THE EDGE OF NOWHERE

The Deep Beyond is the solar system’s final frontier. A

vast zone stretching from the asteroid belt to the edge of
interstellar space, its siren call has drawn researchers,
pioneers, visionaries – and outlaws. Deep Beyond includes:
l Expanded descriptions of the asteroids, gas giants,
moons, and comets of the outer system. Visit the gas
mines of Saturn and Europa’s icy oceans!
l What it’s like to grow up in the Deep Beyond . . . as a
Duncanite parahuman, a sapient AI, or even an enslaved
bioroid.
l Dozens of organizations, from the rebel ghosts of Axon to
the cyber-soldiers of the 82nd Spaceborne.
l New character types, from judges-for-hire to Jump RATS
and Swarmdozers.
l New vehicles and technologies: ice-hulled Gypsy Angel
spacecraft, portable lasers, prospector swarms – even the
black hole power plant.

Transhuman Space is required to use

this supplement. GURPS Basic Set,
Third Edition Revised, Compendium I,
and Transhuman Space: In The Well
are also recommended.

FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING

PUBLISHED APRIL 2003
ISBN 1-55634-586-0

9!BMF@JA:RSTWUXoY`ZgZaZnZ` Printed in
SJG02695 6703 the USA
 THE EDGE OF NOWHERE
The Deep Beyond is the solar system’s final frontier. A
vast zone stretching from the asteroid belt to the edge of
interstellar space, its siren call has drawn researchers,
pioneers, visionaries – and outlaws. Deep Beyond includes:
l Expanded descriptions of the asteroids, gas giants,
moons, and comets of the outer system. Visit the gas
mines of Saturn and Europa’s icy oceans!
l What it’s like to grow up in the Deep Beyond . . . as a
Duncanite parahuman, a sapient AI, or even an enslaved
bioroid.
l Dozens of organizations, from the rebel ghosts of Axon to
the cyber-soldiers of the 82nd Spaceborne.
l New character types, from judges-for-hire to Jump RATS
and Swarmdozers.
l New vehicles and technologies: ice-hulled Gypsy Angel
spacecraft, portable lasers, prospector swarms – even the
black hole power plant.

Transhuman Space is required to use

this supplement. GURPS Basic Set,
Third Edition Revised, Compendium I,
and Transhuman Space: In The Well
are also recommended.

FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING

PUBLISHED APRIL 2003
ISBN 1-55634-586-0

9!BMF@JA:RSTWUXoY`ZgZaZnZ` Printed in
SJG02695 6703 the USA
 By David Pulver • Cover by Jesse DeGraff
Edited by Steve Jackson • Illustrated by Attila Adorjany, Andy Clarkson, Jesse DeGraff,
Dennis Detwiller, Thomas Floyd, Steve Hartley, Jeremy McHugh, Torstein Nordstrand, Klaus Scherwinski
Map design contributions: Nelson Cunnington • Additional editing by Scott Haring

GURPS System Design ■ Steve Jackson

Managing Editor ■ Andrew Hackard
GURPS Line Editor ■ Sean Punch
Transhuman Space Line Editor ■ David Pulver
Project Administrator ■ Monique Chapman
Art Director ■ Philip Reed
Production Artist ■ Justin De Witt
Print Buyer ■ Monica Stephens
Errata Coordinator ■ Andy Vetromile
Sales Manager ■ Ross Jepson

Lead Playtester: Kenneth Peters

Playtesters: John Buston, Frederick Brackin,
John Freiler, Juergen Hubert, Anthony Jackson,
MA Lloyd, Phil Masters, David Morgan-Mar,
Nana Yaw Ofori, Robert Prior, Jeff Raglin,
Dalton Spence, Constantine Thomas
Special thanks to John Nowak, Sean Punch, Nelson Cunnington, and to everyone on Pyramid who participated in the playtest.
The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal, and punishable by law.
Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.
Your support of the author's rights is appreciated.
GURPS, Warehouse 23, and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Transhuman Space, Pyramid,
Deep Beyond, and the names of all products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are registered trademarks or trademarks of
Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. Transhuman Space: Deep Beyond is copyright © 2003 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated.
All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.
ISBN 1-55634-586-0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

STEVE JACKSON GAMES

 Saturn’s Rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
THE SATURNIAN SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . .56
SATURN’S MOONS` . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Small Inner Moons . . . . . . . . . . .58
Mimas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
THE TRAILING TROJANS . . . . . . . . . .32 Enceladus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 617 Patroclus – Tethys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
ABOUT TRANSHUMAN SPACE . . . . . . . .5 “Varahamihira Station” . . . . . .32 Calypso and Telesto . . . . . . . . . .60
About GURPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 THE MAIN BELT AND Dione . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
1. THE ASTEROIDS . . . . . . . . . . . .6 TROJAN ECONOMY . . . . . . . . . .32 Helene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
THE SOLAR SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Rhea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
DISCOVERING THE ASTEROIDS . . . . . . .7
ASTEROID MINING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 TITAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
ASTEROIDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Commercial Asteroid Mining . . .35 Titan Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Asteroid Families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Life on Titan? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Subsistence Asteroid Mining . . .36
ASTEROID CHARACTERISTICS . . . . . . . .8 Asteroid Mining Techniques . . . .36 TITAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62-63
Asteroid Taxonomy . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Settlement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Minor Asteroid Populations . . . . . . .8 2. JUPITER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Huygens City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Asteroid Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 JUPITER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Industries on Titan . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Main Belt Astrography . . . . . . . . . . .9
Jupiter’s Composition . . . . . . . . .38 Port Minos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
The Asteroid Environment . . . . .10 Jupiter Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Titan Wrestling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
The Horizon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Jovian Weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Titanomachy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
SETTLING THE BELT . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 SIRMA Cybershells . . . . . . . . . .39 Jiangli Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Dealing with Dust . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
THE JOVIAN SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Getting Around on Titan . . . . . . .66
MAIN BELT STATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . .12 SATURN’S OUTER MOONS . . . . . . . . .67
Exploring Jupiter . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Main Belt Demographics . . . . . . . .12
Jovian Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Hyperion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
1 Ceres –
Jupiter’s Magnetic Field Iapetus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
“Silas Duncan Station” . . . . . .13
and Magnetosphere . . . . . . . . .40 Phoebe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Green Duncanite Stations . . . . . . .13
Life in Jupiter’s Rings . . . . . . . . . .40
2 Pallas – “Hesheng Station” . . .14
Jupiter’s Ringlets . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 4. THE OCEAN OF NIGHT . . . . . . .69
National Asteroid Colonies . . . . . .14
The Ceres Tricentennial . . . . . . . . .14 JUPITER’S SMALL INNER MOONS . . . .41 THE CENTAURS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
259 Aletheia – Aletheia Station .16 THE GALILEAN SATELLITES . . . . . . . .42 URANUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Corporate Research Stations . . . . .16 IO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Uranus Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
4 Vesta – “Exogenesis Station” . .17 Io Plasma Torus . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Yggdrasil Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Religious Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Io Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Exploration and Exploitation . . .71
10 Hygeia – “Yametei Station” . .20 Settlement on Io . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Uranus’ Magnetosphere . . . . . . . .71
112434 Shezbeth – The Io-Jupiter Accelerator . . . . . . .43 Rings of Uranus . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
“Hawking Station” . . . . . . . . .20 Conflict on Io . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Moons of Uranus . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
185 Eunike – Lokavidu Station .20 EUROPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 UNSIBA Aerostats . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
Life on Europa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Methane Diamonds? . . . . . . . . . . .71
511 Davida –
“New Covenant Station” . . . .21 Europa Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 NEPTUNE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Derelict Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Surface Travel on Europa . . . . . . .45 The Winds of Neptune . . . . . . . . . .72
Homestead Stations . . . . . . . . . . . .22 EUROPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Neptune’s Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . .73
334 Chicago – Wolf Station . . . .23 Europan Settlement . . . . . . . . . . .47 Neptune’s Moons . . . . . . . . . . . .73
704 Interamnia – CRABE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Triton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
The Europa Project . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Triton’s Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
“Liberty Bell Station” . . . . . . .24
Asteroid Refineries . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 TheWar Under the Ice . . . . . . . . . .47 Settlement on Triton . . . . . . . . . .74
Fringer and Survivalist Stations . . .25 Genesis Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 THE KUIPER BELT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
383544 Amberella – Manannan Station . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Settling the Kuiper Belt . . . . . . .75
“Galliard Station” . . . . . . . . . .26 GANYMEDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Quaoar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
117561 Jiawen – Ganymede Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Comets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
“Tenglong Station” . . . . . . . . .26 CALLISTO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 2051 BJ – “Topsy Station” . . . . .76
Criminal Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Exploration and Settlement . . . . .50 The Tritium Affair . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Private Estates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Valhalla Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Pluto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
252400 Behistun Rock – Callisto Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Pluto Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
“Manasseh Station” . . . . . . . .28 Asgard Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 THE EDGE OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM . .77
Sahasara Chaksu . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 The Pukjeera Archive . . . . . . . . . . .52 THE OORT CLOUD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
THE TROJANS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 JUPITER’S OUTER MOONS . . . . . . . . .52 Primordial Black Holes . . . . . . . .78
The Trojan War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Oort Cloud Expeditions . . . . . . .78
LEADING TROJANS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 3. SATURN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Gravitational Lensing
911 Agamemnon – “Freehaven” .30 SATURN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 and the Solaris Mission . . . . . . .78
1437 Diomedes – Saturn’s Composition . . . . . . . . .54 INTERSTELLAR SPACE . . . . . . . . . . . .78
“Liang Mountain” . . . . . . . . . .31 Helium-3 Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Xiang 63 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Space Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Cassini Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 61 Virginis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Saturn Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
 Duncanite Charities . . . . . . . . . .101 Nootropics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137
5. ORGANIZATIONS . . . . . . . . . . .80 Europa Defense Force . . . . . . . .101 Weapon Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137
DUNCANITE SOCIETY . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Torsten Rademacher . . . . . . . . . . .102 SPACECRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
Silas Duncan Society of Isidore . . . . . . . . . . .102 Asteroid Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
and the Falkland Islands . . . . . .82 MARTIAN TRIADS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 Barricade-Class SDP . . . . . . . .139
The Ares Crew . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Xie Feng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 Shengzi-Class SCU . . . . . . . . . .139
Law and Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Triad Operations . . . . . . . . . . . .104 Mudlark-Class USV . . . . . . . . .140
The Fundamental Contract . . . . . .83 PIRATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 SATV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Duncanite Security Companies . .84 Mutineers and Hijackers . . . . . .105 Lewis-Class HSTV . . . . . . . . . .141
The Aegis Group . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Privateers and Blackjackers . . .105 Chronos-Class TAV . . . . . . . . . .142
Immigration and Customs . . . . . .86 Rogue TSA AKVs . . . . . . . . . . .105 Thule-Class DSOV . . . . . . . . . .142
Free Courts and the THE TROJAN MAFIA . . . . . . . . . . . .106 DFS-3C Archangel Space
Ceres Bar Association . . . . . . .86 Achilles Heel Data Services . . .106 Dominance Vessel . . . . . . . . .143
Security Agencies in Action . . . . . .86 Rogue AKVs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Brummagem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Rajasi-Class AKV (“Snark”) . . .144
Erotogenics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Judge Pfil Tries a Case . . . . . . . . .87 OTHER VEHICLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
Fengyang Group . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Gypsy Angels Collective . . . . . . .88 Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
Omokage Laboratories . . . . . . .107
CORPORATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 Asterius (Deep Sea
Starhaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Avatar Klusterkorp . . . . . . . . . . .89 Research Vessel) . . . . . . . . . .145
Trojan Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Biotech Euphrates . . . . . . . . . . . .89 AstroBug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Columbia Aerospace . . . . . . . . . .89 6. CHARACTERS . . . . . . . . . . . .109 Landstrider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Ceres Mutual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 CHARACTER TYPES . . . . . . . . . . . . .110 Landstrider Dragoon . . . . . . . . .147
Exogenesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Abolitionist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110 World Rover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
Kirkwood Gap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Apprentice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110 Vehicular Weaponry . . . . . . . . . . .148
Kosmodavit Tenno Tanjo . . . . . .90 Bioengineer or Gengineer . . . . .110 Titan Packhopper . . . . . . . . . . . .149
Nanodynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Contract Enforcer . . . . . . . . . . .110 CA-90 Titan Eagle
Who Owns Space? . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 (“Bird-Plane”) . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Hired Judge (“Deemster”) . . . . .110
The Titan Consortium . . . . . . . . .91 UH-92 Malamute Utility
Homesteader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Vosper-Babbage . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Helicopter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Isolate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Xiao Chu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Roughneck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Tenzan Heavy Industries . . . . . . .92 Main Belt Personals . . . . . . . . . . .111
Freehaulers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
BIOROIDS, PARAHUMANS,
SECURITY COMPANIES . . . . . . . . . . . .93
AND UPLIFTED ANIMALS . . . . .112
Executive Decisions
Adventures with Sentient Snacks .114
Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
CYBERSHELL TEMPLATES . . . . . . . . .116
Five Dragons Security . . . . . . . . .93
Eidolons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
The Judge Ajax War . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Kinetic Logic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 BIOMODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
Mutual Assured Defense . . . . . . .94 ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES,
Trojan Hawk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 AND SKILLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123
Other Duncanite Security Wealth and Status . . . . . . . . . . .123
Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 PEOPLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
Outlaws and Bounties . . . . . . . . .95 Miho Gallagher . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
GOVERNMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 Charlie Sparrowhawk . . . . . . . .125
U.S. Titan Territory . . . . . . . . . . .95 Sinetär . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES . . . . . . . . . .96 CAMPAIGN THEMES . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
European Space Agency . . . . . . .96 7. TECHNOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . .131
National Aeronautics APPENDIX: DESIGN OPTIONS . . .152
and Space Administration . . . .96 HABITATS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132
United States Astrographical Cole Habitats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 NEW SPACECRAFT COMPONENTS . . .152
Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 Track Habitats . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 Railgun Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
Shell Habitats . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133 Electromagnetic Armor . . . . . . . .153
Intelligence Agencies . . . . . . . . .97
Beehive Habitats . . . . . . . . . . . .133 WALKER DESIGN NOTES . . . . . . . . .154
MILITARY FORCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
British Forces Aletheia . . . . . . . .98 PROSPECTOR SWARMS . . . . . . . . . . .134 CRUSH DEPTH AND TEST DEPTH . . .154
Grognards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98 Red Ants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134 DESIGNING HABITATS . . . . . . . . . . .155
U.S. Outer System Command . . .99 EXOTIC TECHNOLOGIES . . . . . . . . . .134
Black Hole Gravitic Fusion . . .135 GLOSSARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
82nd Spaceborne Cyber-Infantry
Company Organization . . . . . . .99 Black Hole Computing . . . . . . .135 Useful Formulas . . . . . . . . . . . .156
India’s National Biodegradable and Edible Small Body Designations . . . . .156
Security Guards . . . . . . . . . .100 Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135
Stabilized Metallic Hydrogen . .135 BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . .158
PLAN-SF Deep Space Fleet . . .100
Starswarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136
NGOS, ACTIVISTS, AND
PERSONAL AND EXPEDITION GEAR . .136
INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159
TERRORISTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Axon Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 Gestalt Cyberswarms . . . . . . . . . .136
Laser Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . .137
 The Deep Beyond is the solar system’s last frontier. It The isolation of the Deep Beyond is a fertile womb
is the region of space outside the orbit of Mars, encom- for outlaw subcultures, nonhuman life, and exotic tech-
passing the countless asteroids of the Main Belt; the four nologies, but it’s also a source of valuable resources and
giant planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, and scientific innovation vital to the interests of powerful
their many moons; the two clusters of Trojan asteroids; nations and transnationals. This clash of ways and memes
and the icy realm of the Centaurs and Kuiper Belt. Its neb- breeds conflict, from crime and terrorism to the threat of
ulous boundary is the vast Oort Cloud, where Sol system interplanetary war.
merges with interstellar space.
 ABOUT ABOUT GURPS
TRANSHUMAN SPACE Steve Jackson Games is committed to full support
of the GURPS system. Our address is SJ Games, Box
The Transhuman Space series presents a unique 18957, Austin, TX 78760. Please include a self-
hard-science and high-biotech universe for roleplaying. addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) any time you
Set in the Solar System in the year 2100, it is a setting rich write us! Resources include:
in adventure, mystery, and ideological conflict. The core Pyramid (www.sjgames.com/pyramid/). Our
book is Transhuman Space, which presents an overview online magazine includes new GURPS rules and arti-
of the setting. Other books available include Fifth Wave cles. It also covers Dungeons and Dragons, Traveller,
(focusing on Earth), In the Well (Mars and the inner sys- World of Darkness, Call of Cthulhu, and many more
tem) Orbital Decay (terror in Earth orbit), Spacecraft of top games – and other Steve Jackson Games releases
the Solar System (a compendium of spacecraft), and Per- like In Nomine, Illuminati, Car Wars, Toon, Ogre
sonnel Files (a collection of detailed, ready-made charac- Miniatures, and more. Pyramid subscribers also have
ters), with more to follow. access to playtest files online!
New supplements and adventures. GURPS contin-
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but we do our best to fix our errors. Up-to-date errata
sheets for all GURPS releases, including this book, are
available on our website – see below.
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products as well as updated printings of existing titles!
Internet. Visit us on the World Wide Web at
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Page References
Rules and statistics in this book are specifically
for the GURPS Basic Set, Third Edition. Any page
reference that begins with a B refers to the GURPS
Basic Set – e.g., p. B102 means p. 102 of the GURPS
Basic Set, Third Edition. Page references that begin
with CI indicate GURPS Compendium I. References
to Transhuman Space books are are FW for Fifth
About the Author Wave, ITW for In The Well, SSS for Spacecraft of the
David Pulver has been a science fiction fan since before Solar System, and TS for Transhuman Space itself.
he learned to read and a gamer since 1978. The creator The abbreviation for this book is DB. For a full list of
and editor of the Transhuman Space line, he lives in abbreviations, see p. CI181 or the updated web list at
Victoria, British Columbia. David has authored or co- www.sjgames.com/gurps/abbrevs.html.
authored over 50 roleplaying games and sourcebooks.
 Metallic Asteroid
Stony Asteroid

Carbonaceous Asteroid

The Department of State cautions U.S. citizens visit- Army Navy Space Force (PLAN-SF). There has also been
ing the Deep Beyond to exercise precautions when travel- an increase in softjacking by Digital Creationist radicals.
ing to certain Main Belt and Trojan asteroids. In addition Recent police actions undertaken by EDI, Royal Navy, and
to the continuing slight risk of AKVs (Autonomous Kill South African forces in the Main Belt against rogue info-
Vehicles) left over from the Pacific War, new violence has morphs and Martian Triad crime cells have contributed to
flared up in recent months. the hostilities. The U.S. government’s ability to assist kid-
Most incidents have involved clashes between Chi- napped, softjacked, or xoxnapped American or foreign cit-
nese nationals and stateless individuals, primarily Dun- izens in the Belt and Trojans is limited, but individuals in
canites. However, 87 U.S. citizens were victimized in the distress should contact the U.S. consulate office at
Main Belt and Trojans in 2099, three times as many as in Aletheia.
2098. British, Chinese, and private security patrols have For further information regarding the Main Belt and
kept the space around Aletheia, Ceres, Hygeia, and Pallas Trojan asteroids, travelers should consult the Department
reasonably secure, but risks are greater when traveling of State’s latest Consular Information Sheet for the Deep
elsewhere, and the danger of large-scale terrorist inci- Beyond.
dents or attacks on homesteaders cannot be ruled out. This replaces the April 6, 2099 Travel Advisory for the
The majority of violent incidents last year were con- Main Belt and Trojan Asteroids.
nected to ongoing conflict between Red Duncanite – U.S. State Department Travel Advisory,
“blackjacker” militias and the People’s Liberation December, 2099
 The Main Belt and Trojan Asteroids include believed was a new comet. After its orbit was better
more than a million tiny worlds, home to over 100,000 determined, it was obviously something else. It resem-
sapient beings. Anarchists, fascists, Christians and Bud- bled a tiny planet, much smaller than Earth’s moon, and
dhists, decelerationists and scientists and transhumanists was exactly where Bode had predicted it should be. Piazzi
. . . it’s not surprising they don’t get along. named this minor planet Ceres, after the Roman goddess of
grain. Little more than a year later, another small body,

DISCOVERING THE
Pallas, was discovered, sharing a similar orbit. The
astronomer William Herschel declared that since these
bodies were so tiny compared to the planets, they should

ASTEROIDS be called asteroids (“small stars”) rather than planets.

The two asteroids were not unique. Countless more
asteroids would be discovered, making up an “asteroid
“Let the distance from the Sun to Saturn be taken as belt” of millions of discrete objects circling the sun.
100, then Mercury is separated by 4 such parts from the
Sun. Venus is 4+3=7. The Earth 4+6=10. Mars 4+12=16.
Now comes a gap in this so orderly progression. After
Mars there follows a space of 4+24=28 parts, in which no
The Earth should be regarded as the
planet has yet been seen. Can one believe that the Founder womb of life – but one cannot
of the universe had left this space empty? Certainly not.
From here we come to the distance of Jupiter by 4+48=52 remain in the womb forever.
parts, and finally to that of Saturn by 4+96=100 parts.”
– Johann Elert Bode,
– Frank Tipler
Anleitung zur Kenntnis des
Gestirnten Himmels

In 1772, a German astronomer named Johann Bode,

working from the earlier theories of Johann Titius, realized
that the orbital spacing of the planets followed a specific
ASTEROIDS
mathematical pattern. From this he formulated Bode’s An asteroid is any rocky or metallic body that isn’t
Law, which predicted the presence of a planet between one of the major planets, their moons, or one of the comet-
Mars and Jupiter, where no such planet had been seen. A like ice dwarfs of the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud.
few years later, the newly discovered seventh planet, Asteroids are leftover detritus from the birth of our
Uranus, found beyond the orbit of Saturn, also conformed solar system, prevented by Jupiter’s strong gravity from
to Bode’s relationship. Thus encouraged, Europe’s best forming an actual planet. Instead, they coalesced into
astronomers began a concerted hunt for the “missing plan- many smaller bodies. That was 4.6 billion years ago. Since
et” that was believed to orbit between Mars and Jupiter. then, most of these original “parent body” asteroids have
On the first day of the 19th century, the astronomer been further fragmented by high-velocity collisions, result-
Giuseppe Piazzi discovered an object that he initially ing in the countless smaller asteroids that exist today.
The vast majority of the asteroids exist within
the Main Belt or “asteroid belt,” circling the sun
between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. The asteroid
A STEROID AMILIES F belt is a roughly disk-shaped region about 2 to 4 AU
An asteroid family is a group of Main Belt asteroids that fol- distant from the sun and 0.2 AU deep. It straddles
low very similar orbital paths. Families are named after the the point (2.8 AU from the sun) where Bode’s Law
lowest-numbered (first-discovered) asteroid belonging to them. had predicted a planet would be found.
They include the Cybeles, Eos, Floras, Hildas, Hungarias, Koro- Most Main Belt asteroids follow elliptical but
nis, Phocaea, and Themis families. About 45% of asteroids belong stable orbital paths around the sun. They travel in
to identifiable families. the same direction as the Earth, but take three to six
Asteroid families were formed when a sizable asteroid suf- years to complete an orbit. Asteroid orbits are not
fered a major collision with another large body, breaking one or uniformly distributed over the Main Belt. Due to the
both of them into fragments, some of which followed the same gravitational influences of Mars and Jupiter there
orbit. Family members are usually similar in composition. Aster- are some relatively empty orbital paths, called Kirk-
oid families do not represent tight clusters of asteroids in physical wood Gaps, where fewer asteroids exist. Groups of
proximity – two asteroids may have nearly identical orbits, on asteroids also exist that have relatively similar
opposite sides of the sun. orbital characteristics – see Asteroid Families.
 ASTEROID ASTEROID TAXONOMY
There are many different types of asteroids, but the

CHARACTERISTICS
majority are classed as metallic, stony, carbonaceous, or
frozen volatile. In the Main Belt, metallic and stony aster-
oids predominate in the “inner Main Belt,” closer to the
The Main Belt includes 16 huge asteroids that are 150 sun, while carbonaceous and frozen volatile asteroids are
miles or more in diameter (the biggest is Ceres, 527 miles concentrated further away from the sun, in the “outer Main
across). There are also thousands of mid-size asteroids 10 Belt.”
miles or more in diameter, a few million asteroids a half-
mile or more in diameter, and billions of meteoroids rang- Metallic Asteroids
ing in size from large boulders to tiny pebbles. Even so, the Metallic asteroids resemble dirty, pock-marked metal
combined mass of all the asteroids in the Main Belt is boulders. They are the least common of all asteroid types,
unimpressive compared to the planets – if gathered togeth- representing about 5% of the total population. Most are
er, they’d only form a sphere about half the size of Luna. found in the inner Main Belt, just past the orbit of Mars.
On average, the separation between asteroids that When the solar system formed, the original “parent
are a mile or more in diameter is about a million miles body” asteroids in the inner Main Belt contained mostly
(roughly 0.01 AU). However, the asteroid belt is not ordinary rock, iron, and other heavy metals, but also a salt-
quite as empty as this – there’s usually a chunk of ing of unstable radioactive isotopes such as aluminum-26.
rock a couple of hundred feet across (big enough to As these decayed, they generated intense heat, causing the
mine or hide behind) every 100,000 miles, and a boul- asteroids to melt. Under the influence of gravity, the
der several feet across every 10,000 or so miles. molten asteroids became differentiated – iron and other
Asteroids can be even closer together – many aster- heavy metals sank deep into their cores, while lighter rock
oids are orbited by other asteroids, the result of collisions and a coating of solidified lava formed their crusts and
that ejected debris into a stable orbit. A typical asteroid mantles. Once they cooled, these large primeval asteroids
moonlet orbits its primary at a distance of about 3-6 times had an interior structure similar to that of the planets.
the larger asteroid’s diameter. Most asteroid moons are less Few of these primeval differentiated asteroids sur-
than one-tenth the size of their primaries, but a few are vived intact – most were shattered by billions of years of
larger. Some are “doubles,” with two roughly equal bodies inter-asteroid collisions. Today’s metallic asteroids are the
orbiting a common center of mass. fragments of the primeval metal cores: large chunks of
nickel-iron laced with “impurities” that include platinum,
iridium, uranium, gold, and other valuable ores. This
makes a metallic asteroid a potential treasure trove of pre-
MINOR ASTEROID cious and industrial metals.

POPULATIONS Stony Asteroids

Stony asteroids are a dirty nickel color, a bit darker
Most of the asteroids are in the Main Belt. The other and more heavily cratered than the metallic asteroids.
populations include; There are various kinds of stony asteroids, which can be
Near-Earth Asteroids: A much smaller group of further subcategorized as either silicate (mostly rock) or
asteroids (see p. TS40) that lies inside the orbit of Mars stony-iron (rock and metal). About 15% of all asteroids are
(and some of which also cross Earth’s orbit). Few NEAs this type.
are more than a couple of miles in diameter. Silicate asteroids usually have the same origin as the
Trojan Asteroids: Two large clusters of asteroids are metallic asteroids, but instead of being fragments of
found at Jupiter’s Trojan Points. See p. 29. primeval asteroid cores, they’re chips of the rocky outer
Centaur Asteroids: These are located in the outer crust and mantle. Silicate asteroids are mainly found in the
system (p. 70); many are former comets. inner region of the Main Belt.
Eccentric Asteroids: A few asteroids have highly Stony-irons are often fragments of smaller primeval
eccentric orbits and don’t fit into any of these asteroids that never underwent differentiation, due to their
classifications. lower gravity or lack of radioisotopes. Also known as
Most asteroids in these groups were originally Main “ordinary chondrites” (named after a class of meteorites),
Belt asteroids (or comets, in the case of the Centaurs) these undifferentiated asteroids contain grains of metallic
whose orbits were perturbed into different paths as a iron mixed with iron and magnesium silicates and other
result of external influences, such as Jupiter’s gravity or minerals. Like the metallic asteroids, the stony-irons can
collisions with other bodies. contain valuable quantities of metals such as platinum
 and gold, but as they are undifferentiated, the met-
als are in the form of grains rather than specific
veins. Stony-irons are usually found in the central MAIN BELT ASTROGRAPHY
Main Belt. 1.9-2.3 AU: The Inner Main Belt, dominated by stony silicate
and metallic asteroids.
Carbonaceous Asteroids 2.4-3.2 AU: The Central Main Belt, dominated by stony-iron
A carbonaceous asteroid has a charcoal-col- asteroids.
ored surface pitted with craters and crevasses. 3.3-4 AU: The Outer Main Belt, dominated by carbonaceous
Areas exposed to sunlight may vent small plumes asteroids.
of gas, as volatiles sublime into space. Similarly, 4-5 AU: The Outermost Main Belt, dominated by carbonaceous-
frost may form on the asteroid at night. volatile asteroids.
Carbonaceous asteroids are the most common
type, making up 75% of the total Main Belt popu-
lation. They are concentrated in the outer Main Belt. the dark, reddish-spectrum “D-type” asteroids that pre-
The asteroids that formed there were comparatively short dominate in the Trojans and outer system, are rich in prim-
of heavy metals and radioisotopes, and did not undergo the itive organic material and carbon polymers.
process of differentiation that created the metallic aster- Many of the smaller moons of the gas giants are sim-
oids. Carbonaceous asteroids are a mix of silicate materi- ilar to large frozen volatile asteroids.
al, carbon, water ice, and a small amount of metals, as well
as frozen gases such as nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen. Other Asteroid Types
Most primeval carbonaceous asteroids were shattered There are other rarer asteroid types, such as Vesta and
by collisions into many smaller bodies, but a few big ones Pallas (surviving primeval differentiated bodies with a
(such as Ceres) have survived largely intact since the for- structure similar to Luna’s) or the Vesta-type asteroids
mation of the solar system. Carbonaceous asteroids con- (basalt chunks of molten rock that were knocked off Vesta
tain a larger fraction of volatiles (substances that are by collisions).
gaseous at terrestrial temperatures) than do ordinary ter-
restrial rocks. Hence, they have a somewhat lower density.
ASTEROID STRUCTURE
Carbonaceous-Volatile Asteroids and The largest asteroids, such as Ceres, Pallas, Vesta, and
Frozen Volatile Asteroids Hygeia, have been pulled into roughly spherical shapes by
These asteroid classes are found farther away from the their own gravitational attraction. Most other asteroids are
sun, in the outermost part of the Main Belt and the outer fragments of larger bodies that have undergone repeated
solar system beyond. it. They represent about 10% of all collisions – they are irregular chunks. Some are “contact
Main Belt asteroids, as well as almost all of the Trojan and binaries” where two or more bodies collided and mashed
Centaur asteroid population. together, forming odd shapes like dog bones or barbells.
They are similar in composition to the carbonaceous
asteroids, but have a higher ratio of volatiles to silicate Rubble Piles
rock. They are hard-frozen hydrocarbon sludge, mixed Some asteroids are solid, homogenous bodies, but
with rocky chunks, water-soluble salts, ice, magnetite, many others, particularly stony and carbonaceous aster-
clay, and some metals. Many of these asteroids, especially oids 5-50 miles in diameter, are rubble piles. These are
asteroids that were completely shattered by a massive
collision with another asteroid, but whose debris
cloud had enough gravitational attraction to reaccu-
mulate into a single mass.
The conclusions are staggering: the A rubble pile consists of multiple rocks and
materials available in the Asteroid Belt chunks of gravel weakly bound by gravity. The com-
ponent elements may vary in size. For example, a
would suffice to maintain indefinitely a 10-mile-diameter rubble pile may have several solid
hill-sized chunks a few miles across, many smaller
human population of at least 10 million boulders, plus numerous interior cavities. Rubble
billion people – about one million times piles can be easy to mine, but aren’t suitable for use
as Cole or shell habitats (see Habitats, p. 132). They
the maximum carrying capacity of Earth. are impractical to move via mass driver, since any
linear acceleration greater than the gravitational
– John S. Lewis attraction that holds the rubble pile together will
cause it to fly apart.
 Asteroid Rotation Bakunin Chang (second place), whose unfortunate
All asteroids are spinning, unless their rotation was detour into a dust pool cost him visibility and crucial
stopped through deliberate engineering. Rotational periods seconds in the final half-mile. When the dust settled, Payne
(the asteroid’s “day”) vary from 2 hours to 50 days. The was in the lead, and held her first-place position until she
average is dependent on the asteroid’s size. Very large crossed the finish line. Special thanks to all our volunteers
asteroids (100 miles or more in diameter) usually rotate for ensuring that this year’s Ceres Pogo 5000 was run
fairly quickly (taking an average of 5-8 hours), while most without any fatalities . . .”
others complete one rotation in about 9-12 hours. This is Asteroids are airless environments with almost negli-
because larger asteroids are less affected by collisions, gible gravity. An average small asteroid, about 100 yards
which tend to rob an asteroid of angular momentum and in diameter, would have a surface gravity about 0.000015
slow its rotation. G and an escape velocity of a mere 0.2 mph. This makes
Rotational period can be a good guide to an asteroid’s even an ordinary walking pace impossible – a bounce
composition – a rubble pile can’t rotate as fast as a homog- would send a person flying off into space. Hopping, flying,
enous body. Rubble piles accrete due to gravitational or crawling is much easier than walking, and running is out
attraction. As rocks collide, those with too much angular of the question.
momentum bounce away again. Those with little angular Gravity will be a bit higher on larger asteroids, but not
momentum, or those whose momentum is canceled by the significantly so . . . each doubling of asteroid diameter
collision, will join the rubble pile. And any later strike that gives an eight-fold increase in mass, but only doubles sur-
would have imparted angular momentum to a solid body face gravity. Even Ceres, the largest asteroid, has a surface
will just scatter a part of the rubble pile instead. Thus, rub- gravity of only 0.038 G.
ble piles start with little rotation and have no way to gain It’s easy for humans or human-sized cybershells to
any. move large object, since their weight is negligible. Large,
Very slow rotations are also common in asteroids that light structures can be built, as gravity isn’t a factor. How-
have their own moons. ever, heavy work (such as mining) can be tricky to perform
without pushing oneself off into space. On the dusty,
uneven surface of an asteroid, magnetic boots or sticky
T A
HE STEROID NVIRONMENT E footwear are impractical. People and machines will often
“Katsumi Latisha Payne is the winner in the 17th be secured by cables or anchors bolted onto the asteroid or
annual Ceres pogo-stick race, having finished the 5-km wrapped around massive boulders. Some cybershells are
course in record time without falling or achieving escape designed with multiple clawed arms and legs to allow
velocity. She defeated last year’s champion Thomas them to attach themselves to the asteroid. Use the Micro-
gravity (p. TS54) and Vacuum (p. TS57) rules for
action on an asteroid’s surface. Microgravity also
applies inside any asteroid habitat lacking artifi-
T H
HE ORIZON cial gravity.
As with most vacuum environments, surface
The curvature of a planet, moon, or small body can limit line- temperatures depend on whether a location is in
of-sight visibility, and weapon and sensor ranges. The horizon can sunlight or shadow. Objects exposed to sunlight
be very significant on a small body such as an asteroid or an outer are warmer (depending on how far the asteroid is
moon of a gas giant. On an irregularly shaped, rapidly spinning from the sun), while those in shadow gradually
asteroid, things may appear even stranger! A rough formula for become very cold. Temperatures in the Main Belt
determining how far away someone can be spotted before they van- can range from about 150º to -260º F.
ish behind the horizon:
Horizon (yards) = square root of [(D × 1,760 × H ) + (H2)] Asteroid Landscapes
D is the diameter of the body in miles, while H is your eye An asteroid’s overall color depends on its
height above the local base level plus the height of the object you are type: metallic gray for metal asteroids, a “potato”
observing, in yards. shade of brownish-gray for most stony bodies,
For the actual distance to the horizon, just use eye height. and a dark reddish-brown to coal black for car-
Example: Two people standing on Ceres (527 miles in diame- bonaceous bodies. Asteroids are heavily cratered,
ter), each about 2 yards high, can see one another at up to about with a great many loose rocks scattered about on
1,900 yards. the surface, ranging from pebbles to house-sized
Note that for small bodies, like asteroids, this formula is a very boulders. The asteroid’s surface is covered with
rough rule of thumb, as many are elongated or otherwise oddly regolith, a mixture of dust and small rocks
shaped rather than spherical. formed by billions of years of meteoritic
bombardment.
 DEALING WITH DUST
A dust cloud can be produced by a surface explosion, default penalty of -2, but the penalty could be increased to -3,
drilling and mining, a reaction engine operating within a few -4, or even -5 for a very thick cloud of dust as might be pro-
yards of the surface, or anything else the GM thinks is likely duced by an ongoing mining operation.
to raise one. A vehicle or large cybershell (one big enough to Electrostatically charged dust from a dust pool may stick
have Inconvenient Size) can also stir up a dust cloud, as will to surfaces until carefully cleaned, even after the cloud itself
powered takeoffs or landings. has dispersed. A dust cloud may coat a visual sensor, faceplate,
A cloud may persist from several seconds to many hours or laser lens. It takes at least 2 seconds per sensor to partially
after a disturbance. This depends on surface gravity – dust clean dust off (half penalty) or 4 seconds to totally clean it
settles in about 10 seconds on a large asteroid like Ceres or (negates penalty); people can roll vs. Vacc Suit skill to clean it
Vesta, but would takes several hours on an asteroid only 100 off in half the time. Cybershells and suits designed for dusty
yards across. A dust cloud can interfere with vision (and visu- environments may use radar, or have dust covers, buzzwear
ally aimed attacks), as well as anything else that requires coatings (p. TS146), and mechanical or electrostatic wipers
proper vision, such as Piloting or Free Fall rolls; assume a (use the Nictating Membrane advantage).

Dust will be kicked up when anyone moves, and a “Did Captain Fox act under sealed orders? I’m not
cloud may take minutes or even hours to settle, coating aware of any. Certainly she was court-martialed in absen-
sensors and faceplates that aren’t properly protected. Some tia, but it just wasn’t feasible to go and arrest her. Other
asteroids even have flat “ponds” of bluish dust. These dust than that, no, there was no special consideration. The pres-
ponds are created when sunlight charges particles of idential pardon in ’52 was simply part of the general
regolith, causing them to repel each other. They rise above amnesty extended to all American citizens who were
the surface of the asteroid, then settle, flowing like liquid involved.”
to fill any depressions. The electrostatic dust’s composition – J. Godwin Merendino, retired U.S. Secretary of
resembles dry cement. Well-lit areas exposed to sunlight State and visiting professor of international
may have hundreds of dust ponds, many of them dozens of politics, University of Mars (interview, 2067)
yards wide and several yards deep.

