BARD PAPER: OPAL3059

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Sarcathon

D-9637AB-8

by Liam Devlin

Planets of Note

Beanfields: Originally settled during the 2nd Imperium�s hey day of colonization by Pre-contragrav Colony ships, as they believed the high gravity world Sarcathon would leave them marooned until they could build their own. The severely regressed during the Long Night, back to pre industrial levels until recontacted by the Mining operation out of Syrs. LSP�s security forces conquered them easily, and they were subjugated to as an agrarian based economy to keep the Mining world fed. Relations bettered over the years, especially since Sarcathon was poor in soil suited for all but the barest subsistence agriculture, and lack of native water resources meant expensive irrigation. Costs LSP cut by shipping the foodstuffs from an orbit away. Due to the Hard Times restructuring, Virus had little impact upon the world, and has maintained its TL-8. Contact with the Main world was maintained through Radio and physically with Far Rebel-Class STL lighters, purchased by LSP to keep up with the Megacorporations 1124 restructuring Plan.

Romulus: A Dry World, LSP kept it�s premier Ore smelter system operating here, even though the world�s tech was TL-9 overall. Company offices and records were kept on Remus, which was lost in the Collapse. Today the hi-tech system is kaput, although the General Products, LIC 10dtn Cargo pod maglev projector is still operational. The Only portion of the plant still operational is the Uranium enrichment processing plant.

Ripper: The last planet occupied in the system�s history, Ripper was done as an independent company of former military & In-system pilots Guild. Due to the instability of the rings and gas giant storms around its parent, called "Shipkiller" for good reason�Starship insurance rates for the LSP bulk ore freighters coming here were 24% higher than other Mining systems in the subsector. Ripper was founded as part Search and Rescue and part Salvage of those visiting the Sarcathon system, or who jumped in outsystem (typical Imperial Navy tactic). They operated a number of Fast spacecraft, jump shuttles, and powerful tugs out of here, and more than once rescued a damaged Navy or Commercial ship that blundered in. This was especially true during the 2nd Solomani-Imperial War., where the men of the "Ripper Special Boat Service" distinguished themselves, rescuing both Imperial and Confederate crews. During the Collapse, these same brave men and women went forth and rescued marooned folks in doomed infected ships. Many perished, but many more were saved. The dead hulls of Final war kills, and Virus slain ships are all marked by transmitter beacons here. The cemetery planetside is divided between Imperial and Confederation dead, Commercial pilots & crew, and the hallowed hall for those who gave their lives for others. Ripper�s pilots, & SBS still exists, operating a mixed assortment of Solomani & Imperial Subcraft These include, an armed Imperial Fast Pinnace (TL-15,40dtns, 6G), and an armed Puffin-class Ship�s boat (TL-13, 30dtns, 5G), a Buffaloe-class Jump-shuttle (Tl-15, 400 (2400)dtns J-4(1)/1G), and three Modular Cutters (Tl-12, 50dtns, 3G), two imperial, one Solomani built. Last but not least, the Bruno-class Tug (TL-11, 600dtns, 2G)., S&RS Mary Elaine, sole survivor of her class in system.

Sarcathon: An agrarian poor world, the Mining interests of LSP were attracted to the High metals, minerals, and rare earths surveyed here by the IISS 2nd survey. For the Imperial contract, lowest bidder won, and LSP,LIC got it on the cheap, beating out Rebields for the planet in 568 TI., and even managed the project at TL-9, so rich were the ores, the refinement processes were minimum. But Sarcathon�s systems had their own hazards: Three of her gas giants were severely hazardous to shipping. Thus her C-class orbital ports were among the few to offer refined Lhyd fuel. Sarcathon�s Tech decline saved her from the worst of fates, and although the other satellite worlds in system suffered die offs, they have prospered under the Civil Service bureau founded by the Free Traders who made this their home port in the 1140�s. Unlike Mueller, this world has been the economic giant in this subsector for 70 years. Also, their Chirper population has remained stable. The B-class law level relflects the starport�s security measures, and those to approach the planet without being fired upon.

