THE FORMIDINE RIFT MYSTERY (Part 4)

[eadghe]

She wiped her own memory according to Altera. I assume that any "memories" she has from being out in the Rift have been pieced together from log entries and other sources that she manged to discover over time.

The conversation from Reclamation is thus:

‘Don’t tell no one, but I got as far as the Formidine Rift, not many folks can say that! No one has gone past it and lived to tell the tale.’

‘The Formid …?’

‘Edge of the galactic arm. Take a line from Reorte to Riedquat to the edge of the arm and … keep going.’ The woman grimaced. ‘Stars thin out, you can see the whole galaxy just hanging there.

Note: She never actually says that SHE saw the whole galaxy 'just hanging there'. She also explicitly defines The Formidine Rift as 'the edge of the galactic arm' and that, while she has been to the Rift (the edge) nobody who went past the edge lived to tell the tale. I don't think we are looking for something inside the Formidine Rift at all. I think what we are looking for lies beyond the Rift.

But in the message Kahina finds in the imperial database, she says something like "you have to plot your way across", which for me implies that whatever is to be found lies on the other side...

Edit: here it is:
"If you're listening to this it means you’re smart enough to have bypassed Galcop, Federation, and Imperial security." The woman on the video smiled. "Not bad, but it's nothing compared to what's coming. I'm guessing you'll be pressed for time so I'll be quick. You'll find the coordinates at the end of this message. You'll need a tough ship and a good pilot. It's a long way, so make sure you're prepped, no one will be around to help you out.
Once you reach the rift you're going to have to plot a way across. There are no stars for dozens of light years and the dark systems haven't been mapped, so take your time, watch your six." The woman leaned in closer to the recording device. "What's there? Wish I could tell you, but they edited my memory pretty good, took me long enough to stitch this lot back together. Whatever it is, it's something that Galcop, the Imps and the Feds don't want us to see. Good luck, and ... right on, Commander." The holofac faded, leaving them with just the text.

 

[Jaiotu]

But in the message Kahina finds in the imperial database, she says something like "you have to plot your way across", which for me implies that whatever is to be found lies on the other side...

Edit: here it is:
"If you're listening to this it means you’re smart enough to have bypassed Galcop, Federation, and Imperial security." The woman on the video smiled. "Not bad, but it's nothing compared to what's coming. I'm guessing you'll be pressed for time so I'll be quick. You'll find the coordinates at the end of this message. You'll need a tough ship and a good pilot. It's a long way, so make sure you're prepped, no one will be around to help you out.
Once you reach the rift you're going to have to plot a way across. There are no stars for dozens of light years and the dark systems haven't been mapped, so take your time, watch your six." The woman leaned in closer to the recording device. "What's there? Wish I could tell you, but they edited my memory pretty good, took me long enough to stitch this lot back together. Whatever it is, it's something that Galcop, the Imps and the Feds don't want us to see. Good luck, and ... right on, Commander." The holofac faded, leaving them with just the text.

Yes. Corroborates what I said. The Rift is the edge of the galactic arm. The Old Woman's message says that "once you reach the Rift" (edge of the galactic arm) you have to "plot your way across". Once you are at the edge ... that's it. That's the Rift right there. I'm inclined to believe that the Rift isn't actually a region of space. It's a border between two separate regions of space. You can reach the Rift and go beyond it but you can't actually be inside the Rift ... much like crossing the border between two countries. The Rift isn't a place. It's a line of demarcation.

The Old Woman went as far as the Formidine Rift but she never went beyond it. Everyone who participated in the Dynasty Expedition and crossed beyond that line of demarcation never made it back. They were, however, using a different form of hyperspace than what we use. Perhaps there was something particular about using the older hyperspace drives in this region beyond the Rift that awoke something. Something that drove them mad. Remember: witchspace isn't haunted ... it's stalked.

 

[IliteratSqirel]

She also manages to mention the Reorte-Riedquat line in practically the same breath, so it's either her, or there is some deliberate misdirection and funny business going on.

Personally I think funny business is not off the cards as her story is just a bit too cute: Stumbles over the rift mystery by accident when we can't find a shred of it after a couple of years of looking? Odd. Retains some memory of the event after having her memory wiped? Unusual. Randomly meets Kahina (hmm) and directs her to a message she has - somehow - hidden in a privileged Imperial database? Okkkaaayyyyyy. Not to mention that her ship transmissions are what lead us to the planetary bases.

