* * * S Y S T E M P R O F I L E * * *
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System Name: Atson
Hex: 0111
Starport: B Good - Spacecraft, overhauls, refined fuel
Size: 3 Small: 4000 - 5599 km
Atmosphere: 1 Vacuum (trace)
Hydrosphere: 0 Desert World, 0-4%
Population: 5 Med - hundred thousands
Government: 9 Impersonal Bureaucracy
LawLevel: 8 High law - blades controlled, no open display
TechLevel: 8 Pre-Stellar - superconductors, 1990
Bases: -
Trade Classes: Ni
Travel Zone: -
Population Multiplier: 9
Gas Giants: 3
Planetoid Belts: 3
Allegiance: Na
High: Govt, Starport
Low: Hydro
N O T E S
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Think Outland. Atson is a smallish world with no
atmosphere or water. What it DOES have is a profitable
mining industry both on the planet and the three
planetoid belts in the system. The metals mined on
Atson are exported to most of the other systems in the
subsector, in return for which they import the goods
necessary to support the inhabitants, as well as the
starships necessary to transport their cargo when
necessary (since Atson doesn't have the technology to
build them, Atson's clients usually hire independant
carriers to transport the material). They also import
the technology necessary to run their class B starport,
which is responsible for maintaining their in-system
ships.
The Atson society is about what you'd expect from a
mining town. Although some structures extend into the
underground, most of them are above-ground and
connected by airtight slidewalks. The people tend to
be rather uncivilized. Atson is a good place to go and
disappear, which is why many of them are here. In
order to keep a lid on violence, guns and blades are
controlled, although this law is not vigorously
enforced and shootouts have been known to take place.
A small pistol or blade is likely to go unnoticed by
local law enforcement, whereas a rifle or serious
combat weapon probably will not.
The government of Atson is an impersonal bureaucracy
whose main concern is keeping the business running.
Its leader, Chief Director Francis (Frank) K. Murdock
is himself a hedonistic, rough-cut individual who
reportedly uses drugs recreationally. Murdock's main
goals are to keep business running smoothly and to keep
everyone just happy enough to keep working. The
government rarely intervenes either for or against the
people unless it significantly affects the mining
operations.
Security in and around the system is pretty tight.
Mining is about the ONLY reason to be in Atson, and
anyone that doesn't appear to be on official business
is likely to be subject to a high degree of hassle.
The government maintains an extensive fleet of shuttles
and fighters for in-system operation. It also
maintains a system squadron consisting of 12 system
defense boats, 2 destroyers, and 6 destroyer escorts.
The SDB's typically patrol the system, while the
destroyers and escorts are reserved for extreme
situations, to be deployed separately or together as
the situation demands.
- ---
Ed Driscoll
The University of Michigan
[email removed]