Terminology-
- Deep Black Space: The space between star systems.
- Near Black Space: The space at the edges of a star system; where the star is still just a pinprick of light.
- Bright Space: A star system proper, where inhabited planets are.
- Faster Than Light: FTL. Traveling faster than light.
- Slower Than Light: STL. Traveling at “sublight” speeds.
- Slow Boat: A ship traveling STL.
- Laserstar: A ship or platform dedicated to powerful laser weapons.
- Kinetistar: A ship or platform dedicated to a large kinetic weapon.
- Missile Bus: A ship or platform dedicated to launching large numbers of missiles.
- Dybbuk: A mechanical body piloted by a human mind. Plural, dybbukim.
Space is deep, dark, and lonely. Ships of the Commonwealth deep black fleet voyage through it for months at a time before reaching any other star system. When they emerge from the deep black, they are low on supplies and long without contact with any other life. The Commonwealth, and the Coalition, have built large clusters of space stations at the edges of their star systems to provide solace and safety to their interstellar ships. These Near Black Clusters are the most distant points of civilization in any star system, and the first point of contact for the deep black fleet. Millions of souls floating in the darkness of space, a beacon in the endless night for those who brave the black. The first and greatest danger of faster than light travel is the FTL Bow Wake. The bow wake is a destructive wave that expands before any vessel leaving FTL travel. It annihilates everything in its path for a significant distance. The bow wake has the ability to render planets barren. All vessels are required to exit FTL at the edges of stellar systems, aimed into the deep black, to avoid risk of harm to any settled planets or stations. This necessitates long slower than light voyages from the fringes of the near black into bright space. It was from this requirement that the Near Black Cluster was born. Voyages between star systems in the deep black could take months of FTL travel, but the STL approach into the near black and bright space could double the total transit time. Near Black Clusters began their existence as resupply points for the deep black ships as they came out of FTL and approached a system. They have since grown to become major port cities. A Near Black Cluster provides a safe haven for the ships of the deep black fleet. They’re positioned near the FTL exit points of each Coalition system, and they provide access to much needed supplies after a long voyage in the deep black. Their very existence allows for the deep black fleet to exist as a specialized group of ships. The deep black ships are able to exit FTL, deliver their cargo and passengers to the Cluster, pick up a new load, and return to the deep black on a return trip. Specialized near black and bright space haulers bring the cargo and passengers into the star system proper. The Clusters also allow a deep black vessel’s crew to enjoy shore leave after a tedious voyage. Crews can disembark their ships to mingle with the millions of citizens of a Cluster. The infrastructure of each Cluster caters to the arrival of deep black ships, and there are significant entertainment districts available. Some Clusters even maintain hab zones for the various species of the Coalition. It’s not unusual to find hab zones for Singers or Alkresh. Clusters in major star systems might even host habs for non-Coalition species, such as Varans or Edija. These specialized habitats are usually maintained on torus stations, rather than on the primary cylinders of a Cluster. Each Cluster is self-sufficient with its resources. They have to be, as the voyage from inner system to the Cluster can take months for a slow boat. Food, water, atmosphere, and medical supplies all need to be available to a Cluster at any time. This accounts for much of the sprawl in the secondary and tertiary space stations that form the Clusters, as these smaller stations are used for creating and supplying these vital items. The primary bulk of a Cluster are its habitat stations. The main habs of a Cluster are cylinder stations. Cylinders come in counter-rotating pairs, their spin creating internal gravity for the citizens. A standard Coalition cylinder is 70,000 cubits long and 17,500 cubits in diameter. A pair of cylinders can host up to 15,000,000 humans with an acceptable urban density, and room for industrial, commercial, and recreational zones. Smaller, torus shaped, habitats are floated near the main cylinders for less dense population zones. A torus hab hosts between 50,000 and 150,000 human citizens at a more suburban density. Torus stations also generate spin gravity for their citizens. Specialized stations with lower, or zero, gravity are utilized for industrial, research, and agricultural purposes. These stations are kept a safe distance from the habitat stations in case of accidental detonations. This is of particular importance for the volatile gas and liquid stations, which manufacture atmosphere and fuel for the Cluster. Smaller defense platforms are scattered throughout the Cluster. These platforms are built on Exodus Fleet standard patterns. They provide defense against minor threats. The platforms, like all Exodite defense systems, are patterned on a trifecta of weapon systems: Laserstar, kinetisar, and missile bus platforms. The platforms, although not able to stop a dedicated attack force, can turn rogue vessels into clouds of debris with ease. The true defense of a Near Black Cluster is a large Exodus Fleet anchorage station floated nearby. These anchorages are specialized for the peculiar vessels of the Exodus Fleet. They provide a service point for the dybbukim and the ships themselves, and act as the vital upload points for Exodite units damaged in combat. The anchorages themselves can dwarf even the cylinder habitats of a Cluster, able to play host to dozens of Exodite warships at a time. They provide the first line of defense for any Coalition star system and are an obvious message to all who dwell within that they are sheltered within the mechanical embrace of the Fleet. Near Black Clusters are many things at once. Port, city, place of leisure, defensive line, and fortress. They are beacons in the darkness of the deep black. The furthest light of civilization of any star system. They welcome the weary souls from the deep black, and offer a last farewell for those voyaging out into interstellar space. They are marvels of engineering and are delicate bubbles of life. And for millions of people, they’re a home in the hard vacuum of space.