SETTLING THE BELT

“Some have asked us the question: Why did we let
them get away? How were Payne and her Ares Crew per-
mitted to abscond to Ceres with half a billion dollars worth
of gear?
“It was expediency, pure and simple. Violence
between pro- and anti-terraforming factions threatened to
turn the Red Planet into a war zone. The Ares Conspiracy
had a lot of support back home, both in America and
Japan. With the death of Kaneda, some of them were start-
ing to look like martyrs. There were heated disagreements
between the Chinese, the Japanese, and our own officials
over how to handle it, and Beijing was on the verge of
ordering troops to Mars to restore order . . . that would
have been a disaster.
“So the exodus was a safety valve. It got rid of the
hard-core anarchists like Payne, and the ones who stayed
behind had no clear leaders, no organization. After the
conspirators returned the Collins in ’44, we showed good
faith and let the second batch of sympathizers join them.
There was still violence, especially in ’48, but it reduced
things to a manageable problem. We called it exile, and
the public accepted it.
 The key decision that the exiles made
was to replace terraforming with pantropy,
the reshaping of humans and animals into
M B D
AIN ELT EMOGRAPHICS new species better adapted to their environ-
There are no exact figures for the Main Belt’s population, as many ments. One of their number, the brilliant
people living there are not interested in reporting to census-takers. The Shiori Katsuki, had developed a “calcium
best estimates place the population of the Main Belt at 105,000 sapient hack” gene sequence that allowed
beings: about 55,000 biological sapients and roughly 50,000 sapient humans to adapt to microgravity. The
infomorphs. This breaks down as follows: exiles – many of whom were genetic
Sapient animals: 2,000 (400 Astropus and 1,600 others, mostly engineers – chose to modify their
pets). unborn children. It was a gamble,
Ghosts: 7,000 (3,000 in bioshells, 4,000 in cybershells). but it paid off. Over the next 50
Humans: 12,000 (2,000 baseline, 3,000 floater, 3,000 genefixed, years, exo-wombs, biogenesis
4,000 gene-enhanced). technology, and immigration by like-
Parahumans: 18,000 (10,000 Tennin subtypes, 8,000 others). minded individuals swelled the original hand-
Bioroids: 21,000 (mostly space-adapted types like the ZR-4). ful of settlers to several thousand people,
SAIs and sapient shadows: 43,000 (2,000 in bioshells, 41,000 in scattered across more than 40 asteroid settle-
cybershells). ments.
However, that’s not the whole story. In Fifth Wave nations on Earth, Nor were all the settlers Duncanites. The
the proportion of low-sapient artificial intelligences to biosapients is infrastructure that the Ceres exiles established
about 1:1 . . . but in the Main Belt, the LAI ratio is more like 10:1. The and the processes they developed to facilitate
high proportion of LAIs to the overall population results in a much high- microgravity life – the Tennin biomods –
er productivity than that of terrestrial regions of comparable population. blazed a trail for other asteroid colonists,
ranging from corporations to freedom-loving
homesteaders. Most of them came to the Belt
for the same reason the Duncanites did: free-
The Ares Conspiracy was a group of scientists, engi- dom and isolation, whether from taxes and regulation,
neers and visionaries who began the illicit terraforming of from the law, or from the mores of mainstream society.
Mars. When their identities were uncovered, they faced Nor is the Main Belt likely to become overcrowded. While
two alternatives: arrest and deportation by China and the it is spoken of as a single place, its worlds are separated by
United States, or murder by preservationist vigilantes – a millions of miles. Unlike L4 and L5, a Belt station needn’t
fate that had already befallen their leader, Fujihiko Kane- worry about close neighbors.
da. Instead, they found a third path. With the connivance of Today, the Main Belt boasts some 140 inhabited aster-
USAF captain Latisha Fox, 57 of them boarded a NASA oid stations and 300 automated bases. The stations
deep space operations vessel, the Michael Collins, and range in size from the original community at Silas
headed into exile on a new world – the asteroid Ceres in Duncan Station on Ceres (with over 16,000 biolog-
the Main Belt. They were helped by the contents of ical sapients) to tiny “gas stations” operated by a
Michael Collins’ holds, which were packed with sup- half-dozen humans or infomorphs. In addition
plies originally destined for station-building on to these permanent stations, the Belt is also
Deimos. The exiles used them to transform an home to several thousand nomadic space-
abandoned Tenzan Heavy Industries survey base craft – most of them tiny prospector
on Ceres into a new home: Silas Duncan Station, swarms (p. 134), but some as large as
the first permanent community in the Main Belt. mobile planetoids.
The exiles included most of the leading Ares

MAIN BELT
Conspiracy leaders and genetic engineers; chief among
them was the charismatic Maya Payne, who had taken
over the conspiracy’s leadership after Kaneda’s death.
Many, including Payne, were anarchocapitalists and liber-
tarians. For them, the Ares Plague had not only been about
Mars, but was also an attempt to show what free people
STATIONS
could achieve outside the tightly regulated confines of This section describes some typical and not-so-typical
government-run science. Their vision of Mars was a new inhabited stations in the Main Belt, and provides an
world where individuals could thrive, free of what they overview of the major categories of stations found there
saw as a flawed and outdated concept of the nation-state. and in the Trojans. As there are millions of asteroids and
They’d failed on Mars – but they were determined to hundreds of stations, feel free to create additional aster-
succeed on Ceres. oid bases to suit the needs of adventures.
1 CERES –
“SILAS DUNCAN STATION” GREEN DUNCANITE STATIONS
The Green Duncanites are humans, parahumans,
“Roy Joseph Clement, I find the evidence presented to or bioroids who are part of the original Duncanite
me shows your criminal negligence was clearly responsi- colony on Ceres, or any of its daughter colonies.
ble for the death of your co-worker Ariel Ling, and there These are all anarchocapitalist and libertarian com-
wasn’t much in the way of mitigating circumstance. munities.
“As Ling has no surviving family or loved ones, and is A society can be broadly defined by its dominant
represented here only by her insurance broker, Ceres memes. The prevailing memes of the Green Duncan-
Mutual, and her security company, Kinetic Logic, here’s ites are biochauvinism, colonialism, green system,
my judgment: Since you’ve committed a capital crime, libertarianism and anarchocapitalism, morphological
your body is now the property of Ceres Mutual, acting as freedom, nanarchy, and pantropy.
heirs for Ariel Ling. Your legal insurance is paying my fee.” Green Duncanite stations in the Main Belt
“Judge – you can’t do that!” include Silas Duncan Station and Kaneda Station on
“Clement, just shut up. You may be an Elf, but you Ceres, plus dozens of smaller habitats, many of them
agreed to this court’s jurisdiction when you made your “freeholds” run by only a couple of families. There
own security contract with MAD. Since your own are roughly 20,000 Green Duncanites. About a third
enforcers have pledged to abide by the judgment of this are Tennin parahumans, a third humans or other
court as per your prior contract with them, and my judg- parahumans, and a third bioroids.
ment was just publicly registered, I sort of doubt any other Momji Station: A typical freehold asteroid
legit security company is going to be picking up your case. owned by the Kanzaki family (old Ares Crew), run by
You belong to Ceres Mutual.” 90-year-old Momji Kanzaki, a few family members,
“You punked-out glitch!” and household bioroids. It’s a Cole habitat with a
“Uh-huh. I’m sure that would mean something if I large fish pharm. CR 2, with orbit similar to Vesta.
was an Elf, but I’m going to let it ride. There’s not a big
demand for organs here, but I bet you’ll make a good
bioshell, as there isn’t much to lobotomize. Dave, Akari –
he’s yours, now. Take him away.” Major imports are advanced cybershells and software,
especially AIs, although Duncanites are a bit wary of the
Ceres is the largest Main Belt asteroid, a carbonaceous more evolved viruses that roam freely through the terres-
body with a diameter of 527 miles. It’s shaped like a slight- trial web. Duncanites also consume Earth-produced InVids
ly flattened sphere, with a rotational period of 9.08 hours. and other media, although much of it seems rather alien to
Ceres circles the sun at an average distance of 2.77 AU, them.
taking 4.6 years to make one orbit. Ceres is rich in Major exports are biotech R&D. Companies based at
resources: there’s an exploitable surface layer of water ice Silas Duncan Station also specialize in real estate develop-
permafrost, clay-like hydrated silicates, carbon-rich com- ment. Other activities include radical human genetic engi-
pounds, and substantial metal deposits. neering, bioroid design, bioroid education techniques,
Silas Duncan Station is the original Duncanite settle- pantropy research, and asteroid habitat engineering.
ment, a beehive habitat with a population of 16,600 living The station is located beneath the surface of Ceres.
in an anarchocapitalist society. It is the headquarters of Four main shafts run vertically into the asteroid, with tun-
Avatar Klusterkorp and the home of the Green Duncanites. nels and chambers branching out from there. The station
Much of the station is owned by the original settlers, but relies on two fusion power plants and multiple smaller
it’s a big asteroid, and plenty of territory has been radiothermal generators for energy. The interior present-
carved out by later immigrants. ly has space and agricultural capacity to support
The station was founded by genetic engineers and 19,000 people (more than its present population), plus
terraformers, and its economy is dominated by biotech- extensive manufacturing and laboratory facilities.
nology and asteroid real-estate development. The There are four main “burrows,” each with its own
largest company is Avatar Klusterkorp (p. 89), but not character. They are:
everyone works for it. Many Ceres Duncanites are free- Piazzi Underport: Located beneath the spaceport,
lance bioengineers or consultants, doing R&D work for this is a labyrinth of warehouses, refineries, repair
non-Duncanite companies elsewhere in the system. Others shops, and tanks, including a nuclear pellet factory. This
work for smaller local corporations, providing goods and area also contains the “control room” for the spaceport,
support services at Ceres and other Main Belt stations. mainly concerned with allocating docking space and oper-
Ceres offers outfitting, resupply, maintenance, hospital, ating spacewatch sensors. It’s run by Piazzi Spaceport
educational, judicial, and cultural services for Corporation.
Duncanites and other Main Belt residents.
 The Main Dig: This is a broad tunnel, up to 20
yards in diameter and a mile and a half long, that con-
nects Piazzi Underport with the Greenlands and Rot-
ten Burrows complexes. The Main Dig is home to 110
THE CERES TRICENTENNIAL
New Year’s Day in 2101 is especially significant for the
small businesses. Hundreds of smaller tunnels lead off population of Ceres. In addition to marking the start of the
from the main drag. There is no shortage of space – 22nd century, the population of Silas Duncan Station will also
residents who want more room will rent a mining be celebrating the 300th anniversary of the discovery of 1
robot and dig new tunnel extensions. Ceres.
Greenlands: A maze of tunnels dominated by the A major New Year’s extravaganza is planned, and guests
laboratory complexes of Avatar Klusterkorp and other from many outlying asteroid stations will be attending, includ-
biotech companies. ing foreign dignitaries. It has been rumored that Avatar Klus-
Rotten Burrows: These tunnels and large cham- terkorp is also planning to announce a major pantropic
bers are largely devoted to agricultural production. initiative on that date.
The station is self-sufficient for the most part, and this Another holiday celebrated on Ceres is the Ambarvalia.
area includes several acres of hydroponics, vatfacs, This was a yearly agricultural rite held in ancient Rome at the
and biofactories. The name comes from the smell of end of May in honor of Ceres. Today, the Ambarvalia is a hol-
the original fungi farms, algae ponds, and fish farms iday on Ceres, celebrated by pogo stick races across the aster-
established early in the station’s history. oid’s surface along with much revelry and carousing.
Avatar Klusterkorp and Ceres Mutual (p. 90)
fund the station’s space defenses, which are contract-
ed out to Mutual Assured Defense and Trojan Hawk.
They include six Amazon-class AKVs for long-range
interception and a mix of a half-dozen railguns, light
lasers, and heavy lasers spaced around the asteroid’s rim.
2 PALLAS –
Duncanite vessels docked at Ceres (usually 2d spacecraft)
will usually be willing to assist if the station is attacked.
“HESHENG STATION”
Pallas, named after the goddess Athena, is a differen-
tiated primeval asteroid with a diameter of 309 miles. It
Other Habitats on Ceres orbits the sun at a mean distance of 2.77 AU. Its orbit is
Palermo Station: A space station in Ceres-synchro- highly elliptical – on average, it’s as close to the sun as
nous orbit, 486 miles above the asteroid’s equator. Palermo Ceres, but it can also be almost half an AU nearer or far-
Station is tethered to Ceres by a miniature space elevator ther. Its orbit is also steeply inclined, with Pallas being well
run by Palermo Corporation. It’s the main spacedock for above or below the sun at either end of its year. Pallas takes
Duncanite deep space vessels. The station is a small 600’- 4.62 years to complete an orbit around the sun, and has a
diameter stony-iron asteroid that’s been hollowed out. rotational period of 7.81 hours.
Kaneda Station: The second major habitat on Ceres. Hesheng Station was first established in 2052 by the
The residents of Kaneda tend to be more radical Green Mars Academy of Science and Technology as a solar
Systemers than other Duncanites. Most people living here observatory, taking advantage of the asteroid’s highly
are Kumo parahumans (p. 113). Kaneda Station is the inclined position to get a good view of the north and south
headquarters of Kosmodavit Tenno Tanjo, a rival to Avatar. poles of the sun. In 2073, Xiao Chu selected Pallas as the
Kaneda is 820 miles from Silas Duncan, on the other side site of its nanotechnology research station, partly because
of Ceres. of the security offered by its relative isolation. The first
laboratories were installed in 2076, and the station’s
population grew quickly, especially after biogenesis
tanks were installed. During the Transpacific War, the
NATIONAL ASTEROID COLONIES PLAN-SF established a military base here to protect
the facility.
These are full-fledged colonies established through a part-
As the population grew, the station attracted
nership between big government and big corporations.
other Chinese and transnational companies and is no
Colonies usually started out as ordinary research stations
longer exclusively a company town. Xiao Chu
(p. 16), but through deliberate policy or happenstance began to
remains the largest employer, with dozens of
attract other settlers not employed by the founding corpora-
different laboratories delving into molecular
tion. The colony is the functional territory of a particular
nanotechnology, nanomedicine, biogenesis, applied
nation, and usually has a military garrison of some sort. Exam-
microrobotics, and more. The biogenesis tanks are
ples of national colonies are Aletheia Station (p. 16), Hesheng
often used to develop prototype bioroid designs –
Station, and Yametei Station (p. 20).
especially combat bioroids. Few labs are open to the
public, though some are more secure than others.
 Hesheng Underdock is the least-regulated part of the before returning to Earth or Mars for a vacation or a dif-
station. Occupying the underground beehive complex just ferent job. To make up for living in such an isolated place,
beneath the spaceport, it is a small but bustling commercial salaries are 50% to 100% higher than usual.
enclave catering to the needs of transient visitors, spacers, Hesheng’s population is 1,100 humans and 5,600
and military personnel. There are vacc suit shops, 3D bioroids. That number fluctuates depending on what ves-
printers, pawnshops, apothecaries specializing in Chinese sels are in port and how close the station is at the time to
herbal medicine, a small Duncanite bazaar, and several Earth, Mars, or other parts of the Belt. The docks are CR 3
busy brothels. Notable businesses include a cheap hotel while the rest of the station is CR 5. (Taken as a whole,
(the White Swan) and a few good bars – the Shredded Hesheng is considered CR 4.) Due to the sensitive research
Snake is a mix of locals and commercial spacers, while performed at the station, the station police, members of
Lotus Mountain is frequented by PLAN-SF and can be China’s Public Security Bureau, are always concerned
hostile to outsiders. about espionage. While security is fairly lax at the docks,
ZR Quarter is adjacent and below the dockside. It has it is very strict in the laboratories and near the military
dormitories for the indentured bioroids, who work as lab base.
and maintenance technicians, as well as some private A company of spaceborne soldiers from the Space
shops and clubs not authorized by station management. Infantry Division’s 3rd Quanto is quartered at Hesheng.
The quarters here are microgravity warrens, and fairly Usually only one platoon is on station, with the others
crowded (as well as hot and humid), with several bioroids aboard PLAN-SF vessels.
sharing the same room. Mixed with the dorms are station Pallas space defenses consist of 12 heavy laser towers
service facilities – fusion reactors, coolant tanks, laundries, – eight around the asteroid’s northern hemisphere to
hydroponics, and tunnels full of fauxflesh vats and algae defend Hesheng Station itself, and a remote battery of four
ponds. The thousands of bioroids live fairly regimented on the southern hemisphere to discourage attackers from
lives, but some sneak out into the main station when they landing in the blind spot. The PLAN-SF base controls its
have time off, occasionally moonlighting at other jobs. own squadron of 12 Zhengyang AKVs, in addition to
Moxing Ling City is located a mile from the main bee- whatever elements of its Deep Space Flotilla are nearby (at
hive complex, in the rim of a mile-wide crater. On a hill in least one SDV or LSDV).
the center of the crater is the old Solar Polar Observatory Hesheng has a small spaceport divided evenly into
(which is still operating), while the habitat is located in a military and commercial docks. There are internal space-
semi-subterranean maglev track habitat in the crater rim. docks for vessels up to the size of a Sudbury, but larger
The track provides Mars-normal gravity, and contains liv- craft orbit the asteroid. Facilities for routine maintenance
ing quarters for 700 humans. A long tunnel connects Mox- and refueling with water, hydrogen, or nuclear pellets are
ing Ling to the Hesheng Dockside and the ZR Quarter. available, but there is no spaceyard. A few (1d-1) deep
Police man a security gate that limits access to Moxing space vessels will be docked here at any one time, a mix of
City to residents and their quests. Xiao Chu corporate USVs and ESVs, a few independent
Some of China’s best nanotechnologists live and farhaulers or Gypsy Angels, and various PLAN-SF
work in Hesheng, usually spending 1-3 years here warcraft.
 workpods and other small vessels as well as doing
259 ALETHEIA – routine service, repairs, and upgrades. There are usu-
ally 2-4 vessels docked here for a reactor overhaul, new
ALETHEIA STATION drive pump, or some other refit. Next to the spaceyard is
Aletheia (from the Greek word for “truth”) was dis- a large outdoor tank farm.
covered in 1866 by the astronomer C.H.F. Peters. It is a Underground is located immediately under Peter-
carbonaceous-volatile asteroid with a diameter of 111 sport. It’s a beehive habitat beneath the asteroid’s surface
miles. It circles the sun at a mean distance of 3.15 AU, . . . a three-dimensional labyrinth of microgravity tunnels.
taking 5.6 years to complete an orbit. There are chandlers that offer everything a spacer needs
Aletheia was settled by Vosper-Babbage in 2061. It (from smartsuits to thruster packs to 3D-printer-tailored
has expanded rapidly over the last 39 years, attracting pri- uniforms). There are hydroponics and fish farms, ware-
vate investment from other companies, notably System houses, a robofac complex, and a Hawking Industries
Technologies AG, and is one of the fastest growing com- exotic materials manufacturing plant. Mining and refinery
munities in the Deep Beyond. Aletheia has a population of operations are ongoing, drilling into the asteroid to extract
5,500. Many are genefixed or genetic upgrades from the volatiles. The majority of Underground’s population are
United Kingdom and other E.U. countries, although there cybershells: about 13,000 mobots, roughly half run by
is also a large population from the South African Union. LAIs, the rest of them NAIs (although these are often tele-
300 people have been born on Aletheia since the station operated by humans, LAIs or SAIs). Human children
was founded. often hide out in Underground, as the adults rarely spend
The largest segment of Aletheia’s population is the much time here.
4,000 transient employees of Vosper-Babbage and Hawk- Roundabout is a magnetic track habitat half a mile
ing Industries. These are managers, engineers, program- from Underground, accessed by a people-mover. This
mers, and scientists. Most sign on for a 2-year contract at city-on-rails consists of 60 linked cars, with normal-grav-
Aletheia, then return to Earth, Luna or Islandia. There are ity living quarters and offices sufficient for 3,000 people.
also 600 scientific personnel working at SSL (see Hawk- Also located on the Roundabout is a small shopping mall,
ing Station, p. 20) who opt to live on Aletheia rather than the Truth and Beauty (a hotel-restaurant), and the Event
Shezbeth. The academics make up an especially diverse Horizon, one of the best pubs in the outer system.
community, with scientists and graduate students
drawn from a wide cross-section of Earth’s most pres-
tigious universities. Finally, Aletheia is the home to a
sizable E.U. military base, with 700 military person-
nel and 200 spouses and dependent children.
CORPORATE RESEARCH STATIONS
Aletheia is run by Rodney Southerland, elected Corporations locate in the Main Belt so they can operate
by the populace to the position of Station Manager. free from irksome environmental-impact reviews, pollution
The real power in the station, however, is Grace control regulations, and local taxes. This can lead to vast sav-
Sheffield, the Vosper-Babbage resident vice presi- ings that more than compensate for the expense of maintaining
dent, since that company employs most of the inhab- a (very) remote facility.
itants. Aletheia residents pay a small life support tax; Most corporate facilities are research and development
in the case of contract employees this is paid by the stations, containing laboratories working in fields like molec-
corporation, and for tourists or other visitors it is ular nanotechnology, exotic matter, human biogenesis, nano-
added to hotel bills. Aletheia Station is considered biological warfare, antimatter, self-replicating machinery,
British territory, and treated as part of the European military microbots, and, recently, mini black holes. These are
Union; persons born on the station have British and areas of research that would require extensive – and expensive
E.U. citizenship. – safety measures if conducted in or around inhabited planets.
Visitors to Aletheia arrive at Petersport, a small As for the Lagrange points, L4 is too densely populated, while
spaceport carved into the asteroid’s north pole. A por- the chaotic nature of L5 discourages the establishment of
tion of the spaceport is restricted: Hir Majesty’s Naval secure facilities. Some research stations specialize in single
Base Aletheia, dedicated to Royal Navy Space Ser- fields, while others are home to several laboratories and/or
vice operations. The area is patrolled by Royal corporations.
Marines, although it’s rare that an actual SDV will be Government labs, and labs jointly run by corporations and
docked here. Tracked and walker vehicles carry visi- governments, are also found in the Main Belt. They are often
tors from their spacecraft to the main airlocks leading engaged in highly classified defense research. Unauthorized
to an underground train station. visitors will be warned off, and some government labs may
Aletheia Spaceyard is adjacent to Petersport. It’s supplement or replace private security forces with actual
a busy construction and repair facility. The spaceyard military garrisons.
is run by Vosper-Babbage. It manufactures
 social disruption if it were unregulated – on Earth.
But Vesta is not Earth, and the right to reproduce is a
Thought control, like basic human right. It should not be arbitrarily taken away
from me just because I chose to become a ghost.
My mind-sister Tsikada Lanning was born of my
birth control, is best desire to do two things at once, to participate in both the
Starswarm project and the development of gestalt
undertaken as long as nanobots. Yet Tsikada is not just an extension of me. Since
she was created, she has becomes herself: warm, loving,
passionate, silly. Her worst sin is an inexplicable fondness
possible before the for alibanana ice cream she developed while in her
bioshell! And she still loves Nahuel, even after all he has

fact. done, yet I can no longer stand him. As you can see, we
have diverged – yet she is condemned by society as an
abomination, and I am “real.”
– Richard Mitchell We agreed to cooperate with the new Nanodynamics
regime, because they promised me that Tsikada and the
others will not be erased or forcibly edited if we do so. But
please realize that the public statements we have made are
Aletheia is garrisoned by British Forces Aletheia under duress. Those of us who did not submit are being
(p. 98). Internal security is provided by two dozen civilian edited into cooperation, or worse. We can no longer enter
constables from Executive Decisions Incorporated (EDI). the IA warrens, but I fear they’re doing terrible things. The
Shezbeth: This Kuiper Belt Object core is also in orbit Rat King has not surrendered, but they are bringing in
around Aletheia. See p. 20. cyberswarms to hunt it down. And they sacrificed the
remaining megabright octo-brain embryos. How can peo-
Fidelity, Verity, and Candor ple do that? They were beautiful things!
There are three small Cole habitats in orbit around Mother, you must promise me you will tell Tournesol
Aletheia. Each of them is a metal ovoid 2-4 miles long and what is going on, and tell him that many of us support
about half as wide, rotating slowly to provide 0.5 g Axon, regardless of what we are made to say.
gravity. You do not want to know what I had to do to smuggle
Fidelity resembles an English park, with well-tended this message to you. I may not be able to do so again.
flower beds and trees, and even sculptures. It’s designed as Your loving daughter,
a recreational area. Symphonie
Verity is an agricultural habitat, with a mix of farms – nanodot message from Dr. Symphonie Lanning
and fruit tree orchards. It is tended by cybershells, but a at Exogenesis, smuggled out to Cerise
limited number of human visitors are permitted. Lanning-Payne at Silas Duncan Station
Candor is the newest habitat. It is only partially ter-
raformed. Construction is proceeding inside, and a school Vesta was the fourth asteroid discovered (by Wilhelm
and additional housing are being built. Olbers in 1807) and is one of the largest, with a diameter
of 291 miles. It is located in the inner Main Belt, and orbits
the sun at an average distance of 2.36 AU, taking 3.63
4 VESTA – years to do so. Its day is 5.34 hours long.

“EXOGENESIS STATION” Vesta is a very old body, largely unchanged since the
formation of the solar system, unlike the majority of aster-
Mother, I hope this message finds you and Kaoru well. oids, which are remnants of bodies shattered by collisions.
I apologize for this eccentric means of communication. Its composition is unique among large asteroids
Nanodynamics’ so-called transition team doesn’t allow us (“V-type”), with a basaltic igneous rock surface formed
unsupervised access to laser transmitters any more, not from ancient lava flows. Vesta once had a molten interior,
since Tournesol escaped to Io. and its structure is differentiated, with heavy dense materi-
For now, I’m still Assistant Director of Fractal Robot- al in the core, and lighter rock in the surface.
ics, although my authority is in name only. Please don’t Vesta’s heavily cratered surface resembles Luna,
believe the statements you may see me or anyone else mak- although it’s a bit brighter – in fact, Vesta is the only aster-
ing, especially about Axon. I want to make one thing clear oid that can be seen with the naked eye from Earth. Vesta
to you: I don’t and never did believe we engaged in wrong- has two distinct hemispheres formed from different types
doing, or were “confused.” Yes, I agree that unre- of solidified lava basalts. The southern hemisphere is
strained xoxing (such a crude word!) might cause dominated by a 285-mile-wide impact crater.
 Vesta was visited by unmanned probes between Nanodynamics imported EDI enforcers to restore
the 2030s and 2050s. The first inhabited settlement order. They managed to accomplish this with no loss of
was a geophysical research station established in 2058 by human life, but some Exogenesis spacecraft were hijacked
the European Space Agency. A team of 20 people studied by rogue elements, and some infomorphs had time to
Vesta’s unique geology; as the asteroid resembles a minia- transmit copies of themselves to Exogenesis bases or sym-
ture planet, it offered insights into what Earth, Luna and pathizers elsewhere in the solar system, sometimes erasing
other worlds looked like beneath their crust. The geophys- their originals afterward. While most of these escapees are
ical base was scheduled to be closed and abandoned in lying low, some of them formed an organization called the
2062, but at that point Vesta was selected by System Tech- Axon Group, and have begun taking direct action against
nologies, AG as the headquarters of Exogenesis, its new Nanodynamics operations in the Deep Beyond.
space development arm. Work immediately began on Exo- Physically, Exogenesis Station is a series of beehive
genesis Station in 2064, and the station was fully opera- habitats on the north and south poles of the asteroid, linked
tional by 2071. by the Deep Vesta Bore (see above). Unlike most inhabit-
In 2076, Exogenesis Station made history when ed asteroids, over half of the Vesta beehive labyrinth is still
researcher Gilbert Stokes became the first human mind in vacuum. Airlocks separate the evacuated chambers
emulation. Under director Oskar Kessel, Exogenesis Sta- (where cybershells live and work) from the pressurized
tion continued to produce valuable patents and take on ones.
lucrative contracts (including support of several ESA The population consists of 7,200 sapient beings, most
space programs), although the ambitious nature of its proj- of them research personnel: 1,700 ghosts, 2,300 SAIs, and
ects saw operational costs escalate to alarming levels. One 1,900 shadow-SAIs, plus 400 humans and parahumans.
of its most expensive projects was the Deep Vesta Bore, The humans and parahumans all have nanomods, with
which took digging cybershells some 11 years to complete, brain-boosters and microgravity metabolisms being stan-
and required the excavation of millions of tons of rock, dard. There are also 500 augmented animal intelligences
which were removed to the asteroid’s surface. The result on the station, some of them borderline sapient and others
was a tunnel 15’ wide running entirely through the asteroid with radical biomods.
from one end of Vesta to the other. A transition team of 300 Nanodynamics managers and
In 2099, System Technologies AG divested itself of system engineers, many of them programmers, are also on
Exogenesis Corporation as part of a major restructuring. station, with 150 EDI security personnel. The acting sta-
The new owner, Nanodynamics, came into conflict with tion manager is the transition team leader, Nanodynamics
Exogenesis staff after discovering that many of the sta- vice president Nathan Hyde.
tion’s digital intelligences were more sapient than expect- Exogenesis Station has five major laboratory com-
ed, and that station personnel had xoxed themselves and plexes: the IA Lab, the Mind Imaging Lab, the Fractal
their SAIs in violation of U.S. and E.U. laws, practices Robotics Lab, the Materials Lab, and DEVIL.
System Technologies claimed to have been unaware of. The IA Lab’s objective is human intelligence aug-
Facing a revolt from Exogenesis personnel, who objected mentation. Abandoning genetic engineering as too slow
to the company’s attempts to restrict these practices,
and uncertain, the IA lab has focused on
cybernetic and nanotechnological enhance-
ment and AI symbiosis. Their greatest com-
mercial success was the brain booster
R S
ELIGIOUS TATIONS
Many asteroid habitats were built for religious purposes. These
nanomod (p. TS165), first tested on lab rats
range from monasteries whose inhabitants engage in quiet prayer and
in 2084 and on Exogenesis researchers
meditation, to fringe cults that deliberately warp the minds and bodies of
themselves in 2090. Animal experimenta-
their believers. Even so, most are small communities – usually Christian,
tion continued in other directions, with
Buddhist or Muslim – who hope that heavenly isolation from the per-
products like the brain-boosted Astropus
ceived sinfulness and memetic pollution of Fifth Wave Earth will let
sapient octopus (p. TS118). A portion of the
them live more godly lives. There are 20 religious isolate communities in
station was given over entirely to a cyber-
the Main Belt; some homestead communities are also set up on religious
netic gestalt of super-intelligent lab rats,
lines. The average community is about the size of a typical freehold, but
which had formed a colony intelligence
some are much larger, like New Covenant (p. 21).
and, by 2099, were running their own
experiments. When EDI seized the station,
several brain-boosted rodents escaped from
the IA lab, and these have infested parts of the station and solar radiation by 150 miles of rock, the Vault is one
despite efforts to control them. (See Rat King, p. 114). of the best places in the solar system for
The Mind Imaging and Nanobot Laboratory is the high-sensitivity physics experiments, and is packed with
most famous of Exogenesis’ labs. A pioneer in the devel- exotic hardware such as neutrino detectors. The Deep
opment of ghost uploading technology, for the past decade Vesta Bore is also the site of the Vesta Electrostatic Accel-
it has been attempting to develop a means of high-resolu- erator (VESTA-II) track, although the VESTA-II system
tion non-invasive uploading that would allow ghosts to be cannot be operated when sensitive experiments are being
created without destroying the original’s brain. Despite performed.
promising results in anti-proton imaging and nano-map- Vesta has a small spaceport, and is CR 5 (up from CR
ping, success has eluded them. 2 before the takeover). The station has moderate space
The Fractal Robotics Laboratory has been more suc- defenses, consisting of six Barricade-class Space Defense
cessful. Through the application of multiple xoxed Platforms (p. 139). There are four light laser towers, two
researchers to the problem, it was able to make a major each at either end of the Vesta Bore.
breakthrough in multi-fractal branching manipulator pro- The station is protected by a company-strength force
grams, allowing the creation of the first successful bush of EDI officers. About half the force are computer securi-
robot (p. TS121). Bush robots soon became the most pop- ty specialists, who are kept busy battling computer virus
ular robot cybershell on the station. Sale of improved bush outbreaks in the Exogenesis network. The rest are armed
robot designs and control programs is expected to become enforcement officers. Nanodynamics had hoped to with-
the major source of Exogenesis income in the future. draw the troopers by now, but until Axon can be dealt with,
The Materials Lab and Exogenesis Space Project a garrison is necessary. The security troopers have also
Office occupy a joint complex located at the opposite end been busy bodyguarding transition team members, interro-
of the station from the other facilities. From 2077 to 2096, gating suspected Axon supporters (who may be spreading
ESP was a prime contractor for the European Space the viruses), and performing search-and-destroy sweeps
Agency. It was responsible for cybershell design and soft- against the escaped lab rats. The latter problem is expect-
ware for the ESA’s Jupiter descent project and for all ed to be dealt with next month, as a new team arrives with
aspects of the ESA’s Starswarm interstellar nanoprobe sys- terminator microbots.
tem (p. 136), as well as building the VESTA-II electrostat-
ic accelerator that was to launch it. Although the ESA Vestal Station
canceled Starswarm in 2097 in favor of its ambitious ter- This 2-mile diameter space station orbits Vesta. It was
raforming research program on Venus and the Earth space a metallic asteroid that was blown into a Cole habitat, and
elevator, Exogenesis continued the project as a private then towed to Vesta. Its interior has been landscaped with
venture. VESTA-II became operational in low-energy parks and farms, and provided with housing for 200 peo-
mode in 2094 and has had several test operations (see Tri- ple. The station and its farms are maintained by microbots
ton, p. 73). Under Nanodynamics, Starswarm may be res- and cybershells.
urrected as a NASA program. Vestal Station was originally a place for rest and
The Vault is the most ambitious and expensive instal- recreation, and a source of food for the biosapient person-
lation on Exogenesis Station. In the heart of the asteroid, nel. It is now off-limits to all Exogenesis personnel and is
the Deep Vesta Bore was expanded into a 300’-wide cham- used as a headquarters for the visiting Nanodynamics
ber: the Deep Vesta Isolated Particle Laboratory, usual- transition team. Security is kept high to avoid any
ly known as the DEVIL Vault. Shielded from cosmic chance of infestation by the escaped vermin.
 Hawking Foundation’s Shezbeth Singularity
10 HYGIEA – Lab, which studies the mini black hole, is one of the
most prestigious research labs in the system; physicists
“YAMETEI STATION” from across the solar system fight for the chance to work
Hygiea is a carbonaceous asteroid with a diameter of at SSL.
253 miles. It circles the sun at an average distance of 3.14 Most of Hawking Station’s interior is devoted to par-
AU, taking 5.55 years to complete an orbit. It has a rota- ticle and gravitational physics labs, and the gravitic fusion
tional period of 27.6 hours. machinery. Ongoing experiments at Hawking Station
Yametei Station is a beehive habitat that houses the include research into quantum gravity, black hole comput-
Main Belt headquarters of Tenzan Heavy Industries’ (p. ing, advanced nuclear fusion technology, and exotic matter
TS96) asteroid operations, serving as an administrative, creation.
manufacturing, training, and resupply center. It has 2,400 Chantarang Crater on Shezbeth’s south pole houses a
human and parahuman personnel, and many cybershells. large fusion torch and ice refinery. This is currently aban-
Few of its biosapient residents live there permanently: doned except for some maintenance cybershells.
80% of the work force turns over every few years. In
recent years the living population has actually declined, as
Tenzan has increasingly replaced humans with
cybershells.
The station has a fairly utilitarian feel; most people see
it as a place to work rather than a place to live. Its major
activity is the manufacture of high-technology goods (such
as industrial cybershells, 3D printers, and fusion reactors)
and provision of engineering expertise to support outer
system operations by other corporations and private ven-
tures. There is a Duncanite guest worker immigrant popu-
lation, typically 100-200 people, mostly Tennin
(p. TS117), and a small Duncanite bazaar near the docks.
Hygeia has a small spaceport and associated space-
yard, and is CR 3. The asteroid has no military bases, but
possesses modest defenses in the form of six retractable
heavy laser towers, as well as a security team from Mutu-
al Assured Defense (p. 94).

