Helka-Alpha Star System

A distant colony of the Colonial Trade Pact alliance, Helka-Alpha is the primary inhabited system of a three star trinary star system also known as 'Helka'. Its primary means of returning to the core worlds of the Colonial Alliance is a semi-naturally occurring stellar gate, kept navigatable by man made structures. With it the outer systems of their motherland can be reached within as little as fifteen days. Without and only using their shipboard FTL drives the journey can take nearly six months.

The motivation for such long reaching and expensive colonization is the materials and exotic elements that form near such space time weaknesses, essential to the economy of the Colonial Pact in a wide variety of applications. Thus Helka remains as one of the most distant but valuable colonies.

The Helka-Alpha star system is a component system in a mid-distance orbiting trinary family of stars that has ten planets, of these two are habitable to human type life. Like most star systems an extensive asteroid belt serves as the border between the inner system and the outer system.

Airless Terrestrial

An airless metallic rock and the first planet in the star system, it was first initially scouted for mining operations nearly thirty years ago and has played host to a moderate population since. Most of the surface habitats are concentrated in a canyon running along an axis just north of the planet's equator. Their efforts slowly deepening and widening it as extraction shafts and tunnels are converted into habitats, so far two orbital elevators rise from this area. Refinery stations and a small space port are part of this orbital constellation.

• Orbital Radius - 18,308,781 Km
• Planetary Radius - 1,638 Km
• Gravity - 0.128 G
• Atmosphere - N/A
• Population - 15.7 Million
• Orbital Period - 22 Standard Days
• Length of Day - 60 Standard Days

Composed of a airless rock and dust covered surface blasted by solar radiation on one side and deep frozen in the cold of space on the other it is a average terrestrial world when it comes to supporting life, as such those that choose to make their home here have created their own ecosystems. Mostly underground or in heavily shielded arcology habitats built into craters. Conditions here depend on where one lives, from the spacious and oldest habitats with all the amenities one might need to the cramp converted mining tunnels of more recent or more distant mining 'camps' scatter across the surface. Overall however human life on this world exists in a completely synthetic environment; air, water, and food stuffs either being grown or created in purpose built facilities when they aren't simply imported.

• Orbital Elevators - One structure connected to a counterweight which serves as the largest spaceport, primarily used for bulk ore exports to the rest of the star system and beyond.
• Spaceports (Surface) - Numerous small to moderate sized pads capable of supporting anywhere from a small bulk carrier to private skiffs, a large number are clustered around the planet's sole orbital lift.
• Spaceports (Orbital) - One main one which acts as the primary ore transfere terminal and counterweight for the orbital lift, several smaller ones also occupy the equatorial orbit and are mixed use with some being private and corporate.
• Shipyards - While there are small complexes that can turn out skiffs or light transports up to a hundred meters long the planet only features one moderately sized complex co-orbiting with the tether spaceport. It serves as a satellite and orbital infrastructure maintence depot and is tooled for civil infrastructure use.
• Industry - As stated above virtually the entire planet is geared toward the mining and or extraction of a variety of planetary ores and their first stage refiniment, there is some manufacturing on the surface of the planet however most of it is geared toward the maintanence and needs of the local population and industry.
• Agriculture - Roughly fifty percent of the planet's needs are handled by localized means of growing plant protein matter, mostly in underground greeneries or in surface greenhouses. Animal protein tends to be a premium and only available on special occasions or to the upper middle class, however the nutritional needs are more then met by government standards.

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Ossken

• Location - Koviska, Equatorial Trench
• Built throughtout a section of the planet's equatorial trench, Ossken is a closed habitat effectively 'capping' the top of a deep crevice the mining operations the planet is known for have created in the surface. Spread like an invasive tumor with metallic offshoots reaching outward and onto the plain that makes up most of the planet's surface. Rising from within the canyon's depths is the tendril of orbital elevator that links to the planet's primary ore offloading station which acts as the elevators counter weight. Effectively Ossken acts as the heart and capital of the planet with numerous surface roads, tram lines, and sub-surface hypertrains linking it to various other mining installations and habitats above and below the surface.

