Terra

 

System: Terra Nuevo

Sector: Primus

 

Terra is the capitol world of the Terran Protectorate, and the Terra Nuevo (New Earth) system was the first one colonized by mankind. Originally discovered by NASA’s Kepler space telescope in the early part of the 21st Century, Terra is nearly identical to earth in atmosphere and temperature. It is the most settled, developed and managed human planet in the galaxy, known mostly for its governmental and administrative facilities, its large cultural and entertainment services, and as a headquarters to most of the largest human-run corporations. Most citizens on Terra are fairly well-off or at least comfortable, as the Protectorate practices what’s called Baseline Capitalism (also known as a “safety net” market). What this means is that the government guarantees that all citizens have a roof over their head, and enough food to meet government-recognized human nutritional needs, as well as a primary education (equivalent to Bachelor’s Degree).

The trade-off doesn’t come in taxes, but in the fact that the government on the human core worlds tends to own virtually all of the land. People own buildings and houses, and in some cases, small amounts of acreage, but the actual land on the core worlds is government-owned, and most people pay usage fees to live on it (instead of land taxes, though they are essentially the same thing). This allows Terra to operate a “managed growth ecology” with a planet-wide Master Plan that has kept the planet free of pollution and overpopulation.

This has also resulted in a regular stream of people migrating off Terra to settle new worlds, own their own land, and do what they want with it. Though it would never say so openly; this is the Protectorate’s goal. They want humans to want to settle new worlds and expand and spread. It helps ensure the survival of the species, and those new colonies turn into new markets that expand the home world’s economy. In effect, the Protectorate is breeding new trade partners. When those colonies become large enough to be self-sufficient, they’re encouraged to join the Protectorate, adopt Protectorate-style practices, spawn new colonies, and start the whole thing all over again.

In addition to that, humans are encouraged, regularly and vigorously, to breed like rabbits. Entertainment (especially on Terra) can be hyper-sexualized at times, fashions can be outrageously provocative, there’s a constant government advertising campaign encouraging breeding and good health habits, and government incentives for large families. Since development is tightly controlled, this leads to even more off-world migration, more colonies, more tax revenue (without straining the planet’s infrastructure, since people are constantly leaving), and more trade. It would take a catastrophic shift in the galactic situation for the Protectorate to change this plan even one iota. It has made even the average citizen comfortably well-off, and made corporation and governmental leaders wealthy beyond rational thought.

The downside is that many people, especially colonists, consider the population of Terra a collection of bureaucrats and corporate fat cats lording over a planet filled with oversexed “sheeple” who can’t keep their pants on. And there’s quite a bit of truth to that. While Terrans tend to consider themselves “free-spirited,” on many other worlds they’re just considered decadent and self-centered. One joke among many colonists sums up the feelings toward Terrans succinctly:

“What do you call a hard-working Terran that thinks for himself? A colonist.”

Terrans, however, tend to see colonists as unsophisticated, unwashed (and a bit suicidal) hicks with an overblown sense of machismo.

Population: 1.85 billion (with an additional 20 million living in orbit)

Controlling Clan: Azure Sept (with heavy influence from Clan Hedonis and the Scions of Tellus Mater)

Diameter: 14,000 miles

Atmosphere: Idyllic Earth-like (managed by atmosphere processing stations that scrub out pollutants and keep the atmosphere in absolute perfect balance…even controlling weather patterns…a rain and snow schedule is made available by the government so citizens can plan their day accordingly, it’s accurate to within 10 minutes and 5 miles).

Average Temperature Range: 7o F – 79o F (-13.9o C – 26.1o C)

Gravity: 1.09 Earth gravity (no difference in stats, but just enough to make Terrans a bit more toned and cardiovasularly fit than 21st Century earth humans)

Calendar: Terra’s years are a bit longer, about 380 earth days, but its days are much shorter, only 15.3 hours. This means that a year to a Terran is over 500 days. In practice, the average “day” on Terra is really two days, with most people staying awake for a full cycle and then sleeping for most of the next cycle.

Satellites: Two moons, Luna and Hyperion. Both are rocky with no atmosphere, though they both have military and industrial facilities, with a combined population of about 10 million. Terra also has numerous Sky Cities, as well as other space stations, and the Fleet Headquarters Anchorage.

Defense Assets: The system is the base of the Home Guard, an entire battle fleet dedicated to system defense. The headquarters of the Terran Protectorate Stellar Navy is a massive anchorage with a small shipyard and two nearby Sky Cities that serve as the administrative complex and the academy. There are always enough ships present to equal a large task force, and the facilities themselves are home to six fighter wings (over 200 fighters). There are a hundred Holstein’s active in the star system that are not attached to the Home Guard.

 

The Home Guard itself is headed by the battleship Colin Powell, which is the flagship of Terran Protectorate Stellar Navy. The fleet has two Liberty-Class Carriers; the Sovereign and the Freedom, ten heavy cruisers, four escort carriers, 16 destroyers, and 12 frigates, as well as 48 pinnaces. The fleet can field more than 250 fighters and mecha.