Alioth System

Overview

Once a disputed system of little renown, Alioth is now the capital of the Alliance of Independent States (AIS). As such, it is an important political, cultural and engineering centre, attracting the brightest scientists, mechanics and artists. Together, with a love for free-trade capitalism, the people, the system, and its surrounding member systems have flourished.

History

A large, white giant star, Alioth has been of interest to humanity since before the space age. As a result, it was obvious man kind would wish to explore her once the technology had been developed to do so. Fortunately for man kind, a planet of suitable conditions (temperature conditions and oxygen atmosphere) was found and a colony was established. As time went on, man kind spread to the surrounding planets, terraforming them into worlds suitable for human kind. The Alioth colony, founded like so many others by large corporations on Earth, lived a strict capitalist life and thrived.

The problems arose in the late thirty second centure when both the Federation and the Empire vied for control of what was becoming an important port to the systems on the northern frontier. Fighting ensued, causing a strict edict to be placed on the system, labelling it Disputed, and making it illegal to visit.

Finally, in the year 3230, the natives decided they had had enough, and in a mass insurrection, threw off both their Imperial and Federation lords, declaring themselves independent. Through the technological and engineering genius growing in the city, a Navy was quickly mobilised, converting old bulk cruisers into capital ships, with volunteers joining their ranks, often using their personal craft in the fight for freedom.

Through skill, guile and a significant amount of luck (involving their enemies fighting each other, instead of the natives), the inhabitants of Alioth were able to overpower their attackers, driving them back to their own territory. Both superpowers gave superficial reasons for their pull out and didn't return, thus securing the future of the Alliance of Independent Systems.

Planets

There are 20 stable bodies in the Alioth system, however 3 of note are:

Turners World: renamed after the insurrection to honour Mic Turner, owner of AAAI shipyards, who produced and retrofitted the navy ships which protected the AIS. It is a terraformed world with introduced life. It has four major starports. It is the closest of the four moons of Alioth 4, a large gas giant. As a result, it has an interesting light/day system, with Alioth 4 providing so much light at night, it is often referred to as a second day.

Argents Claim: also renamed to honour Meredith Argent, co-owner of the AAAI shipyards. It has two major starports and is the second moon of Alioth 4. It is a world with indigenous life and oxygen atmosphere. humans initially settled this planet before brancing out onto the other plants.

Wicca's World: The cultural centre of the alliance and the finishing post for the notorious Wiccans Ware Race. It is a small sustained terraformed world, similar in size to Mars.

Notable Features

The AAAI Shipyards are located in New Rossyth on Argents Claim (also known as the New Rossyth Shipyard), the infamous shipyards which produced the Turner Class vessel and Class 4 Military hyperdrive

Advice to Travellers

Due to the size and the spatial complexity of the solar system, most civilian hyperdrives exit witchspace in the far-outer system (around 40 Astronomical Unit's from the sun), so take extra fuel - you dont want to be left to drift through space, though being the capital of the alliance, there is little risk of pirate attack.