Black Hole Sun

Black Hole Sun is a multi-part Story Contract arc that explores themes of ambition, risk, and scientific ethics through the story of Dr. Julian Martinez, his brother Marcus Martinez, and their work with the enigmatic Stargate Project LLC. The arc leads directly into the events of The Trouble with Tiddlets and introduces key characters, technologies, and dilemmas that shape the storyline.

Overview

The storyline unfolds across several parts, with each contract escalating the stakes and complexity. Player decisions — especially in the final mission — directly affect relationships, story outcomes, and future rewards. Notably, the arc introduces the Hop Drive, a key technology in the follow-up The Trouble with Tiddlets storyline.

Part 1

Upon entering the system, the player is greeted by Dr. Julian Martinez, who introduces himself and requests urgent assistance. He and his brother Marcus have been studying the local black hole — officially designated QZ247 — for many years. QZ247 is described as the collapsed remnant of a once-massive star.

Dr. Martinez explains that the Stargate Project has been funding their research from the beginning, in exchange for scientific data gathered from the black hole. The closer they get to the event horizon, the more valuable the collected data becomes.

However, their most recent experiment went too far. Marcus piloted the sensor ship closer to the black hole than anyone has before. All contact was lost, and although telemetry suggests the ship is still intact, Marcus has not responded for a long time. The player is tasked with rescuing him.

To approach safely, a modified FTL Drive is required — one capable of performing a precision hyperspace hop without being pulled into the black hole. Dr. Martinez offers to perform the necessary modifications, but requests materials first:

• 1,200 Hyperspace Isotopes

A short tutorial is provided, explaining how to gather Hyperspace Isotopes using the Hyperspace Scoop and a corresponding Loader. The player must install these components and perform FTL Jumps to collect isotopes. It is recommended to include a storage Tank, as the scoop gathers faster than the loader can transfer.

Once the required 1,200 Hyperspace Isotopes have been delivered back to Dr. Martinez, the part concludes. The player receives a reward of $200,000. Dr. Martinez promises to contact the player again when the next phase is ready.

Part 2

Some time after completing the first part, Dr. Julian Martinez contacts the player again to announce that the modified FTL drive is ready. The player is asked to return to his system to begin the next phase.

Upon arrival, Dr. Martinez explains the plan. The new FTL drive allows for extremely short-distance jumps — just enough to dip into the black hole’s vicinity and extract Marcus. Two jumps will be required: one inward, and one outward.

Before proceeding, Dr. Martinez needs assistance crafting a special type of FTL Charge. When the contract is accepted, he explains the requirement:

• 60 Tilium Crystals

A short explanation follows on how to acquire these crystals. The player can either mine Tilium Ore and refine it into crystals, or simply purchase the crystals outright.

If the player already has 60 or more Tilium Crystals on board at the moment of accepting the mission, the contract completes immediately — even if the crystals are located on another ship in a different system. However, if there are fewer than 60 crystals available locally, the mission will not proceed until the required amount is present in the system.

Once 60 Tilium Crystals have been delivered, Part 2 is completed and the player receives a reward of $300,000.

Part 3

• Dr. Martinez unveils the Hop Drive, a prototype FTL technology.
• The player helps complete the project and decides how much data to recover — full, partial, or abandon rescue efforts.
• This decision has long-term narrative impact and determines the player’s standing with Dr. Martinez and his brother.
• The result influences rewards and unlocks the continuation of the story in The Trouble with Tiddlets, Part 3.

Legacy

The final choice in Part 3 has lasting consequences, influencing pricing, dialogue, and moral tone in the The Trouble with Tiddlets series. The state of the Hop Drive, and the fate of Marcus Martinez, are directly referenced in follow-up contracts.

See Also

• Story Contract
• Black Hole Sun, Part 3
• The Trouble with Tiddlets
• Hop Drive
• Stargate Project LLC