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CHARTED SPACE (setting) The Celes star System Located in what we of Earth know as Alpha Aquarius. From a distance, this 5 star system is often mistook for having only one star. Having 5 small yellow suns, and the closest three being of a spectral class G, K, and M, Alpha Aquarius is capable of bearing life. Alpha Aquarius has 6 planets, Lot, Katakis, Eros, Eutepre, Sitak, and Zol. Lot A small planet with an aproximate size of Earth's moon, Lot is Celes' red Ruby. Beign the closest planet to Celes' five suns and lacking an atmosphere, is no wonder this red planet reaches an unbearable temperature of 500-1000o C. However, once surviving the impossibly high heat and the 100 rads a day, one can find the planet's gravity is quite low (as low as the moon's). Lot was once Katakis' most glorious mining planet... until it was found out that it wasn't as rich in minerals as it was thought to be. In fact, once its useful minerals depleted, Lot Mining Station has become a ghost construct. Oh btw ¿Did I mention this planet also lacks natural satellites? Katakis Planet Surrounded by a ring system and beign the second closest planet to Celes' five suns, this huge planet (10 times the mass of the earth) is quite hospitable. 10 years passed since the terrorist incident in the capital, Katakians have managed to clean their biosphere from the radiation left by the atomic bombing almost completely. However, centuries of industrialized civilization mixed with an atomic bombing left their atmosphere damaged almost beyond saving, the atmosphere reconstruction work is going slowly, and it was just recently that Katakians could finally say goodbye to the radiation suits for streetwalking. Another problem left by the terrorist incident was the extintion of almost all lifeforms. In fact, the only surviving life forms are man, sealife, and dinosaurs (that btw, in Katakis they didn't extinguish). Until treaties were stablished with the Sly, Katakis' diet regarding meat was reduced to dinosaur. Not only that, but during those years, as the few remaining animals were heavily protected for saving the species, the dinosaur came to fill the roles of almost all fauna related to mankind: dinochicken, dinopets, small guinea dinos for medical expermentation, etc. Even if the Sly have introduced to their fauna, the dinosaur have stuck in our culture somehow... a dinoBigMac anyone? Katakis enjoys a moderate temperature, the weather is only slightly violent (like that of the coast) and still enough water to sustain its society for another two centuries or more. Of rugged land and a climate slightly more violent than Earth, Katakis is still a place to live however. Position Passed 10 years since the Gulfer incident. Katakis has not only restored itself, but has also grown to a considerable degree. Not only that, their diplomatic talents also earned Katakis the position of unofficial head of the Galactic Pact Organization (GPO)... and they deserve it, after all, almost ten years of dealing with all kinds of alien cultures and organizaing them without going mad has its rewards doesn't it?. Society In this 20 years, Katakis has changed quite a bit. From a society not unlike a near-future earth entering space age to one HUGE megalopolis with nearly 1 billion inhabitants, millions of hovering vehicles constantly circulating over over the now virtual highways composed of the first 24 meters height of aerial space in a 24/7 traffic, and towering buildings dozens of meters high in cities that, having finally spent the last extensions of land, were forced to grow, but this time upwards. Natural Satellites Katakis has 3 moons, Klio (.05 the mass of the Earth), KaIIos (2,000 kilometers in diameter), and Please-don't-give-me-this-crap-this-sh*t-ain't-no-f*cking-moon (50 kms diameter)... ¿That name? Uuuuhm, let's just say its a long story concerning the late discovery of Katakis' last moon, an improvised press conference, and a hot tempered astronomist. Klio Klio is sort of a "residential area"... a long story that began with some oportunists selling real estate when the first rumors of "moon colonization" began (actually, when the real colonization began almost ALL of Klio was already sold!). Katakis's liquid resources problems came to an end with their incursion in Klio... for Klio is a complete WATERWORLD. As a matter of fact, all Katakians that bought their real estate there had to manage to pay for the expenses of marine plattforms to build cities (or should I say Islands?), and so, their homes. Being a residential area, KIio enjoys the benefits of progress without the drawbacks of a civilization that has grown beyond their demographical limits. In fact, KIio is not very diferent from our own 21th century earth. The cities and biuldings are much like our own, green and lush vegetation with an ecosystem not unlike ours and the always beloved blue sky, but the distinguishing factor lies in the technollogy: Hover vehicles and hovercycles are the norm and alien aircraft is seen in the sky as often as news helicopters. The night lights are brighter and, as the population is from a selected group, the crime rate is null. Also, HUGE spacecraft arrive at the docking bays with frequency. It is precisely in Klio where the G.U.A.R.D.I.A.N HQ stands. This is for two reasons. First, most recruits come from planets not so advanced, and KIio would be less of a culture shock. Second, after the last terrorist incident the council judged it better not to attract so much attention towards the capital. Klio has an Earth-like orography (or ocean botton, as you like) and a nicely variating weather. Also, besides of the artificial Islands, there are also underwater cities, where most mining and scientific research and testing takes place. As a special note, when Katakian men arrived at Klio, one of their first impressions after seeing Klio's rich ecosystem was “food, FOOD!. After five years of dinomeat.... REAL FOOD at last!”