Marriot ESP-112

Marriot ESP-112

Marriot is terrestrial planet discovered in the first wave of human colonization following the development of the QST. Although considered a future prime candidate for sub-surface colonization, the discovery of a vast and complex oceanic ecosystem discouraged most of Earth's nations to develop the technology needed to establish colonies at the crushing depths of Marriot's oceans. The planet is seen as a preserve world, meant for tourists and sightseers transiting between Midway and Opportunity. Frequent expeditions are organized for the rich and wealthy, with entire industries built to explore the vast oceans and wildlife found nowhere else in known ISA space.

Marriot's ocean biomes are remarkably complex and lush. The planet is home to at least three hundred species of whale analogues, forty five thousand known species of cephalopod analogues, and over a hundred thousand species of bony fish. Human exo-oceanographers calculate it would require at least two hundred years to document, catalog, and classify twenty five percent of the organisms currently thriving in Marriot's seas. The planet's food web is so complex, the night side glows continuously with bio-luminescence painting the oceans in a rainbow of colors and lights, when nocturnal sea life rise to the surface to feed.

The little landmass the exists on Marriot is home to several dozen arachnid analogs, which compete for the limited space and prey crawling on the surface. This intense competition for food has driven some of these species to develop wings, producing predatory arachnids capable of snatching prey during flight. This has discouraged most organized safaris from flying over these landmasses.