Yarrow

**Yarrow** was a Nomai who had a high ranking position in the Sunless City on Ember Twin. He later worked on Ash Twin as part of the Ash Twin Project. In addition to this, he regularly checked in with other critical project locations. Clary, who worked in the Black Hole Forge, was his romantic partner.

## Start of the Ash Twin Project

During the experiments to confirm the negative time interval which became the basis of the Ash Twin Project, Yarrow asked Ramie and Pye to let him know before they would re-route power from the Sunless City to the High Energy Lab. When the negative time interval was confirmed, the Nomai discussed whether they should build the Sun Station, which would trigger a supernova to power the Ash Twin Project. Yarrow asked whether there were other ways to generate the level of power needed, but Ramie and Pye explained that this was their only realistic option.

Yarrow worked on excavating Ash Twin along with Coleus and Ramie, where they would build the Ash Twin Project to send information back in time. Once this was complete, he and Ramie built the Ash Twin Project's shell with ore from Timber Hearth which would protect the Ash Twin Project from a supernova. Oeno visited them to help with the final safety check once the shell was finished.

Yarrow was also familiar with the warp towers on Ash Twin. However, he thought that one of the warp towers would not activate, since he believed its warp receiver would never align overhead. Clary ended up explaining that the alignment point of the Hourglass Twins was shared in between them. After the first warp core for the warp towers on Ash Twin was finished, Clary went with Root to deliver the core to Yarrow personally. Yarrow thanked Clary for the delivery, and ended up asking her on a date to White Hole Station. This was the start of their romantic relationship.

## Project management

Besides his work on Ash Twin, Yarrow kept in close contact with the other project locations and checked in on their progress. He also sometimes had to mediate conflicts between project members. Pye and Idaea worked on the Sun Station, but they had frequent arguments. Yarrow told them that time away from the station would be good for both of them. Poke, who worked in the Black Hole Forge, and Cassava, who worked in the Construction Yard, had frequent disagreements as well. Yarrow had to mediate until the final warp tower core was finished.

Phlox and Daz, who built the memory statues and masks, showed Yarrow how the statues paired with whoever is closest to it. Yarrow was impressed with Phlox's sculpting work, and thought the statues were truly remarkable. After the Orbital Probe Cannon was tested by Avens and Mallow, Avens asked for more launch power. While Yarrow believed that Avens was capable of coaxing the maximum power from a device, he realized that Avens could cause a device to explode too. Yarrow thought that perhaps he should check in with the Orbital Probe Cannon crew and remind Avens that Mallow, Avens' spouse, would be aboard the cannon. Once the Ash Twin Project was almost ready to receive probe data from the Orbital Probe Cannon, Yarrow asked Privet how she and the cannon were doing. Privet explained that the Probe Tracking Module was ready to record each probe's flight trajectory and that it would automatically transmit all relevant data to Yarrow.

## Sun Station failure

After the Sun Station fired on the sun and failed to trigger a supernova, Yarrow was confused and asked Pye and Idaea what happened. Pye told him that the sun barely responded and that the Sun Station would never be able to cause the sun to explode. Yarrow offered his compassion to both of them, noting that they all knew how hard they worked. Yarrow informed Cassava of the issue with the Sun Station, and told him that the Orbital Probe Cannon would not be asked to fire. Since the Ash Twin Project itself was theoretically sound, Yarrow wondered if perhaps there was another way to power it.

## The Interloper

When the Interloper entered the solar system, Yarrow and the other Nomai stopped their research into creating a supernova, as they were eager to explore the comet and hoped to learn something new. Yarrow asked Pye to return to Ash Twin as he thought that a change of task might distract her from the failure of the Sun Station. Pye, Poke, and Clary went to investigate the comet. However, once they arrived there, it turned out that the comet contained a casing with lethal matter which was under immense pressure. Poke tried to go back to warn the other Nomai, but before she could, the casing ruptured and the matter blanketed the solar system. This instantly killed Yarrow and all other Nomai.

Yarrow's remains are not found inside the Ash Twin Project, but may be outside the Ash Twin warp tower to get there.

## Trivia

* The *common yarrow* is a flowering plant of the daisy family, found in many Temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

## Gallery

* The warp platform leading to the Ash Twin Project, possibly containing Yarrow's body

