Archipelago 4

Alternates where continental land masses do not exist -- but which are otherwise verifiably some version of Earth at roughly the same point in history -- are not uncommon, hence the rather unimaginative designation given here. This one was more pleasant than most, though. The breach point was on a tropical beach, on a tiny island (part of a large chain of small islands) covered with lush, though primitive, vegetation. Animal species found were arthropods, molluscs, and the like, or close enough until the dendribiologists started cataloguing; there were no evident vertebrates. Initial scouting of the island chain revealed no mysterious threats. All technology worked correctly. As drones ranged further and further without picking up signs of any distant civilization, it was considered safe to send up long range surveyors, lighter-than-air craft which could get to near-orbital distances to provide a rough planetary map. As they did their work, the team at the island base congratulated themselves on drawing a plum assignment, especially since they were entitled to shares of any economic value discovered, and this was shaping up to be a resort world, as the new attunement technology was making that possible.

Then the aerial probes started to fail. Within days of the first one going offline, they all did. Agents exploring islands near the base were called back. Speculation was some sort of new high-atmosphere weather phenomenon, or unexpected solar fluctuations, or the like.

Even as the agents were preparing tests to pin down the cause, the breach opened off-schedule. They were given orders to evacuate, immediately. Somewhat grudgingly (since this had been, so far, much less dangerous than most of the 'mostly harmless' worlds they'd typically explored), they obeyed.

Debriefing was... brief. The various unattuned specialist had completed the first round of analysis on the many samples, biological and not, returned by the first-in team. Among other things, there were plentiful microplastics in the water and food chain. Traces of many different advanced industrial chemicals were found in the water, plants, and animals. Among the last data returned and analyzed from the drones showed highly anomalous sub-surface heat signatures. Not only were the heat levels far too high, they also showed the distinctive patterns of large, industrial, cities, with evidence of complex transport networks between them.

There was a technological civilization down there. The exact degree of development could not be determined, but it was at least equivalent to Baseline by the mid 20th century, and could easily be greater. And it was a civilization that would instantly recognize Breachers as non-natives, and which was clearly capable of detecting, and destroying, craft at the upper edge of the atmosphere, dozens of miles above sea level.

To contact, communicate, and make peaceful contact with such a civilization was an exciting possibility. But it would be far harder than even the ongoing efforts in Sauria, and those were slow going at best. For now, any exploration would need to be careful, subtle, and assume the existence of a civilization capable of matching Baseline in technology.

World Type

Alternate Dominant (was Alternate Geography)

Divergence

Planetary Formation?

Current Year

2023 based on star positions