BARD PAPER: OPAL8685 | Home | Traveller | BARD | OPAL |
BARD PAPER: OPAL8685 | Home | Traveller | BARD | OPAL |
Third Mu is the third moon of the innermost gas giant in its system. The world is tidally locked, as it orbits the gas giant of Mutaran every seventeen days. The freeze and thaw cycle of most such worlds is avoided thanks to its world ocean, which moderates the temperature enough to prevent boiling on the light side, and freezing on the dark side. The cycle of day and night has encouraged the development of an unusally rich ecosystem, creating some of the greatest undersea diversity ever discovered in the former Imperium.
This rich world was an Imperial Reserve World for most of its history. Until 988 it was interdicted by the sector government to protect its rich seafloor and asteroid ore deposits, and its local wildlife. After the world was opened to outside exploitation, infighting between rival mining corps and the disruptions of the Frontier Wars prevent much development. Concerns over the unhindered strip mining of the system further delayed projects, and only since the Collapse period have plans been finalised to develop the system.
But the impetus for this development have been the increasing social and political violence on nearby Lilad. Segments of the population, particularly large planetary corps and industrial combines, have been looking for a safe haven in the event of the feared ekpyrosis (burning) that would tear their homeworld apart. Because of its proximity, and its wealth, a growing number of these firms have invested money into the SpinDev/Venturprise operations on Third Mu. Most of this development is concentrated near the downport in the Bulgur Archipelago, and includes a growing community of commercial and residential structures for about 10,000 people. Given the strains evident on Lilad in recent years, inhabitation is likely to come very soon.