The Milky Way Galaxy

The Milky Way
The Milky Way galaxy is notorious for being the home of both the Humans and their planet called Earth. Its name derives from its appearance as a dim "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky. The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy 100,000–120,000 light-years in diameter containing 200–400 billion stars. The Human Solar System is located within the disk, around two thirds of the way out from the Galactic Center, on the inner edge of a spiral-shaped concentration of gas and dust called the Orion–Cygnus Arm. Surrounded by several smaller satellite galaxies, the Milky Way is part of the Local Group of galaxies, which forms a subcomponent of the Virgo Supercluster.

The Milky Way passes through parts of roughly 30 constellations. The center of the Galaxy lies in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius; it is here that the Milky Way is brightest. From Sagittarius, the hazy band of white light appears to pass westward to the Galactic anticenter in Auriga. The band then continues westward the rest of the way around the sky back to Sagittarius. The fact that the band divides the night sky into two roughly equal hemispheres indicates that the Solar System lies close to the Galactic plane.

The Milky Way contains at least 100 billion stars. Filling the space between the stars is a disk of gas and dust called the interstellar medium. This disk has at least a comparable extent in radius to the star, while the thickness of the gas layer ranges from hundreds of light years for the colder gas to thousands of light years for warmer gas. There may be at least as many planets bound to stars as there are stars in the Milky Way, while microlensing measurements indicate that there are more rogue planets not bound to host stars than there are stars.

The Milky Way began as one or several small overdensities in the mass distribution in the Universe shortly after the Big Bang. Some of these overdensities were the seeds of globular clusters in which the oldest remaining stars in what is now the Milky Way formed. These stars and clusters now comprise the stellar halo of the Galaxy. Within a few billion years of the birth of the first stars, the mass of the Milky Way was large enough so that it was spinning relatively quickly. Some studies consider the Milky Way an atypical spiral galaxy as, unlike others it has not suffered unduly from the effects of intergalactic collision. It is known as a “safe” galaxy, far away from the galaxy clusters that often violently collide.

Map
While their are billions of discovered planets within millions of planetary systems, only several have been deemed secure to live on due to the Milky Way's hostile atmosphere. Below is a map of the most popular systems.

The Milky Way is home to many different planets. While there are billions of worlds, the most significant either tend to be inside Earth’s solar system or planets that host important sites.

Earth

Home planet of Humans, Earth is the starting point of a race who would someday conquer the galaxy. It is home to the current T.A.F. Chief, Prometheus CEO and the House of Veneration High Priest. It has a population of approximately 80 billion Humans, 1.9 million Ullitors, 1.3 million Sollins and 1.1 million Naga. It is the capital planet of the Terran Alliance (T.A.F., Prometheus and H.O.V.) and hosts the Hexisan Council meetings each spring. Earth’s surface is nearly completely covered in business or housing cityscape with a few small wilderness reserves that are protected by the Global Recreation  Act. Its Ocean bottoms has over 19 cities with 15 million inhabitants between them and there are 70 subterranean cities who share almost 2 billion.  While Earth has replaced most of its environmentally harmful factories, buildings and vehicles, it still suffers from the extensive abuse it took from the 19th to the 22nd century, and must constantly be supervised by Green Committee officials. Nevertheless, Earth is the pride of the Human race, and heart of the Terran people.


Earth’s Moon

The moon was one of the first globes to be colonized by humans, and appears nearly identical to many Earth cities. Its massive indoor metropolises cover nearly 3/4ths of the moons gray surface and houses over 10 million people. Plasma generators blanket the planet in a protective outside layer that keeps the moon safe from outside hazards (much like the Earth’s natural atmosphere). Man made rivers and imported vegetation have given the moon some of the most breathtaking underground parks in the Solar System. Earth’s moon is also well known for being the home of the Center of Astronomy and Terran Allied Forces Command Center.  

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Mars

The Red Planet known as Mars is typically remembered for its dark past. It was once the site of over twenty battles during the great Solar War. Over one-hundred-thousand humans lost their lives on Mars and many scars still litter across the planet’s surface; haunting reminders of the Human’s dark past. It is now the main headquarters of Prometheus Enterprises, and houses over 1.5 million corporate citizens. However, some say the planet is cursed as it has seen several unusual disasters including the collapsing of Mine 7, the meltdown of Nuclear Reactor 13 and the crashing of Sarden’s meteorite. Nevertheless, Mars is still thriving, as it is the leading exporter of Iron-Oxide, an extract used in paints and cleaning products.

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Moons of Jupiter

Jupiter has 66 moon satellites. Of these, 50 are less than 10 kilometers in diameter and uninhabitable. The four largest moons however, known as the "Galilean moons" (Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto), have been colonized by humans for over three hundred years in order to harvest Jupiter’s hydrogen and helium. While Io is owned by the T.A.F., the remaining three are the property of Prometheus Enterprises. During the great Solar War, Jupiter’s orbit was a large battle ground, and several major sky clashes took place over the gas giant’s surface. All four moons are now industrial areas, with massive indoor cities that house miners and management. Callisto is also famous for being the home of Hubble 2, a Prometheus owned telescope that can see twice as far as most other top-quality devices.

~Europa “The Scarred Moon”~

Owned By: Prometheus Enterprises
Government Type: Corporately Regulated
Size: 3,100 kilometers (1,900 mi) in diameter (slightly smaller than Earth’s Moon)
Major Cities Moneta (Underground, Largest), Exleen (Underground, 2nd largest), Wilcon (Domed Micro-city, smallest)
Surface and Atmosphere: Silicate Rock with smooth, peach colored rock/sand that is frozen in brittle ice. The scar like lines on Europa’s surface are called “Lineae”. These lineae may have been produced by a series of eruptions of warm ice as the Europan crust spread open to expose warmer layers beneath. The upper surface is all brittle and cold, but the underground rivers are quite warm. The subterranean city of Moneta is over 66.2 square miles (same as St. Louis), and sits between the Lucent and Polygon Rivers.
Districts: Financial District (high rise business area), Cumbers District (high class residential area), Delco District (Middle class residential area and small businesses), Wycus District (Industrial area and low class housing)
Population: 901,210,332
Known For:Europa is one of Prometheus’s top exporters of iron, silver, titanium and tungsten due to its massive metallic core. The planet is a top exporter of its resource because it not only mines the metals, but also processes them with their state-of-the-art, multi-billion capital smelting factory. This allows the planet’s workers to send the metals off directly to the markets, cutting out millions of capital by not having to send the raw materials to outside processing plants.

