The Westward Passage Expedition was one of the most ambitious scientific endeavors of the Beta Age, launched and financed by the Free State of Settlers in the year 2626. Its primary objective was to confirm the emerging Twin-Section Hypothesis, which suggested that each Equatorial, North Midbelt, and South Midbelt Section of the Habitual Belt had a mirrored twin on the opposite hemisphere of VOI 700 D.

The expedition took three years (2626–2629) and traversed uncharted territory across half the planet. It was led by Professor Joan Merkenberg, a geographer from the Last Frontier University and co-developer of the hypothesis, and Tamo Gonzalez, a renowned Free State Courier Rider and wilderness guide. The 24-member team combined academic expertise with survival know-how and included specialists in geography, cartography, botany, ecology, zoology, climatology, and anthropology, supported by four Guarding Troopers for protection.

The expedition began in New Kourou in the Asari Region of the Eastern Equatorial Section and moved northwest along the Terminator Line. It passed through:

• The North Midbelt Section East (Nivari)
• The North Pole Section
• The North Midbelt Section West (Yedari)

Its final destination was Zilari, the theorized twin region to Asari, located in the Western Equatorial Section. While Nivari, the North Pole, and Yedari were crossed and roughly documented, the expedition focused on confirming environmental and geographical parallels between Zilari and Asari.

The Westward Passage Expedition succeeded in:

• Mapping the borders and primary geographical features of Zilari.
• Recording the region’s wildlife and flora in comparative studies with Asari.
• Establishing that Zilari shares near-identical climate and ecological patterns with Asari.
• Making first contact with Native Tribes in Zilari, revealing an astonishing cultural alignment.

Despite having no known contact with other regions, the Native Tribes of Zilari spoke Shang Telu in regional dialects and shared the same creation story, mythologies, and belief systems as those in Asari and even those encountered along the march through the northern sections. This unexpected finding raised new anthropological questions about cultural memory, inter-regional isolation, and the origin of the Natives.

The 24-member team included:

• 1 Geographer (Lead Scientist)
• 4 Cartographers
• 2 Biologists
• 2 Geologists
• 2 Botanists
• 2 Ecologists
• 1 Climatologist
• 2 Anthropologists
• 4 Armed Guarding Troopers
• 1 Courier Rider / Survivalist (Co-lead)
• 3 Logistical and Technical Support Staff