BARD PAPER: OPAL3053

Thanatos

C653620-8

by Liam Devlin

An Imperial mining world in Jayna subsector with a rich asteroid belt and large gas giants, Thanatos, from the Terran-Greek word means "death". Asteroid mining isn't very glamorous, and while marginally safer than Gas Giant skimming, the erratic orbit of the Vortex belt makes its asteroids a hazard to the unwary. Owned by LSP, LIC in Imperial Times, the planet's miners earned their keep and their Administrator's respect for always giving their best for the highest pay. The high degree of employee-management co-operation led to its governmental form, which the system adheres to this day.

Thanatos' s participatory democratic government core ward of Galines, remains with an new B-class port & eight million sentients, had suffered only minor tech loss during the collapse, and had maintained the same government despite law level dropping to 0. An open port to free traders and interstellar trade during the 2nd long night, they were agreeable to re-contact & enjoyed being able to ship their asteroid mined refined products out for foodstuffs. They voted to join the "Democratic Accord of Galines"(DAG) as well, in 1148, and have since, as the first C-port world to join up, returned to their former Tech level of 9, and their Starport has been upgraded to B-class by 001-1202. Though the Thanatosian Belters & Gas Giant miners are sure to drive hard bargains with Ling-Sternmetal-General-Products LIC, a possible source of friction, the miners & LSP personnel of old do not see eye to eye with their "new-era" parent corporation on Galines & Czerniak. Absorption of the DAG worlds into the Soleean Star Empire hasn't affected them, or production, yet. The up coming conflict with the rimward polity of the "Reformed Coalition" may change that too.

The Thanatosians are a rough and tumble lot, independent thinkers, and ready for a brawl if needs be, a reflection of their law level, which as the stakes & risks of the New Era reflect, anything goes. Innovative in a low-tech sense, and born risk-takers, even the Star Farer's Mercantile Guild knew better than to send their Raiders here more than twice. One stunning defeat was enough (1186). Food stuffs are usually carried by Czerniak licensed ships via Walager to here, and Thanatosian ores and refined metals & petrochemicals from Gas Giant Rain run offs are shipped back to Czerniak & Galines' shipyards for production purposes in ship hulls, and smart materials. Respirators are required for non-natives, who've become accustomed to the tainted atmosphere. Free Traders from Coreward subsectors are still welcome, though the Word of God missionaries from Kestral were appalled at the local lack of law & debauchery the miners indulge in and haven't been back since to this "Sodom & Gomorrah" system, since the 1180's. And being tied up with the Montero heresy has kept them from returning as well.

System Details
Orbit Satellite Name UWP
Primary Gallows M2 V
1 Vortex Belt E-000310-9
2 The Hangman SGG
1 Ring Y-R00000-0
3 Sphinx D-300220-9
4 Gryphon D-300230-9
4 The Reaper LGG
0 Ring Y-R00000-0
1 Ring Y-R00000-0
2 Graveyard Y-S00000-0
3 Bones Y-S20000-0
5 Frosty D-255421-A
7 Hardice C-754533-A
6 Veiled Lord LGG
0 Ring Y-R00000-0
1 Ring Y-R00000-0
2 Ring Y-R00000-0
3 Justdirt Y-S00000-0
4 Big Rock Y-300000-0
8 Burnout D-442120-9
10 Fargo C-620520-A
11 Drywell Y-320000-0
8 Weeping Lady SGG
9 Dismal D-553300-A

**System Details**
Orbit	Satellite	Name	UWP
Primary		Gallows	M2 V
1		Vortex Belt	E-000310-9
2		The Hangman	SGG
	1	Ring	Y-R00000-0
	3	Sphinx	D-300220-9
	4	Gryphon	D-300230-9
4		The Reaper	LGG
	0	Ring	Y-R00000-0
	1	Ring	Y-R00000-0
	2	Graveyard	Y-S00000-0
	3	Bones	Y-S20000-0
	5	Frosty	D-255421-A
	7	Hardice	C-754533-A
6		Veiled Lord	LGG
	0	Ring	Y-R00000-0
	1	Ring	Y-R00000-0
	2	Ring	Y-R00000-0
	3	Justdirt	Y-S00000-0
	4	Big Rock	Y-300000-0
	8	Burnout	D-442120-9
	10	Fargo	C-620520-A
	11	Drywell	Y-320000-0
8		Weeping Lady	SGG
9		Dismal	D-553300-A

Armed forces

Ground forces: 35, 000, (10x brigades of 3500 men each/ 3x TL-9veteran/ 7x at TL-8 experienced).

SAD forces: 17, 500, into 35 batteries of 4x launchers each (5x batteries TL-9/ 30 batteries TL-8) veteran/experienced crews. Included in this are four Maglev 10dton cargo projectors. Not true artillery, they are capable of hurling a 10dton cargo payload into orbit for the high port's shuttles to wrestle & hook up to TKHL freighters. Filled with explosives or a nuclear device�this crude but effective method destroyed more than one raider & vampire (the Guild raid of 1186 met such a projectile-up close as an answer to a ransom demand).

