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Midnight Pearl
Galactography > Other Major Polities, Empires, and Meta-Empires > Deeper Covenant
Galactography > Regions of Space > Inner Sphere
Galactography > Systems and Worlds > Systems & Worlds M - N
Galactography > Regions of Space > Inner Sphere
Galactography > Systems and Worlds > Systems & Worlds M - N
 Image from MiyuwiAuthor | |
| An enhanced false-color image of Midnight Pearl. | |
Midnight Pearl - Data Panel | |
| System | Names: Midnight Pearl, UGPS 0722-05, UGPS J072227.51−054031.2, WISEPA J072227.27−054029.9,GJ 11075 |
|---|---|
| Location | Distance from Sol: 13.3 ly (J2000) Distance from Procyon: 3.1 ly (J2000) Distance from Luyten: 2.6 ly (J2000) Constellation: Monoceros Population: about 1 million sophonts |
| Midnight Pearl | Names: Midnight Pearl, UGPS 0722-05, UGPS J072227.51−054031.2, WISEPA J072227.27−054029.9,GJ 11075 Mass: 17.8 x Jupiter Radius: 0.90 x Jupiter (62,830 km) Luminosity: 0.00000063 x Sol (bolometric) Temperature: 527 K Spectral Type: T9 Rotation period: 2.6 hr Age: 3.72 billion years |
Ako Forward Chaining
Due to its proximity to both Procyon and Luyten's star, the isolationist ahuman group Ako Forward Chaining viewed the brown dwarf UGPS 0722-05 as a favorable location for a colony, establishing a settlement there in 1032 AT. The system only contained a few icy dwarf planets and asteroids, and was never developed as extensively as Procyon or Luyten's star. The dim brown dwarf was mined for resources, and the few small objects in the system were converted into computronium nodes. A system of automated defenses was constructed. They were rarely needed however, as despite the numerous attacks on Procyon and Luyten's Star by hu supremacists wishing to rid those systems of ahuman rule, UGPS 0722-05 was mostly viewed as too low-value to be worth the risk.The Procyon Phenomenon
In 7558 AT, the light from Procyon reached UGPS 0722-05, and all of the Ako Forward Chaining inhabitants vanished. However, their automated defenses still heavily guarded the system, destroying any intruders. Many modosophont groups from nearby systems wanted to colonize the system, but it was generally presumed that they wouldn't be able to make it past the defense perimeter without higher toposophic help. Most nearby higher S-level beings, however, were simply disinterested in the system. Some thought that it was simply of little value, and that it was better left alone as a memorial to the vanished Ako Forward Chaining. However, an S1 transapient named Luel's from the nearby brown dwarf Ighlawu (WISE J0521+1025) had eir own ideas, and almost immediately sent out ships to claim the region around Midnight Pearl.The Midnight Pearl
While it was widely known that Luel's could have easily disabled the defenses, for entertainment purposes e instead decided to create a virch show, called "The Midnight Pearl." This was actually the first recorded instance of the name "Midnight Pearl" being used to refer to the brown dwarf. The name was a reference to the nearby white dwarf Noon Pearl (Van Maanen 2). Messages were sent out across the Known Net, inviting modosophonts to become contestants. After going through a brief screening process, prospective contestants would travel to Luyten's Star, where they would reside in a hab named Ta. There, contestants would form teams and be placed on a waitlist to travel to the brown dwarf. Despite the show being broadcast in virch format, the actual events took place in ril. Once near Midnight Pearl, teams of contestants would be given ships outfitted with dumbdo tech and weapons, produced by facilities orbiting at a safe distance from the defense perimeter. The teams would be placed on the outskirts of the system and a virtual "boundary sphere" surrounding Midnight Pearl would then be put in place, which the contestants were prevented from crossing. Over the course of a season of the show, the boundary sphere would slowly shrink, forcing contestants to move ever closer to the dwarf and its automated defenses. The team able to reach Midnight Pearl's atmosphere first would win, and winners would be awarded control over the entire system. However, teams would inevitably be destroyed by the Ako Forward Chaining's defenses before this. The contestants were well aware of this fact, and so made sure to have recent backups. But the Ako Forward Chaining did not build their defenses to last without their intervention, and coupled with attacks from the competitors, over thousands of years the system began to erode. Each season of "The Midnight Pearl", competitors came closer and closer to reaching the atmosphere. Finally, in 10324 AT, a team named "Wagun" was able to reach Midnight Pearl's upper atmosphere and was awarded control over the entire brown dwarf system by Luel's. All remnants of the original automated defense system were finally deactivated by Luel's.Midnight Pearl in the Current Era
In the Current Era, Midnight Pearl is sparsely inhabited. However, boostbeam stations have been constructed by the Deeper Covenant. Most of the inhabitants of the system are either enthusiasts of Ako Forward Chaining history or fans of The Midnight Pearl. History enthusiasts can visit the Ak Museum on Ak, an asteroid that was converted into a computronium node by Ako Forward Chaining. Visitors get to see the inside of the computronium node, learn all about Ako Forward Chaining culture, history, and technology, and can even interact with recreations of Ako Forward Chaining members. Fans of The Midnight Pearl can visit The Midnight Pearl Museum, situated in a bubblehab on Midnight Pearl. There are plenty of artifacts from every season of the show, along with virches where visitors can compete in recreations of different episodes. There are even vot recreations of every contestant. Image from MiyuwiAuthor | |
| Midnight Pearl in the Current Era. It is extremely dim. | |
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Development Notes
Text by MiyuwiAuthor
Initially published on 10 November 2024.
with ideas from The Astronomer
Initially published on 10 November 2024.
with ideas from The Astronomer
