Rogue 45 - Trig (Chief Engineer)

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. [[Trig]]

Well, the passengers are finally arriving. It's about time you got some real, human company. The virtual relay chats with Earth and Mars were keeping you just on this side of sane, but after 18 months on your own you're at the end of your tether. Also, the booze supplies are running dangerously low. You've been keeping busy assembling the labs, the habitat, and the greenhouse. Several of the automated delivery shipments were not as ordered, and you've had to improvise a few things. That’s your forte, but it also stresses you out. There is little margin for error on this dark, lifeless world, so you need the newcomers to do things your way. Under no circumstance can they disturb the finely tuned machine that is “your” station. You drag yourself away from your virtual relay display that shows the LeGuin entering into orbit around Rogue 45. It’s time for the final preparations for the new arrivals. And, maybe, put on some pants. [[You're feeling a bit grumpy]] [[You're keeping it together. Just...]] [[You're super excited to see the crew!]]

You pace down the dim corridors of Rogue 45 station, replacing blinking light fixtures on your way. You prep the crew bunks. The exogeologist from Mars will need a special bunk. You read the Krüger-Wilford study about first-generation Martians, and how the planet’s low-gravity environment caused an evolution surge. Heiko’s elongated bone structure will require a longer bunk, and the low-G setting will make him feel more comfortable. The two others can share. You prep the 3D field scanner and the IR camera for Tan-e, the filmmaker. Then you’re off to give the place a final clean-up. This work makes you feel rather grumpy. You're a chief engineer, not a janitor! Depression creeps up on you again. There's a small bit of scotch left in one of the supply closets. Time for one last swig before the others arrive and stumble upon the good stuff. Just as you drain the bottle, there's a loud clank coming from the airlock. They're here! [[OMG - You can't even!]] [[Hanging on by a thread]]

The crew step through the airlock with a slow shuffle. “Alright, alright!” you announce brightly, “Welcome to Rogue 45 Station! There will be an orientation later, but first, let me show you to your bunks.” They follow you to the crew quarters “You two,” you say, pointing at Kai and Tan-e, “you are sharing this bunk. And you,” pointing at Heiko, “are in here. It’s a longer bunk and I’ve adjusted the gravity closer to Martian G.” It’s wonderful to see him smile. You head to the meeting room and queue up the orientation slideshow. Finally the crew arrives and settles in. But before you can even begin your presentation, Kai rudely interrupts. “Trig, we’re here for a limited time, and I want to get going,” she snaps, and starts to outline her research schedule. Like you’re not even in the room. Like station security is immaterial. They all decide on their excursion destinations and head out, leaving their empty lunch trays behind. So, you’ll just clean up, right? Like a fucking maid. Fuck. [[Remember those crystals?]]

You are seriously bummed out. You’ve been so looking forward to have other humans on the station, to have company after 18 months on your own. But they treat you like a second-class citizen. Not an ounce of gratitude for building this place, for creating a habitable environment, for setting up everything possible for their comfort. And the complete disregard for station regulations. And then they head out after, what, five minutes to go exploring and leave you behind. Selfish fuckers. Somehow, your loneliness feels worse now. There must be more alcohol somewhere. Or, maybe you can try experimenting with those crystals you found at the lava tube entrance. You’re no chemist, but when you ran the crystals through the spectrometer on a slow work day you did spot traces of benzyl methyl ketone... maybe that’ll give you a rush. Hm. You lean your head against the cool pane of the meeting room porthole and stare into space. What will make you survive another day on this dark world? [[Dancing elephants]] [[Giggling butterflies]] [[Emergency call]] [[A quiet drink, rudely interrupted]] [[A quiet drink, interrupted]]

You grab the vial with the tiny crystals and head to the kitchen. With the blender you pulverize a small amount into a fine powder. Nice. You pull out the spectrometer again. Looks like BMK. Ha ha. Rogue BMK. Well, let's see. You dip in your finger. Tastes like... Whoa! Woooohooooo! It tastes like clouds! It tastes like the suspension of gravity! More!!! Wait, shouldn't this stuff be cooked? You pop the powder into the blaster and gingerly pull out the tray after a few seconds. The powder has turned bright orange, like pop rocks. You stick your finger in again and lick it. YEEEESSSSSS! It tastes like sunshine! Waves of joy rush over you. You feel light. You feel euphoric. All warm inside. MORE!!! There's a bigger blender and a power blaster in the lab. You snag the vial with the remaining crystals and head to the lab, passing dancing elephants and a waterfall of daisies, with a giant cheese pizza rolling along beside you. [[Chat with the cheese pizza]]