Temperate Hospitable Terrestrial

The first world to be settled on a large scale, Leningrad is a warm garden terrestrial world which plays host to the primary agricultural activities in the Helka Alpha Star System with roughly sixty percent of the food stuffs being grown in its soil. Other activities such as mining and manufacturing processes also take place both on the surface and in orbit however they are limited by regulations to maintain a long term functional biosphere for its primary industry. In civil matters the planet plays host to the entire star system's combined government and the Helka multiple star system's administration. All armed and civil security services have their headquarters located here as well.

• Natural Satellites - One moderate sized ring system.
  • Verga - A moderate sized terrestrial airless moon.
• Orbital Radius - 26,953,546 Km
• Planetary Radius - 7,124 Km
• Gravity - 1.31 G
• Atmosphere - 1 Standard Atmosphere
• Population - 7.2 Billion
• Orbital Period - 39.29 Standard Days
• Length of Day - 26.7 Hours

Being a planetary system one can expect a wild variation in the daily existence of those who make their home on Leningrad. From the farmers that tend to hundreds of thousands of square kilometers of fields to the city dwellers that do everything from work in manufacturing to carry on the day to day activities that make the star system's capital world tick. Due to its central location and high level of importance those that live here do have a higher standard of living, from more advanced infrastructure to access to more select brands and types of sustenance.

Those that live and work in space however do trade the bliss of actual natural air and open space for the more cramp confines of space habitats, surface complexes on the planet's moon, and overall a slightly lower standard of living however these individuals tend to be paid more due to their proximity to the more important infrastructure.

• Orbital Elevators - The planet employs eight equatorial orbital lifts each tipped with counterweight station that is primarily employed for offloading various bulk goods.
• Spaceports (Surface) - From small private pads capable of handling shuttle sized craft to complexes the size of airports intended to handle commercial traffic and large scale freight carriers.
• Spaceports (Orbital) - Aside from the eight offloading/loading terminals associated with the orbital elevator counter balance stations, the planet features two major terminals in equatorial orbits and two stationed in polar orbits. These are mixed purpose facilities with various sections be dedicated to private, commercial, and military interests.
• Shipyards - Leningrad hosts the largest ship making and infrastructure making complex in the solar system in the form of a collection of various stations and assembly arrays located at the Leningrad-Verga L1 Lagrangian point. Capable of constructing all manners of large scale infrastructure and military and civil starships it is one of the primary pieces of space infrastructure in the system.
• Industry - Due to its nature as a hospitable world most heavy industry and mining is either located off world in orbit or on the planet's sole natural satellite. As a result it tends to be focused on higher end manufacturing and specialty construction projects making it one of the more desirable places to find oneself living.
• Agriculture - This world is the second largest producer of food goods in the star system, with all of the large continents hosting some form of agriculture with the central one serving as the 'breadbasket'. Additionally there is some animal husbandry and this world is the largest source of animal protein in the star system.

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Helka City

• Location - Central Continent, Eastern Coast, Planet Leningrad
  • A rather important city of nearly ten million located on the coast of its respective continental body, Helka City is the site of the first colony ship landing and is the most built up and developed settlement on the planet. Serving as the planets and the star systems capital it is constructed in a ringed manner with surface, sub-surface, and elevated transportation beltways filled with all manner of districts according to the most efficient layout at the time. At its center hundreds of massive high rise mega-scrapers dominate the skyline with a gradual step down as one reaches the outskirts and then suburbs of the city. Like most Pact settlements various forms of transportation infrastructure reach out from the settlement in the form of highways and various forms of high speed rail transport.

Verbly

• Location - Central Continent, Western Coast, Planet Leningrad
  • Located opposite to Helka City on the edge of a large bay, Verbly is a city of a few million that serves as one of the primary surface port cities. Effectively a hub for most rail, oceanic, and air travel, goods typically of a agricultural nature are collected and then shipped over the central mountain range to Helka City for further transport up the city's orbital lift. A smaller city with stagnated growth it has.. in recent years become a dumping ground for refugees or those of a questionable nature looking for a place to lay low on the surface of the capital world.

