Rogue 45 - Tan-e Filmmaker

As the LeGuin decelerates from its hyper-speed flight, the ship slowly awakens from an 18-month journey that was spent entirely on autopilot. Now, one by one, the corridors’ cool ambient lights fade in, lines of code cascade down the computer screens, and the bio-pods hum back to life. Outside the ship lurks the dead black of space. After traveling 420 light-years, you would be forgiven for wondering whether you’ve arrived at the right place. The “rogue” planets in the Upper Scorpius region are floating through space alone, in total darkness, untethered by any star. There are about 70 gas giants in this constellation of invisible worlds. We’ve come to investigate an Earth-sized terrestrial planet that appears to be geologically active. And, intriguingly, earlier probes detected simple phytoliths in its tenuous atmosphere, suggesting the possibility of life. We’re here to investigate. It's a small crew: Kai, an astrobiologist, Heiko, an exogeologist, Tan-e, a documentary filmmaker, and waiting for us on the planet is Trig, the station's chief engineer. [[Tan-e]]

Your vision is blurred as you fade into consciousness. Your mouth feels like you’ve been chewing gravel. Your head weighs a ton. From the corner of your eye you glimpse the intravenous lines furl back into the bio-pod’s rim. You roll onto your side, suppressing the urge to vomit. Not a great start to the mission - but you made it here. You’re in space! This is kind of a big deal. You’re the first documentary filmmaker on an exoplanet mission, hired by the Institute to create compelling imagery that will serve as science communication materials. Which you’re happy to do. Your work can influence public opinion to support the exorbitantly expensive programs that explore this sector of the galaxy. Privately, though, you also have your own agenda. Your advocacy for the autonomy of indigenous Life beyond Earth is controversial and has gotten you into trouble before. So, it wasn’t part of your portfolio submission statement... But first, a visit to the Canteen is in order. Hopefully they’ll have something to settle your stomach. [[Your heart's a-fluttering]] [[No, seriously, that crewmember is really cute]] [[You don't need snark today]]

When you arrive in the canteen, Heiko is already there. His lanky legs are stretched out from behind three disconnected refrigeration units. Kai is sitting on a nearby chair, seething. You join her. “Heiko going anal again?” Kai just rolls her eyes. “So, Tan-e, looking forward to filming on a Rogue planet?” she inquires. “It’s a bit of a creative challenge,” you admit. “Darkness can be deeply compelling,” she says quietly, staring through the viewport. In the window’s reflection, her dark complexion melds with the velvety black of space. Only her bright eyes are visible, shining like stars. “You have the soul of an artist,” you mumble, totally compelled. She looks at you and smiles. She would make an amazing subject for a documentary... no, focus. This is not why you’re here. You take a deep breath and head to the docking bay. [[Teaming up]] [[Head out to explore]]

Arriving at Rogue 45 station feels like stepping into twilight. Lighting fixtures are few and far between. The view through the tiny portholes show nothing but endless black. You spot Trig in the loading bay, wearing a grubby utility jacket and weirdly clean pants. “Alright! Welcome to Rogue 45 Station! Follow me!” he exclaims and shepherds everyone down the corridors. “You two,” he says, pointing at yourself and Kai, “are sharing this bunk. And you,” pointing at Heiko, “are in here. I’ve adjusted the gravity closer to Martian G.” For the very first time you see Heiko look elated. You and Kai grab a snack and head to the meeting room where Trig is already flipping through an orientation slideshow. Kai swiftly interjects. “Thanks, Trig, but we need to get going.” “Great,” you exclaim, “I’ll explore the planet surface. Get a few shots in.” Kai smiles. "'l’ll join you, Tan-e. I want to check the cryovolcanoes for phytolith emissions.” "Alright, I'll check out the lava tubes," Heiko adds and gets up. You grab your spacesuit and head to the airlock. [[Kai Drives - for about an hour]] [[Kai Drives - for two hours]]

You try to find the canteen and get lost twice. Nope, this is the locker room. Nope, here are storage units. You feel dizzy and gingerly lean against a bulkhead. Where the hell is the canteen? You take a deep breath. This headache is giving you double-vision. Heiko speeds down the corridor and passes you with a nod. You finally spot the canteen right behind him. Kai is already there, straightening out the refrigeration units. “Ouf, you look worse for wear! Let’s get you a dimenhydrinate shake from the fridge” she exclaims and hands him a drink pack. They grab two chairs. “So, Tan-e, looking forward to filming on a Rogue planet?” she inquires. “It’s a bit of a technical challenge,” you admit. “Hope you brought enough flood lights!” she quips. Oh, okay, the celebrity astrobiologist dispenses advice like she knows everything. “Right,” you reply, getting up, “I better get going.” “Okay,” Kai replies, looking taken aback. You finish your drink on the way to the docking bay. [[Ready to strike out alone]]

