reach out and take the memory card. She
clipped it back onto its fine chain and fastened it around her neck again,
where it belonged.

“We’ve been trying to get ahold of the censoring program for
years,” Lana told her. “You did us a great service, whether you realized it or
not.”

“Thank you for returning it,” Nyota said quietly. “It… is
important.” She hadn’t realized how much she had missed its small weight.

Lana regarded her thoughtfully, then started working on the
latch of one of the crates stacked near her tent. “Tell me, Captain Saimiri, are Augments a
standard part of Miniknog equipment?”

Nyota shook her head. “Not standard, no. Even the Miniknog
can’t have everything they’d like, at least among the rank-and-file. A few of
us managed to distinguish ourselves enough to earn training with them, though,”
she added with a small glow of old pride.

“Good.” Lana opened the crate, revealing an assortment of
colorful glassy capsules. “I’ve acquired a shipment. Are these of any use to
you?”

Nyota stared at the crate’s contents in open astonishment,
then looked at Lana’s face, searching for some sign that she was joking.
“These… I won’t ask where you got them. They will definitely tip the tide in
your favor. Our favor.” It felt odd, but good,
saying that. “I can’t just take one,”
she insisted. “What do you want for them?“

“Whatever you think they’re worth,” Lana told her. “I
already trusted you with the lives of myself and my men when I gave you access
to those turrets. You might be ex-Miniknog, but I
think I can trust you with this.”

Trust. That was
good. That was very good. ‘With this’ again, though. A limit. And ex-Miniknog… Nyota’s heart sank as she
counted out the correct total of pixels. She
won’t ever forgive that. …Why do I care so much?

“A Mobility Augment? Good choice,” Lana said with an
approving nod as she passed Nyota the aqua-colored capsule. “Your crew speaks
highly of your combat skill. This will be in good hands.” She shut the crate,
hesitated. Nyota saw a flicker of a question rise in her eyes, but all she said was, “Take care out there, Captain Saimiri. You’re our front line.”

The Ark and Back Home

Next post is the last one in this arc. Story after the cut!

Nyota barely had time to recognize the Outpost stairs before
the teleporter activated again. Namina’s eyes lit up as he caught sight of her.
“Captain! Floran wasss worried.” He looked very much like he wanted to hug her
again, and also very concerned that she would break if he tried.

“We were all worried,” Lumen said. It was easy to hear the
relief in his voice as he walked over to her. His color dimmed as he took in
her tattered jacket, the dried blood down her back. “…Ya look like hell,
Nyota.”

“Thanks, Lumen. I feel like it.” Nyota sat down on the steps
and closed her eyes, waiting for the teleportation dizziness to pass. She was
terribly light-headed. It did not help that the numbing effect of the stimpack
was starting to wear off. She felt Lumen’s hand on her arm and smiled, grateful
for a small bit of stability.

“We need t’get ya home,” the Novakid muttered.

Nyota opened her eyes again and pulled the relic out,
letting it float over her palm. “I should get this to Esther first,” she said.
“…I need to let her know I’m alright.”

“Captain isss not alright,” Namina insisted.

She closed her hand over the relic. “You know what I mean.
Help me up.”

Esther’s face broke into a broad grin Nyota, leaning heavily
on the patient Floran, climbed the last few steps to the Ark door. “You did
make it! Miss Blake said you’d be following her, but after I lost touch with
you earlier… I was afraid we’d lost you then.” Her smile slipped for a moment.
Then she shook her head and the fear vanished. “But now here you are, dear. Apex
really are as tough as nails. And you brought a new friend back. I’m so pleased
our band is growing: that we’re gathering allies along with the artifacts. It’s
almost like starting a new Protectorate…”

Nyota smiled, feeling a warmth in her chest that had nothing
to do with red stimpaks. “It is, isn’t it? I’ve brought you more than a new
ally, Esther.” She held out the relic. It flashed once, a bright sky blue, then
slotted itself in between the Floran and Hylotl relics.

“Another step closer,” Esther said, satisfied. “You’d best
get back to your ship, dear. The rest of your crew will be glad to see you.”

