System Data: New Streel

Spectral Type: G2 Yellow

Total Planets:  9

Asteroid Belts: 2

Inhabitable Planets: Corpco

Major Trade Routes:

·   (Theseus) – Distance: 5 light years

·   (Timeon) – Distance: 7 light years

System History

Since the time Human colonists first entered the Frontier and settled on Minotaur (Theseus), there were rumors of a “garden planet” of delights and wealth that existed at a star nearby. It is believed that the old Terran Empire’s Recon-Development and Exploration Council charted a route from Theseus to New Streel centuries ago. It is likely that the bureaucracy of the Laterial Federation, which originally was responsible for organizing Human settlements in the Frontier, sent a colony ship to travel to the system but then forgot about it.

The Human outpost befell a disaster and lost access to most of their technology. The few survivors – numbering less than 2,000 – were reduced to a tribal-like existence. Without access to advanced medicines, their average lifespan fell to 40-50 years while growth became stunted due to the feast/famine existence of a semi-nomadic life.

Occasionally a ship would misjump into the system. Some would simply try to find their bearings and leave. Others that explored the system encountered the Giant Terropa. These vacuum-living creatures appear to be related to the small Telpa, a metal eating organism found at the Triskar System’s Shridkal asteroid belt (see “Creatures of the Frontier,” Star Frontiersman Issue 19). The size of an assault scout, the Giant Terropa has four large limbs that end in a small hydrogen “engine” that propels them at high speeds.

Stealthy, the creatures have been known to approach early Frontier ships without being detected before they latched onto the hulls with their powerful claws and mandibles. Often the Giant Terropa easily dismantled a wayward freighter within an hour. Some of the debris of these destroyed vessels can be found in the system.

If they were lucky, the lifeboats from these doomed ships made it to the third planet (later called Corpco). Others ended up on the second world (Unforgiven), which has a barely breathable atmosphere, but virtually no free water and little in the way of animal or plant life. None of the castaways who made it to Unforgiven are believed to have survived though there have been unconfirmed sightings of Humans or humanoids in the mountainous areas.

Other ships that could land (or had shuttles) and visited the surface of Corpco found to their horror that they were prey to the “Scarlet Ghost.” This unconfirmed alien being (or beings) neutralized the Frontier being’s power sources before draining its victims of life.

Survivors of the Scarlet Ghost – and those who made it to the planet in lifeboats after fleeing the Giant Terropa – were often scattered around the planet. Some formed their own bands; their progeny eked out a bare existence.

Sometime before the First Sathar War, a group of smugglers plotted a route from Timeon to New Streel and then from New Streel to Theseus. For some reason, they never plotted a route the other way (or at least, didn’t pass that information on). These smugglers bypassed White Light for special runs.

Enter Streel

During the time of the Blue Plague a Human trader known as Seccitte Zebulon came into possession of a map of the old smugglers’ route. Better known by his nickname “Scooter” or simply “Scoot,” he was the cousin of the much more famous explorer Alorne Zebulon. In fact, before they had a falling out, Scoot and Alorne had been a very successful team.

Made wealthy by his earlier discoveries, Scoot Zebulon had bought a tramp freighter, which he converted into a scout/freighter. He spent his time alternating between legitimate cargo runs, exploration and smuggling. When the UPF forbade most interstellar travel and trade, he illegally ran passengers – including some Streel executives – around the Frontier.

Not satisfied with a one-way path, Scoot charted a star route from Theseus to New Streel (which he simply called “that damn star”) and then onto Timeon. He explored parts of the third planet without encountering the Scarlet Ghost, but he did contact some of the tribal Humans.

By 25 FY, the UPF had lifted many of the Blue Plague-related travel restrictions. Scoot sold his smuggler route to Streel for an undisclosed sum of money. About that year, he was the first to file the star route to the Zebulon Star System with the government of Pale. Ironically – or perhaps not so ironically – his cousin, Alorne Zebulon, had been in the process of filing similar documentation for that very route. Both Zebulons got into a legal battle over just who had discovered the Zebulon system. This wrangling helped delay Pale’s own exploration of the Zebulon System.

Dubbing the system between Timeon and Theseus as “New Streel,” the mega-corporation sent its own investigators to the system in 26 FY. Despite warnings from Scoot Zebulon, several Streel ships fell victim to the Giant Terropa.

It took the company a while to develop ways of detecting and warding off the metal-eating creatures which included the use of decoys and/or broadcasting radio interference that seems to disrupt the creatures’ sensing abilities. One of the main drawbacks of the second method is that it also disrupts a ship’s ability to use a radio to communicate with other nearby vessels and contact Corpco’s traffic control center. Actively transmitting radio interference also acts like a beacon to any potential enemies – such as space pirates or Sathar raiders.

