Interloper

 is a comet on a highly elliptical orbit around the sun. It is relatively small, but is fairly easy to land on. Due to the Interloper's lack of gravity in its interior, it would be advised to explore this comet on the highest part of its orbit or it is possible to be pulled away into the Sun. It is the newest celestial object in the solar system and is the origin of all Ghost Matter in the solar system.

Approximately 20 minutes into the cycle, the Interloper will collide with the sun and be destroyed.

Structure
The comet's exterior itself is made of two sections: The sun-facing side and the dark side.

The sun-facing side is aptly named, because it never faces away from the sun, no matter where the comet is on its irregular orbit. There is a chasm of ice etched into the surface of the comet that melts and opens up as it gets closer to the Sun, allowing the player to access the inside of the comet.

The dark side of the comet is encased in the glow of the comet's tail, which is completely harmless to the player and their ship. This side of the comet consists mostly of icy pillars, one of which has the Frozen Nomai Shuttle stuck inside.

The inside of the comet is filled with swirling passages of ice, which can make it difficult for the player to navigate. Some of these passages lead to Ghost Matter and instant death. These passages eventually lead to the Ruptured Core.

Frozen Nomai Shuttle
On the dark side of the comet lies the Frozen Nomai Shuttle, a craft that was manned by the three Nomai explorers known as Poke, Pye and Clary. The shuttle is inaccessible whilst it is trapped in ice upon The Interloper. However if the player visits the Gravity Cannon located on Ember Twin the shuttle can be recalled back to the launch pad, where the player can access the interior for more information about the explorers.

Ruptured Core
Deep within The Interloper lies the remains of what used to be the core of the comet. Inside of these remains can be seen crystals reminiscent of those found near pockets of Ghost Matter dotted around the solar system.

The corpses of Poke and Pye, two of the three Nomai explorers can be found near the Ruptured Core. Along with them, an audio recording can be found detailing that the core was filled with an "exotic" matter that would surely be hazardous to anyone touching it. They go on to say how the core is under immense pressure and should it break open, the entire solar system would be blanketed in this matter, potentially wiping out all life. The explorers were going to warn the rest of the Nomai but apparently failed to do so before the core ruptured due to its proximity to the Sun. It is assumed that the Ghost Matter released from the resulting explosion wiped out all Nomai in the solar system instantaneously before they ever had a chance to resume their search for the Eye of the Universe.

Texts and recordings
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Frozen Nomai Shuttle and cave system

 * Outside shuttle recording
 * Outside shuttle recording

CLARY: This is troublesome: It seems the comet wishes to submerge our shuttle in ice. If we stay on the surface too long, the shuttle may freeze entirely.

POKE: Even if it did, couldn’t someone call it back home to the gravity cannon on Ember Twin ?

PYE: Yes, but the exploration of the comet would be more difficult if we were without the shuttle until someone recalled it. Perhaps we shouldn’t have landed on the dark side of the comet ...

CLARY: Suppose one of us remained in the shuttle to keep it warm and continue monitoring the surface.

PYE: This would be wise, I think, Clary. If you don’t mind waiting here with it, Poke and I can continue to investigate the surface.
 * Inside shuttle recording

CLARY: I fear our situation may be dire:

CLARY: Pye, Poke, and I landed here on this comet not long after its arrival in this star system. Our shuttle ’s equipment heard strange energy readings coming from somewhere beneath the surface.

CLARY: Pye and Poke were able to locate a fissure in the ice on the comet ’s sunward side, and they descended inside to investigate the source of the readings.

CLARY: But... Pye and my sister have been gone for a long time now. They haven’t contacted me since descending below the surface, either.

CLARY: Should I leave the shuttle to look for them? I want to follow protocol, but I don’t know what I’ll do if they aren’t well…

CLARY: Poke... Pye... Come back to me safely, my friends. Cave system recording

PYE: I’m receiving much stronger energy readings now that we’re beneath the crust. Whatever it is must lie somewhere below, closer to the comet ’s center. And I’m starting to think it’s more dangerous than we realized.

PYE: Clary, can you hear us?

CLARY: Yes, but your voices are faint. I fear we will lose communication entirely if you continue any deeper.

POKE: Keep the shuttle warm for us, Clary. We’ll return the moment we identify the source of the energy readings!

CLARY: I understand, but... Be cautious, both of you.
 * }

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Ruptured Core

 * Core recording
 * Core recording

POKE: The spherical stone casing here seems to be the source of the energy readings... No, rather, the source is what’s within the stone. I’m detecting some form of exotic matter.

PYE: The stone is muting our energy readings; they should be ten times what we’re seeing, at least.

POKE: Pye, I don’t think we want this matter interacting with us. As far as I can tell, direct contact with it would almost certainly be fatal.

PYE: I’ve never encountered anything like this casing, but it’s all that’s protecting us from what’s inside. Worse still, this matter is disturbingly volatile.

POKE: ...Pye. Whatever the matter inside this stone casing is, it’s more than just profoundly unstable; it’s under tonnes of pressure. Look at this density scan. I’ve never seen anything this tightly compacted before! What is this?

PYE: This is orders of magnitude worse than I’d imagined. If this stone were to rupture, the lethal matter within would rapidly expand, completely blanketing this star system almost instantaneously. And the pressure is still building as the comet approaches this star system…

PYE: Return to the shuttle, right now! The rest of our friends need to know they’re in terrible danger. Leave your equipment and run!

POKE: What are you doing, Pye?!

PYE: The more we know about this alien matter, the better our chances of survival. I will learn what I can here. Go, warn the others; maybe they can construct shelter somehow. ...Now, Poke!


 * }