Arriving at Rogue 45 station feels like stepping into twilight. Lighting fixtures are few and far between. The view through the tiny portholes show nothing but endless black. You spot Trig in the loading bay, wearing a grubby utility jacket and weirdly clean pants. “Alright! Welcome to Rogue 45 Station! Follow me!” he exclaims and shepherds eveyone down the corridors. “You two,” he says, pointing at yourself and Kai, “are sharing this bunk. And you,” pointing at Heiko, “are in here. I’ve adjusted the gravity closer to Martian G.” For the very first time you see Heiko look elated. You and Kai grab a snack and head to the meeting room where Trig is already flipping through an orientation slideshow. Kai swiftly interjects. “Thanks, Trig, but we need to get going. I’ll head to the lava tubes to verify the phytolith emissions. Want to join me, Heiko?” “Sure!” he exclaims, getting up, “I’ll take some petrochemical readings.” “Cool,” you add, “I’ll go and explore the planet surface. Get a few shots in.” You grab your spacesuit and head to the airlock. [[Drive around for an hour]] [[Drive around for half an hour]]

Kai is driving the buggy, she has more experience navigating extraterrestrial terrain. You hold on for dear life in the passenger seat. Everything around you is shrouded in black except for the pink methane snow that glitters in the small puddle of light created by the buggy’s headlight. A few stars shine overhead. You have an eerie feeling of driving into space. After about an hour you decide to take a break. “We could pitch a tent to shelter our gear. I’d like to take the portable camera and the 3D scanner to scout for locations,” you suggest. “I don’t know,” Kai replies, “we don’t have that much oxygen left in our tanks. I’m keen to get to the cryovolcano. I’ve been getting some interesting readings from there, similar to phytolith. There could be life. You’ll get some good shots from that location.” “Okay, sounds good,” you agree and climb back into the buggy. You keep bouncing across the dark terrain. The stars are frequently blocked from view by the silhouettes of the rogue planet group. Black upon black. [[Off to the cryovolcano]]

The cryovolcano is just about visible against the faint sprinkling of stars. You drive up its base and set up your IR gear. Kai was right: the vistas are phenomenal. Maybe there’s a way to light the scene... You try to rig up your lamps and random reflective materials. After a while Kai wanders by, taking regular measurements with her instrument. “I’m getting intermittent readings, but it’s inconclusive. Still, I have a feeling about this place. Can I borrow your IR camera?” “Sure!” you reply. She scans the surroundings. “There! Do you see that?” she exclaims and hands you the camera. You take a look and spot a faint glow. “Let’s check that out,” she suggests. “Yes, absolutely!” you agree. You fling your equipment into the buggy and speed off in the direction of the glow, which appears to beam up straight from the ground. When you get to the location you realize that it’s a collapsed piece of lava tube. Through the opening you can just glimpse some massive crystals giving off a faint glow. Bingo! [[Crystal cave]]

A few minutes after Kai leaves you realize that the IR camera and the 3D scanner are still in the buggy. Crap. You stumble around in the dark with the optical camera and a few lights, but it’s just too dark to capture compelling footage. You decide to return to the tent and just about manage to find it. It's unbelievably cold. A blizzard of methane ice pummels your helmet. You’re incredibly relieved to zip up your tent behind you. You review your footage. It's unimpressive. Dark swirls fill every frame, barely illuminated by your feeble headlamp. You feel like you’ve failed. Why were you so ambitious? Then the small heating unit in the tent gives out. Crap! You decide to break camp and return to the station. You'll have to walk. You get lost in the dark. By now your oxygen is running dangerously low. You grab your communicator and call the station. "I'm lost! Help! I don't know where I am. Running low on oxygen. Help!" Your legs are giving out. You'll just sit down for a moment. [[Fading to black]]

Kai grabs a rope ladder, and you carefully descend into the crystal cave. Once you’ve both found solid footing you take in the spectacular view. Massive crystals jut in every direction, their complex cubic structure glint in a green oscillating glow. “Wow. This is phenomenal!” you exclaim and immediately start setting up your 3D scanner. The cube clusters look like an architect has gone insane. Kai wanders off, instruments in hand. After about 30 minutes she returns. “The glow has a pattern,” she suggests, “I think this is silicone-based life. In an oxygen-free environment, their exhalations would form crystals. Were are watching them talk. I need your IR camera to collect more data.” You agree and hook up the camera. What you see is amazing. Lights run across the edges of the crystals, intersecting, merging, bouncing off. The colors keep changing. Kai hooks up her computer to the camera and feeds the film into the Doyle Algorithm. The results are unambiguous. It's definitely language. Something in the cave is alive. [[You heart flutters]] [[Oscar-worthy]]

You are fading in and out of consciousness. You have never felt so cold in your entire life. Not while filming in Antarctica. Not while climbing the Atacama desert. Not even while exploring an ice cave in Greenland. You take shallow breaths to preserve oxygen. You look up and see the few stars that are not occulted by nearby planets shining overhead. Without any sense of a horizon, you have the eerie feeling of floating in space. You start to see shapes in the swirling methane snow - black upon black. You’re probably hallucinating. Or dreaming. You’re wafting through the universe, untethered. One with the cosmos. Slowly fading to black. [[Rogue documentary]] [[StarNPR]] [[Otieno-An Productions]]

