Artifacts, Pt. 1

## Chronological Order

***Artifacts, Pt. 1*** is the first part of a two-part episode known as ***Artifacts***. When Ed Mercer bumps into his old astroarchaeology teacher, the professor asks for assistance in his pursuit of the lost fleet of the Zankon, whose systems-spanning empire rose and fell millions of years ago, according to legend. However, doing so means taking the USS *Orville* into a system so hazardous no ship has ever successfully navigated it.

The episode was written by executive producer David A. Goodman, inked by David Cabeza, and colored by Michael Atiyeh. Lettering was done by Richard Starkings and Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt. The episode is the seventh issue of Season 2.5.

*Artifacts, Pt. 1* was published on October 20, 2021. It was later released in the book The Orville Season 2.5: Digressions.

## Summary

Docked at Outpost 47, Captain Ed Mercer and Helmsman Gordon Malloy wander the station's shops when they are interrupted by Lamarche, Ed and Gordon's old professor from Union Point. Lamarche has been on an astroarchaeological expedition for the past five years with important findings. His interest piqued, Ed says he would love to hear more.

Lamarche meets with Ed in the Mess Hall of the USS *Orville*. Lamarche's career has been quiet the last few years because of his work on the Zankon, but his work demands he enter the dangerous Cruxis system. Lamarche confesses that bumping into Ed had been no accident; he suspected Ed may be the only captain willing to go there.

Ed is reluctant to make the journey. Cruxis is a system with four stars, making navigation nearly impossible. Chalmi, Lamarche's assistant, stops by with a comscanner which contains data that may make the trip worthwhile.

Isaac analyzes the comscanner's information and reports that it supports Lamarche's theory that a Zankon fleet may be inside the system. The Zankon ruled part of the galaxy 3.4 million years ago and enslaved 37 species, who then revolted. The Zankon hid part of their fleet in hopes of one day restoring their empire. The fleet was never found. The four stars of Cruxis generate gravimetric and magnetic fields so strong that no one has surveyed the system's interior. As ancient texts say "four brothers" protect the fleet, it is plausible that the fleet is hidden behind Cruxis' four stars.

Admiral Tom Halsey is unsure following Lamarche's plan is a good idea. Lamarche had been removed from his position at Union Point for his crackpot theories about the Zankon and was shunned by the scientific community. Nevertheless, Halsey approves the mission so long as Ed not unnecessarily risk the ship. Ed orders the ship set course for Cruxis.

Along the way, Gordon and Chalmi chat in the Mess Hall over a bowl of macaroni and cheese. Chalmi says that Lamarche had visited her planet and received permission for Chalmi to join him for a Food Synthesizer. Lamarche promises to return Chalmi once they discover the Zankon fleet. Gordon is repulsed by Lamarche's behavior and reports the conversation to Ed and First Officer Kelly Grayson, but the two are not convinced Lamarche did anything more than offer to take Chalmi on a journey through the galaxy.

When the Orville is near the system's outer perimeter, Ed and Lamarche are called to the Bridge. The crew marvels at the beauty and danger of the system; Isaac notes that 12 prior manned missions had failed to survey the Cruxis' interior. The Orville will be the thirteenth. Kelly orders Gordon to fly them in.

The Orville enters and immediately the quantum signature of its engines draws energy from the four stars to create "a web of gravimetric and magnetic interference." Essentially, the ship's engines attract energy like a magnetic to create intense turbulence and mess with the quantum reactor. Engineering reports that unless the ship clear the gravimetric shear, the ship could experience a catastrophic failure.

The ship begins to fray. Deck C's hull breaches; the upper quantum ring's structural integrity begins to fail; and the ship grinds to a hault. To push the Orville further into the system would jeopardize the ship. Ed orders the ship turn back, but Lamarche erupts: "No! You can't!" He pushes Gordon aside and steers the Orville deeper in. Gravimetric forces tear at the ship, and the Orville enters a catastrophic failure. Fires break out and the ship loses power, but the Orville clears the turbulence - adrift in space.

