Stonehenge II

"A harsh, nitrogen-rich planet with extreme weather conditions, Thingstone deposits, and the ruins of an ancient alien civilization."
-- Description from Booklet 045, "Llewellyn's Gambit"

Stonehenge II is a harsh, inhospitable planet orbiting the red giant star Sets in the System of the Sun Set (also referred to as the Set-System). Named for its towering stone Obelisks -- giant pillars reminiscent of the original Stonehenge on Earth -- the planet is defined by three features that make it one of the most strategically significant worlds in the Terran star empire: its deposits of Thingstones, its ruins of an ancient alien civilization (including the Ark), and its extreme, storm-wracked environment. Under the dual military-corporate authority of the Gray Guards and the Kaiser Corporation, Stonehenge II serves as a mining colony, a secret research site, and a forward operating base -- and it is the stage for one of the saga's most consequential covert operations: the capture of Llewellyn 709 and the deployment of his doppelganger, Valhala 13.

Stonehenge II is referenced across at least 3 booklets (043, 045, 053) and appears in more than 55 wiki entries in the Encyclopedia Galactica, reflecting its importance as a source of Thingstones, a site of alien archaeological interest, and the origin point of the Valhala 13 crisis that dominates booklets 045-048.

Description

Astronomical Setting

Stonehenge II orbits Sets, a red giant star in the System of the Sun Set. The planet's name evokes the famous Neolithic monument on Earth, but refers specifically to the colossal stone Obelisks that dominate its landscape -- pillars created not by human hands but by the planet's native Stonemen.

Atmosphere and Climate

The planet possesses a nitrogen-rich atmosphere that is hostile to unprotected human life. Settlers and military personnel rely on Impact Shields -- energy fields that provide breathable atmosphere and protection from the environment -- to maintain habitable zones around their installations.

Stonehenge II is notorious for its extreme weather. Violent Lightning Storms sweep the planet with devastating frequency, capable of grounding vehicles and forcing even armored columns to seek shelter. These storms are not merely meteorological hazards; they define the rhythm of life and operations on the planet, forcing all activity -- military, mining, and exploratory -- to pause until the storms pass. It was during one such storm that Llewellyn 709 was forced to abandon his Flugscheibe and seek refuge near the Ark excavation site (Booklet 045).

Geography

The planet's known geography includes several distinct regions:

Native Life

Despite its harsh conditions, Stonehenge II supports several indigenous species:

• Stonemen -- The planet's most distinctive native inhabitants. These bizarre creatures construct the colossal stone Obelisks that give the planet its name, building them from compacted sand through processes that remain poorly understood. Llewellyn 709 encountered a Stoneman during his solo mission and observed their obelisk-building behavior firsthand (Booklet 045).

• Wanderkrabben (Wandering Crabs) -- Crab-like creatures that inhabit the planet's interior spaces, including the ruins of the Ark. They erode and consume the Obelisks created by the Stonemen, creating a cycle of construction and destruction that has shaped the planet's landscape for millennia. Llewellyn was attacked by Wandering Crabs when he entered the Ark (Booklet 045).

• Stonehenge Crabs (Stonehenge-Krabben) -- An additional species of crab-like creatures found across the planet's surface.

Connection to Original Stonehenge

The name "Stonehenge II" explicitly connects this distant world to the ancient stone monument on Earth. The parallel is more than nominal: just as the original Stonehenge on the Salisbury Plain is defined by its enigmatic stone pillars of uncertain origin, Stonehenge II is dominated by towering Obelisks -- giant stone pillars whose creation by the native Stonemen mirrors the mystery of their terrestrial counterparts.

Both Stonehenges are places where the mundane and the mysterious intersect: the original associated with astronomical alignments and ritual significance, the second with Thingstones that amplify PSI energy and the ruins of a vanished alien civilization. The naming convention suggests that the human colonizers who first surveyed the planet recognized in its obelisk-studded landscape an echo of Earth's most famous prehistoric monument -- and that the parallel extends beyond appearance to function, both sites serving as nexuses of forces that exceed ordinary understanding.