You and Kai stare at each other with huge grins. This is a spectacular discovery! Seconds later, the algorithm spits out a message: ENVELOP INTRUSION...FAST BREATH. “What does that mean?” Kai frowns, “INTRUSION - like intruders? Do they mean us?” “Hm,” you consider, “ENVELOP could mean the lava tunnel. But what is FAST BREATH?” “Compared with the silicone endoliths, humans breathe extremely fast,” Kai explains, “they “breathe” their communication crystals out of the basalt matrix over thousands of years.” “Of course,” you reply, “I was thinking on an anthropocentric scale.” You both pause. “As soon as this gets public, there will be a flurry of researchers and tourists here,” Kai says quietly, “any oxygen leak would be deadly to the endoliths.” “That would be unacceptable,” you reply, “this is their planet. We have no right to interfere.” Kai turns to you with a smile, “I had no idea you support extraterrestrial rights.” “Sure do. It’s not at the top of my CV, but...” you respond. She takes your hand. You heart flutters. “We could keep this between us.” And you do.

You and Kai stare at each other with huge grins. This is a spectacular discovery! Seconds later, the algorithm spits out a message: ENVELOP INTRUSION...FAST BREATH. “What does that mean?” Kai frowns, “Do they mean us?” “Hm,” you consider, “ENVELOP could mean “welcome” like they’re including us in their conversation. But what is FAST BREATH?” “The silicone endoliths “breathe” their communication crystals out of the basalt matrix. They could mean ‘communication’,” Kai replies. You both pause. “As soon as this gets public, there will be a flurry of researchers and tourists here,” Kai says quietly, “any oxygen leak would be deadly to the endoliths.” “We can take precautions,” you suggest, “I can get a film crew here, all in double-sealed suits. Impact would be minimal.” “There may be silicone-based endoliths on other worlds,” Kai ponders, “publishing data about this species could help to protect other, similar organisms.” “Exactly,” you agree, feeling buoyed by the idea of shooting a feature film here. An Oscar-worthy feature film. After years on the indy circuit you’ve finally hit the jackpot.

You’re dreaming of fireflies dancing in the moonlight. A bear prowls up to you and lifts you into the air. You loose consciousness. When you come to, you’re in your bunk at the station. Kai is hovering over you, adjusting your oxygen mask. You fall into a deep sleep. When you next wake up, Kai is still there. “Tan-e, how are you feeling?” she asks. “Ugh. Alright, I guess,” you mumble as you sit up. “Kai, you saved my life. I was an idiot for staying behind.” “Nonsense, I should have insisted. I’m the one with the experience,” she responds. Then you get an idea. Forget the footage from the planet surface, what about Kai? She’s a phenomenal researcher. And gorgeous... You shoot a lengthy interview with Kai, who talks about her many expeditions. You edit the footage and sent it to the Institute. They are happy. It's not the topic they had in mind, but it’s good. The film does well on the Discovery channel. And the media gossip that you and Kai are dating... well, it’s true.

It’s the first time you drive a buggy wearing a space suit, and it’s awkward. You keep loosing grip of the steering wheel. Everything around you is shrouded in black except for the pink methane snow that glitters in the small puddle of light created by the buggy’s headlight. A few stars shine overhead. You have an eerie feeling of driving into space. After about an hour you decide to stop and set up camp. You pitch a tent to shelter your gear and unpack the portable camera and the 3D scanner to scout for locations. It's difficult to negotiate the terrain; the navigation keeps glitching. There's no sun to light the way, and the few stars are frequently blocked from view by the nearby rogue planet group. Have you been walking in circles? You can just about make out the shape of a nearby cryovolcano. Your oxygen tank is half full. Secretly you’re hoping to document evidence of life before the two scientists. That would be a scoop! Or should you head back to camp and get the buggy? [[Head to the cryovolcano]] [[Turn back]]

You decide to turn back. Just as well - you just about manage to find your camp. It's unbelievably cold. A blizzard of methane ice pummels your helmet. You’re incredibly relieved to zip up your tent behind you. You review the footage you’ve been able to gather so far. It's unimpressive. Dark swirls, barely illuminated by the buggy’s headlight. Some false-colour imagery, but not enough. And definitely no life forms. You feel like you’ve failed. Why were you so ambitious? Then the small heating unit in the tent gives out. Crap. You decide to break camp and return to the station. But, to your dismay, the rover has frozen solid. It’s copletely encased in a sheet of methane ice. You can't even get the door open. Crap! You'll have to walk. You get lost again. By now your oxygen is running dangerously low. You grab your communicator and call the station. "I'm lost! Help! I don't know where I am. Running low on oxygen. Help!" Your legs are giving out. You'll just sit down for a moment. [[Black upon black]]

Help does come, but it is too late. Trig comes to a sliding halt next to your body. You are frozen solid, covered in a glittering shell of methane ice. Trig kneels next to you and utters a deep sigh. He then recuperates your body, your gear, and the camp equipment and heads back to the station. He relays the few snippets of footage that you managed to document to the Institute back on Earth. The director is devastated about the sad news, but he also spots an opportunity. He recruits a celebrity filmmaker to edit your footage. A big film studio launches a promo campaign. There are obituaries in the New Yorker, Variety, and Paris Match. You’re honored in the "In Memoriam" segment at the Oscars and given a posthumous award. The public is enthralled. The docu-drama Tragedy on Rogue 45 is a blockbuster hit. The funding for the next exoplanet mission is assured.

