Travel Guide: Installation 04 - Halo

Sun, sea and surf.

Undock from your space craft and take in this ring-shaped wonder; one of seven in the solar system collectively known as the “Halo Array”.

As you acclimatise, you’ll get a warm welcome from 343 Guilty Spark, the station’s monitor.

After Guilty has regaled you with stories from its life, take a flight to the Installation’s secluded island. On the way, don’t let the rumblings of an impending intergalactic war dampen your spirit.

On the beach, the soothing sand, sea and balmy temperatures are the perfect holiday tonic. But do pack a windbreaker because cold fronts are known to strike without warning.

Guilty will have plenty to say – after all, this is a machine that has spent hundreds of thousands of years saying very little. It’ll tell you all about the fauna and flora artificially placed across the island by hand, and about the atmosphere, which offers just the right chemical mix of oxygen and nitrogen.

At night, stunning views of the neighbouring planet Threshold and its moon Basis will remind you how far you are from home. Now, with slipspace travel at our disposal, nothing is out of reach.

Things to see on Installation 04

343 Guilty Spark: Guilty cares a great deal about the Halo Array, so don’t be surprised if it wants to have a word.

Ancient buildings: Rumour has it the ancient buildings that dot the island were put there by the creators of Installation 04. But don’t dwell too much on the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’; just enjoy the peace.

The beach: What looks like a beautiful, naturally-occurring island was placed there by hand. Don’t let that put you off from sinking your toes in the sand, though.