small plasma furnace

I found it on the Crystal Orchid Station. This place seems normal. Still hundreds of people live there. But it is corrupted. Deeply corrupted. It creeps in every element of the station. All Orchid people must be tainted too. Only outsiders can see the issue. That's why I think the taint is slowly eating away all of them.

The small plasma furnace is installed in the Ring C, in the wall of the Main Technical Floor. No ST (Station Technician) nor MS (Maintenance Supervisor) has ever noticed any issue associated with its operation. They even showed me the logs. Not a single rebuild or overhaul. For over 40 years.

My scanners failed to operate properly in its vicinity. That's how it grabbed my attention. It is always on, operating at minimum power, unless fed by trash or other debris. Then it adjusts the power automatically.

I heard it. It told me that there's a hidden pressurized duct, transporting dust into a pustule-like growth outside the Ring C. Inside is the Grey Sphere - the temple. Inside the temple is the Sculpture of Ash - the altar. And there is the Sculptor - the high-priest of Conflagrated Remains. They supposedly base all their rituals on the carbonized remains coming directly from the small plasma furnace. There Grey Sphere is an independent habitat. Its only connection with the Crystal Orchid station is the pressurized pipe mentioned above.

It told me about the Sleeping Mainframe. A very old computer terminal located in the station's core, disconnected from all systems for decades. Few years ago some Ring C MSs had reconnected it and started worshiping it as their patron. I confronted one senior MS. He even invited me to the upcoming service, I politely declined. He told me that many STs and even OTs (Orchid's Thralls) have joined.

It told me about the Deep Void Listening Facility, located in the topmost part of the station's core. It told me that all former Station Administrators spend the rest of their lives constantly connected to the DVLF's receiver. That this is the reward for their service.

And then it told me that it will share the station's biggest secret with me - but for a price. It wanted me to tear out my left eyeball and insert it into the furnace.

That was the last time I visited the Ring C. I left the station few days later, when the next contingent of Gas Haulers was departing.

1you can clearly see the interference caused by the object some clearly visible glitches
2this is not a plasma arc this is just burning debris some discarded organic matter
3itlurkssomewherethere deepbelowtheflame deepinsidethedevice withsigilscarvedinthechamberwalls