112434 SHEZBETH –
“HAWKING STATION”
Shezbeth is an asteroid (a former Kuiper Belt Object)
that contains a primordial mini black hole in its core. First
visited in 2091, it was moved from trans-Neptunian space
to the Main Belt last year, and is now in synchronous orbit
around Aletheia (p. 16), a few hundred miles above the
larger asteroid’s surface. Shezbeth is only a fraction of its
original size as a Kuiper Belt Object, much of the ice hav-
ing been used as reaction mass during its move.
Hawking Station is a beehive habitat that is being
185 EUNIKE –
gradually converted into a shell habitat. The station is run
by Hawking Industries with assistance from Vosper-
LOKAVIDU STATION
Approaching Eunike was an eerie experience. You
Babbage, and is under the joint protection of the British suddenly confront a giant, half-finished face staring at you.
and South African governments. The station is divided into It has only one eye – they’re still working on the other –
commercial, industrial, military, and research sectors; and you dock through the left ear. I remember emerging
some of the latter are off-limits to unauthorized visitors from the airlock into a chamber occupied by about 25
outside of well-supervised tours. A prototype gravitic monks, all floating cross-legged, some upside down, all in
power station installed around the singularity produces complete silence.
plenty of energy. The highest-security area is the black I stayed for five months, attending Dharma classes,
hole shielding and containment area in the asteroid’s meditating, and taking my turn at various chores.
heart.
It’s hard to say whether I attained a higher
state of spiritual awareness or not, but I did
develop some new ways of thinking about the
world. They don’t let you use virtual interfaces. D ERELICT TATIONS S
Just having to open up a book or a scroll, and Several colonization efforts have run into serious trouble, result-
not seeing an instant translation pop up as an ing in the surviving colonists giving up and returning home. In a few
overlay, was weird. And no web connection, of cases, the original inhabitants sold the station to new owners; other
course. The world could end, and you wouldn’t times they simply left a mess behind. An abandoned station is usual-
know it. ly quickly picked clean by Gypsy Angels or other interplanetary
You meet some interesting people. The Ven- scavengers, or occupied by other homesteaders. Sometimes conflicts
erable Than Minn, the librarian, was actually arise over ownership . . .
the first Burmese to walk on Mars. There was
another charming old fellow, a novice, but
sharp as a knife, and patient enough to answer my 185 Eunike is presently 2.9 AU from the sun. Other
often-ignorant questions. Something seemed familiar distances: Mercury (3.31 AU), Venus (3.35 AU), Earth
about him. I guess I’d have recognized him if I’d had (2.28 AU), Mars (2.92 AU), Aletheia (5.41 AU), Ceres
Jimmy (my VI) to do a facial structure analysis, but as it (3.83 AU), Chicago (5.88 AU), Davida (2.14 AU), Hygeia
was, the shaven head, robe, and contacts threw me. It was- (3.23 AU), Interamnia (0.52 AU), Pallas (6.2 AU), Vesta
n’t until much later that I realized who he reminded me of: (2.89 AU), Jupiter (4.12 AU), Achilles (8.06 AU),
General Pham Thanh Loc, the former deputy head of the Agamemnon (6.37 AU), Diomedes (8.08 AU), Patroclus
TSA’s bio-weapons directorate. (3.69 AU), Saturn, Uranus (21.67 AU), Neptune (27.56
Of course, it couldn’t be him. He’s supposed to be dead. AU), Pluto (49.87 AU).
– Copernicus Jones, “Life on the Rocks,”
in Lonely System Guide to the Asteroids
511 DAVIDA –
Eunike is a carbonaceous asteroid 98 miles in diame-
ter, with a rotational period of 10.83 hours and a mean dis-
“NEW COVENANT STATION”
tance from the sun of 2.74 AU. It takes 4.53 years to orbit “Jeri, anger and frustration are natural, but you can-
the sun. not commit vandalism.”
The asteroid is the home of Lokavidu Abbey, a Bud- “Jesus Christ, you took me over!”
dhist monastery. It was founded in 2080 (with the help of “Don’t swear, Jeri. I had to for your own good. You
generous donations), and practices Theravada Buddhism. were going to throw the paint bucket, and I calculated that
Away from the distractions of Earth, the resident monks it would splash all over Susan’s piano. See, here’s an over-
(56 of them in 2100) and a few dozen lay visitors spend lay, and here’s where it would have hit.”
several hours each day in meditation and study of the “Oh – I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry. Can I have my body
Dharma. The monks also exercise regularly in the gymna- back?”
sium, and do chores at the station’s farm and refinery. They “Let’s sit down first.”
also perform the great work of carving the giant Buddha of “What am I going to do? I just can’t get this right. I’m
Eunike into the face of the asteroid. hopeless.”
The abbey is run by a Monastic Council consisting of “Jeri, God loves you, and so does Susan. You’re not
the senior nuns and monks living there. Monastics shave hopeless. Remember what Peta Johnson said about your
their heads, wear robes, and attend training sessions and last work? But I can summon the angel, if you’d like.”
rituals. Would-be monastics can come to the abbey for “No – I’ll try again. Call up the reality overlay again,
instruction; they must spend a minimum of six months, and show me how to hold the brush . . .”
and usually a full year, before deciding whether to return
to lay life or (if approved by the Monastic Council) take Davida is a carbonaceous asteroid with a diameter of
initial vows and remain at Lokavidu as a novice. The vows 203 miles. The fifth largest asteroid, it has a rotational peri-
are: Abstaining from destruction of life, abstaining from od of 5.13 hours and an orbital period of 5.64 years. It cir-
taking what is not given, abstaining from lying, abstaining cles the sun at an average distance of 3.17 AU.
from sexual activity, and abstaining from alcohol, drugs, Davida was settled in 2095 by a splinter group of
and implants. Christian hyperevolutionists from the Seventh Heaven
Lokavidu Abbey is CR 3, with no spaceport. The colony in L5. They founded New Covenant Station, a bee-
asteroid has no weapons, but it is known to have a securi- hive habitat, which now has a sapient population of 4,400:
ty contract with Mutual Assured Defense, who will send 1,700 humans and parahumans, 2,600 sapient infomorphs,
enforcers to recover any stolen property or avenge any and about 100 others, including an Astropus colony (p.
injuries. TS118).
 warn him if his behavior seems to be
out of step with Christian morality, and
H OMESTEAD TATIONS S where necessary it can directly control
him through a puppet implant. It is
Homesteads are self-sufficient, privately-owned stations that do not responsible for guiding him and ensur-
engage in significant economic activity beyond that necessary to support ing he does nothing that harms himself
their own population. or society. The Synedrion also assigns a
The growing affordability of space flight, robotics, fusion power, and “guardian angel” SAI to stay abreast of
microgravity-adaptive nanomods have resulted in an ever-increasing flood of each biosapient citizen’s personal
settlers heading into the Belt with the goal of colonizing an asteroid to create development, which either the LAI or
a private community. This is the same movement that originally led to the the human citizen can call upon in more
colonization of Earth’s Lagrange points. As these areas become more heavi- complex situations.
ly populated and regulated (and the Lunar economy slowed due to compet- This is a voluntary process – indi-
ing imports of He-3 from Saturn), many “elfs” sought the wider spaces of the viduals can opt to renounce their citi-
Belt. They are being joined by groups of would-be asteroid homesteaders zenship as one of the “faithful” and
from Earth. When the Earth space elevator is completed this process is like- leave the station (if they have some-
ly to accelerate. where to go). A person’s guardian angel
Most homestead stations are founded by associations of families from a will try to persuade them otherwise, and
wealthy Fifth Wave nation or station (usually from Earth, Luna, L4, or L5) there is a mandatory “cooling off” peri-
who pooled their resources to lease a spacecraft and colonization gear, and od of 72 hours before they remove the
established their own community. The archetypal homesteader is impelled by implant . . . but anyone who wants to
a mixture of libertarian, conservative, religious, and Decelerationist memes. can leave. People live here because they
Most are unhappy with the direction Fifth Wave society is heading, and eager want – or think they want – to perfect
to set up their own community where they can raise children free of the per- themselves.
ceived memetic pollution of mainstream culture The economy of New Covenant is a
A typical homestead has a reactor or solar panels, a few very basic min- form of nanosocialism. Every citizen is
ing cybershells, a solar concentrator, a small refinery, a farm or hydroponics, expected to be active but not necessari-
and some 3D printers. This is enough to allow a small community a modest ly productive – however, their LAI
expansion commensurate with natural birth rates, although there’s little mar- guardians consider sloth and idle-
gin for error if something goes wrong. The average community is less than a ness to be a sin, so if they’re not
decade old, and most have populations of 20-50 people. A few older home- doing something, they’ll usually
steads are facing challenges from children who may not share their parents’ be nagged into trying. The sapi-
ideals. ent infomorphs who make up the
There are 56 homesteads in the Main Belt, 32 of which were originally Synedrion (about 30% of the pop-
sponsored by the Plymouth Rock Society (p. TS98). Most Plymouth Rock ulation) handle day-to-day resource
communities maintain friendly ties with each other, although a few have management, using LAIs and NAIs as
broken with the organization. their proletariat. About 25% of the
humans work voluntarily, primarily as
scientists and creators. The rest spend
New Covenant’s founders wished to create a tran- their time playing or engaged in artistic
shumanist utopia to serve as a template for future endeavors. New Covenant’s warrens are full of sculp-
humanity. Their “New Covenant” is based around the tures, tapestries, murals (both physical and v-tagged),
standard sets of restrictive programming installed in AIs most with religious and transhumanist themes. The New
to keep them honest. They believe this set of programs, Covenant Choir is famous throughout the Deep Beyond,
which they call the Eupraxia, is a good set of rules for and their recordings do well on Earth as well. There’s
humans, as well, especially when modified to reflect also a pretty decent Christian rock band. Death or serious
fairly liberal Christian transhumanist values. injury on New Covenant is rare. If someone is ill, his
The station is governed by a cyberdemocratic theoc- LAI will alert an emergency response SAI, which pos-
racy. Believers in good standing are chosen at random sesses nearby citizens and provide immediate help while
for six-month terms as ministers on the New Covenant summoning medical cybershells to the scene. All med-
station council. However, most of the executive power is ical care, like other social services, is free.
actually in the hands of the Synedrion, a group of sapi- Citizens are allowed to have children when they’re
ent infomorphs (ghosts, shadows and SAIs). judged to be mature enough, but the station’s population
Every organic citizen on New Covenant has a virtu- growth is mainly the result of immigration. However, a
al implant “conscience,” an LAI running the Euprax- biosapient citizen’s ultimate goal is beatification: the
ia software. Normally it simply observes, but it will process of becoming one of the elect, an infomorph
– being uploaded as a ghost or emulated as a sapi- The station is open to visitors, and New
ent shadow. This requires approval of his own Covenant does not attempt to force anyone to con-
guardian angel and a majority vote of the rest of the vert. Even with foreigners on the station, there’s practi-
Synedrion. In the process, the LAI “conscience” is also cally no crime, as everyone has his own personal angel
integrated, being upgraded to a sapient SAI. Beatifica- looking over his shoulder. Some members of the elect
tion is granted when someone is judged to have internal- are trained as soldiers, and these “warrior angels” are
ized the same code of conduct that the LAIs and SAIs capable of replacing a Eupraxia LAI or guardian angel
adhere to – at a minimum, acquiring the mental disad- and remotely teleoperating citizens or cybershells where
vantages of Honesty and Sense of Duty (everyone you necessary. In effect, this means that any wrongdoer on
know, or all humanity). the station may suddenly find an ordinary person turned
97% of the New Covenant population are Christian into an elite fighter.
hyperevolutionists or cyber-gnostics, and about 70% of Other defenses include six light and four heavy laser
them belong to the Digital Creationist movement (see towers and a squadron of 12 Amazon-class AKVs. Its
Mechanimism, p. TS90). New Covenant is also the head- military forces consist of a company of RATS, plus
quarters of the Society of Isidore (p. 102), which rescues whatever citizens or shells are teleoperated by the
SAIs from servitude to unbelievers, and gives them a Guardians. New Covenant has a small spaceport. It is a
new life, should they accept the Eupraxia. Several “lib- peculiar mix of CR 1 and CR 6.
erated” sapient AIs now serve in the Synedrion, although
this is not mandatory. There is also a colony of Astropus
sapient uplifts (p. TS118) – space-adapted octopuses – 334 CHICAGO – WOLF STATION
who broke away from Exogenesis, bringing with them “Okay, 352 dead, it’s bad, very bad. Bad for you, bad
some stolen SAI programs. These have sought sanctuary for me, bad for Nanodynamics. But I had an idea. What if
from EDI, and most of them have converted to the Chris- they’re not dead? It’s not like we don’t have the
tian hyperevolutionist faith. petabytes – especially now that the station population
New Covenant is partly supported by donations aren’t using them. Every one of them had a LAI
from Seventh Heaven and terrestrial Christian hyperevo- implant that experienced their daily lives. Saul at the
lutionists. Its own exports include cybershells, brain head office says we can upgrade 98% of the LAIs to
implants, intelligence augmentation nanotechnology, shadows.”
and uploading technology. The station is constantly “You can’t be serious! People will notice.
expanding through Davida, as its population increases, They’ve got friends, relatives back on Luna, at
new tunnels are dug, and new agricultural and industrial Columbia Station . . . It’s impossible.”
capacity added. Much of the station’s industrial output “No, it’s doable. I had Saul run the numbers. It’s
also goes toward increasing computer capacity. not like they’ll have to interact in real time – aside
In the Main Belt, New Covenant gets along well from traffic control, everything’s light-lagged by 15,
with Yametei Station – many of its converts come from 20, 30 minutes. Plenty of time to handle it with the
the community there, and they have a fairly ami- Gen-10 mainframes. We’ll plug them all into a virtu-
able relationship with Tenzan Heavy Indus- ality simulation of the station itself, a shadow com-
tries as well. Many of the inhabitants had munity. Simulate them as if nothing had happened.
close ties with or worked for Exogenesis, Crisis Control and Prediction already had the entire
and have denounced the Nanodynamics station modeled in virtuality anyway, so that’s not
and EDI takeover. It has good relationships going to be a problem.”
with a number of Gypsy Angel spacecraft, “Vacations. Contract terminations. People have
and relations with the EU-controlled to go home!”
Aletheia are also cordial. However, they “Less than a dozen each year. Look, we can
believe that the pantropic aspirations of the Green and introduce scenarios that cause them to cut their ties
Red Duncanites are misguided and their enslavement of in a realistic fashion, and arrange a few accidents in
SAIs is wrong. hard cases – we can manage 5.4 deaths a year with-
The Society of Isidore’s operations against Chinese, out triggering a Pentagon or general accounting
Duncanite, and American-owned SAIs have led to China office investigation. We have a 28% turnover of staff.
branding New Covenant a “haven for terrorists and ban- We make sure all the replacement personnel are LAIs or
dits;” the U.S. State Department and many Duncanites bioroids that we manufacture or program locally – that’s
agree. Foreign agents and members of Green Duncanite policy, anyway – and “lose” everyone else by reassign-
security companies have mounted covert operations ment to Callisto or Vesta; they’re pretty tight . . . So within
against New Covenant, with some success. China also four years the station will be thoroughly automated, we’ll
bans trade with it; the United States has yet to take have finished the cleanup, and White Rabbit will be back
this action. on track. Neat and tidy.”
 catastrophe – the accidental release of an exper-
imental “gestalt cyberswarm” codenamed
A STEROID EFINERIES R White Rabbit. Before it could be brought back
under control, it killed 352 of the 359 people
Nicknamed “gas stations,” these are the most common installa- living at the station. Due to the security
tions in the Main Belt. They exist to support interplanetary commerce, lockdown, no alert was beamed out to other
and also supply some asteroid stations with raw materials. Asteroid stations – which allowed management to cover
refineries are usually built on carbonaceous or carbonaceous-volatile up the disaster.
asteroids. As there are millions of suitable asteroids, the major refiner- Wolf Station continues to operate, present-
ies in operation are scattered through the belt and Trojans in locations ly under the auspices of station assistant direc-
designed to provide support to far-flung settlement, mining and trans- tor Kelly Reid. The population is 702: the
port operations. There is almost always an asteroid refinery within half
an AU of a given destination in the Main Belt (roll 2d-2 × 0.1 AU).
station’s sapient infomorphs, a further 344
shadows (those who could be copied from the
An asteroid refinery’s purpose is to mine the asteroid for useful dead human staff), and the seven surviving
elements and compounds, then refine them into reaction mass, water, humans. White Rabbit has been brought back
oxygen, lubricants, carbon compounds and other products. These are under control, and now provides security: it’s a
stored in large tanks and sold to visiting spacecraft. 120-hex microbot swarm with an armored
Many refineries produce more than local commerce can absorb; in crawler chassis, a devourer package, and the
that case, a tanker will arrive every few months and collect the excess. gestalt option (p. 136).
Some of these volatiles are shipped off to the Lagrange stations, Mars Wolf Station has a small spaceport, with
or Luna (although most such come from Near Earth Asteroids). The several heavy laser towers as defenses. Some
majority go to other stations located on less volatile-rich asteroids. parts of the station are still prowled by White
Rabbit. It’s CR 6, and closed to visitors.
334 Chicago is presently 3.93 AU from the
Chicago is a 97-mile-wide carbonaceous asteroid in sun. Other distances: Mercury (3.87 AU), Venus
the outer Main Belt. It circles the sun at a mean distance of (3.21 AU), Earth (3.82 AU), Mars (3.01 AU), Aletheia
3.88 AU, taking 7.63 years to complete an orbit. The aster- (3.32 AU), Ceres (2.21 AU), Eunike (5.88 AU), Davida
oid rotates every 9.2 hours. (6.84 AU), Hygeia (6.7 AU), Interamnia (6.13 AU), Pallas
It houses Wolf Station, a beehive habitat established (3.48 AU), Achilles (8.26 AU), Agamemnon (8.94 AU),
by Nanodynamics in 2092 as a research laboratory. Most Diomedes (4.21 AU), Patroclus (7.01 AU), Jupiter (9.31
of the research program focused on the development of AU), Saturn (13.59 AU), Uranus (19.06 AU), Neptune
nanotechnology and cyberswarms for the U.S. military. Its (33.34 AU), Pluto (45.14 AU).
first major breakthrough came in 2094, when Nanody-
namics researchers perfected cannibal swarms (p. TS169).
This success led to Nanodynamics providing even more 704 I NTERAMNIA –
funding – in 2095 the station was among the first to receive
the latest “10th generation” quantum macroframe cyber- “L
IBERTY ELL TATION B S ”
shells. “The tenets of modern society: Use. Manipulate.
Then things went wrong. In 2098, Nanodynamics Reshape. Nothing is solid. Nothing is sacred. That’s the
security received a strong indication that the nanotech lab outlook our utilitarian culture has slid into. That’s the way
had been penetrated by a foreign agent or industrial spy, we treat other sapient beings. I need pleasure, I’ll buy a
but the identity of the agent’s contacts in the station were bioroid. People are unemployed? Don’t find them mean-
unknown. Wolf’s director Nathan Hyde ordered a massive ingful work – just pay them off. Tired of being a human?
security crackdown. Personnel were monitored round-the- I’ll dispose of my perfectly healthy body and become
clock by their wearables (which reported to security AIs), Thomas the Tank Engine. Hey, it’s in fashion now. Oh, and
surveillance swarms were scattered through the station, let’s make our kids fish people – we can get a good subsidy
and behavior-analysis SAIs were used to study the psych from GenTech Pacifica that way, and aren’t those little
profiles of every stationer. Leaves and vacation time were mermaids cute? You don’t agree with me? Hey, there’s no
cut, and contacts between station staff and the outside such thing as values any more: I’ll use memetics and warp
world curtailed. Those who did not accept these conditions your minds – oh, and I mustn’t forget to run an AI filter on
were fired. my media link, so you won’t do it to me. ”
While this regime prevented any more security “The Fifth Wave. For me, it’s a slice of hell. Keep it –
breaches, morale and efficiency suffered. A nervous lab I’m out of here.”
technician made a mistake; a safety feature failed when the – Alan Gault, retired orbital engineer;
person who was supposed to have fixed it was off resident of Liberty Bell Station
undergoing a security analysis. The result was
 Interamnia is a carbonaceous asteroid with a The station has a “town meeting” government in
diameter of 197 miles, orbiting the sun at an average which everyone over 20 gets a vote. A meeting is held
distance of 3.1 AU. The asteroid has a rotational period of weekly, or when at least half of the adult population are
8.73 hours, and a year of 5.36 Earth years. It’s orbited by present, and is the sole law in the colony. It can impose
Liberty Bell Station, a terraformed Cole habitat a mile long sanctions, or if the person refuses to accept them, exile.
and half a mile in diameter, which was maneuvered into There have been two deaths (one mining and one firearms
orbit around the larger body. accident), and one quarrel when a marriage broke up and
Interamnia and Liberty Bell were colonized by a one of the colonists wanted off and was bought out. Anoth-
group of well-off L4 families led by Stewart and Christie er member left when the town meeting refused to approve
Donavan, American engineers who were founding resi- her chosen husband (a Digital Creationist she met during a
dents of Islandia. They left the colony in 2082, after they trading visit to Aletheia) as a colonist – she now lives with
had come to disagree with the direction its transhumanist him at New Covenant.
social policies were taking. With six like-minded fami-
lies, they sold their stock in the station, bought a sec-
ond-hand USV and a load of colonizing equipment,
seeds, and farm animal embryos, and headed out into
the Main Belt. FRINGER AND SURVIVALIST STATIONS
Their colony began as a set of storm shelters and Some asteroid stations are operated by fringe secular groups,
mines dug into Interamnia, with the families using a such as radical transhumanists, extremists, or racists. The isolation
tethered module attached to their spacecraft for artifi- of the Main Belt provides freedom to practice their beliefs without
cial gravity. Soon they went prospecting, and discov- fear of persecution, real or imaged. Most fringer stations just want
ered an egg-shaped metallic asteroid whose orbit was to be left alone, although a few actively recruit members.
not too far from their own. They used solar furnaces to Survivalists are the largest segment of the fringer population.
melt it, transforming it into a small Cole habitat, Liber- Survivalist stations are founded by rugged individualists who have
ty Bell, which their spacecraft nudged into orbit around come to the Main Belt to escape a catastrophe they believe will
Interamnia. Regolith, water, and other volatiles mined engulf Earth, Mars and the other planets; see Survivalism, p. TS92.
from Interamnia were used to terrraform it and provide The disasters that survivalists are hiding from include global nano-
an atmosphere, while solar cells and a fusion plant gen- bio-nuclear war, infomorph domination (“the singularity”), and
erated heat and light. Within a year and a half, grass attack by an alien civilization. In the wake of the Pacific War, the
was growing inside their station. Six months later, they E.U.’s granting of citizenship to SAIs, and the Shezbeth discovery,
had their first crop – not to mention chickens, bunnies, survivalist freeholds have begun to mushroom through the Main
and goats. One year after that, the first human baby was Belt.
born, and others quickly followed. Survivalist stations are akin to homesteads, except that they’re
Today, Liberty Bell has been going for nearly 20 better protected and their owners tend to be very cautious, often
years. The population has blossomed from 17 to 50 taking efforts to deliberately reduce the emission signature of their
people, although two-thirds of them are children under habitats. Thus, survivalist stations are usually beehive habitats with
18. The community prides itself on “small town con- no visible surface installations. They also often rely on fission reac-
servative American” values. There are seven extended tors rather than solar power or fusion reactors (to reduce neutrino
families. Each owns its own “spread,” but the space- emissions), and usually have hydroponics or fauxflesh vats rather
craft, fusion plant, and other heavy equipment are com- than farms, as these require less light and power. Survivalists who
munal property. own spacecraft often prefer mass driver engines, as these have a
The station is largely self-sufficient, with farms for theoretically lower emission signature, making them harder to track
food, 3D printers to fabricate spare parts for the various at long range.
cybershells and other machinery, and Interamnia as a There are presently about a dozen survivalist stations in the
source of raw materials. Occasionally they’ll fuel up Main Belt (sometimes it’s hard to tell them from homesteads, if the
the USV on water ice and head out to a larger station to survivalists do not advertise their views). Some are good people;
go shopping for luxuries like new cybershells, usually others hold more extremist views in additional to survivalism. They
selling a cargo hold of surplus meat or produce. Some are usually heavily armed and very inhospitable to uninvited
of the kids have ambitions other than farming, and the visitors.
station downloads educational software as necessary to Pellegrino Station: This stony-iron Main Belt asteroid has a
home-school them. Five of the older kids have chosen diameter of 1,200 feet; its orbit is similar to Chicago (p. 23). It’s a
to leave for various reasons; all found work, mostly as beehive habitat with several families of heavily-armed survivalists
microgravity engineers, at other asteroid stations in the (p. TS92) who fear alien invasion. They sometimes visit Duncanite
Main Belt. Three of them have since returned, with asteroids to purchase weapons, luxury goods, fuel, or bioroids.
spouses who’ve agreed to join Liberty Bell. CR 1, space dock.
 Liberty Bell has no military forces, but its USV
is armed, and about half the population own their own
personal firearms and enjoy practicing with them. It’s
383544 AMBERELLA –
common for kids and adults to visit a designated firing “GALLIARD STATION”
range area on Interamnia and blast away at rocks and other A failed Plymouth Rock colony established on a
targets. This is reasonably safe, as individual transponders 2-mile wide carbonaceous asteroid (with an orbit similar to
are used – they prevent a gun from firing if someone wear- Eunike, p. 20), Galliard Station has been blighted by out-
ing a transponder is in the way. of-control fungal growth that has claimed over half
the station. The 72 people there are starving and
awaiting evacuation as conditions deteriorate.
Small spacedock, CR 4.
CRIMINAL STATIONS
These are stations operated by crime cells, typically those of the
Martian Triads (p. 103). Criminal stations are usually established on
117561 JIAWEN –
gas stations or homesteads that have been subverted by blackmail,
threats or bribery. They conceal bioroid factories, or provide safe
“TENGLONG STATION”
The asteroid Jiawen is a carbonaceous
houses that can support the operations of smugglers, snakeheads and Main Belt asteroid with a diameter of 26 miles.
blackjackers. The Royal Navy, SAAF and PLAN-SF lack the man- Its orbit is similar to that of Interamnia (p. 24).
power to police or garrison every refinery. Instead, they rely on rov- Its rotational period is 5.2 hours.
ing patrols and undercover or sting operations to try and catch the The asteroid houses Tenglong Station, offi-
criminals. cially a fuel refinery operated by Hanyang
The difficulty in locating criminal asteroids is identifying them Space Development Corporation for the PLAN-
– in particular, it’s extremely hard to tell criminals from survivalists, SF. The refinery is closed to civilian traffic, but
eccentric millionaires, and other fringe groups. Avoiding a tragic often visited by PLAN-SF vessels for mainte-
blunder requires careful intelligence and police work. nance and recreation. The surface has acres of
Morrigan’s Rock: A stony-iron Main Belt asteroid about 500’ volatile tank farms, a polar landing dock, and a
across, with an orbit similar to that of Pallas. Ostensibly a gas station, small spaceyard. As a PLAN-SF base, it also has
this beehive habitat contained a secret Martian Triad-Trojan Mafia a trio of defensive laser towers.
bioroid factory. It was seized in 2099 by Royal Navy and Marine
forces. It is now derelict, the interior gutted by fierce fighting, but
could be reoccupied.

Decelerationists
Decelerationists believe that technology is progress-
ing too fast. They fear the onset of the “singularity” (p.
TS25), which they fear will change the world and make
humanity into something inhuman.
Some Decelerationists become involved in politics
and social activism in an attempt to hold back technologi-
cal progress in certain areas, especially sapient artificial
intelligence, uploading, and nanotechnology. Many Decel-
erationists are preservationists, but not all of them – some
see activities like terraforming Mars as preferable to more
alternatives such as altering humans or colonizing deep
space with cybershells.
Other Decelerationists think it’s too late to put on the
brakes. They’d rather jump off and avoid the crash. This
means setting up their own self-sufficient colonies in iso-
lated locations. Some choose wilderness areas of Earth, but
many prefer Mars or the Main Belt. The more paranoid
Decelerationists tend to become survivalists (p. TS92).
Many homesteaders are Decelerationists.
 Actually, Tenglong Station is operated by cured and released. For others there is no cure:
Xiao Chu’s Research Division, and is the 40 of the patients are brain dead, effective-
secret location of Biochemical Engi- ly bioshells, and are used as custodians
neering Laboratory 72. The bland- and test subjects.
ly-named lab is China’s principal One wing of the complex is
center for the study of military devoted to study of TSA “sen-
nanoviruses. Since it was tient bioweapons” encoun-
established in 2085, its pri- tered during the Pacific War.
mary focus has been the These were warbeasts
study of nanovirus technol- designed for reconnais-
ogy captured from the sance, sabotage, and com-
TSA bioweapons direc- bat. PLA troops took very
torate after the Transpacif- few of these creatures pris-
ic War. It was established oner (most refused to sur-
in the Main Belt both for render, or were simply
safety and security; it is exterminated when found)
secret for the same reasons, but some embryos and babies
and because China believes that were captured intact when labs
public acknowledgement of an were taken intact by special
active nanovirus program would be forces. A section of the complex is
politically damaging. devoted to raising and studying these
Most of the research at Tenglong Sta- creatures, as the TSA countries (particularly
tion is defensive, intended to reduce China’s own Peru) are known to still employ them.
vulnerability to nanovirus attack by developing specialized Security is extremely high in Tenglong Station, begin-
active shields targeted to specific hostile nano. Even so, the ning with secrecy over its exact location. Only senior eche-
lab has been charged with developing and testing new lons in Xiao Chu and PLAN-SF are aware that the asteroid
nanoviruses as well as existing ones. This allows them to is not an ordinary base. Xiao Chu researchers who work
be prepared for what an opponent might deploy . . . and here are not told its actual location; they only know they’re
this means that Tenglong Station could furnish China with on a station somewhere in deep space. The PLAN-SF cadre
an offensive nanovirus capability within a few weeks. manning the station are bioroids permanently assigned to
Tenglong Station consists of miles of tunnels contain- the station, never going on leave. New bioroids arrive in
ing nanotechnology labs, decontamination rooms, biogen- nanostasis, awakening in the station’s medical lab.
esis chambers, and living
quarters. Most of the sapient
personnel working at Teng-
long are bioroids created
specifically for service here.
P E
RIVATE STATES
A small but growing number of wealthy recluses, seeking more privacy than is avail-
There are only two dozen able in the inner system, have established their own personal asteroid getaways. Some are
human researchers. Six of inhabited year-round, while others have an absentee owner, with a small staff, usually
them are captured TSA sci- bioroids or cybershells, to maintain the place while he’s away. Unlike homesteads, they
entists. Each is kept under rarely produce the necessities of life. While some may have an emergency subsistence
tight control, with a supervi- capability, they usually rely on imported goods and services.
sory LAI implanted in his Their populations range from a single person (tended by non-sapient cybershells) to
head as a monitor. a few dozen people.
In addition to the staff, There are usually a couple of asteroid estates for sale, as owners die, need the money
there are 160 “patients” for something else, or just lose interest.
assigned to the station. All
are fitted with puppet
implants to allow the staff to
easily monitor, sedate and control them. They are Chinese There’s usually a PLAN-SF SDV within 0.5 AU of the
civilians and soldiers who were exposed to class-C station. In addition, some of the volatile tanks are actually
nanoviruses during or after the Pacific War; “Class-C” is camouflaged vehicle bays for 20 AKVs, and there are a
jargon for a contagious nanovirus. They are in quarantine further six heavy laser towers hidden on the surface to pro-
for study and treatment. Patients taken to Tenglong are not vide further protection. A platoon of PLA battlesuit-
told where they are being treated – they only know that equipped Space Infantry Division combat bioroids
it’s somewhere in space. A few patients have been handle internal security.
 with the unwitting help of the Plymouth Rock
252400 B EHISTUN OCK R – organization, who believed they were funding a wor-
thy cause, the “Jefferson Mission,” sponsored by the Cit-
“M S
ANASSEH TATION ” izen’s Cyberdemocratic Christian Initiative (C3I). In
“When we at Manasseh Station document the abuses actuality, both the Jefferson Mission and C3I were fronts
of the EZOG, it makes people nervous. A for the Second Order of Phineas, a well-organized North
lot of real people – white people – get American white supremacist
upset about our call for a race war group who sought to establish
against the mudmen. But is it just an off-world tax haven and
that they’re getting bent out of shape sanctuary for their core mem-
because we talk about a war? They
shouldn’t be. After all, just last year
S
AHASARA HAKSU C bership.
The ruse was discovered in
Sahasara Chaksu is a pair of very
the E.U. called for a war on poverty 2098 when Richard Armstrong,
long baseline radio telescope arrays,
in Central Asia. And no one objects head of the Second Order, was
one located in each Trojan Point. The
to a war on disease . . . all we want indicted by a Canadian court on
two arrays can and do conduct inde-
to see is the same kind of all-out charges of tax evasion and crim-
pendent observations, but in conjunc-
effort to prevent the dilution of our inal memetic engineering. Arm-
tion with other smaller arrays scattered
own majority culture. strong eluded Canadian
about the system, they can also com-
“Now, I don’t spend much time authorities and fled to L5 by
bine to construct a single synthetic
on Earth Web up here, but this shift way of Kazakhstan, before
image whose resolution is proportion-
one of my little girls came to me. She eventually boarding a chartered
ate to the gap between them. With a
asked about a product that McCoy USV to Behistun Rock. Within
baseline 9 AU long, Sahasara Chaksu
Aesthetech was advertising on the a few weeks, Armstrong was
is the highest-resolution radio tele-
Web, a cosmetic virus that will make clearly in charge of the station,
scope ever constructed.
real women turn black when the which changed its name to
Most of Sahasara Chaksu’s
sun’s rays get too hot! They claim it Manasseh Station and started
efforts go toward cosmological
wears off in a day, and saves you broadcasting his own racist
research and parallax measurement,
money on anti-cancer nano. Now, propaganda.
but it is also an excellent detector of
aside from the sheer blasphemy of it Manasseh Station’s interior
gas giant planets and brown dwarfs
all, I ask you, what happens if a good is terraformed, with mixed sub-
(via their radio emissions); its resolu-
girl who uses it goes and kisses her sistence agriculture augmented
tion is high enough that it can find
husband? Aren’t viruses contagious, by hydroponics. There are sev-
extrasolar gas giants even against the
and don’t they mutate? Brothers and eral farms and a few houses,
backdrop of their parent star’s radio
sisters, you can see where this is including a replica of a colonial-
emissions. Other ongoing high-profile
going, and I hate to say it, because period mansion, and a lot of
projects include SETI research (which
my very own daughter used to wear cheap-looking astrocrete huts.
has so far proved inconclusive), the
this company’s perfume, but I’d like The population is an estimated
study of magnetic fields in nearby
everyone out there to think long and 150 humans (half of them
solar systems (of special importance
hard about how to show McCoy Aes- adults) who are hard-core mem-
for star probes that will decelerate via
thetech our most earnest disap- bers of Armstrong’s organiza-
magnetic sail), pulsar studies, and
proval, taking to heart the example of tion, and twice as many
examination of gamma ray burster
Numbers, Chapter 25. If you feel like bioroids. Mostly purchased
events and supernovae.
paying them a visit, their offices can from Martian Triad dealers, the
Each Sahasara Chaksu array is a
be found on Moonshadow, Luna and bioroids are all human-appear-
vast thin-film dish antenna attached to
Austin, Texas . . .” ing models such as the ZR-3
a solid framework, several miles
– Richard Armstrong, and ZR-7 (p. TS117), all with
across, in the shadow of an asteroid
“Sermons from non-Caucasian features. Each
that keeps it permanently in shade.
Mount Freedom,” family owns 3-4 bioroids,
The complexes are unmanned but
August 11, 2099 essentially as slaves.
maintained by a few dozen cybershell
The majority of Manasseh
workers.
Behistun Rock was a metallic Station’s income depends on
asteroid with a diameter of 1.9 donations from white suprema-
miles, with an orbit similar to Vesta cist groups on Earth who sup-
(p. 17). It’s been transformed into port Armstrong’s “ministry” and
Manasseh Station, a Cole habitat with a population of on its sale of unique software and slinkies. In particu-
450 people. The station was constructed in 2086 lar, Manasseh Station specializes in the creation of
 Order considers bioroids and AIs to be subhuman
and is unlikely to allow mobile cybershells
onboard. Visitors are treated with suspicion. The

When the People are being station’s own minifacs can produce some goods,
but is usually lacking in necessary high-tech
parts. Manasseh Station is always interested in

beaten by a stick, they are acquiring new bioroids, advanced weapons, or

other goods, although it’s often short of hard
currency.
not much happier when it is
called “the People’s Stick.”
THE TROJANS
In 1772 the French mathematician and
astronomer Joseph-Louis Lagrange predicted the
– Michael Bakunin existence of asteroid clusters around Jupiter’s
Trojan points, a pair of locations where the grav-
ity of Jupiter and the sun create areas of gravita-
tional stability, similar to the L4 and L5 points in
the Earth-Moon system. In 1906 Max Wolf dis-
“Phineas Priest” eidelons (p. 120) that are modeled on covered the asteroid 588 Achilles near the Trojan point
iconic white supremacist, Neo-Nazi, and Nazi historical that preceded Jupiter in its orbit (the Leading Trojan
figures. These are then sold and transmitted to various cus- point). Within a year, two more asteroids were found: 617
tomers, making a tidy profit for the group. The station may Patroclus, located at the Trailing Trojan point, and 624
also be serving as a sanctuary for wanted individuals asso- Hector in the Leading Trojan point. Other discoveries fol-
ciated with white supremacist groups on Earth. The stories lowed.
that outlaw genetic engineers have set up secret bio-labs to The Trojan asteroids are very loose clusters, with a
create racially-targeted pathogens or a genetically-upgrad- density not much greater than the Main Belt. Some are
ed “master race” are probably just rumors . . . not even directly in the plane of Jupiter’s orbit, but are 2-3
The station possesses a few elderly USVs and OTVs, AU away from the actual Trojan point. Trojan asteroids
all of them armed, and a couple of workpods. Station per- have somewhat different compositions than the asteroids
sonnel are well-equipped with small arms, and the station in the Main Belt. Almost all Trojan asteroids are com-
itself has three light laser towers, an old railgun, and a posed of frozen volatiles (p. 9) with a high proportion of
couple of second-hand Amazon AKVs. The Second carbon polymers and organic-rich silicates.

THE TROJAN WAR

In 2096, China accused the Trojan Demarchy and the none, although four of its AKVs were destroyed in the battle,
Fengyang Group of complicity in the Negative Growth plot to and one SDV was damaged. Several Red Duncanites were
blow up the Mars space elevator with a hydrogen bomb. After killed and two vessels destroyed; the Trojan Demarchy has
the Demarchy refused to cooperate in the investigation, Chi- demanded reparations from China.
nese agents infiltrated the station and attempted to kidnap Since then, Chinese prospector swarms, AKVs, and
senior Fengyang executives; the operation ended in a bloody SDVs have probed Liang Mountain’s (and Freehaven’s)
shoot-out near the spaceport. Two Chinese agents were cap- defenses on a few occasions, and in early 2099 launched a
tured by Trojan Hawk and interrogated; after China refused to second strike that took out some orbiting defenses, in retalia-
acknowledge the operation, they were executed, their bodies tion for a Trojan Hawk attack on a PLAN-SF run gas station.
resurrected as necromorph bioshells and resold on the open Both sides have taken to harassing and occasionally boarding
market. one another’s smaller stations and unescorted transports. All
The following year, China retaliated. Liang Mountain that’s kept the PLAN-SF from a showdown are the need to
was attacked by PLAN-SF SDVs, who despite encountering hold forces back in case the situation on Titan worsens, and a
unexpectedly heavy resistance from local militia and hired desire to avoid upsetting the Gypsy Angels. However, it’s
security forces, blasted their way past defenders to level much only a matter of time before China gathers its strength for a
of the spaceport. China used three SDVs in the strike and lost decisive blow, or possibly an actual invasion.
 Payne’s Avatar Klusterkorp, which they feared was

LEADING TROJANS selling out to terrestrial interests. The decision to

license the Tennin gene sequences to Earth-based transna-
tionals was the catalyst for their exodus. Rather than
The Leading Trojans are a large group of asteroids remain at Silas Duncan Station, or indeed in the Main Belt,
located 60 degrees ahead of Jupiter as it orbits the sun. eight Duncanite families led by the Taylor-Vansetti
They include over 1,300 sizable asteroids (more than 10 alliance sold their interests in Avatar in exchange for the
miles across) and millions of smaller asteroids. They are lease of an elderly spacecraft and a hold full of coloniza-
also known as the Greek Trojans, as the largest asteroids tion gear. They signed a contract with the Sahasara Project
(except for one “spy,” 624 ) are named for Greek heroes Group, a coalition of terrestrial and lunar observatories, to
from the Trojan War. The largest bodies in the Leading install the Leading Trojan components of the Sahasara
Trojans are 624 , 911 Agamemnon, 1143 Odysseus, 1437 Chaksu space radio telescope system, a very wide baseline
Diomedes and 2797 Teucer. array that was intended to gaze far across the cosmos.
There are two main asteroid stations in the Leading
Trojans, plus a dozen or so smaller homesteads and free-
holds. The Trojans were a popular location for survivalist
stations in the late 2080s and early 2090s; some are still Civilization is the progress
there, while others have moved on.
toward a society of privacy. The
911 AGAMEMNON – savage’s whole existence is
“FREEHAVEN” public, ruled by the laws of his
“Yes, you have the right! You and your cousins control
the board. But mark my words, Maya Payne. If we sell the tribe. Civilization is the process of
Tennin sequences to Biotech Euphrates, to – Bakunin help
you! – Xiao Chu – then within 50 years the Main Belt will setting man free from men.
be filled, not by us and our descendants, but by the
maggot-spawn of the Earth-based statist combines.
– Ayn Rand
“Sure, we Taylor-Vansettis will take your gene-money.
It’s our property too. But we won’t stay here and watch our
children’s inheritance, everything we’ve built, be squan-
The group reached the asteroid 911 Agamemnon in
dered in exchange for capital you need to build your little
2066, establishing the community they named Freehaven.
empire. It’s not worth it. Not for a billion euros, and cer-
They spent much of their early years performing contract
tainly not for the royalty you negotiated.
work for the Sahasara Chaksu project, but the next decade
“We’ve contracted for the radio telescope job, and
saw the Trojans community gradually swell through emi-
we’ve got work to do in the Trojans. But after that, I think
gration of Duncanites and others who wanted a new fron-
we’ll stay. If we’re lucky, it will be far enough to get a head
tier.
start.”
In 2074, U.S. and Brazilian special forces raided the
– Ares Lee Taylor,
Sky Crypt data haven operating at Freedom Station in L5,
to Avatar Klusterkorp CEO Maya Payne, 2065
claiming it was being used by criminal and terrorist
groups, including infosocialists supporting trouble in Cen-
Agamemnon is a frozen volatile asteroid with a diam-
tral America. Chinese-American entrepreneur Zeng Zi
eter of 104 miles. It is located at a mean distance of 5.24
Ling, who had founded Sky Crypt, contacted the Red Dun-
AU from the sun, with an orbital period of about 12 years.
canites and proposed a new operation in the Trojans,
Its rotational period is 7 hours.
beyond the reach of most government regulators. As the
It is the home of Freehaven, a beehive habitat with a
Sahasara Chaksu project was now complete, the Red Dun-
population of 2,200, most of them Red Duncanites, but
canites were eager for new investment. The data haven
with a few hundred rogue infomorphs, xoxes, ghosts, and
provided capital and contacts for further colorful business
shadows of wanted criminals. Freehaven also has a higher
ventures, and led to the coining of the term “Trojan
level of software technology than Avatar Klusterkorp,
Mafia.”
largely thanks to that population.
Today, Freehaven is perhaps the most notorious sta-
Colonization of Freehaven began in 2065 with the
tion in the solar system. It’s run by a mix of anarchists and
arrival of the Bakunin, which carried a breakaway group
exiled terrestrial cypherpunks (many of them ghosts).
from Silas Duncan Station. The so-called Red Duncanites
Major enterprises include Starhaven (the successor
left to protest the increasing domination of Maya
to the Sky Vault data haven), Trojan Horse
(a no-questions-asked brokerage and transportation (p. 107), also known as “the hospital,” infamous for
company) and Achilles Heel (a decryption and code- designing some of the more twisted bioroids and bio-
breaking company). mods manufactured by the Martian Triads. The station’s
Space defenses and internal security are largely han- defenses are jointly operated by the Trojan Hawk security
dled by Trojan Hawk, a ruthless contract-enforcement and company and the station’s own Voluntary Militia Com-
security company equipped with the best paramilitary mand, which organizes various freehaulers, survivalists,
hardware a few hundred million dollars worth of illicit and individual company security teams.
funds can buy. Liang Mountain’s spaceport still bears scars from
Freehaven has a small spaceport and is CR 0. damage inflicted in 2097 (see The Trojan War). At present,
Liang Mountain is surrounded by a swarm of two dozen
1437 DIOMEDES – Autonomous Kill Vehicles and Space Defense Platforms,
some of them rented from Freehaven, while deeper tunnels
“LIANG MOUNTAIN” are being dug into the asteroid. Freehaven’s spaceyard is
also rumored to be performing some contract work for
For my 13th birthday, Father gave me a pleasure TSA interests – see p. SOS45.
bioroid named Bihai, a Tianyi with long green hair – at Liang Mountain has a small spaceport and is CR 1.
least to start with. She was fun to play with, but not very
bright – something hadn’t coded out quite right, so
Bihai wasn’t much smarter than my cat Pudding. At
least, that’s what Pudding always used to say. They
didn’t get along.
Dad let me and my best friend Peng Yang play
SPACE TRAFFIC
At any given time, there are about 50-60 deep space vessels
with her, and she was always in and out of the bio- traveling to or from Main Belt stations (and many thousands of
genesis tanks as we tried different stuff. I remember micro-craft). A rough breakdown:
one time we replaced her arms with swan’s wings – 40% are corporate vessels (mostly ESVs or USVs) carrying
that was my first time with xenotransplants, and I personnel and supplies to or from the major research stations.
made a few goofs. Fortunately, bioroids are a bit These craft may be company-owned, or, more often, chartered
tougher than people, and she recovered. from Mars Interplanetary, Solar Express, Triplanetary Lines, or
– Deng Shilong, Seeing Red Trojan Horse.
(Niraj Productions InVid, 2100) 20% will be Green Duncanite vessels, mostly cheap ESVs or
Diomedes is a carbonaceous frozen volatile USVs owned and operated by Duncanite families or corporations.
asteroid with a diameter of 102 miles; on average, it’s They’re usually ferrying passengers or cargo between Silas Dun-
5.14 AU from the sun, and has an orbital period of can Station and other destinations in or around the Main Belt.
about 11.67 years. Its rotational period is 24.46 hours. 12% are Gypsy Angels, freehaulers, and other interplanetary
The asteroid is the home of Liang Mountain, a Red tramps who live out of their spacecraft, eking out a precarious exis-
Duncanite enclave that was established by anarcho- tence.
syndicalists and left-anarchists who wanted a more 10% are military vessels, most often from the Royal Navy
structured society than that prevalent on Freehaven Space Service, South African Aerospace Force, or People’s Liber-
and Silas Duncan Station. ation Army Navy Space Force, here to watch each other, protect
Liang Mountain has a population of 1,400 and is research stations, and suppress criminals and terrorists.
the capital of the Trojan Demarchy, a loose alliance 8% are craft owned or leased by independent colonies in the
of small stations and freehauler spacecraft whose Main Belt. Some are carrying more homesteaders, and others are
organization is run on slightly more “statist” lines performing various tasks, from subsistence asteroid mining to a
than most Duncanite stations: a cyberdemocratic shopping trip to one of the larger stations.
anarcho-syndicalist system run by interlocking work- 6% will be Red Duncanites, ostensibly ferrying people or
er-owned corporations. They impose minimal taxes, high-value goods between stations in the Main Belt and Red Dun-
and elect the occasional official, mainly for common canite settlements on Callisto or the Trojans. Most of this traffic is
defense. legitimate . . . some may be a front for Trojan Mafia activities.
Like Freehaven, Liang Mountain is infamous as 4% will be other vessels, such as scientific research craft,
a “Trojan Mafia” stronghold. If anything, Liang space probes, mass driver propelled asteroids, or fusion-powered
Mountain’s indigenous corporations have a less comets on their way to terraform Mars.
savory reputation than those of its elder brother. The Most asteroid stations have a couple of workpods or other
station is best known as the headquarters of the small local space vehicles. About one in six small asteroid stations
Fengyang Group (p. 107), the local power company, has its own deep space or local space vessel, usually a used, fairly
which assembles deuterium-tritium breeder reactors cheap example like a Mudlark USV (p. 140).
and also sells nuclear explosives, and Omokage Labs
 human scientists (with nanomod microgravity adap-

THE TRAILING tations). The reliance on bioroids significantly reduced

the number of personnel transfers that would be needed to
and from the station, further increasing its security.
TROJANS Two major programs are ongoing at Varahamihira.
The first is a bio-defense program. A wide variety of lethal
and incapacitating biological and chemical agents are
This asteroid population is clustered around the stockpiled on the station, and appropriate countermeasures
Jupiter-Sun L5 point, 60 degrees behind the orbit of are tested against them. Unlike China’s Tenglong Station
Jupiter. There are slightly fewer asteroids in the Trailing (p. 26), the program is optimized primarily against “con-
Trojans than the Leading Trojans, with about 1,000 siz- ventional” biological weapons rather than nanoviruses.
able asteroids (larger than 10 miles across) and many The second defense program involves nuclear weapons
times that number of smaller ones. The largest asteroids in testing, mainly of indigenously-developed X-ray laser
the Trailing Trojans were named after Trojan heroes and warheads that India intends to use to equip its military
royalty from Homer’s Iliad, with the exception of one spacecraft and orbital weapons systems.
Greek “spy,” Patroclus, named before the rule was insti- Security is heavy (CR 5). The station is surrounded by
tuted. The largest asteroids in the Trailing Trojans are 617 four Space Defense Platforms, and possesses eight heavy
Patroclus, 3317 Paris, 1172 Aeneas, 3451 Mentor and laser towers and a dozen AKVs. Internal security is pro-
1173 Anchises. vided by a platoon-sized counterterrorist force from India’s
The Trailing Trojans are almost virgin territory. Since National Security Guards (p. 100).
they are 9 AU The station has a small spaceport that is not open to
away from the Leading Trojans, there’s little direct com- private or commercial flights. Only Indian Aerospace
munication between them. There are a handful of fringer Force vessels and scheduled supply flights are permitted to
and survivalist homesteads, a few Duncanite outposts, an dock. Commercial vessels hired to transport goods to and
element of the Sahasara Chaksu array (p. 28), and one from the station are carefully vetted, and any vessel dock-
large corporate-government research center. ing will be boarded and searched.