You’re dreaming of fireflies dancing in the moonlight. A bear prowls up to you and lifts you into the air. You loose consciousness. When you come to, you’re in your bunk at the station. Trig is hovering over you, adjusting your oxygen mask. You fall into a deep sleep. The next day you find Trig in engineering and envelope him in a huge hug. “Trig. You saved my life.” “Grmphh,” he mumbles. Then you get a brilliant idea. Maybe the footage from the planet surface is crap, but what about Trig? The hero engineer? The guy who's come here by himself, braved the elements, and set up the station? That's your subject! You shoot a lengthy interview with Trig who talks about his extensive experience setting up habitats. This is compelling stuff! After editing everything together you send your documentary to the Institute. They are reasonably happy. It's not the epic blockbuster they had hoped for, but the human angle is sufficiently compelling. Trig becomes a social media sensation. You receive a prize at the Sundance festival.

The cryovolcano is just about visible against the faint sprinkling of stars. You capture phenomenal vistas with your 3D scanner and your IR camera. Sadly, there’s no sign of life. You wished that you had more light to fully illuminate the scene that you can only capture using false colour imaging. You try to rig up your lamps and random reflective materials and completely lose track of time. Suddenly, you realize that you’re running out of oxygen. Crap. You don’t bother to pick up your gear. You grab your IR camera and the 3D scanner and try to find your way back to your rover. But where is it? After stumbling in the dark, you see a faint point of light, a greenish glow coming straight out of the ground. You’re starting to gasp for air, but you just about make it there. It's a small entrance to a lava tube, and you can make out a cluster of massive glowing crystals inside. With your last effort, you lunge yourself down. [[You fall, hard - but not too hard]] [[You fall, hard]]

You fall hard, catching the edge of one of the huge crystals, and nearly rip your spacesuit. When you sit up, you can’t believe your eyes: Kai is here! She’s climbing through the crystal maze to get to you. She helps you up. “Tan-e! Are you alright?” You feebly nod. “Here, let me hook you up,” she says, clipping you to her oxygen tank. As you recover, you take in the spectacular view. Massive crystals jut in every direction, their complex cubic structure glint in a green oscillating glow. “The glow has a pattern,” Kai explains, “I think this is silicone-based life. In an oxygen-free environment, their exhalations would form crystals. Were are watching them talk. I need your gear to collect more data.” You agree and set up the scanner and the camera. What you see is amazing. Lights run across the edges of the crystals, intersecting, merging, bouncing off. Kai hooks up her computer to the camera and feeds the film into the Doyle Algorithm. The results are unambiguous. It's definitely language. It's alive. [[You heart flutters]] [[Oscar-worthy]]

It’s the first time you drive a buggy wearing a space suit, and it’s awkward. You keep loosing grip of the steering wheel. Occasionally you hear Kai quietly swear to herself. Everything around you is shrouded in black except for the pink methane snow that glitters in the small puddle of light created by the buggy’s headlight. A few stars shine overhead. You have an eerie feeling of driving into space. After about two hours of bumping along Kai suggests to stop. “Right, we could pitch a tent here. I’d like to take the portable camera and the 3D scanner to scout for locations,” you suggest. “I don’t know,” Kai replies, “we don’t have that much oxygen left in our tanks. I was keen to get to the cryovolcano, but it would be prudent to pick up extra oxygen tanks from the base. You can stay, I'll drive there and back before you run low.” You were looking forward to spending time with Kai, but you relent. “Okay,” you mumble. Kai climbs into the buggy and speeds off. [[Uhm - did you check the bag?]] [[It's getting dark]]

Help does come, but it is too late. The buggy comes to a sliding halt next to your body and Kai jumps out first. Trig trundles behind. “Tan-e!! Are you alright?!” she yells, “Tan-e!!” But you are frozen solid, covered in a glittering shell of methane ice. Kai kneels next to you and barely holds back her tears. Together with Trig she recuperates your body and your gear and heads back to the station. She reviews the few snippets of footage that you managed to document, but there’s not much to salvage. She feels guilty for not insisting that you return to the station with her. Kai writes a glowing mission report, highlighting your adventurous spirit, your determination to document this inhospitable planet, and your unerring sense of aesthetics. She sends it to the Institute and copies major newspapers and streaming outlets. The head of content development at StarNPR contacts her, suggesting to create a documentary about your life and your tragic death on Rogue 45. It tops the streaming charts for a full year.

