Hang on, how do we know Salome' found the Rift? Was it in a novel or on GalNet news?
We don't.
Here's salome's story as I can summarise from the end of the book / galnets.
part-way through the book (329x?) chats w/ old lady who went there and back again ~50 years ago
epilogue (3301) she gets in her "seven veils" and heads out for the formidine rift.
I've just finished reading through all the galnet
articles on her and making summaries and conclusions:
09/02/3301 Kahina's going to Sol. gets interdicted. doesn't like being late.
06/03/3301 Docking at mars. causes a fuss. doesn't like being late.
09/03/3301 docking at mars causes a fuss doesn't like being late. again!
15/03/3301 has an imperial escort of cutters. says feds are unwelcoming
17/03/3301 tour "outer gas giants in the sol system"
20/03/3301 goes to earth via mars. makes fuss at mars again
27/03/3301 Alioth invites her to visit. she's in cambridge. london. earth. sol
02/04/3301 she has some drinks at london
02/04/3301 departs sol. returns to empire systems. says sol was "most enlightening"
02/05/3301 Avalon shipyards show her upgrading the seven veils' drive, shields, and fsd
06/05/3301 departs avalon (for Achenar?)
12/05/3301 seen 11/5 in Capitol on Achenar
17/05/3301 seven veils confirmed to have upgraded fuel scoop and disco scanner
21/07/3301 missing. not spoken to ppl in a month. left seven veils, stripped it of parts, left behind. avalon improvements fakes (drives, shields, fsd). tiara left behind. and medalian w/ dark wheel symbol and "salome"
Conclusions:
- She hears about the Formidine Rift
- At some point before or during the below, she hacks into galnet and gets the coords for the Formidine Rift, and decks out the Seven Veils for an adventure
- She causes a fuss at Mars High several times
- She explores Sol's outer gas giants
- She got a fake drive, shields, and FSD upgrades at Avalon on may 2
- She got real Scoop and Disco Scanner upgrades on may 17
- She ditches the 7 veils, keeps it's scanner and scoop, and runs off in some other ship
On the description by the old lady: `You need a tough ship and more than enough talent behind the guns.`
On the Seven Veils description from the epilogue: `It was also a warship; a variety of weapons jutted from the twin engine nacelles, missiles lurked, half hidden in the lower hull, poised to fly.`
Does this get us any closer to understanding drew's comment `Whether it is found or not depends entirely on who goes looking.`... maybe?