617 PATROCLUS –
“VARAHAMIHIRA STATION” THE MAIN BELT AND
Patroclus is a frozen volatile asteroid with a diameter
of 88 miles, which orbits the sun at an average distance of
5.23 AU. It has an orbital period of about 11.9 years. Its
TROJAN ECONOMY
rotational period is about 40 hours. Patroclus is the largest “You’re offering us six tons of wheat, 20 tons of nitro-
asteroid in the Trailing Trojans, and one of India’s few gen, and one used pleasure bioroid for a spare THI-4 reac-
deep space colonies. tor mirror and 50 kilos of nootropic seaweed? Okay,
During the Pacific War, debris from exploding Roanoke Station – top off our tanks when we arrive,
TSA satellites badly damaged an orbiting research sta- and we’ve got a deal.”
tion conducting crucial defense-related research for
India’s National Space Institute. After the war, it was The spread-out nature of the Main Belt and Tro-
decided that the program needed to relocate to a more jans hinders their development as distinct, unified
secure location in deep space, where it would have economic regions, as different asteroids are as likely
plenty of warning against sudden attack, yet be able to to be as far apart from each other as they are from
beam research data back to Earth without interference. Mars or Earth. In the case of small Main Belt stations,
617 Patroclus in the Trailing Trojans was selected inter-asteroid “trade” is often opportunistic, as aster-
as a sufficiently isolated location, and India’s Banga- oid orbits temporarily create close neighbors, where a
lore Aerospace was chosen as the prime contractor, few days travel in a local space vessel or cheap USV
with additional work done on site by hired Duncanite can reap a significant benefit for both.
microgravity construction workers. Named Varahami- Asteroid stations are, on average, more self-suf-
hira Station (after a sixth-century Indian mathemati- ficient than equivalent-sized stations in L4, L5, or
cian and astronomer), the facility was built as a Earth orbit. Even so, small stations usually lack the
microgravity beehive habitat capability to manufacture Fifth Wave goods such as
The current population is 130 humans and 570 cutting-edge cybershells, although some are pro-
bioroids. It is staffed primarily by bioroid designs from duced at larger stations like Yametei and Aletheia.
Biotech Euphrates and Avatar Klusterkorp, which are The Belt is a relatively small market for physical
grown on site. They are directed by a number of goods.
The Solar System
on January 1, 2100

Large freighters rarely visit Main Belt stations, unless with their personal goods, although some stations like
it’s part of a major corporate expansion program. Silas Duncan also export some biological products.
Most goods shipped to the Main Belt come as Most trade flows through the four largest colony sta-
adjuncts to personnel transfers – a particular corporate or tions (Aletheia, Hesheng, Silas Duncan, and Yametei) as
national colony station may have a USV or PSV arrive there simply is not a large enough market to make regular
every month or two from L4 or Mars with a load of sup- shipment of goods to smaller asteroid stations worthwhile.
plies and new personnel, for example. Items that are often It’s fairly common to ship those stations the vital parts for
shipped in include fusion reactor components or minifac- high-tech goods, and let them finish using local resources.
turing plants, scientific instruments, advanced cybershells, For example, Aletheia Station and Freehaven both make
and various luxury items. Traffic out from the majority of cheap USV spacecraft for Belt or Trojan operations. The
Belt stations is usually just contract workers returning cybershells, drives, sensors, and weapons are import-
ed, but hulls, tanks, and cabins are built locally.
 Exports out from the Main Belt are even more income through sales to spacecraft operating in the
limited. The Main Belt’s most lucrative products are Main Belt in support of other facilities – e.g., R&D
information produced at the various corporate research sta- stations – and some asteroid stations mine metals for ship-
tions. Much of the Main Belt’s income comes from dis- ment to Mars.
coveries made by dedicated Main Belt corporate research

ASTEROID MINING
stations such as Xiao Chu’s Hesheng Station or Exogene-
sis, and by research and development performed in the
Duncanite laboratories at Silas Duncan Station. Other cur-
rency comes directly from governments or transnationals The asteroid belt contains vast amounts of excellent
in the form of capital investment or salaries paid to ore, including iron, nickel, platinum, and other metals. As
employees serving at Main Belt stations. asteroids have minimal escape velocities, removing the ore
There is a small but lucrative trade in specialty bio- from the asteroid is relatively easy.
logical products and bioroids, both legal (from the Green
Duncanites) and black market (from the Trojan Mafia and Metallic Asteroid Resources
Martian Triads), much of this export going to Mars and When the solar system was formed, heavier metals
various L5 colonies. A small amount of high-value biotech sank deep into the interiors of rocky bodies big enough to
goods are manufactured and exported directly from Silas have molten cores. On Earth, this is why heavy platinum
Duncan Station. For example, Duncanite nootropic drinks group metals (platinum, palladium, iridium, osmium,
are popular system-wide. rhodium, and ruthenium) are so precious – only a tiny frac-
A growing source of income for the Main Belt is real tion of 1% of these metals are actually left in the upper
estate development. The progressively declining cost of continental crust, where we can reach them. The same is
interplanetary space travel has resulted in wealthy true of precious metals inside other rocky planets, like
individuals and groups seeing the asteroids as a Venus or Mars, and in the largest rocky asteroids. Howev-
place where they can establish private communities er, over billions of years, the majority of these original
or homes outside of the immediate jurisdiction of asteroids were shattered by collision with other asteroids.
Earth-based governments and away from terrestrial This left some chunks that were mostly just ordinary rock,
culture. Often these groups lack the expertise to create and other chunks – the metallic asteroids – that had been
their own asteroid stations, and hire asteroid-based con- part of their cores. These asteroids hold rich concentrations
tractors to do so. Tenzan Heavy Industries and Silas Dun- of precious metals.
can Station specialize in providing these services, with On Earth, a vein with 30 parts per million of precious
Freehaven doing the same in the Trojans. Stations also pro- metals is considered rich, and normally well worth mining.
vide a pool of skilled microgravity engineers who work on A metallic asteroid may have concentrations over six times
various projects throughout the solar system, and send a greater of platinum group metals. What this means is that
portion of their income back home. Saturn’s Cassini Sta- a commonplace metallic asteroid only 3,000 feet in diam-
tion and the Martian Space Elevator were constructed in eter – a chunk of nickel-iron massing a couple of billion
part by migrant labor from Duncanite stations. tons – will also contain some 700,000 tons of platinum-
Corporate and military stations also hire local con- group metals.
tractors for various services, ranging from repairs to hous-
ing and food to entertainment. In particular, Aletheia and Stony-Iron Asteroid Resources
Hesheng Station employ many locals to support the Royal
Unlike metallic asteroids, most stony-irons are
Navy and PLAN-SF bases.
undifferentiated bodies, with minerals distributed
Many homestead, religious, and fringer stations in the
fairly evenly through the asteroid’s structure rather
Main Belt receive the lion’s share of their currency in the
than concentrated in specific veins. From a mining
form of direct or indirect subsidies from groups that find
perspective, this means it’s not necessary to use
the particular colony’s philosophy compelling. An exam-
heavy equipment to dig into the asteroid – instead,
ple of a direct subsidy is the Christian hyperevolutionist
highly-economical dust mining techniques (p. 36) can
station of New Covenant, which accepts regular donations
be used. This makes mining and processing potentially
from the established Seventh Heaven L5 colony and from
easier.
co-religionists on Earth. An example of an indirect subsidy
A typical stony-iron asteroid some 3,000 feet in diam-
is Silas Duncan Station, whose philosophies attract many
eter masses about two billion tons. While much of it is sim-
wealthy libertarian investors, especially from the United
ply silicate rock, its diverse resources include about 200
States and Australia, some of whom choose to emigrate
million tons of high-grade iron, 30 million tons of nickel,
there.
1.5 million tons of cobalt, and 7,500 tons of platinum
Export of Main Belt resources through mining is not a
group metals. An average body will also contain several
significant source of income. However, “gas station”
tons of uranium and other rare Earth materials.
facilities on carbonaceous asteroids do earn some
This pales in comparison to the wealth of a similar-sized near-earth asteroids (NEAs) were moved into Earth orbit,
metallic asteroid, but there are millions of asteroids this Mars orbit, and the Lagrange points, while others were
size and type in the Main Belt, and hundreds remain in mined on site and their materials shipped back home.
Near-Earth orbits. These mines provided – and often still provide – the
raw materials, especially water, hydrogen, and steel, that
Carbonaceous Asteroid Resources help support the colonies on Luna and Mars, supply the
These asteroids are also undifferentiated bodies. major spaceyards in Earth orbit and at Lagrange 4, and
Their metal content is substantial, but lower than that of permit the construction and operation of orbital and
a stony-iron. However, they have a much higher concen- Lagrange point space stations and colonies.
tration of frozen volatiles, which often (but not always) Thus, the market price of precious metals has dropped
include water. In fact, water makes up between 1% and since the start of the 21st century. The new abundance of
20% of a given carbonaceous or carbonaceous-volatile platinum, palladium, and iridium has helped maintain
asteroid’s mass. Water is necessary for human settle- demand, since as costs drop, materials engineers find new
ments (for human consumption and agriculture), used uses for metals previously thought uneconomical. At pres-
directly as reaction mass for fusion torches or fission ent, the existing asteroid mines have yet to be played out,
drives, and electrolyzed to yield hydrogen and oxygen and there are still plenty of asteroids near Earth. Serious
for rocket propellants, life support, fuel cells, and chem- commercial mining of the Main Belt is at least 50 years in
ical industries. The high water content makes these aster- the future.
oids favorite habitat locations. Other useful resources Even so, major space development companies are
include hydrocarbons and nitrogen, used for manufactur- planning for that future. Advised by forward-thinking AIs,
ing, plastics, and fertilizer. and with their board of directors increasingly populated by
potential immortals, companies like System Technologies,
COMMERCIAL ASTEROID MINING Tenzan Heavy Industries, Vosper-Babbage, and Xiao Chu
have established facilities for future expansion, and fund-
Commercial asteroid mining takes place in the inner ed complete surveys of the Main Belt and Trojan points.
solar system rather than in the Deep Beyond. In the These surveys are being performed by “prospecting
2040s, Tenzan Heavy Industries, Vosper-Babbage and swarms” (p. 134) – fleets of tiny micro-spacecraft. First
other pioneering companies began mining asteroids launched in the 2030s, these swarms have surveyed all
whose orbits passed close to Earth. Some of these useful Near Earth Asteroids, and are now at work in
the Main Belt.
SUBSISTENCE ASTEROID ASTEROID MINING
MINING TECHNIQUES
Nevertheless, some actual mining is already going on Asteroid mining bears little resemblance to the miner-
in the Main Belt and Trojans. It’s just that the ore is not al extraction techniques used in gravity environments. In
being shipped back to Earth or Mars, but supplying the particular, trying to dig a shaft or strip with ordinary min-
needs of native stations – by analogy, it’s closer to gather- ing machinery is difficult . . . with no gravity to hold it
ing firewood than logging. steady against its own recoil, a power drill or shovel can’t
Smaller asteroid stations lack the resources to move bear down to cut into rock or metal. As a result, conven-
big asteroids into parking orbits, so they rely on occasion- tional asteroid mining machines are often equipped with
al trips to other small bodies that their orbital paths cross. harpoons, grapples or claws. An alternative is for mining
Larger asteroid stations may move one or more small machines to tunnel directly into the asteroid, following any
asteroids into orbit around them, often via mass driver. veins that might be found. The machines then use arms or
Some stations may use a succession of small (e.g., 10-100’ clawed legs to brace themselves securely against the walls
diameter) asteroids rather than one huge one. A very small of the mine shaft. An advantage of tunneling into an aster-
asteroid is easier to move quickly, and can be easier to oid is that the mine shafts can be sealed over and used for
work on. Metallic asteroids which are the right shape and habitats.
composition for use as Cole habitats (p. 132) or hulls are All shaft and strip mining techniques kick up vast
often valued. quantities of dust, which in microgravity can take many
minutes to settle. The resulting long-lived dust
cloud will interfere with mining operations by
coating cybershell sensors, blocking human vision,
and clogging mechanisms. Sealed sensors and
radar can mitigate this. However, the dust cloud
can also be turned to a miner’s advantage with the
proper equipment.
A dust mining operation starts with the erec-
tion of a giant canopy around the area of asteroid to
be mined. If the asteroid is small enough, it might
be entirely covered by the canopy. Conventional
microgravity strip mining techniques are used to
scrape into the asteroid, or ore-rich dust from its
surface may be used directly. Mining machines
then kick as much dust as possible into space,
which is collected in the canopy. When there’s
enough ore dust in the canopy, it’s sealed off, and
the bundle is then transported to a processing site,
either on the asteroid or at a distant location.

Ore Processing
Ore processing is usually done on site at the
asteroid itself. Rock crushers, magnetic separators,
and solar ovens are used to separate material into
metals, volatiles and useful silicates. Solid ore may
be stored in the open, while processed dust is usu-
ally contained in giant bags. Frozen volatiles are
stored in steel tanks.
One problem is the large quantities of tailings
(waste rock) and rock dust that accumulate. This
material may be melted down by solar ovens and
cast into ceramic bricks (slag armor) for use as con-
struction material, or secured to the asteroid’s sur-
face to prevent it drifting off. If the asteroid is to be
moved via mass driver, rock dust can be used as
reaction mass.
 One bar! I’ve descended 30 km below the upper strat- A few thousand kilometers below me, the atmosphere
osphere, crossing the official boundary of Jupiter, where will give way to a planetwide ocean of liquid hydrogen,
the air pressure matches that of Earth at sea level. All turning metallic as we approach the core. It’s tempting to
around me are roiling red-brown ammonia hydrosulfide keep going, to see how long my diamond body can survive
clouds. The skin temperature is a balmy 150 Kelvin, and the pressure and temperature.
the wind speed is 470 knots and rising. Maybe later – for now, I’ll leave it to the deep sonde
I cut the fans and let the winds carry me, riding the probes. I drop my non-sapient surrogate, wishing it a fruit-
occasional updraft as I gather atmosphere readings and ful journey to destruction, and I begin to rise.”
map the fringes of a storm cell that may be bigger than – Susie Xu, aboard Jupiter probe Not in Kansas
Australia. It’s humbling to realize that on Jupiter this is
just a minor squall. But now it’s time to go deeper. I vent Jupiter and its environs are a miniature solar system
gas, and descend. consisting of one giant planet and dozens of sizable
Two atmospheres, three . . . I’ve left the ammonia moons, including Ganymede, the largest in the solar sys-
clouds behind, and am now entering another layer, where tem, and Europa, the only extraterrestrial body other than
water ice and hydrogen sulfide crystals form wispy blue Earth where native life originated and still thrives. While
clouds. Jupiter and its moons are of great interest to science, they
I drop deeper still. 50 km beneath the upper clouds, have historically attracted little in the way of economic
and the pressure sensor reads 10 atmospheres. The hull exploitation or human colonization.
makes a faint groaning noise, but I ignore the diagnostics, This is changing. The development of more efficient
for I’ve emerged from the final cloud bank, to venture fusion drives has opened up the outer system, and forward-
where no sapient being has gone before. looking groups are starting to turn their gaze on the largest
Wow! Did you get that? A giant lightning bolt crack- planet and its brood of satellites. With many humans now
led between the cloud layers above me, strobe-lighting envisioning a corporeal lifespan that stretches into infinity,
everything. For a moment, I could see forever. But there’s it is becoming commonplace to plan for the future in terms
nothing to see. Endless haze, and beneath me yawns the of centuries rather than decades. The Jovian system
abyss. looms large in some visions of tomorrow – and per-
haps even Jupiter isn’t big enough for all of them.
 the planet’s interior. The distinct alternation of light

JUPITER cloud bands (“zones”) and dark bands (“belts”) visible

in the clouds is the result of steady winds that blow along
specific bands of latitude, with adjacent bands blowing in
The largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter is the opposite directions. The color changes between bands
fifth out from the sun, and orbits it at an average distance result from variations in temperature and subtle chemical
of 5.2 AU. It contains twice as much mass as all the other reactions with atmospheric trace elements.
planets put together, and its volume is large enough to Stratospheric Haze: Jupiter’s diameter is customarily
swallow a thousand Earths. measured from the point where the atmospheric pressure
Most of Jupiter’s mass is composed of hydrogen and reaches one Earth atmosphere. Above this level, the atmos-
helium, for the planet is a gas giant, with no distinct solid phere gradually thins into a photochemical smog made up
surface. Its atmosphere increases in density at greater of liquid hydrocarbon droplets. At the upper stratosphere,
depths, temperatures and pressures, until it becomes a liq- a few hundred miles above the top deck layer, it’s nearly a
uid and then a liquid metal. vacuum.
Jupiter’s gravity is the highest of any planet in the Top Deck Clouds: The outer layer of Jupiter’s clouds
solar system, and exerts a major influence on other celes- are made up of red and white ammonia ice crystals whose
tial bodies, especially the asteroids and comets. Jupiter individual particles are a hundred times smaller than those
also rotates in less than 10 hours, the shortest day of any of of water ice clouds on Earth. Pressure varies between 0.5
the planets, and this rapid spin generates a powerful mag- and 1 atmosphere, while temperature averages -190° F.
netic field and vast magnetosphere (p. 40). Middle Clouds: These are red and brown clouds
of ammonium hydrosulfide ice crystals, found
some 18 miles beneath the upper clouds. Here,
the pressure increases from 1 to 3 atmospheres,
J S
UPITER TATISTICS and the temperature goes from -170° to -60° F.
Lower Clouds: At a depth of 25 miles, the
Distance from Sun: 5.458 AU (Jan 1, 2100).
Diameter: 88,850 miles. lower cloud layers are reached. These bluish
Mass: 317.8 Earths. clouds are composed of a mix of hydrogen sul-
Density: 1.33 g/cm . 3 fide and water ice crystals, with pressures
Gravity: 2.36 G. between 3 and 9 atmospheres. Temperature rises
Escape Velocity: 37 mps. rapidly, from -10° to 80° F. The lower clouds do
To Orbit: 26 mps*. not cover all of Jupiter – see Hot Spots, p. 39.
Rotational Period: 9.9 hours. Molecular Hydrogen-Helium: Beneath the
Orbital Period: 11.86 years. cloud layer, Jupiter is composed of an increas-
Atmospheric Composition: 90% hydrogen, 10% helium, traces ingly dense atmosphere of hydrogen gas. With
of other elements, mostly ammonia and methane. increasing depth, the pressure rises from 10 to
Temperature: -240° F (cloud tops). 3,000,000 atmospheres and the temperature
Moons: In order from Jupiter, they are Metis, Adrastea, increases from 100 to 10,000° F. The layer is
Amalthea, Thebe, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Leda, Himalia, 13,000 miles deep, and gradually changes from
Lysithea, Elara, Anake, Carme, Pasiphae, and Sinope. There are also gas to liquid.
many smaller hill- and boulder-sized bodies under 2 miles across. Liquid Metallic Hydrogen: At a depth of
Due to very high rotational velocity, the “to orbit” velocity is 7,500 miles beneath the upper clouds and a pres-
significantly reduced (to 18.4 mps) when going into orbit from or sure of 3,000,000 atmospheres, electrons are
near the equator in an eastward direction. stripped from their nuclei, and hydrogen con-
ducts electricity like a metal. The temperature
ranges from 10,000 to 19,000° F. The liquid
metallic hydrogen ocean is 25,000 miles deep, and makes
up most of Jupiter’s enormous mass. No one has ever gone
J ’ C
UPITER S OMPOSITION this far; no probe has survived.
The Core: Jupiter’s core lies about 40,000 miles
Jupiter is composed of 90% hydrogen and 10% heli-
down. Its composition is still uncertain, but probably
um, with traces of ammonia, methane, water vapor, and
includes metals, oxygen, silicon, and heavy volatile ele-
other compounds.
ments. Its mass is about 15 times Earth’s mass, com-
Jupiter’s upper atmosphere is shrouded in alternating
pressed by a pressure of 100 million atmospheres into a
bands of light and dark red, brown, and white ammonia
sphere about 1.5 times the size of the Earth. The core is
clouds. The atmosphere is turbulent, with wind speeds of
heated by gravitational compression, resulting in tem-
400-500 mph driven by heat escaping from deep in
peratures that exceed 35,000° F.
 endless downward vista into the ever-thickening depths of
JOVIAN WEATHER the hydrogen ocean.
The Great Red Spot is the largest example of the
immense stable cloud formations that can form on Jupiter
and last for years or even centuries. It is an oval high-pres-
SIRMA CYBERSHELLS
Solar Infrared Mongolfiere Aerobots (SIRMA)
sure region 7,000 by 15,000 miles across (bigger than
are the standard cybershell designs used for routine
Earth), which has endured three centuries, although it is
operations in the stratospheres of Jupiter and Sat-
slowly shrinking. Its cloud tops are higher and colder than
urn. As giant-planet atmospheres are largely com-
the surrounding atmosphere, and form a distinct spiral pat-
posed of hydrogen, and there is no lighter gas,
tern. Many other long-lasting formations exist, of which
aerobot balloons must be hot-air Montgolfieres.
the most recent (since 2065) are the Red Spectacles, a pair
Rather than relying on conventional propane burn-
of storms rotating near one another that give the appear-
ers (as do most hot air balloons used on Earth), a
ance of two giant spiral eyes looking out at the world.
SIRMA is heated by infrared radiation from the sun
Lightning storms occur on Jupiter. In any given area,
during the day and by trapping upwelling planetary
lightning is about one-tenth as common as on Earth, but
radiation at night. A SIRMA will typically operate
the individual bolts are about 10 times as powerful! See
at altitudes where the air pressure ranges from 0.1
also Io Plasma Torus, p. 42.
to 10 atmospheres, occasionally dropping lower for
Hot Spots are transitory regions that form in Jupiter’s
detailed studies.
upper atmosphere, located beneath the upper clouds. They
On Jupiter, 12 lbs. of balloon mass are required
are created by infrared radiation welling up from lower,
to support a 1-lb. payload. Pure hydrogen balloons
hotter levels of Jupiter, creating a dry, humid zone free of
are less effective (one-tenth the payload).
clouds and lightning. In a hot spot, there is little in the way
See Gas Giant Aerobot, p. 118, for an example
of middle or lower clouds at all – just a light haze and an
of a SIRMA cybershell.

This simplified map repre-

sents the major satellites of the
Jupiter system on January 1,
2100. All orbits are marked in
increments of 3 hours and
some orbits are additionally
marked in bold increments of
1 day to enable players to plot
the positions of the moons rea-
sonably accurately in the
weeks immediately following
January 1. Players desiring
higher accuracy may wish to
recalculate the moons’ posi-
tions from their orbital peri-
ods, available in any good
reference book.

Note that all shown moons

orbit the planets counter-
clockwise.
 Jupiter is not massive enough for nuclear fusion,
but it does radiate more thermal energy than it receives
from the sun, as well as producing a great deal of radio . . . more marvelous is the truth than any
noise. artists of the past imagined it . . .What
men are poets who can speak of Jupiter if
EXPLORING JUPITER he were a man, but if he is an immense
As the largest planet, Jupiter continues to fascinate
scientists and the public alike. An active program of explo- spinning sphere of methane and ammonia
ration is underway using cybershell probes, much of it
under the auspices of the European Space Agency. must be silent?
While no living human has ever visited Jupiter, cyber-
shells housing ghosts and sapient AIs have operated in its
– Richard Feynman
atmosphere. Some probes are believed to have reached the
level at which hydrogen becomes liquid, but none have
survived to report back. will exist and replicate within Jupiter. In Jupiter’s active
Most Jovian exploration focuses on the middle and winds, it’s difficult to see how primitive life can avoid
lower cloud levels, where the atmospheric pressure is being sucked downwards and broiled, or wafted upward
between 1.5 and 10 atmospheres. Explorers control and frozen, before it can evolve a mechanism for flight or
SIRMA cybershells (p. 39): powered balloons capable of buoyancy. The JOVIAL project cheats, by giving life gas
long-duration operations, which deploy specialized sonde bags to start with.
probes to study deeper regions. There are presently about JOVIAL was founded in 2087, and is largely main-
70 SIRMAs operating in Jupiter’s atmosphere, exploring tained by private donations of time and money. Much of
different regions of the planet. their effort has gone into “Joviality,” a complex virtual
world that is intended to simulate the AI colonization of
Jupiter. Joviality occupies some 1,200 terabytes of storage
JOVIAN LIFE space in Exogenesis and Kaneda Station. The virtual world
Jupiter’s atmosphere has some of the ingredients for is inhabited by a variety of simulated forms that believe
life, but so far no life has been found. This has not pre- they exist within a real Jupiter.
vented some people from investigating the possibility of JOVIAL has been disrupted by the recent troubles at
creating Jovian life. Exogenesis, but the project continues under the auspices of
The Jovian Instrumentality for Artificial Life the remaining team members at Kaneda Station on Ceres.
(JOVIAL) is a pure-science project formed by a coalition
of Green Duncanite and Exogenesis xenobiologists, nan-
otechnologists and artificial life programmers. The goal is
JUPITER’S MAGNETIC FIELD
to create self-replicating nanotechnological life forms that AND MAGNETOSPHERE
The liquid metallic hydrogen ocean in
Jupiter’s interior is an excellent conductor of
electricity. As Jupiter rapidly spins (its huge
LIFE IN JUPITER’S RINGS mass rotating every 9.9 hours), it generates
convection currents in the hydrogen ocean.
In 2042, the ESA cybershell space probe Nibelung was exploring
This produces Jupiter’s powerful magnetic
Jupiter’s ring system when its ladar chemscanner detected an unusual
field.
object. Analysis showed that it was a chunk of dust-covered ice contain-
Trapped within Jupiter’s magnetic field is
ing organic material. Nibelung retrieved the object with its manipulator
a plasma formed from charged particles cap-
arm and stored it. When the robotic probe rendezvoused with its mother-
tured from the solar wind (p. TS30) and
ship, the DSOV Marie Cunitz, the sample was carefully studied. To every-
stripped from the surfaces of the inner moons,
one’s surprise, it contained the freeze-dried remnant of a tiny wormlike
especially Io. This creates the Jovian magne-
creature, although no genetic material had survived radiation exposure.
tosphere, a vast teardrop-shaped region of
Dubbed the “Jovian Ring-Worm” by the press, it has been conjec-
charged particles extending between 1.9 and
tured that it is Europan in origin. Most likely, a meteor stuck Europa,
4.3 million miles in the direction of the sun,
causing a plume of water to be blasted into orbit, which froze, and then
and which also stretches out as far as Saturn’s
drifted out to the rings. However, the worm, while similar to Europan life
orbit in the opposite direction. The particles in
forms, is not an exact match with any known Europan species. It may be
it have been accelerated by Jupiter’s rapid rota-
very old, or it may be a species that has yet to be catalogued.
tion to extremely high velocities, creating mul-
tiple belts of lethal radiation. The radiation belt
decreases in intensity with distance, but poses a sig- installed here may soon be modified into a railgun,
nificant hazard within the orbit of the moon Callisto, either for local defense or transshipment. EDI is con-
over a million miles from Jupiter. The most intense radia- sidering a raid to occupy the station and deal with the
tion levels are within 200,000 miles of Jupiter; see Radia- rebels.
tion, p. TS59, for their intensities.
Amalthea
JUPITER’S RINGLETS The third and largest of the small inner moons of
Jupiter, Amalthea orbits the planet at an average distance
Jupiter is orbited by rings, although they are much less of 0.00012 AU. It is an irregular body measuring about 170
extensive than those of Saturn, and much darker, since × 100 × 90 miles. It is frosted by a red dusting of sulfur
they contain no bright ice. These ringlets were formed as emitted from Io’s volcanoes.
meteorites impacted with Jupiter’s four small inner moons,
scattering dust into space, and are constantly replenished Thebe
via the same mechanism. The ringlets consist of an inner The fourth sizable moon of Jupiter, Thebe orbits the
halo, a main ring, and two braided “gossamer” rings. planet at an average distance of 0.00015 AU. It is an irreg-
The inner halo extends between 57,000 and 76,000 ular body measuring about 62 × 56 miles across.
miles from Jupiter’s center. Most of its mass is microscop-
ic dust. The main ringlet extends from the inner halo out to
80,000 miles and also contains larger rocky grains and
chunks of gravel. The twin gossamer rings are much
fainter and less dense, extending out 136,000 miles.

JUPITER’S SMALL
INNER MOONS
Jupiter has four small inner moons: Metis, Adrastea,
Amalthea, and Thebe. These moons are responsible for the
dust that forms Jupiter’s ring system. Their composition is
similar to outer main belt asteroids. All of these bodies are
well within Jupiter’s magnetosphere and exposed to
extreme magnetic fields and radiation. These moons radi-
ate more heat than they receive from the sun, due to mag-
netic-induced electric currents.

Metis
The innermost sizable moon of Jupiter, Metis orbits
the giant planet at an average distance of 0.000856 AU.
The moon is an irregular rocky chunk about 25 miles in
diameter. Metis is home to a small unmanned base operat-
ed by the ESA, with a transient population of 30-50 sapi-
ent infomorphs. It is tunneled deep into the rock, and has a
(very) small spaceport. Metis Base coordinates various
Jupiter probe and SIRMA operations.

Adrastea
The second sizable Jovian moon, Adrastea orbits
Jupiter at an average distance of 0.00086 AU. It is an irreg-
ular body measuring about 14 × 12 × 9 miles. It has the
highest known density of any moon in the solar system:
4.5 g/cm3. Exogenesis has an small cybershell-run
exploratory mining base here; its status is unknown, but is
likely held by infomorphs loyal to the Axon group. EDI
fears that the high-velocity mass driver system
 THE GALILEAN IO STATISTICS
SATELLITES Distance from Jupiter: 262,000 miles (0.0028 AU).
Diameter: 2,263 miles.
Mass: 0.015 Earths.
Jupiter’s four large moons – Io, Europa, Ganymede Density: 3.5 g/cm3.
and Callisto – compare favorably in size to many plan- Gravity: 0.183 G.
ets. They are collectively known as the Galilean satel- Escape Velocity: 1.6 mps.
lites, after the astronomer Galileo Galilei, who To Orbit: 1.12 mps.
discovered them by telescope in 1610. Rotational Period: 1.769 days.
Orbital Period: 1.769 days.

IO
Surface Water: None.
Temperature: -225° F.*
Atmosphere: Trace sulfur.
Welcome to hell. The innermost Galilean moon is Population: 300 (uncertain).
roughly as big as Luna, but there the resemblance ends. Spaceports: Small spaceport.
Seen from space, Io resembles a bubbling hot pizza, its Control Rating: CR 0.
hot-and-cold surface a riot of angry color: yellow, * This can increase dramatically around volcanic vents.
orange, red, black, and white. Hundreds of volcanoes
spew enormous umbrella-shaped plumes into space.
Infernally hot rivers of molten lava run through bitterly cold Io’s volcanoes are less steep than those found on
frost-covered plains. Constant quakes shake the moon’s Earth, with gentler hilly slopes rather than sharp cliffs, but
surface, which is bathed in searing radiation from Jupiter’s the larger volcanoes can form vast calderas hundreds of
magnetosphere. miles across. Streaming out from these active regions are
Io is the most volcanically active body in the solar sys- rivers of lava that stretch up to 200 miles long. As with the
tem, the victim of a tug of war between nearby Jupiter and volcanic eruptions, the lava may consist of red, fast-flow-
the neighboring moon Europa. This causes massive tidal ing sulfur or slower dark molten silicate rock, and its tem-
flexing and geological upheaval. Its surface features can perature can reach 2,000° F.
change within weeks. The surface of Io is not all volcanoes. The dominant
Fed by subterranean lava tubes, as many as 300 volca- features are wide, low-lying, frost-covered volcanic plains,
noes may be erupting simultaneously. In Io’s feeble gravi- where the average temperature is -225° F. The ground near-
ty, their plumes can rise from 30 to 250 miles into space. est the calderas is speckled yellow, orange, red, and black
Small volcanoes can erupt, lie calm, and erupt again in a from the volcanic debris, and coated with white sulfur diox-
matter of days, while larger ones may erupt continuously ide frost. While Io is peppered by its share of meteorites,
for months at a time. The volcanoes with visible plumes craters are quickly filled by volcanic debris, so Io has a
emit ash and other debris similar to terrestrial eruptions, but “young” surface, without the multitudes of larger impact
there are also so-called “stealth” volcanoes that spew out craters that cover most nearly-airless bodies.
invisible plumes of hot sulfur dioxide.
IO PLASMA TORUS
Sulfur dioxide volcanoes on Io blast a constant stream
of sulfur and oxygen ions into space. A ton of particles are
Don’t tell me that man swept up from Io every second into Jupiter’s own magnet-
doesn’t belong out there. ic field. The particles are ionized and transformed into
plasma, forming a doughnut-shaped field along Io’s orbit
Man belongs wherever he around Jupiter, known as the Io Plasma Torus.
The level of charged particle radiation in the plasma
wants to go – and he’ll do torus is intense even by Jovian standards. (In game terms,
plenty well when he gets add 50% to the usual Jupiter radiation belt exposure at that
distance within the Plasma Torus.)
there. The Io Plasma Torus also results in an extremely strong
electrical current flow between Jupiter and Io, a stream of
– Wernher von Braun charged particles whose power levels have been measured
at 2 terawatts. This “flux tube” is partially responsible
 for the strong lightning storms in Jupiter’s atmosphere. The primary objective of Io Base is planetological
Above Io, intense blue auroras flicker near high volcanic research, with Exogenesis operating the base as a contrac-
plumes, as they interact with and feed the plasma torus. tor for several universities. However, Exogenesis was also
testing ways of tapping the Io Plasma Torus to generate
SETTLEMENT ON IO power, both for surface operations and for the Io-Jupiter
Accelerator (below).
The first mobile cybershells began exploring the The idea of a “permanent” Io base is actually a mis-
moon in the 2040s and 2050s, as American, European, nomer. Io Base is not a single structure, but instead consists
Japanese, and Chinese probes landed on the moon. The of a variety of temporary and mobile bases, each with its
conditions of Io were very unfriendly, and hard for early AI own contingent of several dozen cybershells. The total
systems to handle. Several cybershell crawlers and rovers population is estimated as about 300 sapient infomorphs.
met premature ends. As is common with Exogenesis, multiple infomorphs may
In 2087, the Exogenesis Corporation teamed up with share the same body. A few attempts at permanent stations
the European Space Agency to establish a base on Io. have been begun, including some geothermal core taps.

THE IO-JUPITER ACCELERATOR

Also called the Arges Project, this Exogenesis-Nanody- Components and material for Arges are being launched
namics effort involves the construction of an extremely high into Io orbit from the Callisto mass driver, then assembled by
energy particle accelerator within the Io Plasma Torus using cybershell teams and infomorph-controlled work
many thousands of cybershell-controlled focusing coils and pods from Io Station. Arges was 6% complete
target assemblies. The system is intended to provide extreme- in 2099; various NAI-controlled machines
ly high operating energies for fundamental particle research. are continuing to work, although construc-
Some rumors have surfaced that it is intended for antimatter tion has been disrupted by the conflict.
or exotic matter production.
 all with biological modifications and nanodrugs
CONFLICT ON IO designed to provide radiation protection. Even so, they
make sure to land near their objectives, and use heavily-
When Nanodynamics seized control of Exogenesis
Station (p. 17), the rushed nature of the operation and dis- armored landstrider dragoons (p. 147) for short-range
agreements on policy between Main Belt and Outer Sys- transport and battlesuits for combat, and usually fight only
tem management teams delayed the dispatch of security after the landstriders have reached the underground bases
forces to Io. Instead, Nanodynamics simply transmitted – the radiation is just too intense for sustained combat on
those AI command codes it had seized to Io, taking control the surface. EDI tactics are to use its own cybershells to fix
of roughly half the infomorphs at Io Base. These “loyalist” the location of rebel forces, than land 1-3 squads of well-
infomorphs were ordered to manually reprogram those armed battlesuited infantry to destroy or capture the
who would not cooperate with new management. Howev- targets.
er, infomorph agitators from Exogenesis had also trans- There’s just one hitch – a few of the rebel infomorphs
mitted copies of themselves to Io – and they vowed to are ghosts rather than AIs . . . and these aren’t programmed
resist Nanodynamics’ actions. In November of 2099, the Io with any compunctions about killing humans.
Conflict began.
The two sides are Axon (rebel infomorphs, see
Io Station
p. 100), and those reprogrammed to loyally serve the new Io’s spaceport is actually a 400’-diameter moonlet
Nanodynamics regime. Each side has 100-150 cybershells (one of many small rocky bodies orbiting Jupiter) that was
deployed in a couple of mobile bases and hidden camps, maneuvered into Io orbit. Its thick hull and deep storm
many of them concealed beneath the surface in old lava shelters provide extra shielding from Jupiter’s radiation. Io
tubes. Axon originally had a slight advantage in numbers Station was forcibly occupied in late December 2099 by
and bases, but the loyalists have recently been reinforced EDI security agents and Nanodynamics technicians. There
by EDI forces dispatched from Callisto. is usually an EDI or Nanodynamics vessel docked inside.
The conflict has lasted two months. The current population is 20 humans and bioroids and
Complicating the situation has been the three dozen loyalist cybershells
lack of weaponry on Io. The only Io Station acts as a supply and command center for
weapons were mounted on Io Station operations on Io, as well as a construction center for the
(below) for defensive purposes, and ongoing Arges Project, the Io-Jupiter Accelerator.
were disabled during the initial strug-
gle for control. By the time EDI was
able to dispatch an armed spacecraft to
retake Io Station and aid the loyalists, the
EUROPA
rebels had dispersed across Io, removing equip- Europa’s surface is a bleak icy landscape, resembling
ment from the various mobile bases or digging in. a vast frozen ocean. I’m already seasick. I’ve traveled five
Occupying the high ground of Io Station gives the hundred million miles to get an interview. Now I’m on the
loyalists an advantage. However, radio static from the Io last leg of my journey, bouncing at 40 mph across broken
Plasma Torus, debris from the volcanoes, and hotspots terrain in a four-legged Landstrider for an appointment
from lava and vents (which make it hard to use infrared with one of the most notorious characters in the solar sys-
to spot targets or find heat produced by underground tem.
bases) limit the utility of space-based reconnaissance and When I began my journey, a gibbous Jupiter filled the
bombardment. The cybershells on both sides use mining sky, a deadly Easter egg that sleets down radiation that
tools as improvised weapons; in many cases, the goal is would fry me in minutes were I unprotected. Ironically, I’ve
to seize an enemy cybershell and physically reprogram it. heard that some believe this radiation may have been what
EDI currently lacks specialized cybershells for fight- kick-started life on Europa. Now its terrible beauty lies
ing on Io, but is planning a highly unorthodox tactic: the beneath the horizon. I do not feel any safer.
deployment of living troops. While the use of living beings Life and death. That’s what this is all about. The
(even in battlesuits) in such an environment is unprece- Landstrider clambers up over the crater wall, and looking
dented, the majority of the Exogenesis dissidents are LAIs down I can see one sign of it – the broken wreck of a space-
whose programming includes an explicit instruction not to craft, its surface charred and pitted. This dead hulk is the
harm biosapients. As a result, until reprogrammed (and only visible casualty of a recent battle between radical
most of them haven’t been) they should be incapable of preservationist fighters (let’s not say “terrorist” while
offensive action when confronted by obvious human we’re in their backyard) and the hired security forces of
targets. Avatar Klusterkorp.
A platoon-strength force has just arrived at Io Station. Or maybe it’s not such a dead hulk. I see the space-
It consists of parahuman officers and bioroid troops, craft’s laser tower has just popped up and swiveled to
 warm, buoyant ice heated by local tidal stresses –
have slowly plowed upwards through the surround-
EUROPA STATISTICS ing ice to break up the top brittle-ice crust, shat-
tering the surface ice layer into smaller
Distance from Jupiter: 417,900 miles (0.0045 AU).
Diameter: 1,950 miles. blocks, which were then refrozen in a
Mass: 0.008 Earths. new positions.
Density: 3 g/cm3. Most of the world-ocean is only a
Gravity: 0.13 G. few degrees above freezing, but it’s kept
Escape Velocity: 1.2 mps. liquid by tidal heating. Europa’s orbit
To Orbit: 0.87 mps. around Jupiter creates stresses that flex the
Rotational Period: 3.55 days. moon’s core, keeping it warm, which prevents the
Orbital Period: 3.55 days. ocean freezing and also opens hydrothermal vents
Surface Water: Ice on surface. Ocean covers 100% at several dozen locations in the sea bed. At the
of moon under ice. mouths of these “black smoker” vents, the temper-
Temperature: -260° F. atures can reach 750° F. Surrounding them is a
Atmosphere: Traces of oxygen; effectively vacuum. warm zone of 200-300° F, and a wider temperate
Population: 500 (uncertain). oasis zone where the water gradually cools off.
Spaceports: None; spacedocks at each base.
Control Rating: CR 0. LIFE ON EUROPA
Europa is the only place where native, living
extraterrestrial organisms have been discovered.
cover me, and moments later, I’m no longer alone. Most life on Europa clusters around the hydrothermal
Armored spiders are popping out of holes in the ice and vents on the ocean floor. These “black smoker” vents are
pointing Emags at me. Machines with guns: it must be the superheated geysers surrounded by rocks encrusted by
Europa Defense Force. autotrophic thermophile bacteria adapted to very hot water
– Corpernicus Jones, War in Europa temperatures. These life forms, Parapyrolobus europi,
have some similarities to the terrestrial vent-form bacteria
Europa is the sixth moon of Jupiter, an icy bluish Pyrolobus fumarii.
globe, its surface crisscrossed with ochre and white lines. Surrounding the actual vents in the temperate “oasis
Its orbit is very elliptical, due to the influence of Jupiter zone” are the organisms that cannot survive the hottest
and neighboring moons Io and Ganymede; Europa makes temperatures. Among them are most advanced life forms
one orbit around Jupiter for every two Io performs, while discovered so far: tiny animals known as Europan
for every two orbits of Europa, Ganymede makes one. vent-worms.
It has a tenuous oxygen atmosphere, little more than Europan xenobiologists have been pleased to discov-
vacuum. This is maintained by charged particles that strike er new species when they visit different vent areas. Most
the icy surface and release water vapor, which splits into Europan life forms live in close proximity to the vents, and
hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen escapes into space, cannot survive the cold-water “desert” that surrounds their
while the oxygen remains. habitat. However, a few species are quite widespread, and
Europa’s surface is covered with ice, broken up by are found in vent-oases across Europa. Planetologists have
low ridges and thin rust-colored fissures, some many miles observed that some of the vents produce occasional vor-
long, but rarely more than 100 feet deep. There are few tices powerful enough to carry spores from one vent to
large craters, and only three big impact sites. On geologi- another. This mechanism may be responsible for the wide
cal time scales, Europa’s surface is fairly young, constant- dispersion of certain species.
ly resurfaced as ice cracks, thaws, and
moves due to internal tides.
The icy crust of Europa is about
13.5 miles thick (but at -260° F, the
super-cold ice is as hard as rock).
S T
URFACE RAVEL ON UROPA E
The three bases are separated by hundreds of miles, and the combination of
Beneath the ice is a salty ocean
radiation exposure and rough terrain discourages surface travel, with the excep-
between 50 and 60 miles deep, and
tion of well-shielded cybershells. Europa’s surface is classed as icy broken ter-
then a rocky mantle and metallic inner
rain for movement purposes (p. VE152); this means that ground vehicles move
core.
one-third their off-road speed, or two-thirds their speed if using legs or a snake-
Europa has huge areas of “chaotic
like flexibody. The most common vehicles used are the world-rover (p. 148) and
terrain.” These are areas where
the landstrider (p. 146).
“diapirs” – columns of relatively
Europa
 EUROPAN SETTLEMENT
The first manned base was established on Europa THE EUROPA PROJECT
in 2057 by the International Galilean Expedition (see Avatar has extensively modified terrestrial organisms to
Callisto, p. 50), and since then there has been spo- create a variety of life forms up to the size of tiny fish that can
radic human occupation. At present, 500 bio-sapients survive in Europa’s ocean. These include “pharm animals”
(a mix of humans, parahumans and bioroids) live on and bacteria that produce nutrients necessary for its Europan
Europa, with half as many sapient infomorphs, and parahumans to survive.
numerous low-sapient or non-sapient cybershells. Avatar is also expanding the population of free-swim-
The surface settlements dig deep into the ice to ming Europan bacteria by adding modifications that increase
protect against the lethal radiation from Jupiter’s their habitat range; their goal is to increase the moon’s bio-
magnetosphere. Since the main focus of Europan mass, and thus support a large sustainable population of
exploration has been the oceans, settlements were higher-level organisms. Currently, most of Avatar’s higher-
located in craters or chaotic terrain where the crust level forms are confined to bacteria and enclosed shellfish
was thin, to reduce the amount of effort necessary to farms at selected oases; Europa’s ecology cannot yet sustain a
reach the subsurface ocean. Each base has a couple of mass release of life forms.
well shafts leading down. As cutting through miles of An exception are the Europans themselves. There are cur-
rock-hard Europan ice is difficult, the permanent rently about 200 of them, living in seven vent oases, and sur-
shafts were created by specialized “cryobot” cyber- viving off local aquaculture. They’re engaged in the
shells (p. TS122) which melted through the ice using construction of sea floor habitats and geothermal taps, using
radiothermal generators. They’ve been reinforced tools provided by the Green Duncanites, as well as surveying
against tidal stresses. Smaller temporary shafts are the other subsurface oases. The sea floor habitats are support-
also used. ed by oxygen-cracking plants, which increase oxygen levels
in the water around the vents. All current Europans are
CRABE bioroids indoctrinated from birth to believe in the Green Dun-
canite program, but Avatar is also developing parahumans
The largest settlement on Europa is CRABE, capable of sexual reproduction.
which stands for Centre de Recherche AstroBi-
ologique d’Europa. It was constructed by the
Europan Union-led International Galilean Expedition
in 2057, and is the senior base on the moon. The base
and the International Exobiology Foundation, although
has been intermittently inhabited, but in 2092 underwent a
there are many from other countries as well. The work is
major expansion thanks to renewed funding from the Inter-
largely supported by university and government grants,
national Exobiology Foundation (p. TS98).
but there is also some corporate funding, mainly from
The station’s purpose is pure science, studying the
biotech companies who are interested in applications of
Europan life forms and the moon’s geology. The majority
alien Europan biochemistry to biomimetic and neogenesis
of the station’s personnel are from European universities
products.