When you arrive in the canteen, Heiko is already there. His lanky legs are stretched out from behind three disconnected refrigeration units. Kai is sitting on a nearby chair, seething. You join her. “Is our favorite Martian at it again?” Kai just rolls her eyes. “I get the off-Earther’s dependance on functional technology, but he does exaggerate a bit,” you frown. “Control freak,” she sighs. “I CAN HEAR YOU!” Heiko bellows from behind the refrigeration units. “Must be his pointy ears,” you whisper to her as you get up. She stifles a laugh. In the viewport window’s reflection, her dark complexion melds with the velvety black of space. Only her bright eyes are visible, shining like stars. She would make an amazing subject for a documentary... no, focus. This is not why you’re here. You take a deep breath and head to the docking bay. [[Teaming up]] [[Head out to explore]]

Arriving at Rogue 45 station is like stepping into twilight. Lighting fixtures are sparse. The tiny portholes show nothing but endless black. You spot Trig in the loading bay, wearing a grubby utility jacket and weirdly clean pants. “Alright! Welcome to Rogue 45 Station! Follow me!” he exclaims shepherding everyone down the corridors. “You two,” he says, pointing at yourself and Kai, “are sharing this bunk. And you,” pointing at Heiko, “are in here. I’ve adjusted the gravity closer to Martian G.” For the very first time you see Heiko look elated. You and Kai grab a snack and head to the meeting room where Trig is already prepping an orientation slideshow. Kai swiftly interjects. “Thanks, Trig, but we need to get going.” "Indeed," Heiko concurs, getting up, “I want to check out the lava tubes as soon as possible.” “Great,” you add, “I’ll explore the planet surface. Get a few shots in.” Kai smiles. "'l’ll join you, Tan-e. I want to check the base of the cryovolcanoes for phytolith emissions.” You grab your spacesuit and head to the airlock. [[Kai drives for half an hour]]

Kai is driving the buggy, she has more experience navigating extraterrestrial terrain. You hold on for dear life in the passenger seat. Everything around you is shrouded in black except for the pink methane snow that glitters in the small puddle of light created by the buggy’s headlight. The bouncing is making you feel unwell. “Tan-e, you want to take a break?” Kai suddenly offers. ““It’s only been half an hour, but... okay,” you reply, “I could take the camera and scout for locations.” “We have enough oxygen left in our tanks,” Kai considers, “Okay. Let’s be quick, though.” While you set up your camera Kai wanders off to collect a few samples. After a few minutes you hear her call you. “Tan-e, can you document this?” “What?” you ask, heading toward her location. “I’m not sure,” she whispers. You both stare at the ground. Her voice echoes in your head: 'If we’re going to investigate, I should head back and get more oxygen.’ “I was thinking the same,” you say quietly. Kai climbs back into the buggy. [[Hey - what's that sparkle?]] [[Uhm - did you check the bag?]]

Kai sets off with the buggy toward the station and immediately the improvised field camp plunges into total darkness. You push down the sensation of abandonment that is gripping your gut. You take a deep breath. There’s no use filming any footage with the visible-range camera without the buggy’s headlamps. You pull out the IR camera. The landscape is still a sea of black, but when you look down to where Kai disturbed the regolith you notice the ground sparkling below you. You look up and see the few stars that are not occulted by nearby planets twinkling overhead. Without any sense of a horizon, you have the eerie feeling of floating in space. You look back down. Seen through the IR camera, there are some areas of the ground that appear to sparkle more intensely. Interesting. You make some recordings while slowly pacing around the patch. Then you kneel down and run your hand through the regolith. There are veins deeper down that twinkle more brightly. Alright! After taking some close-ups you start digging. [[Fireflies in the stone]] [[You feel… connected]]

The further you dig into the rogue planet’s regolith, the more the ground sparkles. It’s like you’re mining stars. By the time you spot the buggy’s headlights bouncing toward you, you’re crouching in a waist-deep hole. You get up and wave. “Kai! I’ve been filming the ground. There’s definitely sparkling. Like fireflies in the stone.” “And you’ve been digging, I see,” she observes, climbing out of the buggy. “There’s more activity the deeper you go,” you reply. “Time for a core sample,” Kai says and grabs the drill. “Core sample, great idea,” you concur. “What?” she asks, “I was just thinking that.” Odd. You heard her actually say it. Never mind… After a few minutes the drill grinds to a halt. “Damn!” you both exclaim at the same time. Kai looks at you and frowns. “What?” you ask. “Nothing,” she replies, “give me a hand.” You both stem against the lever and the drill dislodges. Kai pulls up the sample. The smooth rock cylinder is emitting pulses of light. You’ve got a gut feeling: it’s alive! [[Brainwaves]] [[LISTEN]]

The further you dig into the rogue planet’s regolith, the more the ground sparkles. It’s like you’re mining stars. By the time you spot the buggy’s headlights bouncing toward you, you’re crouching in a waist-deep hole. You get up and wave. “Kai! I’ve been filming the ground. There’s definitely sparkling. Like fireflies in the stone.” “And you’ve been digging, I see,” she observes, climbing out of the buggy. “There’s more activity the deeper you go,” you reply. “Time for a core sample,” Kai says and grabs the drill. “Core sample, great idea,” you concur. “What?” she asks, “I was just thinking that.” Odd. You heard her actually say it. Never mind… After a few minutes Kai pulls up the core sample. The smooth rock cylinder is emitting pulses of light. As you gaze into the oscillating glow, you feel a deep sense of relaxation. This dark planet seems a little less alien. You feel… connected. There is a faint, ambient hum flowing through you. You’ve got a gut feeling about this shimmering regolith: it’s alive! [[Brainwaves]] [[LISTEN]]