Dizziness and pain crashed over Nyota again as she appeared
on her ship. The numbness from Lana’s stimpack was gone. She felt her knees hit
the floor, felt Namina’s hands catch her, heard Lumen’s panicked voice join
Hadley and Sonny’s startled shouts. She couldn’t make out the words. Something
sharp jabbed her arm and she drew in a long breath as the fire receded from her
chest. She exhaled slowly, feeling the air move through lungs that felt more
like jagged glass than a living body.

“Ya still with me, Nyota?” Lumen’s glow swam into focus, his
plasma bubbling with worry. Nyota nodded, not able to speak yet. He passed her
a small jar. “Drink that. It’ll help. Stop gawkin’,” he snapped at the crew,
flickering like fire for a second. “Hadley, bandages. Arjun, a bottle or two of healin’ water. Check the fridge. Sonny, get my kit. Can ya stand,” he added, much softer, “or ya need
one of us t’carry ya?”

Nyota swallowed. The bottle’s contents tasted a bit like
whiskey. “I’ll manage,” she rasped. “Where?”

“Reckon we oughta get ya cleaned up so I can patch ya up
right. Eldie, can ya help with that? …Eldie?”

Ah. Nyota looked
up and met Oldarva’s eyes. The other Apex was watching them, body tense like
she wasn’t sure if she should freeze or run. There was a deep fear in her face,
uncertainty, anger. “I owe you an apology, Oldarva,” Nyota said softly, and
watched suspicion join the other three. “I’m sorry. I should have told you, all
of you… I can’t even say ‘I would have told you eventually.’”

“I wouldn’t have followed you then, if I’d known,” Oldarva
said. She didn’t relax.

“Here, this ain’t the time for—”

Nyota put a hand on Lumen’s arm and he fell silent. ‘Then.’ “What about now?”

“I…” Oldarva dropped her gaze, twisting her sleeve between
her fingers. “I don’t know.” There was a tiny sound of fabric tearing, but she
didn’t seem to notice.

Nyota closed her eyes. This was a different kind of pain
from the fading fire in her chest. “I can’t ask you to forgive me for what I
was, not when I can’t forgive myself. But… can you forgive me, at least, for
hiding the truth?”

There was a long silence, broken only by Nyota’s unsteady
breathing. Then she heard quiet footsteps and opened her eyes to see Oldarva
crouching in front of her, hand outstretched. The uncertainty in her eyes wasn’t
quite gone, but the anger faded as Nyota took her hand. “I guess we’ll see.”

Aftermath and the Ark

Nyota spent the next few days resting and dealing with minor
tasks on the ship. She didn’t need Lumen’s report to know that last adventure
had taken a lot out of her. The fight with the Kluex Avatar alone had left her
with more laser scars and bruises than she cared to count. Regeneration
stimpaks could handle a lot, but she had come too far to push her luck now. Besides,
her rifle needed mended.

The first thing she did after waking up was check in with
her crewmates. Hadley’s hands and knees were bandaged up, the wrapping smelling
faintly of aloe, but she didn’t seem too bothered by it. “Lumen stuck some
numbing stuff on them for me as soon as I got back,” she said when Nyota asked
how she was doing. “He’s really used to dealing with burns, apparently.”

That got a laugh out of Sonny. “Work a Novakid saloon with lots
of human patrons and ya see a lot of burns real fast,” she said. “We ain’t too
good at keepin’ the heat down once we’ve had a pint or two, and some folks get
real cuddly when they’re deep in their cups.”

Hadley winced. “No offense, but remind me not to go drinking
with Novakid.”

Lumen fizzed with amusement as he sorted through his
supplies. “Yer smarter ‘n most then, Hadley. Lots of folk’d take that as a
challenge when I tried warnin’ them ‘bout it. Hoo, did they learn fast.”

“How are your supplies holding up, Lumen?” Nyota asked. “We
have been overworking you lately.”

The Novakid whistled thoughtfully, putting a few bottles
away. “If we go flyin’ around a volcano, I might be in for it,” he said.
“Gettin’ a tad low on my favorite cold salves.” He looked over at her, his glow
brightening. “Glad to see ya up and about, Captain. Ya weren’t kiddin’ about
mendin’ fast.”

“This is more ‘putting
a tough face on it’ than ‘mended,’” Nyota admitted, helping him catch an escaped
bottle of anti-toxin. “Speaking of which, where is Namina?”

“Bein’ a stir-crazy nutter,” Lumen said, gesturing up.