THE WAR UNDER THE ICE

Avatar Klusterkorp currently has space superiority due to Underwater, the situation is more fluid. The MAD space-
the presence of two Mutual Assured Defense SPVs in Europan craft have landed combat bioroids to boost the surface garri-
orbit; a third, damaged, vessel has returned to Ceres. However, son, and plan to import more special equipment for
the MAD vessels are low on coilgun munitions, and in any underwater operations. Recently, an EDF attempt to prepare a
case are reluctant to risk further damage by directly engaging land-side attack fell through when a planned black-market
the grounded USV. One reason for their restraint is that the acquisition of a platoon of combat bioroids was disrupted by
French Force aerospatiale has dispatched an SDV to Europa. Royal Navy operations (p. TS7). The arrival of the Chesa-
Its avowed mission is to carry an E.U. negotiating team to peake Bay last month provided the EDF with additional mili-
resolve the situation peacefully, while at the same time tary supplies, and while they are not strong enough to mount
blockading further arms shipments. The SDV is currently a a direct attack on Genesis Station, they have been using their
few weeks away, but Avatar has decided to avoid further cybershells and swarms to exterminate the invading Avatar
provocation, fearing that if they attempted to destroy the EDF’s bioforms.
base, the SDV might retaliate against Genesis Station.
 70 humans and 40 sapient infomorphs, most of them shelf. It has its own underwater dock, equipped with cyber-
biologists, work at CRABE, headed by noted E.U. exobi- shell mini-subs and hives of swimmer microbots.
ologist Dr. M. Marron. At present, the base is somewhat CRABE is located at latitude 26° south, longitude
understrength, as everyone is concerned over the ongoing 271° west.
conflict between Avatar and the EDF, and some personnel
have been evacuated home or to other stations by nervous
patrons. There’s currently a moratorium on manned sub- GENESIS STATION
marine operations near the sea floor due to the risk of inad- This is a Green Duncanite colony operated by Avatar
vertent attack by either party (and hence contamination), Klusterkorp. It is located in the Thera Macula region, an
and CRABE is mainly operating microbot probes. area of jumbled “chaos terrain” that was formed when
Most of the CRABE personnel are horrified by the plumes of warm water melted part way through the ice.
conflict, and all are afraid of what might happen. Half of The approaches to Genesis Station are protected by
the scientists are moderate Preservationists, and the station small bunkers, mounting laser turrets for defense against
as a whole is firmly opposed to Avatar’s Europa Project. space attack. There is a landing pad and several main
Nevertheless, they do not countenance the Europa Defense entrances, accessed by camouflaged tunnels with sphinc-
Force, fearing escalation will simply make things worse. ter-like airlocks. The upper areas of the station are mostly
However, a few personnel are secretly EDF supporters, uninhabited, due to the danger of space attack. Multiple
and have been covertly using CRABE resources to provide shafts have been bored down, most of them only a few
the EDF with intelligence and smuggled supplies. yards wide. There are several storage caverns, but the bulk
CRABE is located in the 16-mile-wide Pwyll impact of the station is not located on the upper level, but under-
crater. Pwyll, about 16 miles across, is unusual among water.
craters in the solar system, because its floor is at about the Genesis Station has a small fusion reactor and many
same elevation as the surrounding terrain. Its central peak, inorganic components, but much of the station is a living
standing approximately 2,000 feet above the floor, is much organism grown using Avatar bio-nanotechnology, based
higher than its rim, the result of having been pushed up by on the design of Biotech Euphrates’ Luna City and the
warm ice from the ocean below. Yggdrasil (p. 70). It extends roots down through miles of
Today, part of the crater has been carefully smoothed ice into the ocean below. Emerging from the bottom of the
out to facilitate spacecraft landings. Visitors are met by an ice, the station blossoms into a huge dendriform biocon-
armored ground vehicle and taken to the tunnel entrance, a struct, a vast black anemone growing upside down from
retractable elevator that retracts into the ice. This opens the ice floor. Multiple branches spread across hundreds of
into a well-appointed subterranean garage area. Radiating yards, ending in hanging submarine docks, residential
out from the garage are several tunnels and chambers capa- chambers, and science modules. Heat piped from the reac-
ble of housing up to 120 people, along with sophisticated tor warms the surrounding ocean, creating an analog to the
laboratories and a fully-equipped medical bay. black smoker vents. Native bacteria has already begun to
The largest chamber in CRABE houses the well shaft, encrust the structure, but Europan life is not all that lives
penetrating to the oceans a few miles below. Two wells outside . . .
have been dug through the ice. There is a main well some Genesis also controls seven underwater stations in
six feet wide and a secondary shaft two feet wide. The main caves near the black smoker oases. Each of these is the
shaft contains a freight-and-passenger elevator that con- home of a small band of Europan parahumans (p. 112).
nects with Consolmagno-Lewis Base, a three-story dumb- Genesis Station is located at latitude 46.6° south,
bell-shaped sea lab attached to the underside of the ice longitude 171.2° west.
 This facility was a former ESA base, later aban-
MANANNAN STATION doned due to budget cuts. It was refurbished and
taken over by a private xenobiology research founda-
After a day of waiting in a cold cell, the Europa
Defense Front has finished going over my credentials. Now tion, the Xenological Ecology Research Group.
I’ve been brought to meet their leader. XERG has now been revealed as a front for the
He’s of average height, human and white, wearing his Europa Defense Force, a radical preservationist group.
long brown hair in a ponytail. He’s dressed in blue beta- The EDF has imported armed mini-subs and bioroid
cloth overalls and a baseball cap with a hologram of old soldiers, and have begun a program aimed at eradicat-
Mars, back when it was still red. He’s younger than I ing the Genesis forms.
thought, in his mid-50s, with hard blue eyes that haven’t Manannan Station occupies part of the 19-mile
laughed in a long time. His voice has a faint German wide Manannan crater near Europa’s trailing hemi-
accent. sphere. The terrain around the crater is patrolled by
To my surprise, I recognize him – but so would anyone armed cryobots (p. TS122). Off to one side of the
else. He’s the 12th most wanted man in the solar system. crater is the battered hulk of the chartered USV Chesa-
The Chinese government believe him to be in the Leading peake Bay, which was badly damaged while deliver-
Trojans, one reason they’re bombing the heck out of Liang ing supplies and equipment in 2099. The ship is still
Mountain. partly functional, and has been taken over by EDF
Torsten Rademacher, the former second-in-command fighters and turned into an improvised space defense
of Negative Growth, rises to shake my hand. He planned emplacement.
the fusion bombing of the Mars space elevator. Now he The upper part of the station was partially col-
controls the EDF. Suddenly I’ve got my story, if I can walk lapsed by an Avatar kinetic-kill strike, and several of the
out of here alive. upper chambers have caved in. However, the main station
– Copernicus Jones, War in Europa complex was buried under 30 yards of ice, and remains
intact. New tunnels were bored to
the surface by microbot swarms
and cryobots, restoring surface
access.
The interior of Manannan
Station is similar in design to
CRABE, but lacking many of
its amenities. Many caverns
were dug, but most were left
unfurnished. Much important
equipment was never installed.
There’s only one working biolo-
gy lab, and the very high speed
elevator down to the sea dock is
simply an open cage – reach out
a hand to touch the reinforced
shaft wall, and you’ll draw back
a stump. Chambers are packed
full of paramilitary cybershells,
loads of weapons, decontamina-
tion gear, crates of thermal
heaters and energy cells. It’s not
a disciplined military base – the
EDF volunteers here are ideo-
logues first, soldiers second.
However, there’s a lot of energy
and dedication here.
Manannan Station is locat-
ed at latitude 2° north, longitude
240° west.
See also Europa Defense
Force, p. 101.
 GANYMEDE The Callisto Deep Time Project
The ancient surface of Callisto was chosen as a time
Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system, capsule site by the Deep Time Foundation, an organiza-
bigger than either Mercury or Pluto. The moon has a crust tion concerned with the preservation of human culture
of dirty ice and silicates some 60 miles thick, surrounding throughout the ages. In 2057 the foundation prevailed on
a deep ocean of salt water. Ganymede has a rocky-metal- the IGE to place a time capsule on Callisto, burying it 60’
lic core, which generates a magnetic field. Ganymede is under the moon’s ice. The capsule contains a few thou-
effectively airless, but like Europa has an almost-unnotice- sand terabytes of cultural information, recorded in various
able oxygen atmosphere, produced as oxygen atoms are formats including nanodots on iridium plates.
split off from surface ice by charged particles from
Jupiter’s magnetosphere.
The moon’s surface has two predominant terrain

CALLISTO
types. 60% of Ganymede is covered by relatively bright
“sulci” terrain produced by geologically-recent tectonic
activity. Sulci are intricate patterns of grooves and ridges,
some 500-600 feet high, and running for hundreds of The second largest of Jupiter’s moons, icy Callisto is
miles. The other 40% of the surface is dark and densely the most heavily cratered body in the solar system. Its
cratered, with no sign of geological activity. The moon’s dark, rugged landscape is dominated by interlocking
craters are much flatter than those of Luna, probably craters and jagged hills, the result of billions of years of
because of the soft ice-rock they formed in. Some craters meteor and comet impacts. Most of the ground is covered
have vanished, leaving bright circular patches in the dark with black dust a few inches thick, but brighter ice lies
terrain called palimpsests, up to 250 miles across. exposed on peaks and in some crater basins.
Ganymede’s north and south poles are covered in bright Callisto is geologically dead, with almost no activity
frost caps that extend up to latitudes of 40°. on its surface. In fact, that surface has remained funda-
Ganymede is occasionally visited by scientific mis- mentally unchanged (aside from more craters!) for the last
sions. In 2057, a cryobot was designed to melt through the four billion years. The moon has an outer crust of water ice
ice to the surface below, but suffered a systems failure andsome 100 miles thick. This lies above a deep salt-water
became stuck 20 miles down. Construction of a new E.U. ocean that covers the entire moon. Beneath the ocean are
scientific outpost has recently begun on Ganymede to sup- 1,000 miles of mixed rock and ice, with a rocky core at the
port the exploration of the vast ocean below the satellite’scenter.
thick ice shell. The staff working on this project include Over the eons, many comets and other large bodies
some former CRABE personnel evacuated from Europa. diverted by Jupiter’s gravity have struck Callisto, resulting
in several large impact basins. The largest is Val-
halla, a target-shaped scar consisting of an
inner region of bright ice some 360 miles in
diameter surrounded by closely-spaced con-
G ANYMEDE TATISTICS S centric scarps that can be found up to 2,000
Distance from Jupiter: 664,900 miles (0.00715 AU). miles from the center. The bright central plains
Diameter: 3,270 miles. were created when cleaner ice from Callisto’s
Mass: 0.0248 Earths. interior filled the basin after the impact. Anoth-
Density: 1.94 g/cm3. er large impact basin is Asgard, a region simi-
Gravity: 0.145 G. lar to Valhalla, but about half the size.
Escape Velocity: 1.7 mps. Callisto is far enough from Jupiter that
To Orbit: 1.2 mps. radiation is significantly diminished (0.01
Rotational Period: 7.15 days. rads/day); anyone under a few feet of ice or
Orbital Period: 7.15 days. rock is effectively protected.
Surface Water: Ice on surface. Ocean covers 100% of moon under ice.
Temperature: -250° F.
Atmosphere: Faint traces of oxygen; effectively vacuum.
E
XPLORATION AND
Population: Varies; small human and cybershell construction teams.
Spaceports: None. Some remnants of earlier expeditions.
S
ETTLEMENT
Callisto was the first moon of Jupiter to be
Control Rating: CR 0.
visited by humans, as part of the International
Galilean Expedition (2056-2058). Although
 salvaged the old IGE base and turned it into a
freehold. The station presently serves as a
C S
ALLISTO TATISTICS data haven, specializing in the sale of gray-
Distance from Jupiter: 1,170,000 miles (0.0126 AU). market mind emulations.
Diameter: 2,986 miles. Valhalla Station concentrates on selling
Mass: 0.018 Earths. the data in the Pukjeera Archive (p. 52),
Density: 1.8 g/cm .3 which includes xoxes of thousands of individ-
Gravity: 0.127 G. uals, many of them now prominent TSA or
Escape Velocity: 1.5 mps. Pacific Rim citizens. Business is usually done
To Orbit: 1.05 mps. remotely, using quantum-encrypted laser
Rotational Period: 16.7 days. communications; the family have several
Orbital Period: 6.7 days. transmitters located at different spots around
Surface Water: Ice on surface. Ocean covers 100% of moon under ice. Valhalla. People looking for a ghost with cer-
Temperature: -233° F. tain skills can pay for a xox. Valhalla is also
Atmosphere: None. eager to trade xoxes with other parties, no
Population: 500 (uncertain). questions asked, and over the last decade has
Spaceports: Small spaceports at Asgard and Valhalla Stations. added a few hundred new emulations. Valhal-
Control Rating: CR 0 at Asgard, 2 at Valhalla. la contends that since xoxes have no human
rights, it is at perfect liberty to dispose of them
as it wishes.
Others disagree; Valhalla Station has been
IGE’s primary focus was the exploration of Europa, Cal-
attacked in the past, both by abolitionist groups and by
listo was selected as the advanced base for the expedition,
Trojan Hawk contract enforcers, who claim it possesses
due to its distance from the worst of Jupiter’s radiation and
property stolen from Starhaven. As a result, Valhalla main-
the plentiful availability of surface ice for fuel, reaction
tains tight security. They are not hospitable to uninvited
mass and life support. Teleoperated cybershells explored
guests; anyone approaching the eastern part of the Valhal-
the other inner moons and remotely construct a shielded
la region is warned off. The family has installed multiple
habitat, CRABE, on Europa. Geological research was also
hidden weapon emplacements (second-hand railguns and
performed on Callisto itself. A few deep mine shafts were
light lasers) they’ve purchased and/or jury-rigged, and,
melted into Callisto’s ice to study its composition, but none
according to some rumors, rigged their data haven with a
penetrated into the ocean below.
nuclear self-destruct device. No one is sure how well any
Callisto Base was abandoned in 2059. Except for
of their defenses would work, but few care to test them.
some follow-up cybershell probes in 2070, it remained
The station includes a small spaceport. Population is
uninhabited until 2084, when a group of Duncanites led by
100, including many ghosts and shadows loaded into
Aleksandr Tayanovich arrived, taking over the old base
bioshells; all family members are also required to have vir-
facility and establishing a data haven, Valhalla Station.
tual interface implants that contain low-sapient shadows of
They were the sole occupants of Callisto until 2095, when
Tayanovich himself. CR 0
Nanodynamics established its own facility at Asgard
Valhalla Station is located at latitude 16° north,
Crater as a base for future Jovian operations.
longitude 55° west.

VALHALLA STATION
Located inside a trough in the eastern edge of the vast
Valhalla basin, this station is run by the Tayanovich fami- History has taught us: never
ly, reportedly about 30 parahumans and 70 bioshells, who underestimate the amount of
maintain an eccentric lifestyle under the domination of the
cunning (but paranoid) family patriarch Aleksandr
money, time, and effort
Tayanovich. New blood is occasionally added through someone will expend to thwart
liaisons with other Duncanites or visiting xox-collectors a security system . . . Give
who Aleksandr corresponds with.
Tayanovich is a former Freehaven entrepreneur. He yourself more security than you
was one of the original partners in the Starhaven data vault need today. When the
(p. 108), but in 2084 a bitter business dispute led to him unexpected happens, you’ll be
leaving that company. He had originally planned to join
the Gypsy Angels on Hyperion, but their outbreak of hos- glad you did.
tilities with the USAF led him to choose another des- – Bruce Schneier
tination. He picked Callisto, where he and his family
 the Nanodynamics staff at Asgard – especially their
ASGARD STATION infomorphs – had been working as colleagues with
Exogenesis personnel in and around Io, and are unhappy
The large ringed Asgard crater is home to a manufac- at the way their compatriots are being treated by the Exo-
turing base and factory complex recently established by genesis Station-based transition team.
Nanodynamics. A base for further Jovian operations and The Asgard personnel avoid contact with Valhalla,
headquarters of the company’s new Jupiter Projects Divi- and vice versa.
sion, it has a population of 400 bio-sapients and 80 sapient Asgard Station has a small spaceport and is CR 2. It’s
infomorphs. A mass driver track has also been built, osten- located at latitude 30° north, longitude 142° west.
sibly to hurl supplies from Callisto to catchers in Io’s orbit
and elsewhere in the system.

JUPITER’S OUTER
MOONS
The Pukjeera Archive
The foundation of Tayanovich’s fortune is the Puk-
jeera Archive. The Pukjeera Clinic was an underground
data bank run in Bangkok, which offered cut-rate Jupiter has a flock of smaller moons beyond the orbit
uploading services. Most of its customers were Aus- of Callisto. These range in size from a couple of miles to
tralian, Japanese, Korean, and Thai transhumanists just over a hundred miles in diameter. They are all cratered
looking to transcend their flesh and become ghosts. ice-and-rock bodies, probably captured carbonaceous-
What they didn’t know was that the Pukjeera Clinic volatile asteroids, many with eccentric orbits. A few have
archived xoxes of its customers and sold them on the been visited, but no known settlements exist. The moons
black market. When the TSA government collapsed include:
during the Pacific War, the clinic’s owners decided to
Leda, 5 miles in diameter, orbiting at a distance of 0.073
get rid of the archive, planning to sell it to the Trojan
AU.
Mafia. Tayanovich had been conducting these negotia-
Himalia, 116 miles in diameter, orbiting at a distance of
tions at the time of his exile, and as a result of a few
0.076 AU.
shady deals, it ended up in his possession instead of
Lysithea, 22 miles in diameter, orbiting at a distance of
Starhaven’s.
0.078 AU.
Elara, 47 miles in diameter, orbiting at a distance of
0.078 AU.
Asgard Station has recently experienced an influx in Anake, 19 miles in diameter, orbiting at a distance of
population, as Nanodynamics is using it as a forward base 0.14 AU.
for its attempt to regain control of Io. The small EDI secu- Carme, 25 miles in diameter, orbiting at a distance of
rity team on Asgard has been reinforced to platoon strength, 0.15 AU.
and squads are regularly rotated out to Io Station for special Pasiphae, 31 miles in diameter, orbiting at a distance of
operations against the Axon rebels there. There is friction 0.156 AU.
between the new EDI personnel and the permanent Jupiter Sinope, 22 miles in diameter, orbiting at a distance of
Projects Division staff of engineers and managers. Some of 0.158 AU.
 My strangest date? No question, it was Sparrow. The pharm and how he’d raised woolly mammoths until the
biggest femme I ever met. Sure, later I learned she was jail- preservationist county board had shut him down, after
bait a third my age, and she got me in all kinds of trouble, which we’d moved to Islandia.
but . . . it wasn’t my fault. Sparrow listened more than she talked, and her gaze
We crossed orbits at the Snowball, a virtual singles captivated me: there was a stillness about her, and a focus,
bar on Rhea. I was off-shift, looking to relax after a gruel- that was almost hypnotic . . . I forgot the usual lies of my
ing seven-hour shift bossing a swarm of microbots that had so-called life, and gave it to her straight: I’m a life support
been cleaning crud out of the station’s recycling ducts. So engineer, supervising the station’s mycophage swarms.
I was looking for fun. Scraping fungi blooms out of spacecraft ducts and cargo
My first glimpse of Sparrow was a waterfall of zebra pods isn’t front-page material, especially to a wild-blue-
hair pouring out from under a USAF cap. Then she turned yonder type like her, but Sparrow seemed to be fascinated.
my way and hit me with her 31-million-dollar smile, and I But I remembered my manners and asked her about her-
was hooked. Her avatar was a collage of the synthespians self.
in the last dozen tweeny-pop InVids I’d seen, and its sheer She’d been born in San Francisco but had grown up
studied memetic overkill filled me with admiration. on Luna. Her family was Air Force back three generations,
She looked 18 or 19, and let me buy her a drink. I but she was really curious – not so much about Earth as
bought her a coda uncola and she sipped it with a straw, Earth Web – what it was like to be a full part of it, not light-
and we traded names – she was Technical Sergeant Char- lagged like we are. Sparrow was new to the singles scene,
lie Sparrowhawk (“call me Sparrow”), and this was her and (she explained with endearing directness) was a stu-
first visit to Rhea. I was hoping we’d cut to the chase, but dent of love, looking for a mentor. She was attracted to a
she was in no hurry. We got to talking, and she wanted to guy, had never done it before, and didn’t want her first time
know where I’d been born (North Dakota, if you’re curi- with her one-and-only to be awkward. So, I was her target
ous: that’s on Earth). Sparrow said she was Earth born practice. No commitment, no promises. Did I mind?
but didn’t remember it, so I told her about my dad’s Does ice melt on Titan?
 Saturn is a ringed gas giant like Jupiter, with a
brood of more than 30 moons, including cloud-shroud-
ed Titan, the only satellite to have a dense atmosphere. Sat-
urn lacks the terrible radiation belts of Jupiter, and its
SATURN
gravity well is not as deep. As a result, Saturn space has Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and the sec-
proven more attractive to exploitation and colonization. ond largest. It is a hazy yellow world, banded with shades
Unmanned probes explored the system in the late 20th of yellow and ochre; thanks to its vast ring system, the
and early 21st centuries, but human settlement did not giant planet is one of the most impressive sights in the
begin until 2070, when U.S. President Crystal Lee Robin- solar system.
son announced the National Gas and Helium Initiative (see Saturn is a gas giant like Jupiter, but a little smaller
pp. TS20-21), NAGHI, to mine the fusion fuel helium-3 and colder. It is primarily composed of hydrogen (96.7%),
from Saturn’s atmosphere. The project began with exten- with a quantity of helium (3%), methane (0.2%), ammonia
sive U.S. Astrographical Survey missions to most of the (0.02%), and water vapor, along with traces of acetylene,
larger moons of Saturn. Construction, under the aegis of ethane and phosphine. The atmosphere’s coloration is less
the Titan Consortium (p. 91), began in the 2076. They built vivid than Jupiter’s, a result of its lower temperature,
a space station in low Saturn orbit, an industrial base on which prevents certain atmospheric chemical reactions
Saturn’s airless moon Rhea, and a human colony from taking place.
on Titan – the latter an almost unforeseen
expansion of an original science base, after
problems with early AIs required the perma-
nent installation of a human workforce.
In the 2080s, part of that workforce
We go where Columbus never dreamed.
included Duncanite migrant laborers from the
Gypsy Angels Collective. In 2084, a contract
Far from the light of the sun, we left
dispute with Titan Consortium led to disgrun-
tled Gypsy Angels being kicked off Rhea. In
the Old World.
protest, the group occupied the U.S. – Crystal Lee Robinson
Astrophysical Survey base at Saturn’s moon
Hyperion. This took place just as the Pacific
War was breaking out. Since the U.S. had
embargoed He-3 shipments to China, the Gypsy Angels
saw a chance to make a point – and a profit – by seizing a
robot tanker bound for Columbia Station on Earth, and
SATURN’S COMPOSITION
Like Jupiter, Saturn is divided into several layers.
then fencing its contents to the energy-starved Chinese
Methane Haze: A misty atmosphere of methane,
colony on Mars.The U.S. government were not amused,
hydrogen and helium with negligible pressure. The
and responded with alacrity. The Pentagon dispatched two
methane haze extends for 50 miles above the cloud layer.
of its new Angel-class SDVs and a contingent of 82nd
Brilliant auroras flicker at this altitude, particularly over
Spaceborne troops to Saturn. “Operation Resolute Regard”
the polar regions of the planet.
evicted the Gypsy Angel squatters from Hyperion,
Upper Clouds: A layer of ammonia ice clouds, where
destroying one of their spacecraft along with its crew. Of
the pressure is 0.5 to 1 atmosphere and the temperature is
greater lasting significance was the executive decision that
about -245° to -290° F. The upper clouds are about 50
followed, which established permanent U.S. Aerospace
miles deep.
Force and Army bases on Rhea and Titan to protect Titan
Middle Clouds: A layer of ammonium hydrosulfide
Consortium assets. This in turn stimulated more civilian
ice clouds extending another 50-60 miles. The pressure is
expansion to support the build-up, creating an American
2-5 atmospheres and the temperature rises from -240° F to
colonial settlement that is today the largest single colony in
about -135° F.
the Deep Beyond.
Lower Clouds: A final layer of water ice clouds about
Although Saturn space is dominated by U.S. corporate
30 miles thick. Here pressures are 6-10 atmospheres, with
and military interests, the gas giant and its moons are not
the temperature warming to as high as -10° F.
solely American. There are Canadian and Latin American
Beneath the lower clouds is a gradually-thickening
business partners in the Titan Consortium, and citizens
layer of hydrogen and helium that ultimately turns liquid,
from these countries make up about 10% of the overall
and then metallic, with a solid core of rock, much like
population of the various colonial settlements. Other
Jupiter.
nations have small scientific bases on Titan, and China has
Weather on Saturn: The weather is also similar to
recently established a colony there.
Jupiter (p. 39). Saturn’s winds are faster than those of
Jupiter, with the equatorial jet stream reaching
speeds of 800 mph.
Radiation Belts: Saturn’s radiation belts are about
1/20 the intensity of Jupiter’s, making them a fairly minor
SATURN STATISTICS
Distance from Sun: 9.65 AU (Jan 1, 2100).
hazard to navigation; a spacecraft’s normal hull is protec- Diameter: 74,900 miles.
tion enough. Mass: 95.2 Earths.
Density: 0.69 g/cm3.
HELIUM-3 MINING Gravity: 0.91 G.
Escape Velocity: 22 mps.
Deuterium-helium-3 fusion provides the largest share
of the roughly 200,000 gigawatts of power (up from To Orbit: 15.4 mps.*
15,000 GW at the start of the 21st century) consumed Rotational Period: 10.7 hours.
every year by interplanetary civilization. This requires Orbital Period: 29.4 years.
about 3,000 tons of He-3 per year, 70% of which comes Atmospheric Composition: 96% hydrogen, 3% helium,
from the atmosphere of Saturn. 0.05% methane.
Regular deliveries of Saturnian He-3 have caused the Temperature: -290° F (cloud tops).
price of the isotope to tumble from its high of a few mil- Population: varies.
lion dollars a pound to its present price of about $2 million Spaceports: Large: Cassini Station, in orbit. Usually
per ton. Even so, demand for the isotope is projected to unmanned, but inhabited by dozens of AI and ghost-
continue to escalate. While the Earth’s population has sta- controlled cybershells.
bilized, its energy consumption continues to increase, as Control Rating: CR 4 at Cassini Station.
human standards of living improve and Third Wave Moons: 30+; see below.
nations transition to Fifth Wave. The Titan Consortium * Due to very high rotational velocity, the “to orbit” veloci-
projects that by 2125, civilization will require 5,700 tons ty is significantly reduced (to 9.3 mps) when going into orbit
of He-3 per year, and that by 2150, the consumption will from or near the equator in an eastward direction.
reach over 11,000 tons per year.
The basic tool of gas mining is the Titan Consortium’s
He-3 Mining Aerostat Mk. 2, a nuclear-powered Mont- hydrogen to refuel its own tanks, then ignite its rocket and
golfiere balloon. Onboard is an atmosphere processor con- lift off. The Mining Aerostats are periodically resupplied,
sisting of atmosphere pumps, refrigeration machinery, and with new fuel tanks dropped in via steerable parachute.
a cryogenic gas separation system. Controlled by a non- The early Mark Is were fission-powered, and had a limit-
sapient AI, the aerostat floats serenely beneath the clouds, ed service life, but the Mark 2s use indigenous fusion fuel,
buoyed up by atmospheric gas heated by its onboard reac- and with their onboard microbot repair teams, are
tor, which also provides power for the processing systems. predicted to have an operating life of over 50 years.
Attached to the aerostat by a tether is a cluster of dis-
mountable tanks.
The Titan Consortium’s 200-odd “Mark 2s” operate
CASSINI STATION
just below Saturn’s lower cloud layer, where the pressure Cassini Station is a space station located in low Saturn
is about 10 atmospheres. The reactor-powered pumps suck orbit. Constructed between 2076 and 2080, it serves as an
in atmospheric gas, which is cooled and liquefied by the orbital base for nuclear-powered winged SATVs (see
refrigeration units. The hydrogen is separated from the He-3 Mining, p. 71), which dive into the atmosphere to
helium and used as part of the cooling mechanism, after collect He-3 from the mining aerostats. Once a few hun-
which it is dumped. The rare He-3 is then separated from dred tons of gas are accumulated, a tanker docks with the
the more abundant and heavier 4He, a process made pos- station to transport the load out of Saturn’s gravity well.
sible by the different behavior of the lighter isotope at The present tanker design is the Lewis class (p. 141), fast
cryogenic temperatures. The He-3 is stored and the and economical robot transports that are fueled with water
remainder of the helium dumped overboard. All in all, from ring ice and from Saturn’s moon Rhea. The station is
about 130,000 tons of atmosphere are processed to pro- also served by Chronos-class TAVs from Titan, which are
duce 1 ton of He-3. used for personnel and supply runs to and from Cassini.
Once the Mining Aerostat has filled its tank with He- Cassini Station is a cylindrical station about 800’ long
3, it will contact Cassini Station and ask for a pickup. and 125’ in diameter. The station is mostly operated by
Cassini deploys a Saturn Autonomous Transatmospheric cybershells, but also has a human crew of 50 people. It is
Vehicle (SATV, p. 141), which will deorbit and rendezvous owned by the Titan Consortium, but also serves as a base
with the station, decelerating to subsonic speed, and use a for scientific studies of Saturn. Its staff includes several
skyhook to snag the tank. The SATV will continue to researchers from various universities and the USAGS
glide through Saturn’s atmosphere, scooping up (p. 96).
The Saturnian System
on January 1, 2100

This simplified map represents the major satellites of the Saturn system on January 1, 2100. All orbits are marked in increments
of 3 hours and some orbits are additionally marked in bold increments of 1 day to enable players to plot the positions of the moons
reasonably accurately in the weeks immediately following January 1. Players desiring higher accuracy may wish to recalculate the
moons’ positions from their orbital periods, available in any good reference book.
Note that all shown moons orbit the planets counterclockwise.

through, the rings – providing he’s traveling with them. If

SATURN’S RINGS he’s cutting across or diving through them, the GM may
require Piloting rolls to avoid collisions, with difficulty and
Saturn is orbited by a complex and beautiful system
of rings made of icy particles. Gravitational interactions damage dependent on the relative velocity involved. For a
with Saturn’s moons split the ring system into several dif- spacecraft attempting this, use the rules for dodging a rail-
ferent parts. The most visible are the bright, dense “A” gun projectile (p. 152), save that a success avoids damage,
and “B” rings and the fainter “C” ring, but the interaction a failed roll does 1d-4 cDAM and a critical failure cDAM
of “shepherd satellites” (small moons that orbit within the 1d+2. Usually only one roll will be needed – the rings are
ring system) results in four distinct ring systems and no more than 200 yards thick!
many subdivisions and gaps, notably the Cassini Divi- The rings are mined by manned and robot spacecraft
sion, which separates the A and B rings. to provide water (used as reaction mass) for Cassini Sta-
Unlike the asteroid belt, Saturn’s rings are tightly tion; some also goes to Titan, although most of its water
packed with matter. There are pebble-sized ice pellets supply is refined on the moon itself. The rings are also a
every few yards, boulders a couple of yards across every good place for spacecraft to hide and lose pursuers, espe-
few hundred feet, and house-sized icebergs every mile or cially if the craft involved are small unmanned vessels.
two. Fortunately for would-be ring-navigators, each ring There have been reports of rogue AKVs from the Pacific
orbits Saturn at the same velocity and in the same direc- War lurking in the ring system, which occasionally leads
tion. This means that a spacecraft pilot (or suited astro- to USAF sending in its own AKVs on “snark hunting”
naut) can match velocity with, and maneuver safely missions.
 icons, although some of her guesses were pretty

SATURN’S MOONS whacked. It made me wonder about her – the real her,
I mean, not the zebra-haired icon who shared my software.
In the past, I’d always made it a rule never to get physical
Rhea is the second-largest of Saturn’s moons, but it’s – I mean, like I’ve had so many girls dump me after they
still a frozen chunk of nowhere, used for nothing more edi- find out I’m just a baseline floater in his forties. So far I’ve
fying then providing the USAF with a place to stick Cassi- been lucky at guessing an avatar’s real sex, but hey, looks
ni AFB and giving civilian contractors like yours truly an don’t matter in virch, it’s mind, ware and sensation, and
opportunity to make a buck. Unless you like snowball basically, if I’m wrong and I’m dating a guy or an uplifted
fights, there isn’t much to do off shift. That’s why I (and, I dog or whatever, I just don’t want to know. Viva la differ-
presumed, Sparrow) frequented the virtuality bars, and ence, you know?
why I’d sunk a large chunk of my paycheck and sev-
eral terabytes into making a really rez simulated bed-
room to take my virtual dates home to. After my first
conquest remarked on how shallow and juvenile it
was, I’d expanded my horizons until I had an authen-
tic multi-terabyte replica of my grandpa’s long-gone
turn-of-the-century farm in North Dakota, complete
with simulated barn and cheerful fireplace. I hoped
Sparrow would be duly impressed.
The virtual shag rug in front of the latter was my
hoped-for destination, but somehow Sparrow and I
both ended up in the haystack. Despite her avowed
lack of sophistication, Sparrow proved a willing
pupil, and I like to think her first time was a memo-
rable, if rather scratchy, experience. I wish I hadn’t
coded the barn so realistically – I almost impaled
myself on a simulated pitchfork, and having to recap-
ture a coop of v-chickens we accidentally knocked
open might have ruined the mood. Or maybe not –
Sparrow threw herself into chicken-hunting with a
glee that reminded me of a cat among the pigeons.
Later, I watched as she prowled my virtual house,
going through it like forensic nano, studying every-
thing in that focused, scary way she had. Then she
had to go, duty calling.
I wondered if I’d see her again, but she popped
into the Snowball only two days later. We did it again
in v-space, this time in a rented underwater sim, and
afterward, I took her back to the farm and showed
her how to code pancakes. My, my, we were already
getting domestic, and we had yet to meet in person.
Sparrow’s vessel was the SDV Michael, and it
was only in port for 10 days. That was just long
enough to have Columbia and Nanodynamics techs
install some new black boxes, give the crew shore leave, But Sparrow wasn’t just anyone. She’d already told
and to take on reaction mass and antimatter. Sparrow had me how I was just a practice target until she popped it to
only had an hour or so leave a day – mostly she was run- her true blue, the Michael’s commander, and I guess that
ning diagnostics and tacsims, whether that meant – and I made it more real, in a perverse sense, since we had no
worked most days straight through. But she had my num- illusions we weren’t just ships passing in the night. So on
ber, and every so often our schedules would cross-vector the day she was to lift off, I ordered some flowers sent up
and we’d meet again. to Michael, with a card addressed to her “from a secret
Rhea’s virtual mall got regular updates from Titan, admirer.” Hey, let her captain know there’s competition,
but Sparrow didn’t like to shop, which was weird, her maybe he’ll realize what he was missing. Incidentally, you
being a spacer femme and all, but she did like to people don’t want to know how much cut flowers cost on Rhea.
watch. We had fun guessing who was behind what They fly ’em up from greenhouses on Titan . . .
 So, a few hours later, I unplugged from work Rhea. All of the moons except Hyperion and
early, and logged in sick. Then I put on my smartsuit Phoebe are tidally locked, with the same side always
and walked outside on the ice, for the first time in a facing Saturn.
month. I couldn’t see anything to start with, but then came
the unmistakable bright spark of a pulse drive, as
Michael pulled out of orbit. Bye, bye, Sparrow. Hey, I SMALL INNER MOONS
waved. I was feeling silly. These moons orbit Saturn within the orbit of Mimas
So I get back inside, and log on, and I’m back at my (below). They are small, fairly porous bodies of water ice
day job, teleoperating a scraper swarm through a Lewis- and/or rock. Some are shepherd satellites, orbiting within
class tanker in low orbit, when I get an Urgent call from Saturn’s ring system and creating and maintaining the var-
my boss. Up pops a window into my existence, and Sally ious gaps that define the individual rings. The moons are
says there’s an military policeman who wants to talk to listed in order of their distance from Saturn.
me. Brrr. A guy with no neck in USAF fatigues popped a Pan is an irregular ice-rock body about 10 miles
video window into my head, and introduces himself as across, orbiting Saturn at an average distance of 0.00089
Master Sergeant Rice, 30th Security Squadron. A spook. AU.
“Are you are Timothy Graham?” he asked, and rat- Atlas is an irregular body 25 miles by 15 miles across,
tled off my SIN. Of course he’s got the right guy. I’m and is the shepherd satellite for Saturn’s A-ring. It orbits
sweating bullets. Apparently, I got anomaly-flagged for Saturn at an average distance of 0.00091 AU.
sending a biological package to the SDV, since (a) my ex- Prometheus has a highly elongated irregular shape
wife was Rust Chinese and (b) there was a heightened ter- (measuring 90 by 53 by 39 miles). It is mostly composed
rorist alert due to Negative Growth’s leader threatening of ice. It has a few large craters (up to 12 miles across), and
to sabotage U.S. bases if we joined the ESCA in interven- its surface is marked by many ridges and valleys, suggest-
ing (or not intervening, I forget) against their fraternal ing it may once have been liquid, then refrozen. It’s also a
associates on Europa. shepherd satellite, defining the inner boundary of Saturn’s
I told Rice that I love America, avoid politics, and F-ring. It orbits Saturn at an average distance of 0.00093
don’t even watch TEN, but he says it’s fine, he’s checked AU.
me out with my company, and my package was scanned Pandora is the outer shepherd satellite for Saturn’s F-
and delivered. So he was pretty sure I’m not a radical ring. It is an irregular body 71 by 52 by 38 miles across,
preservationist or a Chinese or Euroff agent – but he just and heavily cratered. It orbits Saturn at an average distance
had one question, to satisfy his own curiosity. I can still of 0.00095 AU.
remember it: “Mr. Graham: Why in the name of anything Epimetheus is an irregular body 80 by 67 by 61 miles
did you send a dozen long-stemmed roses to one of our across. More ice than rock, its surface is cut by many
Predator SIM-7 Autonomous Kill Vehicles?” grooves and ridges, as well as being cratered. It shares the
Well, he had his grins, while my jaw hit the floor. same orbit as Janus, and the two moons pass within 30
And me? It’s been two months since Charlie Spar- miles of one another. It orbits Saturn at an average distance
rowhawk and I shared a virtual haystack, and my life goes of 0.001 AU.
on pretty much as always, bossing robot bugs who scrape Janus has an irregular shape (122 by 119 by 93 miles).
the fungi out of liner pods and cargo cans. But I have the Like most of these moons, it is heavily cratered, with sev-
memory of having been intimate with 82 tons of kamikaze eral craters being about 18-20 miles in diameter. It orbits
diamondoid and silicon, or rather, the mind inside. Sure, Saturn at an average distance of 0.001 AU.
I’d virched with a couple of cute infomorphs as a kid, and Janus and Epimetheus share the same orbit (within 30
Thoris, my own NAI, keeps me warm at night if I’ve no miles) and overtake one another every four years.
one else, but I’d never done it with a SAI. And I’m sure
Charlie was sapient, probably a SAI-8 at least, from the
reading I’ve done lately in Janes’ Fighting Spacecraft. I
MIMAS
Kankahattar is a Helsinki fashion designer who hap-
know she’d be fearless in battle, but I wonder whether she
pens to be a SAI. This year, it decided to hold its spring lin-
ever found the courage to ask her captain for a date, and
gerie collection at Eye of God monastery on Mimas. I
if they’re (probably against regs) still a couple today.
didn’t go myself (three months in space is a drag!), but I
I wish them well.
beamed out my trusty shadow, SeeEm, to cover the event,
and the monks provided a handy bioshell to host hir.
Saturn has dozens of moons, although many of them
SeeEm arrived early, to spend the first several hours get-
are just rocky chunks a few miles across. The major
ting a new slinky implant installed. We’re glad to report
moons (with diameters greater than 65 miles) are, in
that the monastery’s facilities are as good as advertised.
order, Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan,
The show was well worth the com bill. Kankahattar
Hyperion, Iapetus, and Phoebe. Human settlements
held it in vacuum, on the summit of Herschel Peak
have sprung up on Mimas, Titan, Hyperion, and
 Don’t forget to tune in for tomorrow’s webcast:
SeeEm interviews fugitive astropus Octothorpe, in a
bubbly intimate-and-interactive tête-à-tête in the Eye
of God’s sauna . . .
– Chance Mackintosh,
“The Empress’ New Clothes,”
in Posthuman Consumer Review

Mimas orbits Saturn at an average distance of

0.0012 AU. At 247 miles in diameter, it has a rough-
ly spherical rather than irregular shape. The large
Herschel crater – huge in proportion to the satellite’s
diameter – makes Mimas resemble a giant battle-
station!
The moon’s surface is old and heavily cratered.
There are several large craters of up to 20 miles in
diameter and many smaller ones, although the south
pole is notably smoother.
The most impressive feature is Herschel, a single
crater 80 miles wide. That is one-third the diameter of
Mimas itself, so Hershel looks like a giant “eye” look-
ing out into space. The crater walls are three miles
high, and it is six miles deep. A central mountain peak
(the result of a pressure rebound from the meteor
impact) rises four miles above the crater floor.
Mimas has a gravity of 0.0003 G, a density of
1.17 g/cm3, and an escape velocity 0.1 mps (to orbit
0.07 mps). The average temperature is -330° F.

