Axum Observatory


The Axum Observatory, also known as the Observatory Museum, is a large Axum structure found at the center of the Overgrown Ruins, east of the Lifepod and beyond the Intermediary Basin. It is inaccessible while the nearby Karakorum Power Plant is dormant, but can be entered once power is restored.

History

The Observatory was built approximately 1000 years ago by a group of Axum known as the Ardhiacs, with the intent to use the telescope to spy on the World Tree at Xanadu. The telescope was lost after the "zero year," a mysterious event that caused the Axum to flee the area. Some time later, in the year "500 pi," two Axum groups—the Vepherds and the Magi—returned to Karakorum and rebuilt the observatory to watch the stars.

The Observatory would continue to receive renovations over a period of several hundred years, though it was said that new telescopes were preferred over the continued use of the Observatory. Instead, the Observatory became a monument to the Axum. Eventually, once it became clear that Axum civilization was on the brink of collapse, the Observatory—being the only Axum structure left standing on the island—was chosen as the location to safekeep the Axum's message to the Architects. To aid the Architects, a Rosetta Stone was constructed nearby to allow for the translating of Axum Radial A. Around the same time, the Karakorum Power Plant was sabotaged by an unknown group, rendering the Observatory inaccessible.

The Observatory remained inaccessible by the time the Cicada crashed on Proteus, and was under close watch by Axum Tailings. Eventually, several pioneers made it inside the antechamber, but were unable to enter any further due to lack of power, with the risk of failure being too high to try using human technology to power the door.

Interior

Antechamber

Inside the entrance of the Observatory is a small antechamber with a door preventing further access to the structure. A platform in front of the door features a device used to open it; however, the device cannot be interacted with until the Karakorum Power Plant is operational again.

To the right of the device is a small worksite set up by pioneers hoping to bring power back to the Observatory.

Orrery

Past the antechamber is a large room with an Orrery of the Eido-Thea System at its center. When this room is entered for the first time, the orrery will be in a dormant state, but will unfold and begin to move upon approach.

Across the ceiling in all four cardinal directions are holes leading up into the Observatory's second floor.

Holographic Display

The second floor of the Observatory consists of a single, circular room with a high ceiling. In the middle of the room is a platform, directly above which is a holographic projector.

Interacting with the device next to the platform dims the lights and displays the message the Axum left for the Architects. Upon completion of the message, the lights will turn back on.

Lifeforms

• Pneuma
• Water Slug

Location

East of the Coral Gardens and West of the Karakorum Power Plant. Depth: 130m.

Databank Entries

Axum Observatory

A towering structure built by aliens provisionally designated Axum.

• Built nearly a thousand years ago, but abandoned
• Clearly an astronomical observatory, but does not reach the ocean surface
• Front gate requires electrical power from an Axum generator
• Electrical lines lead deeper into the biome

Locating and repairing the generator may allow access.

Observatory

This tower was likely built as an observatory (best fit theory) or an above-water forge (low probability alternative). The upper tower has been extensively rebuilt.

• Approximately 1000 years old; continuously renovated until circa 200 years ago when the upper tower was modified and the site abandoned
• Built from bioconcrete poured over a metal framework, then electroplated with corrosion-resistant alloys
• Fine grain structure indicates the metal was cold worked, without forging or smelting
• Original design included an electrical system for pumps and gates, predating human commercial electricity by 650 years
• Due to its later construction, the upper tower should be scanned and analyzed separately.

Evidence suggests this tower was built to raise telescopes above water for weather and sky observation. Structures in the interior may have been involved in mapping and modeling the local solar system.

Assessment: locate and repair original power supply to open the observatory. Pioneer-built generators are incompatible with the alien electrical grid.

Mantis/Singh/Zip - "Alien observatory access"

MANTIS: We could just blast through.

SINGH: Yeah, and if we're lucky, Nahema kills us and fills our biobeds with concrete before the Tailings get to us. This is their history. We can't blow it up!

ZIP: They do take good care of the exterior...what if the electrical system still works? We could hook up our own generator.

MANTIS: Unless you can find me a wiring diagram we'd fry the whole system. You ever see a metal fire underwater?

ZIP: What if there ARE wiring diagrams? Instructions right in front of us? And we just can't see them?

MANTIS: Did your hot springs tell you about this?

SINGH: Actually...she might be right. The Axum see with a combination of sonar and polarized light. Some of their writing might be invisible to us. We'd need to modify our scanners to look for it. Or our eyes.

ZIP: Ha!

MANTIS: All right. Let's ask Sophie if we can try out her super scanner. PDA, activate the base camp waypoint. Singh, drop a recording here in case we get reset.

Distance from Earth

The blue circle on this galactic map contains the total extent of human spaceflight. Although phase gates permit faster than light travel, the ships which construct new phase gates are limited by the speed of light. The maximum size of transgov space is therefore determined by the number of years humanity has possessed dark matter ion drives.

The red point indicates your current position in the galaxy. You are near the pulsar PSR K1745-2856, just rimward of the globular cluster Djorgovski-2, at the base of the Milky Way's Norma Arm. You have traveled further than any human being in history.

The blue circle will not contact the red point for approximately 20,000 years. (It may help to think of this as four times the length of recorded human history.)

This rules out both rescue by a follow-up mission and self-rescue by Neptune rocket.

The Cicada mission is now effectively a separate civilization. The only possibility of rescue or return lies in whatever phenomena brought the Cicada to Proteus.