Nyota climbed through the hatch into the crew lounge and
immediately ducked down again as an explosion of sound washed over her. The
piano stopped a moment later, though her ears were still ringing when Namina
hopped off the stool and ran over to her. “Floran sssmells Captain,” he said,
grinning. Then he made a face, adding, “Captain sssmells like medicine.”

“I’ll be smelling of it for a few days yet,” she told him. “You’ve
been practicing.”

Namina grinned sheepishly. “Floran iss bored,” he said. “Musssic
is fun.”

Nyota flipped open the top of the piano bench, earning an
astonished hiss, and pulled a book of sheet music out of the little storage
space. “Mind if I join you? I did promise to teach you how to read music.”

She hadn’t realized Floran smiles could get that wide.

–

Esther had a warm smile and a mint humbug for her when Nyota
climbed the Ark steps again. “You’re looking chipper today, dear,” she said. “I
take it you’re ready to start hunting for relics again?”

“I am,” Nyota said. “Which one are we aiming for?”

The old woman tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I think we
should begin our hunt for the Apex artifact. As you probably know, Apex can be
found on—are you alright, dear?” she asked as Nyota drew in a sharp breath.
“It’s alright if you’re not up for it.”

“No, it’s not that…” Nyota closed her eyes. “I can tell you
well enough who has the Apex artifact. If my people have anything of value, it
ended up in Big Ape’s hands long ago. As for finding him, the Resistance has been trying that for years without success.
Even most of the Miniknog has no idea where he is. Orders are received from
higher-ups. No one asks questions.”

“I… I see,” Esther said. “That is quite the problem. I might
be able to help with that, though. Shortly before the destruction of the Earth,
a member of the Resistance sent a message to a Protectorate contact, an Apex by
the name of Nikko.”

Nyota could almost feel Esther’s curious stare, but she
managed to control herself this time. Old
Nikko! I had wondered…“What was in the message?” she asked.

Esther turned her computer around so Nyota could see it too.
“I’m afraid the original was lost with the main archive, but with Koichi’s help
I’ve managed to recover a little from one of our outposts. The Resistance
member was apparently acting alone, but he said his cell had gotten a solid
lead at last on the whereabouts of Big Ape and wanted Protectorate assistance
in finding him and taking him down. The… incident happened before the Grand
Protector could send a response.”

Nyota studied the screen, then looked up at Esther. “We have
to hurry then,” she said, straightening up. “We have to find it before they do.
If the rebels get there first, they’ll assume the relic is a Miniknog device
and destroy it. I don’t suppose he sent the actual location?”

“If he did, it is in part of the letter that I haven’t recovered
yet,” Esther said, shaking her head sadly. “But something this big has to have
spread. The Resistance has an impressive intelligence network. Unfortunately,
you’ll have to seek the details in person. Be on your guard, dear.”

“Understood. Thanks, Esther. I shouldn’t take long.”

Great Sovereign Temple, part 9

Here’s the last piece of the Great Sovereign Temple and the return to the Ark. Next post will be out of the spoiler tags again.

“Captain, please tell me ya lived through that,” Lumen said.

“I did,” Nyota confirmed, “but don’t ask me how. How’s
Hadley?”

Lumen whistled softly. “Her hands are scorched up pretty
good, but not so bad I can’t fix ‘em,” he said. “Sonny’s doin’ alright too now.
Venom’s mostly gone, so I’m tryin’ to convince her to sleep off the last of it.
That’s goin’ about as well as ya might expect.”

Nyota could hear Sonny protesting in the background,
refusing to sleep until her Captain got back. She sighed, smiling. “I’ll come
home soon,” she promised. “The relic is just up ahead.”

She wasn’t entirely surprised to see that Tonauac had gotten
there before her. The big Avian looked from her to the staff and back at her,
his eyes bright and glittering in its red light. “I see what you were up to!”
he declared. “The whole time!!”

Nyota braced herself. He was sure to be angry if he’d
finally realized she’d snuck in for the relic. To her surprise, though, the
Avian’s face broke into the closest a beak could get to a broad smile. “You’re
here to serve Kluex!” he continued, beaming. “I mean, you simply couldn’t have
gotten this far without his favour and guidance.”

“You were guided too, then,” Nyota said, returning his
smile. “I am glad you made it through safely, Tonauac.”