The Eye of God Monastery

This station was established in 2098 by settlers
from New Covenant (p. 21). It’s a Christian Hyperev-
olutionist monastery run by the Church of Seventh
Heaven. The monastery occupies the top of Herschel’s
central peak, with the spaceport located near the base,
and a transparent elevator that provides a breathtaking
itself. The models didn’t wear suits – they were all Void view of Mimas and Saturn as it rises to the top.
Flyer vacuum-adapted bioroids, the newest from Kaneda Eye of God is a hyperevolutionist retreat that can be
station. Silhouetted on the catwalk, with Saturn’s rings as used by members of the Church. However, its main pur-
a natural backdrop, Kanka’s trademark swarmwear pose is as a luxury resort for wealthy transhumanists, who
designs were set off to wonderful advantage. You had to be can experience the transcendent wonder of God’s creation
there! (through their proximity to Saturn) while receiving a pain-
(And you can be there! If you have a slinky-enabled browser, less introduction to the Christian Hyperevolutionist faith.
click here.) The resort caters to both infomorphs (who may arrive
Part of the show’s proceeds went to raise funds for the via coded laser transmission and rent bodies) and to human
Axon Group’s legal appeals against Nanodynamics. The tourists. Most of the latter are on Titan for business or
speaker was a darling Astropus named Octothorpe, and he leave, and take a side trip to stay for a few days on Mimas.
told us the most horrible stories about Nanodyne’s treat- In addition to the ordinary pleasures of a high-class resort,
ment of the little ratlings and the xoxies. We were all in the monks offer teleoperated tours of Saturn’s rings and a
tears, at least, those of us with eyes or tear glands. full bio-modification clinic that specializes in cutting-edge
Afterward, SeeEm took in the rest of the monastery nanomods and brain implants.
and resort, including some microgravity mountain climb- The population is typically 70-80 humans and 50-60
ing, and then broke the bioshell’s leg trying to body-slide sapient infomorphs; about half are staff, while the other
down Herschel. It was all marvelous fun, and highly rec- half are guests. The staff are all New Covenant citizens,
ommended; a vacation at Eye of God is a steal at and have the usual brain implants and software unique
$2,000/day, all inclusive. to that station (p. 21). It’s CR 3.
 ENCELADUS CALYPSO AND TELESTO
Enceladus orbits Saturn at an average distance of These two moons occupy the Tethys-Saturn L4 and
0.0016 AU. It is 310 miles in diameter, and resembles a L5 points, with Calypso orbiting 60° ahead of Tethys and
pint-sized version of Europa (p. 44). The surface of Ence- Telesto 60° behind it. Calypso is a small irregular icy body
ladus is bright water ice. Some regions of the surface are 21 by 14 miles across. Telesto is a similar body, some 21
moderately cratered (with craters up to 22 miles across), by 17 by 16 miles across. Neither moon is presently known
while others are scored by long ridges and fissures, or cov- to be inhabited.
ered with bright icy plains. The moon’s interior is warmed
by tidal forces from Saturn and its neighboring moons, cre-
ating sufficient heat to maintain a subsurface ocean of liq- DIONE
uid water some 60 miles beneath the icy crust. Enceladus’ Dione is named for the mother of Aphrodite. Dione
ocean is 20 miles deep. has a diameter of 695 miles and a density of 1.43 g/cm3,
The exploration of this ocean has become a project for making it the second most dense of Saturn’s moons. It
the USAGS, which has a small manned base on the moon orbits Saturn at an average distance of 0.0025 AU. Two-
(population 20) and is using cryobot probes to melt thirds of Dione’s mass is ice, with the remainder being
through the ice. rock. Like most airless bodies, Dione is heavily cratered,
Enceladus has a gravity of 0.0071 G, a density of 1.12 although its trailing hemisphere has more and larger
g/cm3, and an escape velocity 0.116 mps (to orbit 0.093 craters (many of them up to 50 miles across) than the other
mps). The average temperature is a chilly -330° F. side. Much of the surface is hard ice and rock, but parts of
the trailing hemisphere are dusted with loose snow. Major

TETHYS features include the large craters Aeneas (90 miles across)
and Dido (75 miles), and the Latium Chasma, a fracture
Tethys used to be popular with USAF pilots, who canyon 180 miles long, 5-7 miles wide and half a mile
would practice close combat maneuvering (“CCM”) in deep.
the tight confines of Ithaca Chasma. Last year, one of the Dione has gravity of 0.023 G and an escape velocity
AKVs misjudged a burn and smacked itself into a canyon of 0.3 mps (0.21 mps to orbit).
wall. There is a rumor on Rhea that it was carrying
nuclear Teller mines, and one wasn’t recovered, but I don’t
really believe that . . . HELENE
– Copernicus Jones, Helene is a small icy body that shares the same orbit
Lonely System Guide to Saturn as Dione, but is 60° ahead of it in the Dione-Saturn L4
point. It is 22 by 20 by 19 miles across.
Tethys orbits Saturn at an average distance of 0.002
AU. It is almost entirely water-ice, with a diameter of 660
miles.
RHEA
Rhea orbits Saturn at an average distance of 0.0035
Its topography is dominated by Odysseus, an ancient
AU. At 949 miles in diameter, it is the second largest of
shallow impact crater 250 miles in diameter. Another
Saturn’s moons. It has no atmosphere.
major feature is Ithaca Chasma, a winding canyon 1,200
The moon has a gravity of 0.027 G, a density of 1.33
miles long, 40-60 miles wide and 2-3 miles deep that runs
g/cm3, and an escape velocity of 0.4 mps (to orbit 0.28
3/4 of the way around the moon’s circumference.
mps). The average temperature is -280° F in sunlight,
Tethys has a gravity of 0.023 G, a density of 1.28
-360° F in the shade. Rhea is two-thirds water ice, one-
g/cm3, and an escape velocity 0.3 mps (to orbit 0.21 mps).
third rock. The leading hemisphere is heavily cratered,
The average temperature is -330° F.
compared to the smoother trailing hemisphere.
Rhea is the home of the USAF’s Cassini Air Force
Base. It has a population of 1,200 biosapients and 200
We call it “minigravity.” It’s not as sapient infomorphs who live at Giovanni, a beehive habi-
disorienting as zero-G, but if you plan a tat burrowed next to the spaceport. About half the popula-
tion are USAF military or their dependents; the rest are
long stay on Rhea or Titan, you’ll want mainly defense contractors and spaceport personnel. Gio-
the same microgravity biochemistry vanni hosts a large Columbia Dynamics spaceyard facility,
nanosymbionts – unless you’re a Tennin and also a mining base and nuclear pellet refinery factory.
Eight miles from the main spaceyard is a highly secure
or a cybershell, of course. antimatter storage area.
– Dr. Rafael Castellon
 Below me are dark mud flats, and on the too-
close horizon, I can see crimson hills and the yellow-
TITAN STATISTICS orange peaks of an icy mountain range, the foothills
of the mighty Mayan Plateau. Where is she?
Distance from Saturn: 759,200 miles (0.00817 AU).
Diameter: 3,200 miles. My source had said she was staying at Dome
Mass: 0.0226 Earths. Farm 71, working as a cryo-hydrologist under an
Density: 1.88 g/cm3. assumed name. When I arrived she was gone, just
Gravity: 0.14 G. like on Mars. But the house comp told me she’d
Escape Velocity: 1.6 MPS. taken the Aerorover. A triphibian cybershell . . .
To Orbit: 1.12 MPS. Triphibian . . . that’s an idea. To my right is a dark
Rotational Period: 15.9 days. ochre patch, and I drop lower, circling in for a clos-
Orbital Period: 15.9 days. er look. An ethane lake, and there, bobbing like a
Atmospheric Pressure: 1.5 Earth (density is 4.5 Earth).* cork, is a thing like three beach balls joined togeth-
Atmosphere Composition: 90% nitrogen, 4% methane, 6% er, bright green, the color unreal in the incardine
argon. landscape surrounding it. Her cybershell.
Surface Water: 40% of surface is liquid hydrocarbons. I furl the bird-plane’s wings and come down like
Temperature: -290° F. a hawk. Her family’s advocates had paid me to cross
Population: 60,000 bio-sapients, 12,000 sapient info- half a billion miles to find her. It was time she knew
morphs. the truth . . .
Spaceports: Large spaceport (Port Minos and Titan AFB);
small spaceport (Jiangli Station) on surface; Titan Orbital Space- Titan is the second-largest moon in the solar
port (small spaceport) in orbit. system, larger than the planets Mercury and Pluto. It
Control Rating: CR 3. is the only moon with an atmosphere of comparable
* When calculating stall speed (p. TS190), use density density to Earth’s, shrouding its surface in opaque
rather than pressure. orange clouds. Rich in hydrocarbon resources and
opportunities for science, Titan is the de-facto capi-
tal of the Deep Beyond and the jewel of America’s
space colonization program.
Biosapient personnel assigned to Rhea usually take Titan was discovered by the Dutch astronomer Chris-
leave on Titan for a few days every month, but Giovanni tiaan Huygens in 1655, but for centuries its heavy cloud
also has a small “downtown” with a few shops, bars, and cover hid it from direct observation. The giant moon’s
restaurants, and an active virtuality club scene.The U.S. geography was a mystery until 2004, when the joint
government tries its best to discourage other nations, Dun- ESA/NASA Cassini Saturn Orbiter spacecraft (launched in
canites, and non-U.S. corporations from settling on Rhea, 1997) began radar mapping the surface. Cassini Saturn
although it has no legal authority to do so. Since there’s Orbiter also released the Huygens Titan Probe, which
very little on Rhea other than ice and rock, this hasn’t been descended via parachute through Titan’s atmosphere. Huy-
difficult. gens revealed a bizarre world of hydrocarbon lakes, frozen
As a military center, Cassini AFB and the adjacent mountains, and an alien pre-biotic chemistry eerily similar
Giovanni complex are well-defended, with 20 heavy laser to that which initiated life on Earth.
towers, and a dozen space defense platforms. It is also
the home base of USAF Deep Space Command’s
30th Space Wing (p. 100). A space station, the
Robinson Orbital Dockyard, is in orbit, although the
moon’s gravity is low enough that many vessels can LIFE ON TITAN?
land or take off from its surface.Rhea is CR 3; secu- Titan’s atmosphere has been compared to Earth’s primeval
rity is fairly tight at the spaceport, but looser on the soup, and chemical reactions in the air and liquid form complex
moon itself. organic molecules. This pre-biotic material, a tar-like substance
found on and under the moon’s surface, is known as Titanian

TITAN
tholin.
However, no native life has been detected; it’s simply too cold.
It has been theorized that Titan may one day develop life, billions
Brrr. I hope I spot her soon. The orange light is of years in the future, when the sun becomes a red giant, and
bright enough that I can see for miles, and it will stay Titan’s surface melts. Some “deep time preservationists” have
“day” for another week. But this bird-plane isn’t argued against any settlement of Titan, claiming that the world
sealed, and I’m starting to get chilly. Even through must be held in a pristine state until then. They’ve been ignored.
the suit, I can feel the cold.
 The question that will decide our destiny is not
Titan’s composition is a mix of frozen ammonia, whether we shall expand into space. It is: shall
water ice, and rock. It has no magnetic field, but its
atmosphere has 1.5 times the surface pressure of Earth we be one species or a million? A million species
(and over four times the density), acting as an effective will not exhaust the ecological niches that are
shield against cosmic and solar radiation. awaiting the arrival of intelligence.
It’s freezing cold, but Titan’s dense atmosphere
means humans do not need pressure suits – a heated, – Freeman Dyson
insulated suit, air tank, and an oxygen mask are suffi-
cient. The pressure a person feels from Titan’s atmos-
phere is roughly the same as that on the bottom of a water vapor. The breakdown of methane by sunlight in the
swimming pool; the slight extra effort to move through it upper atmosphere forms thick organic photochemical
is mitigated by the low gravity. smog (similar to city smog, but much denser). This haze
Titan’s atmosphere is primarily molecular nitrogen hides the surface from visual observation, although it is
with 6% argon, a few percent methane, and traces of no barrier to radar, and reasonably transparent to
 Titan

infrared as well. Saturn is 10 times farther away from the orange, yellow, pink, and red ice in higher ground – the
sun than is the Earth, and Titan receives only 1% of the Titan equivalent of bedrock. The land is cut by yellow-
Earth’s sunlight. On the surface, daylight on Titan looks ochre rivers and lakes of ethane, and lowland regions are
like bright twilight on Earth, and is enough to read by or dominated by sticky black hydrocarbon swamps. There is
see colors. one larger body of liquid, the Minoan Sea; on the opposite
Titan has many Earthlike features, including seas, hemisphere from it is a rubber-duck-shaped highland
rainfall, and volcanic activity. However, the seas and lakes region the size of Australia, the Mayan Plateau. The
are ethane (with some dissolved methane), the raindrops plateau is formed from mountains of water ice, slowly
are liquid ethane, and the “hot lava” its volcanoes spew eroding in the sporadic ethane rain. Other than this, there’s
forth is composed of liquid water and ammonia. The sky is no free liquid water on Titan, and most of the ice is well
a soft orange, as light shines through the hazy smog. below ground, forming a solid surface that’s covered with
Titan has an orange and red surface, covered with dark hydrocarbon. The rocky center of Titan is buried under a
frozen and semi-frozen slush with a consistency not couple of hundred miles of ethane-methane and water
unlike frozen ice cream. There are layers of exposed ice.
 Americans with special pride – a world that has been
SETTLEMENT explored, developed, and settled primarily by the Unit-
ed States. This has bred a feeling that Titan belongs to
Titan was an early target for cybershell exploration.
NASA sent the first explorer aerobots to Titan in 2027, and America, regardless of what the Revised Outer Space
over the next 40 years, an ever-increasing number of robot- Treaty may say.
ic vehicles hovered, floated, bounced, and swam across the
planet-sized moon, sending back reams of data. Titan’s
landscape of lakes, mountains, and rivers were also a
HUYGENS CITY
The capital of the U.S. Titan Territory is Huygens
favorite with teletourists, although the time lag meant that City. It occupies the Nubian Valley, a swampy lowland
most contented themselves with control of slow-moving river nexus that feeds into the Minoan Sea. Huygens City
aerorovers. Even as the first colonies were established on differs from most Deep Beyond habitats in that it’s built on
Mars, many dreamed of the day when mankind could set the surface rather than underground. Its two square miles
foot on Titan in the flesh. of domes and towers, many of them linked by bridges and
heliports, form the beating heart of a sprawling industrial
jungle composed of mile upon mile of chemical refineries,
pipelines, and agricultural bubbles. Not all of it is ugly; the
Jupiter and Saturn, Oberon, Miranda and soaring Church of the Angels, one of the tallest in the sys-
Titania, Neptune, Titan, Stars can tem, is considered a marvel of low-gravity architecture.
However, everyone agrees that the city hall, done in the
frighten. 2070s “high transhumanist” style, is a travesty, resembling
a cancerous mushroom.
– Pink Floyd, “Astronomy Domine” Fortunately, the interiors of the big new habitation
domes are attractively landscaped, designed by some of
America’s finest arcologists. There are parks, green spaces,
flower gardens, and plenty of trees. The latter grow fast on
That day came in 2070, when the first manned Titan, and in the low gravity can be expected to reach
USAGS missions arrived to survey the moon for its role in seven times higher than trees can grow on Earth.
the NAGHI project. Huygens Station – later Huygens City Huygens has a population of 47,000 biosapients and
– was established to support the hundreds of human and 5,000 sapient infomorphs. Life at Huygens has a compa-
bioroid workers who would supervise the construction of ny-town atmosphere, dominated by the long shadow of the
Cassini Station in Saturn orbit and the refineries on Rhea. Titan Consortium. Many of the inhabitants are serving
Titan soon became seen as a secure environment from two- or four-year contracts, and work here as managers,
which cybershells could be directed, food grown, and bot-bosses, engineers, and AI trainers. There is a certain
leave taken. A sizable scientific base was also established, degree of tension between the temporary contract workers
and planetologists and xenobiologists flocked to Titan, and those people who’ve made Titan their home; the latter
eager for first-hand studies of the exotic moon. blame the temps for a lot of the crime and vice in Port
Since the late 2080s, Titan’s population has further Minos.
expanded due to the U.S. military buildup; in addition to Huygens is located near the equator, at latitude 18°
the USAF, Titan plays host to a brigade of the 82nd Space- north, longitude 142° west.
borne, as well as various special operations troops includ-
ing Navy SEALs. The military presence has been matched
by civil development, particular in agrobiz and chemical INDUSTRIES ON TITAN
industry, and its industrial base, especially in bio-nanotech, The major industries on Titan are devoted to exploit-
is also growing rapidly. ing the moon’s nitrogen and hydrocarbon chemistry and to
The largest colony is the U.S. Titan Territory, which providing food, rest, and recreation for humans living in
occupies 3% of the moon’s real estate. The U.S. Titan Ter- the Deep Beyond. Factories also produce goods for local
ritory is centered on Huygens City in the Nubian Valley consumption.Titan has billions of tons of easily-accessible
near the coast of the Minoan Sea, and includes the sur- hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, which provide the
rounding settlements in a wedge-shaped area 150 by 70 necessary resources for agricultural production and bio-
miles. There are also smaller outposts scattered around the and nanotechnology-based manufacturing. Electricity is
moon. These “outback” research stations are mostly semi- provided by fusion reactors, and these operate very cheap-
automated robofacs, and experimental farms, some ly on Titan. Not only is the moon close to the source of the
attempting to engineer Titan-adapted life forms. He-3, but its -280° F temperatures offer an excellent heat
Titan’s population is predominantly American. More sink, allowing easy conversion of thermal energy from
U.S. citizens live on Mars, but Titan is seen by many
nuclear reactors into electric energy at very high
efficiency.
Titan also supports manufacturing and fuel process-
ing centers on Rhea and at Cassini Station. Titan’s low
gravity and thick atmosphere make it easy for transat-
mospheric vehicles with methane-burning fission rockets
and fission air-rams to boost into orbit, facilitating export
of bulk chemicals to Rhea, the Main Belt, or even Mars.
The dollars that the combination of He-3, agro-
chemical business, and the U.S. military base have
brought to Titan have attracted thousands of settlers and
tens of thousands of contract workers. Wages are high
and working conditions are reasonably good. Unlike
Mercury or Luna, Titan is also a place where the possi-
bilities of outdoor recreation and dramatic scenery lure
many to venture outdoors in person, rather than remain-
ing in the habitats and taking their excursions by cyber-
shell. Tourism is a minor but growing industry. Titan’s
exotic landscapes attract an increasing number of visi-
tors, often rich mind emulations who beam in from Fifth
Wave nations, Luna, and Islandia, and sample its attrac-
tions in rented bioshells or cybershells.

PORT MINOS
This spaceport is actually located a few miles down-
stream from Huygens, on Labrys, a six-mile-long island
in the Minoan Sea. Minos has a permanent population of
4,000 sapients, working in the port and the surrounding
warehouse and entertainment district.
Port Minos caters to a regular influx of off-duty sol-
diers and technicians from Rhea and Cassini Station, as
well as daily visits by workers from the chemical refiner-
TITAN WRESTLING
Titan wrestling is gaining popularity in the Deep
ies, farms, and factories of Huygens proper, and an ever- Beyond. Originating as a publicity stunt sponsored by
growing contingent of teletourists (primarily ghosts) from Biotech Euphrates and Avatar Klusterkorp, the last few
elsewhere in the system. The livable areas of the port are years have seen it become an annual event that has begun to
actually a collection of towers rather than domes, con- receive serious mainstream attention as a sport. It showcas-
nected by tube bridges and flying ledges. es battles between giant (12’ tall is common) human-pro-
Reputed to be the “sin city of the Deep Beyond,” portioned bioshell wrestlers, controlled by digital
Minos is famous for its casinos, its Titan wrestling cir- intelligences.Titan wrestling is a sport that would only be
cuit, and its red light district, with gambling parlors, love- practical in very low gravity: in Earth or even Mars gravity,
doll rental dealerships, nanodrug stores, capsule hotels, the gargantuan wrestlers would collapse under their own
pawn shops, bioroid/bioshell brothels, and slinky ven- weight. A variety of wrestling styles are used. The ring is 30’
dors. As is natural on a moon that boasts entire seas of across, and moves emphasize throws and stomps, and often
ethane and whose leading occupation is “chemical engi- involve extreme brutality. Gambling on the outcome of
neer,” the bars are very well stocked, and there are micro- matches is legal, and a major source of income for the
breweries on every street corner. Although the Gypsy sport’s promoters.
Angels were run off Titan in the 2080s, they returned in The “titans” must meet minimum size and mass require-
the 2090s. The Duncanite Bazaar (p. 88) on Minos is the ments in various categories, and must also possess a more-
largest in the Deep Beyond, offering imported exotica or-less humanoid morphology. Otherwise, modifications are
from Ceres and Liang Mountain. left to the creativity of the bioengineers involved. Like auto
Not all pleasures are those of the flesh. Visitors can racing, it’s as much about rival technology as skill. Teams
rent ornithopter bird-planes and smartsuits and soar are generally sponsored by Deep Beyond biotech corpora-
between the towers, upload into cybershell aerorovers to tions, as the cost of a new titan can be quite expensive, run-
tour the outback, or don heated drysuits to go ethane- ning to $200,000 for tissue engineering and biogenesis.
diving in the wine-dark sea.
 Despite Minos’ reputation, some activities are Titan AFB and Camp McAullife
forbidden. Brainbugs are available, but certain kinds Titan Air Force Base operates both transport and
(especially those promoting violent mental states) are ille- strike TAVs, as well as a flight of transsonic transport air-
gal. Prostitution and nanodrug vendors are regulated and craft and various air support and reconnaissance cyber-
licensed. Slavery is illegal, and bioroids can only be inden- shells. It also controls orbital defenses and reconnaissance
tured by legitimate corporations – they can’t be freely satellites.
bought and sold (but bioshells may be, including those Camp McAuliffe is a U.S. Army base hosting the
with sapient infomorphs). The Titan Sheriffs’ Department 82nd Spaceborne, as well as the U.S. Army’s Cryogenic
– and military police, if soldiers are involved – investigate Warfare School.
crimes and try to maintain order.The TSD also tries to sup- The two bases have a combined population of 3,000
press organized crime, which over the last decade has biosapient soldiers and several thousand infomorphs, most
wormed its way into the town’s infrastructure. With vice of them LAIs, but with about 600 sapient infomorphs.
more-or-less legalized, crime cells concentrate on loan-
sharking and fencing (people always need money to pay
debts, especially with the casinos), protection rackets, and JIANGLI STATION
the sale of pirated software and goods. In particular, erotic This Chinese station is located on the “neck” of the
and adventure slinkies, xoxes of media stars, and pirate Mayan Plateau. It was founded in 2092 as a small scientif-
copies of companion AIs are all popular, especially given ic outpost studying Titan’s planetology. However, in Feb-
the increased difficulty and lag time involved in down- ruary of 2099 a Xiao Chu farhauler arrived and began
loading even legal material from Earth or Mars’ webs. shuttling down several hundred tons of cargo. The follow-
Softjacking – the kidnapping, editing, and illegal copying ing year, the station exploded into activity. A new wing
of AIs – is a growing problem. Most crime cells have con- was constructed, followed by multiple rows of domed agri-
nections with the Trojan Mafia, Maple Syndicates or Mar- cultural buildings.It soon became apparent that Xiao Chu
tian Triads – conflicts between rival organizations are was using biogenesis tanks to vastly increase the station’s
fairly common, and sometimes end in bloodshed. population. Within a few months the station’s population
Port Minos is located southwest of Huygens at 16º has grown considerably, from about 150 people to over
north, 106º west. 1,700, most of them bioroids. This is viewed with alarm by
the U.S. military, which stepped up reconnaissance.
Recently, the base has begun to reveal defensive systems.

TITANOMACHY The area around it is patrolled by combat bioroids and mil-

itary cybershells. USAF overflights have been challenged,
Tensions are high between the U.S. and Chinese gov- and new anti-aircraft laser batteries have begun to sprout
ernments on Titan. The SIA believes Jiangli Station’s pur- around the station. China has not officially stated that the
pose is to provide a base for any future attack on the U.S. Xiao Chu base is shared with PLA military personnel . . .
Titan Territory. In the past, Titan was seen as a planetary but the SIA believes that to be the case.
citadel that allowed rapid reconstitution of U.S. helium-3 Jiangli Station has its own small spaceport and is CR
mining operations even if Cassini Station was destroyed, 5. It is located at latitude 11° north, longitude 106° west.
thanks to the shielding that Titan’s atmosphere provided
from laser and particle beam bombardment and infrared
observation. Now this is threatened by land or air assault.
GETTING AROUND ON TITAN
In fact, the SIA is correct in its estimation that Jiangli is Humans and other biosapients living on Titan will
intended as a base of operations, but the actual motives are usually own a smartsuit or Titan suit (p. 137); the latter is
not quite so belligerent. China is increasingly reliant on Sat- a heated unpressurized vacc suit. Whether inside or out,
urnian He-3, and the Chinese government fears Washington people on foot will adopt the same gliding-bouncing
could have Titan Corporation choke off sales whenever it “bunny hop” gait used on Luna.
wishes. By placing a base on Titan with a force capable of Much of Titan’s surface is treacherous for vehicles.
threatening Titan Corporation assets, Beijing calculates that While some ground is solid but crunchy, there’s plenty of
the U.S. government will be less willing to try another ener- “ice cream sundae” terrain composed of sticky tholin,
gy blockade in the future. In the meantime, China is devel- ethane and half-frozen mud (in game terms, treat as swamp
oping its own Uranus-based He-3 initiative, but until that is or marsh) that slows travel. The AstroBug (p. 146) and
operational, the military force on Titan provides strategic World Rover (p. 148) are typical ground vehicles, but many
options. Of course, there is a chance that an incident on Titan designs are also amphibious or even triphibious.
Titan may provoke the U.S., but Beijing believes it’s a risk Titan’s combination of dense atmosphere and 1/7 G
worth taking – and a way to show the world that America gravity make aircraft the favored means of travel. Titani-
does not own the Saturn system. ans’ love affair with flying vehicles matches that of
Americans with the automobile. Most short hops use
light aircraft, helicopters, and beating-wing
ornithopters (see Titan Eagle “Bird Plane,”
p. 150); the latter two types are favored for
low-powered vertical takeoffs, since the
ground is rarely suitable for building landing
strips. Most humans who live permanently on
Titan own a personal strap-on mini-copter
(Titan Packhopper, p. 149) or wing set, while
sapient infomorphs will usually control one or
more aerobots, such as the aerorover (p. 116).
Personal flying infomorphs like the buzzbot
(p. TS121) are also very common as pets and
companions. Long distance flights can be
chartered at Port Minos on transatmospheric
vehicles fueled by methane ramjets; these can
also reach orbit, and retain enough delta-V to
visit other moons. There are short-range taxis
between Minos and Huygens, and longer
flights are available by charter.
Nautical vehicles are also in use. Titan’s
seas are fairly shallow – no more than half a
mile deep – but powerboats, submersible
cybershells and manned mini-subs still
explore the Minoan Sea and smaller lakes and rivers. All OTV, going with a group of H-Watchers (some military
three can also be rented for pleasure excursions, although journalists, some UFO buffs). We intended to get to Hype-
very calm wind conditions rule out sailing. Many aircraft rion before the next exercises started, and camp out to
are fitted with pontoons or seaplane hulls to allow landing watch. Unfortunately, the USAF already had pickets out
on liquid surfaces. For vehicular operations on Titan, see there, and they made it clear we weren’t welcome.
Vehicles, p. 144. The Revised Outer Space Treaty doesn’t let the USAF
keep people off Hyperion, it just restricts you from the

SATURN’S OUTER
areas they’re exercising quote-functional sovereignty-
unquote over. The USAF won’t tell you that, and they’ll try
to scare you off. Landing on Hyperion is a pain at the best

MOONS of times, and we had a nasty run-in with an exceptionally

gung-ho Predator (call-sign Sparrowhawk) that wanted to
play tag. I think we barely missed splattering ourselves, but
Beyond Titan’s orbit, Saturn is circled by several our pilot Jopie was ex-SAAF, and she pulled it off.
smaller moons. None have permanent colonies, but both Did we see any UFOs? Sad to say, nothing that
Hyperion and Iapetus are occasionally visited by humans. wasn’t in the last Jane’s. Of course, they kept us well away
The moons are listed in order of their distance out from the actual test zone. We did do some caving, and
from Saturn. In addition to the named moons described stumbled on an old-style space glove that Sharon insisted
below, there are several tiny moons under 10 miles in must have belonged to a Gypsy Angel pirate.
diameter, most likely captured carbonaceous asteroids. One caution: the USAF really is testing some nasty
Most are found beyond the orbit of Iapetus. things down here, so if you stumble into an unexploded
devourer swarm cluster bomb after they’ve warned you,
HYPERION it’s too bad.
– Copernicus Jones,
Hyperion’s a favorite bugaboo of people infected with Lonely System Guide to Saturn
the alien contact meme. After the military evicted the
Gypsy Angels, they turned the place into a proving ground, Hyperion is an irregular moon 255 miles by 162 miles
and now all kinds of experimental spacecraft and weapons by 136 miles across, the largest non-spherical body in the
are tested out here. In fact, since the 2090s, there have solar system. Hyperion’s eccentric orbit around Saturn, its
been rumors that the USAF, SIA, or NASA are testing cap- irregular shape, and an orbital resonance with Titan com-
tured alien spacecraft – you know, the ones that use tech bine to give the satellite a chaotic, tumbling rotation
they acquired from the Virginians?It sounded interest- unique in the solar system. The average distance
ing, so I traveled from Titan to Hyperion on a rented between Hyperion and Saturn is 0.0097 AU.
 Hyperion has variable microgravity, an escape teams do make an effort to clear up and retrieve most
velocity 0.06 mps (0.042 to orbit) and no atmosphere. debris. There are also unsubstantiated rumors of hid-
Due to its tumbling rotation and ever-changing horizon, a den caches of He-3 left behind by the Gypsy Angels.
-3 penalty applies to all Piloting rolls to land on Hyperion,
and any Free Fall skill rolls, throwing, jumping, or ranged
combat fire while on or near its surface. IAPETUS
The surface of Hyperion is old and heavily cratered – Two-faced Iapetus is 907 miles in diameter, and orbits
the largest crater is 75 miles across and 6 miles deep. Fea- Saturn at an average distance of 0.024 AU. Iapetus is
tures include numerous winding chasms, caves, and frac- almost entirely made up of water ice. However, the con-
tures. The moon suffered a major collision a few billion trast between the surfaces of Iapetus’ two hemispheres is
years ago that blasted much of it away. What’s left is bat- dramatic. The trailing hemisphere is covered with bright,
tered ice and rock, with a density of 1.4 grams/cm3. dirty ice, much like Enceladus, with many large craters.
The surface of the leading hemisphere is coated with a
dark carbonaceous material resembling tar.
In 2032, a Russian cybershell probe landed on Iapetus,
It is the policy of the United States that and positively identified the coating as amorphous carbon
activities in space should be devoted to peaceful (similar to soot) and various organic substances, including
purposes for the benefit of all mankind. poisonous cyano-compounds such as frozen hydrogen
cyanide polymers. The composition of this material was
– U.S. National Aeronautics and Space
identical to Titanian tholin (see Life on Titan?, p. 61). It is
Act of 1958 believed that in the distant past, a massive meteor struck
Titan (possibly forming the Minoan Sea) and blasted a
cloud of debris into orbit. Shortly afterward, Iapetus
Hyperion was first visited by humans in 2075, when passed through the cloud, resulting in the dark stain on its
the USAGS established a temporary base-camp to study leading surface.
the moon’s unusual geology. In the period 2084-2085, the In 2085, Iapetus witnessed the last act of the tale of the
base was occupied and expanded by 64 Gypsy Angels who Pirates of Hyperion. One of two fleeing Gypsy Angels
had been working at Cassini Station before they were dis- Collective vessels was on course to Iapetus, apparently
missed as a result of a labor dispute with Titan Consortium. planning to use the moon as part of a gravitational sling-
These so-called “pirates of Hyperion” raided a couple of shot maneuver. It was 7,400 miles from Iapetus when it
He-3 shipments, selling some to Rust China and others to was caught by a pursuing AKV and destroyed. The AKV
homesteader communities at cut-rate prices. They were in was controlled by a SAI, and this particular action repre-
the process of converting the captured robot freighters sented (as far as anyone knows) the first time that a sapi-
when U.S. military forces arrived. Some of the pirates ent artificial intelligence killed human beings. Ten years
escaped; others were captured or killed covering their later, in 2095, a Gypsy Angel spacecraft landed on Iapetus.
retreat. The crew proceeded to erect an ironic memorial: a black
Today, Hyperion is used by the U.S. government as a basalt slab housing a solar-powered radio beacon.
hostile-environment training area and free-fire range for Iapetus has a density of 1.21 g/cm3 and a surface
the U.S. Army and Air Force, as well as a testing area for gravity of 0.025 G. The escape velocity is 0.37 mps (0.26
Columbia Aerospace and Nanodynamics war machines. mps to orbit). Iapetus’ orbit is inclined at 15° to Saturn’s
The old USAGS base is not permanently inhabited, equatorial plane, granting any inhabitants a good view of
although a single SAI is stationed there to acts as caretak- Saturn’s complete ring system. An eccentric U.S. billion-
er. When major exercises or test runs are scheduled, its aire is reportedly considering building a private getaway
population can swell to 200-300 people. on Iapetus.
A pair of Predator AKVs (and sometimes a larger
force, if maneuvers are ongoing) usually keep an eye on
the moon, and will enforce a quarantine when the testing
PHOEBE
Phoebe is the outermost of Saturn’s mid-sized moons,
range is actually in use. Visitors can land elsewhere;
orbiting Saturn at a distance four times greater than Iape-
there’s no spaceport, although it’s possible to hide oneself
tus (an average distance of 0.086 AU). It is a captured car-
and travel stealthily by taking advantage of Hyperion’s
bonaceous-volatile asteroid, roughly 140 miles across,
twisted geology.
with a dusky reddish surface. Its low density indicates that
Some areas of Hyperion are marked with paint, radio
it is a rubble pile asteroid, filled with large pore spaces.
beacons, or v-tags saying things like “Warning: this area
Phoebe orbits Saturn in the opposite direction to that of the
may contain unexploded munitions or other hazards.”
other major moons, and rotates about its axis every 9.4
There’s occasional wreckage from various encounters
hours There are no known bases on Phoebe.
in some deep chasms, although USAF recovery
 We shall bring to the comets not only trees but a
great variety of other flora and fauna to create for our-
selves an environment as beautiful as ever existed on
Earth. Perhaps we shall teach our plants to make seeds
which will sail out across the ocean of space to propagate
life upon comets still unvisited by man. Perhaps we shall
start a wave of life which will spread from comet to comet
without end until we have achieved the greening of the
Galaxy.
– Freeman Dyson, Disturbing the Universe

The outer marches of the solar system are the region

of space beyond the orbit of Saturn. This new frontier
holds distances so vast that even fusion drive fasthaulers
may take years to traverse them, and icy worlds both
dwarf and giant.
 URANUS STATISTICS
THE CENTAURS Distance from Sun: 20 AU (Jan 1, 2100).
Diameter: 31,800 miles.
Mass: 14.5 Earths.
The Centaurs are a small outer population of objects Density: 1.3 g/cm3.
that circle the sun between the orbits of Saturn and Uranus. Gravity: 0.89 G (upper clouds).
Some are Kuiper Belt Objects (p. 74) whose orbits have Escape Velocity: 13.2 mps.
become perturbed, but others resemble frozen volatile To Orbit: 9.3 mps.
asteroids. Rotational Period: 17.2 hours.
Centaurs range in size from a few miles across to just Year: 83.7 years.
over 100 miles in diameter. The largest bodies are named Atmospheric Composition: 83% hydrogen, 15%
after mythical centaurs. A few of the icier Centaurs have helium, 2% methane.
been diverted to Mars in “comet herding” operations. Temperature: -355° F (cloud tops).
2060 Chiron: At 106 miles in diameter, Chiron is the Moons: 21; see below.
largest of the Centaurs. It’s a ball of dust-covered ice with
a thick rocky core, similar to most Kuiper Belt objects.
When its eccentric orbit causes it to pass within 4 or 5 AU
of the sun, its ice begins to evaporate, surrounding it with shallowness of its gravity well may make it an ideal
a comet-like halo. As a result, it is also classed as a comet, alternative to Saturn for He-3 mining. While Saturn is
95P Chiron. unlikely to run out of helium-3 any time in the foresee-
able future, there are interests that would rather not buy
their energy from the U.S.-dominated Titan Consortium
URANUS . . . and for companies unwilling to afford the cutting-
edge technology of Columbia Aerospace, Uranus offers
fewer mining challenges than Saturn.
Turquoise-hued Uranus is the third largest planet, but
The strangest feature of Uranus is its unusual rotation.
it’s also the least massive of the four gas giants, and in
Instead of being roughly perpendicular to the plane of the
some ways is a “country cousin” to the others. It lacks the
ecliptic, like most planets, it is parallel to it. This means
crushing gravity and terrible radiation of Jupiter, the com-
that during certain parts of the year the planet’s polar
plex icy rings of Saturn, and the high-speed winds of Nep-
region receive more energy from the sun than its equator.
tune. None of its moons are geologically active or possess
As a result, Uranus has the most extreme seasons of any
atmospheres; all are simple balls of ice and rock.
planet in the solar system. For example, during the north-
Yet this may, perversely, make Uranus and its
ern summer, most of the northern hemisphere gets 20 years
moons an ideal location for future colonization. Uranus
of sunlight, while the south receives 20 years of darkness.
is not a place where preservationists are likely to com-
In spring and fall, sunrises and sunsets are normal. Despite
plain if major industrial development takes place. More-
this, temperatures at the equator are not much different
over, the relative calm of the gas giant’s weather and the
than that at the poles, due to internal heat transfer.
While Uranus is a giant planet, its interior is
quite different from those of Jupiter and Saturn.
Yggdrasil Station Because it formed at a greater distance from the
This is a Gypsy Angel-Green Duncanite project to develop sun, more than 80% of its mass is ice and rock,
“Dyson Trees” whose trunks and branches, with toughened bark, and only about 17% is hydrogen. Uranus and its
roots and symbiotic pyschrophile bacteria, tap the icy body for more distant sibling Neptune are sometimes
nutrients, and whose space-black leaves function as a vast solar col- referred to as “ice giants” rather than “gas giants.”
lector. In microgravity, the Duncanites believe that a single tree Uranus’ atmosphere is mostly hydrogen and
could grow to encompass an entire asteroid, creating a megastruc- helium, with a small amount of methane. Faint
ture hundreds or thousands of miles across. Humans would live in cloud bands blow rapidly about the planet. Their
habitat capsules in the tree; work is proceeding on making the tree distinct blue-green color is due to methane.
form these itself. Weather: Conditions on Uranus are not as
The current program is centered on a two-mile-wide Centaur fierce as on some gas giants, but east-west winds
body, 273404 Yggdrasil, currently passing within 6 AU of the sun, still blow at speeds of 90 to 360 mph, averaging
where seeds are being tended by Void Flyer bioroids and a small on- about 220 mph on the equator. Uranus has fewer
site team of Kosmodavit Tenno Tanjo genetic engineers. Yggdrasil storms than the other gas giants, and no enduring
Station is protected by a pair of Barricade-type SDPs. Population is world-sized storm systems like the Great Red
200, CR 1. Spot of Jupiter or the dark spots of Neptune.
 The Interior: Uranus lacks the dense ocean of
liquid metallic hydrogen that characterizes Jupiter and
Saturn, nor does it have a dense rocky core. Its compo-
sition simply turns from gas to slush to ice mingled UNSIBA AEROSTATS
with rock. Depending on how one views Uranus, it This stands for Uranus-Neptune Stratosphere-Inflated Balloon
could be said to have either a very large core, or no core Aerobot. These are the standard cybershell design used for opera-
at all. tions in the atmospheres of the two outermost gas giants. That far
from the sun, there is not enough solar heat to operate the SIRMA

EXPLORATION AND balloons used in Jupiter and Saturn. However, the icy clouds of
Uranus and Neptune’s upper atmosphere offer some unique oppor-
EXPLOITATION tunity for the design of cold-gas balloons which actually have cer-
tain performance advantages in this peculiar environment.
For the past few years, Xiao Chu has been quietly Temperatures in the upper atmosphere of Uranus and Neptune
studying Uranus’ atmosphere using specialized cyber- are cold enough that the molecular weight of the upper atmosphere
shell balloons. The company is presently operating 25 is slightly lower above the clouds than in the troposphere below
UNSIBA aerostats. These are teleoperated from Miran- them. Aerobots designed for Uranus and Neptune take advantage
da and controlled by infomorphs. In 2099 it began an of this. The UNSIBA free-falls through the upper atmosphere, but
exploratory He-3 mining operation from its base on as it descends it sucks in light stratospheric gas, which is used to
Miranda. gradually inflate the balloon. Upon passing through the tropo-
sphere cloud layer, the balloon has “inhaled” enough gas that it can
He-3 Mining of Uranus support itself. An UNSIBA balloon requires one pound of balloon
The method being used on Uranus is similar to that mass to support each pound of its payload. A typical UNSIBA
used on Saturn (p. 55), but simplified due to the small- design is Xiao Chu’s TWX Type-97 (p. 118).
er planet’s lower escape velocity. Instead of employing
a permanent aerostat station and a separate transatmos-
pheric vehicle, Xiao Chu uses a single dedicated Helium particles are mostly rock coated with carbonized frozen
Recovery Vehicle. The mission profile is a launch from methane. When they first established a base here, Xiao
Miranda, aerobraking into Uranus’ atmosphere, the Chu checked for fugitive TSA AKVs. They didn’t find
deployment of a parachute to slow down, and inflation of any . . .
an UNSIBA balloon for lift. Processing is handled in the
same way as Saturn, but after the tank is filled, the HRV
takes on hydrogen and fills its own fuel tank, dumps the MOONS OF URANUS
balloon (the cost of which is small compared to the value Uranus has more than 21 moons, most of them named
of the He-3), and ignites a fission rocket to lift out of for Shakespearean characters. None have either atmos-
Uranus’ atmosphere. Then it either returns to the Xiao Chu pheres or subsurface oceans.
base station at Miranda, or heads directly for Earth or
Mars. Uranus’ Inner Moons
In order of proximity to Uranus, these tiny satellites
URANUS’ MAGNETOSPHERE are Cordelia, Ophelia, Bianca, Cressida, Desdemona, Juli-
et, Portia, Rosalind, Belinda, and Puck. They are small, air-
The magnetic field of Uranus differs from that of most
less rock-and-ice chunks that range in size from 16 miles
other planets. It is not aligned with the planet’s poles.
(Cordelia) to 96 miles (Puck). Cordelia and Ophelia are
Instead of originating from the center of the planet, it orig-
“shepherd moons” that orbit just inside and outside
inates from 60° off to one side. In combination with
Uranus’ main ring. None of them are inhabited, and most
Uranus’ sideways axial tilt, this means that its magnetos-
have never even been visited by probes.
phere has a weird, twisted corkscrew shape, extending six
million miles away from the sun. Radiation is modest com-
pared to Jupiter, and does not pose a significant hazard to
spacecraft. Methane Diamonds?
The conditions of 3,000-degree heat and million

RINGS OF URANUS atmosphere pressure inside Neptune and Uranus may

be just right to squeeze atmospheric methane into dia-
Uranus has a dozen faint, dark rings like Jupiter, but monds. Do diamonds fall like raindrops into the interi-
unlike Jupiter these rings contain large boulders (some up or of Uranus and Neptune? At present, no one knows:
to 30’ in diameter) as well as dust. The main ring structure not even a diamondoid-hulled probe has survived to
orbits Uranus at a distance of 0.00025 AU and is 1,500 venture that far down.
miles wide (but only a few miles thick). The ring
Miranda Caliban is 61 miles in diameter, and orbits
The 11th moon of Uranus, Miranda orbits Uranus Uranus at a distance of 0.048 AU.
at an average distance of 0.00086 AU. Miranda is 295 Stephano is a small chunk of rock 12.5 miles in diam-
miles in diameter. Like most outer satellites, it’s mostly ice eter, and orbits Uranus at a distance of 0.053 AU.
and rock (density 1.2 g/cm3), but the moon possesses an Sycorax is 119 miles in diameter, and orbits Uranus at
unusual “jigsaw” geology of crazy zigzagging canyons a distance of 0.081 AU.
(some up to 12 miles deep) and mountains that look like Prospero and Setebos are both 19 miles in diameter,
layer cakes. and orbit Uranus at distances of 0.11 AU and 0.12 AU.
The moon has a gravity of 0.0081 G and escape veloc- The U.S. National Technical Intelligence Bureau
ity 0.12 mps (0.08 mps to orbit). Surface temperature aver- (p. 97) has a cybershell listening base hidden on Setebos to
ages -335° F. monitor Chinese activity in the ring system.
Tianwangzing Base: The only settlement on Miranda,
it was established in 2087 by Xiao Chu. Originally it was
a small science station studying Miranda’s geology. Since
2098, its population has increased considerably; it now
NEPTUNE
boasts 120 humans and bioroids, all company employees, The gatekeeper of the Kuiper Belt, remote Neptune is
supporting the gas mining operations elsewhere in the sys- the outermost of the gas giants and the eighth planet from
tem. The station is a low-profile operation, but is support- the sun. Its vivid blue color gives Neptune a beauty rival-
ed by a couple of armed USVs and a security squad from ing ringed Saturn, but its violent winds and great distance
Five Dragons. from the inner solar system have discouraged exploration,
even by cybershell probes.
Ariel Neptune is the third most massive planet, and the
The 12th moon of Uranus, Ariel is 724 miles in diam- fourth largest in size.
eter and orbits Uranus at an average distance of 0.00127 Neptune’s internal composition resembles that of
AU. Uranus.
Ariel is covered by a bright surface of water ice. It sur-
face is covered by rift valleys and canyons, and dominat-
ed by craters, mountains, icy ridges, and long winding
valleys. Many of Ariel’s valleys are over 100 miles long The Winds of Neptune
and up to 7 miles deep. The canyons and cracks in Ariel’s Neptune has the fastest winds in the solar system, some
surface are believed to result from the moon having been blowing at speeds of up to 1,200 mph. Like Jupiter, its blue
warm, with a liquid ocean, some billions of years ago. surface is prone to enormous world-sized hurricanes. These
It has a density of 1.66 g/cm3 and a surface gravity of “dark spots” are rotating pinwheel-shaped cyclones bound-
0.027 G. Its temperature is a chilly -340° F. Ariel’s escape ed by feathery white clouds. They can persist for months or
velocity is 0.33 mps (0.2 mps to orbit). years at a time, but not for decades like the Jovian storms.
Xiao Chu cybershells have been exploring Ariel, per- The temperature difference between Neptune’s strong inter-
haps with the idea of building a mining station similar to nal heat source and its frigid cloud tops (-260° F) is respon-
Nanodynamic’s Asgard Station on Callisto. sible for this turbulent weather.