The third planet was called “Corpco.” Initially this unimaginative name was dreamed up by an executive as a way to confuse corporate spies into believing that Corpco was a front company for Streel. Instead, it was code for Streel’s “wildcat” agricultural and technology operations on the world.

Streel workers began encountering the first of the Human tribes soon after settling around the Ximtri Sea Basin. Later they discovered the ruins of an old civilization on the planet (see Planetary Brief: Corpco for more information).

Streel Fights to Incorporate New Streel  

Streel’s researchers (some detractors would call them corporate spies) learned in the late 20s FY that the Pan-Galactic Corporation was preparing to incorporate its system, Pan-Gal, and petition to have representation on the UPF Council of Worlds. Instead of opposing this effort, Streel quickly moved to file the same documentation for the New Streel system.

One complicating factor was potential opposition from the Clarion government in the White Light System. Shortly after the Blue Plague travel restrictions were lifted, Streel’s support for the opposition political parties on Clarion and selling “illegal armaments” to alleged “revolutionaries” was declared a violation of the planet’s Demilitarization Act. Clarion banned Streel from directly doing business on its planet. Although such restrictions did not extend to the orbiting Clarion Station, Streel vessels traveling through White Light were sometimes subjected to “enhanced searches” and potential seizures by the White Light Militia.

Streel began using the route through New Streel for much of its business between Theseus and the rest of the Frontier, thus bypassing White Light as much as possible.

When the PGC did petition to have its worlds recognized by the UPF Council of Worlds, the government of Pale (Truane’s Star did not have a united system government at that time) initially opposed the mega-corporation. However, the government quickly reversed course and helped vote down a Clarion-backed measure to prohibit the creation of the first mega-corporation controlled world.

In 31 FY, Streel also filed documentation to incorporate New Streel, receiving public and private backing from both its rivals the PGC and the Cassidine Development Corporation. Although the Clarion government had more support and was able to insert several restrictions on Streel – including having Pale acting as the system’s official protector, as a check against “corporate improprieties” – New Streel became the Frontier’s second mega-corporation system.

The CDC’s Devco System became the third mega-corp system in 32 FY, this time with the support of the PGC and Streel. Afterward, the Clarion coalition succeeded in limiting the powers and scope of any future mega-corp worlds – which soon came in the forms of Circe (Solar Minor) by SynthCorp, Ringar (Solar Major) by WarTech and the disputed Alcazzar planet in the Rhianna System.  

Eventually, despite misgivings by the governments of Prenglar, Clarion and most of the Yazarian worlds, the colonial government on Corpco (New Streel) earned full representation on the Council of Worlds.

System Government

New Capital City on Corpco is the seat of government for the New Streel System, though most of the planets and asteroid belts in the system are unexplored. Officially, the system’s government is based on the Pale’s (and later Truane’s Star’s) republican style. There are three branches of government starting with a legislative body with an upper and lower chamber – the Plebiscites and the Senate; the executive branch with two consuls; and the High Court.

Streel picks one of the two consuls while the colonists vote for the second consul though, since Corpco is a “company planet,” the corporation effectively controls both executive positions.

Senators are elected by the planet’s landowners – which are again controlled by Streel. All colonists elect a representative to the Plebiscites, though again the corporation’s preferred candidates tend to win. Senators serve for 10-year-terms; the plebes serve for two-year terms for a maximum of eight consecutive terms.

Judges are appointed by the consuls for a 10-year term. The senators approve (or deny) these appointments. There are 13 members of the high court which rule on the constitutionality of any laws or corporate mandates; however, the court’s decisions can be overruled by a majority vote in both legislative houses and the approval of at least one of the consuls.

In times of emergency, the legislature can chose a dictator to be commander-and-chief of all police. security and military personnel for a six-month term. The dictator can temporarily suspend laws and overrule contracts. After an emergency, however, the dictator is answerable to any criminal actions he/she/it has taken.  

Corporate Militia

Streel’s space forces include four assault scout-type craft along with four hull-size two scout-type vessels that are used to decoy any Giant Terropa. Twelve ground-based fighters are stationed at the New Capital City spaceport. The city is also protected by two large lasers and anti-missile batteries.

Ground forces consist of 250 MercCo mercenaries with military-style vehicles and supported by warbots, combat and security robots.

