On the other side

I have been on the other side for a while with no real possibility to get back and report. But I am safely back now. 

Beyond the barrier there is indeed a pocket universe, somewhat like an abyssal deadspace pocket, but a planetary environment. It is dark, as on a cloudy night, and the spot where we enter via the filament is the side of a mountain. The terrain is rocky and overgrown with shrubs and small trees, not larger than about two meters - the type of vegetation you find on rocky slopes at mid-altitudes. It is hard to move about, especially given the darkness. 

There is a light source, coming from a complex below, on some sort of low plateau. It looks like a research outpost, with a communications array, storage tanks and a habitat module. When I arrived, there was some sort of commotion going on, people were shouting in ancient Amarrian. I was surprised to find people living here, and I decided to make my way down the slope carefully, without being noticed, to take a peak and then head back out.

I slipped and fell, and it did not take long before there was a spotlight on me, and some sort of noisy old drone keeping watch on me while shouting a message telling me to stay put and raise my arms above my head. Armed guard were making their way up through the shrubs to come get me.

They wore a kind of uniform I have only seen in museums before: early spaceflight-era Sani Sabik.

-to be continued-

Bridge

It took us a bit of experimenting, but the filament technology can be used to hop over the barrier via a hyperdimensional bridge, much like jump filaments but then on a very small and local scale. It'll move a pod-sized vessel something like five to ten "meters" from our own nearly-flat space to hopefully nearly-flat spacetime on the other side of the barrier. There's a single return, but one must stay tethered to our side via the hyperdimensional link. 

We tested it by hopping a fedo back and forth. 

It came back unharmed and slightly dephased from our spacetime; we will need to adjust the speed of passage of time which appears somewhat different on the other side.

After another test or two with "fjodor the fedo" as the students named it, I will take the place of the guinnea fedo and go over there myself.

Cloaked space

It was not easy to bring down the gravimetric analyzer, the thing is heavy and cumbersome. It took dr. Nahrami's team the better part of a day. 

In the end, it was the right choice: it revealed the nature of the anomaly. 

The discontinuity of earlier measurements at this boundary are real. Whatever lies behind the barrier has been cut out from our spacetime, and the remaining hole has been closed by stitching front to back via hyperdimensional folding. 

In layman's terms, it is a cloaking device that works by bending spacetime around what you're trying to hide. If you try to poke it with a stick, the stick comes out the other end, probably some hundred meters deeper. That comes with some spatial refraction, which would cause the stick (or a drill) to break off. The stuff that lies in between can no longer be reached from our own three spatial dimensions. 

I have never seen anything similar - this type of technology is beyond what we have. I can only think of Jove or Talocan who would master enough of spacetime and hyperdimensional engineering to create something like this. And doing this not in the void of deep space, but on a planet... perhaps it is this which caused the cataclysm?

After brainstorming with some friends who are much better versed in hyperdimensional gravity than I am, we decided that perhaps the closest analogy we have seen are abyssal deadspace pockets. With their help I will adapt an isolated dimensional thread from an abyssal filament to see if we can access the space that was cut out from Gammel XI. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Firth will contact the Ministry - not my own preferred course of action at the moment, but he insists this is the right thing to do. 

I am also a bit worried that there is at the moment an increase in Triglavian activity in the system. Dr. Nahrami tells me that during the Triglavian war, the invaders had a minor victory in Gammel and now still keep an active presence, but he concurs that there seems to be a spike in activity over the last couple of weeks. 

Discontinuities

The tunnel going down towards the planet's mantle has gone down much deeper than when I last visited it. The newer section is narrower. It is as if it has been bored out by a finer drill capable of higher speeds and when I mentioned this, dr. Nahrami confirmed that this is exactly what took place. Rather than being five meters in diameter, it narrows down to close to two meters, feeling really claustrophobic. Dr. Nahrami tells me that it still requires thick layers of protective plating on the outside and thermal conduits to pump the heat out, but the new equipment makes it more efficient and fast.