Moneta is also known for its exotic downtown district. The Financial District, nicknamed the “Stairs District”, appears to be just that. Hundreds of medium sized buildings have been built into the subterranean cave’s mountain sides, one above the other, making them appear as if they are sets of stairwell steps. The steep inclines leading to each building requires vehicles to use tank treads, making the outside very noisy. The Financial district’s commerce mostly deals in metallic trade as well as Terran stock exchange.

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Moons of Saturn

The Moons of Saturn are numerous and diverse, ranging from tiny moonlets less than 1 kilometer across, to the enormous Titan, which is larger than the planet Mercury. Saturn has 62 moons with confirmed orbits, of which 13 are inhabitable. Particularly notable among Saturn's moons are Titan, the second largest moon in the Solar System, with a nitrogen-rich Earth-like atmosphere and a landscape including hydrocarbon lakes and dry river networks. Titan is the home to the T.A.F. Space Force, a military base with over 10 million staff, 500 battle cruisers and over 100,000 thousand fighter-craft. It holds not only the majority of T.A.F.’s star force, but also the majority of its ship factories.

Enceladus, which emits jets of gas and dust and  harbors liquid water under its south pole region, is the location of the House of Veneration’s largest control center. It is also the training center for the Empyrean Legion Knightly Order, an order of holy knights who’ve devoted themselves to defending the weak, exploring the universe for holy relics and uncovering proof that a one-true-God exists.

Rhea, the second largest livable moons, is owned by Prometheus Enterprises, and serves two purposes. It mines Saturn’s hydrogen and serves as the Prometheus maximum security prison known as “The Iron-Lady”. This facility is the dwelling place for over 1 million of the universe’s worse convicts and is said to be inescapable. Robots, Psions and heavily armored guards protect this penitentiary, keeping folks from both leaving and trying to assault the compound.

The last ten moons have been evenly divided up amongst the Terran Alliance, and are used mostly for luxury homes. Many wealthy civilians have made their homes on these satellite globes, wanting to be able to live a life of luxury while getting a glimpse of what is arguably the most striking planet in the solar system.

~Titan, Military Moon”~

Owned By: T.A.F.
Government Type: T.A.F. Republic
Size:  5,150 km across (3,200 miles) 1.5 times the size of Earth’s moon
Major Cities (in order of highest population) Saratoga 6 (Outer Surface Metropolitan), Napoleon 1B (Outer Surface Large City, Vasilyevich (Outer Surface City), Rostam (Mountain City), Vienna 2 (Underwater city)
Surface and Atmosphere : The False Oxygenation process has created a  humid continental climate because of its nitrogen base. Fine gold sand makes up most of the planet, with imported parks near the larger cities like Saratoga 6 and Napoleon 1B.
Saratoga 6 Districts: Downtown (business section & upper class housing), Cronin District (upper & middle class housing/small businesses),  Dextrin District (poor near the city, rural farms on the outskirts), Sandhurst District (Military Base neighborhood, off limits to most civilians)
Population of Saratoga 6: 2, 301,898
Saratoga 6 is Known For:Its military academies, training facilities, ship yards, fortresses,  and air-only highways. Titan is the main military outpost outside of Earth/Earth’s moon. It has the largest inhabitation of T.A.F. government workers and most military operations are launched from Titan, which is considered the heart of the armed forces development.

Saratoga 6 is also known for it’s great Sun-Disrupter, a weapon of mass destruction which can fire disrupting matter into stars in order to create a massive explosion that destroys all planets and moons around it.

Finally, Saratoga 6 is known for its fertile farms that surround the high rise city. Each massive T.A.F. farm grows vegetation that is only abundant in the fine sands of Titan’s soil. Over 30 billion tons of crops are grown here each year.

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Moons of Neptune

Neptune has thirteen known moons, by far the largest of which is Triton. The next-largest irregular satellite in the Solar System, Saturn's moon Phoebe, which is only 0.03% Triton's mass. Triton is massive enough to have achieved hydrostatic equilibrium and to retain a thin atmosphere capable of forming clouds and hazes. Both its atmosphere and its surface were at one time only composed of nitrogen, methane and carbon monoxide that gave the moon a surface temperature of about −235.2 °C. However, with the help of Solin Physicist and Chemist, Dr. Seefix Mantaton, Triton was the first moon to take on an atmosphere capable of sustaining life through experimental engineering. By adding large amounts of earthly elements, Triton was able to balance itself enough to contain life without protective equipment. Afterwards, the T.A.F. used its resources to bring in Earth based plants and animals and create an ecosystem which is much like Earth’s. It is currently under serious construction, a project organized by T.A.F. in an attempt to create a commerce giant for business and working class families.

Inward of Triton are six regular satellites, all of which have prograde orbits that lie close to Neptune's equatorial plane. Some of these travel round Neptune's rings, while others, just below it. The largest of them is Proteus (the others being Halimede, Sao, Psamathe, Laomedeia and Neso). All six are owned by Prometheus Enterprises, and are used as launching points for outer-system logistics. Proteus in particular has become such an active port moon that crime has risen by nearly 300%. Neso meanwhile, is home of the largest robotic research and industrial facility. More than half of all Prometheus robots are designed and put together within this small corporate moon.

Neptune also has six outer irregular satellites, (Larissa, Naiad, Thalassa, Despina, Galatea and Nereid), whose orbits are much farther from Neptune and have high inclinations. The two outermost moons, have the largest orbits of any natural satellites discovered in Earth’s Solar System. Currently, the moons are owned by the House of Veneration and are the project site for future communities. However, because of their unstable atmospheres, the House of Veneration is first trying to balance out their environments by applying similar methods used by the T.A.F. for Triton. The project may take more than five years to complete, but once finished, will be the most stable ecosystems in the outside orbit of Earth’s Solar System.
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10.5 light years away from Earth's System

Epsilon Eridani B

When Humans arrived in the Epsilon Eridani Solar System, they had little idea of what to expect. After a great amount of research however, they decided it would be best to visit Epsilon Eridani B first, home of the Ullitors. The history started off rocky, but once the Ullitors were inducted into the T.A.F. (and Terran Alliance much later), the two races settled down and created a home out of the frozen planet. At first, it was mostly research facilities, but once scientists realized the potential of Epsilon Eridani B (having large deposits of Tungsten), they knew they’d struck it big.

Human and Ullitors made trillions of capital (money) on the precious metal deposits, and soon the once frozen wasteland had become a Mecca for prospectors and businessmen. Villages became towns, and towns became cities. Avalanche resilient buildings were constructed inside the frozen rock faces of Epsilon Eridani B’s mountains, and before long the population had nearly doubled. Now, with much of the Tungsten mined from the soils, T.A.F. officials have helped transform the ice planet into a place where the 2 billion Ullitors (and any other race who enjoys the cold) can raise families, work in productive jobs and enjoy daily life. They’ve also allowed House of Veneration clergy to establish large church communities, in hopes to keep the planet’s inhabitants peaceful and law abiding (as Ullitors are prone to anger easily).  

