Lotharus 9 Colony Inspection

"'If this mission is suspended based on your report, I will call for a formal hearing againt you. Do you understand me?' - Director Vilar Triagaro, Lotharus 9 Planetary Colony"Inspect the Lotharus 9 Colony is a Colonial Union aligned voluntary mission.

Synopsis
The Lotharus 9 colony was authorized in 3200 UE by the Colonial Union Habitation Division following standard habitation procedures. It's built on a barren planet with strong seasonal winds, leaving little vegetation and wildlife. Currently, nine colonists and two XR units occupy seven living quarters, the colony center, and close by a mine is used to produce materials.

The colony has had a difficult five years. In its first, rationing of supplies took place, and there were two casualties while constructing the mine. Since then, the food and water supplies have been established, all structures have been fortified against the yearly winds, and the volatile weather cycle has been projected and analyzed allowing for early preparation. These precautions have led to no significant disasters in the last eight months.

Now the focus has shifted from survival to expansion. There are enough materials stockpiled to build twelve additional housing units and life support structures. The greenhouse is now tended by an XR unit and has an automated system installed this year, resulting in a surplus of food supplies. These factors allow new colonists to arrive within a year and for new trade routes to Outpost 448 to be opened. However, there is trouble in paradise with cases of 'colonization paranoia' appearing just in time for the yearly inspection.

Lotharus 9 Colony Inspection
The mission is received via long-range comms. To complete it, talk to Director Vilvar Trigaro, then Doctor Devera Rosmand about rumors, walk into the hydroponics facility, and interview the inhabitants - of which only Orbick Grodan has to be interviewed. When done, contact command via the long-range comms and give a positive or negative review. The reward is 5,000 credits.

Save the Lotharus 9 Colony
After talking to Doctor Devera Rosmand about rumors, she reports strange behavior and gives the side quest to investigate it. To complete it, gather accounts of dreams, blue light, whispers, the mine, and disputers, avoidable by talking to Orbick Grodan about sentient life to receive the key into the sanctum located in the mine. Inside the sanctum, reach the top and talk to ??? choosing an ending, either give a reward of 1 C.U. Rep and 1 Xp.

Brunton Vazco
Vazco is patient zero. Fellow colonist, Everland states that he woke up in the night and heard whispering under his floorboard. At first, he believed it was from exhaustion, but then after weeks he started to act deranged. Soon after, other colonists began reporting strange occurrences. Currently, he has not left his living quarters in the last 72 hours. He can only be saved with the good ending.

Orbick Grodan
Grodan is the most open colonist and the lead engineer at the mines. He reports that several mine delays and setbacks have occurred because of collapses. As he describes it "the land has been turning against us". Soon after, they discovered the ancient door. Grodan claims that Triagro has been pressuring him to break it down and see whats inside. However, he managed to stall Triagro until the colony inspector, you, arrived.

Since uncovering the ancient door, Grodan has been having dreams of blue light, a spiral of alien symbols, and whispering coming from all directions. To cope Gordan hangs out at the balcony. A couple days ago, he uncovered a strange object near the ancient door. He believes its the key to enter the structure and gives it to you. This key can be found in the captain locker.

Fen Dalra
Dalra is a worker in the mine. He's begun to dread his work, because he gets paranoia down there. XR-29341 saw Dalra take biscuit rations from the storeroom, most likely as a coping mechanism. Dalra admits that Triagro omits any unusual readings in the mines to the Colonial Union. He confirms that they discovered an ancient door in the mines. Furthermore, Dalra corroborates that Grodan stopped all mining operations until further tests were done. Dalra is receptive of the idea of alien life, and in the bad ending packs his bags to flee.

Mira Everland
Everland is kind and accepting person, who likes to read under a tree in the middle of the colony. She explains that the colony has been improving and would even call it her home. However, shes been having a strange recurring dream for months now. Despite seeking medical attention by Devera nothing could help her.

Doctor Devera Rosmand
Rosmand is a doctor from the Colonial Union Habitation Division. Since the colonies founding, Rosmand has been monitoring the colonists physical and mental well being. She states that there have been three colonists lost during the first year, two during the construction of the mining facility. This is possibly from cave ins mentioned by other colonists.

However, there is the case of an engineer who had visions of something below the ground watching him. Then he went missing for two days until found outside the colony walls. Afterward, his vision changed to blue light. In an effort to get away from the light, he jumped from the balcony of the colony center, breaking his legs. He was restrained and sent to Outpost 448, on his way recovering and did not remembering anything about Lotharus 9.