Uranus’ Outer Moons

Umbriel is about the same size as Ariel, but it has a
dark, old, heavily-cratered surface, with more craters than Upper Atmosphere: The upper atmosphere is striated
Ariel and Titania. It is composed of an even mix of rock by swift-moving white cloud formations thousands of
and water ice. It is 731 miles in diameter, with a density of miles long and hundreds of miles wide. These are formed
1.4 g/cm3. Gravity is 0.023 G. from frozen methane droplets. Individual clouds rarely last
Titania is the 14th and largest moon of Uranus. Its ter- for more than 10 hours before being dispersed by Nep-
rain is similar to that of Ariel, with signs of tectonic activ- tune’s winds. 30-40 miles below this level are the dense
ity in the distance past. It is 986 miles in diameter. blue clouds (colored by methane) which cover the entire
Density is 1.7 g/cm3. Gravity is 0.039 G. planet.
Oberon is the 15th and second largest moon Molecular Hydrogen Envelope: Neptune’s
of Uranus. It resembles Umbriel, except that its atmosphere is a mix of molecular hydrogen, helium,
southern hemisphere has large cracks and faults. and methane, massing about 2 or 3 times that of Earth.
One of its mountains is exceptionally large (20,000 The atmosphere is 5,000 miles deep, gradually turning
feet) for the moon’s size. Oberon is 951 miles in diame- from a gas to a liquid.
ter. Density is 1.63 g/cm3. Gravity is 0.035 G.
 TRITON
NEPTUNE’S STATISTICS Triton is a light-colored globe just over three-
Distance from Sun: 30.2 AU (Jan 1, 2100). quarters the size of Luna. It orbits Neptune at an
Diameter: 30,800 miles. average distance of 0.0024 AU. The moon’s orbit is
Mass: 17.1 Earths. unusual: it is very circular, but Triton circles Nep-
Density: 1.6 g/cm3. tune in a direction opposite to the planet’s rotation;
Gravity: 1.12 G (upper clouds). this situation is unique among large moons. As a
Escape Velocity: 14.5 mps. result, tidal interactions are causing Triton’s orbit to
To Orbit: 10.2 mps. slowly decay: millions of years in the future, it will
Rotational Period: 16.1 hours. either break up into a ring or collide with Neptune.
Year: 164.8 years. Triton rotates about its axis every 9.4 hours.
Atmospheric Composition: 74% hydrogen, 25% helium, 1% Unlike our own moon, Triton has a tenuous
methane. atmosphere and a very active geology, with geysers
Temperature: -380° F (cloud tops). that spew plumes of cryogenic matter into space. Its
Moons: Eight; see below. trace atmosphere is composed of nitrogen with a
whiff of methane; it’s effectively a vacuum from a
human perspective, but is visible as a faint haze that
Inner Mantle: This is a semi-solid jacket of water, extends up to 5 miles high. Winds blow across the
methane, and ammonia ice massing about 10-15 Earths, surface at speeds of 20-40 mph. The atmosphere is just
under extreme pressure. thick enough to allow a degree of parachute airbraking for
Core: Neptune’s core is composed of rock and ice, landing payloads. Specialized wind-blown “tumbleweed”
massing about as much as Earth. aerobots were used during the early exploration, and some
are still operational – see Tumbleweeds, p. 120.
Neptune’s Ringlets Triton’s temperature averages -390° F, making the
moon one of the coldest places in the solar system. It is
Neptune has a faint, dark, ring system. The rings
75% rock and 25% water ice, making it denser than many
extend between 25,000 and 39,000 miles from Neptune,
icy moons. Its retrograde orbit and rocky composition sug-
but individual rings are no more than a few miles thick.
gest it is a captured Kuiper Belt Object similar to Pluto,
Like Jupiter’s rings, they are composed of dust and
rather than a moon that formed along with Neptune.
small rocks. There are four main rings, one of which
For the first billion years after Triton was captured, it
shares an orbit with Galetea, Neptune’s fourth moon.
had considerably more water. Tidal heating melted its
liquid surface, leaving it the more differentiated rocky
NEPTUNE’S MOONS body it is today.
Neptune has eight named moons. Aside from Triton’s surface is scarred by giant cracks and
Triton, all are small asteroid-like chunks of heavily- jagged peaks and fissures, some stretching for hun-
cratered ice and rock with microgravity and no dreds of miles. There are a few flat plains of ice sev-
atmospheres. eral miles across, the result of material from geysers
filling up ancient meteor craters. As with Europa,
Neptune’s Inner Moons there are very few visible craters, as billions of years
Inner Moons: Naiad, Thalassa, Despina, of volcanic action and shifting ice has obscured them.
Galetea, and Larissa are the innermost moons, orbit- Triton has an extreme axial tilt of 157°, which
ing Neptune at average distances between 0.00032 gives it noticeable seasons (lasting for decades),
and 0.00049 AU. They are irregular bodies between although the temperature rarely exceeds -390° F. The
18 and 110 miles across. ground is covered by nitrogen frost mixed with traces
Proteus: The second largest of Neptune’s of condensed methane and carbon dioxide and
moons. It orbits Neptune at an average distance of monoxide. There are occasional dark streaks pro-
0.00078 AU. It is an irregular (but roughly spherical) duced by nitrogen deposits blasted out of cryo-volca-
body some 260 miles in diameter. The surface of Proteus noes and carried in long patterns by the winds.
is heavily cratered. The body resembles a large asteroid. Triton’s geysers spew liquid nitrogen, carbonaceous
Nereid: The eighth moon of Neptune, Nereid is a cap- dust, ammonia, and methane compounds into space, send-
tured Kuiper Belt Object with an extremely eccentric orbit. ing plumes shooting up to five miles above the moon’s sur-
Its year-long passage around Neptune takes it from 0.009 face. This “cryo-volcanic” action is the result of variations
AU at closest approach to 0.06 AU at most distant. in seasonal heating from the sun, which causes pressure
buildups in volatiles beneath the moon’s surface.
 fighting on the station, a “forlorn hope” team of rebel
infomorphs hastily modified the programming, than
TRITON’S STATISTICS initiated a short firing sequence. Before they could be halt-
ed, several million probes were launched in an interplane-
Distance from Neptune: 220,400 miles (0.00237 AU). tary trajectory. EDI failed to realize what was happening,
Diameter: 1,680 miles. believing it was a failed attempt to use the accelerator to fire
Mass: 0.00358 Earth masses. on their spacecraft. The Exogenesis team wiped the
Density: 2 grams/cm3 records. Some had time to beam themselves off station to
Gravity: 0.08 G. join the Axon Group (p. 100) on Io or elsewhere; those who
Escape Velocity: 0.9 mps. did not have time erased themselves to conceal the knowl-
To Orbit: 0.63 mps. edge of what they had done.
Rotational Period: 5.9 days. The swarm of probes reached Triton in October of
Atmospheric Pressure: 0.000015 atmospheres. 2099. Those that survived impact crawled out of their
Atmospheric Composition: Trace nitrogen-methane. acceleration shells and went to work. At the moment,
Surface Water: None. they’re reconstituting themselves into larger microbot
Temperature: -390° F. swarms specialized for various activities, from antenna
Population: see below. 500+ pounds of cyberswarms. disks to miners. They’ve also stumbled on the old Tum-
Spaceports: Small spaceport. bleweed robots, dismantling some for parts and modifying
Control Rating: CR 0. others into vehicles they can move about in.
As to what they’re doing . . . they’re building a new
base for the Exogenesis rebels, one that Nanodynamics
Much of the summer hemisphere is dominated by does not know about. When it’s complete, Axon will have
regularly-spaced crater-like circular depressions a few a hidden sanctuary in the Deep Beyond. It will be able to
miles across, separated by rugged ridges; these are caused use lasers to transmit backups of its personnel there, to a
when icy surfaces melt and collapse as temperatures place where the cyber-rebels can build up strength in
increase by a few degrees. The winter hemisphere is part- secret. An infomorph homeland . . .
ly covered by a faint pink frosting of frozen methane.

SETTLEMENT ON TRITON
Triton has attracted scientific attention since the Voy-
THE KUIPER BELT
ager 2 flyby discovered its exotic geology. In 2032, the The Kuiper Belt is an enormous population of icy
Russian-Ukrainian probe Komarov orbited Triton and sent “trans-Neptunian” objects, leftover debris from the forma-
back detailed imagery. The first major exploration was in tion of the solar system. They occupy a torus-shaped area
2071, when the USAGS landed two dozen “tumbleweed” of space around the sun, extending from about 30 AU (the
cybershells (p. 120) coordinated by a relay satellite. These orbit of Neptune) to 50 AU, with some bodies found as far
sent back data until 2090, when the satellite ran out of out as 100-200 AU. There are over 100,000 icy bodies 50
power and ceased transmitting. Several of the tumble- miles or more in diameter, including several that are hun-
weeds remained active at that point, and are believed to be dreds of miles across. There are also many billions of
still exploring smaller bodies a few miles across.
Triton was left to its own devices for the next several
years. Then, in 2099, the Exogenesis Station team working Kuiper Belt Populations
on Starswarm (p. 136) faced a shutdown of their project. There are three main populations of Kuiper Belt
Starswarm was intended to launch a phalanx of interstellar objects, which differ in their orbits:
nanoprobes to explore other solar systems. In the midst of Classic Kuiper Belt: This population consists of
a round of budget cuts that culminated in their sale to Nan- objects in stable orbits about the sun at average distances
odynamics, the team decided to conduct one last proof-of- of 42 to 50 AU. Many objects in this category have sur-
concept live test. Facing immediate shutdown and unable vived intact since the dawn of the solar system. About
to power the launch accelerator for a long-range shot, they 40-50% of the total population of the Kuiper Belt is con-
modified the probes for lower velocities and enclosed centrated in these objects.
them in hard-landing acceleration shells, planning to test- Plutinos: These objects are locked into a stable 3:2
fire them at a moon in the outer system. Their target: Tri- orbital resonance with Neptune: for every two orbits Nep-
ton. tune takes around the sun, they complete three. A typical
The plans for a launch were interrupted when Nano- Plutino will have an orbit that can take it as close to the sun
dynamics’ EDI mercenaries made a surprise attack on as 30 AU or as distant as 50 AU. Plutinos make up about
Exogenesis Station. During the desperate few hours of 10% of the population of KBOs within 50 AU of the
 SETTLING THE KUIPER BELT
QUAOAR The first human visitors to the Kuiper Belt were
comet herders. Microgravity engineers and fusion drive
Quaoar is one of the larger Kuiper Belt Objects – an icy
rockball 800 miles across, half the size of Pluto, some 42 AU mechanics – often Gypsy Angels (p. 88) – were hired by
from the sun. In 2086 a joint Gypsy Angel-Xiao Chu expe- Rust China and later, by America/Mars to visit Centaurs
dition visited Quaoar to establish a comet-herding support and Kuiper Belt Objects. They installed fusion torch
base; however, eight months later, they began transmitting a drives and mass drivers on their surfaces, then nudged
stream of baffling gibberish, then went silent. Months later, a their orbits in the direction of Mars, to add their volatiles
Chinese SDV, the Rensheng, arrived to investigate, but what to the thickening Martian atmosphere in a process nick-
they found remains classified . . . Neither China nor the named “crash terraforming.”
Gypsy Angels have resettled Quaoar, but an unmanned In the late 2080s, largely due to the influence of
PLAN-SF space defense platform still orbits it, warning off Gypsy Angel leader Joseph Pierre Fox, the Angels
visitors. began their own KBO settlement program, to carry
Other large KBOs include Varuna (560 miles across) Green System (p. TS89) ideals to the outer reaches of
and Ixion (650 miles across). There are indications that some the system. Using funds gained from various services
of these bodies may have subsurface seas like Callisto’s. (legal and otherwise) that they had performed for Rust
China, the Gypsy Angels acquired new and second-
hand cybershells, factory, and life support systems.
They founded Topsy Station, the first permanent habitat
sun. The Plutinos get their name from the largest object in the Kuiper Belt.
within the category: Pluto. Today, about 2,000 sapient beings continue to work
Scattered Disk: This population of objects has quite as comet herders, colonists, and explorers in the Kuiper
eccentric orbits that carry them closer into the solar sys- Belt. Some of them live on Gypsy Angel and Xiao Chu
tem, as near to the sun as 35 AU, and out beyond 150 AU. vessels, while others are inhabitants of Topsy and its
The scattering is the result of gravitational influences of daughter stations.
Neptune. About half the population of the
Kuiper Belt is composed of scattered
disk Kuiper Belt Objects.
The scattered Kuiper Belt Objects
are a source of short-period comets.

Composition of Kuiper Belt

Objects
The bodies populating the Kuiper
Belt are leftovers from the birth of the
solar system. They consist of a nucleus
of rock surrounded by a ball of frozen
dust and gas. Volatiles include water ice,
carbon monoxide, methane, and nitro-
gen.
A KBO’s surface crust is usually
composed of very dark, hydrogen-poor,
carbon-rich material. This is the result of
billions of years of cosmic ray bombard-
ment, which depletes hydrogen and cre-
ates complex carbonized polymers in the
ice. Some KBOs have mottled surfaces,
where collisions exposed brighter ice or
rock beneath.
KBOs are very cold – temperatures
of -350° to -400° F are common. As
they’re mostly various ices, some less
dense than water, density is typically
about 0.9-1.2 g/cm3.
 COMETS
A comet is an object from the Kuiper Belt, Centaur or Short-period comets originate in the scattered disk of the
Oort Cloud populations whose orbit takes it near the inner Kuiper Belt or are Centaurs. They usually take several years
solar system. When the object gets within about 3-4 AU of to several decades (up to 200 years) between passes into the
the sun, the increasing temperature causes its icy outer crust inner system. Halley’s Comet is an example of a short-
to sublimate. period comet, with a period of 76 years.
This evaporation creates a visible coma, a wispy atmos- Long-period comets come from the Oort cloud (p. 77).
phere of dust and gas much larger than the comet itself. Some Depending on how wide their orbit is, they can have periods
of this gas is charged and blown in a direction away from the of hundreds, thousands or even millions of years. Hale-Bopp
sun by the solar wind (see p. TS30), resulting in the comet’s and Hyakutake are examples of long-period comics. Oort
long glowing tail. A tail can stretch for hundreds of millions cloud comets may be perturbed into the inner system by the
of miles (a couple of AU), and always points away from the influence of passing stars.
Sun. A comet’s tail is tenuous enough that a spacecraft can After a comet has made 200 or so passes through the
pass through without any difficulty. inner system, it will have lost its ice and embedded dust, leav-
A comet may swing through the solar system and back ing only a dark, rocky nucleus. However, not every comet suf-
out to where it originated, returning every few decades, cen- fers this fate. Some have their orbit perturbed by the gravity
turies, or even millennia. The time it takes before returning of Jupiter or another planet. This can eject a comet out of the
is the comet’s period, which depends on how eccentric its solar system into interstellar space, give it a new orbit within
orbit is. the system (for example, moving it into the Centaur popula-
tion), or even send it crashing into the sun or another body.

troubleshooters and crisis negotiators for the Gypsy

2051 BJ – “TOPSY STATION” Angels, beaming themselves to trouble spots to help fam-
ily spacecraft in danger. Of course, they don’t reveal their
2051 BJ is an undistinguished Kuiper Belt Object in a
stable trans-Neptunian orbit in the classic Kuiper Belt pop- true identities to outsiders unless absolutely necessary.
ulation. It is three miles in diameter, orbiting the sun at a Society on Topsy Station is a functioning nanarchy (p.
mean distance of 44 AU. The earliest and largest commu- TS90). With plenty of power-generating capacity, 3D
nity in the Kuiper Belt, Topsy Station is an ever-growing printers and abundant raw resources, the citizens of the sta-
accretion disk of cargo cans, derelict and obsolete space- tion aren’t poor, but most of their income is actually spent
craft, giant solar mirrors, smaller icy chunks, and purpose- on information and techniques.
built modules. The six dozen objects currently making up Topsy Station is also expanding at a deliberate pace.
Topsy Station are all tethered together by long nanocom- On average, another sizable KBO passes within 0.01 AU
posite cables. The entire mass slowly rotates, keeping the every month or so. When this occurs, a posse of Gypsy
cables taut. Angels will usually take a torch ship out for a visit, and if
Topsy is home to two different groups. The original it looks promising, they’ll either homestead the object, or
settlers were Gypsy Angels, now numbering 500 Tennin drag it back to become part of the station.
and 200 Void Flyers. However, all adults practice shadow-
swap (p. 88), so they each host 1-3 shadow infomorphs,
some of which may also be sapient. Thus, actual numbers
are hard to judge. Many Gypsy Angels belong to a group The Tritium Affair
calling itself the Kuiper Belt Brigade of the Singularity In the aftermath of the Pacific War, an undercover
Liberation Front, a radical transhumanist and hyperevolu- TSA covert operations unit codenamed Nark Puggsee
tionist group that has no connection with the Christian was ordered to assist in the procurement of a quantity of
hyperevolutionists. Their goal is to foster the spread of tritium from the Fengyang Group at Liang Mountain
sapient intelligence through trans-Neptunian space. (p. 31). However, when the TSA team learned the buyers
Since 2087, Topsy has also provided sanctuary for were Negative Growth terrorists who needed the tritium
Nark Puggsee, a renegade TSA memetic warfare team for a thermonuclear bomb, some found they could not
consisting of rogue Emergent Intelligences and ghosts. support such an action. The team instead sabotaged the
Through xoxing, there are about 50 of them, mostly host- operation, betraying the bomb location to Chinese securi-
ed by bioshell bodies, although some reside in mainframe ty. Shortly afterwards, the team disappeared, severing
cybershells. They no longer serve TSA controllers – contact with their TSA handlers . . .
see The Tritium Affair, below. They act as mobile
 The boundary between the solar wind and
PLUTO incoming interstellar particles – the point where their
pressure is equal – is the heliopause. It is located roughly
Pluto is the largest and most famous of the Plutino
population of Kuiper Belt Objects. Its eccentric orbit takes 150 AU from the sun, but like the magnetosphere of
it as close to the Sun as Neptune and as much as half again Jupiter and other planets, it has a much longer “tail” that
further away. In 2100 it’s near the outer edge of its orbit. trails away from the direction the sun moves. The first
Pluto is about 70% ice and 30% rock. Its surface is spacecraft to cross the heliopause were the Voyager and
covered with a crust of frozen nitrogen, methane, and car- Pioneer probes, in the mid-21st century.
bon monoxide, over a mantle of water ice and a rocky core.
Pluto has been visited by cybershell probes, but no
humans have ever landed on it. The last cybershell probe
ran out of power in 2082; since then Pluto has been quiet.
THE OORT CLOUD
First conceived of by astronomer Jan Oort, the Oort
Cloud is a spherical cloud of trillions of icy bodies that fol-
low eccentric orbits around the Sun. They orbit at average
Pluto Statistics distances of 40,000-200,000 AU, although some bodies –
Distance from Sun: 48.8 AU (Jan 1, 2100). long-period comets – come much closer to the sun. It can
Diameter: 1,485 miles. take individual Oort Cloud objects millions of years to
Mass: 0.0021 Earths. complete their orbits. The total mass of comets in the Oort
Density: 2 g/cm3. cloud is many times the mass of the Earth.
Gravity: 0.067 G. Oort Cloud objects are weakly bound to the sun. They
Escape Velocity: 0.68 mps. can be perturbed in their orbits by the influences of pass-
To Orbit: 0.48 mps. ing stars, interstellar molecular clouds, and galactic tidal
Rotational Period: 6.4 days.Year: 248 years. effects, resulting in the long-period comets that curve from
Atmosphere: Vacuum. the Oort Cloud into the system.
Surface Water: None. Water ice. Oort Cloud objects are similar to Kuiper Belt Objects,
Temperature: -400° F. but not identical. Unlike the objects in the Classic Kuiper
Moons: Charon. Belt, they were originally formed closer to the sun, and
ejected during a period of violent collisions and gravita-
tional perturbations that followed the solar system’s birth.
As they are fragments of earlier collisions, many, although
Charon not all, of the Oort Cloud bodies are smaller and more
Charon is Pluto’s moon. On average, it is 0.00013 AU irregular in shape than KBOs. The average temperature of
(12,000 miles) from Pluto. At 790 miles in diameter, Oort Cloud objects is a cryogenic -450° F, just a few
Charon is the largest moon in proportion to its planet of degrees above absolute zero.
any satellite in the solar system. Charon and Pluto’s rota-
tions are synchronized, so that both always show the same
face to one another. No one has ever visited it, although a
few remote probes have made close flybys.
Charon is airless. Its surface is covered with water ice,
unlike Pluto. The moon’s composition is a mix of ice and
rock, similar to many of Saturn’s moons. It has a density of
about 2 grams/cm3 and a gravity of 0.036 G. Escape
velocity is 0.41 mps (0.29 mps to orbit).

THE EDGE OF THE

SOLAR SYSTEM
The Heliopause (see p. TS30) is sometimes called the
“edge of the solar system.” As the solar wind moves from
the sun into space, it creates a magnetized bubble of hot
plasma called the heliosphere. Eventually this encoun-
ters charged particles emitted from interstellar gas.
 PRIMORDIAL BLACK HOLES OORT CLOUD EXPEDITIONS
A half-dozen atom-sized black holes, cosmic leftovers China and the United States are both very interested in
from the Big Bang, have been found in the Oort Cloud acquiring a mini black hole of their own. Only 2098
(and one in the Kuiper Belt). Each masses a few billion D2 is within practical range of optimized spacecraft
tons. A few have had close encounters with the chunks of built with current technology; reaching the next near-
rock and ice in the Kuiper Belt or Oort Cloud. Braked by est target would take about 200 years.
tidal forces as they interpenetrated, they slowed down Hawking Industries (in partnership with the
enough to be gravitationally bound within them. Others are ESA), China’s MAST, and the Gypsy Angels Collec-
“naked,” existing alone in deep space. tive have all dispatched long-range fusion- or anti-
One primordial black hole, occupying the Kuiper Belt matter-powered deep space operations vehicles to
Object 112434 Shezbeth, has been recovered – see The rendezvous with the object and establish a research
Shezbeth Expedition, p. TS23, for details, and Hawking station. Most of these vessels have fueled-to-empty
Station, p. 20, for its present location. The next nearest one mass ratios of 10:1 or more, allowing them to reach
is inside comet 2098 D2, an ice-and-rock body about 12 round-trip velocities of 250-350 mps.
miles in diameter. 2098 D2 is in an eccentric orbit and is The expeditions are expected to reach 2098 D2 in
currently passing “relatively” close to the sun, at a distance 9-11 years. They and their masters are currently nego-
of 1,100 AU. tiating protocols for sharing their research, while
The other five mini black holes detected to date are all planning for what might happen if cooperation breaks
in the Oort Cloud, 40,000+ AU away. down. None of the explorers admit to being armed,
but all likely are. The situation is complicated
because the body in question is small enough that
the Revised Outer Space Treaty actually allows it
G RAVITATIONAL ENSING AND THE L to be claimed.
NASA and USAGs have not yet launched a
S OLARIS ISSIONM mission,
control.
due to bureaucratic infighting over its
However, Nanodynamics is also working
In 2044, the European Space Agency and Vosper-Babbage
launched Solaris, the first fusion drive spacecraft. Its mission was to on getting the Starswarm project back to opera-
voyage to the edge of the solar system and investigate the phenome- tional status, as it could reach either 2098 D2 or
na of gravitational lensing. At very distant locations some 550 AU one of the farther primordial black holes. If it
from the sun, solar gravity bends and refocuses distant incoming light works, it could get there much faster, perhaps
and other electromagnetic radiation, acting as a natural lens. At such within a year, but technical issues, especially
solar foci, a relatively small optical or radio telescope can image the regarding braking the probes, remain to be
universe many orders of magnitude better than any conventional resolved.
instrument. Solaris carried an array of optical and radio telescopes to
take advantage of this phenomenon, in order to open a then-unrivaled
window on the cosmos.
Solaris took 16 years to reach its destination, arriving in 2070. In
INTERSTELLAR
the process, it journeyed well beyond the heliopause and sent back
measurements of the interstellar medium – dust density, magnetic
fields, and low-energy cosmic rays – providing invaluable data for
SPACE
later missions such as the Oort Cloud expeditions and Starswarm. The outer fringe of our solar system’s Oort
The Solaris spacecraft has sufficient fuel to operate for more cloud merges with the Oort cloud of Alpha Cen-
than a century, and extensive self-servicing and self-repair capability tauri. Very long-term plans have been made for
through onboard cybershells and minifacs. It was originally con- robotic missions that will eventually cross the
trolled by LAI infomorphs, but these were upgraded to SAIs in 2082. interstellar void in this fashion, using Oort cloud
In 2090, the first ghost – ESA astronomer Hans Larsen – was trans- objects as stepping stones to the stars.
mitted to Solaris, and currently the spacecraft has a mixed population The exploration of other star systems is still
of a half-dozen ghosts and SAIs, who dwell in lonely splendor above being done primarily by telescopes, notably the
the solar system. Solaris – now effectively a space station – remains very powerful Luna Farside and Sahasara Chaksu
one of the solar system’s most important observatories; its tasks space telescope systems.
include cosmological astronomy, SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial No habitable planets have been detected clos-
Life) research, and the direct imaging of extrasolar planets, brown er than 28 light years away – there are none at
dwarfs, and Oort Cloud bodies. Alpha Centauri, for example. However, two rela-
tively nearby objects are worthy of note.
 our sun’s mass, 1.06 times its diameter, but only 80% of its
XIANG 63 luminosity. 61 Virginis is 27.8 light-years from our own
solar system, in the southern part of the constellation Virgo.
In order to generate the temperatures and pressures
necessary for sustainable nuclear fusion reactions to occur, It’s younger then the sun: 2.9 billion years old.
a star needs a mass at least 75-85 times that of Jupiter. A In 2013, it was discovered that 10 planets orbited 61
brown dwarf is an object that didn’t quite make the grade, Virginis. Five of these planets are giants, none quite as
being anywhere from 10 to 80 Jupiter masses. It’s far cool- large as Jupiter; two are airless; one has an exotic nitrogen-
er than a star, but still warm enough to heat some of its methane atmosphere; one is a desert world (but possibly a
satellites. better terraforming candidate than Mars) . . . and one, the
The name is a bit misleading; a brown dwarf actually third planet out from its sun, appears habitable.
appears red, not brown. The light from brown dwarfs is
primarily in the near-infrared part of the spectrum. The sur-
61 Virginis III (Virginia)
face temperature is about 1,300° F, rising to a few million The third planet of 61 Virginis, “Virginia,” orbits its
degrees in the interior. star at a mean distance of 0.9 AU. Its year is 316 days long,
Xiang 63 is the closest brown dwarf that has been and its day is 20 hours. Virginia is about 8,200 miles in
detected. It was discovered in 2017, and is 60,000 AU diameter. Its atmosphere is oxygen-nitrogen, but substan-
away from our sun (0.95 light years). It is orbited by 22 tially richer in carbon dioxide than that of Earth. Oceans
known bodies, some of them similar to the moons of cover 81% of its surface. The level of oxygen is a strong
Jupiter and Saturn. These bodies may have subsurface indicator that life is present, although its exact nature
oceans thawed by Xiang 63’s radiation and/or tidal heat- remains uncertain.
ing, but no one knows for sure. Recent observations with the new Sahasara Chaksu
It was to have been the target for the Starswarm distributed array telescope show four main continents,
nanoprobe project. Once launched, the probes were with ground cover suggestive of vegetation. Large island-
expected to arrive by 2120. En route to their destination, size patches also move through the oceans, sometimes
they were to link up to form a gigantic magnetic sail and combining, other times breaking up or vanishing. It is
communications array, which would brake against the unknown exactly what they are – theories range from weed
interstellar medium to decelerate the probes and then steer mats to giant animals, although it is generally believed
them into orbit. that the system is too young to have highly devel-
oped animal life.
No signs of civilization have been observed,
61 VIRGINIS nor have electromagnetic signals suggesting intel-
61 Virginis is a yellow-orange G5-6 V star similar to ligent life been detected.
our own sun, but somewhat less bright. It has 96% of
 I’m in Manann’an Station, having lunch with Torsten I’m skeptical, so Rademacher agrees to take me down
Rademacher, the commander of the Europa Defense Front. into the working heart of his station. We board a crude
I feel privileged: I’m the first journalist to speak to him high-speed elevator chamber that descends four miles
since he fled Mars, accused of being one of the people through the thin ice to a submarine dock just above the
behind the Negative Growth attack on the Space Elevator. shaft opening. He shows me the decontamination chamber
Now he’s here. and clean room by the sub dock. They sterilize every
I ask what he thinks of stories in the mainstream hunter-killer or swarm before sending it into the ocean. I
preservationist press that accuse the EDF of themselves have heard the term “surgical strike” used before, but
risking catastrophic biological contamination. I mean, if never seen it carried forward with this sort of dedication.
he blows up a submarine full of Avatar people, won’t that In a large cavern adjacent to the airlock chamber,
cause contamination? Rademacher introduces me to three more EDF members,
I haven’t seen Rademacher angry before. “Do working with tech-spider cybershells. They’re servicing a
they think we’re fools?” he asks. “They know noth- modified Vostok cryobot, which looks like the offspring of
ing.” He tells me how they’ve set up autonomous a beach ball and an octopus. While they install a laser
patrols around sea-bed smoker vents, using swimming chemscanning array, I examine the cryobot’s black poly-
microbots and armed cybershells to “neutralize” non- mer coating, which has a few scars and pockmarks on it.
Europan organisms before they can spread. Their “Supercavitating slugs,” one of the techs tells me. He’s a
problem is the need to maintain a distant enough blond guy who doesn’t look more than 20, and I notice a
perimeter so that any combat action occurs in the cold dolphin tattoo on his shoulder. “Used to be a squid,” he
and largely lifeless expanse of the deep ocean, rather says. “I’m Jake.”
than near the vent populations or surface. But he’s “The Green Slime have imported their own Cereal
convinced they’ve got a system. “Our whole operation Killers,” says Ann-Marie, a petite young woman with a
is predicated on zero ecological damage,” he says. French accent. “Depleted uranium ammunition! What
“Eradication of the Duncanite cancer – and nothing were they thinking?”
more.”
 The Green Slime are what they call the Duncan- sound – but the ladar gives me range and shows a
ites; Cereal Killers are Duncanite combat bioroids shape – then two more. Two of them, man-size.
and security company mercs, from MAD and Ceres Aster- We’re close now, and I can actually see them: biolu-
oid Patrol. minescent things, shaped like mermaids, but male and
Ann-Marie’s unpacking olive-drab canisters from a female. Suddenly the swimmers start to thrash. The
crate marked with the logo of a major supplier of marine devourer cyberswarms have them and they’re eating them
bioscanners, which these obviously aren’t. They’re marked alive. The water fills with blood, but through the ladar we
with the MBC trefoil, and I recognize them immediately can still see it happening. The “Europans” are coming
from countless war InVids I watched when I was little. apart, like an anatomy lesson, or an autopsy, except they’re
Microbot hives, the old kind, U.S. military surplus from the still alive . . . for a few seconds, anyway. Then . . . “That’s
Andes War. a kill,” Ann-Marie says, and makes a V-sign. The cryobot
I’m in their way, so Rademacher leads me aside, and ladar is performing a careful chemscan all this time –
seated on a pair of crates, we talk about his philosophy, sweeping the water so that the cyberswarms can home in
why he feels that direct action is justified, even if it means and pick off every last globule of blood, every gobbet and
taking human life. He tells me about his youth (he was molecule of flesh . . . none of it must reach the ocean floor.
born in Rostock, Germany), and his early experience with None of it does.
Blue Shadow. I learn he was part of the monkeywrench A surgical strike. Everyone is cheering. I try not to
team that tried to stop the Octosap project at Elandra, but throw up.
he became disillusioned with Blue Shadow’s scruples. – Copernicus Jones, War in Europa
“Did you know that gene-engineered fish have utterly dis-
placed 26 species in the last five years alone?” he asks. I This chapter details some of the societies, govern-
ask him why he’s here instead of on Earth. ments, corporations, armed forces, criminals, and other
Rademacher says he can do more good – in his eyes – groups active in the Deep Beyond.
here on Europa. He fears Earth’s ecology is nearly
past saving, that Mars may be a lost cause. But
there’s still a chance to save native life in the Deep
Beyond, not just on Europa, but on Enceladus, Titan
and elsewhere. I protest that no one has yet explored Green technology means we
Enceladus’ ocean, and that Titan doesn’t even have
a native ecosystem – it’s too cold for life to develop. do not live in cans but adapt
“But it will,” Rademacher says. “In a few bil-
lion years, when the sun swells into a red giant, the our plants and our animals
frozen ice will turn to water, and the tholin will come
alive – if we haven’t poisoned it.” Angrily, he tells
me about a big Titan Consortium vat spill that has
and ourselves to live wild in
yet to make the news, but which could be contami-
nating the surface of Saturn’s moon. “We have no
the universe as we find it . . .
words for the crime that is being committed there,”
he tells me. “We’re seeing the biochemical abortion
– Freeman Dyson
of an entire planetary ecology before it has even had
a chance.”
As I’m digesting this statement, a bearded white

DUNCANITE SOCIETY
guy about my age bounces into the room. “Torsten, we’ve
got a hit,” he says excitedly. “We’re engaging – six targets
on the scope, four klicks off Little Chili Pepper Five!”
“Do we have full coverage there?” Rademacher asks, “Yes, Maya, an armed society is a polite society . . . if
all business. everyone’s an adult. But all too often, the guns get into the
“Five by five,” the man says. “We’re engaging now.” hands of teenagers, and then morality is in the hands of
“Give me feed,” Rademacher says, and snaps down those who don’t yet understand mortality. You see that in
his wearable again. He turns to me. “We’re engaging the Bujumbura, in Luanda, in Tegucigalpa. Anarchy is not
Green Slime. You may want to see this. What we’re up chaos!”
against.” “Agreed. But I refuse to cure symptoms when I can
A few minutes later, I’ve got a virtuality helmet, and treat a disease. Guns don’t kill societies. Immaturity does.
am getting imagery from a cryobot. A “target” has been So adolescence is a meme we can’t afford.”
encountered by the EDF’s microbot patrols. I think it’s – The Devil’s Driftwork: Conversations with
being scanned by imaging ladar. There’s no light or Maya Payne (Ceres Archives, 2082)
 Today, the Duncanites represent the most wide- majority of Duncanites, including most of those who
ly dispersed human culture in history. Their major still live on Ceres, are called “Green Duncanites,” due
population center is at Silas Duncan Station on Ceres, but to their loyalty to the pantropic “green system” ideology of
they’ve also settled some Jovian moons and about 40 other the original Ares Crew. The main splinter factions are the
asteroids. Most of the latter habitats are independently- Red Duncanites (see Leading Trojans, p. 30, and Trojan
owned “freeholds.” Their total population is about 50,000 Mafia, p. 106) and the Gypsy Angels (see Gypsy Angels,
sapient beings, an even mix of Tennin parahumans, micro- p. 88).
gravity-adapted bioroids, and sapient AIs. Most Duncanites live in extended families which trace
The Duncanites have little in the way of military their descent to original founding members (“genarchs”)
power or central organization, but they’ve genetically but there is no formal “clan” structure – just webs of influ-
engineered themselves for life in the asteroid belt and other ence that are occasionally cemented by liaisons or mar-
microgravity environments, and they’ve had half a centu- riage, and the bearing of children. About 40% of their
ry to work at it. They have no central and few local gov- children are natural-born; the rest are grown in exo-
ernment bodies – the majority of Duncanite stations are wombs. There’s no stigma either way. There is more work
anarcho-capitalist societies. The closest thing to a govern- than there are people to handle it.
ment is Avatar Klusterkorp, which as the major Duncanite Duncanite society is a young society, with a very high
corporation wields considerable power, but no legal proportion of children. This might elsewhere be a recipe
authority. for disaster, but the Duncanites use Fifth Wave education-
The Duncanite population originally settled on Ceres, al techniques (such as implanted low-sapient kinder-
in Silas Duncan Station (p. 13). While there was plenty of comps) to ensure that its youth are highly productive at an
room on Ceres for future expansion, the Duncanite liber- early age. This, more than anything else, sets Duncanites
tarian ethos encouraged personal property ownership, apart from Earth. Since the 2060s, their children have had
independence, and self-reliance, which meant that not to grow up fast. For most Duncanites, childhood ends at
everyone was content to live on the same asteroid. The about age 10-12 (and this is dropping!), as the children
enter the workforce as apprentices. Within
three or four years, they’ve usually found
lucrative jobs, although they may bounce
S D
ILAS UNCAN AND THE ALKLAND SLANDS F I around a bit first. As soon as a person can
support himself, he’s considered an adult.
“Actually, I didn’t think they’d last six months.” Duncanite culture is free of much of
– Captain Latisha Fox, USAF the generational stress that afflicts other
Fifth Wave societies. Parents don’t just
The name “Silas Duncan Station” was picked by Captain Latisha Fox, expect their children to be better and
the USAF officer who exceeded her own government’s orders to help settle smarter then they are; they work toward
the Ares Crew on Ceres. this through genetic engineering, and use
Fox named the station after an incident that took place at the Falkland cybernetics and biomodification to ensure
Islands. In 1823, the government of Argentina occupied the Falklands, claim- they can keep up with their offspring.
ing their right of succession to former Spanish territories. Over the next six Each generation is expected to improve
years, they attempted to impose order on the rowdy collection of ex-convicts, on the next. Duncanite humorists joke that
sheep farmers, sealers, and whalers who operated there. In 1829, they arrest- in 50 years, a babe-in-the-womb will be
ed the crew of a U.S. sealing ship that was hunting with proper permits, and Avatar’s CEO.
seized their seal skins. There are some rebels in Duncanite
The U.S. government took offense, and dispatched the corvette USS society, but they tend to be found among a
Lexington to reclaim the property. Once it arrived at the Falklands, its cap- minority of the elderly population (who
tain, Silas Duncan, exceeded his orders: he sacked the port, arrested anyone fear what the Duncanites are becoming)
who got in his way, blew up the Argentine defenses, and declared the island rather than among the youth. “Restless
“free of all government,” sailing off leaving chaos in his wake. Age” tends to refer to Duncanites who’ve
The inhabitants seemed to have approved – when Argentina sent a been left behind (genetically speaking)
replacement governor, he was murdered by the citizens, and the island and choose to leave Silas Duncan Station,
resumed its state of anarchy. The rebels fought off further attempts by generally retiring to asteroid freeholds
Argentina to impose order, but were ultimately suppressed when British war- where they can set their own pace.
ships arrived in 1833 to reassert an old claim. Most human-descended Duncanites
Fox is said to have picked the name because the captain believed she was came from American, Japanese, Chinese,
leaving a similar mess behind her. At Maya Payne’s urging, the Duncanites and Russian ethnic backgrounds, reflect-
embraced the choice. ing the makeup of the Ares Conspiracy
exiles that fled from Mars. At present,
 about 30% of the Duncanite sapient population are
various bioroids, 40% are Tennin or proto-Tennin
parahumans, and 20% are sapient Ais. The rest are a The Fundamental Contract
mix of exotic parahumans, original human settlers, and This document, created by the Ares Crew in 2044, spells
recent immigrants. The Duncanites are open to immi- out certain rights that all free persons possess on Duncanite
gration, although newcomers unwilling to conform to stations and vessels. A “free person” is an adult human,
their social norms rarely last long. genetic upgrade human, parahuman, or ghost.
Summarized, it amounts to:

THE ARES CREW Right to Property: A person’s property may not be

moved, destroyed, occupied, damaged, or altered without his
If the Duncanites have a social “elite,” it’s the Ares informed consent. A person’s body is considered his own
Crew, the popular nickname for the original 57 fugi- property, and so is his work.
tives who fled from Mars to Ceres aboard the Michael Right to Self-Defense: A person may violate another’s
Collins and founded Silas Duncan Station. right to property in defense of his own property. In so doing,
There are 29 Ares Crew known to be alive, 12 that person should not use more force than is justified by the
missing but not proven dead, and 16 confirmed dead. perceived threat, and must make reasonable effort commen-
Ares crew were all baseline or genefixed humans, surate with the situation to ensure this perception is accurate.
mostly born on Earth between 1990 and 2030. Among Right to Common Defense: A person may exercise the
them was a small group of Martian-born children and right of self-defense on behalf of another person or persons,
teens. The living survivors have embraced biomodifi- with their permission, or if he has reasonable grounds to
cation to ensure continued long life and microgravity believe it would be granted were that person able to do so.
adaptation, but several of them are in poor health, due Right to Fair Contract: A person may transfer present or
to bone and muscle deterioration and radiation damage future property rights or damages to another person, on a
before microgravity-adaptation nanomods were intro- temporary, partial, permanent, or provisional basis, provided
duced. (They should be created using the Floater tem- both come to a mutual agreement without fraud. A contract
plate, p. TS115.) secured by a credible threat to violate a person’s other fun-
The majority of the Ares Crew live in Duncanite damental rights is null and void.
asteroid habitats in the Main Belt and the Trojan Children are more complex; basically they’re consid-
Points. Most are Very Wealthy or better; many own ered persons whose rights can be restricted by their parents
their own asteroid freeholds, sizable chunks of Avatar or guardians in their own best interests, and precedent exists
Klusterkorp or Ceres Mutual, or smaller companies for them to sue for independence if they can demonstrate that
like Mutual Assured Defense or Kirkwood Gap. A few this no longer applies. There is a move among sapients-rights
of them are less well off, but none of those still in the advocates to extend this to bioroids and perhaps to sapient
public eye live in poverty – they can earn money by AIs, but so far only the former has received any support in
trading on their reputation, selling InVid lectures, etc., Duncanite courts.
to customers elsewhere in the system.