We've been lowered down in our thermal suits, using climbing harness and a system of ropes, even though there is some sort of improvised ladder at the side. The tunnel is too narrow to safely use antigrav suits: this was not really meant for people to climb down, just to bring back samples automatically or remotely investigate strata, and to house the shaft of the drill keeping it straight. Without elevator, the rope system is definitely faster than actually climbing the ladder, although it still takes time.

We past the pyrite layer they named after me. There is a little side tunnel for them to retrieve and examine samples and it was good to take a break here. I got a sample as a souvenir. It was also a necessary break; we shifted to another set of ropes and pulleys. 

Near to where the tunnel hits the barrier, another side-chamber has been made - but not quite finished yet. There's not much room to sit. The chamber is maybe 4 by 8 meters, and terribly hot even in a thermal suit. It is packed with equipment and very noisy. A bit lower, the tunnel ends at a shimmering barrier; that is why they decided to excavate the chamber here close to it.

Strangely scanners show nothing but regular rock in stead of that barrier. They also reveal a few discontinuities - a jump in temperature, pressure, density visible only from close by. Scanners at the surface would not have the resolution to reveal this and miss it. They would also miss a small discontinuity in the gravitational metric, indicating a space-time anomaly. In order to investigate that I need specialized equipment from the Indagatrix. 

We went back up. I was happy to be again in a comfortable environment, and I am definitely not looking forward to going back down tomorrow.

A barrier

 Despite an increased Triglavian presence currently in Gammel, I have arrived safely at the research station on the lava planet Gammel XI. They do not seem very preoccupied with the planet, and indeed their former interest in what happened here seems to date from the Triglavian war, according to my hosts. Who, as before, have given me a warm welcome.

Rather than students presenting their projects, the discussions have immediately been on the difficulties that they have encountered. They are convinced that the drill hit something non-geological - meaning artificial. It cannot penetrate the barrier. They will take me to see it tomorrow morning, the shaft down there is narrow but still wide enough to be lowered into.

I very much dislike small spaces.

Triglavians in Gammel

Somewhat alarming news is coming from Gammel XI. 

I have been helping geologists there with funding and with materials for their project. They are digging down through the planet's strata to find out more about the causes of the catastrophic changes that turned the planet from a barren world into a lava world.

They seem to have hit upon some sort of artificial barrier that keeps destroying their drills, and are asking for my presence to investigate it. 

I have been interested in Gammel as it was the destination of one of the Sabik cryoships that escaped Amarr during Emperor Queron I's purges. 

I have been keeping tabs on it with an low-level AI agent, and recently it has returned information to me that Gammel XI was a focus of the Triglavian raids in that system - it is now catalogued as a Triglavian minor victory system. There were reports that they have landed a "proving team" close to the spot where the geologists have their station - but no further information is known about that.

Reasons enough to go there and find out.

Contest results

It has been a very busy period - the culmination of our efforts for the Blessed Exchange coinciding with the jubilee celebration. 

The prize contest for artwork celebrating the Empress has seen amazing submissions, and the outcome was quite close as these works all received high marks by the jury members. Lady deSilvestris' icon of the Empress took first place, with a close second being Haapsalu's portrait of the Empress crowned by the  metaphors symbolizing achievements during her reign. Paladin Kley's poster and Oleo Especial's poster complete the list of most praiseworthy entries.

Some confusion -or is it willful heresy?- still appears to live among a few pilots who refuse to accept the demise of Empress Jamyl I. Probably witnessing the brutal attack of the Drifters caused a lasting trauma. Personally, I also blame some galnet pages -even official concord ones- that seem frozen in time a decade ago...

But let these few wayward artists not mar the joy and pride we get from the valid submissions to the contest. I do hope we can borrow the Icon of the Empress with the Two Swords to display it in the chapel here in Mehatoor at least for some time, but I bet father Mikhail on Nakri will not part with it easily. I am sure it will be the pride of House deSilvestris' own family chapel.