Four years later, she's worried that the symptoms of 'Colonization Paranoia' are reappearing. Colonists are choosing to hide their symptoms in their health assessments. Unknown to her, Triagaro, Acker, and Bover have met to discuss replacing her. She gives you the job of investigating the colonists.

Anodi Mordel
Mordel is a lonely and anxious person. He believes everyone is affected by the strange visions but choose to hide it, meaning he has no one to talk to. Personally, he's been seeing blue lights outside of the colony. What frightens him is the thought of ending up like the engineer four years ago or even dead.

Director Vilar Triagaro
Triagaro was assigned director by the Colonial Union Habitation Division. Naturally, being a director he is a controlling person, surrounding himself with like minded colonists. He has a group composed of Zonus Acker and Manela Bover both deniers of sentient life. He attempts to frighten the other colonists and uses intimidation to get his way. He goes as far as to threaten a formal hearing against you if you don't give a positive review.

Triagro told other colonists before your arrival not to say anything to the Colonial Union. Mentioned earlier he omitted any strange readings from reports of the mine. Lastly, he told XR-29341 to omit any reports of colonist mental stress. Unhealthily, To cope with his mental stress he buries himself in work. If you continue your investigation, Triagaro will become more and more, agitated and hostile. When confronted about the sanctum he says he doesn't care need the approval from some alien or help of the Colonial Union to continue the colony.

Triagaro is afraid that any possibility to sentient life could throw the project into jeopardy. The Colonial Union Habitation Division has strict regulations on colonization. This sentient life could mean a end for the colony and his job. Perhaps, he will never be director of another colony or colonization project, and all the power that goes with it. But does that justify getting everyone killed?

Zonus Acker
Acker is keeps to himself and wants nothing to do with the investigation. When pressed, he states that there is no sentient life on Lotharus 9. Instead proposing, that people are just going insane because they've begun to realize they will spend the rest of their lives here. Unlike the director, he believes the colony will fail because of the 'space madness'. Furthermore, he doesn't believe the sanctum exists when confronted.

Anodi Mordel says that Acker copes with the stress by starting arguments with anyone that doesn't agree with him. Being one Triagaro pawns, he most likely uses this tactic to keep the other colonists in check and prevents dissension from forming.

Manela Bover
Bover believes the rumors of sentient life are baseless. Instead, the other colonists are getting agitated over nothing. She explains that top Colonial Union researches performed tests and investigations with no unusual readings. Furthermore, they themselves ran several tests and found nothing. However, as Dalra admits, both didn't detect the ancient structure they discovered, and some unusual readings were omitted. Only after informing about the sanctum does she open up to the possibility of life.

XR-29341
This XR unit takes care of the greenhouse inside the colony center. He gives you a Balmy Gloom that can be found in the captains locket. Recently, the robot took note of flagged activities. Foremost, the mental strain people are undergoing. Both XR units at the colony have not seen any of the blue light reported. Interestingly, the director told XR-29341 to omit any of these reports, indicating that he was aware that the machine was spying on the colonists. Perhaps, the director knew what was going on the entire time.

XR-52770
XR-52770 welcomes the colonial inspector at the teleporter. He informs of the history and current situation at the colony. However, omits any strange behavior of the colonists.

Ending
After getting the key from Grodan you can enter the sanctum to confront the alien entity behind it all. This structure is from extinct alien civilization. Inside is a sarcophagus of an alien that has several demands. If you agree to all of them you get the good ending. If you dispute the demand no altering the winds, meaning no terraforming, then it states co-existance is impossible, giving you the bad ending.

Loot

 * 1 Gaxil Filamentosa
 * 1 Advanced Fusion Reactor
 * 1 C.G.F. Heavy Shield Generator
 * 1 G.T.C. Blue Goose
 * 1 Standard Jump Module
 * 1 Repair Gun +1
 * 3 Protein Packet
 * 2 Dehydrated Sandwich


 * 1 Zestry Jerky Stick
 * 4 CU Emergency Rations


 * 2 CU Rations
 * 1 Candy Pack


 * 1 Classic Biscuit
 * 1 Perfect Biscuit
 * 2 Classic Biscuit
 * 2 Fuel Capsules
 * 1 Xp