Something is wrong… Where am I? Can’t see…
Life support? Am I dying? No… no, I can see now. I’m… in a suit?
Shield? Okay, well. At least I’m protected from… whatever’s here.
Where is here, anyway? For that matter, who am I? Do I have a name?
…a jetpack?
…and a mining laser? What could I possibly need that for?
I woke to a strange toxic landscape with no idea how I arrived, an odd robotic voice in my ear. Before I even knew what was happening, I suddenly got an alert:
I quickly checked my suit’s databanks for information, and discovered that I could use Sodium to recharge the system. Just one problem - I didn’t know how to find it. Through mostly trial and error I discovered that I had a scanner, but it turned out to be broken. Frantic, I searched for a source of sodium, with no real idea what to look for. I encountered a small group of cuboid objects and, hoping to find some Sodium, grabbed a few. No luck.
Just as the last of my reserves were failing, I discovered a plant emitting a strange orange glow, which my suit’s visor identified as a sodium-rich plant. I was saved.
After recharging my Haz system, I finally had time to breathe and assess the situation. The first thing I noticed was a small display in the corner of my vision instructing me how to repair my scanner. It was simple enough, I just had to mine a few rocks for Ferrite dust. Now I had a scanner, but what was it for? Never one to spurn curiosity, I pressed the button. Though surely invisible from outside sources, my visor displayed a sonic shockwave pulsing out from my body.
I blinked. A starship? I don’t recall ever seeing one before. But then, I don’t remember anything before waking up here. The realization hit hard and heavy, but I didn’t feel there was time to focus on that then. I headed toward the ship.
I encountered a small lifeform on the way there. It was a quadruped with two antenna stalks, each with a glowing bulb on the end. At first he ran from me, but I think he smelled the Ferrite dust I’d gathered. He came up and sniffed, curious, and when I reached for him he licked the residue off of my fingers eagerly. Smiling, I offered him what was left of the material in my pack. He started following me. I decided to call him Carl. After a moment’s wandering, I looked back at Carl to discover that he had excreted an odd red orb which glowed lightly. Fascinating.
After a few moments with no further handouts, Carl wandered off, probably to rejoin one of the many packs of his kind I’ve seen wandering around here. I found a large patch of sodium-rich plants. I should be okay for a while now.
I have arrived at my ship, though I can’t say what I found is encouraging. Cresting the final hill before between us, my heart sank upon seeing the smoking wreckage sitting in a field of debris. I approached with caution. Something about the ship seemed familiar. I can’t help but think it belongs to me. Even if it didn’t, though, it does now. According to the onboard computer, its callsign is Radiant Pillar. The hatch still functions, and most of the damage seems cosmetic, but I have to wonder about where all that smoke is coming from. Still, I don’t have to wonder long – the autodiagnostic protocol activates the moment I touch the console.
I feel this confirms my familiarity with the vessel. It belongs to me, reacts to my presence as though synced to my biological fingerprint. However, I still don’t know where it – or I – came from. The computer continues:
It only gives me the option for guidance on repairing the ship systems. Presumably that’s because I already managed to take care of the scanner on my own. There are a few materials I need to fix the ship, though I’m not sure how I’ll get them. Fortunately, thanks to my exosuit guidance systems, I think I know where to start.
I am shaken. After constructing some Metal Plating, the guidance protocol directed me to a nearby distress signal beacon – presumably my own – to collect navigational data which should lead me to a Hermetic Seal. However, when I touched the beacon… something happened. A red light filled my vision. All I saw was red, crimson, and a voice – artificial, yet somehow alive – filled my awareness. I couldn’t make out what it said, or if I did, it slipped away. I had a chance to pull away, but for some reason I was compelled to broadcast my position. I may have rationalized it as a call for aid, but I feel there’s something more to it. The only clear memory I have are the words:
Is that me? Am I the anomaly? Or, is that my name? I don’t recall. It’s as good a name as any, I suppose, since I know nothing of myself. It’s a bit long though. For now, I’ll think of myself as Ano. I don’t know what to do about that red… thing. But I suppose there’s nothing for it. I gathered the navigational data and left, boarding my ship for a moment to recollect myself before continuing with my task.
While gathering carbon for a signal booster, a flying robot stopped to scan me. Thinking nothing of it, I continued my task until my exosuit sounded an alert.
Before I could react, I was being shot at. The small, innocuous robot had taken offense at my task, apparently, and become aggressive. My little mining laser did nothing to it, not even damage the paint, so I fled.
I wound up in a cave. For some reason the Sentinel - for that's surely what it was - didn't follow me in. Thankfully, I found more plant life in there, more than enough to make what I needed.
While examining my suit and multitool systems, I found that I could create an analysis visor with the same material, so I made some extra. Now I can gather more data about my environment.
The decoded coordinates are nearly 1000 distance units away. I ready my resources, and head out. As soon as I'm out of sight of my ship, a toxic storm approaches. It's a good thing I stocked up on Sodium earlier.
While wandering, I encounter another creature of the same species as Carl. Curious, I activate my scan visor. After a moment, it returns some useful data about the species, as well as an automated name annotated based on scanned features and characteristics. It's hard to pronounce, so I go back to the system and change the name to Carl.
Oops. I think I just named an entire species Carl. Wait...where did it upload to?
The nav data brought me to an abandoned structure. Apparently this place isn't as barren as I'd originally thought; however, the structure is in a state of extreme disrepair. No one's been there in ages.
Inside, I found a wall-mounted digital storage bank. There was a message inside, dictated long ago by what sounded like a dying being. By the sound of it, it knew its suit was too damaged and that he wouldn't survive in the toxic atmosphere. Thankfully, the being was altruistic in death, leaving behind the hermetic seal that wouldn't be of use to him anymore.
I stow it away and turn around, my steps feeling heavier for my discovery.
I'm halfway back to my ship when an unusual object catches my attention. In the sunset light, I approach the carved cylindrical stone which my visor labels "Memory of the Vy'Keen" Curious, I reach out and touch it.
A light flares to life within the stone, and a voice cries out in a language I don't recognize.
The stone resonates with the voice, and a vision fills my mind. I see two large aliens locked in combat. Eventually one triumphs, leaving their victim to bleed to death. With the last of their strength, the vanquished alien gestures toward me.
The name "Vy'Keen" floats in my vision, an echo of the strange vision. A word of the alien's tongue is seared into my brain.
I feel as though it's referring to me, though I'm not sure how.
When I come to, the sun has long since set. Shaken by the experience, I get to my feet and press onward toward my ship.
I have a lot to think about.
My repairs are complete by dawn.
I decide to rest a moment in the cockpit, secure in the knowledge that there are no immediate threats to my life. This isn't a great planet, but it's familiar. I'm loathe to leave, and so I rest.