Discovering Vepar

by Anton Kukal

                                                                       Art by Scott Kersey

Orin Daskor’s exploration pod jolted as it pierced the un-named planet’s upper atmosphere. Through the narrow viewport, yellow clouds thick with sulfuric acid swirled. He checked the sensor readouts. The ship, coated in industrial-grade ceramic tiles, would hold up to most corrosive aerosols, but he still needed to be careful.

“Mostly sulfur compounds.” He spoke into the comms.

“You be careful,” Liora Arvellen replied, her voice coming through the speaker full of concern.

She was orbiting the planet on their exploratory jump-ship while he piloted the pod through the murk. They generally took turns flying the pods and checking the worlds, but even though it was her turn, he’d taken this scout. Not because of the danger, which was considerable. And not because he was the better pilot, which he was, marginally though, as Liora was also a fantastic pilot.

“Acid concentrations are high,” he said. “Sulfuric is dominant. Traces of nitric acid, chlorosulfonic acid, and maybe some hydrochloric vapors. Definitely not a place to take off your helmet.”

“Do you see any concentrated hydrofluoric acid clouds?”

“Negative.”

“Without fluoropolymer shielding, concentrated hydrofluoric acid could leach between the plates and eat right through the hull.”

“They’re not showing on the scan,” Orin said, knowing that Liora was being overprotective because of her condition.

“Computer modelling predicts their presence.”

“I’ll be careful,” he promised.

“You better be,” she threatened.

Liora had wanted to fly the mission, but he’d argued his point, and ultimately she gave in to his logic. She would not just be risking her life if she flew into the potentially deadly atmosphere.

He wanted to get her mind off the dangers, so he said, “This world is a chemical goldmine. Gonna be worth a fortune.”

“Sure is,” she agreed.

Liora Arvellen was the youngest daughter of Isara Arvellen, the matriarch of House Arvellen, one of New Eden’s less prosperous and least influential aristocratic families that had escaped Earth’s destruction centuries before.

“Your family could rig floating sky platforms to harvest the sulfur compounds. There's also ammonia, hydrogen chloride, and clouds of halogen gases. Not just trace amounts, but thick concentrations drifting like weather fronts.”

There was excitement in Moria’s voice. She spoke almost breathlessly. “This whole system is going to change the destiny of House Arvellen.

Orin had found the uncharted system a year ago and brought the find to the Avrellon family, one of the smaller houses hoping to get a higher percentage than he’d receive from one of the more prestigious families or a corporation. He didn’t get his higher percentage, but he ended up with Liora Arvellen who was worth more to him than any number of credits.

Liora was a hot-shot, racing pilot, who wanted to explore the frontier, so they’d spent the past few months planning the trip and unexpectedly falling in love. Six weeks ago, they arrived in system and started the required explorations to make House Arvellen’s ownership claims. Together they’d decided to draw planetary names from the Lesser Key of Solomon, a book about demons from Lost Earth.

The Solomon System had a rare binary star arrangement. They named the primary star Beal, which was fitting for a dim red dwarf. Phenex, the system’s second star orbits Beal with a wide elliptical path. One planet orbits Phenex, while five planets orbit Beal. All of the planets contained vast mineral wealth. Each had unique topography and assets. They’d successfully file claims on the five other worlds, and this was the last planet. After this they were going home to celebrate the good news.

Orin smiled. “Cloud density’s dropping. Breaking through now.”

The haze thinned, and the sea came into view. Not blue, not black—green and dull silver, like liquid stone. It stretched endlessly below, broken only by white foam where acid rain fell and instantly reacted with the surface.

“The ocean’s alkaline,” Orin announced. “No surprise there. Coloration suggests sodium and potassium hydroxide are abundant. Getting signs of magnesium and calcium too. This whole sea is like one big industrial drain cleaner.”

“We could harvest sodium hydroxide in bulk,” Liora said excitedly. “The acid from the atmosphere meets the base in the sea and releases carbon dioxide gas and heat. If we control the reaction zones, we could extract power.”

“Sure could,” he agreed. “With the free and easily accessible power, your family could float sky rigs into the cloud layer to easily harvest the chemicals.”

She hesitated, then added, “You know what this means, right?”

“Your mother might not have me killed when you tell her she’s going to be a grandmother?”

