Sectors, Systems and Planets…oh my!
The Ōkami Shogunate holds twenty-six worlds within twenty solar systems. Encompassing an area of 120,000 Sq Ly, with her worlds and colonies ranging as near as 1.5 Light Years to as far as 17,800 Light Years away, the planetary types run the gamut from Earth-like to frigid ice and stifling jungle worlds.
Galaxy Map (Click to view full size) |
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Worlds of the Iaidoka:
Ōkami | Aiteko | Hinotama | Yukiyama | Usagi-na |
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Midoritama | Rikuyasei | Atsui-shima | Morijuku | Matsu-shima |
The Ōkami Shogunate's throne world, Ōkami, is located at the midway point between the Sol and Fantoma Sectors, roughly 3000 light years from each. The systems primary, Amatarasu, is a K1-IV Class Orange Main Sequence Star orbited by eight planets and two asteroid belts (Kirin and Shishi Belts). Of those eight planets, a staggering four are life sustaining (Okami, Aiteko, Hinotama, and Yukiyama) the innermost planet is terrestrial but support no life. The outermost world (Chiisai-yarasu) likewise supports no life but is a shrine world, and is sacred to the Shogunate in general and the Onmyoji in particular. Two gas gients round out the remaining worlds in the Ōkami system and are surrounded with Helium-3 extraction facilities with numerous outposts on their myriad terrestrial moons.
Ōkami: Ōkami System: Ōkami Sector:
Ōkamikyo-shi |
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Population: 1.48 Billion
Seat of the Dragon Throne, center and soul of the Ōkami Shogunate, resplendent in her gentle majesty. Ōkami is a beautiful world, her terrain as if drawn from the pages of a storybook. Skies of azure, oceans of crystal clarity, mountains of statuesque grandeur, forests of emerald splendor; the throne world of the Shogunate is truly a wonder to behold, but, for that pleasure, one must be a citizen of the Shogunate, for Ōkami is a world closed to all but her own sons and daughters.
Due to the local fauna, a dragon motif favors predominantly among the people of the shogunate, and, if truth be told, when seen years prior to colonization by the Shogun Ishida Suki, it was taken as a sign from the Kami to settle on this world (then only known as HD 22479-IV). Due to the prominent place dragons hold within Japanese / Ōkami culture these dragons are a protected species (much like the American Bald Eagle). Highly intelligent (for animals) the Omiryu, as they are known, often bond with humans and become faithful and protective companions.
Many elements of ancient, Edo / Sengoku Era Japanese architecture are found within the Shogunate and naturally, upon Ōkami itself. This is due, in major part to the cultural image the Shogunate wishes to convey; not only to their own people, but to outsiders. These elements are Earthly, aesthetically pleasing and hearken back to a simpler time. They convey a sense of peace, of connection to their home world, and of cultural identity. Blending this old and modern aesthetic, the cities, towns, and villages on Ōkami promote harmony, a oneness with nature, tradition, and simplicity. Unlike other capitol worlds, Ōkami is by way of comparison a sleepy, low population, easy going place.
Aiteko: Ōkami System: Ōkami Sector:
Population: 510 Million
Resting in an off-plane orbit between Hinotama and Okami, Aiteko is a small world, temperate and wet. Due to her strange orbital path, her seasons are divided into a 'Dry Season' where the weather is cool with rare precipitation and a 'Wet Season' which besieges the world in warm monsoons. To combat the flooding that results during the wet season, cities and towns are built in areas with terrain that allows for any run off to be safely diverted. The world plays host to a robust scientific community which takes advantage of Aiteko's odd orbit to further their studies into the space sciences. The OSN, like the scientists that call Aiteko home, uses the orbit to their advantage and maintains a fleet yard which allows the world to act as an outsystem transit springboard while surface and orbital sensor arrays augment the Kagami Array.