“What did you just say?” Kai asks. “I didn’t say anything,” you reply, “but I was wondering if this..., well, whatever that is, if it’s alive.” “Too soon to say,” she considers, “the scan’s not reading any organic compounds. Still, not all life is necessarily organic.” “The organic bias,” you concur. “Yes, I didn’t know you were familiar with the terminology.” “I’m not,” you frown. You stare at each other. ‘Smart AND cute. Hey, do the crystals transmit brainwaves?’ Kai’s voice echoes in your head. “I heard that! I can hear your thoughts!” you burst out with a smile, “You wondered whether the crystals transmit brainwaves.” “I was,” she admits, “but it’s - too weird. How would that even work?” “Hey, you wanted to discover something new. You’ll be the one to find out,” you say encouragingly. ‘And, I can film you while you do so,’ you think to yourself. “A documentary about me? I’m flattered!” Kai exclaims. You roll your eyes. “I’ll have to be careful about my thoughts!” “Me too,” she agrees. “Too late,” you grin.

“What did you just say?” Kai asks. “I didn’t say anything,” you reply, “but I was wondering if this..., well, whatever that is, if it’s alive.” “Too soon to say,” she considers, “the scan’s not reading any organic compounds. Still, not all life is necessarily organic.” “The organic bias,” you concur. “Yes, I didn’t know you were familiar with the terminology.” “I’m not,” you frown. You stare at each other. ‘Smart AND cute. And psychic?’ you hear Kai’s voice echo in your head. “I heard that! I can hear your thoughts!” you burst out with a smile, “and - I’m flattered.” There’s awkward pause. “Actually,” Kai mumbles, “I wondered whether the crystals transmit brainwaves.” “Right. Well, I have no doubt that you’ll be the one to find out,” you reply. ‘And in the meantime, we should practice,’ you think as intensely as you can. You step right up to Kai and place your hand on her shoulder. ‘LISTEN,’ you think, looking right at her. ‘YOU’RE smart and cute.’ She looks right back at you with a huge grin.

You’re dreaming of fireflies dancing in the moonlight. A bear prowls up to you and lifts you into the air. You loose consciousness. When you come to, you’re in your bunk at the station. Kai is hovering over you, adjusting your oxygen mask. You fall into a deep sleep. When you next wake up, Kai is still there. “Tan-e, how are you feeling?” she asks. “Ugh. Alright, I guess,” you mumble as you sit up, “the space rookie survived. That was a close call. Maybe I should just film on Earth.” “I don’t know,” Kai replies, “all you need is some experienced guidance.” Oh. Guidance? From the most prominent - and gorgeous - astrobiologists there is? If that’s what she implied… Okay - time for a leap of faith. “Maybe - team up?” you quietly propose. “Start our own production company?” Kai suggests with a smile. Otieno-An Productions launched a year later with the award-winning documentary A Rogue Experience.

Kai sets off with the buggy toward the station and immediately the field camp plunges into total darkness. You push down the sensation of abandonment that is gripping your gut. You take a deep breath and pull out the IR camera. All you manage to document is a nearly featureless sea of black. Maybe you’ll have better luck with the 3D scanner. A blizzard of methane ice starts to pummel your helmet and you head back to the tent to review your footage. It's mediocre. The IR footage isn’t particularly compelling, but the 3D scans of the planet surface look promising. Suddenly the small heating unit in the tent gives out. The temperature plummets instantly. Crap! You decide to break camp and return to the station. You'll have to walk. Soon, you get lost in the dark. By now your oxygen is running dangerously low. You grab your communicator and call the station. "I'm lost! Help! I don't know where I am. Running low on oxygen. Help!" Your legs are giving out. You'll just sit down for a moment. [[Hallucinating - or dreaming]]

You are fading in and out of consciousness. You have never felt so cold in your entire life. Not while filming in Antarctica. Not while climbing the Atacama desert. Not even while exploring an ice cave in Greenland. You take shallow breaths to preserve oxygen. You look up and see the few stars that are not occulted by nearby planets twinkling overhead. Without any sense of a horizon, you have the eerie feeling of floating in space. You should have dug a trench in the regolith for protection. Feebly, you scratch the loose surrounding ground. You start to see shapes in the swirling methane snow - a lazy eddy of sparkles, like drunken fireflies. You’re probably hallucinating. Or dreaming. There is a faint, ambient hum flowing through you. You feel like you’re wafting through the universe, untethered. One with the cosmos. Slowly fading to black. [[Rogue documentary]] [[Tan-eite]] [[Otieno-An Productions]]