Tropical Hospitable Terrestrial

The second and less developed of the two hospitable worlds in this star system, Faust or Helka-Alpha III hosts the second largest population in the star system mostly on its surface. It features a cooler temperate environment stabilized by its small moon, like Leningrad it also plays host to a number of industries but the focus is on the ease of agriculture and related service industries. It does however play host to some mining and some heavy industry, with its moon serving as a nexus of orbital shipbuilding almost rivaling that found in orbit over Leningrad.

• Natural Satellites - One moderate sized ring system.
  • Allay - A moderate sized terrestrial airless moon.
• Orbital Radius - 35,032,060 Km
• Planetary Radius - 8,567 Km
• Gravity - 1.34 G
• Atmosphere - 1.12 Standard Atmospheres
• Population - 4.57 Billion
• Orbital Period - 58.2 Days
• Length of Day - 23.5 Hours

A slightly warmer and more tropical world when compared to Leningrad with the associated tropical weather patterns, this is caused primarily due to a higher instance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, it plays host to the largest agricultural operation in the Colonial Pact of the Valmet Sector Region. The primary breadbasket world producing over fifteen percent of the food stuffs consumed annually by the population of Helka Trinary Star System. As such most of the living conditions on this world center around this production with the vast space of fields and pastures circling the handful of cities on the planet which are in turn typically built around orbital elevators. Life for its population tends to be of the easier sort when compared to those that make their lives in space, food, water, and air never being a concern. However this simple life can be disadvantageous when compared to the mixed economy of its Leningrad population. Often leading to some generations leaving this world to make fortune and fame if not adventure away from the farms of their youth.

• Orbital Elevators - This world employs four main orbital elevator systems, each tipped with a counterweight station that is primarily employed for offloading various bulk goods. In this case mostly agricultural goods and shelf stable water supplies for export.
• Spaceports (Surface) - From small private pads capable of handling shuttle sized craft to complexes the size of airports intended to handle commercial traffic and large scale freight carriers. The largest capable of handling up to kilometer length vessels is located less then ten minutes north of the planet's largest city Altai.
• Spaceports (Orbital) - Aside from the four offloading/loading terminals associated with the orbital elevator counter balance stations, the planet features one major terminal in a equatorial orbit. This is a mixed purpose facility with various sections be dedicated to private, commercial, and military interests.
• Shipyards - Outside of small minor facilities for building small commercial or private craft Faust lacks major ship building capability with the exception of a infrastructure maintenance yard primarily oriented for maintaining the various pieces of essential orbital infrastructure.
• Industry - Almost entirely centered on the production, refinement, and processing of food goods and other essential things for keeping the Valmet Sector's population alive, Faust is a majority agricultural state. However there are some authorized Callenite mining operations on both the surface of the planet and on its small moon as well as numerous 'wildcat' illegal operations which pop up almost as quickly as they are taken down.
• Agriculture - The largest food producing world in the trinary star system primarily oriented on massive scale production of food crops, animal husbandry also plays a part in these efforts however it is on a lower scale compared to Leningrad.

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Altai

• Location - Primary Continent, Southern 'Central' Coast
  • Built into a coastal bay in the tropical latitudes of the planet, it is the largest city on the planet and its build around a orbital elevator base located in the middle of said bay. The primary planetary capital and the capital of its surface region Altai was the first city to be founded on Faust. Like most it is a variance of locations, going from high rise city center, to moderate rise outer rings, to the 'suburbs' and then finally the spokes of farmland reaching out to the horizon.

Cold Thin Atmospheric Terrestrial

A planet consumed by industry, Helka Alpha IV is a terrestrial world with a very thin atmosphere and plays host to vast mining and industrial operations spread across its surface. It plays host to large numbers of corporate and local company operations extracting both Callenite and the various precursor minerals for vital materials to the Colonial Pact. Various large craters have been sealed over by the upper levels of deeply sunk habitat arcologies to host the populations needed to keep the planet's industry running.