Ed is incensed and orders a status report. Three crew members died and 16 were injured, with many more possible dead or hurt. Ed orders Lamarche detained in the Brig.

Engineers and Isaac restore auxiliary power and sensors. Kelly activates the main viewing screen. The bridge crew marvels at the sight before them: the lost Zankon fleet.

Kelly attempts to notify the admiralty of their discovery, but the stars' interference prevents communication outside Cruxis. Unfortunately, repairs to the ship require docking at a space station, which leaves the Orville with no choice but to see if one of the Zankon ships still works.

## Trivia

* A shuttle can be seen flying by Outpost 47, labelled SCV-192-1. Its host ship is unknown.
* In one of the panels of the stores of Outpost 47, a man wears a shirt with the words, "1976 Ltd." 1976 is the artist David Cabeza's birth year, and is a signature he leaves in his art.
* Various alien writing can be read on Outpost 47's shop signs:
	+ Horbalak writing can be observed for the first time on Blavaraj's stall, which says "Horbalak ice cream."
	+ Moclan writing on a shop sign says "Moclan."
	+ Other alien writing is just a random assortment of characters with no meaning.
* The Bormanis stone is based on the Rosetta stone.
	+ Unfortunately, the "text" of the stone is just a mishmash of characters with no meaning.
* Epsilon 2 is on a screen next to Isaac.

### References

* The ancient Bormanis stone is a reference to André Bormanis, supervising producer, science consultant, and writer on *The Orville*.
* Ed quotes, "risk is our business," but cannot remember who first said it. The line is said by Captain James Kirk in the episode *Return to Tomorrow* from *Star Trek: The Original Series*.
	+ This is the show's first direct reference to Star Trek.
	+ Goodman said that the idea to include a reference to Star Trek came from the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con, when a fan asked that because the crew of the Orville watches the show *Seinfeld* in *Pria*, and because the Star Trek franchise exists in the Seinfeld universe, if that means that Star Trek exists in The Orville's universe.
		- Outpost 47 may also be a reference to the frequent appearances of the number 47 in Star Trek.
* The shops of Outpost 47 reference a number of species and characters from earlier episodes:
	+ Ed and Gordon eat Horbalak ice cream made by Blavaraj's Horbalak Ice Cream. Blavaroch was a Horbalak captain in *New Dimensions*.
	+ Shop signs advertise Retepsian fashions, Bruidian millinery, Navarian dining, and Xelayan tomes and rare antiquities.

### Timeline

* *Artifacts, Pt. 1* takes place sometime in 2421.
	+ Lamarche boards the Orville two hours after meeting Ed and Gordon at Outpost 47.
* The Zankon empire existed 3.4 million years ago.
* A bookshop in Outpost 47 contains Xelayan literature written between 1900 and 2300.
* Ed and Gordon took a class with Lamarche, which would have been in the 2390s.
* Lamarche has been on an expedition to study the Zankon since 2416.

## Mistakes

* The name Blavaraj is a misspelling of Blavaroch. (A joke in *New Dimensions* is that the Horbalak have "so many" individuals named Blavaroch.)
* A shop sign on Outpost 47 reads 'NARVARIAN DINING.' The name of the species is Navarian.

## Cast

### Main cast

* Ed Mercer
* Kelly Grayson
* Bortus
* John LaMarr
* Talla Keyali
* Claire Finn
* Gordon Malloy
* Isaac

### Special guest cast

* Lamarche
* Chalmi

### Recurring cast

* Yaphit
* Tom Halsey
* Dann
* Reptilian Alien

## References

1. ↑ "Orville Comics Return in October 2021". *Scoop*. Last accessed Aug. 14, 2021.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Conversation with David Cabeza. Twitter. Oct. 22, 2021.
David A. Goodman, Executive Producer and Writer. Quantum Drive. May 10, 2022.