Hinotama: Ōkami System: Ōkami Sector:
Jungles of Hinotama |
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Population: 320 Million
Occupying a tighter orbit around Amatarasu, Hinotama is a world of steamy jungles festooned with rocky outcroppings, craters, sheer canyons and deep oceans. The local fauna is by and large predatory and utterly unafraid of humanoids. Meteor strikes are common, as the Kirin Belt located between Hinotama and Amatarasu see’s the occasional asteroid knocked loose by solar winds. These craters hold areas of less impressive vegetation and can be considered this world’s equivalent of lowlands. Walled towns and cities reside in and around the larger craters, or along the base and sides of the numerous and far cooler canyons.
Hinotama plays host to a complex of Settler Ruins, while only nine individual structures remain, they are massive and a substantial underground section also exists. To ward off possible accidents no population center is located within 1000 miles of the archeological site although a well guarded base camp for the Dig Team is located onsite. It should be noted that while Hinotama endures sweltering temperatures of around 50 to 80C, the area within a five mile radius of the central ruin is a more temperate 20 to 25C. Advanced climate control technology is suspected but is as yet, unconfirmed. Due to the hot temperatures on this world, the garb preffered by it's inhabitants are short sleeve and airy, in some cases sheer. It is not uncommon for folks to wear casually what on other worlds would be considered beach wear.
The jungles of Hinotama are akin to the rainforests of the Amazon, with its flora a veritable treasure trove of medical applications. A military base for planetary defense and jungle training exists and the troops stationed there regularly cull the predatory wildlife when they encroach on Ōkami settlements. The jungles are also a popular destination for big game hunters.
Yukiyama: Ōkami System: Ōkami Sector:
Chōten-shi |
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Population: 850 Million
As its name suggests, the world of Yukiyama is snow and mountains. The mountains of Yukiyama hold vast mineral resources as well as very hardy and abundant timber reserves. The wildlife, much like that found on Hinotama is predatory and unafraid of humanoids, but thankfully the large amount of herbivorous fauna provides those predators an ample food supply.
A military base on this world is the Shogunate’s premier arctic training facility and the planet plays host to a large winter resort industry centered on ski slopes, hot-springs and scenic vistas.
Usagi-na: Usagi System: Ōkami Sector:
Ōkami-bashi at night |
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Population: 2.2 Billion
The world above which the Dai Torii rests, Usagi-na can be considered the most contemporary of all the worlds in the Shogunate. A vibrant Earth-like world with large oceans and a myriad of terrain types, Usagi-na is temperate if a bit on the cool side but enjoys pleasant summers. It is on this world and upon the Dai Torii and Nanban Terminus that the Kyokaido, the link between the Shogunate and the Fantoma and Khel Sectors, begins.
The world’s capitol city of Shin Edo is built in the same predominant traditional Heian Period manner of the rest of the Shogunate, but her sister city of Ōkami-bashi, located across the continent, is everything one would expect from a technological superpower that is the Ōkami Shogunate. Glass-sided buildings of modern design meld seamlessly with traditional Edo era architecture. Ōkami-bashi’s appearance and atmosphere can be likened to an iki version of the Shinjuku district of Pre-Rain Tokyo. It is because of this, and the cities name, that many believe, erroneously, that the world of Usagi-na is Ōkami. This misconception is generally not corrected by the cities Ōkami-jin inhabitants who just nod and smile and chuckle to themselves at the ‘baka gaijin.’
It is on Usagi-na, in Ōkami-bashi and upon the Nanban Terminus that most non-Ōkami see hakama wearing and katana wielding Ōkami-jin first hand, and realize that their garb and demeanor are not for show.
- Iki: (Iki is that which is stylish, chic, an expression of simplicity, sophistication, and originality); the opposite of which is yabo. (Yabo is that which is unrefined, gigantic, coarse, childish, self-conscious, loud, superficial, vulgar, snobbish, boorish, etc.)