“You and I both,” he agreed, ruffling his feathers. “It’s
very tricky getting through some of those little tunnels. But I’m even more
glad I was privileged to watch you prove yourself to His mighty Avatar,” he
said, refusing to be derailed. “And you bear the Staff! It’s a sign that this
artifact is here for you.”

Before her fight with the final golem, Nyota might have
expressed her doubt at his words. Even if there was some divine will, why would
it favor her? Now, though,
remembering how every shot hit, how perfectly her dagger sank home, she just
looked down at the staff and remained silent. Gods or no gods, something was watching out for her.

Tonauac stepped aside, indicating a glowing red disc above the
golden plinth. “These Avolite crystals hold fragments of Kluex’s will,” he
said, his voice filled with reverence. “Please, let me join you? I’m a
dedicated and enthusiastic servant of Kluex—I promise I’m worthy!” He was
practically bouncing with excitement.

Nyota put a hand on his shoulder, which was about as high as
she could reach. “It’s not up to me to decide if you’re worthy,” she said, “but
I’m happy to accept your help. Thank you.”

She closed her eyes as the teleporter activated. She was so
very tired now. But there was always more work to be done.

Tonauac was happily settling in as Nyota walked down the
steps to the Ark. He waved her over and gravely pronounced, “And Kluex said,
‘Let there be boons upon my warriors!’” The dramatic effect was somewhat
spoiled when he grinned and added, “Oh good, it worked. Should you need Kluex’s
blessings, I’d be happy to help you.”

Nyota looked down at herself. She didn’t seem any different,
but when she climbed the Ark steps it took much less time than she’d expected.
The floor smoked slightly where her feet had touched it. Far below, Tonauac beamed.

Esther was laughing. “You couldn’t wait to see me, dear?”
she teased. “It’s good to see you back safely. And I see you’ve brought us a
new friend! You really do have a knack for people, don’t you?”

It is proving rather
useful, an older side of her mind whispered. She ignored it. Aloud, she
said, “I’m still not sure why half of them chose to follow me, but I’m glad
for their company. I brought you the relic, Esther.” She pulled the red gem out
of her pocket. As soon as the Ark’s light touched it, it shot out of her hand
so fast she almost didn’t see it move. There was a tiny click as it slotted
itself in place.

Esther nodded with satisfaction. “Another artifact in place.
We’re getting there steadily, dear! Well done!”

Nyota looked up at the carving, then had to grab the door
for support as the world spun. “I’m fine, I’m fine. Just tired. We’ll have to
talk about the next artifact later,” she said, waving away Esther’s concern.

“Go get some sleep, then,” Esther told her. “We’re halfway there.
You’ve more than earned it.”

“Yer fine, my foot,” Lumen muttered as Nyota stepped out of
the teleporter. “Captain, with all due respect, yer a mess.”

“Don’t eavesdrop,” Nyota said, managing a half-smile. Home. Safe. She didn’t have the energy
to fight as sleep dragged her eyes shut.

Lumen caught her, then sighed. “What am I goin’ t’do with
ya?” he asked with a quiet laugh. “Crazy captain.”

The Ark, part 1

It was dark and foreboding at the far side of the asteroid,
past all the shops (and the strange shady man who employed Penguins). Nyota
switched on her flashlight as she entered the tall archways; the glowing discs
and luminous floor strip lit the area well enough, but the flashlight made her
feel safer. She stopped at the very edge of the platform and shone the light
down the stairs; it was a long way down.

The light-strips resumed at the bottom of the stairs, but
Nyota wasn’t paying attention to them. She stared open-mouthed at the vast
holograms that lined the clearly-ancient plaza. They were similar in style to
old Avian historical paintings, but carved out of light instead of stone. Even
modern holo-tech couldn’t manage such crisp, sharp lines. The first image was a
faceless figure that held planets around its head. Is this to scale? It must have been massive…

The second image was
horrible, a one-eyed tentacle beast smashing planets apart. Nyota shuddered. It
reminded her all too well of what had happened to the Earth. I hope I never meet anything like that
again.