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Helios 13

Helios 13, home of the Solins, is a hot and barren planet. The volcanoes, radiation storms and tainted waters make the globe barely livable. Yet, the Solin race someone has managed to keep their race alive, prospering off of ingenuity for millennia before the humans arrived. Once the T.A.F. arrived, they were able to help the natives build heat resistant homes, filters for water and better hospitals for their sick. Before long, the Solins were multiplying by the thousands, doubling their populations size within a matter of years.

The searing magma rivers were also a hot bed for metal enriched soils. Soon, mining towns and industrial plants were spread across the globe, creating a booming economy. The capital, Hates 6, was the first mining colony to transform itself into a metropolis. It is above ground because of its isolation from many of the volatile natural hazards. It is one of the few cities that does not exist underground. Most other settlements have no choice but to exist beneath Helios 13’s surface, hiding from the dangerous radiation that lingers above. All of the planet is either powered by Helios 13’s dull red sun or by geo-thermal generators. It is so packed with energy, that many T.A.F. facilities with high energy needs have been purposely built on the planet, taking advantage of its active atmosphere.




Flagam

Flagam is Helios 13’s only moon. Though the moon is merely a chunk of Helios 13 that broke off long ago due to asteroids, its distance to both its volatile host and local star makes it suitable enough for life. Flagam was the posting point for the T.A.F. while they covertly observed the Solin people before introducing themselves. Since Flagam hardly rotates, T.A.F. placed many of their mobile complexes and barracks along the outer face of the moon, a site that still exists today.

Nowadays, Flagam is the focal point for the system of Epsilon Eridani’s communication devices. Nearly a quarter of the planet is filled with satellites, radio transmitters, and microwave communicators installed by Hexisan engineers. These devices help the Terran Alliance penetrate the vast dark matter between the Milky Way and Hexisan galaxy, allowing for stable communication. It’s also where the Epsilon Eridani embassy is located, a massive structure that allows Terrans or Hexisan aliens to visit in order to resolve any foreign policy issues. While the planet is a mere 1,000 miles in diameter (half of Earth’s moon), it is still a vital zone for the Terran Alliance.

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20.22 light years from Earth's System

Gliese 581c

Gliese 581c is a planet orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 581. It is the second planet discovered in the system and the third in order from its star. With a mass at least 5.6 times that of the Earth, it is classified as a super-Earth (a planet of 1 to 10 Earth masses). Gliese 581 c is in a habitable zone from its star, with a temperature right for liquid water on its surface, and by extension, capability of supporting extremophile forms of Earth-like life. Gliese 581 system is relatively close to Earth, at 20.3 light years (192 trillion km or 119 trillion miles) in the direction of the constellation of Libra. Terran scientists were shocked to find that there was no life present besides bacteria when they first visited the planet and made the decision to introduce Earth life forms to the planet. Millions-upon-millions of land and sea based creatures were transported in a project called “Noah 2”. Most of the life forms took well to Gliese 581c and adjusted easily, though a few had adapted so well to Earth’s environment that they did not survive.

Gliese 581c has been cultivated to replicate a clean, early form of earth with enormous landscapes, massive mountains and beautiful oceans. Early cities have been constructed, and Gliese 581c’s capital, Eurovan 3, is the most largely populated at 1.5 million people. The Terran Alliance has agreed to share the planet, each factions (T.A.F., Prometheus, House of Veneration), owning their own continent. While Gliese 581c is relatively safe, it does have a more active solar system than Earth and is subject to the hazards that come along with it. Asteroids must be shot down regularly, as a nearby meteor belt flings stray rocks towards the Gliese system. Unpredictable star activity is also a concern, and all of the nearby suns are being studied to ensure they are not nearing the end of their life span (IE: exploding, imploding, creating a black hole).If the area proves stable, then Gliese 581c may be the future of Terran existence in the Milky Way galaxy.

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Agricon

Agricon is an oxygen enriched moon owned by Prometheus. It circles a small gas planet called Lincum located within the Gliese System. Agricon is a dusty, mound covered moon on the surface. Its hot core however not only keeps the planet warm, but also enriches the many metals that hide in its layers of crust. For this reason, Agricon has been a miner’s moon for past few decades. Thousands of Prometheus miners are imported here each year to live. Regrettably, because it is a moon filled only by blue collared workers, very few expenses have been allocated to make the lives of the inhabitants more hospitable. Most homes or businesses are wood, stone, or cheap metal buildings, and neighborhoods consist of small towns and settlements. This makes Agricon a much looked over moon except for by those looking for mining work.
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Cohen 6

Cohen 6 is a disputed House of Veneration/Prometheus Enterprises moon now under Terran Alliance court order. For years Cohen was defaulted to the House, and was left alone because it had little value. After two decades though, the H.O.V. finally sent settlers to the empty moon in order to begin housing projects. What early settlers found was that there was an abundance of agricultural soils and crystal deposits just waiting to be harvested. Once Prometheus learned of this, they argued territorial rites, and took their claim to the courts. For years now the farming and mining town has been left abandon, with little outside help from the Alliance. Its few thousand inhabitants are nervous to find out who owns the planet, especially the government employees who decide to stay, as they have not been paid in sometime.

80K direct light years from Earth's system, though travelers must travel at least 120K light years to avoid the center of Milky Way's black hole

Hades

Hades (Also known as Hades 13 by Humans) is a secluded planet off of the bright star of Norma's Arm. It is the most habitable planet in its solar system, made of pink fertile soils and rivers that flow underground. Hades is an independent mining planet, ran by city-state governments. It has several major industrial cities spread across its surface. While some of these metropolises get along, due to their similar interests, most are very competitive. This is because they export many of the same goods.


While rural areas in Hades are quiet, most towns are dangerous due to high levels of criminal activity. Because of this, many cities pay a group called "Paladins" to enforce their laws. The Paladins are a group of militia who've banded together in order to clean up Hades many years ago. This organization is mostly successful because of its knowledge in the area, and ability to aggressively enforce those who dare to break the rules.