Midoritama: Midori System: Ōkami Sector:
Population: 850 Million
Rikuyasei: Riku System: Ōkami Sector:
Population: 800 Million
Atsui-shima: Hitaiyou System: Ōkami Sector:
Kyōkoku-shi |
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Population: 1.12 Billion
Atsui-shima, literally meaning, 'Hot Island' is the Ōkami Shogunates token desert world. Located 78.6 LY from Ōkami, Atsui-shima orbits a brilliant white F Class star. While a desert world, Atsui-shima is not without oceans, lakes, and sea's, and her coastal areas are lush with flora and fauna. However, move inland and the terrain alters rapidly. If one were to compare Atsui-shima with a Old Earth analog; Egypt would be the closest match. As on Hinotama, the populace of Atsui-shima dress in airy, off times sheer, outfits along the coast. Those that travel inland either wear suits with internal climate control systems or light colored and airy kimono's with sugegasa (conical hat) in order to keep the sun off. Wagasa (Traditional Japanese Umbrella's) are common place and Atsui-Wagasa are all the rage and known throughout the Shogunate for their elegance and ornate craftmanship.
In the deep deserts rest the reason for Shogunal colonization. Beneath the shifting sands and desert pavement are vast vains of metals and crystals used in high tech construction as well as military applications. The OSA maintains a large presense here and uses Atsui-shima as the Shogunate's Desert Warfare Center, Training and Proving Grounds.
Morijuku: Mori System: Ōkami Sector:
Population: 750 Million
Matsu-shima: Mori System: Ōkami Sector:
Forest on Matsu-shima |
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Population: 1.55 Billion
Even in the day and age of carbon fiber allows, nano-tubes and superconductive bio-circuitry there is a need for wood. Matsu-shima, or 'Forested island' is the prime supplier of lumber to the Shogunate, as well as to the export market. Due to the traditional bent so common in Ōkami architecture and interior decorating, wood is widely used in everything from construction, furniture, to weaponry (in the form of Bokkan and Yumi, to name a few.) While most if not all worlds within the Shogunate host their own forests, the world of Matsu-shima boasts the largest and sturdiest. Kinmatsu, or, 'Golden Pine' is one such example of timber. incredibly strong, it also burns almost three to five times hotter then regular hearth woods. Other exmples, dubbed 'Iornwoods' are as their name suggests, as strong as forged iorn, and resistant to fire as well.
While lumber is the primary resource on Matsu-shima, the world sports large hunting and fishing reserves as well as light mining and medical research. The OSA and OSN maintain facilities here and Matsu-shima plays host to terrain specific survival training schools for both services. It should be noted that the large trees also make for great obstacle and slalom courses for grav-bike/car racing, and slalom skiing at the higher elevations.
Ishiroken: Kidoutooi System: Udewa Sector:
Population: 1.32 Billion
Yatori: Kidotooi System: Udewa Sector:
Population: 460 Million
Fuso: Toyo System: Udewa Sector:
Population: 90 Million
Izumi: Izumi System: Ōkami Sector:
Kishiwada City |
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Population: 420 Million
Izumi is a triple primary system and was a system that had been on the Shogunate’s watch list very early on. However it hasn’t been until the last thirty years that colonization and development of the world has taken off. This is due to the fact, that prior to first landing, the Shogunate had spent the better part of two decades just trying to enter the system due to an ancient Puroto Kerlchuun barricade that prevented travel beyond. Reminiscent to the technology involved in the Nyx/Kagami Arrays, the system is protected by a manipulation of the systems heliosheath. How this is accomplished has only been theorized at but the answers might lie within one of the systems gas giants which is protected by a more mundane barrier of its own, one consisting of numerous defense satellites and orbital forts.
Izumi; the systems single life sustaining world, is a mix of semi-arid and polar deserts covering eight distinct continents which in turn cover half the world, with the other half covered in oceans. These continents are strewn with the remains of past civilization. The weather near the surface is calm and pleasant with a perpetual autumn, while the upper atmosphere is turbulent making high altitude flight and planet-fall hazardous.