Let's keep it simple. There's some fermented oatmilk in the back storage. It smells vile, but it may take the edge off. You wander to the storage unit and don’t even bother to flick on the lights. You slump down on the floor. Illuminated by the thin shaft of light coming from the corridor you slurp down the last bit of alcohol on the station. You feel only slightly better. Maybe there's something happening on the virtual relay. Some old TV show. You stumble to the control room and wonder whether you’ve left some equipment running. Then you recognize Tan-e’s tinny voice coming through the emergency channel. "I'm lost! Help! I don't know where I am. Running low on oxygen. Help!" "Fucking newbie," you grumble and pick up the communicator. "Yeah, hey there. You have a tracker on your suit. I'll come and find you." Looks like someone needs you after all. You head to the long-haul rover and speed off into the darkness. [[You drive fast]] [[You drive full-throttle]]

When you get to the lab, the cheese pizza is the first to roll through the door, leaving a long trail of molten manchego in its wake. "Wow," it exclaims, "have a look at this!" You follow behind, swatting away the butterflies. "Damn," you reply, "that must be some strong BMK." On the lab floor lies a huge crystal encasing what looks like a giant stick insect. It looks vaguely familiar and is still twitching inside. You notice a faint green glow coming from the base of the crystal. "I see it, too," whispers the pizza. "What if we switch off the light to see the glow better?" you suggest. "Great idea!" exclaims the pizza. You head over to the flea market display and try on the cowboy hat. Then you spot an old video game controller and push the joystick. Everything goes dark. "Environmental life support systems disengaged," says the unicorn drinking a milkshake at the far corner of the lab. You can just make out its silhouette in the dim glow as you pass out. [[Fluorescent coral reefs]] [[Papaya-flavoured clouds]]

It’s a bumpy ride. You’re usually an excellent driver, only, right now you’re a little buzzed. Not that you couldn’t drive - but, you know, focusing takes a bit of effort. And that useless navigation system is blinking in and out. You hit a few buttons. Great, now it’s off altogether. The tracking signal is gone, too. Maybe you could slow down. You really don’t want to stop the buggy because methane ice creeps up on the chassis in no time, and then you’re really screwed. You take the foot off the gas and concentrate on the nav screen. Reboot. Blink, blink, blink. Come on! Right now you’re just driving aimlessly through darkness. There, the screen is loading again. And here is the tracking signal. Only slightly off your present course - if you step on it, you’ll be there in no time. [[Toast with coffee]] [[The interview]]

You dream of floating through fluorescent coral reefs. The translucent tentacles of an anemone draw you into the depth. The water is getting colder. It’s becoming harder to breathe. You start to sing, and your breath floats up like soap bubbles. Soon, there are no bubbles left. You are shaken awake by Heiko, who is prying a space suit helmet off your head. Your world is losing its technicolor glow. “You look alright,” he says, and limps out of the lab. There are large crystal shards scattered all over the floor. The place looks a mess. More clean-up, you think, rubbing your face. Wait - the crystals. That was a hell of a trip! This is the strongest stuff you’ve ever tried. And it was amazing. You’ve never been this happy, this bright. There are many lonely people out there who would love to try some Rogue BMK. You can request a sabbatical and do a little trading. It won’t take long until you have enough funds to get off this dark rock forever.

