The Oruas Eye (mission)

The Lutuma Chronicles Chapter Four

Data gathered from the Lutuma ships' archives highlights an extremely important relic called The Oruas Eye. After being contacted by a secret Lutuma sect, a deeper search for the relic is underway...

Mission Briefing

A member of the Lutuma is contacting us on a secure channel. He prefers to remain anonymous. Speak to him, and see if you can clarify some of the things we've discovered from their archives... especially entries in their logs referring to 'The Oruas Eye'.

Greetings. We are a very secretive sect of the Lutuma... established to right the wrongs of our leaders who have grown drunk with power.
So, you are not... here on their behalf ?

No. For a variety of reasons, I doubt they'll speak with you. Personally, I wouldn't either, but circumstances warrant it.
We've read the memory cores of your ships. It claims you are trying to extract something called the 'Oruas Eye'.

Yes. Our leaders are looking desperately for it. We believe they may be on the verge of finding it.
What is it ?

A powerful relic. It allows us to see events that are about to happen... before they do.
What ?? How is that possible ?

We don't really know how it works. When the Eye produces a vision, we detect an intense tachyonic-static field. The science is still beyond us to reproduce the conditions without it, however.
So, you didn't create such technology ?

The Eye was given to us by the Great Elders.
Great Elders... of the Lutuma ?

Oh, no. An ancient race. We've given them many names, of which the original has been lost to antiquity.
The search has been immensely destructive. These extractions are leaving a wake of desolated worlds.

The foundation of our modern society, our faith, was shaped around the Eye. Our leaders' only concern is to get it back.
So these visions... they actually help the Lutuma shape their future ?

Once a new vision is seen, our actions can inherently change the outcome, yes.
If that's true, how did you end up here ?

At first, everything was ideal. We avoided war, made countless discoveries, and forged a lasting legacy of peace. We prospered.
Go on.

Visions were inherently unpredictable in their timing and resolution. Leaders eventually became paralyzed in their decision-making. As our dependency grew, interpreting the Eye was the primary goal of our government.
But it was still beneficial ?

For some. The Oruas Eye was supposed to be our salvation. But recently, it's become a twisted tool for power of the few.
So what changed ?

Through fear and coercion, leaders convinced the people to change our longstanding laws... laws that were supposed to inform us of the visions and act on them...together... as a unified race.
I can see how that could go very wrong.

They began using it as a tool to conquer, to further personal agendas for revenge... The people knew they had made a mistake, but it was too late to go back. Attempts for a coup were always seen ahead of time.
But you are here now - as a secretive sect. They couldn't see this ?

The visions suddenly became strange... foretelling the Eye bathed in light, and buried deep within the core of a planet. And then soon after, the visions stopped altogether.
What happened then ?

Days later, the chamber suddenly erupted in a blinding flash of blue. The Eye was gone. Vanished. The greatest tragedy ever to happen to us.
Could it be possible that someone stole it ?

The Eye Chamber is probably the most secure building in the quadrant. And, if it was going to be stolen, we should have seen it in the vision.
So, any idea what really happened ?

Some say that the Great Elders reclaimed the Eye... after seeing the abuses of our leaders. But regardless of the reasons, we came to you to prevent them from finding it again.
Why ?

Were you not listening? The Eye is simply too powerful. Our society has proven that it isn't ready. I doubt we'll ever be.
What if another race tries to claim it... to use it ?

It's of no use anyone else. We've tried... with many races. Only the Lutuma can glimpse the visions, and of those, only gifted ones can see levels of detail that provide structured guidance.
So what do you suggest ? How can we help ?

As much as I would like to see the Eye back in the hands of my people, it is perhaps better that we find it first... and destroy it.
You said the Lutuma are already close to finding it ?

We think so. They are following the 'Path of the Great Elders'. A route that we believe the Great Elders took when they disappeared.
That sounds like more of a pilgrimage than a search.

It's a bit of both. The leaders wish to appease the Great Elders during their recovery of the Eye.
Perhaps their devotion has clouded some 'practicalities' about finding such an artifact.

I suppose.
You described sensing a powerful tachyonic field when the Eye produced a vision. Is there a recorded reference of that in the archives ?

From the ones on our ships? Yes, of course. But... you wouldn't be able to detect the signal from space. You'll need to extract the core layers first as we have.
There has to be another way. We can't help you if it means going through the same destructive process.

Well... there is one thing. We did experiment with using sub-tachyonic detectors placed on the surface, but there is a catch...
What is it ?

The detectors require high surface radiation to work. Other than irradiated worlds, this would leave...
Ones that have been hit be weapon fire.

In addition, the detection method takes a very long time, and our data suggested too many false positives. We decided to use nanoshearing drills, insead.
Our controlled region of space here is large. We have the advantage of scale.

The schematics should already be in the archives you took, but they are slightly incomplete. We can assist with that.
So this will work ?

The Eye could be anywhere... but yes, this can work.
I'll contact you again shortly to begin the process.

Understood.

SWITCH CHANNEL

What do you think ?

At the very least, finding the artifact could lead to some significant scientific advancements.
They clearly want it to be destroyed.

We will... cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, continue the search.

End Transmission

• Mission Image

• You must use your new 'Sub-Tachyonic Detector' ability on attacked planets (last 3 days) or on irradiated planets.

• NOTE: you must click the red Mission Briefing button once every 40 hours in order to get the 'Sub-Tachyonic Detector' ability.
  

Sub-Tachyonic Detector image
Places a detector on a planet for 3 days. Can only use on planets attacked in the last 3 days, or irradiated planets. Cost: 200 energy. Ability Cooldown: 2 minutes.

"You place the detector, and gain Sub-Tachyonic Readings (artifact)"
"You acquire a Sub-Tachyonic Readings Artifact."

Effect on planet lasts 3 days: Sub-Tachyonic Detection : Detection +1 (2 days, 23 hours left)

Sub-Tachyonic Readings image
Partial readings retrieved from a Sub-Tachyonic Detector. Useful in determining the possibility of the presence of the Oruas Eye. Scrap value: 5000 - 20,000 credits.

Requirements: 400 Energy, 1 Sub-Tachyonic Readings (200 energy)
Rewards: 400 XP
XP Return Ratio: 1.00

Requirements: 8,000 Energy, 20 Sub-Tachyonic Readings (4,000 energy)
Rewards: 8,000 XP, 1 Sub-Tachyonic Axis

Requirements: 80,000 Energy, 200 Sub-Tachyonic Readings (40,000 energy)
Rewards: 80,000 XP, 10 Sub-Tachyonic Axis

• Sub-Tachyonic Axis image
  

[Planet Structure - Size:1, Artifact:1, Mining:3, Cloak:200]. Limit 1 per planet. Scrap Value: 5-10 CTP

• If none of your planets have 'Sub-Tachyonic Detection' active when this structure is deployed, its bonuses increase:
  [Planet Structure - Size:1, Artifact:2, Mining:4, Cloak:300]
  
  

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