Helios Travel Company; Intrasolar Travel Guide
Please, let us guide you as you travel between the stars.
Helios won't steer you wrong.
Hello, my loyal readers, many of you have been asking me to write out what I think the best places in the Solar System are to visit, or perhaps even live. I'm a little miffed that you would ask me to choose a favorite, however, but since you all keep showing up here, I figured I could give you the next best thing! My pros and cons for all the intrasolar planets. And before you ask, no, I will not be covering the
Hermes: A sun-baked world that old humanity only minimally made efforts to terraform, Hermes should only be a destination for those of you who can't stand to be cold, even slightly, those who have an aligning health condition, or if you need work. If you're part of that last category, though, then it wouldn't be much of a vacation, now would it?
Pros:
- The dry air can do wonders for the lungs, as well as Organics that have developed conditions due to the moisture of some planets.
- There is a long tradition of metalworking craftsmen on Hermes, and their products are lauded the Solar System over.
- Disregarding the heat, Hermes is an ironically fantastic place to live for people with sensitivity to the sun's rays, as all living is done underground and completely in the shade.
Cons:
- The heat is omnipresent, and the ability to actually cool down is rare. If you don't like to sleep hot, the world is not for you!
- Most of the planet's industry is geared towards mineral extraction, smelting, and caring for the miners in between shifts. There usually isn't a huge amount or variety of lodging available.
- Be careful if you encounter the Deep Ones. While not inherently hostile, they do not take kindly to trespassers in their territory, and there are few on Hermes willing to step between them and you if you earn their ire.
Aphrodite: A garden world in the most direct sense, Aphrodite was designed by Old Humanity to be a breadbasket, and a breadbasket it has remained, even if the garden has become slightly overgrown.
Pros:
- Food is cheap and plentiful almost anywhere you go on Aphrodite, meaning you won't starve, at least.
- Lovely, almost idyllic landscape amongst the facilities.
- Even the greatest damage to the planet's surface from the Collapse wasn't intended to be permanent, only attempting to dislodge whoever happened to be in control at that time. Much of the planet's beauty and general surface remains perfectly intact with little scarring.
Cons:
- The megacorps have consolidated their influence on Aphrodite over the past few decades, and much to my chagrin, it's not as easy to travel across its surface as it was when I first started this magazine. There was a time, far back in even my memory, when it was a fantastic hike across vineyards and through automated biofarms, but now you're just as likely to end up with a high-caliber slug between the eyes for trespassing. Pay attention to signage.
- On the opposite end of the "civilization" scale, the Botanical Gardens have grown more aggressive over time and have been eating up territory without much reproach. If you have to choose between stepping into the Botanical Gardens and trespassing? Choose the trespassing.
Earth: Ah, humanities cradle. Its beauty is a must-see for any Organics or Ushabti who has yet to make the pilgrimage. By far the most variety in food, culture, and general natural beauty in the whole Solar System.
Pros:
- The highest concentration of inhabited settlements anywhere in the Solar System. Plenty of places to bed down, even in the wilds.
- Easy access to drinkable water can never be forgotten, and provides such a bonus that it really can't be overstated just how much easier that makes a trip.
Cons:
- The greatest corporate influence in the whole Solar System, as well as general governmental rigour. Not the place to be if you have any active warrants.
- The greatest variety of Tech-Horrors in the whole Solar System, requiring greater preparation; though it should be said that they're also widely documented because of their central location.
Ares: This is the port of call for anyone who likes to see museums, lectures, and libraries. The cool and arid deserts of Ares serve as the perfect environment for the preservation of artifacts, which are on display in every city on the red planet.
Pros:
- A large concentration of the Solar System's academic population existing on Ares' surface leads the red planet to be one of the most advanced worlds out there. Advanced Auto-Dolls can be found everywhere, even serving in cafes on the street.
- If one prefers to remain cool, similar to Earths autumn season, then Ares is a perfect temperature for you.
- Ares has a long history of hand-made architecture, stemming from a sort of spiritual belief in artistic expression. This has led to some stunning facades, especially if you are willing to travel to some of the more out-of-the-way Old World structures.
Cons:
- The biggest threat on Ares is ever-present, in the form of the EXO tribes. These humanoid machines are not too fond of humanity, either the Organics or the Ushabti, and regularly raid settlements on Ares for the spare parts that they need to keep running. If you are captured by them, expect to be ransomed off or put to death in short order.
- Besides the academic side of the planet, Ares has a long history as a training ground for many military groups from across the solar system. In the past, the tensions of these many groups have boiled over for various reasons, but it certainly hasn't made the place safer in the meantime. Don't get me started on when the scholastic and the military schools start getting into a pissing match.
