Encyclopedia Galactica

The 200 ton Bulk Trader is a basic cargo transport typically used on high- and medium trade routes of the Empire. It is capable of jump-1, maneuver-1, and it has a computer-1. The Bulk Trader has a 30 ton fuel tank, a crew of two (pilot and engineer) and one stateroom. The cargo is split between six external locations for 20 ton cargo containers, and 14 tons internal cargo for a total cargo capacity of 134 tons. The cost for a Bulk Trader is MCr 30,4515. 1. Bridge with additional gunner's station concealed as a general maintenance console 2. Avionics 3. Fresher 4. Ship's locker 5. Computer 6. Airlocks and EVA ready rooms 7. Storage closet 8. Cargo containers 9. Stateroom 10. Common area 11. Engineering interface area 12. Stateroom and interna cargo bay access door 13. Common area and fresher 14. Cargo and loading supervision deck, including access to concealed double turret The Prince William of Deneb, or Prince Bill for short is a modified 200 ton Bulk T

As the nuclear-tipped missiles homed in on the Aspera,  Dr. Glazhütte-Limburg and Baron Fulford heard the klaxons and dashed for the escape pods. They squeezed into the first empty pod and ejected from the doomed survey craft mere seconds before impact. The doctor and the baron were picked up in the inner system five days later and brought to the Alell Upstation. The escape pod blasting away from the stricken Aspera The Moondancer limped into Docking Bay 22 in the early morning hours of 055-1200, and around 20 people were waiting for the survivors of the Aspera . The Imperial embassy staff whisked away the tired travelers from the clutches of the Civil Guard and the ZEP, the Alell secret police. The extraordinarily close monitoring of the Alellian population will make most Imperial citizens quite uncomfortable at best, and enhanced interrogation by ZEP was not something the Empire had any interest in subjecting its citizens to. Besides, the Aspera had been an

Knorbes (silent “K”, E888787-2, rich and agricultural, G) was settled in 112 by Captain Andor Knorbes, a somewhat well-known explorer, corsair and mercenary of that time. A capitol, Punta Corso, was established on Byron, the southern continent, and the colony flourished for a good 450 years, until a fierce civil war, including a nuclear exchange, destroyed several settlements. Climate change added to the calamities, and Knorbes regressed into a pre-industrial settlement mainly situated on the northern continent of Arundel. Over the course of the centuries, the former frozen wastelands of Arundel became temperate, and a prosperous agricultural society eventually developed on the continent. Today, the Knorbes/Regina system is a backwater, despite its proximity to the Empire and Regina. The system consists of: Knorbes Prime, a G-class sun Kira (Knorbes-A), a medium rock Heather (Knorbes-B), a small rock Knorbes-C, the main planet Ariel (Knorbes-D), an large ethanol liquid pla

The Empire is a vast and rapidly expanding polity. To enable smooth and enduring functionality with the Empire, there is great need for standardization of such things as time, taxation, currencies, data transfers and many other areas. The old Imperial Bureau of Standards and Trade was established during the early years of the Third Imperium, but it failed in the 800s as the Third Imperium declined. The Empire was quick to learn from this error, and Emperor Za’arev established the Unimatrix in 1043, just a year after seizing power. There is one Unimatrix per sector, and each Unimatrix has many separate adjuncts that are responsible for various aspects of Imperial civilization. Thousands of tireless civil servants and AIs are responsible for the creation, amendment and distribution of Imperial standards that are essential to the Empire. Official in full Unimatrix attire, in this case the uniform of Unimatrix 2, which represents the Spinward Marches.

Yurst (E7B4643-5 Non-industrial G), a non-aligned system on the periphery of the Regina subsector. The system consists of: Yurst A, a thin asteroid belt orbiting a K- class star Bolo/Yurst B, a small hothouse planet Agrinian/Yurst C, a mid-sized ringed gas giant with at least 14 moons Yurst Prime Jeffrey/Yurst E, a cold desert planet with a trace atmosphere Brylon/Yurst F, a small rock Hanishapura/Yurst G, a small gas giant with six moons The main planet is the home of 1,859,003 inhabitants as of 250-1199. The population is mostly human with some 3 percent Vargr, 6 percent Kothraki and 2 percent other. Although Yurst Prime is classified as having a corrosive, sulphur-laden atmosphere, the density of the atmosphere leaves several mountain ranges clear of the corrosive atmosphere, and the population inhabiting these ranges can enjoy a fairly standard atmosphere. The special living conditions on Yurst Prime has led to various forms of aircraft, mainly helicopters, autogyros an

