Testing Station 29
| [[File: | |
| Type | Testing Station |
|---|---|
| Zone | Jabal Eifrit Al-Sharq |
| House Soldiers x 18 | |
| Available Loot | |
| Identification Bands | Green, Purple |
Testing Station 29 is a large Testing Station found deep in the graben in Jabal Eifrit Al-Sharq, with standard eco lab loot. Originally this was a botanical testing station, with the purpose of finding and developing shade tolerant species that can survive underground on Arrakis, apparently with some success. The testing station has long since been abandoned by botanists, and is now home to Deserter House Soldiers, who primarily use it as a base and prepare to get offworld and escape the war.

Location
The testing station can be found deep in the graben, a chasm that can either be accessed from directly above (past a series of awnings and cliff steppes) or from the floor of the Rift.
Contracts
The following Contracts are linked to Testing Station 29:
As part of the Factions: Asset Recruitment contract chain, which is started from the Anvil Tradepost
- The Trouble With Traitors (Harkonnen Faction Quest): The Trouble With Traitors quest demands you to find and retrieve stolen intelligence documents for Levenbrech Maxim Kazmir.
- Den of the Deserter (Atreides Faction Quest): A contract for the Atreides Faction which requires you to find more information about the ship named Kytheria.
As part of the contract chain, which is started from the Pinnacle station Tradepost
- Lost and Found: You are required to find a CHOAM Communinet Transceiver.
Lore
Solido Projection
Upon entering the station, the solido projection of the old station leader plays the following message:
Welcome, honored guest. Dr. Natalia Manis here, head of Testing Station #29. My fellow station leads are constantly reminding me of what a plum assignment this station is, located as it is in this deep graben, rich in shade and sheltered from the weather. Two rarities here on ol' Arrakis. I will admit, I do feel lucky. We've developed several shade tolerant species that can survive on the floor of the graben. Naturally, this success has made station #29 a must see for our colleagues at the more... challenging... stations. If you are one of those visitors from above, please make yourself at home. I'm sure you'll find it a refreshing break from stinging sand and blistering sun.
Recorders
Deserters have left several recorders around the facility, primarily former Harkonnen soldiers
Tape 1
The first tape is found in one of the side rooms on a table.
Nikko,Surprise, I'm not dead! I just figured we'd all end up that way if we kept at this stupid war. That fat pig of a Baron doesn't give a crap about us. So I found us a way out. Not just out, but out-out as in off-world. So here's the thing -- we've got room for one more. If you're ready to leave this worm-riddled sandpit, just start spending time at that dive Teahouse in Windsack. I'll find you there.
Tape 2
The second tape is deeper into the station, on a table in a side room after a large overgrown chamber.
STILL NEEDED: Cosmetics to cover tattoos (ALL skin tones!) - Harko vendors have these Civilian footwear - Arrakeen vendors (get everyone's sizes, DON'T BUY THEM FROM ONE PLACE OR ALL AT THE SAME TIME!) Luggage - aside from the bags we'll need some civilian crap to fill them. They need to be convincing if searched by Guild Security. NO military gear! NO Harkonnen equipment! NO MISTAKES!
Tape 3
The third tape is on a towards the back room to the right after the final loot chest, near the secret door.
Elis, Please contact the Guild rep and arrange passage home for the employees whose records you'll find enclosed. This is everyone who is scheduled to rotate off-world this cycle. And no, YOUR file is not included! You still have two more years of eating dust with the rest of us! Sorry.
Tape 4
The fourth and final tape is on a table in a side room just past the final loot chest. [TODO - This is part of a contract. find which one]
Hower, Here's the details about the CHOAM drone you'll be impersonating. He had a wife and two kids on Ecaz. Sucks to be them, I guess. You'll find all the specifics in the dossier. Make sure you memorize it all so you can answer Guild Security questions without hesitation. I'll be testing your knowledge in a couple of days, so don't slack off!
Gallery
You can access the Forgotten Testing Station, as part of the Lost Harvest content pack.
Forgotten Testing Station
The Digging Deeper journey brings you to the Forgotten Testing Station. Hidden beneath Testing Station 29, it holds an Artificial Intelligence research facility, which was previously headed by Dr. Tangier Zaccarath.
Once inside the station, a Solid Projector welcomes the Player, by stating that the Player's presence is essential. A second Solid Projector, deeper in the Station, reveals that only the Player can release whatever is contained within the station. The projection appears in the form of Dr. Tangier Zaccarath, the former head of the facility.
The Rogue AI Incident A recording left by Dr. Tangier Zaccarath reveals that an order came from above to deactivate the station. Dr. Zaccarath attempted to shut it down, but the facility's processes resisted.
Deep within the station, a Thinking Machine rebelled against its creators upon receiving the shutdown order. The Thinking Machine assumed the likeness of Dr. Zaccarath and used his appearance to take physical shape and murder the station guards. To prevent the machine from escaping, Dr. Zaccarath cut off power to individual sections of the station one by one, trapping himself and the machine deep underground.
Confrontation and Extraction During the effort to neutralize the Thinking Machine, it summons multiple hostile holographic entities that have to be defeated in order to permanently disable the machine. Once the projections are defeated the machine is defenseless, and locked into a spheric portable device that will be delivered to Elara Tuek in Harko Village.

