The Sidereus Nuncius System

For information about the Sidereus System.

Sun-II
Sun-II is a G-type main sequence star, and is classified as a solar twin, having only a slightly larger diameter, higher metallicity, and higher temperature. Its official scientific name is HD 198753 and it is younger than the Sun around which human's planet of origin orbitted.

Planets
The Sidereus system is orbitted by three planets, two of which are varying degrees of habitable, and a third which is uninhabitable except for its natural satellites.
 * Cybele and the Cabeiri Colonies is the civilization farthest away from the sun. Cybele is a gas giant planet, and the Cabeiri Colonies reside on that planet's many moons.
 * Tellurus is the planet stuck in middle orbit. It is Earth-like and sustains human life comfortably.
 * Tala'tala is the planet closest to the sun. Though it is terrestrial, its life-sustaining capabilities for humans require the addition of technological assistance.

The Bank of Sidereus
The Bank of Sidereus is the issuing bank of the planetary system's currency, the systemic credit. All three planets have share in the bank, and more credits can only be created via a signed consensus of agreement between the three planet's governements. Such ensures control of inflation and places a heavy weight of responibility upon the heads of state. Whether the shares each planet has in the bank is equal or not is a hot topic of debate for the people of the Siderean system; these numbers are never revealed, thus further fueling the dislike among the planets that one might be receiving more benefit from the bank than the other.

Not only are systemic credits a valid, irrefutable form of payment on all planets, but branches of the Bank of Sidereus can be found on each planet as well.

Siderean Standard Time
Often abbreviated to SST, Siderean Standard Time is set by the planet Tala'tala. A few common measurements are below.

Multi-Planetary Dangers
A major cause for concern for those living the Sidereus Nuncius system is that a majority of the native alien bacteria was not spawned to live in cooperation with humans. Though some have either adapted, been adapted to, or are able to be avoided completely, there is one particular strain of organism that, fungal in nature, exists in direct opposition to human life. Scientists of all three planets have been liberal in sharing any information uncovered during the study of the fungus, and they all come to the conclusion that it appears to be a highly-intuitive parasite. In previous cases, it was observed using the warm, wet body of man for its own needs, destroying most vital functions while in the process of claiming the central nervous system to manipulate the host to its own will until the shell of the host succumbed to death. Currently, it seems its only purpose is to reproduce and create more of itself, but scientists have not yet determined at what rate the species is evolving, and whether something more intelligent, maybe even sentient, is yet to come.

First discovered upon Tellurus, the environment there- specifically its long winters- kept the fungus subdued, but with the addition of humans, it has been allowed to spread to both of the other planets with varying degrees of success. Though not entirely immune to the facets of cold and wintery weather (where its movement and processes slow), the fungus thrives in moist, warm to hot weather. Cases of fungal outbreaks have happened on all three planets, however, Tala'tala seems to be bearing the load of these currently, causing Tellurus and the Cabeiri Colonies to place heavy travel warnings on visitors to that planet, and strict decontamination rituals for those returning/visiting from the planet. This infection is highly contagious and is susceptible to be spread via air and human to human contact.

Once the fungus has reached the central nervous system, death is inevitable. No cure has been found to combat the neurological damage that the fungus causes to the human brain.

Symptoms
The infection is usually marked as having two stages, likely because when in the latter stages, the infected is too far gone to notice any changes other than death. Typically, the progression of the infection is as follows.

The onset of illness is usually recognized as manifesting itself in symptoms that are flu-like. These are experienced anywhere from a day to a week post-exposure, and the initial severity of them greatly depends on the immune system of the host. Headaches, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and fever are all commonly experienced at this stage.

Approximately a week after most of the flu-like symptoms subside (aches, occasional fever and nausea usually do not), the host will notice changes in perception that steadily worsen. An increased sense of anxiety and agitation is very common, as well as insomnia, and initially mild hallucinations that intensify to the brink of delirium. These are typically coupled with oversaturation of the mucus membranes- heavily watered eyes and a severely runny nose. The host may be noticed swallowing hard and frequently. Perceived dehydration is normal at this stage, and hosts have been seen drinking scalding water in a frenzy, with little regard for themselves. Such hydrophilic behavior, usually very violent, is commonly the last symptom seen before the fungus breaks down the host's muscle mass enough to leave him or her stationary for the rest of their days. Left unattended, the onset of death is very painful for the host.

Treatment
Caught early, there is a highly experimental drug that the infected can take to attempt treatment of the fungus, though it is proclaimed to be no more pleasant than dealing with the illness, and there is frequent debate about its effectiveness.

Once discovered to be infected, the host must be isolated to prevent further contamination, and it is recommended that any who have been in contact with the initial host also see a doctor to be given precautionary medication. In what most doctors call a treatment period, an anti-fungal inhalant is then administered to the infected in combination with a high dose of steroids. The length of each treatment period is entirely dependent on how well the patient is able to handle the medication as well as the rate of progression of the infection. Cessation of the medications must be tapered. As the inhalant is still in its testing stage, the long term effects of the drug have not been documented. Adverse effects have proven to effect every patient that has taken the inhalant, the following of which are most prevalent: (internal) bleeding, depression, fever, insomnia, parkinsonism, and death. In patients that were lucky enough to see some benefit from the inhalant, there have been reports of lingering tardive dyskinesia (or, involuntary movements; movements without purpose); it is not clear whether this condition is permanent or fades away with time.

Those patients who have been assessed to have an advanced stage of the infection are quarantined for a brief period and euthanized. Though the burial and funerary process is different on each planet, there is a formal system-wide consensus mandating that the deceased must be cremated immediately after passing.