Leaving Menorb Soundtrack: The Animals. We gotta get out of this place. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3mgapAcVdU The first weeks of 1200 offered quite a bit of activity for several of the temps of Most Reliable. First of all, on 023-1200, Capt (ret.) Connor Drake and James Grayfield were approached at Joe’s StarBar by Roscoe Biggs, a retired IISS scout currently working for Most Reliable. He bought the gentlemen a round, and referring to their semi-celebrity status, he wondered if they’d mind doing a job for Most Reliable. “You know, the Imperial Consul, Sirius Kostroma, will be visiting Menorb and Tissem” (the largest settlement with 200 million inhabitants). “He’ll be having a personal retinue and all, but he needs some local liaisons besides the embassy staff. It will bring you a good Cr 500 per week and a Cr 1,500 bonus upon the Consul leaving the system”. Consul Sirius Costroma did arrive next day in a shuttle from the Imperial cruiser Admiral Garnier . He was escorted

The Belos Belt is a vast asteroid belt in the Alell/Regina system. It is actually one of the most widespread asteroid belts in the entire Spinward Marches, and it has never been properly surveyed. There are at least three planet-sized bodies in the belt: Keitha, Aramanx and Schubert. Keitha is interdicted by the Alellian government for classified reasons. The Alell government has recently (1188) started three mining operations, mainly using remote-controlled rigs and equipment, although roughly a hundred individuals work in the Belos Belt. The government has also signed several contacts with the Empire to properly survey the Belos Belt, which will prove a lenghty but potentially very profitable endeavor. An Alellian mining operation. There are several rumors and legends connected with the Belos Belt. The luxury liner Aldebaran disappeared in the belt around 200 years ago, and there are many rumors regarding both cago and passengers, A rare picture of the Aldebaran Th

The Whanga (E676126-7 NI G) system is a binary star system with a G-class primary and a remote M-class, the latter occupying the outer orbit of the system and having several small moons, effectively making this a small system of its own. Whanga-1 (Rodeo Belt) is a dense asteroid field. Whanga-2 (Whanga) is the main planet of the system, while Whanga-3 (Spridonis) is a small ice ball. Whanga-4 (Coperino) is a small gas giant, while Whanga-5 (Haaradugeshin) is a cold rock with a highly reflective ferrous content, making it glow ominously red in the night skies of Whanga. Whanga has a diameter of 9,755 km and a gravity of 0,98G. The atmosphere has a high content of volcanic gases, which requires the use of filter masks to be breathable. Oceans and lakes cover 62 percent of the surface, and the planet is best regarded as primordial by Terran standards.   Whanga was settled twice, first late in the Long Night by Vargr fleeing some war far to coreward in Gvurrdon , then during the 2n

Yorbund/Regina (C7C6503-7 Non-industrial) The Yorbund system consists of Neverwhere (X100000-0), a small hot planetoid, Yorbund Prime (C7C6503-7), Harrier (D211206-9), another small planetoid, albeit cold, and the Yorbund asteroid belt (E000000-0). A considerable amount of planetoids can be found in two cloud layers outside the asteroid belt, with the furthest cloud reaching a third of a light year from the dim red star in the middle of the system. The surface of Yorbund is as challenging as an environment can be. The pressure is high, and the freezing atmosphere is composed of several corrosive and poisonous components. This lethal soup is also propelled around by winds ranging up to several hundred kilometers per hour. The heavy winds also carry needle-sharp pieces of volcanic glass and stone that will peel of layers of the heaviest protective gear in mere hours. Yorbund is one of the more dynamic colonizing projects of the Empire. The system was initially surveyed by th

The main planet in the Uakye (pronounced Wack-yea) system is actually a moon of the gas giant Rubelad (Uakye-5). It has a diameter of some 6,530 kilometers and a gravity of 0.96. The atmosphere is very thin and radiation levels are fairly high, so a vacc suit or similar protective gear must be worn outside shielded buildings. The planet is almost entirely covered by cold and very deep oceans, and there are only two populated islands out of several thousand small islands scattered in archipelagos all over the world. These two islands are just about 500 km apart on the equator, and they each feature a city: Herbert (population 101,000) and Dariane (population 32,000). Rubelad rising above an island on Uakye. Helix starport, (type B) is located just outside Herbert, and it sees fairly limited use, although the facilities are kept in excellent shape. A passenger liner departs for Efate every month while non-scheduled cargo vessels may visit the system a couple of times per year