Hades 13 has five different major cities along its surface that make up the bulk of the planet. Each of these major cities are independent “city states”, running their governments in extremely different ways. However, all of these planets have one thing in common, each must pay taxes to the “Hades United Metropolis” organization, who ensures that planetary dues are being equally distributed between territories.
The five major cities are as follow…
Artex (Population 402, 090)

This city-state is ran by a commonwealth (city founded on law and compacted of the people for the common good). Artex started off as a religious town, basing its ethics from the House of Veneration’s principles. However, when crime began to influence the city, representatives of the commonwealth decided to purge out crime by rounding up any suspect criminals and throwing them to harsh justice. Thousands of innocent were wrongly jailed or put to death, but the rate of crime did signifigantly drop to near 4.5%. Artex is a major exporter of fresh water, as they own one of the largest underground springs on Hades (known as the Alhamdulillah Spring).

Bolthum (Population 625,024)

A constitutional republic with city representatives who serve in synchronization with a Mayor (Mayor Gray), Bolthum makes most of its profit from its government owned smelting factories. Bolthum is the main exporter of industrial metals within the Cygnus and Norma arms, making billions of capital from their export. Bolthum is made up of several different municipalities that are split by the river Ougus. It is located in the midwest part of the Sono district.

Dovin (Population: 1,123, 045)

Though Dovin is officially an Oligarchy (ran by individuals whose authority is based on wealth), but unofficially a pirate city. The rich, who each are in charge of their own territory, tolerate the pirates due to secret ties that each has with the raiders. Some of the wealthy rulers keep a private council, while others rule with an iron fist. Each has their own private law enforcement organization, but paladins (Hades militia) are also allowed to uphold justice so long as they report all illegal findings to the ruler of the incident’s territory. Dovin exports computer technology, ground vehicles, and alcohol, though most of its donations to the Hades United Metropolis is through rulers’ personal riches. It is the largest of the Hades cities, and launch point of the Marauder Race’s Arial Dome.

Voniko (Population: 400, 039)

The cultivation city of Voniko is a totalitarian government (ran by representatives who control political, economic, and value power over its population). The legislative body forces nearly two-thirds of its citizens into psuedo-slavery, making them work the acres of farm lands as to uphold their main exports, agricultural goods. The few priveledged (mostly rich) citizens who don’t have to work Voniko’s farms, comfortably relish in the extravagant night clubs and high tech shopping centers downtown. Recent threats between Voniko, and its neighboring city, Yenrian, have caused both cities to tighten their borders to outsiders.

Yenrian (Population: 296, 018)

Yenrian is a republic city that split from Voniko nearly sixty years ago. Since then, Yenrian has been able to prosper because of its new mines that have deposits of tungsten-K, the most valuable of the tungsten metals. Yenrian is a city made mostly of refugees of Yenrian. It is protected by the Paladin militia, who holds their major headquarter within Yenrian’s walls.
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Hermes

Hermes is a massive cold planet located on the outskirts of the Hades system. Because it has no outer atmosphere, Hermes is constantly being riddled with small asteroids and shooting stars. This cosmic beating however does help protect the smaller planets behind it, giving Hermes the nickname, “The Shielding Planet”. Though some brave souls do make the planet their home (usually through underground facilities), Hermes is mostly known for its use in the media. The large, rugged surface has been used for the famed “Marauder Races”, a televised event that uses land based vehicles to compete against one another. These races are barely legal, as the trucks, tanks, and hovercrafts are allowed to battle one another as they compete for position. This event has helped transport companies located on Hades make millions in capital with their floating crowd vessels. These vessels fly hundreds of Marauder fans above the race track, allowing them to safely route for their favorite racer.

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Nomos

Nomos is an independent planet made mostly of potassium enriched soil which gives it a bright pink and lavender hue. It is the fifth planet to rotate around Hades’s sun, giving it a cool temperature that averages in 20 degree Fahrenheit. Normos is known for its Trigliodons, a massive dinosaur-like creature that roams the planet. Though these Trigliodnos are plant eaters, they are quick to temper and very protective of their young. Nonetheless, as vicious as they can be, it hasn’t stopped citizens and government workers from trying to train the animal. They have seized several thousand of the beasts and trained them for manual labor. Others have been used for milking, manure compost, and eggs for eating.


Nomos is also known for its hurricanes. A quarter of Nomos is consistently smothered in a perpetual hurricane that constantly circulates throughout the planet. Each part of Nomos endures this hurricane for three months before it travels to another region. This hurricane gives off 100mph winds and tears apart the surface. For this reason, most of Nomos’s living areas are built underground. These subterranean cities protect Nomos citizens from the torrential winds, and even harness the power of the storm into their generators, creating weeks of natural energy. Though many people prefer living on the independent planet of Hades, Nomos is slowly growing, reaching nearly five million people in January of 2525 A.D.

42K light years away from Earth's system

Bacchus

Bacchus is an independent planet near the center of the galaxy. The planet was originally founded by free spirited Terrans who wished for nothing more than peace, unity and love, but had no where to turn to. The outcasts discovered Bacchus and made it their peace loving society for many years. Unfortunately, visiting prospectors would uncover veins of Uranium within the planet’s core and soon the peaceful Terrans were being chased out of their homes by greedy businessmen. Today, the planet remains an eclectic mix of passive civilians and vicious profiteers. The bright yellow soils and coffee colored rivers are said to inspire creativity, quickly making Bacchus the Mecca for both visual and musical arts.
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Zeus 10

Zeus 10 is a massive gas planet that floats on the outskirts of the Olympia system. It is uninhabitable, but has several hundred solid micro-moons that rotate it and block out incoming space debris. Zeus 10 has no real financial potential, and is leaking dense carbon emissions into the Olympia surroundings. These emissions have created a thick layer of fog around the large planet, causing interference with communication and travel tools. Scientists speculate that the carbon will need to be cleaned up within the next one-thousand years or else it will reach Olympia’s only star, causing it to implode. While this pricy clean-up technique does exist, no one Alliance entity wishes to claim the rites to Zeus 10 or Olympia. Such is why it has remained an independent system since its discovery.

100K direct light years from Earth's system, though travelers must travel at least 150K light years to avoid the center of Milky Way's black hole

Protega

Protega was discovered by Prometheus Enterprises while they attempted to map out the galaxy. It is a massive planet, ten times the size of the Earth, but just as livable. Protega is on the outskirts of the Milky Way galaxy, at the tip of its longer tail. Although it is farther to its sun than the earth, the star it orbits is much warmer and able to help sustain life. Protega does not distance itself from its star as much as the earth does either, making it always a comfortable 29.4 degrees Celsius (85 degrees Fahrenheit). It has no oceans, but multiple river veins that spread throughout its surface. When the planet was first discovered, Prometheus had big plans to make the world the home for its new headquarters. Trillions of capital were spent on transporting crews and equipment to the pink giant (Pink because of its clayish soil) in order to build the foundation for its corporate community.

