ALPHA VIRGINIS SYSTEM LISTING
Alpha Virginis is the only system in Augustan possession, and it consists of a small white star orbited by five planets and an asteroid belt. Despite the number of rock planets (and moons) in the system, it is relatively mineral-poor, with an abundance of worthless elements. However, Aurthion, the only planet in the stellar ecosphere, was once rich in agricultural resources. The Augustans maintain a small colony on Khoruss, and there are starmada outposts on Khoruss' moon and on the two largest of the gas giant Altyrion's ten moons. The Augustans once (Imp.328) attempted to place a TBD relay station on an asteroid, but the beacon was destroyed in a meteor collision before it could be brought on-line.
AURTHION
System: Alpha Virginis
Planet: Alpha Virginis IV “Aurthion"
Province: House Augustus-Hayes
Status: Provincial HomeWorld Population: 880,460,000
Productivity: 12.8%
Production Emphasis: Shipping, Foodstuffs
Rating: Producing Circumference: 36,000
Gravity: .92g
Natural Satellites: None Day: 41.4hrs
Year: 301 std days
Atmosphere: Oxygen/Nitrogen, few contaminants Hydrosphere: Semi-Arid Climate: Cool temperate mix Mean Temperature: 14"C
Biosphere: Complex flora and non-sentient lower life forms Aurthion was discovered in Prelmp,9277 by Venusian religious pilgrims seeking a 'perfect world' Time has shown that this planet is far from perfect: limited mineral resources and an abun-dance of geological faults and volcanoes detract from Aurthion's value. Still, visitors are always impressed by the many snow capped mountain ranges and interesting forms of animal life that have adapted to the lack of water and cool temperatures, The most common fauna are warm--blooded species that are, strangely, reptilian in appearance. There are few carnivores on Aurthion; the only notable exceptions are mountain-dwelling birds which prefer to eat small reptiles (though some are omnivores).
There is little arable land left on Aurthion, for centuries of harvests have depleted the soil of minerals necessary for cultivation. The icecaps at Authion's poles are large, together accounting for about one tenth of the total surface area. Stand-ing water is rare, and there are no large oceans; rather most usable water is found in small lakes and oft-frozen rivers.
Aurthion's land is divided into sixteen Substates; this is a vestige of Pre-Imperial time, when Aurthion was a republic. Count Dolthus Augustus-Hayes effectively removed all power from fifteen of the Substates by declaring that the remaining substate, Hircadus, would thenceforth be the Magnastate. The Magnastate would be the seat of Augustan power, and the City of Chrystall in Hircadus would become the Capital City of House Augustus-Hayes. Thus the Substates are presently little more than geographic entities, though each fields teams for sporting events, establishes municipal codes (which are, of course, submitted to the Count's executive staff for approval), and levies some local taxes.
Though technology on Aurthion is a far cry from the Imperial standard, its space-faring capabilities are impressive. The large Orbital Spaceport can accommodate 700 guests, and four Spaceports are on the planet's surface. Aurthion has two supply satellites and two manned trajectory control satellites (one handles Augustan military and shipping traffic and has higher priority than the other commercial/private traffic satellite). Such technology is rare in Aurthion cities, where cryosteel and robots are seldom seen. One exception to this is Chrystall, the Capital, which (primarily due to attempts by GalacTrade - a large Augustan corporation - to improve publicity) boasts several multilevel busi-ness complexes, the anachronistic-but- over whelming Ministry of Finance Building, and even a Null-Grav Forcehoops.
KHORUSS
System: Alpha Virginis
Planet: Alpha Virginis V "Khoruss"
Province: House Augustus-Hayes
Status: Provincial colony world
Population: 9760
Productivity: 24%
Production Emphasis: Ores Rating: Producing
Circumference: 50,300
Gravity: .75g
Natural Satellites: 1
Day: 45.0 hrs
Year: 1050 std. Days
Atmosphere: None
Hydrosphere: N/A
Climate: N/A
Khoruss was discovered with Aurthion in Prelmp.9277, but it was certainly a less attractive prospect for colonization: the planet has no atmosphere and showed evidence of many large meteor strikes. Still, the planet was later found to be geologically stable, and it contained some valuable ores, so in Prelmp. 640, the Augustans sent a mining colony to a rather protected point under the overhang of the wall of a massive crater. Though the mineral resources were not as abundant as predicted (and these predictions were blown out of proportion by the combined rantings of religious figures and the media), the colony was successful and provides a significant contribution to Augustus-Hayes' wealth.
Khoruss has not been extensively geo-formed, so the mining station is environmentally closed. The station consists of four massive buildings approxi-mately two kilometers from the mine and a small spaceport. The outpost's cargoes are protected by one Imperial Orbot and by the military outpost on Koruss' lone moon, Zhyrhas. The mining station has recently discovered some trace radioactives, and the Augustans will enlarge the station if further discoveries suggest that such expansion is worthwhile.
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