Zeus: I have to assume that the floating cities of Zeus were once a point of pride for humanity, an example of it's incredible technological prowess. They're still impressive, do not mistake me, but they're certainly far more rundown than they were before the Collapse. Then again, what isn't?
Pros:
- I found the air in the high atmosphere, while a bit thin for my tastes, to be refreshing and... lightening. The feeling of it blowing through your hair as you gaze into the swirling clouds around the city to be a singular experience.
- Another location that is perfect for those who might need to fund their travels with a bit of "as you go" employment, the floating cities are always looking for labor to keep them afloat, or for those of a more mercenary bend, for protection against other floating cities looking to try and seize the smaller and weaker ones for spare parts. I suppose that last bit might stand as a con, but where in our home system is perfectly safe, anyways? At least they're not after you.
Cons:
- If you are not a fan of heights, Zeus is not the planet for you. There is only heights.
- For some reason, in all of Old World humanities wisdom, there are very few species of animal life on Zeus. A few small avians and rodents on the cities themselves, though I would be inclined to believe they were not an intentional addition. If you are used to your surroundings feeling more alive, those who have lived outside the Pillars (you lucky dogs), then Zeus might feel like a lonely world unless you are able to constantly surround yourself with people.
Kronus: While an unfinished project of humanity's, Kronus still has an ethereal beauty to it, and to travel its surface can feel like you are walking across an ocean floor unassisted.
Pros:
- One of the most singular landscapes of the entire Solar System, not to mention that the plant and animal life can't be found anywhere else. Fantastic to see, as well as to hunt and trap.
- The megacorps do not maintain much of a presence on Kronus, at least not in an official business capacity.
- The naturally occurring aerogel springs are truly to die for, if you seek unique experiences or if you simply enjoy a feeling of weightlessness.
Cons:
- While the megacorps do not maintain a business presence on Kronus past the most cursory of storefronts, that doesn't mean that corpos don't arrive there in droves hoping to stake on some scenic property, or to hunt some of the gravity-unbound fauna, or simply to harass the local population of waitresses...
- The unfinished landscape of Kronus is not particularly suited to human habitation. Much of it is stony and sharp, with petrified coral outcroppings that can slice even lightly armored Ushabti skin, and little in the way of consumable liquids or nutrients. Stick to the settled sections, if you can.
- For unprepared Organics and Ushabti, one of the greatest dangers is the roving clouds of unbreathable gasses that can be found at the planets lowest points.
Uranós: The icy fjords of Uranós are a place of isolated beauty, and a fantastic place to go if you enjoy cool weather and the sounds of a hydrocarbon sea.
Pros:
- It's not hard to find a spot away from the industrial rigs that process the very seas of the planet, and find a small place or village that's quiet.
- The planet itself is not that dangerous, though be sure that you are within your abode or at least a city's limits when the sun goes down.
- The general isloation of most of the
Cons:
- The aforementioned industrial rigs are growing more common, and in a few short decades they will likely be far harder to escape. Both for visitors and for the natives.
- Uranós is difficult to traverse by foot, and taking a boat will require large detours, so make arrangements to travel by air.
Poseidon: A world of tropical temperatures and warm winds will always have my vote, even if Poseidon is also haven to all sorts of unsavory types if you venture to the wrong places.
Pros:
- The weather may be the most consistently enjoyable in the whole of the Solar System, barring any sort of privately managed dome.
- If one is looking to start a more sedentary lifestyle, there is a boom of underwater homesteaders within the oceans of Poseidon.
- There are quite a few 'resort cities' on Poseidon who can provide an unforgettable time, if you have the money. Trust me, both the experience and the protection they provide are well worth it.
Cons:
- Pirates. There are a great deal of pirates that make Poseidon a haven, and they make up a not insignificant portion of the planetary government.
- I highly recommend that you hire a guide, preferably one from Helios Travel Company, but at minimum one that you can easily trust, to help you avoid accidentally getting scammed at best, stumbling into a pirate haven at worst.
Hades: I will admit that while it is against my general purpose to say that I don't recommend a travel destination, I cannot remain silent in the case of Hades. There is nothing there to warrant a trip there. Beautiful though its landscape may be, the dangers that it poses are far too great and outweigh the benefits.
Pros:
- The landscape of Hades is both grim and otherworldly, and while I wished to leave as soon as I could when I visited it in anticipation of making this guide, I cannot lie and say that it was nothing to speak of.
Cons:
- It is a dangerous world, and there is not a person upon its surface who wouldn't leave it if they had the chance.
Well, I suppose I got a little heavy there. I hope you won't hold it against me, but I can't stand the thought of any of our readers getting hurt. In any case, as you likely already know, this is by no means an exaustive list of the Solar Syste, or even a
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