Then , fifteen years into its construction, the planet was raided by a massive band of space pirates who’d been surveying the globe from a meteor belt not too far away. The army of marauders ambushed and destroyed most of Prometheus’s guard and took what they wanted from the community. They lived there for several months until Prometheus returned with its own military. The pirates ran back to their belt, hiding along its dangerous surroundings. Meanwhile, Prometheus began to rebuild, but it seemed that the seed of piracy had already been planted.

The Protega management body had been corrupted by the raiding pirates, and the two sides had secretly negotiated terms that allowed pirates to conduct their business along Protega borders. Though piracy is officially outlawed, Protega officials and citizens tolerate the practice, unable to fight off the persistent outlaws. The planet is a docking ground for traveling smugglers, scoundrels and buccaneers. In return for their cooperation, Protega directors receives cuts from illegal sales, making the world the most functional corrupt civilization in the Milky Way galaxy.
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The Pirate's Asteroid Belt

The Pirate’s Asteroid Belt is a massive meteor field that stretches nearly 1-million kilometers long. Its estimated that the meteor belt formed from two separate solar systems colliding from the galaxy’s pull. Many organizations avoid the belt due to its dangerous atmosphere, including members of the Terran Alliance. However, pirates from the nearby region have recently discovered a way to navigate through the perilous fields, using the belt as shelter to hide from galactic law. The field is made up of different meteor sizes, from fine dust that can cause ship failure, to large rocks the size of moons. Many travelers speculate that the pirates are using hollowed asteroids as docking caves, hiding in their protection while planning their next raid.
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Utopia

Utopia is small cratered moon whose host planet was destroyed nearly 10 billion years ago. Though the moon no longer rotates around any globe, it has been adopted by the Protega system’s natural orbit. Utopia has a weak atmosphere that helps keep its thin oxygen layer within the gravitated atmosphere. In spite of this, the nearly impenetrable rock, tainted water, and poor weather have caused the moon to be looked over. While Utopia takes millions of years to rotate around its solar system, its current location is nearest the outer part of the system rim, facing the Milky Way’s center. Such is why many pirates stay clear of the area, as it is dangerously close to Terran Alliance blockades.

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Santa Muerte

Gravity: 3.711 m/s²
Radius: 2,106 miles (3,390 km)
Surface area: 55.91 million sq miles (144.8 million km²)
Length of day: 1d 0h 40m

Santa Muerte is a minor planet in the Protega system. Its dark surface is a product of its high content of thorium within its soil. The planet is mostly barren, with toxic waters and violent storms that rip through the planes. Its atmosphere protects Santa Muerta from most meteors and space debris, though larger sized alien objects occasionally burn through the surface, creating massive craters in Santa Muerte’s earth. It is a shielding planet that protects most of the other globes within Protega’s rotation, even though it is the smallest in its system.

Santa Muerte is well known for its mud slides that locals have named “The Black Waves”. This stretch of water and earth is created from moist soil that accumulates when storms blow over lake waters. Most black waves are nearly a mile long, but some have been documented as stretching out to twelve in width.  These waves of destruction can rip apart rocks, tear through hills, and cause havoc on Terran made structures. It has nearly destroyed all wild life (except small amphibious creatures and bacteria), and made the terrain infertile.

Rumors persist that the Conquistador pirates of Protega have been very active on Santa Muerte as of late. While some believe that the raiders are merely keeping an eye on the outer most planet (so that enemy intelligence doesn’t make a place for themselves there), others whisper that they have other plans for the hostile planet. Everything from weather controlling devices to new fortresses are speculated to have been built on Santa Muerte. However, if the raiders have been working on something, it has been undetectable by distant Terran Alliance sensors. Though nothing has been found, it still does not stop the rumors of activity from coming in.

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The Freeze

The Freeze is a pirate discovered planet inside Protega's solar system. It is as large as most moons and surrounded by a ring of space ice. On the surface, The Freeze is nothing more than winter wasteland with a low pressure atmosphere. However, it is this quality that makes The Freeze invaluable to those who live on it. Because those who do not have enough financial resources to escape the hardships of Protega's undesirable pirate lifestyle by running to Earth have retreated to The Freeze. They raise families in small towns that pay taxes to the Protega government, but do not partake in their mischief. And though the pirates hold a few bases of operation on the planet, it is relatively free of brigands and bandits.

The Freeze has many dangerous types of wildlife, many very large and feral. It also has multiple frozen oceans that in the summer months can be very dangerous. Some who have built too close to the bodies of water have learned the hard way that though the foundation they built on seemed stronger than steel during the winter, is actually a watery grave in the summer.

The Phaya system is 81K light years from Earth's System, though it takes a minimum of 125K light years to avoid the Milky Way's central black hole

Phaya 2 and Phaya 3

Phaya 2 and Phaya 3, home of the Nāga. The tropical planet and its tropical moon were discovered by Prometheus explorers a century ago and chose to be the breeding ground of their new, genetically altered species. The Nāga, a snake-like humanoid, was to be Prometheus’s future labor force, but when the truth surfaced, and Prometheus abandon the planet, the Nāga were forced to fend for themselves. The race attempted to cultivate its planet, but needed outside aid. Though the T.A.F. provided some provisions, it would not be enough for the Nāga who wished to stay on the planets to survive.

Nāga inhabitants had to either make homes out of the Prometheus abandon settlements or build from scratch. They used many of the research facilities that Prometheus had left over as centers for their construction. Once the culture was introduced to the Hexisan Union, the Nāga were no longer looked over as just mere slaves, and quickly integrated as military personal, researchers, and explorers. The T.A.F. and Prometheus needed the species to be the scouts of the galaxy since they were such a great distance away from the rest of the Terran civilizations. The T.A.F. fed the planet enough capital to better fund its people while establishing galactic sensors along its surface which could keep an eye on the vacant part of the Milky Way.

Phaya 2 and Phaya 3 are still mostly jungle planets, with a few towns and small cities along the way. It is well known for “Venom Port”, a space port that is essential for any vessels exploring the galaxy’s deep recesses. It is also known for its capital, Bacchus, which is located under a massive, slow moving storm that isn’t projected to leave the area for another five years.  The capital has one of the largest settlements of Hexisan aliens, and is highly advanced due to the technology they’ve brought with them to remain comfortable.

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Perseus  

Perseus, aka “Gold-Sky”,  is a war torn free planet located in the Phaya system. It is comparatively tiny compared to most inhabitable globes, with a radius of 1001.6 miles (smaller than earth’s moon). The once ore rich soil that covers the planet is now completely depleted, leaving only white sand and bad blood. The tensions started after Prometheus Enterprises and the T.A.F. decided to split mining rights on the miniature globe in order to keep Terran Alliance distribution rights on par. The ore miners of both sides immediately began to clash near the borders, causing a heated rivalry between mining companies. Conflict only worsened when both factions decided that the amount of ore left in Perseus’s depths wasn’t enough to continue their projects. With both powers abandoning the planet, only those who had built homes to settle down remained.