Government Stats	Corruption	Talent	Cruelty	Aggression	Paranoia/Xenophobia
CSB	Moderate	Moderate	Low	Low	Moderate

Sarcathon Armed forces: (1%) = 3million personnel (10% TL-9/ 90% TL-8). Wet Navy(Riverine) (03%)= 90,000 personnel (30 MC�s, 90 SC�s) TL-8, all of it. (experienced NPCs)

COACC: (20% x 1.5)= 900,000 personnel ( 2,250 CAC, 225 TL-9 Reno class Orbital interceptors; & 2,225 TL-8 (various models); & 900 PAD batteries, 90 at TL-9, 810 at TL-8) . TL-9 experienced NPCs, TL-8 trained NPCs)

Space Forces: (04% x.5 x.25)= 20,000 personnel (6 MC�s, & 18 SC�s) of which 5 are Spear-class Monitors (TL-9, 1ktn, NJ/1G), and one Jump capable ship, a marooned Chauncy Smith-class Bulk freighter (TL-10, 10ktn, J-1/1G) the SS Clersor-Clipper; The small ships are 14 Lancet-class SDB�s (TL-9, 200dtns, NJ/1G), and her four smaller Jump ships are A Shambalator-class Close Escort (TL-15, 600dtns, J2/3G)SS Ulysses, Two armed Petty-class freighters (TL-10, 400dtns, J1/1G), the SS Black Nile�s Daughter, & SS Capricorn�s Caprice, and a Wilds Trader-freighter (TL-12, 800dtns, J3/2G), SS Siobhan�s Starduster. (Experienced crews all)

Ground Forces = 2.9 million personnel (145 DE�s). 14 DE�s at TL-9, 131 DE�s at TL-8. (Experienced/Trained NPCs)

Current clack: (001-1201 to 365-1201) The Commonwealth�s trade fleet & Commonwealth Troops have aided getting an E-class port established on the following worlds: Vinhooks, Afrend, and Ilm. This is the sum of the available aid they�ve been able to put out, aside from teaching those on Vinhooks and Ilm how to operate the beacon and radio equipment. Only on Afrend are their Commonwealth personnel manning the port. On paper it looks like a pocket empire, in reality, Sarcathon is doing all of the work. An emissary arrived in system from the world of Czerniak in Jayna, heralding a new age, and their promises sound good. The Commonwealth�s Board of Trade has put it to referendum, but it seems someone is expanding outwards, and civilization�s return is imminent.

Sarcathon (1202)

The Commonwealth of Sarcathon (0716/Syrs D-9637AB-8 C: 2 304) a high gravity cored world (1.42 G), was agriculturally poor, but had gone from being a mere company owned mining world to a TL-8 industrial world during the collapse. Her former C-class orbital port was a ruin, a shadow of its former self, but tech decline from TL-9 had not been a hard fall. The population had replaced the corporate board with a civil service bureaucratic Government. Sarcathon had become, like Mueller of Shenk subsector had been, a haven for Free Traders, save here, and they WERE the government! Sarcathon� s Commonwealth had a small space force, some 6 large ships, and 18 smaller ones. Of these large ships, 5 were Spear-class Monitors (TL-9, 1ktn, NJ/1G), purchased in prewar days a sustainable SDB�s for the system. Her one large jump-capable ship was a marooned Chauncy Smith-class Bulk freighter (TL-10, 10ktn, J-1/1G) the SS Clersor-Clipper, is the flagship for her mercantile commonwealth. Sarcathon� s other ships include 8 Lancet-class SDB�s (TL-9, 200dtns, NJ/1G), and her four smaller Jump ships are A Shambalator-class Close Escort (TL-15, 600dtns, J2/3G)SS Ulysses, Two armed Petty-class freighters (TL-10, 400dtns, J1/1G), the SS Black Nile�s Daughter, & SS Capricorn�s Caprice, and a Wilds Trader-freighter (TL-12, 800dtns, J3/2G), SS Siobhan�s Starduster.