• Orbital Radius - 52,359,339 Km
• Planetary Radius - 3,249 Km
• Gravity - 0.611 G
• Atmosphere - 0.019 Standard Atmospheres
• Population - 250.4 Million
• Orbital Period - 106.39 Days
• Length of Day - 81.45 Hours

A typical industrial world without a hospitable atmosphere, like most such situations the living conditions can vary by the wealth of any individual citizen. From decent in large scale acrcologies built into various impact craters and surface features with vast open interiors, to the cramp conditions of converted mining tunnels the latter of which being fairly common in 'wildcat' situations. Often times its a healthy middle with most of the settlements being interconnected through various underground and surface means.

• Orbital Elevators - This planet features four high tonnage elevators at even spacing around the planet's equator primarily for shipping manufactured and refined goods up and unprocessed ore down. There are a few other lower tonnage lifts but these are primarily for military or corporate traffic rather then the general commercial activities of the planet.
• Spaceports (Surface) - Like most bustling worlds of this nature there are thousands of small and private star ports and numerous larger scale commercial operations with each major settlement playing host to at least one capable of handling kilometer sized vessels.
• Spaceports (Orbital) - Each major elevator plays host to a transfer terminal capable of handling large amounts of civilian traffic, they will also host passenger terminals and hangers for small to moderate sized starships. There is one military starport and one major corporate starport at the end of the private orbital lifts present on the planet.
• Shipyards - This world plays host to the second largest shipyard in the system, a mixture of a surface complex and an orbital complex, it is the only location capable of manufacturing capital ships.
• Industry - As stated above this world is primarily oriented on large scale manufacturing, ship making, mining, ore refining, and any other number of heavy industries which tend to stain the red surface with the soot of factory exhaust. As such it features a sizable population to feed the ever growing needs of the industry present here.
• Agriculture - Almost all the agriculture on this world is either subsistence in nature or part of the niche market of fresh vegetables, typically grown in underground or surface green house facilities from the small private plot scale to industrialized farms. However it is expensive in this world's conditions.

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Ruzai

• Location - Equatorial Latitude, Rekavaz Impact Crater
  • A sprawl of all manner of facilities, factories, complexes, and habitats that extend across the fifty kilometer diameter crater, Ruzai is the largest city on the planet and is host to one of the vital orbital elevators sprouting up from the central region of the crater city. Composed of both an above ground layer and multiple 'stacks' of deeper segments, some purpose built to house humanity, others converted from abandoned mining tunnels. Its conditions can vary from near perfect, clean, and comfortable, to grungy and dangerous often the deeper you go under the surface.

Warm Jovian Gas Giant

The middle child of the three gaseous worlds in the Helka-Alpha star system, it features two moderately sized moons and a significant amount of orbital infrastructure. Most of the planet's lower orbits are occupied by vast swathes of automated gas harvesting systems busily scraping the top layers of gas off the planet for refinement on it's moons into usable fusion fuels. Upper orbits are occupied by various industrial satellites, Island-3 type closed colony cylinders, and a large fuel handling port facility sending the gas giant's products throughout the star system. Its two moons are host to a variety of mining and industrial facilities, their low gravity allowing for ease of shipping their goods to orbit.

• Natural Satellites
  • Teza - Moderate sized moon.
  • Shosha - Large sized moon.
• Orbital Radius - 88,486,151 Km
• Planetary Radius - 26,562 Km
• Gravity - 1.08 G
• Atmosphere - Jovian Atmosphere
• Population - 107.5 Million
• Orbital Period - 223.73 Standard Days
• Length of Day - 646.6 Standard Hours

There are three primary bodies in this planetary system with the first being the gas giant Vosk and the other two being her moons Teza and Shosha. Below are described their individual living conditions.

Without even a surface to stand on all of those who make their home here live in various space colonies, from massive Island-3 type cylinders holding millions to small groups of families maintaining and operating gas harvesting satellites. While life can be cramped at times with limited space on those not spending their days in purpose built habitats life out here is quite lucrative with a significant percentage of the star system's Fusion Optimized Liquid (FOL) products being produced and shipped from this world.