Now without work, those remaining miners from both sides decided to try and retrieve what ore was left in the great depths of Perseus and sell them on the open market. Unfortunately, with old hostilities still burning and a limited amount of remaining ore, violence soon broke out. The two old mining staffs now became ferocious, deadly mobs. Their fights turned from small skirmishes to deadly battles that involved nearly fifty-thousand remaining workers. With both sides unwilling to budge, the blue collar workers began to buy and develop war tools in order to fight off their enemy. The result; a fifteen year war that doesn’t look like it’s near any end. And since it would cost millions of capital in order to stop this conflict, neither T.A.F. or Prometheus are looking to claim Perseus as their territory any longer.

Environmentally, the planet is a beautiful site. The soft, white sand only compliments the gold and blue skies that waver like water ripples from the dark gases in its atmosphere. The crystal waters and light gray canyons create a soothing site, and at one time summoned some of the best freehand artists to come to paint its sites. Regrettably, these beautiful locations are slowly dying off. The overturning of soil has created frequent dustbowls that are destroying the lakes and rivers by tainting them with mud. The scenic skies are becoming polluted with primitive mining equipment and wildlife are losing their homes as ore pits continue to grow. Those who still dwell in Perseus hope that the fighting ends soon. If it doesn’t, there may be nothing left for the victor of the “Mine Wars”.

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Bogan

Bogan is a watery blue planet with very little Terran influence. That's because beyond water, there is very little value to the planet. Bogan has a naturally stable atmosphere that is dense with mist and clouds from the waters below. Many who arrive on Bogan become very ill due to the pure oxygen levels, feeling dizzy or intoxicated. However, those who do choose to live on the planet make their homes on mechanical islands called "Buoys". These block sized landing pads are anchored to the ocean floor and use the waters as a power source for their homes. Many who stay often grow mentally unstable due to the high levels of oxygen and the isolation. Along with the fogs, this makes for a very eerie globe to live on.

The Carina–Sagittarius Arm (also known as Sagittarius Arm) is generally thought to be a minor spiral arm of the Milky Way. The Carina–Sagittarius Arm is one of the most pronounced arms in the galaxy as a large number of HII regions, young stars and giant molecular clouds are concentrated in it. The Sagittarius Arm is divided into two parts. Curving outward from the galaxy's central bar is the Sagittarius Arm (Sagittarius bar), which further outward becomes the Carina Arm. Probably the most distinct part of the Carina-Sagittarius Arm is the recent super-nova which exploded near the outside of the rim, littering the area with star fragmentations. These clouds of nova-dust makes it difficult for vessels to navigate in do the obstructions they cause in sensors.


Kydoimos (65K light years away from Earth's Solar System)


Kydoimos is a Prometheus owned dead planet (no hot core) that lacks any atmosphere. It is a stable globe that is strongly secured to its sun’s orbit, making it ideal for colonization. The twelve other planets that spin around Kydoimos’s star along with it, protect the dead planet from most atmospheric meteors and comets, allowing it to exist in peace. Under the frozen gray rock on Kydoimos is vast amounts of platinum and methane, both used for the construction of massive Imperial Class Vessel engines. This means that most massive space vessels trekking through the Milky Way have Kydoimos alloys within their structure, making it a very important planet for mining.

However, Kydoimos is very close to the most recent supernova’s area of explosion, and receives loads of electro-magnetic fields from the region. This causes major disturbances within electronics, mechanics, and psionics. More importantly, Kydoimos must constantly rotate it’s staff tending to the mines, as the EMF fields cause fatigue, memory loss, paranoia, dementia, and hallucinations after two to three months. It’s for this reason that Prometheus Enterprise workers stationed on the site are offered a hazard bonus for the mental hindrances they may suffer.

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Zelos (75K light years away from Earth's Solar System)

Zelos is a small red planet owned by the House of Veneration on the end of the Carina–Sagittarius Arm. It has a light protective atmosphere shield and a weak gravity field. The fine bromide enriched sands of Zelos make for a hard time when using the planet’s surface. In addition, massive sink holes have swallowed cargo ships trying to land on more than one occasion, destroying the crews inside. This has created a feared reputation for Zelos, and most travelers simply skip the planet when traveling in the area. However, the H.O.V. has erected several safe refueling stations on Zelos, and encourages visitors to stopover in order to observe the Nova Space Storms that produce a whimsical show of stunning colors.

Zelos also is rumored to be a smuggler hiding spot, and the location of the great Captain Aldainyo’s missing treasure. Captain Aldainyo was an affluent pirate who’d stolen nearly six million capital worth of gold and titanium bars in 2430 A.D. While the Captain was shot down during his thirty day escape attempt, authorities never found his stolen plunder. Most experts estimate that it was hidden on Zelos, plunged into the sands for a later pickup date. While optimistic treasure hunters have tried to search for the fortune, even the most advanced sensors and dig equipment have not been able to find Aldainyo’s gold or titanium so far.


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Danaides (80K light years away from Earth's Solar System)

Danaides is the closest strongly secured Terran Alliance planet to Protega. It is on the outskirts of the Carina-Sagittarius Arm, bordering along the Cygnus section. Danaides is owned by the T.A.F., and is a cold, unfriendly globe with a weak atmosphere and gravity zone. For this reason, most of the nearly one-million inhabitants dwell within a indoor pipe shaped facility known as the “complex”. This nearly ten mile long enclosed city has a false environment that mirrors Earth and its seasons (including flaky snow in the winter, and hot muggy days in the summer).

Danaides is also home of Fort Musashi (After Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi of the Five Rings). Fort Musashi is armed with an array of military personal including the T.A.F. AAP-1 Mobile Infantry Corp. and the T.A.F. Condor-7 Fleet. Together these forces protect Danaides while patrolling the nearby space region. Most military combat involving pirates, smugglers, and other military criminal organizations take place in Danaides, and consume nearly 9% of the T.A.F.’s entire military funding for the year. Such is why Danaides is also encircled by three orbiting military bases, and one Zeus Machina, as it is a vital strategic location.

The Cygnus Arm is a minor spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy. It is approximately 10,000 light-years (3,100 parsecs) in length. It's named after the Cygnus constellation, which is one of the most prominent constellations. While it has numerous stars, there is little in the form of inhabitable planets (as most are gas without stable surfaces or moons). Cygnus is also a major carrier of radiation storms, making it very hostile to pilot in at certain areas.