Liora laughed. “No, she’ll still want you dead, but she won’t actually do it. The bonus from this world alone means that you and I will easily be able to afford a home together.”

“A home together,” he repeated dreamily. Him, Moria, and the baby. A place to call their own. On an actual planet, owned free and clear of entanglements.

He stared out at the horizon where a storm of foam was building. The acidic clouds touched down on the sea in slow curls causing explosions of white froth and hissing vapor.

Orin was quiet for a long moment. 

“Let’s confirm what’s in the water,” he said finally. “Just beneath the surface. I want a better look at what we’re sitting on.”

The exploration pod dipped, and the ocean closed around it with a sluggish pull. The brine was thick, more like a liquid gel than water. He turned on the sampling intakes and began collecting data.

“Definitely sodium and potassium hydroxide,” he said. “Also, calcium carbonate and dissolved magnesium. This stuff could feed concrete production, battery manufacturing—hell, even water purification if you handled it right.”

“And the black patches?” Liora asked.

“Looks like silicates, maybe borates. Some of it might be organic sediment. Hard to tell. There are ridges down here. Reef-like structures. Chemical formations. They’re pulling charge from the acid base interaction making tiny sparks. It’s beautiful.”

“Get what you need and get out,” she said. “There’s a storm front moving across your sector.”

“Copy.”

Orin’s hands flew across the manual controls. He activated the mechanical sample arms, scooped mineral sludge into collection canisters, and retracted. The chemical sensors blinked green. Successful grab.

Then the warning light flashed red.

“Liora. I’ve got something,” he said. “Cloud layer just dropped acid concentrations above baseline. Levels are rising fast. Must be a sulfur dioxide surge.”

“Get up here,” she said. “Don’t wait. That’s bad.”

“I’m ascending.”

He pulled the pod up through the brine, its motor straining against the viscous sea. The water shimmered with bubbles. The acidic rain hitting the sea above had triggered a massive release of carbon dioxide. Foam surged.

Orin angled the pod to avoid the reaction zone, but the edge of the cloud caught him. The outer hull groaned as vaporous acid began eating through the insulation. He could hear it. Tiny pops and hisses like boiling oil.

“Liora, I’m in trouble,” he said. “Corrosive gas entering the intake vents. Filter integrity’s dropping.”

“Seal the internal ducts. Cut power to the exterior vents—now!”

“Trying.” He coughed. He choked. “It’s... it’s hydrofluoric acid. Not just sulfuric. It’s in the foam cloud. Ceramic plates are falling off their mountings.”

His eyes flicked to the screen. The interior temperature rose. Sensor lines failed one by one.

“The outer hull’s compromised,” he said.

The air began to smell, sharp and acrid. He knew what that meant.

“Hull breach,” he said quietly.

“Orin—get out of there!”

“I can’t. I’m sorry.”

Silence.

In orbit above the planet, Liora stared at the dead screen. The signal had flatlined. Her breath caught in her chest.

She tapped the console again. “Orin, come in. Please.”

Nothing but static.

She opened the comms again, tried a wideband hail. Tried boosting the signal in a narrow beam burst. Nothing but hissing silence.

It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t supposed to be him. She was the reckless one. She was the one who always made the risky dives. She enjoyed the danger, while he was steady. Her rock. It was her turn. It should have been her. But she was also the one with the heartbeat that didn’t belong to her inside.

On the ships viewing screen, the planet turned gently. Its deadly skies swirling green and gold with billowing white striations. A planet rich in resources, rich in potential. But all it gave her now was a silence as thick as the clouds below.

“Orin…”

Still nothing. Then the static faded.

And only her quiet sobs remained, echoing through the cabin, the sound of everything she had lost.

The ships computer compiled the planetary data and autogenerated the registration report to file with the Galactic Coalition. Orin had already suggested a name for the planet. She thought it was fitting. As tears obscured the viewscreen she typed in the name and then filed the registration making the official name of the newly discovered world.

“Vepar,” Liora whispered.

The system acknowledged the submission. The name glowed on the screen, stark white on the black screen. Vepar, the 42nd spirit of the Ars Goetia, commander of 29 legions. Appearing as a mermaid. Known for guiding ships to their doom.

A fitting name for a planet that gave riches… and took everything important.