The glossary distinguishes between Thingsteine von Stonehenge I -- stones from the original Earth monument used in early PSI experiments -- and Thingstones of Stonehenge II -- the far more abundant and potent crystals mined on this planet. This nomenclature implies a historical research lineage connecting Earth's Stonehenge to the discoveries on this alien world.

Purpose and Strategic Significance

Thingstone Mining

Stonehenge II's primary economic and strategic value lies in its deposits of Thingstones (Thingsteine) -- radioactive crystals with extraordinary PSI-active properties. Thingstones are unique to Stonehenge II and possess the ability to:

• Amplify PSI abilities in Drivers and other psionic individuals
• Create PSI feedback when properly configured
• Generate PSI-shields when used as a coating material (see Thingstone Coating)
• Absorb PSI emissions -- the golden containment straps worn by Riemenmannen like Llewellyn 709 and Valhala 13 are coated in Thingstone material (thingsteinbeschichteten Riemen)

The Kaiser Corporation operates extensive Thingstone mining operations on the planet, using specialized Mining Vehicles (Minenfahrzeuge) to extract the crystals. The mining operations are overseen by the Kaiser Representation (Kaiser-Vertretung) -- the Corporation's official presence on the planet -- under the authority of the Acting General Manager.

Thingstones from Stonehenge II were also transported to the Kaiser Secret Station on Sarym, where Hermano Lotz used them in forced mutation experiments to amplify captive Drivers' PSI abilities as part of the Alpha-Order breeding program (Booklet 043). This connection makes Stonehenge II an indirect but essential contributor to the creation of the Super-Drivers.

The Ark Excavation

Beyond mining, Stonehenge II harbors the ruins of an ancient alien civilization. The most significant artifact was the Ark -- an enormous alien spacecraft of unknown origin, partially buried beneath the planet's surface near the Nordpol base. The Kaiser Corporation and Gray Guards conducted an extensive excavation of the Ark under the supervision of Queen Ishiya, employing Observers and Leading Scientists to study the vessel.

The Ark's interior was protected by an Impact Shield that maintained a breathable atmosphere within the vessel, suggesting that its technology remained at least partially functional despite its extreme age. The vessel was large enough to contain multiple chambers and passages, and was inhabited by Wanderkrabben that had colonized its interior.

The Ark was destroyed in a nuclear overload during the events of Booklet 045, when Llewellyn 709's PSI-storm destabilized its ancient power systems. The explosion killed Sartyra Fuji and several other personnel. The loss of the Ark represents an irreplaceable destruction of xenoarchaeological evidence -- an alien vessel that might have yielded insights into the civilization that built it, obliterated as collateral damage during the Valhala 13 operation.

Military Installation

The Nordpol base serves as the headquarters for both the Gray Guards garrison and the Kaiser Corporation's operations. The military presence includes:

• The Stonehenge Legion (Stonehenge-Legion) -- a dedicated unit of Gray Guards stationed permanently on the planet
• Security forces under Hechzekil, the Kaiser Corporation's Security Manager on Stonehenge II
• Combat vehicles including the Stahlschildkrote ("Steel Turtle") -- Queen Ishiya's armored tracked vehicle used as a mobile command post
• Ishiya's Turtle -- the Queen's personal ship, stationed near the Ark excavation site
• Standard Gray Guard equipment including ASE Gliders and infantry formations

Secret Research

Stonehenge II also served as a site for secret Kaiser Corporation research projects (referenced in Booklet 053), alongside Quostan -- the icy planet to which Llewellyn 709's deep-sleep capsule was subsequently transferred. The nature of all research conducted on Stonehenge II is not fully disclosed, but it is known to include:

• Studies of the Ark and its technology
• Thingstone processing and experimentation
• PSI training of Valhala 13 under Sartyra Fuji -- effectively making Stonehenge II the birthplace of the Valhala 13 operation

Key Events

The Valhala 13 Crisis (Booklet 045)

The events of Llewellyn's Gambit transform Stonehenge II from a remote mining colony into the stage for one of the saga's most devastating covert operations:

1. Queen Ishiya receives intelligence that a CYGNI-class ship is approaching, carrying Llewellyn 709. She recognizes an extraordinary opportunity to capture the Terranauts' most powerful warrior and replace him with Valhala 13, who has been training on the planet under Sartyra Fuji.