Travel Advice

Ships passing through the New Streel system, on route between Theseaus and Timeon, are advised to jump in and out above or below the system’s plane of the ecliptic and maintain a high speed. That is the best way to avoid the Giant Terropa.

Vessels capable of landing should proceed to Corpco after rendezvous with one of the decoy scouts. If Giant Terropa are detected on an intercept course, the decoy scout will lead them off. Ships achieving orbit should land as soon as possible. Ships too large to land should have an escort of at least one assault scout and two decoy scouts.

New Streel’s Planets and Asteroid Belts

Sestero (New Streel I) is a rock planet. Atmosphere: None, Orbital Radius: 0.26 AU, Period: 0.13 GST years, Gravity: 1.2, Satellites: None. Streel has deemed this planet to be unremarkable. It has only been surveyed briefly from space.

Unforgiven (New Streel II). Atmosphere: standard, barely breathable, Hydrosphere: 0 percent water, 13 percent ice, Diameter: 9,180 km, Gravity: 0.7, Day: 29.4 GST Hours, Axis Tilt: 10 degrees, Climate: Hot, ___, Orbital Radius: 0.78 AU, Period: 0.82 GST years, Satellites: none. The second planet in the New Streel system, Unforgiven has a very harsh environment, barely suitable for explorers on short-term stays. Streel has sent down survey missions from time to time to look for any rare earth or other exotic mineral deposits, but so far only a few worthwhile deposits have been found and catalogued for future development. The remains of at least 10 lifeboats from various eras have been found on the planet. Despite the reports of “humanoids in the mountains,” no trace of sentient life – native or castaway – has been discovered on the world. Streel is reportedly looking at a deal with GODCo to terraform the planet at some point in the future.

Corpco aka “The Garden” (New Streel III), detailed later.

Blast (New Streel IV). Type: Rock Planet. Orbital Radius: 1.86 AU, Period: 2.5 GST years, Gravity: 0.35, Satellites: 1 large moon. No significant deposits of rare earth resources have been discovered, but Streel occasionally sends down robot surveyors.

Csera Prime (New Streel V). Type: Jovian Planet 3.5. Orbital Radius: 3.5 AU, Period: 6.46 GST years, Gravity: 2.12, Satellites: 24 small moons, 13 large moons, planetary rings. This large gas giant is about three-and-a-half times the size of Jupiter. Two of its large moons are small planets in and of themselves with dense but unbreathable atmospheres while the other 11 large moons are minor planets. Streel surveys have shown that many of these moons have a wealth of minerals and chemical compounds that could be extracted. The presence of the Giant Terropa have made normal mining operations nearly impossible. Any space stations or ships in orbit would be quickly attacked and surface bases on the moons with a gravities less than 0.6 are also vulnerable.  

Terropa Fields Asteroid Belt. Orbital Radius: 6.8 AU, Period: 17.49 GST years. This asteroid belt is infested with Giant Terropa who appear to feast on any metals they find.

Glaer (New Streel VI). Type: Ice Planet. Orbital Radius: 13.58 AU, Period: 49.39 GST years, Gravity: 0.65, Atmosphere: thin, unbreathable, Hydrosphere: 67 percent ice, Satellites: None. Streel considers this planet to be unremarkable.

Munviw (New Streel VII). Type: Ice Planet. Orbital Radius: 28.31 AU, Period: 148.56 GST years, Gravity: 1.4, Atmosphere: Negligible, Satellites: Large moon. This planet has a moon that is nearly the same size of as the planet.

Plunc (New Streel VIII). Type: Ice Planet. Orbital Radius: 56.16 AU, Period: 415.22 GST years, Gravity: 1.28. This planet was discovered in 41 FY; it is unsurveyed.

K’It’Itl Asteroid Belt II. Orbital Radius: 111.73 AU, Period: 1,165.12 GST years. The second asteroid belt was discovered in 53 FY.

Planetary Brief

Corpco aka “The Garden” (New Streel III)

Moons: None

Space Stations: None

Distance from Star: 0.99 AU

Axis Inclination: 10.8 degrees

Climate Range: Mild seasons, Avg. Temp. 22 degrees C, Min. -12 degrees C, Max. 71 degrees C

Atmosphere: Breathable

Hydrosphere: 60 percent water, 4 percent ice

Gravity: 1.0

Colonists: Light, Corporate, approx. 20,900

Trade:  AT

Diameter: 12,130 kilometers

Length of Day (hours): 35 GST Hours, 10 GST Minutes

Length of Year: 1.05 GST Years

Native Life: mammals, grasses, trees

Planet Description:

From space, Corpco appear to have one large land mass, but in reality four continents – Scootia, Chuol, Delray and Ovid – and the Adenn subcontinent are jammed up against each other resulting in the occasional earthquake and volcanic eruption.

