The Lighthouse



One of the central locations in the Hub, the Lighthouse is home to the Creators' evolving map of the Unioverse, the Astrograph. What someone experiences within the Lighthouse is individualized: it shows where you've jumped and what planets are unlocked for you. The images and information that the Astrograph shows a user about a planet they've jumped to are from the jumper's POV. The working theory is that LW4BBtqQ3yV71udIp7cWGsPKs7LJGD669DgbrQztXlZ2FPeIsH7iQw4BwPoOnwNucsJ0nqrL8IdQ/ YauaFPI2a0n5MzNaj/PC/WSGPrsyG5h4yif622xhBheFyW7YevP1EQ4lssSmmWM53GPLzR4DD9MJtWW/EcjGTNKIVOP26KX/TvxXW1R8QcXOolI9NqvEQiH2/w8Kr/rDit/hAX7L7k1iENAvZfDHpQ5Ne+CzsRyHJth/jKvMQvzzyniuvzk/Kh/mATDlH4RduaKCAvQlG1ntKQW8kXs

The Merge has assembled their own database, accessible in the Lighthouse (although separate from the Astrograph), that provides information about the planets connected to the Hub: political situations, white/green/red list, sanctions, etc.

One's experience of the Astrograph is purely personal/subjective. If multiple people are in the room, the system respects your privacy and shows you only your view of the universe. But if there was a need/desire by two or more people to have a shared view, the system could accommodate that just based on intention. 



Ignoring Malcolm’s momentary diversion, the Navitor had moved on and was now headed for a distinctive building shaped like a parabola, glowing with blue light, with elaborate shapes carved into its many translucent surfaces. As Malcolm approached, the central segment of the building lifted, revealing a doorway. From "The Map," Chapter 5 of the Malcolm Orion backstory, by Baker & Friedman



The roof above him unfurled like a flower blooming, and Malcolm could see the stars above, only bigger and brighter, pulled closer through some sort of optical effect. Hundreds of unfamiliar constellations were now outlined and highlighted, all moving slowly across the dark dome of the universe. It was beautiful – and yet a powerful reminder that he was a long way from home.

Once the roof stopped moving, beams of light emanated from the floor around Malcolm, and a holographic image swirled around him and layered itself on top of the stars above. Soon, streams of visual information – moving and static images – appeared next to some of the celestial formations that flooded the room. Was he being shown what the planets near those stars were like? Was this whole system some sort of interstellar map? It certainly felt like Malcolm was being invited to pick a destination. In response, he visualized Mars, the crashed ship, and the transpod. That’s where I want to go.

Suddenly, the holographic display around Malcolm took him on a visual flight through the vast expanse of space. It was a swift, kinetic journey, and within moments, Malcolm could see the Milky Way racing toward him. He plunged within it, then moved to the edge of an outer arm. There, he entered Earth’s solar system and hovered above Mars, finally descending down to the surface of the planet.

Malcolm could see the mothership, the smaller spacecraft inside, and, when he got close enough, even the transpod that had sent him here. He told the presence, Yes, this is where I want to go! Send me home! From "The Map," Chapter 5 of the Malcolm Orion backstory, by Baker & Friedman



The space was filled with a holographic projection extending in all directions, suffusing the dome’s great depth with light and darkness, life and death. Here and there, stars were born in swirling nebulae or died in isolation, taking their planets with them, the cold and casual extinction of a billion lifeforms. Nova was more fixated on the thousands of bright blue shapes scattered throughout the cosmos, moving according to their own mysterious rhythms. These were Progenitor motherships, manufactured deep inside the unfathomable cradle of the Masson-Zero and launched from Helios Nexus as automated nomads. From "The Ambassador" by Eads & Viola