1. Llewellyn 709 has a vision of Stonehenge II that he believes holds the key to his past. Against the concerns of his crew aboard the CYGNI -- including Angila Fraim and Claude Farrell -- he launches a solo mission, descending to the surface in a Ringo lifeboat while the CYGNI serves as a distraction.

1. Llewellyn lands in the Eishe Desert amid violent storms and encounters a Stoneman, observing the native creature's obelisk-building behavior. The storm forces him to abandon his Flugscheibe and seek shelter.

1. Llewellyn enters the Ark through an unguarded opening, where he is attacked by Wanderkrabben. He breaks through the Impact Shield, alerting the Gray Guards to his presence.

1. Cornered by Queen Ishiya's forces, Llewellyn makes a desperate gambit: he removes his PSI-dampening straps, unleashing a catastrophic PSI-storm that distorts reality and causes widespread chaos. The PSI-storm damages the Ark's ancient power systems.

1. Valhala 13, protected by his own golden containment straps, withstands the PSI-storm and subdues Llewellyn with a stunner. He closes Llewellyn's straps, ending the storm.

1. The Ark explodes due to nuclear overload caused by the PSI-storm's effects on its ancient power systems. Sartyra Fuji is killed in the explosion.

1. The switch is executed: the real Llewellyn is imprisoned in a deep-sleep capsule, while Valhala 13, impersonating him perfectly, is extracted by the CYGNI. The crew, unaware of the substitution, welcomes the impostor aboard.

1. Llewellyn's deep-sleep capsule is subsequently transferred from Stonehenge II to a secret Council station on Quostan, where Queen Ishiya oversees his continued imprisonment until he is freed by the PSI-assassin Ruben Carcones (Booklet 046).

Thingstone Supply to Sarym (Booklets 043-044)

Prior to the Valhala 13 crisis, Stonehenge II's Thingstones played an indirect but critical role in the events on Sarym. Thingstone crystals were shipped from Stonehenge II to the Kaiser Secret Station, where Hermano Lotz used them in experiments to amplify Drivers' PSI abilities as part of the Alpha-Order program. These experiments contributed to the creation of the Super-Drivers -- including, ultimately, the very Valhala 13 who would later be trained on Stonehenge II itself.

Referenced in Secret Research (Booklet 053)

In The Alien's Sanctuary, Stonehenge II is mentioned alongside Quostan as a location of secret Kaiser research projects, confirming that the planet's role extends beyond mining and military operations into classified scientific and technological programs.

Command Structure

During the events of the saga, Stonehenge II is governed under a dual military-corporate authority characteristic of the Council of Corporations' regime:

The concentration of both titles in Queen Ishiya's person reflects the saga's recurring theme that in the Terran star empire, the distinction between soldier and corporate executive is effectively meaningless. Ishiya commands armies and mining operations with equal authority, and her strategic decisions on Stonehenge II -- particularly the Valhala 13 operation -- serve both military and corporate objectives simultaneously.

Significance

Source of Thingstones

Stonehenge II is the sole known source of Thingstones in the Terran star empire. This monopoly gives the planet outsized strategic importance: Thingstones are essential for PSI-shields, PSI amplification, and the containment straps worn by Riemenmannen. Without Stonehenge II's Thingstone deposits, the Kaiser Corporation would lack the raw material for its most sensitive PSI-related technologies, and the Riemenmann containment system that keeps beings like Llewellyn 709 and Valhala 13 from killing everyone around them would be impossible.

Nexus of Ancient and Modern

Like its terrestrial namesake, Stonehenge II is a place where the ancient and the modern collide. The planet's native Stonemen continue their millennia-old cycle of obelisk construction, indifferent to the human presence. The Wanderkrabben erode what the Stonemen build. And beneath the surface, the Ark -- until its destruction -- represented a civilization far older and more advanced than humanity, whose purpose and fate remain unknown. The Kaiser Corporation's mining and excavation operations sit atop layers of alien history that the saga only partially reveals.