In orbit around Izumi however is the real prize of the system, and why the Shogunate struggled so long and so hard to finally breech the barrier around it. Within the systems L4 rested a more or less pristine Meltrandi Factory Satellite. Specifically the Shik-Siore 3546846th Automated Armory Factory. 3,000km from top to bottom it is tooled to create ships and fold clusters as its primary tasking. Long inert and worn down the facility nevertheless held vast resources stockpiled over the millennia. It has been thirty years since it had be accessed, and despite a focused and determined renovation program, has only been made 48% functional. Of consequence is the fact that stasis chambers found aboard the factory are still in operation, and moreover, occupied. Thus far an accounting has tallied over 28 million individuals.Shik-Siore 3546846th Automated Armory Factory |
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Hashima: Tosa System: Ōkami Sector:
A city on Valoran |
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Population: 85 Million (Ōkami-jin)
Population: 68 Million (Valoran Natives)
Hashima is a special world within the Shogunate, as it is one of a small few that holds indigenous sapient life. Indigenous that is to say, in that the people there have resided on the world they call Valoran for as long as they can remember. However it is clear by the studies done from orbit that that the inhabitants aren’t native to the world. Signs of long abandoned ruins lurk beneath sand dunes, ice flows, dark forests, and brackish swamps. The people here have, as recently as a few thousand years ago begun to claw their way out of barbarism and strife and in so doing have rediscovered a few of the worlds ancient ruins and have begun to piece together fragments of their worlds past. The technology level on Valoran is at the level seen on Earth during the Renaissance of the 12th Century, otherwise known as the High Middle Ages. Science and learning stands shoulder to shoulder with stone wrought castles and orders of chivalry.
To this mix is added the presence of a protector of a sorts. Scans from orbit reveal a powerful construct bearing the same PCS energy signatures of the Artifact From Outer Space (AFOS) device found on Earth on Mayan Island in 2008.
A few Shogunate settlements have been established in areas furthest from the established native cities, and limited investigations into those cities have been conducted to better sound out local politics and society. Among the myriad things thus far learned is that the denizens of Valoran are aware that giant’s (Zentraedi) used to walk among them. This has been reflected in their architecture and art.
Regards primacy over the world, for all intents and purposes the Shogunate has annexed the world and claims it as their own. However, the Ōkami-jin settlers follow the Nous Tirol Precedent and protocols. The Precedent states that areas under dominion by native dwellers are to be avoided and an exclusion zone of 650 kilometers is to be observed; no new settlement may be established within that zone. This is so that the natives are able to explore, branch out, and ultimately discover the Shogunate cities and peoples naturally.
Shinagato: Iyo System: Ōkami Sector:
Population: 100 Million
Yokachi: Iyo System: Ōkami Sector:
Population: 170 Million
Tokoname: Akita System: Ōkami Sector:
Kubota City |
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Population: 810 Million
The Akita system is a wonder to behold, and one of two of the most massive systems in terms of primaries and planetary bodies (with habitable worlds) within the Shogunate. Akita is a quaternary (Four Star) system with 36 planets. Of these, two are habitable, the largest of which is Tokoname. On it's own the world of Tokoname is remarkable only due to it's size, 20116 km; just a hair over four times the diameter of Earth. Tokiname is a lush world covered in forests and plains with a 39 hour day. She has four seasons although her winters tend to bring with them heavy snowfall. Tokoname is also home to the Furukawa Akita University, the Shogunate's foremost mining and geological learning institution. This is primarily due to the other worlds within the Akita system that harbor a mineral wealth not seen elsewhere. Some worlds like Toko C1 have literal oceans of Berylllium, others like Toko D4 and D7 have unique geography (pockets and tunnels within their crusts). These, among other worlds, hold satellite 'field facilities' to the overall Akita campus.
Sarobetsu: Akita System: Ōkami Sector:
Population: 210 Million
Shimutsu: Hirobumi System: Ōkami Sector:
Population: 810 Million
Grand Cannon
While a robust mobile and far reaching armed force is recognized as the best chance to prevent an enemy form aggressing the interior of one’s territory, off time that may not be enough to keep the barbarians from the gates. To that end, while the Fleet is the first line of defense the Shogunate realizes that multiple defensive lines are vital to create a defense in depth. Should an enemy force and successfully breakthrough Fleet lines and invade an Okami held solar system, certain static defense’s, acting as an anchor point, for the systems own organic mobile defense, have been put into place. Beyond bases, point defense, and artillery and missile batteries are the heavy Anti-Siege / Anti-Fleet weapons; the Grand Cannons. Like the coastal artillery of old, these weapons are designed to fire upon enemy ships and fleets well before they can get within range of their own guns. The difference being is that the Grand Cannons are designed to engage large numbers of ships at once rather than engage enemy ships one at a time.
