Talis (Beta Draconis 17)
System Background
Beta Draconis (Alanus). Alanus, (named for the Celtic Sun God) is a G2 type dwarf star. It is slightly hotter than Sol and has a total of 7 planets orbiting it. Other than that there is little unusual to mention about it, except that there are 4 jump points in the system which could make it a potential trade transit point from a number of locations were it not so remote. Other system body `names’ reflect the Celtic heritage of the early colonists being named mainly after Celtic deities.
A-Alanus (Airanrhod). This is a small rocky planet about .6 AU from the primary. Gravity 0.4G. No atmosphere and tide locked to the star. The sunward side is heavily irradiated and hot enough for lead to be molten where present on the surface. Year 184 Earth days. Twilight and dark areas are suitable for mining (but only automated or in survival suits). Currently no colonies or mines. Some (unmanned) science outposts that monitor planetary seismology and solar activity.
B-Alanus (Talis) – the main inhabited planet in the system. Talis is a main sequence earth type planet orbiting about 1.05 AU s from it’s primary. Nitrogen / Oxygen atmosphere and a mass of .95 compared to earth, (gravity .87G). Axial tilt is minimal at 2 degrees, which makes it very temperate with little seasonal variation in weather. The Talis day is 25 hours, the year is 336 days long (making a Talis year 350 earth days).
Talis has two moons (B Alanus 1 , and B Alanus 2), named respectively XX and YY. Both are too small to retain an atmosphere and are tide-locked to the planet. Both have small scientific / mining colonies present.
Further briefing on Talis continents political and economic climate in Section 2..
C-Alanus (Codicus). An Earth / Mars type planet 1.5 AU s from the primary. Mass 1.2 with a gravity of 1.4G. No Moons (planetary rings from captured small material of insufficient mass to form a moon). Codicus has a thin atmosphere (equivalent at sea level to Earth at circa 16,000 feet that is just capable of supporting life – the `tropical zone’ being similar in climate to Earth tundra. Primitive plant life, no complex animal life. A few science stations are present in the temperate zone, mostly involved in planetary survey. Planetary year 406 days.
E -Alanus (Ethne). Gas Giant, 4 Moons. Planetary year 640 days.
36 AUs from primary Ethne is the system’s second gas Giant, resembling Saturn (complete with rings from a partially formed moon). Mass 1000, 12G at surface. The atmosphere mainly hydrogen, and is liquid at the core. The moons once again have some minor science and mining facilities.
F -Alanus (Flindais). Ice Planet 1 Moon Planetary year 1407 days
60 AUs from primary Flindais is a Neptune type ice planet. No population, no atmosphere. Mass 200, gravity 5G on the surface.
G - Alanus (Govannon). Govannan is an ice planet / large asteroid, no moons. Planetary Year 4520 days. Govannan is uninhabited though an automated communications relay station is present. Four other unmanned relay stations are in the same orbit.
Jump points. Alanus JP 1 to 4.
Alanus JP 1. Leads to Beta Draconis 2 in the Cal Tex republic. This is Talis’ main trade route.
Alanus JP 2. Leads to Canonis Delta 23. No technological habitation (i.e. no radio or similar emissions detected). System un-surveyed.
Alanus JP3. Leads to Gamma Janus 1104 System. No technological habitation. System un-surveyed.
Alanus JP4. Leads to ADS 8131 System. Uninhabited. System abandoned after alien incursion, though theoretically two inhabitable planets. Previously part of the Pan African Union Star systems. A secondary but sparsely travelled trade route as an additional jump is required to reach PAU space.
Talis – Planetary Background.
Population about 100m
Talis has been colonized for around 500 years. It is on the fringes of `Human’ space which is pretty much where the first colonists wanted to be. However, because of its remoteness it has not developed as regular stop off on many trade routes.
The early colonists were largely from the European SolarUnion, from the British `West Country ’ and Welsh heritage but with a smattering from the Cal Tex republic. The five main continents were named for ancient Celtic / English Kingdoms, respectively Wessex, Kernow, Powys, Rheged and Gwent. These have been further sub divided into a total of 30 states (6 per continent), with a federal government system. (see Government). Major towns and cities have largely been named after West Country and Welsh locations.