From the Sarcathians, Von Kessel got a good glimpse into the state of the Main. Ritaboll (0717/ X-35A669-3 Ni Wa B904) a water world, had been reduced to Balkanized TEDs on various islands, and had fallen below early industrial tech standards. A cruel TED, who kept the Droyne minority oppressed, and had shot at their ships before, ruled Yerhen (0818/X-37476C-4 Ag D: 1 703 ). They recommended he shun them as well. On Exageand Syrs, they could offer little current data. EXAGE� s TEDs had Balkanized down to city states within what had been once nation states, and a "might makes right" attitude prevailed the high gravity world. Syrs was little better, but at least the level of warfare hadn�t ruined the planet�s ecosphere. Due to Vampire ships trapped in the Strat (0318/X-9BA000-0 Ba Fl Wa 004) & Ajjeig (0518/ X-325000-0 Ba 004) systems neither had been visited for a decade now. Several planets had collapsed to the Stone Age, Frallsford (0516/ X-46276B-0 404), and the shunned world of Yeroltoy (0513/ X-A4376B-0 D: 0 B935 ), where even the normally Mystical machine adept Droyne had been reduced to barbarity, and were violently anti-human xenophobes as well. The planet�s Klan (0112/ X-79788B-9 B800)and Waroh (0512/ X78986E-9 B820) had survived with higher tech than others they�d encountered, even EXAGE, owing in part to no gas giants, but were Balkanized TEDs more intent on each other, and only united versus possible Vampire incursions.

Their paranoia made them too risky for the commonwealth�s precious few ships to trade with. Their ships traveled as far as the E-class port on Ranb (0311/ E-766788-6 Ag D: 2 802)), where the former colony of Dachnis� folk had centralized things in a Socialist Totalitarian state, to the E-class port on Babellet (0412/ E-757668-5 Ag Ni B104), an agrarian world run by fairly benevolent TEDs. Ranb was no longer on their itinerary since they had nearly lost a ship there five years ago, thanks to the Guild putting ideas into the Ranb-Soviet�s minds. Most of their trade was conducted with the desert world of Vinhooks (0613/ 440420-5 De Lo Ni 203), the Vilani-style Impersonal Bureau of pre-industrial Afrend (0614/6768BB-3 801 ), and the pre-stellar industrial world of Ilm (0715/X-6628CA-5 315). Sarcathon was willing to join the empire, but had little to contribute to any fleet efforts. Czerniak�s diplomats assured them they could have their C-class starport rebuilt within two years, and a market for their TL-8 goods, especially military ones, to trailing was in demand (Mostly to those few TL-6 client states that had acknowledged the will of Solee). Czerniak had opened a colony/ salvage world on Rebields (1708/ Jayna) six years ago, and a second on Inftow (1607) in 1200. J-1 Trade with Yerhen and J-2 trade from Sarcathon would greatly ease burdens (costs to keep supplied in food and materials) on both. In return, TL-9 parts and machinery from Galines and Solee carried on TKHL transports would tie them into the empire. Homage to Empress Ramstattan, and the protection of the Solee Imperial fleet were small prices to pay. As if to quell doubts, representatives from Czerniak�s version of Ling Standard products arrived two weeks after RADM Von Kessel, and relinquished their holdings to the Commonwealth of Sarcathon (purely a political fait d� accompli), and the two freighters she arrived with brought spare parts for their aging Spear class monitors & Lancet SDB�s.

The Sarcathians looked at this with both a sigh of relief (now they didn't have to do all of this "foreign" aide alone) and since guarantees were made on the autonomy of their system itself, and the Soleeans seemed to mean business and keeping their end up, the vote was barely contested. By August, construction crews from Czerniak began to arrive to facilitate the creation of an orbital C-class port. It was half completed by December 20th, thanks in part to its modular construction. At the current pace, it looks to be completed by mid June of 1203. So far, the market for their TL-8 goods has been faithfully kept tot railing. Who is actiually buying this stuff, the Sarcathi don't know, but the TL-5 spares and machinery for Ilm and Vinhooks has been passing through their hands as middle men from trailing, making a tidy profit ( From Walager & Kunni in Jayna).

System Details