Two large deserts and three smaller deserts cover large portions of the land, but much of the planet has land that can easily be farmed. The planet also has a number of natural resources.

The Iedov Ocean and the Adenn Ocean cover much of the planet’s surface.

During the spring months in the southern hemisphere (winter in the north) the Greater Morass Nebula dominates the sky.

Artificial Satellites

Due to the presence of the Giant Terropa, Corpco does not have any space stations or normal weather and communications satellites. Streel uses robotic vessels – hull sizes 1 and 2 – that can go into orbit for extended periods of time, but are maneuverable enough to escape from the space creatures by reentering the planet’s atmosphere.

Streel’s Operations

Streel’s operations are mainly concentrated around the Ximtri Sea Basin in the western hemisphere with about half of the colonial population focused in two main communities – New Capital City and Tech Town. There are eight other villages with populations of 200 or more.

The home of the star system’s government, New Capital City has a population of 8,600. Located at an old smuggler’s camp that Scooter Zebulon had identified, the city has access to ample fresh water and cultivatable land. The city has the planet’s only fully-equipped starport and major military facilities along with offices for various system and UPF governmental agencies including Star Law’s office. New Capital College serves as a major training facility for Streel employees, though it is considered a satellite campus of Truane’s Star’s Capital University on Pale.

Located some 1,000 kilometers south of the capital, Tech Town has 3,200 residents. It has a rudimentary starport which basically consists of two runways for landing shuttle and limited service capabilities. This community has several automated refineries and factories to produce high-tech farm equipment.   

Streel also has several small mining operations in the Samnet Mountains and other locations so the planet’s industries are self-sustaining.

Report on Tribal Humans

According to the scant records that remain from the early days of the Human’s colonization of the Frontier, it seems that a Terran colony ship – most likely a Vermillion Bird (Jujak) Class vessel. The equivalent of a hull size 30 ship, the Vermillion Bird would had a crew of 400 with a number of survey shuttles and probes. It would have carried five Lotus arcology landers, each a H.S. 5 equivalent system ship. Each lander would have had a crew of 20 along with 20,000 colonists in hibernation storage. Each lander had enough supplies, including vehicles and robots, to establish a small community.

Often a Vermillion Bird would have been accompanied by a frigate-size warship and a hull size 18 supply ship, all which would have been more technologically advanced than what is currently available in the Frontier. It is uncertain if the colony ship that went to Corpco had any escort vessels.

Seccite Zebulon and later Streel survey teams found only two intact Lotus landers on Corpco. The remains of a third and possibly elements of a Vermillion Bird were found scattered along a nearly 2,000 kilometer debris field in the Ovid continent in the eastern hemisphere.

Both deployed Lotus arcology landers were discovered in the Arboria Peninsula, near the Strait of Ozma, a waterway that connects the Ximtri Sea to the Astral Sea. The landers would have had chemical rockets for a controlled descent plus enough fuel to land and takeoff twice. Any extra fuel would have been used to power the archology’s generators until alternative sources were built/found – such as the construction of a nuclear power plant.

The two landers were found by Streel survey teams in full deployment mode. Each lander had various sections that would unfold, creating additional space for any colonists who would live inside. Typically, the hibernating colonists would be awaken at intervals determined by the colonial leader. For example, the first 1,000 colonists – in addition to the lander’s crew – would establish the initial settlement. Another group of 500 to 1,000 might be awakened within a month to help conduct surveys, clear land for farming and/or begin mining operations. More and more colonists would be awakened over time to build satellite communities.

Such Terran colonies should have been supported with follow-up missions bringing supplies and additional colonists. But it appears that the first Human colonists on New Streel were abandoned. Streel surveyors discovered that nearly a third of the 40,000 colonists from the two Lotuses – 12,000 – had been left in their hibernation units and had subsequently died when the landers lost power.

The first colonists established at least four satellite communities, built a nuclear powerplant, began farming operations and were mining for resources. For example, Streel explorers found the rusting remains of agricultural robots stopped as if they had been working farming fields. 

The nature of the cataclysm that struck the lost Human colony is uncertain though it appears to have been an alien attack. All sources of power were drained and the computer memory data from the landers, individual computers, vehicles and robot memories had been corrupted. Only fragments remain.

