Just as it took a year and a half to fly from Equus to Ludus, it took the same amount of time to fly to Hyberborea from Agartha. So the crew went into stasis again for this final leg of their mission. Hyperborea was a murky swamp world and the largest planet out of all five, so it would take the longest time to map out. Similar to Earth, this planet was large enough to land the Alicorn on. A scan indicated that there was heavy radiation on the planet, so the crew had to wear lead-lined suits and gas masks to avoid getting sick.
After touching down in a clearing where they were sure the ship would not sink, the crew gathered their mapping equipment and started looking around. They had to watch their step in order to avoid falling in the badly eroded soil, and they had to cut through vines between trees. In order to meet the inhabitants, known as the Hyperboreans, they had to climb the trees, which was not easy. The trunks were covered in slippery mold from the leaves breaking down over time, so they had to use spikes clipped to their boots.
After ascending into the canopy, they met the Hyperboreans and started learning how the planet became what it was at this point. According to the Hyperboreans’ leader, Catherine, it turned out that Hyperborea used to be a thriving world with lush green forests. Unfortunately, when the inhabitants tried to experiment with different fertilizing compounds, the chemicals reacted negatively with the soil and sucked up the groundwater, killing the crops and turning the once beautiful planet into a wasteland. Catherine indicated that the contamination had not yet wiped out the entire world yet, but it would likely be too late if allowed to continue for two more years.
“We are sorry that your experiments went bad. We promise to help you restore your world to its former glory.”, said Ocellus.
“Thank you.”, said Catherine.
The crew continued for six long months until they had significantly mapped out the planet and taken samples to bring back to Equus for analysis. These samples would provide the necessary data needed in order to reverse the negative effects of the fertilizers and restore Hyperborea’s ecosystem.