BARD PAPER: OPAL4012

Ica

X000000-0

by Richard Perks

Ica is a binary star system centred around two orbiting red M type stars, the inner system consists of (in order outwards) Torn, Gem, Ica, Alvin, whilst the outer systems consists of four gas giants Ica V to VIII. Approx. 1 billion years ago, this system was disturbed by the close passage of a rogue wandering star (approx. M class), that perturbed the orbits of the planets in the Ica System. All the planets have significantly elliptical orbits, and suffered seismic disturbances, and this is the primary reason for the Imperial presence in the system.

The innermost planet Torn gets its name from the large rents in its surface caused by the stellar disturbance, which exposes numerous valuable heavy metals. Unfortunately, the planet's environment is hostile, as its orbit is now much closer to the primary suns, and it is subject to high radiation levels especially during flare periods, and seismic activity. UWP= XAC0000-0, 2 small moons

The next planet Gem is on the edge of the habitable zone and even has a moderate tolerable environment, with primitive native life similar in form to the prehistoric era on Terra, with large fauna on both land and sea. However the environment is contaminated with a high levels of background radiation, especially when the planet swings close to the primary suns or during flare periods. The local lifeforms and fossil records show evidence of major dieback and the evolution of new species corresponding to the passage of the rogue star. Gem has a single small rocky moon UWP=X7A9000-0

Ica is a major asteroid belt in the third orbit out and consists of a large number of rocky asteroids (with approx. 10% icy asteroids). The belt is a dangerous place, as the belt has not yet fully settled into a stable configuration following the passage of the rogue.

Alvin, is a much poorer asteroid field, it has been reduced to gravel by the gravitational effects of the outer gas giants and the passing of the rogue. UWP=X000000-0

The outer gas giants and their orbiting moons experienced the full force of the passing of the rogue. Numerous moons were either broken apart, or even ripped out of orbit and crashed into the gas giants. Giant Ica V has the only remaining moon (2) both of which are small and insignificant rocky bodies. The remaining gas giants or orbited by rings of debris, and the gas giants atmospheres are still full of debris and unpredictable atmospheric winds as the gas giants settle down. Ica VIIII, formally a large gas giant is now classified as a small GG, as the passing rogue ripper large amounts of its atmosphere away at its closes approach. The giant is now shrouded in huge clouds of expelled hydrogen, which it is slowly reabsorbing. For this reason the gas giants are considered too dangerous to act as a source of wilderness refuelling, and during the imperial era, warning beacons on the two moons of Ica V, broadcast warnings to this effect, and directed traffic to refuel using the asteroids at Ica.

Imperial Era

The system was explored in late 400s, but no permanent settlements occurred (except of the occasional passing belter) until the late 700s when LSP set up a mining colony at Ica, based around a small orbital station at the edge of the Ica Belt. They mapped the asteroid belt, and conducted minor prospecting in the belt itself (primarily for industrial gemstones). The main mining activities were conducted on Torn using anti-grav equipped mining robots with the new TL13 high autonomous brains, who excavated in the various rifts and chasms on Torn's surface.

During the First Solomani Rim War period LSP, franchised its operations out to a number of families, and withdrew its own personnel. LSP supplied TL14 mining robots as commercial prices, and received preferential rates at the starport and when buying the minerals, whilst the families did the hard work of running the robots and the occasional run in armoured cutters down to the surface of Torn to collect fuel cargo modules and swap them with empty ones for the robots to fill.

By 1105, the existing station was full, and the families purchased a TL15, 500tn Eshpair class orbital station to act as the nucleus of a new starport, and trade facility. This freed space in the existing habitat for housing, and would have been the spur to upgrade the world's technology to TL15.

Rebellion and Hard Times

The actual rebellion passed by Ica; it was just too insignificant to bother with. Even the gas giants were unsuitable for refuelling. But the loss of trade and general economic dislocation had considerable effects on the system. LSP no longer called to bring new robots or buy its minerals. The environment of Torn meant that the mining robots rarely lasted more than 10 years before the radiation, atmosphere or a quake destroyed them. With the decline of interstellar shipping, no one else came by to purchase the minerals either (except for the occasional free trader). The poor refuelling potential of the system (no readily usable gas giants) reduced passing trade even further.

The stresses of the economic upheaval and the attempts to respond to it, balkanised the population into several camps. The Eshpair station was mothballed, as the population retreated to the more readily maintainable TL12 original habitat. Even so, the law level increased (to reflect the paranoia between factions) and the TL declined to 6, which was sustainable at a local level.

Collapse

The virus arrived late in 1131 due to the very low levels of outside contact. It was a solomani Tribal class destroyer, suffering from heavy battle damage. Lacking sufficient weapons to destroy the habitat, it infected it instead, and the station shifted orbit into the most densely populated and unstable area of the belt where it was destroyed in numerous collisions. The destroyer missed the mothballed Eshpair station due to heavy damage to its sensors. This sensor damage lead to the destroyers destruction, as it attempted to refuel at one of the outer gas giants and destroyed by a combination of atmospheric conditions and impacts with debris (both in orbit and in the gas giants upper atmosphere).

Post Collapse

In approx. 1160, humans came to Ica again. In what was apparently a free lance effort, a small group reactivated the mining shelters on the asteroids. Lacking the detailed plots of the asteroid field, and missing the mothballed station, which had drifted, they set up a number of domed shelters on Gem. They choose a small cove, protected by a small island and established a basic landing pad, and the domes. They also established a small cluster of domes on the island to provide desalinated water, and hydroponics. As the area was still radioactively contaminated, they acquired an optimised nuclear damper and based it on the island. This reduced the radiation levels in the local area to tolerable levels. It also decontaminated the water from the desalination plant and allowed the hydroponics area to grow clean food.

A radio station was set up on the moon (to provide coverage across the system). At its height in 1162, the settlement had a population of approx. 100, with 3 working shuttles and a single free trader. The area was riven by paranoia, as the band was made up of numerous small groups who hide the sites of their prospecting from each other.

The settlement was destroyed in 1163, by the local wildlife. The native animals had adapted to the high radiation levels, and the less active area created by the nuclear damper repelled them. However a substantial solar flare in 1163, tripled background radiation and sent several species into frenzied activities. The domes on the shore and the shuttle on the pad were destroyed by the animals. The domes on the island survived (thanks to the damper field) but the few survivors succumbed over the next few years. The shuttle on the moon attempted a rescue, but both the pilot and co-pilot suffered severe injuries from animal attack, and crashed the shuttle when they attempted to land at the lunar radio station.

The one remaining shuttle that supported the mining operations in the Ica belt gathered up the remaining miners from their prospecting habitats and rendezvoused with the free trader at the edge of the system. With the miners' departure, the Ica system was desolate again.

Salvage

There are approx. 6 TL8 pressurised shelters on various asteroids in the Ica belt, the last remaining shuttle drifts at the edge of the belt. On the inner side of the belt (away from the mining sites) drifts the Eshpair station, whilst the radio relay station in Gem's moon is still intact. However, the radio station is protected by a laser turret (jammed in one position) powered by solar cells (there is enough power for 3 shots before the power runs out). The crashed shuttle is a complete wreck, with only a few items from the survival locker still remaining.

Back on Gem, the island domes (2 pressurised shelters, one large dome holding the desalination plant, one dome holding the hydroponics and the nuclear damper) are still largely intact. The shore-based camp and the crashed shuttle are complete wrecks.

This writeup was based upon the Star Drive Adventure: Outbound by Ed Stark.