The importance of the Amarr Civil Service

You may have seen a short sentence scroll by on a news information bar: "Amarr Civil Service prepares for reorganization as Empress Catiz I oversees modernization efforts." 

Behind these few words, a whole world is hidden. The Amarr Civil Service is by far the largest and most complex part of government. All empires have something like it to perform the actual administration of government. It is the very glue that keeps empires together. It takes care of the practical implementation of decrees on everything from taxes to mining permits to paying bills to contracting public works. In a vast Empire that encompasses many different worlds and peoples with different cultural habits, it represents a standardized reference point. It is the friendly and always helpful face of the Imperial administration.

Many historians relate the rise and fall of any empire to the health of its public administration. 

There are many dangers: it can fall prey to corruption. Simony and nepotism can promote people who are unworthy of the task they are given. The service can get defunded and hollowed out by exaggerated austerity measures. All these evils can cause the vast machinery to sputter and malfunction. Then, the power and benevolence that flows from the Empress can no longer efficiently reach the outer worlds, and an Empire will start to fray at its edges. If nothing is done, the rot will spread to the core worlds. 

Thank God nothing of the sort is happening to our own Amarr Civil Service! 

Nevertheless, this does not mean that it cannot be improved still. Indeed, it needs to adapt itself constantly to the changes in our cluster. Especially with the growth in our prosperity, and the expected economic boon from the Blessed Exchange, it could be useful to cut some of the "red tape". Take for example forms that need to be handed in on parchment in triplicate, to three different bureaus, in proper order. Personally I do not mind the traditional and ritualistic aspect of such actions, but I understand that some entrepreneurs and our friends in the State want it all to go much faster. 

Any reform will take a lot of time, and proceed in small careful steps, given the importance of the vast machinery that must continue to operate smoothly and without interruptions. Successfully implementing such a reform will be the first great (and probably unsung!) achievement in the second decade of the reign our beloved Empress!

((ooc: I guess also the Amarr Civil Service has been ordered to migrate to python 3.))

Jubilate!

Today is a day of celebration! It is ten years since our beloved Empress ascended to the throne. And on this anniversary we now can also celebrate the completion of the Blessed Exchange. Many faithful capsuleers (and some less faithful) worked with great fervor and devotion to turn the Empress' vision of prosperity into reality. 

LUMEN held celebrations with magnificent displays of fireworks, and a grand ball held at the chapterhouse of the Praetoria Imperialis Excubitoris on Oris. Foreign dignitaries were present, both from the State (brigadeer-general Remilia Malitia, decorated for the State's campaign) and the Federation (commander Adams). 

These sorts of activities have been taking place all over the Empire, along with masses of thanks and praise. Already now Empress Catiz has left an indelible mark of progress on the Empire, and we look forward with hope and joy to the next decade of her reign.

Hyperdimensional anomalies

Often, life remain quiets for a while, and then all of a sudden everything happens all at once. 

There is a problem with Ansiblex gates - upwell's jump portals. Strange anomalies in the hyperdimensional continuum are reported in Anoikis.  The Society of Conscious Thought first invite scientists to a conference on the topic, and then cancel it. And the order of Empirical-theologians put forward a new study on hyperdimensional communications which then gets classified. Something is clearly going on.

If these anomalies are hyperdimensional conduits, they may appear like wormholes - or if they are higher-dimensional extended spacetime pockets intersecting our own they may look like volatile phased fields. But if they're Drifter related - we could see perhaps changes of activities in the ancient Drifter structures in Sanctified Vidette.

After the Blessed Exchange campain finishes (and the Empress has again called on the faithful to devote themselves to that cause) I will go back to Sanctified Vidette to look for traces of these anomalies, and to check for changes with the captured Drifter nexus.