Your heart is racing as you close in on the tracking signal. Then you see Tan-e and you step on the breaks. The buggy comes to a sliding halt. Right away you can see you’re too late. Tan-e is frozen solid, covered in a glittering shell of methane ice. Your heart breaks. You gently lift the body onto the buggy and recuperate the gear and the camp equipment. Back at the station you place Tan-e’s body into the cold storage locker and ponder what to do next. You get an idea. You review the footage Tan-e managed to capture during their fateful exploration. It looks okay. You relay the films to the Institute back on Earth. The director is devastated about the sad news, but assures you that Tan-e’s contribution to art and science will not be forgotten. “We’ll create something beautiful with this,” he assures you. Weeks later you catch a virtual relay chat from Earth that mentions the Oscars. Apparently, Tan-e was honored with a special award. You toast with a cup of coffee.

Your heart is racing as you close in on the tracking signal. When you see Tan-e’s body you step on the breaks. You made it just in time. You gently lift them onto the buggy and gun it back to the station. You carry them straight to their bunk and strap an oxygen mask to their face. Their eyes flutter, then they fall into a deep sleep. The next day Tan-e storms into engineering and gives you a bear hug. “Trig. You saved my life” they sigh. “Grmphh,” is all you can muster. Tan-e stares at you. “I want to interview you. I feel like you’ve been flying under the radar.” Tan-e sets up a camera and you start to talk about growing up in Tierra del Fuego, your time interning at ESA, and the research stations you’ve built all over the solar system. It felt good to talk. You never expected much from the movie, but after a few weeks the virtual relay chats explode. Apparently, you’re a media sensation. Finally, you are seen.

Let's keep it simple. There's some fermented oatmilk in the back storage. It smells vile, but it may take the edge off. You wander to the storage unit and don’t even bother to flick on the lights. You slump down on the floor. Illuminated by the thin shaft of light coming from the corridor you slurp down the last bit of alcohol on the station. You feel only slightly better. Maybe there's something happening on the virtual relay. Some old TV show. On you way to the control room you run into Kai. “Hey Trig! How’s it going?” she inquires. “Uh - fine. Okay,” you reply. “You look a bit under the weather. Are you sure you’re alright?” “Yes, totally!” you insist. Nosy pest. You can have a drink if you want to. “Good. I’m just popping in to pick up more oxygen tanks. Tan-e and I are heading to the cryovolcano. Take care,” she calls over her shoulder as she speeds off. “Yeah, take...care...whatever,” you mumble. She’s already left you alone again. [[The LeGuinn: the switch]] [[The LeGuinn: Biobeds]]

You’re left standing alone in the corridor and hear the sound of the buggy speed away from the station. They're all out exploring. Wait - you, too have something to explore: the LeGuin! You’ve been so busy prepping the station and looking after the crew that you’ve never had a chance to check out the spaceship. Buoyed by this idea you head to the landing bay. After a few taps on the keypad the airlock hisses open. It’s a small ship, enough for a limited crew on a trans-system voyage. The canteen is tiny, which makes sense. After all, they spent nearly all of their time in the biopods. You wander onto the bridge and perch on the narrow seat. No captain’s chair; this voyage was spent entirely on autopilot. There are barley any controls, only a wall of screens displaying the ship’s status. Hm. You wonder what the switches are for, then. You push one of them. “Autopilot system engaged. Prepare for launch,” the ship’s computer announces. Oops. You flick another switch. The airlock clanks shut. Oh shit. [[Bye, suckers!]]

You hear the sound of the gangway retracting. The ship’s engines start to hum. The display panels all turn yellow. You sprint to the airlock, maybe you can still... what? Jump? You’re locked in! You feel the ship moving and run to a porthole as you lift off. In the circle of light cast by the ship’s outboard diodes you see Kai bring her buggy to a skidding halt. She starts waiving her arms. But within seconds she fades into darkness as the ship continues its vertical trajectory. “All crew proceed to the biopods,” the ship’s computer commands. Reality sets in. You suddenly feel very sober. You’re leaving the crew stranded on Rogue 45. Well - they do have a functioning station. Which you set up for those ungrateful brats. They’ll be fine. And you - you’re finally getting off this dark rock. Back to the light. You’ll get a beach house by the ocean. And a tan. Have drinks with people who actually want to talk to you. Not like those idiots. Bye, suckers!

