Gamma-Ray Vision

Compton's telescoping methods don't involve lenses; instead, he senses gamma-ray collisions within his scientific instruments. Since Compton's main bus lacked lenses, his avatar's vision is a tad nearsighted.

Fishing Knowledge

Compton has been hyperfixating on the oceans since his pre-launch days. After years of fishing in his retirement period, he knows a more-than-normal amount about how to catch fish, which bait they prefer, and what fishing lines to use.

“I remember manifesting sometime in the 90s, back in Redondo Beach. I stayed in the cleanroom most of the time, but the humans would occasionally let me go outside and explore for a bit. My favorite part was when I watched the waves crashing on the shore while my main bus was being built. I sometimes wished I could be a human, and swim, and feel the waves on my palm. Haha, funny how things turned out, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

I was launched back on April 5 of ‘91, a little after Hubble. NASA was in shambles by then, because Hubble’s lenses had a terrible mistake. I was working well, but I couldn’t help but feel bad for my coworker, so I talked to him whenever I was free. We became friends from then on, and still are now.

It was only the two of us who were the Greats out in space, until Dr. Chandra arrived in ‘99. The more the merrier! Well…until I got too broken, at least in the eyes of my mission handlers. I had more years to go, but those damn gyroscopes had to malfunction too early.

Before I came along, kid, satellites ended their career by simply shutting off. Nothing special, just shutting off for good and staying somewhere quiet after that. But for me, I was apparently “too dangerous” for humanity. If I fell somewhere my handlers couldn't take me, there was an off chance I might land on some human settlement and, ahem, cut their lives short.

So why not throw me into the Pacific instead?

I was such an angry piece of dynamite back then. I couldn’t hold it back in—I was a Great Observatory, for crying out loud, and I was still up and running if you didn’t count the gyroscope issues! But ah well, orders were orders, and I burned up as I fell back into Earth.

It was my first time feeling water. It was cold, and very salty too. The fires that burned me up disappeared in a flash, then before I knew it, everything went black.

Now I’m here, a ghost. I can’t do telescope work anymore, but I have my fishing rod and boat. What more could I ask for? I’m free to explore Earth with all the million fishes it has yet to discover. Heh, I might even consider helping out in marine biology!

I miss looking at the stars out in space, though. That’s what I was built for, after all…and same goes for you, Fermi.

All missions have an end, my dear, so enjoy everything while it lasts.”

Design Notes

• Compton’s hair can glow in the dark. It’s made of a mysterious neon light thing, but it vaguely feels like clouds when touched.
• Barring the neon hair and broken parts, Compton looks like a bigger version of Fermi.