History of the Artifacts presence

A bit about the Artifact first. The Artifact is a ring of super conducting material 100,000 miles wide encircling a “sun” that is really a pinched electromagnetic funnel.

To the forward of the system, about 12 AU’s out from the plane of the ecliptic, Is a massive negitive monopole. This forms the “attractor” for interstellar gas and is the focus for a massive electromagnetic funnel that reaches its narrowest point in the center of the ring.

About 12 AU’s to the aft of the system is a huge positive monopole. This disperses the concentrated “solar” wind and effectively masks the trajectory of the Artifact.

Some 36 years ago ( Time relative to Our hero’s home world.) The Artifact Gated into the space just inside the actual shell of the Rahnian sphere near the “equator”. Gated without a target gate. Just appeared.

And it appeared moving at appoximately 0.98 C. at about 16 light hours from collision with the sphere.

THere are no surviving records or recording devices found thus far so the next sequence of events has been surmised by the evidence left behind.

Almost immidiately upon appearing the electromagnetic funnel hit one of what are called “Repair stars”, Solar systems that were left inside the sphere when it was constructed. These systems were left inside to literaly serve as points of repair to the Sphere should it become damaged. This “Repair star” system was inhabited.

The sun of the system was torn apart. Its fusing gas was sent at near lightspeed down the funnel into the Artifacts “sun”. At the same time the Artifact began to pull off large plumes of gas and constrict and lase them. Bending them with powerful elctromagnetic forces toward the planets of the “Repair star” system And vaporizing all but the largest of them. From the remains of vaporized gases and particals it is estimated that some 4 to 7 billion sentiants were destroyed.

The Artifact, moving at hellish speed, then turned it’s weaponry on the sphere itself. The Sphere is made of material of a strength only rivaled by the material of neutron stars and brown dwarf suns. The Artifact burned a one AU wide hole in it. Then began carving the debris into small enough pieces to either be pushed aside by the Artifact’s force feild made by the intake funnel or small enough to be sucked in and vaporized by it’s central “sun”

At this point, some 12 hr’s into the attack, The Artifact’s funnel hit the atmosphere on the outside of the Sphere. We know of at least three small worlds that were instantly destroyed. Luckily the Artifact hit in a very lightly populated area and it only took a year untill it passed through the atmosphere into the vacume beyond.

The clean up and rescue is still going on. First responders are there from the Empress’s personal guard. But almost immidiatly contracts were put up for bidding to all the races and cultures of the entire Rahnian sphere. 7 lucky and patriotic civilizations were chosen by the Empress to help those in need and to explore and claim this Artifact for the Sphere. Or to find those responsible and bring them to justice. These civilizations will be rewarded with ownership of the best technology the Rahnian Sphere can offer. We wish them luck.

This is a view looking back at the destruction from the forward monopole. Looking south

History of the Artifacts presence

The Sun Eaters Florimel