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 POKE: Of note: Yarrow believes he spotted a flaw in the warp tower designs: namely, that one of the warp towers on Ash Twin will never activate, because its warp receiver will never align overhead.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 PYE: To that end, we’ve decided to try adding more energy. I imagine the Sunless City’s energy supply should prove sufficient. PYE: Of note, Ramie: Yarrow requests that we let him know before we reroute energy to the experiment. RAMIE: I’d hate to leave him in the dark!
3. ↑ CLARY: I have good news, Yarrow! The advanced warp core is ready to be installed in the central chamber of Ash Twin. YARROW: I’m intrigued, love! Everyone here working on the Ash Twin Project is excited to see it (Pye is beside herself with joy!).
4. ↑ Should we build the Sun Station to power the Ash Twin Project? YARROW: Are there other ways to generate this level of power? PYE: Theoretically, yes. Practically, no. I can’t imagine discovering them in our lifetimes... RAMIE: I understand this proposal is unsettling, but the Sun Station must be built if we hope to complete the Ash Twin Project.
5. ↑ YARROW: Today we finished the excavation of Ash Twin. Here, in this space we carved, we will craft our most ambitious project yet: the Ash Twin Project, powerful enough to send information back in time. COLEUS: We’ve also finished relocating all subterranean plants we met while digging. RAMIE: We’ll need to keep our eyes on how significantly we’ve altered the environment here.
6. ↑ YARROW: My gratitude for the latest shipment, Oeno! This ore should be the last we’ll need for the Ash Twin Project.
YARROW: Once we’ve finished the shell that seals off the central chamber, we’ll check to ensure there are no longer any physical entrances. Ramie and I will be checking the interior and then the exterior for cracks (our final safety check).
7. ↑ OENO: This is exciting news! Can I offer an extra set of eyes for this final check (specifically, mine)? If my work here is complete, I’d be delighted to help. YARROW: We’d be grateful if you would! The more eyes, the better, as the smallest flaw or opening in the shell that protects the Ash Twin Project could lead to disaster.
8. ↑ POKE: The tower designs in the High Energy Lab on Ember Twin reveal each receiver's location. Ask Yarrow; he is familiar with them.
9. ↑ CLARY: No, Yarrow understands the distinction. He likely doesn’t realize the Hourglass Twins are so close together they function as a single astral body, with a shared alignment point in between them.
10. ↑ CLARY: Poke, I’ll return to the forge shortly; I’m going to catch up to Root and help him deliver the first core to Ash Twin, just to make sure Yarrow receives it.
11. ↑ YARROW: I confess, I’m deeply curious about what you and Poke found on the White Hole Station that started this project. Could I visit sometime to learn more? CLARY: I recommend you do! The White Hole Station is the model for the towers being built for the Ash Twin Project, so a visit to the station would be doubly useful. YARROW: I suppose, more precisely, I would like to visit the White Hole Station with you, Clary. CLARY: I’d be happy to explain our findings! POKE: Yarrow, stop using this scroll wall to flirt with my sister (in romantic matters, her density rivals a neutron star’s) and go meet her on the White Hole Station.
12. ↑ YARROW: Some time has passed since I checked in with you, Pye. How are you and Idaea progressing with the Sun Station plans? PYE: Presently, my assessment is that our plan will either fail explosively or succeed explosively. YARROW: Hypothesis: Time spent away from the station would be beneficial to you both. PYE: I’m immensely interested in testing your hypothesis, Yarrow. IDAEA: That, at least, we can agree on.
13. ↑ CASSAVA: Hypothesis: It was not by accident the core of our warp tower was the last to be forged. POKE: Hypothesis: The cores could have been forged faster if Cassava had interrupted my work less frequently to ask for updates. YARROW: The important point is we are all connected through Ash Twin now, and also that I’m no longer needed for mediating your disagreements.
14. ↑ PHLOX: Yarrow, would you kindly step back so Daz is closest to the statue? When pairing, the statue will choose whoever is in closest proximity.
15. ↑ YARROW: This is extraordinary sculpting work, Phlox!
16. ↑ YARROW: Phlox and Daz finished the memory statues today, and they are truly remarkable.
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 YARROW: Our friends on Giant’s Deep tested the Orbital Probe Cannon today. Mallow tells me the cannon is doing well, and that Avens advocates for more launch power. If anyone can coax the maximum power from a device, Avens can.
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 YARROW: But then, if anyone can goad a device into exploding, that, too, is likely Avens. Perhaps I should check in with the Orbital Probe Cannon crew in the interest of safety.
19. ↑ YARROW: Would it help to remind Avens that Mallow (his love) will be one of the Nomai aboard the cannon, or is Mallow part of the problem?
20. ↑ YARROW: I have exciting news, Privet: The Ash Twin Project is almost prepared to receive the probe data from the Orbital Probe Cannon. YARROW: Ramie is adding some finishing touches here, but she’ll be finished soon. Are you and the Orbital Probe Cannon well?
21. ↑ PRIVET: We are! The Probe Tracking Module is ready to record each launch’s flight trajectory and will automatically transmit all relevant data to you.
22. ↑ YARROW: What happened? Did the Sun Station not fire?
23. ↑ PYE: The Sun Station is useless. It will never, and could never, cause the sun to explode.
24. ↑ YARROW: Pye... I hurt for you, my friends; we all know how hard you’ve both worked. I can only offer my compassion. How are you? How is Idaea?
25. ↑ CASSAVA: I have bad news, Avens. Yarrow says there was a problem with the proposed power source, so the Orbital Probe Cannon won’t be asked to fire.
26. ↑ YARROW: These words are difficult to write: The Sun Station did not work. YARROW: However, this is the closest we have ever been. The Ash Twin Project is theoretically sound; we were only unable to power it. Perhaps there is another way.
27. ↑ YARROW: We are halting our research into creating a supernova for this moment; a comet has newly arrived in this solar system, and we’re anxious to explore it. YARROW: It’s been a very long time since we last explored somewhere new, so we’re excited to welcome this comet. Imagine what knowledge might be gained there!
28. ↑ YARROW: Return to Ash Twin first, my friend. Perhaps a change of task would help: Spire noticed a comet approaching this star system that we’d like to investigate.
29. ↑ POKE: Pye, I don’t think we want this matter interacting with us. As far as I can tell, direct contact with it would almost certainly be fatal. PYE: I’ve never encountered anything like this casing, but it’s all that’s protecting us from what’s inside. Worse still, this matter is disturbingly volatile. POKE: ...Pye. Whatever the matter inside this stone casing is, it’s more than just profoundly unstable; it’s under tonnes of pressure. Look at this density scan. I’ve never seen anything this tightly compacted before! What is this?