Help does come, but it is too late. The buggy comes to a sliding halt next to your body and Kai jumps out first. Trig trundles behind. “Tan-e!! Are you alright?!” she yells, “Tan-e!!” But you are frozen solid, covered in a glittering shell of methane ice. Kai kneels next to you and barely holds back her tears. Together with Trig she recuperates your body and your gear and heads back to the station. She reviews the footage that you managed to document. The IR camera’s snippets aren’t salvageable, but the 3D scans prove useful. Heiko uses your data to identify previously unknown petrogenetic processes on the planet’s surface. The ultramafic rock Tan-eite is named in your honor. Kai writes a glowing mission report highlighting your determination to document this inhospitable planet. She sends it to the Institute and copies major streaming outlets. The head of content development at StarNPR contacts her, suggesting to create a documentary about your life and your tragic death on Rogue 45. It tops the streaming charts for a full year.

You fall hard, catching the edge of one of the huge crystals, and nearly rip your spacesuit. When you sit up, you can’t believe your eyes: Kai is here! She’s climbing through the crystal maze to get to you. She helps you up. “Tan-e! Are you alright?” You feebly nod. “Here, let me hook you up,” she says, clipping you to her oxygen tank. As you recover, you take in the spectacular view. Massive crystals jut in every direction, their complex cubic structure glint in a green oscillating glow. “The glow has a pattern,” Kai explains, “I think this is silicone-based life. In an oxygen-free environment, their exhalations would form crystals. Were are watching them talk. I need your gear to collect more data.” Your scanner broke during your fall, but the IR camera still works. What you see is amazing. Lights run across the edges of the crystals, intersecting, merging, bouncing off. Kai hooks up her computer to the camera and feeds the film into the Doyle Algorithm processor hoping that there’s enough data. [[You quietly leave]] [[Jackpot!]]

You and Kai stare at the Doyle Algorithm processor’s screen in tense anticipation. Lines of data are cascading down its screen at a steady pace. There’s an intermittent pause and Kai reads out loud: “PRELIMINARY RESULT: Structural rules - YES. Signal dependencies - YES. Virtual phoneme occurrence - YES.” Kai is looking tense. More data lines are buzzing by, then another pause: “ZIPF’S LAW DISTRIBUTION - s=1.27. This is good!” Kai reads, and then practically bellows “LANGUAGE DETECTED. Yesss! There’s life here.” “Wow,” you whisper in total awe. “As soon as this gets public there will be a flurry of researchers and tourists here,” Kai says quietly, “an oxygen leak would be deadly to the endoliths.” “That would be unacceptable,” you frown, “this is their planet. We have no right to interfere.” Kai turns to you with a smile, “I had no idea you support extraterrestrial rights.” “Sure do. It’s not at the top of my CV, but...” you respond. “We could keep this between us,” Kai suggests. You both take in a final view of the cave and quietly leave.

You and Kai stare at the Doyle Algorithm processor’s screen in tense anticipation. Lines of data are cascading down at a steady pace. There’s an intermittent pause and Kai reads out loud: “PRELIMINARY RESULT: Structural rules - YES. Signal dependencies - YES. Virtual phoneme occurrence - YES.” Kai is looking tense. More data lines are buzzing by, then another pause: “ZIPF’S LAW DISTRIBUTION - s=1.27. This is good!” Kai reads, and then practically bellows “LANGUAGE DETECTED. Yesss! There’s life here.” “Wow,” you whisper in total awe. “As soon as this gets public there will be a flurry of researchers here,” Kai says quietly, “an oxygen leak would be deadly to the endoliths.” “We can take precautions,” you suggest, “I can get a film crew here, all in double-sealed suits. Impact would be minimal.” “There may be silicone-based endoliths on other worlds,” Kai ponders, “publishing data about this species could help to protect other, similar organisms.” “Exactly,” you agree, buoyed by the idea of shooting a feature film. An Oscar-worthy documentary. After years on the indy circuit you’ve finally hit the jackpot.

It’s the first time you drive a buggy wearing a space suit, and it’s awkward. You keep loosing grip of the steering wheel. Everything around you is shrouded in black except for the pink methane snow that glitters in the small puddle of light created by the buggy’s headlight. A few stars shine overhead. You have an eerie feeling of driving into space. After about half an hour you decide to stop and set up camp. You pitch a tent to shelter your gear and unpack the camera and the 3D scanner to scout for locations. It's difficult to negotiate the terrain; the navigation keeps glitching. There's no sun to light the way, and the few stars are frequently blocked from view by the nearby rogue planet group. Have you been walking in circles? You can just about make out the shape of a nearby cryovolcano. Your oxygen tank is more than half full. Secretly you’re hoping to document evidence of life before the scientists. That would be a scoop! You decide to head for the ice-spewing volcano. [[Explore the Cryovolcano]]

The cryovolcano is just about visible against the faint sprinkling of stars. You capture phenomenal vistas with your 3D scanner and your IR camera. Sadly, there’s no sign of life. You wished that you had more light to fully illuminate the scene; right now you’re restricted to IR imaging. You rig up your lamps and random reflective materials and completely lose track of time. Alright, time to check out what you’ve got. You do a quick preview of the rushes, but none of the video clips look particularly compelling. You contemplate calling it a day when you spot a faint point of light, a greenish glow coming straight out of the ground. It piques your curiosity. You grab your camera and 3D scanner and head toward the light. It's a narrow entrance to a lava tube. When you crane your neck, you can just about make out a cluster of massive glowing crystals inside. This is exactly what you’ve been looking for! Carefully - and somewhat clumsily - you shimmy through the opening. [[You climb down]] [[You climb down... whoops!]] [[You climb do-- BANG!]]