Not a civilian IMHO, quite likely the agent of some power, who knows which but there is some manipulation going on. We still have an unexplained Dark Wheel medallion lying about though.

Exactly what I pointed out before. Especially the bit about it being a verbatim quote, as well as that she mentions Reorte and Riedquat basically in the same breath!

Noone listened to me the first time around ***sulks in one corner, quietly sobbing***

 

[Zeeman]

Exactly what I pointed out before. Especially the bit about it being a verbatim quote, as well as that she mentions Reorte and Riedquat basically in the same breath!

Noone listened to me the first time around ***sulks in one corner, quietly sobbing***

Yeah, but... Crushdepth sad it *louder*.

When you said it, was was just a tiny little peanut of an idea in the back of the mind, crushdepth has a fully fledged statement!

Z...

ps - clearly, I'm taking the p!$$

 

[Jaiotu]

Exactly what I pointed out before. Especially the bit about it being a verbatim quote, as well as that she mentions Reorte and Riedquat basically in the same breath!

Noone listened to me the first time around ***sulks in one corner, quietly sobbing***

I remember when you brought it up before and still don't think that we can conclude that The Old Woman wrote the logfile. It took the expedition months to get out to their destinations in the first place. The logfile was written was written in September ... six months since they departed Reorte. Assume another six months for a return trip and, if the log writer was The Old Woman, she wouldn't have made it back until around March of 3271. Altera clearly depicts her returning from the edge of the galactic arm in 3270. Once again ... if we knew Corine Loren's birthday it would really fill in the gaps in the timeline. I suppose it's possible that The Old Woman made two trips to the Rift in 3270 (in which case she could have written the log) but I don't see a good narrative reason for Drew to have her do that.

EDIT: MIND BLOWN. I just googled "Corine Loren Birthday" and the FIRST result was a "Happy Birthday" message on facebook from "Salon Salome" to "our little Corrine Loren".

 

[eadghe]

Yes. Corroborates what I said. The Rift is the edge of the galactic arm. The Old Woman's message says that "once you reach the Rift" (edge of the galactic arm) you have to "plot your way across". Once you are at the edge ... that's it. That's the Rift right there. I'm inclined to believe that the Rift isn't actually a region of space. It's a border between two separate regions of space. You can reach the Rift and go beyond it but you can't actually be inside the Rift ... much like crossing the border between two countries. The Rift isn't a place. It's a line of demarcation.

The Old Woman went as far as the Formidine Rift but she never went beyond it. Everyone who participated in the Dynasty Expedition and crossed beyond that line of demarcation never made it back. They were, however, using a different form of hyperspace than what we use. Perhaps there was something particular about using the older hyperspace drives in this region beyond the Rift that awoke something. Something that drove them mad. Remember: witchspace isn't haunted ... it's stalked.

I think the rift is not just a border but an area, the rift between the two galactic arms. It has a beginning and an end and maybe the old woman just got to the beginning. If so, why does she says in a recording that she made several years earlier that one has to cross the rift? Especially in a message where she attached some coordinates, i.e. where she knows of a specific system where "something" can be found.

 

[Jaiotu]

I think the rift is not just a border but an area, the rift between the two galactic arms. It has a beginning and an end and maybe the old woman just got to the beginning. If so, why does she says in a recording that she made several years earlier that one has to cross the rift? Especially in a message where she attached some coordinates, i.e. where she knows of a specific system where "something" can be found.

She may know what lies beyond the Rift. Doesn't mean she's crossed it herself. Secondhand knowledge maybe?

 

[Masheikh Scytale]

I think the rift is not just a border but an area, the rift between the two galactic arms. It has a beginning and an end and maybe the old woman just got to the beginning. If so, why does she says in a recording that she made several years earlier that one has to cross the rift? Especially in a message where she attached some coordinates, i.e. where she knows of a specific system where "something" can be found.

"Something" like an Oasis in middle of the desert ...
Would be too cool.
I bet for some much more boring content .

 

[Thatchinho]

So a new galnet article has been posted about Col 70. I know its not strictly Rift, but any talk of old Cobras always makes me very suspicious.

https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/58cfc32d15ac1cc4146504e9

Full text below as well:

Spoiler

Recent reports indicate that a garbled distress call from somewhere in the Col 70 sector has been received. The news has been met with surprise from some quarters, given that permit restrictions have made the sector relatively inaccessible.