Boughene (A8B3531-D) The Boughene system consists of a shallow asteroid belt (Boughene A), a hothouse world (Boughene-B/Lemuria, E3B0000-0), a small gas giant (Boughene-C/Clara, EG00000-0 with eight moons, the main planet (Boughene-D/Boughene, A8B3531-D), another asteroid belt (Boughene-E) and finally a major gas giant (Boughene-F/Titan) with approximately 30 moons. There are also several permanent space habitats and planetary stations throughout the system. Boughene has 635,088 inhabitants as of 365-1199, and it is a busy nexus for three Imperial jump routes. Imperial and client ships enter the system on a daily basis, while an Imperial Interstellar Scout Service base and an Imperial Navy detachment keep the peace. Scores of starships are docked at the Althea Starport and Yards in orbit above the main planet Boughene, but comparatively few make it down to the surface of the planet, since it is harsh indeed. Boughene is located just beyond the habitable zone, and it is a cold

Nasemin/Aramis B98A422 B S Water world, end of Imperial route into the sector… The Nasemin system is composed of Nasemin I (X100000-0), a small planetoid, Nasemin II, an asteroid belt (X000000-0), Nasemin III a rocky planet with a trace atmosphere (X-611000-0), Nasemin Prime (B98A422-B), Nasemin V (X104000-0), an icy planetoid, and Nasemin VI, a massive planet with exotic atmosphere (EBA1000-0, unmanned IISS emergency base/beacon). The surface of Nasemin is covered by a fairly warm primitive ocean with few advanced life forms. There are a few small fish and mollusk analogues as well as a rich broth of single- and multi-cellular organisms. The weather is tropical with frequent storms. The system was probably surveyed a couple of centuries before the Imperium was founded some 1,200 years ago, and the name was supposedly given by Purvi Wilthan, the Hindibuddhan captain of the survey vessel Ariadne , after an intense spiritual experience. Nasemin was not visited very often until t

Feri (B384879 B S Rich) The Feri system is an important link for the Empire and the Regina subsector. The small main planet has limited land mass, and some 384 million inhabitants live on six major islands and many thousands of minor islands. There are three major nations on the planet and another twelve minor principalities or nations. The most significant nation, Carinthia, is part of the Empire, and so are eight of the minor nations. The remaining nations are all Imperial client states, and many are due to become part of the Empire within the next couple of decades. Rrantha, one of the minor nations, is actually a Vargr state, while Kselawr has a small Aslan population. Relations between the nations are usually quite good, and the Feri system has been at peace since 1077.

Beck’s World (D88349D 4 Non-industrial, gas giant) The Beck System is composed of an asteroid belt, a rocky planetoid, Beck’s World and five gas giants. Beck’s World is mainly composed of dry plateaus, but the valleys between the plateaus are almost entirely filled with lush tropical forests featuring some truly amazing plant- and wildlife. The system was initially surveyed some 1,400 years ago, although the original records have been lost. It was, however, purchased by the eccentric tycoon Dorian Beck in 78, and used as his personal game reserve and leisure world until Beck’s business empire collapsed in 202. As it were, the staff was left to its own devices, and the system became a backwater, albeit a lush and rather demanding backwater. Many of the sons and daughters of the system left the planet over the course of the centuries, leaving the population at around 10,000. However, the population has increased steadily over the course of the last hundred years, and as o

The Alell system (B46789C-A) is a client of the Empire, and it has sold significant mining rights to the Empire as recent as 1198. Alell has almost a billion inhabitants, and they are ruled by the Cabal, a body of central bureaucrats who run a tightly regulated and efficient society that definitely takes care of the population, albeit with severe individual constraints. The Chairman of the Cabal, the Hourable Lev Domitor, is mostly a figurehead, with most of the actual power being in the hands of various committees. There has recently been some concern that the client status with the Empire might lead to a decrease of prosperity, since individual market ventures may create disparities for the Alellian society, although most of the government and the population sees opportunities to increase the wealth and security of the system. Nevertheless, there have been some demonstrations, and the agitator and former developer Zip Valdeen can be seen in media almost daily as he spews out ant

Menorb (C652998-7) The main planet of the system, Menorb-4, is very dry and quite hot with a few shallow seas. The vast population is concentrated into six major urban areas (Tissem, Crystal Flats, Morristown, Erat, Red Heights and Bloomsbury) located where some fresh water and arable land can be found. The cities are very densely populated and most of the population is quite poor which helps various evangelical religions flourish. The population is kept in check by a ruthless Civil Guard and a formidable bureaucracy Typical Menorbian Flora and Fauna Knitknats, liquid-seeking insect analogue. Sticky like a thistle Scuttler, 0.5-1.0 kg predator. Camouflaged burrower Skymaster, 25-35 kg avian predfator Ranch Scorpion. 400 kg Domesticated herbivore Shirette, 75 kg carrion eater and omnivore. Pack animal