Outpost (Classic Era 1115)
Sub-Sector: Drexilthar Hex Grid1926)
Sector: Reaver’s Deep
UPP: B320442-D

     Starport: B (Good); Spacecraft Construction, Overhaul, Refined fuel
         Size: 3  Small (4,800 km)
   Atmosphere: 2  Very Thin, Tainted (chlorine/fluorine)
Hydrographics: 0  Desert World (2% Hydro; tainted water ice)
   Population: 4  Moderate (42,744 (+5,000 military personnel and families; +7,200 transients))
   Government: 4  Representative Democracy
          Law: 2  Low Law (no energy weapons)
   Tech Level: D  Average Stellar (holo data)

BRIEF DESCRIPTION
     Outpost is a nonindustrial world that requires extensive imports of outside technology to maintain a modern, star-faring society. It is a client state of the Third Imperium in the Drexilthar Subsector of Reaver's Deep Sector in the Domain of Ilelish.

SYSTEM DATA:
Primary: Binary star system:
Main, Dareenal, spectral class K7V. Mass 0.538 standard. Stellar diameter 0.559 standard. Luminosity 0.064 standard.
Companion, Keneer (orbit #1), spectral class M5V. Mass 0.331 standard. Stellar diameter 0.358 standard. Luminosity 0.007 standard.
Planetary System: Ten major bodies. Three gas giants, one inhabited gas giant satellite (Outpost, Ic), one planetoid belt in system.
Utgard (Dareenal/Keneer I): Mean orbital radius of primary, 152.5 million kilometers (1.02 AU). Period of Primary, 512.98 days.  Primary diameter, 106,000 kilometers (LGG). Density, 0.21. Mass, 119.3 standard. Nine satellites ...
Outpost (Utgard-c): third moon of Planet Utgard; mean orbital radius, 1.06 million kilometers. Period, 11.06 days ... No satellites ... Diameter, 1,995 kilometers. Density, 1.01. Mass, 0.0019 standard. Mean surface gravity, 0.13G. Rotation period: none (tidal lock with primary). Axial Inclination, 2°5'17.2" Albedo, .01 ... Surface atmospheric pressure, 0.05atm; composition, chlorine-fluorine mix. Atmosphere requires pressure and oxygen gear. Hydrographic percentage, 2%; composition, frozen water-ice. Temperature varies with position of M5V companion star; extremes are 99 days apart. Lower extreme Is -180.6°C. Upper extreme Is -80.7°C.

DESCRIPTION (Planetology):
     Though it only lies 5 parsecs from the Imperial border, Outpost is an independent colony established in 872. It does have an Imperial Naval Base. The planet was originally named Hvergelmir, but once the colony was established, people started calling it an outpost, and then just Outpost. As such, the official planet name is now Outpost, the colony name is Outpost, and the naval base is all called Outpost. Local residents never seem to have a problem distinguishing which one is meant.

     The world has little to offer the casual visitor, but it does boast a fairly large starport, thus making the world a major crossroads of trade in this portion of the subsector and a major stopping-point for commercial vessels. Outpost has excellent port facilities, few restrictions on trade or conduct and is a crossroads where information, goods and equipment of many kinds are obtainable.

HISTORY and BACKGROUND (Dossier):

Some controversy surrounds the naval base on Outpost, however, as it is maintained in violation of the treaty which ended the Aslan Border Wars between the Imperium and various pirate clans. In that treaty, the territories of Reavers' Deep between the two interstellar cultures were made a neutral region, under no one's control. In establishing the base at Outpost, the Imperium made use of a loophole which allowed ground to be leased from client planets or states by the two empires for the purpose of protecting those clients.

Settled in 870 by 500 colonists, many of them retiring Imperial naval personnel, they signed a treaty a year later establishing them as an Imperial Client world. At the same time, they leased land to the Imperial Navy and construction of the base followed almost immediately. Protests have been filed by certain influential Aslan clans, but otherwise no action has been taken. Nonetheless, there is a certain amount of pressure on responsible Imperial officials to shut down the base, generated both within and without the Imperium ... pressure which has been exploited by parties interested in seeing the Imperial presence diminished.

Once the Naval Base was completed, several Imperial Megacorporations and interested consortiums began the construction of a civilian Class B starport to facilitate trade between the Imperium and the Confederacy of Duncinae, an Imperial Client state in the Ea subsector.

Ostensibly, the ‘reason’ the colony was founded was because there were starstones discovered on the moon. None of the other moons have them, though, so the Aslan claimed that they were seeded there. There were enough starstones found to fund the colony’s founding and get it up and running. It soon attracted prospectors and belters and traders. This expansion surprised everyone, and when new construction collapsed, the Grand Poobah was forced to declare a moratorium on new construction until some plan was developed. Thus was born the concentric ring design. At this stage, however, there is no longer any way to confirm the decisions made behind the scenes. In fact, no one is quite sure who made the decisions, or when or where they were made. It is quite possible that the claimed reasons really are true and that the Imperial Navy just saw an opportunity and were quick to exploit it.

The Outpost Naval Base was established for a number of reasons. First, it provides a certain degree of security and protection to trade in the region, formerly menaced by piracy and strife. In the second place, it maintains communications between the Imperium and the Confederacy of Duncinae, an Imperial client in the Ea subsector adjacent. These two major functions make the naval installation an important presence in the Drexilthar subsector.

The drafted leader of the colony is the Grand Poobah; he holds numerous exalted offices, including "First Lord of the Treasury, Lord Chief Justice, Commander-in-Chief, Lord High Admiral ... Archbishop ... Lord Mayor" and "Lord High Everything Else". Although the title is generally a mocking one for someone self-important or locally high-ranking and who either exhibits an inflated self-regard or who has limited authority while taking impressive titles, it was started as a joke because nobody really wanted to be in charge. Over the years, though, those who have held the office have taken it seriously and garnished great respect even while they are laughing at themselves.


OUTPOST NAVAL BASE

     This is a port facility for the support, maintenance, repair, and refit of Imperial Naval vessels. It is not a tactical unit. It has no battle forces of its own, and does not exert control even over local system defense boats (which are under a separate command). It is responsible for supporting the fleet and keeping it in optimum condition for its combat missions.

     It has several distinct parts to it; each part helps in the accomplishment of the overall mission of the base.

Administrative Headquarters: This section handles the day-to-day operations of the base, as well as its paperwork (including the allocation of funds, distribution of personnel, and disbursement of maintenance and repair contracts).

Maintenance Areas: This section is underground on the planet, and is fairly extensive, able to handle 5 capital ships at the same time. Repairs or alterations may be carried out under contract to the local facility. Where adequate facilities do not exist, the naval base itself may have a large maintenance section capable of extensive repairs and refits. Maintenance is performed on the ships on the world surface or in orbit as necessary.

Orbital Berthing Areas: These are limited, but provide locations for larger vessels to lay over, whether for a day or for months. All berthing areas include provisions for refueling from storage tanks or fuel lighters.

Surface Berthing Areas: This section is mostly underground, but there are a few provisions for surface berths to cover overflow. It is not recommended due to the atmosphere. The underground facilities can handle vessels of 1,000 tons or less; orbital facilities handle larger ships. Smaller vessels can lay over for a day or for months.