Origin of the Valhala 13 Crisis

Stonehenge II is the birthplace of the Valhala 13 operation -- the most dangerous covert strike the Council of Corporations ever launched against the Terranauts. Everything that follows in booklets 046-049 -- the infiltration of Rorqual, the spread of the Hate Plague, the near-destruction of the Terranauts from within, and the sacrifice of Valhala 13 to close a dimensional rift -- originates in Queen Ishiya's decision on this storm-wracked planet to capture Llewellyn 709 and deploy his double. In this sense, Stonehenge II is not merely a setting but a catalyst: the place where a single tactical decision set in motion a chain of events that tested the Terranauts to the breaking point.

The Riemenmann's Search for Identity

Appearances

See Also

• Sets -- The red giant star that Stonehenge II orbits
• System of the Sun Set -- The star system containing Stonehenge II
• Thingstones -- PSI-active crystals found exclusively on Stonehenge II
• Thingstone Mining -- The extraction process for Thingstone minerals
• Obelisks -- Giant stone pillars created by the planet's native Stonemen
• Stonemen -- Native inhabitants who construct the obelisks
• Wanderkrabben -- Crab-like creatures that erode the obelisks
• Stonehenge Crabs -- Additional crab-like species native to the planet
• Ark -- Ancient alien spacecraft excavated and subsequently destroyed on the planet
• Eishe Desert -- Desert region where Llewellyn 709 landed
• Eishe-Ode -- Wasteland on the planet's surface
• Manavitsch Mountains -- Mountain range with recently discovered Thingstone deposits
• Nordpol -- The Gray Guard and Kaiser Corporation base
• Queen Ishiya -- Commander of the Gray Guard garrison and Acting GeneralManag
• Hechzekil -- Security Manager for the Kaiser Corporation on the planet
• Sartyra Fuji -- PSI-Expert who trained Valhala 13; killed in the Ark explosion
• Valhala 13 -- Riemenmann double of Llewellyn 709, trained on the planet
• Llewellyn 709 -- The Riemenmann who was captured and imprisoned on the planet
• Stonehenge Legion -- Dedicated Gray Guard unit stationed on the planet
• Kaiser Corporation -- Corporate entity operating mining and research on the planet
• Gray Guards -- Military force providing garrison and security
• Stahlschildkrote -- Armored tracked vehicle used by Queen Ishiya
• Impact Shield -- Energy field providing breathable atmosphere
• Alpha-Order -- Secret breeding program that used Thingstones from the planet
• Super-Drivers -- Genetically engineered weapons created partly using Stonehenge II resources
• Hate Plague -- Bioweapon whose creation chain includes Thingstone-amplified experiments
• Quostan -- Planet to which Llewellyn's deep-sleep capsule was transferred
• CYGNI -- Terranaut ship from which Llewellyn launched his mission
• Lightning Storms -- Frequent violent storms that define the planet's climate
• Flugscheibe -- Disc-shaped vehicle abandoned by Llewellyn during a storm
• Riemenmann -- The extreme PSI manifestation requiring Thingstone-coated containment straps
• PSI Powers -- Psionic abilities amplified by the planet's Thingstones
• Mining Vehicles -- Specialized vehicles used for Thingstone extraction
• Sarym -- Planet where Thingstones from Stonehenge II were used in Alpha-Order experiments
• Maritime Coral City -- Distant bio-psionic structure on Sarym, connected through Thingstone research
• Mar-Estos -- Llewellyn 709's former identity, whose lost memory drew him to the planet

Stonehenge II is referenced in at least 3 booklets and across more than 55 wiki entries of the Encyclopedia Galactica. It is the sole source of Thingstones in the Terran star empire, the graveyard of an ancient alien Ark, and the origin point of the Valhala 13 crisis -- a storm-wracked world where the saga's most powerful warrior was captured, replaced, and imprisoned, and where the golden straps that define the Riemenmann meet the crystals from which they are made.