The smaller of Vosk's two moons and the most 'active' of the pair when it comes to volcanism due to its location between its sister moon and the planet they orbit. Effectively turning itself inside out every few million years the surface is covered in a rich variety of ores which wandering harvesters pick up from the various lava flows and pyroclastic emissions. Civilization here is composed of a few scattered space ports built on shielded spires hanging just above the surface and fixed by anchors. These tend to be of scummy and questionable nature due to the living conditions of the planet, as such it tends to attract the more rough and tumble of the population.

A Europan style moon with a thin subsurface ocean riding on a volcanically active mantle, the sole major settlement acts as both a spaceport and a massive floating refinery acting as the base of operations and hub for surface and sub-surface activities on the planet. Living conditions here vary however the more aquatic nature is at least satisfactory compared to the volcanic literal hell of Teza and a more mellow population can be found carving a living from the planet's surface and sub-surface.

• Spaceports (Surface) - Both moons feature a handful of large space ports with only one per world able to handle kilometer range starships. Smaller pads however are numerous and their conditions vary from commercial to not particularly maintained private pads.
• Spaceports (Orbital) - Both moons feature one major polar orbiting station capable of handling kilometer range craft, each serving as both an orbital habitat and major point of transition between the three planetary bodies that make up this system. Each orbital construct that orbits Vosk is effectively a mid range space port in its own right, especially in the case of the Island-3 type close cylinders. However one major port is located in a high polar orbit which serves as the primary collection point for FOL fuels and their transition for transportation throughout the starsystem.
• Shipyards - There is one moderately sized yard for the maintenance of orbital infrastructure and the repair of sub-kilometer sized commercial vessels. Numerous small operations capable of building skiffs and small transports exist however there is no major shipyard facility capable of building military grade vessels.
• Industry - While both moons play host to some callenite extraction virtually the entire economy in this planetary system is geared toward the extraction and refinement of FOL liquids and their transport to the rest of the star system. Most of the manufacturing is geared toward maintaining this industry with most of the remaining geared toward the maintenance of human life in an artificial environment.
• Agriculture - Virtually all food stuffs are imported with some subsistence farming in specially equipped orbital facilities occuring in orbit around Vosk. However there are some fishery operations on the larger moon, primarily extracting lobster and crab like creatures from the sunless sub-surface ocean.

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Asteroid Belt

A collection of ferrous body type asteroids that marks the boundary between the inner part of the star system and the outer part of the star system. It is populated almost entirely by those employed by the mining and refining industry, this population living on a myriad of space habitats from those purpose built such as Island-3 type closed cylinders to improvised asteroid habitations converted from stripped bodies. While these settlements are scattered throughout the belt the largest is centered around the single large space port that acts as the hub of commerce moving between the inner and outer parts of the star system.

• Orbital Radius - 219,856,376 Km
• Orbital Width - 26,859,261 Km
• Population - 25.7 Million

Housed completely in the semi-sterile environments of star ships, space colonies, and hollowed out asteroids. Like most of the living conditions outside of the inner star system life is a daily grind of work breathing recycled air and eating various kinds of textured vegetable protein. Comfort various by the degree of funds sunk into the habitats with the largest and perhaps most advanced going to a group of interconnected asteroids built during the corporate era of Helka-Alpha. However overall low to null gravity in cramp confines and industrial spaces is the norm in the Dep Belt.

• Spaceports - Countless small to medium sized habitats, each effectively with their own port for trading goods and transferring various ores and needed cargo. However the single biggest in the belt is Kamen Harbor with its largest facilities capable of handling kilometer sized military vessels. Most in the 'Dep' are primarily designed for handling ore transfers and for wrangling reduced mass asteroids (typically cleaned down to their more valuable ore cores).
• Shipyards - Numerous small facilities to handle the ever present need for skiffs and small craft, Kamen Harbor plays host to a facility capable of handling the manufacture of asteroid 'wrangling' rigs and moderate sized freighters however it is not equipped to construct military grade vessels outside of small security cutters.
• Industry - Virtually the entirety of the belt is dedicated to ripping apart the small chunks of rock that make up the Dep and extracting any valuble ores before beginning the first stage refinement before shipping the results in ingot form to various ports throughout the star system. Most of these refining facilities are present at Kamen Harbor.
• Agriculture - Virtually all food stuffs are imported aside from small subsistence farming operations and some niche operations intended to produce fresh vegetable food stuff for those who can afford the luxury.