You pace down the dim corridors of Rogue 45 station, replacing blinking light fixtures on your way. You prep the crew bunks. The exogeologist from Mars will need a special bunk. You read the Krüger-Wilford study about first-generation Martians, and how the planet’s low-gravity environment caused an evolution surge. Heiko’s elongated bone structure will require a longer bunk, and the low-G setting will make him feel more comfortable. The two others can share. You prep the 3D field scanner and the IR camera for Tan-e, the filmmaker. Then you’re off to give the place a final clean-up. You push down the rising feeling of frustration. All this maintenance is making you feel like a janitor. You’re the chief engineer, damn it! You fight the urge to finish the Scotch you’ve stashed in the supply closet. No. You’ll be professional. Make a good impression. Instead, you head to your work station and continue to tinker with the orientation slideshow you’ll present to the incoming crew. You hear a clank from the airlock. They're here! [[OMG - You can't even!]] [[Hanging on by a thread]]

The crew step through the airlock with a slow shuffle. “Alright, alright!” you announce brightly, “Welcome to Rogue 45 Station! There will be an orientation later, but first, let me show you to your bunks.” They follow you to the crew quarters “You two,” you say, pointing at Kai and Tan-e, “you are sharing this bunk. And you,” pointing at Heiko, “are in here. It’s a longer bunk and I’ve adjusted the gravity closer to Martian G.” Heiko’s smile is incredibly satisfying. The crew trickles into the meeting room as you queue up the orientation slideshow. But before you can even begin your presentation, Kai cuts in. “Thanks, Trig, but we need to get going.” Within a minute the crew have chosen their excursion destinations and are heading to the lockers, leaving their empty lunch trays behind. Unbelievable. Like station security is immaterial. Like you’ll just clean up, right? Red hot anger rises in you - but you push it down. You’ll have a talk with them when they get back. You pick up the lunch trays. [[Remember those crystals?]] [[What about the fermented oatmilk?]]

You pace down the dim corridors of Rogue 45 station, replacing blinking light fixtures on your way. You prep the 3D field scanner and the IR camera for Tan-e, the filmmaker. Apparently, they are quite the talent. Then you head over to the cabin quarters. In your spare time you’ve tinkered with one bunks. Heiko, the exogeologist from Mars, will be more comfortable in a longer bunk and a low-G setting. You read the Krüger-Wilford study about first-generation Martians, and how the planet’s low-gravity environment caused an evolution surge. Heiko’s elongated bone structure and reduced lung capacity aren’t well suited for the Earth-like set-up of Rogue 45 station. At least he’ll be able to sleep well. You double-check the controls with a sense of satisfaction. Tan-e and the exobiologist - whatshername - will share the other bunk. You continue your final inspection of the station with a sense of pride. This is your home. But, you are glad that finally you’ll have company. You hear a clank from the airlock. They're here! [[OMG - You can't even!]] [[Hanging on by a thread]] [[Okay - SOME people are nice.]]

The crew step through the airlock with a slow shuffle. “Alright, alright!” you announce brightly, “Welcome to Rogue 45 Station! There will be an orientation later, but first, let me show you to your bunks.” They follow you to the crew quarters “You two,” you say, pointing at Kai and Tan-e, “you are sharing this bunk. And you,” pointing at Heiko, “are in here. It’s a longer bunk and I’ve adjusted the gravity closer to Martian G.” Heiko’s smile is incredibly satisfying. The crew trickles into the meeting room as you queue up the orientation slideshow. But before you can even begin your presentation, Kai cuts in. “Thanks, Trig, but we need to get going.” Within seconds Kai and Tan-e have chosen their excursion destinations. Only Heiko is staying behind. “You two go ahead,” he yawns, “I’ll finally get a decent sleep in my individualized bunk. Thank you, Trig.” Finally, the validation you’ve been hoping for. At least one person respects your work. The crew leave the meeting room, leaving you to your thoughts. [[Pull yourself together]]