"We're not sure what to make of it," said Perry Hussein, a member of the Federal intelligence community, "but it was definitely a distress call and the ship that sent it appears to have been destroyed. The telemetry indicates it was an older vessel, perhaps Cobra class."

 

[Jorki Rasalas]

She may know what lies beyond the Rift. Doesn't mean she's crossed it herself. Secondhand knowledge maybe?

No because “Don’t tell no one, but I got as far as the Formidine Rift, not many folks can say that! No one has gone past it and lived to tell the tale"; which implies she got as far as the edge of the Rift, perhaps journeyed some way into it (“Once you reach the rift you’re going to have to plot a way across. There are no stars for dozens of light years and the dark systems haven’t been mapped, so take your time, watch your six.”), but has not crossed it to reach the far side. Since nobody has crossed & lived to tell the tale then it is not on the far side & her knowledge is not secondhand. We've gone over all this many times in this thread.

So whatever the FRift mystery is, it must be accessible from Eafots. I've already hypothesised some pages back that it may actually be the Dynasty expedition and the plot to evacuate the elite of Federation & Empire (& possibly Alliance) leaving the mass of humanity to resist (& succumb to) an alien invasion. I think this hypothesis fits all the clues so far, but if so I'm surprised Drew hasn't commented. Given Salome's comments that events in the FRift, Gap, Conflux & Pleiades are all related then perhaps we need to uncover more of the background story to complete the quest. There is clearly also more mileage to go with the alien story.

Afterthought: if this is the solution then it might also explain the CG before Xmas -required to prod us to find the rally point beacons, which I think would have been in-game from the outset, but we didn't find them as was intended. The expedition bases would have been added for 2.0 (Drew said something like the mystery had been updated with Horizons but 2.0 wasn't necessary to find "it"). The CG, and Salome's speech, were necessary to get us to hurry up & find things so the alien plotline could proceed.

Though the standard disclaimer applies- I could be wrong!

 

[CMDR Poet Starwind]

Equinox upon us, any news from Sol?

So we have two regions named for divergence, more acccurately, opening or separating; we have one named for convergence. Does the naming of these regions factor into our "peculiar mystery"?

 

[Masheikh Scytale]

No because “Don’t tell no one, but I got as far as the Formidine Rift, not many folks can say that! No one has gone past it and lived to tell the tale"; which implies she got as far as the edge of the Rift, perhaps journeyed some way into it (“Once you reach the rift you’re going to have to plot a way across. There are no stars for dozens of light years and the dark systems haven’t been mapped, so take your time, watch your six.”), but has not crossed it to reach the far side. Since nobody has crossed & lived to tell the tale then it is not on the far side & her knowledge is not secondhand. We've gone over all this many times in this thread.

So whatever the FRift mystery is, it must be accessible from Eafots. I've already hypothesised some pages back that it may actually be the Dynasty expedition and the plot to evacuate the elite of Federation & Empire (& possibly some Alliance) leaving the mass of humanity to resist (& succumb to) an alien invasion. I think that would fit all the clues so far, but if so I'm surprised Drew hasn't commented. Given Salome's comments that events in the FRift, Gap, Conflux & Pleiades are all related then perhaps we need to uncover more of the background story to earn the prize (perhaps a signed copy of Premonition?)

I hope you are entirely wrong.
If the Rift Mystery is just a plot for elites dangerous ?) evacuating the Bubble... How boring !
No "Space Sirens " ? No Raxxla ? aaawwwwwww !

I sincerely hope the derelict we saw ...somewhere... will be related to the FR.
But it's more probable it will be with the Col70 affair .. sob...

EDIT: If these elites believe they can hide from the Thargs anywhere in the Milky Way, I'd suggest them to find.. 'a way'.. to jump to another galaxy.

 

[eadghe]

No because “Don’t tell no one, but I got as far as the Formidine Rift, not many folks can say that! No one has gone past it and lived to tell the tale"; which implies she got as far as the edge of the Rift, perhaps journeyed some way into it (“Once you reach the rift you’re going to have to plot a way across. There are no stars for dozens of light years and the dark systems haven’t been mapped, so take your time, watch your six.”), but has not crossed it to reach the far side. Since nobody has crossed & lived to tell the tale then it is not on the far side & her knowledge is not secondhand. We've gone over all this many times in this thread.