Zephyrus (105.5K light years away from Earth's Solar System)

Zephyrus is an all gas planet owned by House of Veneration that is mostly made of hydrogen and helium. It has a small dense core that is smothered by the rotating gases, making up its intermediate sized white atmosphere. Zephyrus has very little value to any of the factions, and was inherited by the House of Veneration during the Terran Alliance Territory Act. However, because it has a remote location within the outer rims of the Milky Way, Zephyrus is a very important position for House research. The H.O.V.’s “Flying Facilities” use subatomic gaseous particle generators, and a gas called Protium, to make their large research centers float above the heavier helium. Each of the fifty facilities can hold hundreds of thousands of tons while remaining on Zephyrus’s upper environment.

One of these “Flying Facilities”, known as the Archangel Facility, is the House of Veneration’s defensive base. There, they carry hundreds of Hornet Class Fighters, planetary security weapons, and Sacred Guards as protection against local pirates. While there have been several small skirmishes as of date, most are quickly ended and of little significance. That’s because Zephyrus has little worth to pirates since the H.O.V.’s Flying Facilities takes hundreds of technicians to keep afloat. The high maintenance, and dismal profit that comes out of looting the fortresses is hard for any pirate to justify.

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Talos (90.2K light years away from Earth's solar system)
Talos is a super massive black hole in the Cygnus Arm. Like most black holes, Talos is a region of space time from which gravity prevents anything, including light, from escaping. The theory of general relativity supports that a sufficiently compact mass (most likely a massive star) was deformed billions of years ago to construct the beginning of Talos. Soon, other nearby black holes merged with the original to create the super massive black hole. Today, objects whose gravity fields are too strong for light to escape near Talos are immediately swallowed, including moons, planets, and stars. While Talos is relatively puny compared to most super massive black holes (such as the one in the middle of the Milky Way), it is still a large enough roadblock that Cygnus Arm is mostly avoided. This barricade is why Talos earned its name, dubbed for the mythological giant who was given to Europa as a gift from Zues in order to keep her safe.

The Norma Arm is a minor spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy extending from and around the central hub region of the Milky Way Galaxy. The inner portion of the Arm is called Norma Arm in narrow meaning. The outer part of it is identified either with Cygnus Arm, which lies outside the Perseus Arm, or Outer Arm, which is located further away from the center of the Galaxy than Cygnus Arm. Norma arm not only has the vibrant Hades system, but many other small planets that scatter around it. These planets tend to have livable atmospheres, making Hades a prospective place for Terrans, if they can develop it further.

Aidos (120K light years away from Earth’s solar system)

Aidos (Aye-Dough-Ss) is a soil enriched planet owned by Prometheus Enterprise with a size and atmosphere similar to Earth. At one time it’s believed that Aidos was filled with large oceans and plentiful vegetation, but because its sun slowly became hotter, Aidos now is mostly dried up, with small regions that collect the majority of the humidity. Aidos is most well known for its mysterious religious rings scattered across its planet. These metallic loops are enormous halo bands comparable to five story buildings that are believed to be constructed from either some visiting race or an undiscovered native species that went extinct. Scientists have found that the rings use the high magnetic fields within the metal of the spheres to levitate above ground, literally making them float. These thousands of rings are dated to be millions of years old, and do not create any recognizable pattern. They do however space themselves from one another at exact same distances, and are highly resistant to weather, electricity, and other natural environmental hazards.

Aidos only has one major city, Nike III, which is a factory community that focuses on procuring the rich nutrients from Aidos’s earth in order to manufacture various products. There are several other small towns and hamlets, but otherwise, the planet is very sparse in population. Prometheus Tours does offer a guided sightseeing trip for those wanting to see the rings, but otherwise, Aidos is rarely visited. A cult, known as the Boatmen of Styx, claim that the rings are a battery for a portal that will someday swallow up the Hades system. These claims have no scientific proof or support.

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Atlantis VII (150K light years from Earth's solar system)

Atlantis VII is a small aquatic planet just 10 light years away from Hades (150 light years from Earth). It is technically owned by the T.A.F., but has been sublet to the Aptions, a group of affluent Free Masons, for the next one hundred years. In return for use of the planet, the T.A.F. is contracted to inherit the nearly two- thousand aquatic buildings constructed in Atlantis’s oceans, which are all located in Nimue, an artificial city. Until that time though, the Aptions use Nimue for their enjoyment. Many own their own marine high rises, and throw lavish balls, exhibitions, and business meetings in the small city. They also organize leisure exploration swims, submarine tours, and aquatic animal rides.


Atlantis VII has an equatorial circumference of 6,783.5 miles (10,917 km), nearly the size of Earth’s moon. It is only enterable by T.A.F. sanctioned officials and Aption members. A strong force of privately owned space security forces known as Yunobi protect the small planet from intruders, keeping any unwanted company away from it’s atmosphere. While Atlantis does have a thin layer of oxygen that encircles the globe, there are no islands or artificial cruisers that station there. Many theorize that by the time the Aptions leave Atlantis VII, the foundations of Nimue’s high rises will be rusted and rotted, leaving a disaster for T.A.F. officials to repair.


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The Perseus Arm is one of two major spiral arms of the Milky Way galaxy. The second major arm is called Scutum–Centaurus Arm. Perseus Arm begins from the distal end of the long Milky Way. The Perseus Spiral Arm, with a radius of approximately 10,700 parsecs, is located between the minor Cygnus and Carina–Sagittarius Arms. It is named after its proximity to the constellation Perseus.


Castor (15K light years away from Earth’s solar system)

Castor is a Prometheus Enterprise owned planet, and the center of their business world outside of Earth’s galaxy. It is a dense globe, fourth amongst ten (all others are gas planets) from its sun. Its protective atmosphere is so powerful that it can be visibly seen from other nearby planets, and repels small sized meteors with ease. It has a warm climate (averages 80 degrees Fahrenheit) and strong magnetic soil banks that are used to energize the nearby power plants. Castor is only 6,000 miles large (a bit smaller than Earth’s moon), and has a very limited natural water supply. In order to counter the drought, Prometheus has created a hydrogen/oxygen generator that synthetically manufactures water by combining atoms.

Castor is known for its business city of Pollux, a corporate metropolis that handles all of Prometheus’s production, trade, and commerce outside of Earth’s solar system. The city has a vast business district that accommodates over one million Prometheus employees, and a celebration ward filled with casinos, nightclubs, and restaurants for afterhours. Many important Prometheus managers and board members make their home on Castor, reveling it its “work hard, play hard” mentality. Beyond Pollux, Castor has several other cities, which are separated by dry deserts and planes. It has a dozen lakes and rivers, but lacks any ocean.