You find yourself sitting in the meeting room alone. After a brief flurry of activity the crew have either left the station or retreated to their bunk. Somehow, your loneliness feels worse now. You’ve been so looking forward to have other humans on the station, to have company after 18 months on your own. And immediately they ditch you. Selfish fuckers. Except, maybe, Heiko. He’s a good guy. Typical Martian: appreciates solid engineering and protocols. If you’re going to survive on a Mars colony, you’re going to have to be able to tinker, fix things on the fly, and make sure that all systems are functioning as they should. Heiko may be an exogeologist, but you’re sure he’s an engineer at heart. Yeah. That’s right. He’s going to be your buddy here. You feel a bit better now. Maybe you’ll organize the supply closets. Or defrost that quasi-Indonesian curry you’ve been saving for the crew’s welcome meal. Right. Time to get busy. [[Scientific curiosity 2]] [[Scientific curiosity 1]]

You are seriously bummed out. You’ve been so looking forward to have other humans on the station, to have company after 18 months on your own. But they treat you like a second-class citizen. Not an ounce of gratitude for building this place, for creating a habitable environment, for setting up everything possible for their comfort. And the complete disregard for station regulations. And then they head out after, what, five minutes to go exploring and leave you behind. Selfish fuckers. Somehow, your loneliness feels worse now. There must be more alcohol somewhere. Maybe that fermented oatmilk you’ve been trying to distill... it’s somewhere in the back storage unit. You could smash some frozen bilberries. Make a spiked smoothie. The thought momentarily brings a dim smile to your face. You lean your head against the cool pane of the meeting room porthole and stare into space. Alright. Better than nothing. It’ll make you survive another day on this dark world. [[D6-MoreAlcohol-Smoothie]]

The fermented oatmilk in the back storage smells vile. Definitely needs help. You head to the kitchen and pour it into the blender with two handfuls for frozen bilberries. Hey, it’s vitamins, right? This is... self care. You take a sip. Still fairly gross, but it may take the edge off. Maybe there's something happening on the virtual relay. Some old TV show. You head to the control room and switch through the channels. Suddenly, you hear Tan-e’s tinny voice coming through the emergency channel. "I'm lost! Help! I don't know where I am. Running low on oxygen. Help!" "Fucking newbie," you grumble and pick up the communicator. "Yeah, hey there. You have a tracker on your suit. I'll come and find you." Looks like someone needs you after all. You gulp down the last of your “smoothie” and head to the long-haul rover. Within minutes you speed off into the darkness. [[You drive fast]] [[You drive carefully]]

It’s a bumpy ride, but you’re an excellent driver even if you’re slightly buzzed. It’s just that, you know, focusing takes a bit of effort. And that useless navigation system is blinking in and out. You hit a few buttons. Great, now it’s off altogether. The tracking signal is gone, too. Maybe you could slow down. You really don’t want to stop the buggy because methane ice creeps up on the chassis in no time, and then you’re really screwed. You take the foot off the gas and concentrate on the nav screen. Reboot. Blink, blink, blink. Come on! There, the screen is loading again. And here is the tracking signal. Looks like you’re still on your present course - if you step on it, you’ll be there in no time. [[The interview]] [[You are seen]]

It’s a bumpy ride. You’re usually an excellent driver, only, right now you’re a little buzzed. Not that you couldn’t drive - but, you know, focusing takes a bit of effort. And that useless navigation system is blinking in and out. You hit a few buttons. Great, now it’s off altogether. The tracking signal is gone, too. Maybe you could slow down. You really don’t want to stop the buggy because methane ice creeps up on the chassis in no time, and then you’re really screwed. You bang on the control panel with your fist. Come on! Reboot. Blink, blink, blink. Then the panel goes dark again. Right now you’re just driving aimlessly through darkness. 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. Fuck! Where the hell are you? The screen blinks on again - and here is the tracking signal. You’ve overshot Tan-e’s position, but if you step on it you may make it on time. [[Toast with coffee]] [[Goodbye darkness]]

Your heart is racing as you close in on the tracking signal. Then you see Tan-e and you step on the breaks. The buggy comes to a sliding halt. Right away you can see you’re too late. Tan-e is frozen solid, covered in a glittering shell of methane ice. Your heart breaks. You gently lift Tan-e onto the buggy and head back at the station. You place their body into the cold storage locker and ponder what to do next. You feel absolutely awful. Worse that you’ve ever felt. On all of your missions, you’ve never lost anyone. You head to the communication center and stare at the screens. Finally, you call the Institute to make a report. Then, you request a transfer. You’re not cut out for this level of loneliness. Maybe you can be an instructor back on Earth. Share your considerable experience. Be surrounded by colleagues and students. Your request is approved, and four days later you and Tan-e’s body take the LeGuin’s shuttle back to Earth. Goodbye, darkness.