The origins of the Grand Cannon can be traced to Earth. The First Grand Cannon built was located in Alaska, and was the facility around which the UEG’s Alaska Base was established in 2002 with construction completed in 2010. Four other Grand Cannons were planned, but only the Alaska Cannon was operational at the time Lord Boldoza’s Bodol Main Fleet subjected Earth to the Rain of Fire. The Alaska Cannon was fired only once, but in so doing managed to burn away almost a million Zentraedi ships of the line. Follow on bombardment destroyed the Cannon before its capacitors could recharge for a second shot.
Alaska Base Command Center: 2011 (Archival Footage) | Grand Cannon: Simplified Cutaway view |
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While the original Alaska Cannon had a nominal range of 200,000km with a duration of fire of 40 seconds, and a firing arc of between 60 and 120 degrees, the newer Okami Cannons benefit from more advanced targeting and focusing hardware, and are able to hit targets out to 400,000km within a 30 to 150 degree arc of fire. Duration of fire remains comparable.
Like to original Grand Cannon program, where multiple cannons were planned to ensure maximum planetary cover the same holds true for the Shogunate’s Grand Cannon program. All established worlds of the Shogunate will have as many Grand Cannons placed as necessary to provide total coverage. In most cases this includes cannon’s placed upon terrestrial moons. This process is for the Shogunate far easier than it was on Earth, as the Shogunate doesn’t have to deal with competing polities, interests and politics when it comes to facility placement.
Construction of a Grand Cannon on Atsui-shima | Moon based Grand Cannon: Location: CLASSIFIED |
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Most if not all Cannon facilities are situated far from large population centers, although all are considered military bases and have all the defense, logistics, and support facilities associated with that label. In many cases the deep core shaft that constitutes the barrel of the cannon has additional support shafts sunk further into the crust which serve as geo-thermal taps. These taps provide the power to the facility with excess power being dumped into the planetary energy grid.
Grand Cannon on Rikuyasei (Aperture Closed) |
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While the original Grand Cannon could spin up its Reflex furnaces to fire in less than five minutes when the capacitors were at maximum charge, the capacitors themselves had a slow recharge rate, on the order of 30 to 40 minutes. The cannons used by the Shogunate have a ‘revolver’ style feed whereby multiple capacitors, all fully charged, rest within an articulated frame which allows for rapid swap outs. When one capacitor has been spent a fresh one is moved into its place and by the time the last capacitor in the frame has been used the first one has been recharged allowing for shots every 2 to 4 minutes depending on how many capacitors are carried in a particular frame. The draw back being that the capacitors will burn out after 5 firings (6 is possible but not recommended and may result in a shallow (under-powered) hit.) Therefore numerous spare capacitors are maintained on hand and the adjoining base facilities have factory complexes capable of fabricating new ones.
Ōkami Horo
The Ōkami Horo, or ‘Nyx Array’ is a defensive network that is capable of protecting the Shogunate's territory for unwanted fold incursions. The network is named after the ancient Japanese Horo, or 'Cloak'. A Horo was around 1.8 m (6 ft) long and made from several strips of cloth sewn together with a fringe on the top and bottom edges. The cloth strips were sewn together and formed into a sort of bag which would fill with air like a balloon when the wearer was riding a horse. A light framework of wicker, bamboo or whale bone known as an oikago was sometimes used to keep the Horo expanded. Horo were used as far back as the Kamakura period (1185–1333) When inflated the horo was said to protect the wearer from arrows shot from the side and from behind.