... guess the surprise wasn't nice when they found out what Klio's highest evolutionary level was... yep, dinosaurs, welcome to dinomeat again... Eros A small gas giant. With a freezing temperature of absolute zero, a gravity pull that difficults movement, and an atmospheric pressure that makes breathing impossible without the proper respiratory equipment, this planet is sure not hospitable for human life. Eros' atmosphere has a balanced mix of oxygen and hydrogen, but the atmospheric pressure and the biting cold incapacitates painfuly any non-native form trying to inhale. A planet of blinding, everlasting mists. In the surface, clear vision is limited to 2 meters, becoming a blurry shadow after that and everything dissapearing at 3 meters. If that is not enough, it is told that very hostile creatures roam the surface (ever seen Giger's Alien?). Eros has 3 moons: Elisya, Sly, and Oh-sh*t-you-really-expect- me-to-name-a-mother-f*cking-piece-of-sh*t-the-size-of-my-head (oh well, guess we souldn't consult the same astronomist in future discoveries). Elisya A frozen world. Elisya's temperature rivals that of Eros itself. A place no one would visit if it wasn't Katakis main provider of the precious greenhouse gases it needs to restore its all-too-ravaged atmosphere. Even if not as hampering as Eros', Elisya's gravity is heavy, and the atmospheric pressure is just as nice. Its half-frozen, sparse hydrocarbon seas are home to a breed of gargantuan, white worm-like creatures, creatures that have started being a problem recently. Elisya's perilous orography is quite useful for protecting the mineral extracting facilities however. Sly Even if a bit too hot, Sly was the second friendly place Katakians met on their own. The temperature is quite high (50o C an average), but their oceans are quite vast and the air is breathable. The planet's inhabitants, the Sly, are a race of 4ft tall, humanoid reptiles (well... I'd rather say CUTE humanoid reptiles ¿Remember our acid spitting friend from Jurassic Park? Well, cross him with an Ewok, add some big, round eyes, and you got a Sly). The Sly are quite friendly and hospitable, and when we came in contact and they learned of our luck with our own fauna, they inmediately let us borrow from their herd, farm animals, etc. However, being an agricultural, tribal community, the sly refuse to recieve any of our technollogy (actually, some Sly say the come from an ancient, highly advanced culture and, in fact, they were so advanced, that they decided to just trash their science, and start over again). Erato Coming from the neighbouring stelar system, out first contact with Erato was trough recieved transmitions they used to deliberately send in the past on a regular basis trying to establish contact with another race. Actually, Katakis was their first success, and it was they who helped us develop our space technollogy. Being the intermediary between the Airu's technollogy and the Planetary Union, the hermetically efficient Eratian civilization was indeed the most beneffited from the Airu's science. Already a planet famous for being a model of efficiency and for its technollogical breaktroughs, the alien science they recieved was the boost they needed on several untested theories and unanswered questions. After the coming of the Airu, the colonies formerly belonging to Velushia were equally shared between Erato and Katakis. However, even that colonies will not be able to sustain Erato's needs for much longer, and Katakis knows it... for they have exactly the same problem. In scientific affairs, they are second only to the Airu. However, their greatest achievements they keep 'em to themselves. Erato armorers are widely known as the finest weaponsmiths on the Galactic Pact, their weapons as deadly and efficient as the planet's warships. Masters of robotic research and bionics, Erato compensates his lack of extraordinary individuals with dreaded armies of cyborgs and power armor troopers. Rumor has it that Erato is starting to take their genetic investigations a step further, experimenting on the creation of psychics and superhumans. The Galactic Pact Organization (GPO) Residing on an artifficial satellite, the heart of the Galactic Union could be considered the most secure and heavily guarded construction in this sector of the galaxy. Home to each planet in the union's representatives, the satellite is surrounded by heavily armed orbiting asteroids and guarded by the elite fleets of the union. Also home to the Galaxy Police, the union's law enforcement organ. |