Your heart is racing as you close in on the tracking signal. When you see Tan-e you step on the breaks. You made it just in time. They are crouching in front of their collapsed tent. You help them into the buggy and gun it back to the station. You head straight to their bunk and strap an oxygen mask to their face. They fall into a deep sleep. The next day Tan-e storms into engineering and gives you a bear hug. “Trig. You saved my life” they sigh. “Grmphh,” is all you can muster. Tan-e stares at you. “I want to interview you. I feel like you’ve been flying under the radar.” Tan-e sets up a camera and you start to talk about growing up in Tierra del Fuego, your time interning at ESA, and the research stations you’ve built all over the solar system. It felt good to talk. You never expected much from the movie, but after a few weeks the virtual relay chats explode. Apparently, you’re a media sensation. Finally, you are seen.

Let's keep it simple. There's some fermented oatmilk in the back storage. It smells vile, but it may take the edge off. You wander to the storage unit and don’t even bother to flick on the lights. You slump down on the floor. Illuminated by the thin shaft of light coming from the corridor you slurp down the last bit of alcohol on the station. You feel only slightly better. Maybe there's something happening on the virtual relay. Some old TV show. On you way to the control room you run into Kai. “Hey Trig! How’s it going?” she inquires. “Dunno. Okay, I guess” you reply. “I can get you something from the med lab,” she frowns. Nosy pest. “No, I’m fine” you insist, “just overworked.” “Understandable,” Kai says, “get some rest, Trig!” Alright - she does care a bit. “I’m just popping in to pick up more oxygen tanks. Tan-e and I are heading to the cryovolcano. Take care,” she calls over her shoulder as she speeds off. “Yeah... you too,” you mumble. She’s already left you alone again. [[The LeGuinn: the switch]] [[The LeGuinn: Biobeds]]

You’re left standing alone in the corridor and hear the sound of the buggy speed away from the station. They're all out exploring. Wait - you, too have something to explore: the LeGuin! You’ve been so busy prepping the station and looking after the crew that you’ve never had a chance to check out the spaceship. Buoyed by this idea you head to the landing bay. After a few taps on the keypad the airlock hisses open. It’s a small ship, enough for a limited crew on a trans-system voyage. The canteen is tiny, which makes sense. After all, they spent nearly all of their time in the biopods. Oh, let’s check those out. You head to the cryoquarter. In the dim room three sleeper modules are casting long shadows across the bulkheads. Their translucent lids are half retracted, silvery intravenous lines lie snaked across the console. Inside the module, low-grav cushions are floating on a pillow of amber light. No bed-sores for long-duration passengers. Looks comfy. You slip off your boots and slide in. [[Hmmmphrr...]]

You slowly lean back and let the biopod’s low-grav cushions absorb your weight. It feels amazing. You take a deep breath and smile. Then the pod’s lid hums and glides shut. The intravenous lines unfurl and slide up your arms and chest. “Hey!” you shout, “hey - what the...” You notice tiny suction cups attaching themselves to your body. As you try to pull out the one sticking to your thigh you bang your head on the lid and sink back. A warm glow rushes through you. “Biopod active,” a computer voice states evenly, “do you wish to engage emergency procedures?” The words YES and ABORT flash across the biopod’s lid. Whatever is cursing through your veins is multiplying the effects of the fermented oatmilk. “Hmmmphrr,” you gurgle. “Please repeat,” the computer responds. “Phrrss” is all you can manage. “Emergency procedure engaged.” The ship’s engines start to hum and the LeGuin starts moving. So what if the crew is stranded on Rogue 45. They have a functioning station. They’ll be fine. And you - you’re finally getting off this dark rock.

