Nihilus

Nihilus
Type: Asteroid (R-type)
Primary Star: None (Extrasolar Object)
Satellite of: None
Gravity: .025 g
Diameter: 530 km
Surface Temperature (Mean): -180 C
Day Length: N/A
Orbital Period: N/A
Gate Access: Cairn Gate, Martian Gate, Emmerich's World Gate
Notes: Alien Artifacts, Sculpted Terrain
Nihilus is an exotic, unusual locale, similar to Wormwood. As far as anyone can tell, it is an extrasolar asteroid, flung from its home system long ago, and none can be exactly sure what system it's from. The interior of Nihilus is also a puzzle, it contains many dug out tunnels and shafts which appear to have been made to extract valuable minerals from the interior surface by an unknown Gate-Faring species of at least Space Age technology. General assumption is they may have been a larger size (or had longer reach) than transhumans, and been vaguely insectoid with natural subterranean environs. No biological signs of this species remain, nor any long-term habitation signs, including signs of infrastructure or utility networking. The only signs they existed at all are occasional tool fragments or other remnants left behind in their mining areas. Some theorize an actual "species" may never even have been here, just mining drones which have since absconded. Surveys indicate most of the readily accessible and/or worthwhile veins of minerals have been tapped out, leading Pathfinder to seek other methods of making a profit on the discovery, including "tourism" based around the idea of the "Diggers" species (named after the Pod of the same name and apparent similar function) and also certain Neo-Buddhist groups have expressed an interest in building a monastery on the surface of Nihilus to "meditate on the void". Currently UMars has a large operation here for students to get "exotic" exoplanet studies done without more exotic hazards. The Nihilus Gate is located roughly in the center of the asteroid, in a chamber with an odd dodecahedral structure.