Industry
The early colonists deliberately did not develop a lot of heavy industry, just enough to maintain a civilized lifestyle and security of the colony. The temperate nature of the weather enabled farming and fishing to be developed as an all year round industry. Some more industrialized neighbors rely heavily on food exports from Talis.
It does have some heavy industry, small armaments, electronics and vehicle (including agricultural equipment and military vehicle) production. Some of the system moons also have mines. There is a developing air industry. Space craft are all imported, though local companies maintain them. They tend to be older models.
Mining on the planet has not developed to any great extent as the colonists aim to maintain very low pollution levels.
Social / Economic
Despite its successful agriculture, Talis is not a rich society. A lot of the planet’s land mass was divided up among the first colonists. Their freeholds enabled them to build huge agriculture based companies, linked to large areas dominated by single families or family dominated companies. This has led to a not uncommon three tiered class system with the landowning `barons’ at the top of the system, a middle / industry owning class and a large working class who work the farms and factories.
Talis families of all classes tend to be large, the rich are usually very rich and the poor often very poor.
One of the most common ways out of poverty is to sign on for off world mercenary military units. The Talis government likes this arrangement as it allows some of their young `hotheads’ off planet, and brings in a regular source of foreign currency as they send money home to their families. It therefore allows two annual mercenary trade fairs which allows mercenary companies operating in the sector to recruit. Up to a five hundred recruits go off planet annually. Around 200 a year also resettle on Talis having come to the end of their service period. Many of these then go into the planetary militia, police or private security detachments of nobles.
Talis allows several off world arms manufacturers to maintain establishments on the planet and runs military fairs to encourage recruitment. The government levies a tax on any other military equipment bought here. Most vehicle types are available to order here, such equipment is delivered to the spaceport prior to embarkation. This makes Tanis an ideal place to recruit new troops.
Government
The Government is dominated by two main parties the `First Settlers’ party who represent the interests of the major landowners, and the `Progressives’ who represent Industry and Trade. Both are innately conservative and although there are differences in the methods and priorities the status quo does not change much.
Although all adults have the vote (the age of majority is 16), in practice the richest portion of the population dominate politics. The poorest do have a feeling that Talis does not really benefit them particularly, which is why a lot leave when able.
The upper house `Senate’ elects two senators from each state on a proportional representation basis. The leader of the largest party becomes President.
The lower house (House of Commons), selects its members on the basis of population with a first past the post system. With the 600 odd parliamentary seats having constituencies of around 1.5 million each. The city constituencies tend to be `Progressive’ party, rural `First Settler’. The largest party in the `Commons’ elects the prime minister. Cabinet ministers can be from either house.
Trade
The main trade routes are `hubwards’ towards the centre of human space.
Primary exports are food both processed and raw materials grown on the fertile and extensive `first settler’ estates. The secondary export is people as many of the more adventurous go into more populated human space or to work on new colonies, as soldiers, engineers, miners and farmers. The usual aim of emigrants is to build up enough of a stake to buy land themselves either where they’ve emigrated to or back on Talis. A few very successful returnees buy extensive estates. Unsuccessful emigrants tend not to be able to afford the fare back.
Against the export trade the main import trade tends to be in non agricultural machinery. Talis also is a main weapons market for the sector because of the military fairs. Many of the arms manufacturers keep small stocks of vehicles (usually samples), and a most keep extensive small arms stock.
Military
Talis’ own military because of the single federal government structure. It’s basis is therefore not unlike a National Guard set up, with a small regular cadre, and reservists who can be called up to fill out the units. The entire military including reservists is therefore under 150,000, but with less than a third of that number actually in service at any time.
The army is the mainstay of the planetary military and the biggest service. Each of the states has a brigade sized unit, with a bias towards engineering and medical assistance. The service bias reflects the civil defense role that the army is expected to fulfill. Each brigade usually has a large battalion sized unit active. This will usually be divided into a training company, and three or four active companies each based in strategic locations in the state. Added to this will be an engineering, logistics and medical company.