Like it's ancient counter part the modern day Horo protects the Shogunate for other kinds of arrows, that of fold capable ships attempting deep penetration raids of attacks into her territory, as well as preventing an unwanted trespasser from entering her territory at all. The Horo does this by deploying drones fitted with generators capable of creating artificial Fold Faults. Fold Faults are spatial anomalies that prevent the use of fold drives within their area of influence, and any ship already in fold will be pulled out upon encountering a Fault.
The Ōkami Horo is tied into the Kagami Arrays (Kagami in the Iaidoka Shuukai, and Kagami-ni in the Kyūdōka Shuukai) which detect the intruding fold signature. If the fold transit is unauthorized the predicted course is plotted and sent to the attendant Oikage facility. (Oikage Station in the Iaidoka Shuukai, and Hatakeyama Station in the Kyūdōka Shuukai). An Oikage facility oversees the second component of the network, the Taketaba Drones. These drone ships are 200 meters long and fold capable. Once course data has been received an intercept plot is computed while the necessary Taketaba are prepped and launched. Once the intercept has been calculated it is uploaded to the Taketaba which then folds to it's destination. Once there it deploys its Fault Generator and remains on station for as long as is necessary. The exact time it takes from detection of incursion to deployment is classified, but is widely believed to be less the 10 minutes.Oikage Station |
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Taketaba in flight configuration | Taketaba with Fault Generator deployed |
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Each Taketaba carries a compliment of 16 Kigo drone fighters for self defense, however, should this prove insufficient the Taketaba is programed to self destruct to avoid capture. A 'crew' of Karakuri of varying types and specialty are also aboard to maintain the Taketaba's systems. Since fold faults are fickle things a fault may not readily dissipate once the generated field has been disengaged, therefore a living crew is out of the question. In the rare case where a Fault has taken longer then intended to 'lay flat' the Taketaba goes into standby mode and effectively becomes a navigational warning buoy. Once the fault has collapsed the Taketaba returns to base. The few instances when this occurred provided an incredible wealth of knowledge and better understanding on how fold faults work once the on board sensor logs had been analyzed.
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Dai Torii
The 'Great Gates' of the Shogunate. While most interstellar travel is conducted by ships equipped with Fold Drives it wasn't always such. In the early days of the Stellar Republic, long before the Zentraedi and long before the Schism War, the Puroto Kerlchuun began to expand out into the galaxy at first in crude slower then light ships, then larger vessels fitted with massive fold engines that could take upwards of 75% of a ships given mass. So the idea was broached that rather then burden a ship with a massive and expensive FTL drive, what about a facility, or series of facilities that could open the quantum entry to hyperspace for it? And thus the Terminus Network was born. As engine technology improved the Terminus system would lose it's militarily strategic importance, as more compact drive allowed ships and fleets to maneuver free of the checkpoints and bottlenecks the termini presented. However the civil and mercantile applications remained (and increased, as non military ships no longer had to compete for Termini capacity with military shipping.)
Dai Torii (Articulation sequence shown) |
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What was true 200,000 years ago hold true today. While the military fleets of the Shogunate, UEG, Sentinels Confederation and others maneuver as they see fit, civilian traffic can utilize the Termini to travel vast distances in short amounts of time without having to fit their ships with an engine that would eat up space better filled with cargo or passengers. The first gate humanity discoverd was by accident and was found by the crew of the ADFS-606 Valley Mistress. This ship, on loan to the UEEF at the time, located what would be named the Settlers Gate while in pursuit of the Haydonite Lord Voltagos and the materiel for the Miasma WMD he had in his possession. Upon the Valley Mistress was, then Captain (O-3), Ishida Suki. After the defeat of Lord Valtegos, Ishida Suki sent word to her retainer Sen no Aki and directed him to occupy the Settlers Gate. The Shogunate to this day maintains a strong military and mercantile presence on and around the Settlers Gate although, in the interest of cooperation and diplomacy, the Terminus Control Center itself is manned by a multi-national crew under Shogunal leadership.