You grab the vial with the tiny crystals and head to the kitchen. You pour as much as you can into the blender you pulverize the crystals into a fine powder. Nice. You pull out the spectrometer again. Definitely BMK. Ha ha. Rogue BMK. Well, let's see. You dip in your finger. Tastes like... Whoa! Woooohooooo! It tastes like dancing! It tastes like flying through a thundercloud! More!!! Wait, let’s cook this stuff UP! You pop the powder into the blaster and gingerly pull out the tray after about a minute. The powder has turned dark orange, like pop rocks. You stick your finger in again and lick it. YEEEESSSSSS! It tastes like hugs! Waves of joy rush over you. You feel light. You feel euphoric. All warm inside. MORE!!! There's a bigger blender and a power blaster in the lab. You snag the vial with the remaining crystals and head to the lab, passing a juggling octopus and a swarm of giggling butterflies. The pink unicycle rolling along beside you gives you a conspiratorial wink. [[Chat with the unicycle]]

When you get to the lab, the unicycle is the first to roll through the door, leaving a trail of soap bubbles in its wake. "Wow," it exclaims, "have a look at this!" You follow behind, swatting away the butterflies. "Damn," you mumble, "that must be some strong BMK." On the lab floor lies a huge crystal encasing what looks like a giant stick insect. It looks vaguely familiar and is still twitching inside. You notice a faint green glow coming from the base of the crystal. "I see it, too," whispers the unicycle. "What if we switch off the light to see the glow better?" you suggest. "Great idea!" exclaims the unicycle. You head over to the flea market display and try on the snorkeling mask. Then you spot an old easy-bake oven. Cool! You dial 375°C. Everything goes dark. "Environmental life support systems disengaged," says the rainbow-colored hippopotamus munching avocado toast at the far corner of the lab. You can just make out its silhouette in the dim glow as you pass out. [[Fluorescent coral reefs]] [[Papaya-flavoured clouds]]

You dream of floating through candy-cotton clouds. You pull a few tufts off a small strato-cumulus. Mmmh. Papaya. The air is getting colder. It’s becoming harder to breathe. You flap your arms in desperation, but you start plummeting toward the ground. The effervescent purple sea is getting closer and closer. You are shaken awake by Heiko, who is prying a space suit helmet off your head. Your world is losing its technicolor glow. “You look alright,” he says, and limps out of the lab. There are large crystal shards scattered all over the floor. You sit up slowly, rubbing your face. That was a hell of a trip! This is the strongest stuff you’ve ever tried. And it was amazing. You’ve never been this happy, this bright. There are many lonely people out there who would love to try some Rogue BMK. You’ll do a little mining here, cook up some crystals, and ship pure happiness back to Earth. It won’t take long until you have enough funds to get off this dark rock forever.

While you head to the supply closets you go over all the stuff that needs to be recycled. And repackaged and labeled. Lots to do. You start by pulling out the barrels of hydropond pellets, the rotifer seeding tanks, and the pink algae filters. When you move the boxes of tardigrade pods you bump into a small cluster of glass vials. Oh yes. The crystals that you found at the lava tube entrance. You’re no chemist, but when you ran the crystals through the spectrometer on a slow work day you did spot traces of benzyl methyl ketone. Actual BMK. That could be a nice mood enhancer... Hm. Maybe you could test a little bit. Not that you need any mood enhancing. You’re totally fine. It’s just, you know, out of scientific curiosity. You grab the vial with the tiny crystals and head to the kitchen. [[Busted! 2]] [[Busted! 1]]

You set the vials on the kitchen counter and pull out the blender. Just as you’re pouring crystals into the cup, Heiko wanders in and gives you a curious look. Damn. “Hey, Heiko!” you smile and slide the vials behind the blender. “Hello, Trig,” he replies, “what are those?” Busted. “Uhm - crystals. Found them at the lava tube entrance,” you reply innocently. “Why are they in the blender?” he inquires with a raised eyebrow. ‘You’re up to something,’ he says. “I’m not up to anything!” you protest. “I didn’t say you were,” Heiko replies. “Yes, you did. I heard you.” “Maybe I was thinking it, but I didn’t say it,” he insists. Then he pauses and gives you an intense look. “What’s BMK?” he asks. Before you can reply, he adds “Why do you need to get happy?” Ooooh. What the hell? ‘I hear you,’ you hear Heiko’s voice echo through your head. ‘I hear you, too,’ you think. “You’ve made quite a discovery,” Heiko says out loud. “How is this happening?” you ask, peering through the glass vial. [[Quantum Network]]

