NARRATOR: It is the seventeenth Izarian day, of this Maius, the fifth Izarian month, in the thirteen thousandth (common) year of the Common Era. Ten thousand years ago, the species Homo sapiens sapiens departed from their home planet, which had become hostile and uninhabitable, and expanded across the universe. Eliya Alaricia, captain of the Regel Explorer TOS-42, sits in her captain’s chair. Her crew’s mission has sent them halfway across the known Sapiens universe, to the Anderom Galaxy, where they are to check on the progress of the harvesting of resources from the planets Aeris and Ducit, their moons, and their star, Truem. Unbeknownst to our crew and captain, the ship has strayed off course, and they are currently in the Via Lactea Galaxy, on a course that will have them collide with the third planet from the star Sol.
CAPTAIN ELIYA ALARICIA: Lieutenant Garlen.
LIEUTENANT TIRAE GARLEN: I’m right ‘ere, Cap’n. Is somethin’ wrong?
ALARICIA: …yes. We’re not in the Anderom Galaxy.
GARLEN: What d’ ye mean we ain’t in the Anderom Galazy? I watched Ilizon punch in the coordinates, an’ they was in Anderom, sure ‘nuff.
ALARICIA: I’ve looked over the coordinates, and they are indeed in the Anderom Galaxy. The fault lies within our ship’s computer. Would you like to accompany me to the tech-deck, Lieutenant?
GARLEN: If I ain’t needed anywhere else, Cap’n.
ALARICIA: I’m sure the others can manage for a few minutes on their own.
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR OCTAVIOR UR: I cannae explain it, Eliya. The computer reads the coordinates, but sends us another way. I cannae ‘elp but wonder if KOT wants us tae go tae where’er she’s takin’ us.
GARLEN: Dr. Ur, ye do know that a computer cannae want anything, right? KOT ain’t fully sentient like us folks.
ALARICIA: Tirae, hear the good doctor out. They understand the KOT system more than we do.
UR: Thankye, Eliya. I’ve worked wi’ KOT longer th’n anyone, an’ I trust ‘er wi’ my life, an’ with the lives o’ ye all. Ye do know where we’re headed, don’t ye, Cap’n?
ALARICIA: The third planet from the star Sol.
UR: Aye, but d’ ye remember what planet that is? The third planet from Sol is called Terra.
GARLEN: What th’ devil does the fact that the planet’s called Terra ‘ave t’ do with anyth—
ALARICIA: Terra was the birthplace of the first Sapiens, the home planet of Homo sapiens sapiens.
UR: Aye. I dinnae ken what’s there now, but if KOT’s sendin’ us there, she ‘as a reason, and ye can bet it’s a damn good one.
GARLEN: Good Deus! No one’s been t’ that hunk o’ rock in ten thousand years! Who knows what’ll be there?
ALARICIA: When the Sapiens left, the planet was dead, but after so long, primary succession may have occurred, and the planet may have life again.
UR: I’ll have my cadets send a probe tae the surface as soon as we’re close enough.
ALARICIA: Thank you, Dr. Ur.
GARLEN: We’re keepin’ the course t’ Terra, Cap’n?
ALARICIA: Yes. I’ve worked with Octavior before, and I trust them with my life. We’re going to Terra. Alert the rest of the crew.
GARLEN: Aye-aye, Cap’n.
END OF EPISODE 001.
EPISODE NOTES:
Dramatis personae:
Eliya Alaricia | human (Calidarian) | she/her |Captain of the Regel Explorer TOS-42
Tirae Garlen | omenian | she/her | Lieutenant on the Regel Explorer TOS-42
Dr. Octavior Ur | eldarian | they/them | Technical Director of the Regel Explorer TOS-42
Terminology
KOT – Krypton-operated Techinar, the computer system installed on all TOS.
TOS – Traveller-occupied Starship
Species notes:
Homo sapiens sapiens (True Terran Sapiens)
The decedents of the original travelers from Terra. On each human settled planet, the species adapted, and so there are different strains of “human”.
Homo sapiens calidarus (Calidarian humans)
The humans of the planetary system comprised of Calidar, Umbiran, Ruthiem, and Umbiran’s moon Polui. They are taller than all other humans, and have more elegant limbs and appendages. Captian Alaricia was born on Calidar, and is a Homo sapiens calidarus.
Minaces corvus polypus (Omenians)
The average member of this race has a build similar to that of humans and is around the same height as the average human. They have muted black skin and drab ashen-colored hair. They have long, pointed ears, facial features that put you in mind of a raven, and gold, octopus-like eyes. They wear simple clothing, and hail from the planet Omen.
Pumilio araneae eldarius (Eldarians)
The average member of this race has a stocky build and is quite short. They have fair to pale skin and red hair. They have dark green eyes and facial features that put you in mind of a spider. They wear richly decorated clothing and decorations of rank. They come from the planet Eldaria. They tend to be intellectual and have started several new colonies lately.