Within the satellite mega-ferri that made up the Settlers Gate Termini complex was a store of ancient workshops and fabrication facilities to repair and maintain the Gate itself. With this site secured, the Shogunate was able to fabricate not only the Dai Torii gate found in orbit over Usagi-Na, but the Washiryu Torii (located within Aquilean Space) and the Hiiro Torii (located in the Ancyra system). These new Termini are considered 'Short Haul' gates, as they currently lack the ability to propel a ship to another Termini past a 5,000ly distance. The larger Settlers Gate is able to 'Long Haul' ships to other Termini out to 10,000ly.Dai Torii (5 Petal Gate) |
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Gate Termini are built around the central aperture that is the gate itself. While numerous designs are bound to exist in gates built by the ancient Puroto Kerlchuun, those built by the Shogunate follow a standard layout. The Hub, (where the gate itself is located), the Articulation Frame, and, the Petals (habitation and dock facilities). Each 'Petal' is roughly 50km from end to end and are thus massive structures that can take a long time to construct, and even longer to populate. To that end the Petal's are built one at a time as needed until all five are complete. To maintain structural stability and symmetry the Articulation Frame is built with articulating gimbals that can traverse along the Frame itself to orient the Petals properly. In times of emergency the five Petals can close, protecting the Termini and city within. It is this Five Petal arrangement that is represented in the Termini operations Mon (depicted at the beginning of this section) in the form of a stylized Sakura blossom.
Kagami Array
The Kagami Array, or rather, Array's, as there are currently two, are a vital part of the defense of the Shogunate.
When the world of Ōkami was originally founded, found in orbit were two derelict Robotech Master motherships, the Neuparszietsch 07, originally known as Qlispitsz (Utmost Accuracy), and Neuparszietsch 12, known as Buoquolin (Efficiency). A common feature to all Masters Motherships are two massive horn like structures along the keel of the vessel. These 'horns' are actually sophisticated hyperspace sensors, designed to detect and track ships executing a hyperspace-fold jump. The range of these sensors is estimated to be around 3 kiloparsecs (9,784ly). When the two Motherships were broken down to provide parts and resources for the initial colonization efforts more then a century ago, the hyperspace sensors were salvaged, repaired and restored to functionality. The Shogunate has since learned how to reproduce this technology and in so doing, have made significant improvements to the sensors spatial acuity and resolution.
Initially three of the four sensor horns were fitted together with the fourth being used for study. These three sensors and the massive space station they were fitted to became known as the Kagami Array; named after Yata no Kagami 八咫鏡, the sacred mirror. In ancient Japanese mythology, this mirror was forged by the deity Ishikoridome; it and the Yasakani no magatama were hung from a tree to lure out Amaterasu from a cave. They were given to Amaterasu's grandson, Ninigi-no-Mikoto, when he went to pacify Japan. The Yata no Kagami represents "wisdom" or "honesty,". Mirrors in ancient Japan represented truth because they merely reflected what was shown.
Over time the station grew and eventually a small city was added to the facility to house the crew, staff, and soldiers tasked with it's protection. It is interesting to note that the technical and repair staff are all members of the Order of the Gold Mirror and thus a form of mysticism is invoked in the upkeep of the hyperspace sensors, known to the Order as the Kagami Jinja (shrine). This happened quite by accident, but the Shogun saw no reason to disallow the practice and in fact encouraged it as the attendant Kannushi (priest / priestess), Miko (shrine maiden), and Shinshoku (shrine worker) tend the hyperspace sensors with all the reverence one reserves for a holy relic. In the image shown the sensors themselves are the smaller set of 'horns' at the base of the station, and each is 7 kilometers long. The larger hornlike protrusions are defensive structures, and should the station be located, serve as a decoy target as most will assume them to be the sensors.
The stations exact location's (one is located in the Iaidoka Shuukai, the other in the Kyudoka Shuukai, with a third being built in the Sōjutsuka Shuukai) are highly guarded secrets. One of the primary reasons behind the addition of the city, beyond providing a pleasant and well appointing living area for the station staff, was to allow the station to be as self sufficient as possible. With the ability to grow their own food, fabricate their own basic supplies and other amenities, resupply flights, which could be tracked, were reduced to a minimum.
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