Stunning Landscapes Across the Stars

Salutations! This is a survey of a particular triple star system in the Euclid galaxy, occupied (sparsely) by the Vy'keen. I didn't exactly have time to read the brochure so we'll be visiting several exotic destinations within the system.

The three suns are in relatively close orbit around a common center, each paint the alien sky with an ever-changing palette of colors, casting a warm, golden glow on the planets and moons that orbit them. The Vy'keen, known for their strength and honor, have adapted to the unique challenges and beauty of this system, forging a connection with the stars that has shaped their culture and beliefs over the eons. As we delve deeper into the mysteries of this distant corner of the universe, we uncover not just the scientific wonders of a triple star system, but also the rich tapestry of stories and traditions woven by the Vy'keen that make this place truly special.

In the outskirts of the solar neighborhood, we find an absence of complex life as we know it. Although you might come across a vista that takes your breath away, you may also start to wonder after a while why the breath does not catch up. You can stay here if you like, but I'm departing for more welcoming lands.

Or so it seems. Scans from space revealed that this planet was a lot more active than the first one. To tech landfall, it was necessary to pilot a specialized vessel, one that could withstand the naturally corrosive atmosphere and inhospitable surface.

The planet is poisonous. The atmosphere chokes the land, blanketing it in a haze of dizzying gases and noxious spores. This place seems to only harbor massive fungi. All of these factors seem to threaten my spacesuit's life support system, all the while the biological vessel I landed in does just fine. It was cultivated from an egg recovered in the vacuum of space, so I believe it can endure a wide variety of conditions. I, however, cannot.

Despite these limiting factors of my crude and vulnerable form, I find myself next exploring a desert planet. Like the rest, I did not intend to spend a great deal of time here. But the gentle warmth permeated my suit, soothing my tired husk. So I stayed a while in this serene and desolate place, captivated by a singular lonely mountain amidst the expanse of sandy plains. As I walked beneath the enormous trees, I got a sense of how ancient they were. They have been growing for millennia and may one day even climb taller than the peaks of the mountain itself.

I wanted to take so many samples of the plant specimens at higher elevations, but that was not the purpose of this expedition. We could stay here... Make a life here. It's not that bad. No, I must continue.

I must be in the fringes of what our terran scientists called the "Goldilocks Zone". No need to explore any planetoids closer to the suns. They would only be more hellish.

I set my sights on a planet that should, in theory, be a paradise. It also has a very anomalous moon orbiting it. I will disembark; this will only be a pit stop.

It was immediately evident that this satellite was suffering from something. After penetrating the upper atmosphere, a dense, eerie, purple fog becomes visible that hugs the crust. I have seen this before.

I didn't even want to touch down. A desperate struggle is at play on the surface. This unique ship was, in fact, born out of the technology that was responsible for the desolation of this celestial body. It can, therefore, filter out the corruption to produce an image, giving us a glimpse into what the moon may have looked like in a time before this conflict.

Although the purple is gone, something remains. Do you see them? The rattles that grow and infest the surface? They seem to be some kind of anomalous life form. Its mere existence is an error. An impossibility. It is essentially a reality glitch. I promptly leave the moon.

The gravity of its host draws me in.

I think this is the one. Biosignatures of the planet are promising. They hint at abundance, diversity, and something quite familiar to my soul.

Cloud cover obscures the full triple sunrise.

I think I will remain here for some time.

This post is an entry for the contest themed around stunning landscapes.