As you squeeze through the opening you slip and tumble into the crystal cave. It knocks you unconscious. When you sit up, you can’t believe your eyes: Kai is here! She’s climbing through the crystal maze to get to you. She helps you up. “Tan-e! Are you alright?” You feebly nod. “Just a bit dizzy,” you reply, taking in the spectacular view. Massive crystals jut in every direction, their complex cubic structure glint in a green oscillating glow. “The glow has a pattern,” Kai explains, “I think this is silicone-based life. In an oxygen-free environment, their exhalations would form crystals. Were are watching them talk. I need your gear to collect more data.” Your scanner broke during your fall, but the IR camera still works. What you see is amazing. Lights run across the edges of the crystals, intersecting, merging, bouncing off. Kai hooks up her computer to the camera and feeds the film into the Doyle Algorithm processor hoping that there’s enough data. [[You quietly leave]] [[Jackpot!]]

As you squeeze through the opening you slip and tumble into the crystal cave. It knocks you unconscious. When you sit up, you can’t believe your eyes: Kai is here! She’s climbing through the crystal maze to get to you. She helps you up. “Tan-e! Are you alright?” You feebly nod. “Just a bit dizzy,” you reply, taking in the spectacular view. Massive crystals jut in every direction, their complex cubic structure glint in a green oscillating glow. “The glow has a pattern,” Kai explains, “I think this is silicone-based life. In an oxygen-free environment, their exhalations would form crystals. Were are watching them talk. I need your gear to collect more data.” You agree and set up the scanner and the camera. What you see is amazing. Lights run across the edges of the crystals, intersecting, merging, bouncing off. Kai hooks up her computer to the camera and feeds the film into the Doyle Algorithm. The results are unambiguous. It's definitely language. It's alive. [[You heart flutters]] [[Oscar-worthy]]

Squeezing through the lava tube’s opening in your bulky spacesuit is incredibly awkward, but after some wiggling - and swearing - you manage you drop into the cave. You catch your breath, taking in the spectacular view. Massive crystals jut in every direction, glowing with a translucent sheen. This is absolutely perfect! You grab your 3D scanner and slowly pivot on your heels, capturing the panorama of interlocking cubes. Some crystals are stacks of rectangles, others are long filaments piercing through a single cube. The visual-range camera only manages to capture some of the vivid reds and magentas. You switch to the IR setting. Wow. Seen at this spectral range, the pulsating glow becomes more apparent. Is there a rhythm? You max out your memory storage. As you pack up your gear, a thought occurs to you. How are you going to get back to Rogue 45 station? You look up at the hole in ceiling of the crystal cave. You'll have to get back up there. And you’ll have to find the buggy… [[You’re never found]] [[Blockbuster!]]

It’s easier to slide down a huge crystal than it is to climb back up! You’re too tired to swear. Your boots have little grip, and you’re worried about piercing your space suit. You’re trying not to panic. You carefully place one foot onto a glowing cube that’s crowning a long crystal filament, then grab a protruding rectangle and hoist yourself up. Nearly there! You hear a high-pitched twang. It reminds you of the sound lake-ice makes in the Arctic when temperatures drop below 240 Kelvin. A split-second later the crystal filament cracks and collapses in on itself, taking you with it. As you slide past a cluster of interlocking cubes, their sharp edges cut into your space suit’s side. Immediately, you feel a burn on your exposed skin. You’re in too much shock to feel pain. You hit another crystal cluster with full force and come to a stop. With the corner of your eye you see a translucent film covering your body. Soon, you’re totally encased. You become one with the cave. You’re never found.

It’s easier to slide down a huge crystal than it is to climb back up! You’re too tired to swear. Your boots have little grip, and you’re worried about piercing your space suit. You’re trying not to panic. You carefully place one foot on a glowing cube that’s crowning a long crystal filament, then grab onto a protruding rectangle and hoist yourself up. Nearly there! With a huge grunt you manage to pull yourself up through the hole. You collapse onto your side like a beached whale. Now: find the buggy. But how? It’s pitch black everywhere you look. Then you remember the IR camera and pull it out. The buggy’s engine should still be hot enough to be visible… it is! You crawl to the buggy on your hands and knees. Your oxygen is running out. It’s a race against time. You speed off at full tilt. You make it back to Rogue 45 station on your last breath. This expedition nearly killed you, but it was worth it. Your footage is blockbuster material. You’re in the big league now!