Today there are an estimated 12,000 to 18,000 tribal Humans – descendants of the original colonists – scattered over much of the planet’s western hemisphere from the shores of the Iedova Ocean in the west to the Central Desert in the east, from the Chuol Mountains in the north and down to the coastline of the Adern Ocean. Without access to advanced technology, their average lifespans have fall to about 40-50 years though their IQ levels and other statistics are similar to a normal Frontier Human’s.

Maintaining their ability to write and keep records, the tribal Humans make their own tools, shelters, some engaging in farming or hunting, taming animals, etc. They even have metals tools and weapons that are leftovers from their forbearers. A few tribes established primitive forges to make their own metal implements. If properly trained, there should be nothing to stop them or their children from living in the Frontier society.

Some of the humans found in the tribes are the descendants of castaways whose ships apparently had been destroyed in space by the Giant Terropa. Their lifeboats landed on the planet and their ancestors had successfully joined one tribe or another.

In one case, an extended family of 12 Vrusk, from a trade ship that crash landed about 100 years ago, were also discovered.

Confidential Report: Evaluating the Future Viability of the Corpco Colony

From: Streel Corporation, Office of the Vice President of Real Estate Development, Corpco Colonization Project, Lk’Kivi’tzz

To: ____, Chairman, President and CEO, Streel Corporation

Date: __ FY

Executive Summary:

Action Plan to Deal with the Giant Terropa Threat in the New Streel System

·         Use of decoy ships has resulted in an 80 percent drop of near encounters with terropa – both individuals and pods.

·         Development of high-intensity, short-range laser cannons for fighter-size craft may help eliminate the threat to shipping.

·         Terropa breeding areas mapped to 75 percent confidence level for Operation Curtail (see Report Number Redacted)

Corpco Agricultural Land Expansion on Pace to Meet Projections

·         More than 35 million acres of agricultural land – 21 million acres for cropland, 14 million for pasture and range – are now in production, representing a 50 percent increase during the past decade.

·         Renewable forestry products now account for 15 percent of Corpco’s exports.

·         Corpco fishing exports have seen an 8 percent increase during the past year.

·         No inhibitors to projected growth to 40 million agricultural acres by __ FY

Corpco Technology Sector Showing Growth After Recession

·         Since the economic recession struck the technology sector two GST years ago, we are seeing a stabilization of the market.

·         Focusing on agricultural technologies has helped Corpco Technology improve its position by 4 percent over the first quarter of this year.

·         Overall, Streel’s technology products have seen sales improve and we are only down 0.2 percent when compared to the second quarter of last year.

·         Corpco Technology should see a return to profitability by the fourth quarter of this year; at that time we will assess the prospects of restarting the second shift at the plants at Tech Town and bring back 220 furloughed employees.

Corpco Mines

·         Though a relatively small part of Corpco’s current industrial operations, the 21 mines now in operation continue to provide New Capital City and Tech Town with on-planet sources of raw materials, greatly reducing our need to import materials from offworld.

Archaelogy/Anthropology Studies Report (AASR)

·         Report by Darvarg Kur, New Capital University, TITLE AND CONTENTS REDACTED.

Report Number: 48FY-00008721-RC

Title: New Streel and the Lost Colony, Archival Timeline, Appendix D

Submitted by: Darvarg Kur, assistant dean of the College of Arts, Sciences and Letters, New Capital University, Corpco (New Streel); professor of archeology, Capital University, Pale (Truane’s Star)

System Name: New Streel

Habitable Planet: Corpco

Population Code: Light (approx. 20,000)*

* This figure does not include the nearly 12,000 -18,000 tribal Humans who are the descendants of the first colonization effort of the planet.

Section I: Summary:

The following communications and log reports come from a variety of sources to illustrate the pattern of disturbing events surrounding the Human’s first colonization effort of Corpco (New Streel) shortly after the settlement of Minotaur (Theseus). For centuries, this information was lost until Streel Corporation came into the possession of the New Streel System. It has been recovered thanks to the efforts of Streel’s Office of Internal Review to look into the future viability of the Corpco colony. (Please see main report).

Section II: Glossary of Terms:

For those unfamiliar with the early settlement of the Frontier by the Humans and Streel Corporation’s operations on Corpco (New Streel), this glossary of terms contains important background information.

Arboria: The original Human colonists name for Corpco. It seems to be a reference to the planet’s lush forests. It now is used to describe the Peninsula between the Ximtri Sea and the Astral Sea where the remains of the lost Human colony is located.