So whatever the FRift mystery is, it must be accessible from Eafots. I've already hypothesised some pages back that it may actually be the Dynasty expedition and the plot to evacuate the elite of Federation & Empire (& possibly some Alliance) leaving the mass of humanity to resist (& succumb to) an alien invasion. I think that would fit all the clues so far, but if so I'm surprised Drew hasn't commented. Given Salome's comments that events in the FRift, Gap, Conflux & Pleiades are all related then perhaps we need to uncover more of the background story to earn the prize (perhaps a signed copy of Premonition?)

For me the rift is not in the EAFOTS sector, the only thing which can be called a rift, where stars become thinner, is in the PHOI AESCS sector when you follow the RR-line.

 

[Jorki Rasalas]

So a new galnet article has been posted about Col 70. I know its not strictly Rift, but any talk of old Cobras always makes me very suspicious.

https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/58cfc32d15ac1cc4146504e9

Full text below as well:

Spoiler

Recent reports indicate that a garbled distress call from somewhere in the Col 70 sector has been received. The news has been met with surprise from some quarters, given that permit restrictions have made the sector relatively inaccessible.

"We're not sure what to make of it," said Perry Hussein, a member of the Federal intelligence community, "but it was definitely a distress call and the ship that sent it appears to have been destroyed. The telemetry indicates it was an older vessel, perhaps Cobra class."

Yes, the stress on it being a Cobra is interesting. Do we know anyone missing or with a Cobra? Could it be Melville the archeologist? He's the only character I can think of that has gone missing recently.
The alternative that springs to mind is a time travel plotline with TOW and Raxxla, but I don't like time travel plots so ...

Edit: Suketsio on Canonn thread has pointed out that Luko has an old Cobra, so that is a plot development....
- - - Updated - - -

Equinox upon us, any news from Sol?

So we have two regions named for divergence, more acccurately, opening or separating; we have one named for convergence. Does the naming of these regions factor into our "peculiar mystery"?

Cloud and rain in UK, standard weather for any astronomical event in UK which is why I haven't used my telescope for about ten years!

 

[Sterlino]

For me the rift is not in the EAFOTS sector, the only thing which can be called a rift, where stars become thinner, is in the PHOI AESCS sector when you follow the RR-line.

I agree
I think the clues are in the field EAFOTS ... as much as we can find them .. then .. definitely ..the path of these clues will lead us somewhere, not necessarily in the Phoi AESCS sector .. who knows exactly where. .
only time and other suggestions will tell us.

 

[Cmdr Shijima]

<snip>

Cloud and rain in UK, standard weather for any astronomical event in UK which is why I haven't used my telescope for about ten years!

Ruddy cold too! [sour]

 

[drew]

@Drew Wagar

Do you ever come to these forums, of course knowing everything, and find yourself face palming, wanting to pull your hair out, or shouting at the screen?

Not really. A lot of the theories are really good and well thought out.

And I don't know everything.

Cheers,

Drew.

 

[Assimilator1]

Not really. A lot of the theories are really good and well thought out.

And I don't know everything.

Cheers,

Drew.

Care to tell us which ones are good?

 

[CMDR Poet Starwind]

After watching The Hamilton Incident (thanks Vindicator Jones), I was moved to bad poetry:

"
We traipse a void of endless black,
Never sure of coming back,
Seeking answers to be found,
finding surest flown upside down
above grand worlds of pull so great
and begin again with a clean slate.

Marching orders, we have none,
'cept map the distant neighboring suns
to find a nug of truth behold
and let the story's call be told.
We feign no fame, we hold no grift,
We, the explorers of the Formidine Rift.
"

 

[ScolioTheMost]

I searched the forum for it this has been brought up and didn't find anything. Please link if this has already been discussed, pretty sure I may have read this somewhere. But while I was also reading the Epilogue for reformation, I noticed that there are four potential co-ordinates at the end of the message. I am calling these out because we are told the coordinates are at the end of the message (she didn't say how many) and each sentence is separated by two commas (just like coordinates).

Potential co-ordinates:
1: There are no stars for dozens of light years and the dark systems haven't been mapped, so take your time, watch your six
2.: What's there? Wish I could tell you, but they edited my memory pretty good, took me long enough to stitch this back together
3: Whatever it is, it's something that Galcop, The Imps and the Feds don't want us to see
4: Good luck, and ... right on, Commander