Heiko takes a seat in front of you. He picks up one of the vials and frowns. ‘Maybe the crystals amplify brainwave transmissions,’ he says - or, maybe he was thinking it. ‘Some sort of resonance enhancement,’ you ponder, ‘a buddy of mine works with quantum computers. They use crystals to boost sound waves. Maybe this works across the spectrum.’ Heiko holds the crystals up to his eyes. ‘I’ve seen a lot of crystals in my days as an exogeologist. But nothing like this. Imagine the possibilities!’ he whispers. Or thinks. ‘Could we boost the transmission distance?’ you wonder. ‘Yes. Add lasers. Combine classical nonlinear optics and quantum cavity optomechanics.’ “You’re brilliant,” you think. Or say out loud. ‘We could build a quantum communication network.’ “Looks like we’re on the same wavelength,” Heiko smiles. You and Heiko continue brainstorming without speaking a single word. You sketch out diagrams. You move to the lab and fire up lasers and set up standing wave tubes. After a week you submit your patent to the Institute - via the brand-new Rogue 45 Quantum Network.

While you head to the supply closets you go over all the stuff that needs to be recycled. And labeled. And cleaned. Lots to do. You start by pulling out the stacks of tardigrade pods, the Sabatier CO2 scrubbers, and the mycobacteria nutrient packs. When you move the microgravity processors you bump into a small cluster of glass vials. Oh yes. The crystals that you found at the lava tube entrance. You’re no chemist, but when you ran the crystals through the spectrometer on a slow work day you did spot traces of benzyl methyl ketone. Actual BMK. That could be a nice mood enhancer... Hm. Maybe you could test a little bit. Or cook some up. It would help you put up with this crew. Keep you on an even keel. Yeah, that’s right. It would be more for their benefit than your own. And, of course, there’s your scientific curiosity. You’ve done enough cleaning for the day. You grab the vial with the tiny crystals and head to the kitchen. [[Busted! 2]] [[Busted! 1]]

You set the vials on the kitchen counter and pull out the blender and the heat blaster. Just as you’re pouring crystals into the cup, Heiko wanders in and gives you a curious look. Damn. “Hey, Heiko!” you smile and slide the vials behind the blender. “Hello, Trig,” he replies, “what are those?” Busted. “Uhm - crystals. Found them at the lava tube entrance,” you reply innocently. “Why are they in the blender?” he inquires with a raised eyebrow. ‘You’re up to something,’ he says. “I’m not up to anything!” you protest. “I didn’t say you were,” Heiko replies. “Yes, you did. I heard you.” Heiko pauses and gives you an intense look. “What’s BMK?” he asks. Before you can reply, he adds “Why do you need to get happy?” Ooooh. What the hell? ‘I hear you,’ you hear Heiko’s voice echo through your head. ‘I hear you, too,’ you think. “Want to join me in an experiment?” you ask out loud and fire up the blender. ‘What kind of experiment?’ you hear his voice reverberate over the din. [[Kitchen Party]]

You turn off the blender. The crystals have turned into a fine powder. “This is a bad idea,” Heiko says as you dip in your finger. The powder tastes like... Whoa! Woooohooooo! It tastes like fireworks! It tastes like fairground rides! Heiko looks at you with a huge grin. ‘Awesome!’ you hear his voice buzz through your head. ‘We should cook this,’ one of you is thinking. You pop the powder into the blaster and gingerly pull out the tray. The powder has turned bright orange, like pop rocks. You both stick your fingers in and lick them. YEEEESSSSSS! Waves of joy rush over you. You feel light. You feel euphoric. All warm inside. You’re not quite sure what happened next. You remember flying through candy floss clouds, riding a unicorn through a field of sunflowers, and wrestling a rainbow-colored hippopotamus. What you’re sure of is that you and Heiko woke up in the med lab, strapped to your beds. You can no longer hear his thoughts, but life on Rogue 45 just got a lot more fun.