Solitude [1x1][OPEN]

> TRANSMISSION START - JANUS-A to TYCHE MAIN.

Everything's in order. Majority of the systems seemed to have survived the threshold. Did a quick diagnostic with PATER, only things that are down are one of the short-wave transmitter arrays and a water recycler, both redundant systems. Should be able to get maintenance to take a look at them when they gate in, but until then, all things nominal, can proceed as planned.

> TRANSMISSION END.

α Ego is a class D luminous stellar body. It has been observed to be a pulsar, a quality that, while rare for a non-neutron star, is not unheard of. The emission rate, however, is anomalous - it does not follow a set pattern, instead firing in periodic rapid bursts, followed by pauses that can last from seconds to even minutes.

Action potential. It's all action potential.

> TRANSMISSION START - JANUS-A to TYCHE MAIN.

Continuing to send these in the hope that they're being received, as a record of our situation. Still no response from Tyche. Hoping they've recognized this and have sent a rescue vehicle through the threshold. The situation with α Ego continues as previously mentioned - sending short-wave, high energy bursts seems to increase the level of activity. Different intensities provoke different reactions. At present, transmissions of around 25 exaherts appear to be the most impactful, with lower frequencies causing less activity, and higher frequencies even causing periods of inactivity.

Sheila tried brightening up the place today. It can get a bit suffocating. James has seemed on edge quite a bit - I don't know why he'd take a job like this knowing he's claustrophobic, but it's been getting on all of our nerves. Sheila caved in, tried painting murals on some of the hallway walls. Blue skies, forests, that sort of thing. Just trying to make it a bit more lively.

If you're getting these, Mitch, tell Dominic I said happy birthday. Wish I was there.

> TRANSMISSION END.

Tyche Enterprises is a leading face in the world of aerospace engineering. Developers of the first colonial arks, they're responsible for humanity's spread among the stars. It isn't the spaceships, though, that gave them their edge - it was their unique breakthroughs in physics that redefined how we understand reality. For the longest time, we assumed travelling through spacetime was the fastest way to get from A to B. But spacetime is a lot less direct than you might think. If you think of it in terms of a plane, it's a big, wrinkly, wavy sheet. By imparting high amounts of energy to a rotating mass of immense density, Tyche discovered a way to open holes in this sheet - instead of traveling up and down over every wave, we can just - shoot right through. Pass the threshold.

It was this Tyche Gate technology that allowed them to conquer the stars, sending humanity to the furthest reaches of the universe.

And find things we were never supposed to see.

> TRANSMISSION START - JANUS-A to TYCHE MAIN.

Please. I'm sorry. Please. I'm sorry. Please. I'm sorry.

Dominic

Do you remember when you were two years old, and our old apartment caught on fire? Probably not. You were so little. Mitch - daddy remembers. Ask him. It was so scary for you. Everything read and covered in smoke. It was like you couldn't see, couldn't breathe, couldn't hope. We were afraid. I was afraid. And then the siren came, loud, shrieking. You started crying even more. You babbled about the noise, I don't remember exactly what you said. You wanted it to stop.

But - it was there to help. It broke into the silence, cut through the smoke to help. You just didn't know at first. You just - were overwhelmed.

> TRANSMISSION END.

You're lucky, you know. This is a huge opportunity for you. A chance to make advancements for the betterment of humanity. And sure, it's a long way away from home, and you'll be there for five long years, but that's better than spending it in prison, right? I just want to drive that home. If you don't take this deal, you're going to prison for a lot longer than five years.

Janus might be rough at first, but you're smart. You've got your fancy degree. Maybe more than one. You'll have the research station humming in no time. And besides, who gets to live in a satellite for a white dwarf? Imagine the sights. The experience.

Really, I mean it, you're lucky - you're in fate's good graces.

Even if you don't know it yet.