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Abderus (18.5k light years from Earth's solar system)

Abderus (Abb-Dur-us) is an aquatic planet covered with small islands throughout its surface. Its owned by the House of Veneration, and is the first territory awarded to them during the Territory Distribution Act. Most of Abderus’s small islands are empty, though a few of the major islands, such as Adi Shankara and Punjabi III, host major cities. Martin Luther, the largest of these islands, is where the House of Veneration has set up their holy city of Tyr, a Vatican like metropolis built for the assembly of upper H.O.V. bureaucrats and priests.

Abderus’s bodies of water are actually just one large ocean, Nanna, which consumes nearly 98% of the globe. It hosts several million different types of plant and animal life, including Vors, a massive manta ray like creature larger than any Earth whale. There are several major highways within Nanna, all tube shaped with scheduled trains that travel back and forth. These hyper-voyaging transports use air pressure to move along the carbon-metal cabooses throughout Abderus. The deeper parts of Nanna are also used for Sacred Guard, Sanctus Proeliator, and Empyrean Legion zero-G trainings.

he Scutum–Centaurus Arm (also known as Scutum-Crux arm), is a long, diffuse curving streamer of stars, gas and dust that spirals outward from the proximate end of the MIlky Way's central bar. As the Milky Way is a spiral galaxy, this feature is termed a spiral arm. In fact, the Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy, and like many barred spirals it is believed to have two major spiral arms, not four as was previously believed. The Scutum-Centaurus Arm lies between the minor Carina–Sagittarius Arm and Perseus Arm—the second major arm. The Scutum–Centaurus Arm arm starts near the core as the Scutum Arm, then gradually turns into the Centaurus Arm.
The region where the Scutum–Centaurus Arm arm connects to the bar of the galaxy is rich in star-forming regions.

Hekate (25.5K light years away from Earth's solar system

Hekate, aka "Ever Dark" is a small planet only slightly larger than Earth's moon. It is a mountainous planet, made up of mostly tall peaks, that is slowly moving away from its red dwarf. Such is why for the last century, Hekate has remained in a state of permanent darkness, relying on its hot core to keep the planet's water supply from freezing. Hekate has numerous Terran mines within its cliffs that excavate metals, salts, and precious stones. However, it mostly known for its rare herb "Night's Kiss", which is said to be able to stop Space Rot from spreading throughout the body.

Hekate is owned by the House of Veneration and only has one city. The metropolis of Laozi is a compact city of half a million souls who protect themselves around a large wall and force field. The plasma barrier domes over the community at night during certain hours in order to keep citizens safe from the feral wild creatures that are native to Hekate. Of these, the Maceteans or "Ghouls" (non-intelligent humanoids) and Balthans (massive bat-like creatures) are the most feared. Hekate also has one of the largest commercial spaceports, which caters to other Terran Alliance entities for profit.

For all that Hekate is, it is mostly known for its research programs. The University of Laozi is the leading agricultural medicine researcher. It has several small "drop-labs" located in the mountains which are harvesting Hekate's plant forms. Of these, the fragile "Night's Kiss" is the most sought after, though its delicate anatomy and blooming season make it very difficult to study. Many researchers have either abandon their endeavors or died trying to survive in Hekate's nasty environment.
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EIRENE (50K light years away from Earth's solar system)

Eirene is the jewel of the House of Veneration's planets in the Crux-Scutum arm. It is a small planet, comparable to the size of Mars, with a rich, breathable atmosphere. It was bought from Prometheus by the H.O.V. in 2420 A.D., who became increasingly interested in its extinct culture that once lived on the planet. Many ruins and artifacts still remain, and the H.O.V. feels that these sites may hold some insights into the universe. They've even refurbished one of the astronomer race's great palaces and turned it into the Empyrean Legion's headquarters. This base of operation is where they also house "The Great Eye", a telescope able to see past our galaxy and into the deep cosmos.

Eirene is nicknamed "Dream Scape" for its soothing violet atmosphere. Much of its plant life lives off of respiration via carbon in the soil, a process that omits a low, relaxing hum. Together these elements make for a peaceful environment, though its landscape and wildlife are just as dangerous as any other planet. Independent contractors, researchers, and archeologists make up most of Eirene's workforce, as excavating the extinct race is a priority for the H.O.V. Many scientific items have already been plucked from this civilization's remains, proving that this species had an advanced understanding of the world around them.

(Concept Computer Rendering of what Eirene's extinct race once looked like)

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Ophion (60K light years from Earth's solar system)

Ophion is a T.A.F. owned moon located on the Crux-Scutum arm. It is a very hostile environment with volcanic spouts, space rot contamination, and a creature called the Menoetiusan. The T.A.F. however, has refused to give up on the moon as it orbits around the gaseous planet EURYNOME. This planet is mostly composed of Argon, a noble gas that helps stabilize interstellar vehicle engines. Plans are already underway to use Ophion as a base of operations for this mining project which will begin in 2528 A.D. However, until that time, only a single immobile space station protects the moon from outsiders.

The indoor fortress is inhabited by environmental researchers and protected by the 103 Mobile Infantry. It continues to study Eurynome from Ophion's surface, while keeping out Menoetiusans who lurk nearby. Menoetiusans are bacterial-based creatures that infect the body through an exchange of bodily fluids (usually the creature bites its victim), spreading its infection only to grow and take over its victims. Already, dozens of T.A.F. staff have fallen victim to the creature, and were forced to be put down in order to stop the creature from spreading its deadly virus. This has caused a stir in the space station and a nightmare for military forces trying to hold the fort.


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Naxos (75k light years away from Earth's solar system)

Naxos is a large planet, about 1.5 times the size of Earth, owned by Prometheus Enterprises. Is is a barren planet, with little life form on its surface. However, things on Naxos aren't always as they appear. That's because Naxos has thousands of miles worth of natural caverns located in its soils. This subterranean highway has been created by erosion and natural springs that lay dormant underneath the planet's crust. For years, Prometheus catalogers have attempted to map out these underground tunnels, but because of the thick platelets of Naxon, are unable to complete their research.

The tunnels host thousands of forms of funguses, rare plants, and animals. It has lakes and rivers deep enough to touch Naxos's core, and great caverns bigger than most Terran cities. The natural glow of bioluminescent spores illuminates the deeper parts of the tunnels, allowing visitors to see without the assistance of visual enhancers. While none of this has excited Prometheus enough to further investigate these deep, mysterious tunnels, they have set up a few geology labs that continue to look for economic worth for the buried environment.