It seems to me the Orions are trying to save themselves; maybe even F484. Raschad was a test subject for some of the modifications. Maybe they need him to help with DNA reconstruction? Something along those lines. We know our "bottle" works. IF we can guess at a location for the next anomaly, then we may be able to give the Orions something they can use. I don't think Chair's info is useless. Maybe we need to look closer.

Well, we now know who our mysterious encryptor is:

Oh, someone is using a slipspace transportation thingy like the one in Halo, from a shield world.

This ARG(h) follows an alternate timeline. Don't try to resolve the two into one whole.

Europa is probably a reference to Arthur C. Clarke's Odyssey series...searching wikipedia....here's the entry:

"Europa is the smallest of the four Galilean satellites and the second closest to Jupiter. It is theorized to have an ocean of liquid water underneath its icy surface; the thickness of the ice is much debated. The probable presence of the water ocean has made it a favored location for modern fictional speculation about extraterrestrial life in the Solar system.

2010: Odyssey Two (1982) and 2061: Odyssey Three (1988) by Arthur C. Clarke. Aliens taking interest in the primitive life forms under Europa's ice transform Jupiter into a star to kick-start their evolution. Fifty years later, Europa has become a tropical ocean world from which humans are banned."

Suggest before we leave the planet that our gizmo be moved to the station and a hardcopy message to the effect of 'Call home, your Momma's worried' be left with it.

@Jagged:
Good note with Europa.

There's a second parallel--F484 using some forerunner device to make himself a "star child" equivalent?
I haven't read the book, I'm pulling what I recall from the Kubrick film here, along with a Wikipedia search.