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Kamen Harbor

• Location - Dep 'Main Belt'
  • Composed of sixteen multi-kilometer asteroid habitats banded together by strong structures which also act as a mass transit system, it is a marvel of 'cobbled together' engineering growing from a single complex over the years as the star system was settled. It is one of the main weigh stations as one journeys into the outer star system and is one of the main fueling points. The population here tends to vary from habitat to habitat with the mentality and attitude growing gradually more shady the older the complex gets.

Hot Jovian Gas Giant

One of the largest centers for industry outside of the core habitable worlds, Amur plays host to over half of the fusion fuel production in the star system as well as a large percentage of its mining output from the gas giant's various small to moderately sized moons. Numerous Island-3 type space colonies and surface habitats can be found here, the first's agricultural output being used to support its large population.

• Natural Satellites
  • Vitim - Small sized moon.
  • Samara - Large sized moon.
  • Oyat - Moderate sized moon.
  • Istra - Small sized moon.
  • Amga - Moderate sized moon.
  • Cheptsa - Large sized moon.
  • Katun - Small sized moon.
• Orbital Radius - 470,950,931 Km
• Planetary Radius - 66,256 Km
• Gravity - 3.42 G
• Atmosphere - Jovian Atmosphere
• Population - 341 Million
• Orbital Period - 7.86 Standard Years
• Length of Day - 40.7 Standard Hours

There are three primary bodies in this planetary system with the first being the gas giant Vosk and the other two being her moons Teza and Shosha. Below are described their individual living conditions.

Like Vosk there is no surface to stand on, forcing those who make their home here live in various space colonies, from massive Island-3 type cylinders holding millions to small groups of families maintaining and operating gas harvesting satellites. Like Vosk those who live here specialize in the extraction of FOL fuels from the upper atmosphere of Amur, however the scale of the operation is far larger with tens of thousands of dedicated platforms skimming the upper reaches and syphoning fuel up to refinery satellites. Life for these workers is slightly better due to the heavier corporate and governmental investment and thus the better conditions of the space habitats.

This planetary system plays host to a variety of moons, some ferrous hard dead rocks and others with sub-surface oceans. All of these moons have some kind of mining operation and the associated surface/subsurface habitats and their associated mixed conditions. However all are somewhat cramp quarters, with the older facilities being progressively smaller and more cramped as the age of these facilities increases.

• Spaceports (Surface) - All of the moons in this planetary system feature at least one primary spaceport for the shipping of personnel, processed ore, and for the support of commerical traffic. Typically with the larger moons playing host to larger facilities.
• Spaceports (Orbital) - Each orbital construct that orbits Amur is effectively a mid range space port in its own right, especially in the case of the Island-3 type close cylinders. However one major port is located in a high polar orbit which serves as the primary collection point for FOL fuels and their transition for transportation throughout the star system.
• Industry - Due to the large number of ferrous moons orbiting Amur this planetary system acts as the largest industrial center outside of the inner star system in the Helka Alpha Star System. Hosting all manner of heavy manufacturing and the finished ore products so heavily desired by other industries in the star system. Most of these facilities and complexes are located on the gas giant's moons often directly linked with various sub-surface and open pit mining operations.
• Agriculture - Virtually all food stuffs are imported with some subsistence farming in specially equipped orbital facilities occuring in orbit around Amur. Some sub-surface fisheries exist pulling primitive creatures from the waters of sub-surface oceans that exist on some of the moons however these tend to be luxury items with most of the population subsisting off of vegetable proteins.

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