Emerald (Cooper's Star)

OVERVIEW

The Planet Emerald, initially classified as DSO 1455-66645 Artifact, is a temperate marine moon orbiting the Class II Neptune-like gas giant, Marie. Both Emerald and its parent gas giant were named in honor of Mark Cooper's loved ones, according to his personal logs. The neighboring oceanic moon, entirely covered in water, was named Atlantis.

Emerald was visited during the Distant Worlds expedition, which aimed to investigate the mysterious disappearance of Mark Cooper. For over a century, the star system DSO 1455 had been recognized as a promising candidate for finding Earth-like planets. However, the great distance made detailed studies challenging, until the advent of SuperSymmetric Reactor-enhanced AdS drives allowed exploration.

The crew of the CRS Graviton stopped at Emerald en route to the Amaterasu Star System and their ultimate destination, the Forgotten Planet (HyperBorea). By the time of the Distant Worlds: Forgotten Planet novella, Emerald remained the most Earth-like planet known to humanity, with an Earth Similarity Index (ESI) of 0.89 and a stable photosynthesis process.

Emerald's average surface temperature is 17°C (290.15 K), making it one of the most hospitable worlds discovered. Its atmosphere, composed of 52% nitrogen, 24% oxygen, and 24% water vapor, results in an environment that is highly humid and uncomfortable for humans without equipment. However, using standardized interstellar respiratory masks allows humans to breathe and function in Emerald’s rich air.

Emerald's natural beauty is striking, with oceans high in salt concentration, rivers teeming with diverse fish species, and grass greener than anywhere on Terra. Its lush landscapes earned it the nickname “Emerald.” The planet's abundant biological diversity is fueled by the high availability of water and oxygen, allowing flora and fauna to thrive energetically. Observations from Mark Cooper describe Emerald's life forms as having spongy, tentacle-like appendages, a unique adaptation to the planet's environment.

The forests of Emerald are perpetually soaked in humidity, with near-constant rainfall and frequent thunderstorms, due to the high concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere. This environment has forced the planet's wildlife to evolve specialized traits to cope with the moisture, including hyper-oxygenated metabolisms. With an oxygen concentration of 24%, slightly higher than Earth's 21%, life forms on Emerald have developed highly efficient aerobic respiration systems, allowing them to thrive in this resource-rich world.

The heightened oxygen levels have given rise to large, energy-intensive creatures, as well as smaller, agile organisms that exploit the planet’s abundant resources. However, not all of Emerald’s flora is as hospitable as its lush greenery may suggest. Among its most notorious plant species is the Killer Queen, a predatory fruit that stands out with its striking crimson-cyan gradient skin, reminiscent of a dragonfruit with sharp spines. Its sweet, almond-like scent lures unsuspecting animals, but beneath its vibrant appearance, the Killer Queen is lethally toxic. A single bite from its pulp releases a deadly dose of liquid cyanide, killing the victim almost instantly.

The fruit grows in clusters, hanging low from the towering, palm-like jungle trees, and its purpose in the ecosystem remains a mystery. Some exobiologists speculate that the Killer Queen serves as a natural defense mechanism for the trees, or perhaps as a method of gaining nutrients from the decomposing bodies of its victims.

Vatec Citreon, an exobiologist from the Cetus Federal Republic, offers a chilling insight into the plant: "It seems that the trees where the Killer Queen grows are thermosensitive—they can 'feel' the presence of life forms around them. It's unsettling to think that a tree could sense its surroundings like that. The genus seems related to the Spikus family, which it shares with the harmless Milky Apple. But at least the Milky Apple isn't out to kill everything that comes near it."

The landing site, and subsequenctly Mark Cooper's place of living has been protectorated by Scientific Assembly, Named "Eternity Plateo" xxx continue