More stairs led up to something that looked very much like
the Ancient Gateway that had brought her here, but Nyota circled around the
bottom of the stairs first; there were more holograms on the other side. The
third hologram gave her hope; it showed the faceless figure pushing the
tentacle beast into some vast vortex. If this was indeed history, then she
didn’t have to worry about the monster now. But then she remembered the fate of
the Earth; if this beast here had been sealed away, then what was that one? She
didn’t want to even think that there could be more than one. She hurried on to
the last hologram. It showed six humanoid figures; she could easily recognize
the human, Floran, Hylotl, and Glitch. One of the others resembled what
Miniknog textbooks claimed the proto-Apex had looked like, and the last one was
probably Avian. Each one was holding a luminous circle. What was this supposed
to depict?

Standing around
staring was not going to get her answers, and her Manipulator’s screen said the
signal was coming from above her. Nyota climbed the stairs, then stopped,
dumbfounded, at the base of the gate. It was more massive than anything she had
expected; the shape and design were similar to the Ancient Gate, but this one
was sealed shut. The giant stone slab in the center bore a stylized inscription
of a seven-rayed sun with round incisions between the rays. Nyota couldn’t help
but wonder if something was meant to go in those slots. Around the slab, giant
runes, each one easily half her height, ringed the whole image. They were
clearly some manner of writing, but not any writing she knew. Looming over the
whole scene was a vast sculpture; it was impossible to see it clearly, but
Nyota could make out a humanoid figure to the left and giant swirling shapes on
the right, dark against the stars.

“Admiring the gate, dear? It is a wonder, isn’t it?”

Nyota jumped and whirled around, nearly losing her balance.
The Apex had been so engrossed in the carvings that she hadn’t even noticed
someone else was present. An old human woman with massive round glasses was
sitting on a hovering chair in front of the gate, smiling at her. She laughed,
not unkindly, at Nyota’s dumbfounded expression.

“It’s quite alright, dear,” she said. “It had that effect on
me, too. This is the Ark. Would you like a mint humbug?”

Nyota took the offered sweet. “Are you the one who sent that
message through the Ancient Gateway?” she asked, twisting the wrapper.

The old woman nodded. “That I am. So you’re the one who
mended the Gateway. Well done! And is that a Matter Manipulator you’re
carrying?”

She talked very fast; Nyota just nodded, still trying to
process what was going on.

The old woman smiled. “Excellent, so you’re a Protector!”
Then her expression faded into a look of great sadness. “I’m sorry to say,
perhaps the last, after the… The terrible destruction of the Earth… It’s sadly
inevitable that we should meet now…”

Nyota held up a hand. “I’m sorry if this is rude, but who is
we? Your face is familiar, but I’ve
only heard your voice though that gate, and I’m not exactly used to meeting
strange old women inside strange old ruins. Um, no offense meant,” she added.
Humans could be touchy about age.

The old woman laughed again. “None taken, dear. My name is
Esther Bright, retired Grand Protector. It’s no wonder you don’t know me. I
left some years ago; and impossible decision, but my research could not be
neglected. I discovered things long forgotten that weigh heavy on the present.”

“Things… related to what happened to Earth, then?” Nyota
asked. She had an awful almost-premonition creeping down her spine.

Esther nodded and looked up at the massive gate behind them.
“Would you like to sit down, dear? It’s a bit of a long story.”

For those of you who attempt a second playthrough of Starbound after you complete it with one character, you might notice that the Outpost remains unchanged between files. Anything and everything you unlock is already there for the newcomer! This is normal and apparently an intentional part of the developers’s design; all characters share the same universe, and therefore the same Outpost. If you visit one planet with your first character and leave something there, like a flag, your later characters will find it. Convenient, right? But the Outpost thing can be a bit of a nuisance to those of us who want to play with a clean slate (and, say, not have blatant spoilers in the screencaps). Fortunately, it’s an easy fix!

First, I advise making a backup of your universe folder. I haven’t noticed any adverse affects yet, but it’s always a good idea when console commands are involved.

Second, type /admin to enter Admin mode and enable other console commands. This also resets your hunger and makes you immortal for as long as it lasts. Convenient! But I find it’s best kept for dire circumstances or if you actually are an admin. Being immortal kind of takes the challenge out, right?

Third, type /resetuniverseflags to reset the Outpost. Naturally, you will NOT want to do this while sitting in the Outpost (I did it from the safety of my own ship). It will not reset any of your quests, so if you’ve already done the tech quests, a few story chapters, or something of the sort, they’ll be untouched.

And that should solve it! Type /admin again to turn Admin mode off when you’re done.