Canopus’ neighbour Exphiay is the subject of our next article. The G type star supports several planets including metal rich worlds, a ringed Y-type dwarf star, two water worlds, and a terraformed planet where the majority of the system’s inhabitants make their home. Life proceeds at a slower pace here, with one year on Discovery taking just over two Earth years, and days 32 hours in length. With an oxygen percentage of 12.8%, visitors to Discovery are warned about the dangers of hypoxia, something which the permanent residents are acclimatised to. Average temperatures are around 1°C so tourists are advised to wrap up in suitable environmental clothing, especially if they plan on venturing outside the equatorial regions.
The system benefits from two large spaceports; Worlidge Hub, in orbit around Discovery itself, and James K Winston, orbiting its rocky moon of Rakhiot. Both support only a skeleton staff, just enough to keep the stations operational. James K Winston runs a refinery operation that processes the ores extracted in nearby Canopus, whilst Worlidge Hub has a service economy to cater to the small numbers of tourists that travel out this far. Most of both stations’ workforces are made up of slaves, controlled as they are by the Canopus Crimson Dragons criminal gang.
Whilst the colony was founded by the substantial funds of Gallant Investment Brokers, criminals have found a safe haven here distant from the rest of inhabited space, with the freedom to operate unimpeded for many years. In recent times they have seen challenges from rivals the Exphiay Crimson Hand Gang, but the Federation Exphiay for Equality party has moved in during the past few months and has rapidly gained in support, citing its goal to make both Exphiay and Canopus; “safe and profitable places to make a living again”.
Cmdr Stateira "Starcloak" Eleshenar
Sentient Life | Interstellar Press
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