The engineers are usually split into platoon sized units co located with the logistics platoons. The medical staff usually man a single hospital unit. The logistics company is also split into four platoon sized units and maintains the brigade’s heavy equipment located in bases around the state.
Active units are equipped with small arms, some mortars, and are usually lorry borne.
The logistics bases hold armor, artillery, specialist ammunition and supplies like food concentrate.
Air
There is no airforce structure as such. Each army brigade does however have an air component having 7-10 aircrews attached. Aircraft are a mix of heavy lift turbo-prop stol / vtol recce. vtol Recce do have some combat capability. N.b. some are conventional rotary some vtol / jet.
Navy (space)
4 customs boats only at present, approximately corvette sized. These provide system patrol and search and rescue. These are based on one of the moons of Damara. 3 ships currently active one in refit.
Navy (wet)
Again with a SAR focus, the navy has around 40 ships the largest being frigate sized. They are split into 5 flotillas based on each of the main surface ports on the five continents. Each flotilla consists of 3 armed (frigate / corvette sized) ships, 2 auxiliaries and three coastal / fisheries vessels. There has been some criminal activity – mostly low level piracy, so the Navy is often active. Each flotilla usually has one of it’s ships in refit, so usually 6 or seven ships active.
Police
With a planetary population of under 100m population pressure is not a great issue. Living space tends to mean that police requirements are relatively low. The planetary police ratio is therefore unusually low at 1:2000. There are therefore fewer than 50,000 law enforcement officers across the planet, and with the exception of large cities these are small local forces groupings often of no more than a dozen officers.
Local forces are usually led by an elected `sheriff’ with two or three officers forming each shift. Equipment is usually a side arm. Light armour is available but is seldom issued.
City forces are by their nature larger. They are organized into city locales with a main police station holding all of the equipment that the shift will require. A shift is typically around 24 staff, 2/3 patrolmen, 1/6 admin and 1/6 detectives.
Riot gear is available as are small numbers of tracked command vehicles.
Baronial Militias
The `Barons’ encompass a variety of wealthy and powerful individuals, industrial concerns, and sometimes even criminal organizations who have their own private `security arrangements’. These vary from individual bodyguards to full blown company sized security detachments. All go armed, and frequently have body armor. They are not (officially) allowed heavy weapons, though it has been noted some mortars and buzz-bombs have been known to miraculously `appear` in times of tension.
They have access to some light aircraft nominally `private’ transport. Some richer individuals have private sea going ships which are almost indistinguishable from naval patrol craft.
Baronial interests have access to some shuttles, but no interplanetary craft.
Native life.
Flora
Talis Plant life has a chlorophyll analog slightly bluer in colour than Terran equivalent. Some Talis plant life is edible to Terran life-forms but a lot is mildly poisonous or simply gives no benefit. GM Terran crops have been grown quite extensively with wheat and rice in particular benefitting from the very long growing seasons.
Fauna
There are many animal species. No real attempts have been made to domesticate any to date. Large herbivores in particular thrive, from elephant size downwards. These have their predators with rough equivalents of crocodilians (amphibians) and lion / tiger sized mammalian equivalents. Some of the herbivores have been crop pests, but access to crops is limited with fencing. The carnivores have preyed on introduced earth domestic animals, but only to a limited extent. Apparently we don’t taste very nice!
No evidence of civilization.
Pathogens
Humanity has imported some of its native disease over the 500 years of colonization these are mostly under control.
Because of the slightly different base bio-chemistry most diseases that affect Talis native life are not dangerous to Terran life forms, with one notable exception. `Talis fever’ is present in many Talis animals, but particularly some of the smaller rodent like carnivores that fill the Earth niche of rats and mice. Unfortunately a bite or scratch from one of these rapidly infects any Terran life form. Its effect however is worst on Humans and is best likened to `Rabies with attitude’. It causes the victim to foam at the mouth and produces a massive hunger for any (and all) meat, but (it seems) particularly for its own species. It also suppresses pain responses, and to a degree appears to enhance the body’s ability to repair its self. The effect of this has been likened to turning the victims in to `irrational homicidal zombies’. No viable vaccine has yet been developed, though government laboratories are working on them.