Brights: A term used by the tribal Humans on Corpco to describe alleged energy life forms that inhabit the jungles. The Brights have been described alternatively as protectors or malevolent beings. (See separate report on Specimen XCOR-149-A-G1)

Centralization: A term used during Humanity’s early space colonization efforts where its homeworld government appointed governors as the overall executive of various settlements. The powers of these governors were usually unchecked by any locally selected legislature.

Free Trade Federation: The quasi-governmental agency that was initially founded by the Human colonial governments after the Freeworlds Revolution. Based on Gran Quivera (Prenglar), the FTF helped mediate trade and diplomatic negotiations. Eventually the FTF performed this role for early interactions between the Core Four worlds. Unlike the United Planetary Federation, the FTF lacked police and military powers. It was replaced after the Sathar War with the UPF in 1 FY.

Freeworld Rebellion: The revolt of Human settlers against the Vrusk trade house system on Kdkit (Madderly’s Star). The settlement of Kdkit was the first effort to jointly settle a world by Humans and Vrusk; this effort ultimately failed, causing great friction between Humans and Vrusk and led to the Freeworlds Revolution.

Freeworlds Revolution: Taking their cue from the colonists on Kdkit, many of the colonial governments and settlers of Human systems in the Frontier overthrew their Laterial Federation “overseers.” This led to a new order in the Frontier and actually better cooperation between Humans, Dralasites and Vrusk before contact with the Yazarians.

Galactic War, First: An interstellar war that was fought in Human-controlled territory (the so-called “Stellar Ring”) well-outside the bounds of the modern-day Frontier.

Galactic War, Second:  A second interstellar war fought in the Stellar Ring involving not only Human colonies and nations but also several races that had once been part of the Terran Empire. The resolution of this war is unknown, but it apparently caused the loss of communications between the Humans of the Frontier and their home systems in __ PF and the termination of further Human colony ships entering the Frontier. 

Giant Terropa: A name given to the space creatures that populate parts of the New Streel System. These vacuum-living creatures appear to be a much larger relative of the Telpa, a metal-eating organism found in the Triskar System’s Shridkal asteroid belt. They are about the size of an assault scout. They can be encountered individually or pairs or rarely in pods of 10-18 ranging from full-grown adults to adolescents. They pose a major hazard to shipping in the system and have prevented the establishment of any permanent orbital facilities around Corpco. Although they have a resistance to laser fire, this does seem the best way to destroy the creatures short of using nuclear-tipped torpedoes. The etymology of the word seems to have been first coined by the smugglers who mapped a one-way star route from Timeon to New Streel and New Streel to Theseus and comes from the word “terror.”

Laterial Federation: This was the agency first designated the Terran Empire, and later the Union of Sol, to coordinate Human settlement of the Frontier. It was initially based on Minotaur (Theseus) before moving its headquarters to Gran Quivera (Prenglar). Its top-down, authoritarian manner of government was long resented by Human colonists. The LF was overthrown during the Freeworlds Revolution, but LatFed loyalists fled the Frontier with approximately 10 advanced ships and stole much of early star charts, forcing future Frontier colonists to remap a number of areas with more primitive astrogation gear.

Lost Colony: The site of the original Human settlement on the Arboria Peninsula. It would have had slightly more than 100,000 settlers, but only two Lotus Landers made it to Corpco.

Lotus Lander: These were the equivalent of hull size 5 craft used during the early days of Humanity’s colonization efforts of the Frontier. Very compact, these craft had a crew of up to 20 but carried some 20,000 colonists in storage class. When the Lotus made planetfall, it had various sections that would expand outward, creating an archology nearly four times the craft’s original size and a basis for a colony to thrive. No Lotus Landers remain intact within the Frontier.

New Capital City: The main Streel settlement along the Ximtri Sea. A community of 8,600, it is where the planet’s main spaceport is located along with New Streel System’s capital, Truane’s Star’s embassy and other planetary consulates, food processing facilities and offices for Star Law and various UPF agencies. New Capital City University is a satellite campus of Truane’s Star’s Capital University on Pale.

Recon-Development and Exploration Council: This was a Terran Empire quasi-military branch responsible for mapping areas in and outside Human-controlled space, including the Frontier, for future settlement. The RDEC had ships that are considered to have better technology than is currently available in the UPF and may have mapped routes to many of the stars in Frontier region. The council was disbanded after the First Galactic War.