ACC forces: 17, 500, into 35x combat aerospace aircraft (5x AZHRAE/Ramjet Daytona class orbital interceptorsTL-9/ 30x TL-8 F-15 style Interceptors).-From MT-COACC)

Space force: 12, 000, 4x major combatants of 1000dtons+ (3x of these are 5kton armed LSP built non-jump Mining/refining vessels (as in Traveller-Belt Strike!), with bulk-headed TL-9 computers now, and a 30cm Maglev projector "cannon" for waste rock/what have you, stern mounted, ROF 1 shot every 2 minutes/ velocity of 6000km per second, firing a 629 kg "round". Damage? FF&S used for this at TL-8/9; 1x 5kton PF Sloan Fleet Escort (with 30x laser turrets, 10x Msl barbettes, 10x nuclear dampers. Her jump drive removed for more fuel/cargo, & sold to Solee for parts 1201, as well as her still operational meson screen. Solee is willing to replace her dampers for sandcaster turrets, but the Thanatosians aren't budging); 6x small combatants: 2x Sentry-class TL-9 SDB's (MT-Hard Times), [200dtons/3G acceleration/ 2x TL-9 Laser turrets only/AV: 50], 1x Star class Armored merchant (500dtons/J-3), 1x Trenchant-class Patrol Cruiser (400dtons/J-4/4G), again, lasers only; 2x armed & modified Seeker class mining vessels (150dtons/J-2)

Auxiliary Space Force: This is made up of the mining Subcraft in system. 12x TL-7/8/9 Lurushaalin Frontier Fuel Harvesters (200dtons each, 2x laser turrets each)-the gas giant skimmer vessels "fleet", max speed accel of 1G; 30x armed miners "Buggies" (treat as a TNE 10dton armed gig but armor value is 10,displaces 3dtons, TL-9 and move up to 2Gs)-Subcraft for the Refining mother ships! And last, 12x Far Rebel class 200dton in-system lighters (2x Turrets each, 1G accel, AV: 10/ Treat as fission powered, USL Morraine class freighters with solar arrays for back up power).

Soleean Space Navy Forces: 12,000, consisting of 4x large SDB's(1000dtons, modified Ramrod class Missile 'cruisers', as one squadron(reduced number of Msl barbettes to 4, addition of 4x Laser barbettes & 2x Sandcaster turretsTL13/11); 12x smaller combatants, in 3x squadrons of 4, typically 400dton Jackal-class TL-12/11 SDB's. All life support at bases built to TL-A standards. These are deployed at Frosty & Hardice (guarding the LGG & Mining operations traffic), Fargo, (guarding that LGG, & mining site), and Dismal's squadron guards the approaches from deep in system & Weeping lady SGG. Crews are considered veteran. The Ramrods carry a ten man Marine boarding force, the Jackals carry a fire-team (4x marines)only.

The planet has no "wet" navy.

5kton Sloan class Fleet Escort, former ISS Audie Murphy; (formerly of Margaret's Domain Navy during the Final war) Officially listed as MFU from the strategic withdrawal back to Vaward in 1124, she suffered a catastrophic miss-jump mishap and exited 60 years later into Thanatos, (1184) her jump drive inoperable.

The crew of the Audie Murphy renamed her Murphy's Luck. Apparently, they hadn't aged a year. Upon discovering their Post war situation & the friendly system they were marooned with, they have made the best of it, and are considered a "crack-crew" for combat purposes. They are also the only vessel of the in system "Navy" to possess missiles. The Luck has had two of her three TL-F computers "bulk-headed"& replaced with TL-B systems (from Czerniak) in the New Era fashion; the sole surviving one is linked to the missile MFD's. The "Luck" also no longer possesses a transponder. The crewmen are now in their late forties to early fifties, and have begun to train their replacements on the apprenticeship program, mostly from within their own families. In typical ship's humor, Duchess Margaret's "bird of prey" hull emblem was repainted with a cracked four-leaf clover.

Parts were sold in 1201 to cover much needed repairs to Solee's Naval rebuilding arm, to include her remnant (but inoperable) Jump drive, and operational meson screen. The Soleeans were willing to exchange TL-10/11 sandcaster turrets for the nuclear dampers, but the crew was adamantly against this. As the bulk of the current Soleean Admiralty is former Lucan's Fleet remnants (See Soleean Admiralty), these former Margaret's Navy folk are firm in keeping something in reserve for their defense.

The Murphy's Luck Skipper, Pat(ricia) "Black-Cat" Shannon, still retains her old pre-collapse rank in the Soleean Star Empire as a Lieutenant Commander.(See Soleean Fleet leadership). The crew worships the deck she walks on, and her loyalty to the system's defense instead of taking one of the restored Soleean warships has made her a darling of the Thanatosians. "Black-Cat" is a moniker from the family of ship's cats aboard the Luck, which pretty much have their way of the ship. 'Augustus' is Shannon's personal pet, though it seems the other way around at times! LTCDR Shannon is in command of the entire system defense Navy, including the Soleean Navy SDB's, though her liaison Soleean counterpart of this high-powered task force and she doesn't get along. But he has to follow orders, so her outranking him still counts for something. While this strains relations with her future as far as promotions goes in her career, she isn't worried. Thanatos is home.