The Tantalus Array, originally known as the Xenoflora Preservation Lattice, began its existence during the height of the Great Inquiry. It was an Elegaran marvel of engineering, conceived as a zero-gravity botanical garden. Its primary purpose was the study of sentient flora and their evolution free from planetary constraints, serving as a beacon of pure, unadulterated knowledge.

Following the Diplomatic Annexation by the Red Sun Dominion, the facility was seized and brutally repurposed. Renamed The Tantalus Array, its original mission of preservation was abandoned. The rare sentient orchids that once filled its chambers were spaced into the void.

In their place, the Dominion introduced rapidly mutating strains of high-yield, nutrient-dense algae and genetically modified tubers. These new crops were specifically engineered to thrive in suspension within the facility. The Array now functions as the critical caloric production center for the occupying forces and the ration-dependent populace of Kylos below.

The facility stands as a stark physical manifestation of the Dominion's control, literally holding the food and water over the heads of the subjugated people. The environment within is maintained at a stifling 100% humidity to maximize photosynthetic transfer. This oppressive condition is loathed by any remaining crisp, clean-suited Elegaran scientists and found suffocatingly undignified by the armored Dominion guards.

Rumors persist that the Null Hypothesis resistance has cunningly hidden code sequences within the very DNA of the algae. These sequences are said to be waiting for a specific signal, at which point they could turn the entire food supply toxic, though this remains unproven. Currently, The Tantalus Array operates under immense stress.

Its production quotas are severely exceeding biological recovery rates, pushing the delicate ecosystem to the brink. This critical strain on the facility risks an impending ecosystem collapse, threatening the very sustenance of Kylos.