Scarlett Ghost(s): A name given to the alleged being(s) that killed the vast majority of the original Human colonists on Corpco. As best described by the tribal Humans, the ghost appeared as a “red wave” that “drained all life” from plants and animals within its field. According to tribal legend, the Brights “made a great sacrifice” to confine the ghost(s) in an area known as the “Maw of the World.” The nature of the Brights’ sacrifice appears to have been giving up their lives in some fashion to “cage the ghost.” The location of the “Maw of the World” has been lost, but legends place it either on the Arboria Peninsula or in the Samnet or Knurr Mountains. (Some tribal legends indicate there was more than one ghost and the beings were imprisoned at all three locations). Legend also has it that one weak Scarlett Ghost inhabits a desert known as the “Ghost Wastes” which is northeast of New Capital City.

Scootia: The name given to the Planet Corpco by explorer and merchant Seccitte “Scoot” Zebulon. Streel retained the name for one of Corpco’s continents.

Tech Town: A community of 3,200 residents also along the Ximtri Sea, south of New Capital City. This is the center of Streel’s technology operation on Corpco, mainly dealing with agricultural products.

Tetrarch Societies: An interstellar nation that is believed to have ruled a vast section of the galaxy, including having several outposts and major settlements in the Frontier. The Tetrarch Societies are believed to have been destroyed circa 10,000 PF.

Terran Empire: The name of the interstellar nation formed by many of the original nations of the Humanity’s homeworld to govern its widespread colonies in an area that was called the “Stellar Ring.” The outer edge of this region is at least 200 light years from the Frontier. The Terran Empire was replaced by the Union of Sol circa ___ PF. The empire first designated the Laterial Federation to oversee Human colonization of the Frontier.

Union of Sol: The governmental body that replaced the Terran Empire after the First Galactic War where a number of Human colonies gained independence from the Human homeworld, circa __ PF.

Zebulon, Seccitte: A cousin of the well-known explorer Alorne Zebulon, he is an explorer/free trader. Although not the discoverer of the first star route to New Streel, he mapped routes from Theseus to New Streel and from New Streel to Timeon. He document the threat of the Giant Terropa to potential shipping traffic, made contact with the tribal Humans on Corpco, first explored the ruins of the Lost Colony and allegedly encountered a Bright. He sold his star route information to Streel Corporation. He is known by his friends as either “Scooter” or simply “Scoot” because one of his well-used phrases is, “We’ve got to scoot.”

Vermillion Bird Class Colonial Ship: These were gigantic vessels (approximately hull size 30) that carried up to five colonial landers. They were used during Humanity’s settlement of the Frontier until communications with the Human’s homeworld ceased. No working models of this class of ship remain in operation in the Frontier.

Section III: Relevant Logs and Records in Timeline Fashion

Record of Last Know Transmission from Human Colonial Effort to Planet Arboria

Date of Transmission: circa ___ PF

Origin: Believed to be from a Vermillion Bird Class Colonial Ship, name unknown

Received: By the Laterial Federation Traffic Control Center on Minotaur (Theseus)

Archived: Library of Minotaur

“…attack by… tearing hull apart… ship… landers destroyed… Repeat, do not attempt rescue. Expedition is under attack by large, space creatures… more maneuver… overwhelmed our defenses… escort lost… attempt rescue, do not attempt rescue… tine…”

This recording was discovered in a cache of old Laterial Federation space traffic logs in 12 FY. A notation with the log refers to an investigation report (which is now lost) and indicates a travel ban was imposed on “System K-1747,” which was the Recon-Development and Exploration Council’s designation for the New Streel System; however, there is an added notation that a relief mission may have been mounted.

From the Log of S. Zebulon aboard the scout/free trader Fast Life

Date: ___ FY

Type: Excerpt of ship’s log recording 

Archived: Library of New Capital University

“The stories really are true. There is a garden planet between Timeon and Theseus in a star system of at least five planets. Another world, the second planet, also appears to have a breathable atmosphere, though it is a vast desert wasteland.

“I just can’t believe such a world wasn’t ever colonized before. Not even Ol’ Smitty that I bought the route off of could explain why they didn’t sell it to someone before except it might offend ‘the ghosts.’

Phew! Ghosts! What a bunch of (expletives deleted). We’ll scoot into the old smuggler’s base and see if the other rumors are true.”

From the Log of S. Zebulon aboard the scout/free trader Fast Life

Date: ___ FY

Type: Excerpt of ship’s log recording 

Archived: Library of New Capital University

“Yes, believe it or not, there are Humans here. They speak an old dialect from the homeworld, so they aren’t some parallel humanoid species.

“As near as I can gather, they must be the survivors of an old Human colony ship. They’ve practically lost all of their technology and live in small tribal bands. There’s no telling how many there actually are.”

From the Log of S. Zebulon aboard the scout/free trader Fast Life

Date: ___ FY

Type: Excerpt of ship’s log recording 

Archived: Library of New Capital University

“We just scooted out of the way of those nasty space beasties – the Giant Terropa. The smugglers warned me about them. They are the size of a large scout and it looks like they’d eat a starship if they got a chance.

“I guess my return trip to Scootia – that’s what I’m calling this world – is going to be more adventurous than I planned.”

From the Log of S. Zebulon aboard the scout/free trader Fast Life

Date: ___ FY

Type: Excerpt of ship’s log recording 

Archived: Library of New Capital University

“Yep, I found the remnants of two colony landers near the far southwest end of the continent. No signs of blast damage, but the natives say that the Scarlett Ghost killed just about everybody who had been there. Found bodies still in their hibernation chambers. Must be thousands. Grizzly.”

From the Log of S. Zebulon aboard the scout/free trader Fast Life

Date: ___ FY

Type: Excerpt of ship’s log recording 

Archived: Library of New Capital University

“The Blue Plague’s not stopping me. Travel bans – like that’s going to keep a disease from spreading. Talk about killing off the Frontier like the Sathar couldn’t. People need to eat and do business. Anyway, my Streel passengers were most appreciative that I could take them to Minotaur. I showed them Scootia along the way. They were very, very interested in my star charts.”

From the Log of S. Zebulon aboard the scout/free trader Fast Life

Date: ___ FY

Type: Excerpt of ship’s log recording 

Archived: Library of New Capital University

“Well I did it. I sold my route to Streel. Goodbye Scootia, hello Corpco. Well, at least they agreed to keep me on retainer as a consultant… Not that I need the extra money now. I can laugh at Alorne and his fame. Wait until he files his route to the Zebulon System and sees who beat him there.”

Alien Ruins Found on Corpco (New Streel)

Date: ___ FY

Type: Excerpt from survey report by Streel Corp.’s Office of Real Estate Development 

Archived: Library of New Capital University

“…The fact that possible Tetrarch Societies ruins have been found on Corpco shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. The Tetrarchs are believed to have had outposts scattered throughout the Frontier Sector… What is surprising is that the Tetrarch ruins are intermingled with that of another non-native species to Corpco…”

Update: Report on Alien Ruins on Corpco

Date: ___ FY

Type: Excerpt from survey report by Streel Corp.’s Office of Real Estate Development 

Archived: Library of New Capital University

“The alien ruins on Corpco date from approximately 21,000 to 9,000 PF – a remarkable 12,000 year span. They are not as extensive, however, as one would imagine to account for natural population growth over such a long time. It appears that the species only had a light to moderate population at its height…

“A reconstruction of the ruins uncovered near New Capital City indicates that the ancient community was comprised of buildings that had large, opaque glass bubble structures and were interconnected with other bubbles via enclosed metal causeways. Some of the buildings were nearly a kilometer in height. Inside the bubbles were coils of copper and aluminum and some sort of ceramic lined metal ‘pools.’

“All of the bubbles were shattered as if they had exploded from the inside and many of the connecting causeways showed signs of melting and burning, as if exposed to beam weapons fire… Except for those noted from the Tetrarch period, no non-Corpco native fossils have been found amongst the ruins…

“This alien species is being called the ‘Bubble Makers,’ from a name suggested by archeologist D. Kur…”

Update: Bubble Makers Ruins

Date: ___ FY

Type: Excerpt from survey report by Streel Corp.’s Office of Real Estate Development 

Archived: Library of New Capital University

“Except for the early, definitely Tetrarch structures found on Corpco, there was no sign of traditional writings or pictures found in any of the Bubble Makers’ structures.

“Another fact, as noted by archeologist D. Kur, the Bubble Makers’ buildings lacked plumbing systems except in select areas were gardens were kept. It seems possible that this alien race didn’t require water…”

Evidence of Mass Extinction on Corpco During the Demise of the Bubble Makers           

Date: ___ FY

Type: Report by D. Kur, professor of archeology, Capital University, Pale (Truane’s Star) 

Archived: Library of New Capital University

“There is mounting evidence that the western half of Corpco’s land mass suffered from an as yet unexplained mass extinction at or around 9,000 PF. This mass extinction affected all land and water animal, insect, microbe and plant life… The fact that there might be a noncoincidental relationship between the end of the Bubble Makers’ civilization and the mass extinction cannot be discounted…

“This mass extinction was not caused by any known means. For example, there is no evidence of an asteroid impact on Corpco from that time period… no evidence of nuclear or biological warfare… The mass extinction did not impact the eastern half of Corpco’s land mass nor its islands…