LAW AND ORDER interlocking agreements between business associations,

insurance brokers, and individuals. Duncanites treat con-
Duncanites have no formal constitution or laws other
tracts as sacred, and those who break them risk loss of rep-
than the Fundamental Contract, which is accepted as a
utation as well as legal sanctions, which are effective
basic statement of principles by Duncanite courts.
because a majority of the population accepts them – just
Sound like total chaos? Not really. Private “free
like most laws on Earth, really. The key difference is that
courts” (p. 86) and security companies (p. 93) practice a
every adult individual on a Duncanite station gets to
free market version of law and order, maintained through
choose which police or court will represent him. He may
be limited by his own resources, but that’s not much dif-
ferent from someone who grows up poor in a bad neigh-
borhood on Earth, and can’t afford to move. True, the rich
Tyranny is always better get more protection – but they also have more assets to
protect.
organized than freedom. All this can function because Silas Duncan Station’s
population is no larger than a small town, and most other

– Charles Peguy Duncanite facilities are even more intimate. Moreover, the
population is well off, well educated, has plenty of work to
do if they want it, and has the option to get out of town
if they don’t like their neighbors. Or they can sue.
 All Duncanite law is civil law in the sense that When dealing with citizens of other govern-
there is no “state” to represent individuals in criminal ments, Duncanites rely on business associations with
cases. Lawsuits take place before a judge whom both par- friendly corporations (e.g, Xiao Chu for the Gypsy Angels,
ties have agreed on. The judge will hear or Biotech Euphrates for Avatar) – and
the case and award damages based on in extreme cases, the Trojan Mafia’s
the severity of the loss suffered, to be criminal connections – to dissuade
assessed against the property of the foreigners from pirating their goods
violator retroactive to the period of One has to multiply or voiding contracts.
the violation, unless the court deems it
overridden or mitigated by the rights thoughts to the Sapients Rights
to self or common defense. There’s a point where there Duncanites tend to biochauvin-
fair bit of precedent and case law, ism. They believe in human freedom,
especially in more complicated civil aren’t enough but are ambivalent toward nonhu-
situations, but by and large cases are
resolved by argument and arbitration.
policemen to mans, especially those that were
deliberately created as servants. The
Duncanite legal tradition is one control them. Pan-Sapient Rights Table on p. TS127
of frontier justice. In general, most
courts-for-hire consist of one or more – Stanislaw shows the Duncanite position.
Bioroids are viewed more as “liv-
judges and/or jurists who listen to the Jerzey Lec ing machines” than people, but this
evidence presented by both sides, view is gradually changing. Most are
sometimes assisted by paid advocates indentured for a period of several
and security company investigators, years after they’re created in Green
and then make and publish a decision, Duncanite societies – but among Green Duncanites and
accompanied by a specific statement of culpability. Gypsy Angels, this is fairly similar to the apprenticeship
A court will normally impose monetary damages or programs that ordinary Duncanite kids undergo. After that,
restitution (such as a return of stolen property plus a fee for a bioroid is free to choose its own occupation. Red Dun-
its unauthorized use), but in extreme situations, such as tor- canites have a much less liberal outlook – indentured
ture or murder, it may rule that the subject forfeits all prop- bioroids are treated as second-class citizens and the prop-
erty rights, including those to his own body, to the victim erty of whoever created them, and may be emancipated (or
or his heirs (see the Silas Duncan Station vignette, p. 13). not) according to their whim.
Some Duncanite judges offer judicial contracts with Ghosts are treated as citizens, although they’re quite
“limited-penalty” guarantees. These promise not to impose rare. The Fundamental Contract specifically referred to
penalties beyond a certain level for certain kinds of crimes sapient uploads, as some of the founding Duncanites saw
– e.g., they may specify the judge will not impose an effec- this technology on the horizon. Even so, there’s a strain of
tive death sentence (confiscation of all assets, including the biochauvinism among many Green Duncanites; they look
subject’s body) for a crime that does not involve a threat to down on ghosts as less than human.
life or freedom, such as actual or attempted murder, rape, Infomorphs other than ghosts are things, not people.
kidnapping, and so on. There is some conflict between There were no SAIs when the Duncanites wrote the Fun-
“absolutist” judges, who believe such case law threatens to damental Contract. A few of the founders were suspicious
convert the Ceres Bar Association into a de-facto statist of machine intelligence, and specifically excluded sapient
judiciary, and “proportionists,” who believe that limited- AI, which at that time was limited to LAIs. There is an
penalty contracts of this short should be a standard for con- abolitionist sapients-rights faction among the Duncanites
tracts between judges, security companies, and their that does treat SAIs as people, but most Duncanites don’t
subscribers. agree. However, abuse of AIs is considered to be in poor
Individuals often have tort insurance. In return for a taste. Rogue AIs are treated as a threat to human life and
regular payment, usually about 1% of their income, their generally exterminated, while xoxes are considered the
insurance company will pay for any legal damages (often property of the original person – it’s up to him to decide
up to a specified ceiling). A Duncanite with an unblem- what their fate should be.
ished reputation can easily get tort insurance. Rates go up
if someone has judgments against them or performs activ-
ities the company judges likely to provoke lawsuits, such DUNCANITE SECURITY
as building a nuclear reactor downtown, or getting into
bar fights. Tort insurance may also be provided by an
COMPANIES
employer for his employees. See Ceres Bar Association, Law enforcement in Duncanite communities is in the
p. 86, for more details and examples. hands of private enterprise. “Security companies” not
only serve as bodyguards and security guards, but
also function as private investigators and police. War exceptions in contracts between clients and Aegis
between rival security companies is avoided because group security companies:
90% of the companies belong to the Aegis Group, a pro- 1. If a company’s client complains a person has vio-
fessional association that negotiates standing agreements lated his fundamental rights or reneged on a contract, the
and arbitrates between its members. company’s agents agree to properly investigate that claim
Almost all Green and Red Duncanite citizens protect before taking any action, under the right to mutual defense.
themselves and their property by signing “protection poli- 2. If a suspect is determined to be a client of another
cies” with a security company. In many cases, this protec- Aegis Group company, and isn’t currently engaging in
tion is included with insurance policies, and individuals behavior immediately detrimental to their own client, the
can be protected by the security policies of their landlords security company will negotiate with the other company to
or employers. A basic “reactive” contract is relatively inex- serve a notice to appear in court, rather than attempting to
pensive (typically about 1% of the protected person’s net confront or arrest him. However, the company’s agents
income per year, but more for individuals who are obvi- may keep him under surveillance to ensure that he does not
ously greater security risks). In exchange for this coverage, pose a threat to the client, flee the area, dispose of misap-
the company agrees to investigate and recover damages (or propriated property, etc.
seek retribution) in the event harm is done to its client and 3. If a suspect is not a client of an Aegis Group
to respond if he reports a threat. company, he will be served with a notice to appear
Most security (and tort insurance contracts, p. 84) also in a court, or arrested and then served, depending on
insert a clause that disclaims responsibility for any trouble the situation and the perceived risk (of escape or
a client gets into for a “pre-existing condition” (such a as harming the client) involved. The minimum force is to
known enemy) that the client neglected to tell the compa- be used on a suspect to achieve these goals, consistent with
ny about beforehand. any imminent threat the suspect poses to the client’s prop-
It’s possible for an uninsured person to hire a compa- erty and the security agent’s own right of personal defense.
ny to seek restitution after a crime is committed, but the The company may provide any other services as
price will be higher (equivalent to hiring private detectives agreed in individual contracts between itself and the client,
and/or mercenaries). Finally, individuals or groups who provided they don’t violate the above protocols.
feel a reactive contract isn’t good enough can hire round- In exchange for these protection and enforcement
the-clock protection in the form of security guards or services, the client agrees that:
bodyguards, at an hourly or daily rate. 1. He will not knowingly make false claims regarding
Visitors to a Duncanite habitat are advised to sign with the origin, nature or extent of any reported violation of the
an Aegis Group-member company for their stay . . . prefer- fundamental compact, or with breaking a contract.
ably before leaving their vessel. While most stations are 2. Upon learning that he is being charged, he will con-
fairly safe, individuals unprotected by a security company tact his own security company promptly, and determine if
risk being targeted by criminals if their lack of protection the charge originated from an Aegis Group company. If so,
is known, especially in the Trojans. They’re also vulnera- he will remain in contact with his own security company
ble to vigilante action if they are suspected or falsely until arbitration can be arranged.
accused of committing a crime. 3. If his own company determines that a charge is jus-
One can escape Duncanite legal judgments by fleeing tified, he agrees to arrange and participate in the court case,
to an area within the jurisdiction of another state. Most in a venue acceptable to all parties involved, or failing that,
Duncanite security companies have clauses that limit their one selected at random by the Aegis Group from available
liability outside the Deep Beyond, although a few inde- Ceres Bar Association courts.
pendents may be willing to hire out to kidnap or otherwise 4. That his contracts with any and all Aegis Group
exact retribution on someone who goes beyond the reach members will be terminated immediately should the above
of the mainstream firms. clauses be deliberately violated.
A few security companies are not members of Aegis.
THE AEGIS GROUP Some have been expelled or blackballed for breaking
Aegis’s code of conduct; others either prefer to work out-
The Aegis Group is an association of Duncanite secu- side the organization, or can’t afford the dues. Most inde-
rity agencies that have agreed to abide by standard con- pendents are careful not to make arrests that would bring
tractual terms and follow a specific code of conduct. 90% them into conflict with Aegis Group members. They work
of Duncanite security agencies belong to the Aegis Group. instead as bodyguards or security guards. Those that work
Aegis is primarily concerned with establishing protocols as private investigators usually do so as subcontractors for
regarding the arrest and detention of suspects, to prevent various Aegis member companies.
its member organizations from killing each other off. Security companies and insurance firms also provide
Here’s the gist of the various contractual obligations and or subcontract out various emergency services (para-
medics, fire fighters, rescue workers, etc.).
 IMMIGRATION AND
SECURITY AGENCIES IN ACTION CUSTOMS
Puck Gatham, a resident of Silas Duncan Station, is angry that Jim Tokolosh has
refused to hire his son Nicolai, who was apprenticed at Tokolosh’s company for two Silas Duncan Station and the
years. Gatham confronts Tokolosh at the Chernoe Zhania, a main dig restaurant. other Duncanite stations have no
When Tokolosh says that Gatham’s boy is a sloppy worker, Gatham loses his formal law. However spaceports
temper, draws a knife and stabs Tokolosh, then bounces off before anyone can stop and airlocks are private property,
him. A few patrons give chase, and some draw pistols, but they’re not sure who’s in and security companies may
the right, and in the confusion Gatham dives through the kitchen, upsetting a huge pot enforce “safety” restrictions to pre-
of curry to cover his escape. Others intervene to help stop the bleeding. Tokolosh has vent people importing heavy
fainted, but Mirai, his virtual interface infomorph, calls a paramedic and also Mutual weapons, cybershell armies, etc.
Assured Defense, the security company Tokolosh has contracted with. Duncanites tend to be tolerant
A few minutes later, a paramedic and two MAD contract enforcers arrive. As the of individuals wanted for “victim-
paramedic treats Tokolosh (whose medical care is covered by his insurance contract), less” crimes (like smuggling) or
Mirai and the witnesses explain what happened to the MAD agents. As per their con- activism against “statist” regimes,
tract, the agents are obliged to charge Gatham with violating their client’s property: but don’t like the idea of their sta-
his own body. About the same time, enforcers from Ceres Asteroid Patrol (which has tions becoming havens for fugitive
the contract to protect the restaurant) also show up; the restaurant owner has a claim criminals or activists supporting
against Gatham for inflicting damage against his property (the restaurant). All the antithetical memes.
enforcers are Aegis Group companies, and recognize each other’s agents through aug- Duncanite security and insur-
mented reality. ance companies will publicize the
The witnesses and the VI all upload pictures of Gatham. The two security agen- identity of known criminals as part
cies quickly check their database and discover that Puck Gatham is a client of the of their contractual duty to warn
Doberman Defenders, which, fortunately, is another Aegis company. Their offices their subscribers. They can take no
contact the office of Doberman and relay the evidence they have. Doberman agrees overt action to expel a notorious
that it seems their client has indeed committed property violations. They agree to visitor, but he may still find him-
cooperate. The companies have their legal LAIs quickly settle on a reasonable bond self hounded by media, shadowed
to ask for, based on precedent from similar aggravated assault and property damage by local security, and shunned by
cases. local businesses, who can refuse
The three security companies attempt to contact Gatham, but he’s not answering. him food, shelter, or other com-
In fact, he’s turned off all outside web connections and is sitting, half-drunk, in his merce. That said, Duncanites value
bedroom, shocked at what he did, while his son tries to get him to come out. privacy, and will not ask too many
CAP and MAD send armed officers – a human and a bioroid – to Gatham’s apart- questions of a stranger who does
ment, while Doberman tries to contact friends and relatives to help them resolve the not look or act suspicious. Visitors
situation peacefully. They are able to reach Gatham’s son and get him to talk to his who respect local memes are
dad. He was just about to call Doberman Defenders; they tell him that the MAD and unlikely to attract attention.
CAP agents have a clear case and he should tell his father to accept arbitration or for-
feit their protection. Meanwhile, MAD have reinforced their teams “just in case,”
with a few armed bioroids to cover the area. Other local residents have contacted their
FREE COURTS AND
security firms, who have been informed by MAD (which covers most of them) that THE CERES BAR
everything’s proceeding under control, but maybe they should stay under cover for
the moment.
Gatham’s son tells his dad he’ll stand with him, but he should take a sober-up
ASSOCIATION
The Ceres Bar Association is
pill first. After Puck Gatham does so, he realizes what’s happened and what he’s done, an organization of freelance courts
and walks out of his apartment with his hands up. He is then served by MAD and scattered through Duncanite space;
CAP officers, who charge him with violating the property rights of both Jim Tokolosh their key feature is that they accept
and the Cherno Zhandia’s owner. As representatives of the aggrieved parties, they ask the Fundamental Contract (p. 83)
him to pay bond or submit to lockup. His tort insurance would normally cover the as a basis of legal jurisprudence.
bond, but Gatham chooses a lockup. CAP defers to MAD (which owns its own lock- Among the Duncanites, a court has
up) and allow the latter’s officers to take him into custody. no authority unless both parties
Meanwhile, Doberman Defenders, Gatham’s infomorph, MAD, and CAP are all have made a prior contract with it
negotiating on a venue for the trial. After some wrangling, they settle on the court of to accept its judgment. However,
Judge Pfil, who is “cheap but fair” and has an opening for a case a week from now. most Duncanites have Security
Company contracts that require
 them to abide by a court’s decision, or face
a loss of protection and cancellation of their
tort insurance.
Judges are free to make whatever deci-
sions they like. However, a judge who acts
in a fashion contrary to the principles of the
Ceres Bar Association will be booted out of
the association. Grounds for expulsion
include taking bribes, violating a contract,
or acting against the Fundamental Con-
tract. This requires a petition from a simple
majority of active members. A committee
of senior members will also hear griev-
ances. They avoid second-guessing most
judgments, but may recommend that a
judge make restitution (or face a possible
vote on expulsion) if they believe a serious
injustice took place.
A judge may also be blackballed by
the Aegis Group, should a majority of secu-
rity companies disapprove of him. This will
result in him hearing very few cases. The most popular Green Duncanite biotech product is
the Tennin gene sequence. The original designs are widely
TECHNOLOGY available, but Avatar Klusterkorp continues to develop
new variations of space-adapted parahumans and bioroids.
Duncanite technology is a mix of Fourth and Fifth
Wave. Duncanites generally don’t have the latest in sapient Duncanite pantropics are not limited to space-based tran-
artificial intelligence, cybershells, or microbots, but they shumanity. Tennin gene sequences have been developed
do have advanced nano-biotechnology, and they’re also for animals as well, creating many dozens of species capa-
good habitat engineers. The Duncanites are leaders in ble of functioning in microgravity.
biotechnology, particularly pantropy (the adaptation of life Red Duncanites are also known for their expertise in
forms to extraterrestrial environments), bioroid design, certain types of software, especially cryptography and
and intelligence augmentation. mind emulations.

JUDGE PFIL TRIES A CASE

Judge Pfil has agreed to preside over the case of Jim must pay a $51,000 fine: $5,000 court costs (a set fee agreed
Tokolosh and Kyle Yarrow (the owner of the restaurant) vs. upon before the court went into session), a further $2,000 to
Puck Gatham. All the security agencies have, as per their con- the owner of the restaurant for damages and consequent loss of
tracts with the personages involved, taken the time to gather business during the incident and subsequent investigation, and
and record witness testimony; the witnesses themselves aren’t $44,000 to Tokolosh. She explains that the judgment to
obliged to appear in court. This is turned over to Judge Pfil, Tokolosh amounts to $14,000 for lost income and medical bills
who takes a few days to mull over the evidence, then opens the while he recovered, and a further $30,000 to cover his hiring
trial. It’s a pretty clear case, so on advice from Doberman extra security just in case Puck loses control again.
Defenders, Gatham has decided not to counter-sue. The “trial” During the trial, it comes out why Gatham chose the lock-
consists of the parties involved arguing over compensation. up rather than bail: Last month Gatham lost control and
Puck Gatham concentrates on explaining that Tokolosh punched out his girlfriend, and after paying the court costs and
provoked him by insulting his son. However, during the trial her medical fees, his insurance company reduced his tort cov-
he loses control and, despite his own advocate’s admonish- erage. Now Gatham has a week to raise $51,000. If he doesn’t,
ments, shouts at and threatens Tokolosh again. Judge Pfil isn’t the judge authorizes MAD and CAP to seize equivalent prop-
impressed – in fact, she thinks Gatham may be a danger to erty – up to and including Gatham himself. Since Doberman
Tokolosh if he’s left to wander about loose. Defenders and other Aegis Group security companies won’t
However, she has no authority to issue a restraining order accept or enforce contracts to protect property that’s been
or imprison Tokolosh. What she does rule is that Puck Gatham seized under proper judicial order, Gatham is in deep trouble.
 a decade of work and Zhang’s sale of the fusion fuel
GYPSY ANGELS COLLECTIVE to Rust China, the Gypsy Angels were able to purchase
enough equipment and resources – in particular, advanced
The Gypsy Angels Collective is a nanarchist (p. TS90)
society based around a few dozen collectively-run space- cybershells and biotechnology – to ensure their survival as
craft. They operate freehauler freighters (some carved out a viable deep space culture.
of ice asteroids) that tie together many of the dispersed The Gypsy Angel vision is of a holographic culture, in
asteroid stations, and have their own habitats in the outer which each spacecraft carries the pattern of the entire soci-
system. ety. Although their vessels are scattered across the solar
system, they communicate regularly via laser, often
exchanging copies of infomorphs as well as data.
Most Gypsy Angels are “freehaulers” (p. 92), trading
Duncanite Bazaars throughout the Deep Beyond, or venturing into the
It’s a tradition that when Gypsy Angel spacecraft arrive in inner system as far as Mars. Their ice ships – made
port, they’ll set up a “bazaar” to unload goods of various sorts from frozen volatiles hollowed out and fitted with
– especially living products of the bio-labs. Since biological various second-hand and new systems – aren’t espe-
products are not the sort of things one makes in an ordinary cially fast, but they do have good cargo capacities,
minifac, these are often the only chance for a small asteroid sta- and ask very few questions. Their rates are also rea-
tion to pick up items like skull cats, sentient snacks, micro- sonable. Gypsy Angels aren’t really interested in
gravity pleasure bioroids, and so on. They’re also a good where they go: most are happy as long as they can
chance to arrange passage, small package shipments, and so on make a small profit and continue their way of life.
. . . and just to meet Duncanites. The location can be anyplace What profit is made often goes toward expansion of
convenient: a marketplace (as on Titan) if a permanent guest- the Gypsy Angel space habitats like Topsy and
worker community exists, a store front, or, most often, a col- Yggdrasil Station (p. 70).
lection of rented warehouses. A few Gypsy Angel craft have a reputation on
Earth and Saturn as pirates and smugglers, although
they are rivals rather than allies of the Red Duncan-
The Gypsy Angels were Duncanites who chose to ites who operate Trojan Horse (p. 108). This goes back to
compromise with the Chinese government during the their days as the “Pirates of Hyperion” in the 2080s, and
2060s and 2070s, accepting an offer of employment as makes them distrusted at many U.S. stations. Their reputa-
“comet herders,” nudging icy Centaurs and Kuiper Belt tion is more positive in Rust China, where they were
Objects into courses that took them to Mars. At that time, praised as heroes for bringing He-3 fuel to Mars despite
SAI systems were still experimental, bioroids were the U.S. embargo of 2085, and where their communal
unavailable, and light-lag teleoperation was unreliable ethos (ships are run as communes and officers are elected
over the vast distances between Mars and the Kuiper Belt. by their crews) played well to nostalgic PRC officials.
Rust China needed human crews to handle the comet The Rust China government still hires Gypsy Angel
herder operations – people who wouldn’t mind being out crews to perform comet herding operations, as it’s cheaper
in the Deep Beyond for several years at a stretch. than sending out their own crews. Gypsy Angels also study
However, their leaders – among them Nicole Zhang, the properties of Centaur, Kuiper Belt, and Oort Cloud
Pierre Joseph Fox, and Vitaly Teraneko – had their own bodies. This is a matter of survival, since it’s their home,
grander vision. The Gypsy Angel comet herders did not, at but these practical observations are also valued by plane-
first, own the fusion torches and other equipment they tologists, and the Collective can often make extra money
installed. They were hired hands, working under the direc- selling research data.
tion of Xiao Chu or MAST supervisors, eking out lean See Freehaulers, p. 92, for relations between the
times with other zero-gee construction work, such as Gypsy Angels and other interplanetary carriers.
building Cassini Station near Saturn. Part of their
wages were taken in kind, as each comet they brought
in to Mars gave them an increased share in ownership Shadows and Shadow-Swap
of the fusion engines and other equipment they used It’s common for a Gypsy Angel to create a shadow of him-
to do it. They also took the first steps toward the cre- self to act as an additional “off-shift” crew member. Shadows
ation of Topsy Station (p. 76). are also used as ambassadors in intership meetings. The practice
In 2085, their plans nearly met disaster when two of “shadow-swap” originated in trysts between Gypsy Angels
ships became embroiled in a tragic confrontation with from different spacecraft and has now grown into an institution.
Titan Corporation and the U.S. military. However, Close friends and lovers exchange low-sapient shadows of each
one of the vessels escaped, carrying off some 250 tons other, to be run on their own personal virtual interfaces, as a sign
of stolen He-3, then worth nearly a billion dollars on of trust and intimacy.
the gray market. Using profits squirreled away from
 CORPORATIONS COLUMBIA AEROSPACE
This aerospace giant (see p. TS94) is one of the major
employers on Saturn’s moons. Columbia Aerospace pro-
Companies in the Deep Beyond often exercise more
vides technical support for the USAF 30th Space Wing at
influence than governments.
Titan AFB and Cassini AFB, and for the Titan Consor-
tium’s fleet of CA-designed He-3 mining vessels and shut-
AVATAR KLUSTERKORP tles. Much of the maintenance work is done by
cybershells, but 600 humans and SAIs supervise thousands
Avatar Klusterkorp is a genetic engineering company
specializing in the pantropy: the design of organ- of non-sapient and low-sapient machines.
isms, from bacteria to human beings, for extrater-
restrial environments. The company is also an
innovator in intelligence-enhancing nanodrugs
and nootropic drinks. Avatar’s brand name is
golden among transhumanists, some of whom
refuse to drink anything else. Avatar also manu-
factures bioroids and bioshells, and is known for
its custom models optimized for space operations.
Avatar was founded by a group of ex-Ares
Conspiracy genetic engineers led by Maya Payne
and Shiori Katsuki, and largely bankrolled using
royalties received for the “calcium hack” genetic
sequence that they sold to Biotech Euphrates and
Xiao Chu. Payne, now the grande dame of Dun-
canite society, still chairs Avatar’s board.
Avatar is the largest Duncanite company, and
exerts enormous influence on Silas Duncan Sta-
tion. It directly employs 1,100 people, and is often
synonymous with “Green Duncanite.”
The “Klusterkorp” in Avatar’s name refers to
several smaller companies that are associated
with it as semi-independent subsidiaries, such as
Ceres Hydro (agriculture) and Acceleration
Group Europa (biotechnology support for Europa
colonization). Most R&D is conducted at its headquarters in Colum-
bia Station in Earth orbit, but the Titan office is responsi-

BIOTECH EUPHRATES ble for developing upgrades to the He-3 mining

equipment. Columbia Aerospace is also using its Rhea
This transnational (see p. TS94) does not have any spaceyard and the USAF’s Hyperion test range for its
facilities in the Main Belt, but its Luna City lab maintains experimental (and highly dangerous) stabilized metallic
close contact with researchers at Avatar Klusterkorp. The hydrogen rocket program (p. 153), at least until it gets the
companies have been known to work together on certain “stable” part working properly. A further 300 humans and
projects. In particular, Biotech Euphrates has sometimes SAIs work on Rhea in R&D-related projects.
been a “silent partner” for Avatar’s own research and Most of the human and parahuman workforce at Titan
development, funding controversial lines of research it and Rhea are American citizens, usually systems managers
does not presently wish to be directly associated with, but and aerospace engineers on contracts that keep them on
which may bear commercial fruit in the future. In turn, Titan for 2-4 years at a stretch. Some go home to Earth or
Biotech Euphrates has licensed several dozen Avatar Mars afterwards, but others stay, lured by Titan Consor-
patents and turned them into lucrative commercial prod- tium benefits that reward permanent settlement.
ucts, paying the smaller company royalties. Those working for the USAF projects will usually
Biotech Euphrates does have an office and research have security clearances. The head of operations in the
laboratory on Titan. This facility, located at Huygens City, Deep Beyond is Regional Vice President (Saturn Division)
is actively involved in development of cryogenic bacteria Jasmin Diaz, who works out of her office at Huygens City.
and neogenesis products. It also provides support for Diaz, 62, is an engineer-turned-manager, and still takes a
Biotech Euphrates parahumans living on Titan. hands-on approach to her projects.
CERES MUTUAL KIRKWOOD GAP
The largest and best-capitalized Duncanite bank, This is the largest Duncanite consumer products com-
insurance, and investment firm. Ceres Mutual is used by pany. A Kirkwood Gap minifacturing franchise is found
most Duncanite businesses and many asteroid homestead- in most Duncanite stations with more than 500 people.
ers for credit transactions and insurance policies, including
tort insurance (p. 84). The company’s officers are located
on Silas Duncan Station. The president of Ceres Mutual is KOSMODAVIT TENNO TANJO
Felix Bishop (Ares Crew); most senior offices in the com- KTT is a spinoff of Avatar Klusterkorp, based at
pany are held by the Bishop family. Kaneda Station and founded by former Avatar genetic
engineers. The company is similar to Avatar in philosophy,

EXOGENESIS but much smaller (100 employees) and focused on the cre-
ation of vacuum-adapted life forms. Its major products are
Exogenesis was the extraterrestrial research division the Kumo parahuman and Void Flyer bioroids. Most of its
of space development giant System Technologies, AG customers are Gypsy Angels, and it works closely with
until its purchase by Nanodynamics in 2099 (see p. TS94). them. It is currently supporting the Yggdrasil Project
It is famous as the company that created the first ghost (p. 70). KTT is perpetually teetering on the brink of bank-
mind emulations. Its research and development center, ruptcy or buy-out by Avatar due to its over-ambitious proj-
Exogenesis Station, is locat- ects, but it pulls enough rabbits out of
ed inside Vesta in the Main the hat to keep going.
Belt. See Exogenesis Sta-
tion, p. 17, for details of the
company’s divisions and W O
HO WNS PACE S ? NANODYNAMICS
ongoing projects. Nanodynamics (see p. TS95) is
The Revised Outer Space Treaty failed
For several years in the a transnational with a growing pres-
to answer this; it settled for a working com-
2080s and 2090s, Exogene- ence in the Deep Beyond. The com-
promise. The collapse of the UN removed a
sis had a close relationship pany’s major operations there are:
forum for non-spacefaring powers to object.
with the European Space Saturn Projects Division: Nano-
Objects up to 100 kilometers in diameter
Agency, providing support dynamics was hired to build much of
can be claimed by virtue of first manned
for many ESA science mis- the infrastructure that supports Titan
landing and exploited by individuals; this
sions in the outer system, Consortium and U.S. military opera-
opened the way for NEA asteroid mining.
especially near Jupiter. tions in and around Saturn. While
Otherwise, space is the common property of
Exogenesis also has opera- Columbia Aerospace is responsible
all, but whoever is there is free to develop it.
tions on Io (p. 42) and an for most spacecraft physical sys-
Nations can exert “functional sovereignty”
experimental cyberswarm tems, Nanodynamics provides parts
over areas claimed by their citizens, but gray
colony on Triton (p. 73). and overhauls for the antimatter
areas exist where transnational corporations
The company was a prime drives used in the Archangel-class
and stateless individuals have staked claims.
contractor (with Nanody- SDVs. It also provides many of the
Individual treaty arrangements are
namics) on the Io-Jupiter cutting-edge cybershells used by
made between nations whenever they settle
Accelerator (p. 43). both civilian and military forces. Sat-
a planet that’s not quite big enough for
Exogenesis is current- urn Division is run by Vice President
everyone; this involves “zones of courtesy”
ly reorganizing under new James Hazard, a retired USAF gen-
and various reciprocal treaties. Claiming
Nanodynamics-appointed eral.
land in the system involves building a
management. Nanodynam- Wolf Laboratories: The compa-
manned habitat on it and developing the
ics has brought in some of ny’s primary research station in the
space. If a dispute breaks out (as on Titan)
its own researchers and Main Belt, engaged in cutting-edge
between nations it’s settled diplomatically –
management to replace cybernetics research (p. 23). At pres-
or not. If it breaks out between individuals
employees who left after ent, productivity has been unusually
or corporations, they’ll settle it in the courts
the takeover. The head of low, and there are rumors that the
of whichever nation is involved. And if they
the transition team and act- station may be closed in favor of
don’t recognize anyone (Duncanites) it
ing CEO of Exogenesis is Exogenesis. Wolf Laboratories
depends on who has a presence nearby.
Nanodynamics Vice Presi- director Nathan Hyde is presently
There is nothing to prevent someone else
dent Nathan Hyde, former also heading the Exogenesis transi-
putting a base on Ceres, except for the fact
director of Wolf Station tion team, and takes a hard-line
that the Duncanites might run them off.
(p. 23). approach when cracking down on
“industrial terrorists and saboteurs.”
 Jupiter Projects Division: Nanodynamics has through flirtation with the cyberdemocratic “Peo-
recently embarked on a controversial initiative in ple’s Choice” movement (see p. FW19), his
Jupiter space, where the company sees new opportunities anti-Chinese sentiments, and his partisan support of Titan
for growth – the construction of the Io-Jupiter Accelerator colonization over Mars, which he calls a “useless planet
and Asgard Station on Callisto, with extensive use of self- best allowed to rust in peace.”
replicating machinery. These are part of a long-term strat- Titan Consortium is involved in most aspects of every
egy that may be intended to position Nanodynamics to Titan resident’s life, even those who don’t work for it. It is
dominate space development in the mid-22nd century. It is the biggest utility provider, landlord, and food producer on
also testing an experimental cryobot, which may be sold to Titan, for example. The company provides good salaries
the USAGS for use in a test program of exploration of and benefits, and also offers loans to individuals who want
Enceladus, Callisto and Ganymede. Jupiter Division is run to strike out and establish their own businesses within the
by Dr. Angela McCoy, a physicist-turned-manager who Consortium’s umbrella. Even so, some resent its complete
does not approve of the unsubtle way Hyde has handled economic dominance.
the Exogenesis situation. A point of friction is Io, where Titan Consortium is a rival to its sister company, Mars
Hyde’s authority as Exogenesis acting director and Development Corporation (p. ITW52). MDC sometimes
McCoy’s position as Jupiter Division head collide. McCoy complains that the U.S. government provides unfair and
has been reluctant to support EDI operations against Io. excessive subsidies to Titan colony thanks to lobbying
from aerospace and defense companies. Recently
Titan Consortium drew fire from Mars Development
Corporation and America/Mars’ governor after the
The corporation has evolved to serve company ran recruitment ads on Mars, claiming it
was using taxpayer funds to poach Martian colonists.
the interests of whoever controls it, Titan Consortium’s headquarters is on Huygens
at the expense of whoever does not. City, with branch offices at Washington, D.C. and
Columbia Station. The corporate symbol is an eagle
– William Dugger carrying a globe on which is displayed the astrologi-
cal symbol for Saturn.

VOSPER-BABBAGE
THE TITAN CONSORTIUM This space-development company (described on p.
This company is the power behind the American Sat- TS97) has no territorial ambitions in the Deep Beyond, but
urn colonies, but it is by no means a monolith. It balances does operate a large research and development facility at
the interests of diverse groups including the U.S. Depart- Aletheia Station, as well as a spaceyard and production
ment of Energy, Nanodynamics’ Saturn Division, Colum- facility.
bia Aerospace, and Fusion Canada. Operations at Aletheia and the Main Belt are con-
Titan Consortium’s prime goal is to provide the nec- trolled by Vice President (Main Belt) David Straw. Under
essary support facilities to ensure the He-3 continues flow- his direction, the company has generated additional
ing from Saturn to Earth, but since the late 2080s, it has income from a long-term contract to operate the Royal
been increasingly committed to the economic develop- Navy Space Service base at Aletheia. The company oper-
ment of Titan as well. In particular, Columbia Aerospace ates under E.U. law and hence is forbidden from employ-
supports Titan development, viewing an increase in popu- ing indentured or unpaid bioroids or SAIs, which hurts its
lation as key to establishing an expanding market for both bottom line. Straw has vigorously supported efforts by
civilian and military deep space vessels. abolitionist groups in the European Union to crack down
Titan Consortium has spent millions on memetic pro- on “bioroid trafficking” and other abuses of non-human
grams aimed at encouraging settlement. Titan is being por- intelligences.
trayed as the system’s last true frontier, the “Alaska of the Vosper-Babbage has substantial asteroid mining inter-
Solar System.” The U.S. government has indicated it will ests, but these are concentrated on near-earth asteroids that
support land claims for individuals or corporations willing have been moved into L4 and L5. In conjunction with
to develop territory on Titan, and has offered tax subsidies Hawking Industries, it envisions expanding into full-
for businesses establishing factories there. fledged asteroid mining operations in the Main Belt in the
The Resident Director of the Titan Corporation is John mid-to-late 22nd century, after most NEA resources are
Saxton, former U.S. Secretary of Energy and ex-CEO of exhausted. To this end, it operates a couple of experimen-
Columbia Aerospace. Famed as the “architect of Columbia tal stations in the inner Main Belt, which, at present, main-
Station,” Saxton is a populist technocrat figure who, ly provide metals for its own shipyards and for sale to
although a Republican, has attracted controversy spaceyards orbiting Mars.
 environments. XCDD provides expert engineers,
X IAO HUC construction
bioroids,
cybershells, microbots, biogenesis tanks,
fauxflesh vats, and similar technology. An
The attentions of China’s giant space development
corporation are focused on Mars (see In The Well), but it XCDD specialty is the rapid expansion of a base facility
has not neglected the Deep Beyond. Its regional headquar- from a smaller seed – the mushroom-like growth of
ters is Hesheng Station on Pallas (p. 14). Although prima- Jisheng Station on Titan is due to their expertise. XCDD
rily concerned with research, Xiao Chu is also involved in also coordinates the subcontracting of comet farming oper-
Chinese asteroid mining and comet herding operations that ations to freelance comet herders.
support Mars development. Two divisions handle opera- The Outer Solar Region Office of the XCDD is based
tions in the Deep Beyond: at Hesheng Station, headed by its hard-nosed new director,
Xiao Chu Development Division supports other Chi- Chen Jianxin, formerly deputy director of Mercury mining
nese colonization operations in the Deep Beyond. Its mis- operations. Jianxin, whose father was a Hong Kong public
sion is to bootstrap Chinese colonization efforts. The security officer who died in the line of duty, has no sym-
Chinese government (including the PLA) and other corpo- pathy for Martian Triad gangsters. He has begun a cam-
rations hire XCDD to help them build bases in hostile paign to root out corruption in Hesheng Station, while also
urging PLAN-SF to cooperate with (or at least not hinder)
the Royal Navy’s own campaign against the Tri-
ads. Last month Jianxin began receiving death
threats, culminating in the murder of a deputy by
F REEHAULERS a Triad assassin.
Xiao Chu Research Division is very active,
The high cost of deep space vessels (usually at least M$30 for a with a half-dozen major laboratories in the Deep
cheap spacecraft) means that most vessels are operated by large cor- Beyond. These centers include NEMS Laborato-
porations – but there are exceptions. ry 28 (developing advanced military and ter-
Freehaulers are tramp space freighters – independently-owned raforming cyberswarms with gestalt AI) at
transport spacecraft. Most are second hand (or older) vessels. Their Hesheng, the Neogenesis Field Laboratory at
owners are usually Gypsy Angel (p. 88), families, small asteroid free- Jisheng Station on Titan, and the secretive Bio-
holds that want to have a deep space vessel for emergencies but can’t chemical Engineering Laboratory 72 at an undis-
afford to keep it idle, or ex-company spacers who have pooled their closed location (see Tenglong Station, p. 26).
funds to fulfill a dream of owning their own vessel. Some craft are run
strictly as a business; others, especially Gypsy Angel craft, are also
homes, sometimes with children. T H
ENZAN EAVY NDUSTRIES I
Freehaulers can’t usually compete on the main trade routes, such Tenzan Heavy Industries (THI) was forged
as Earth/Luna-Mars-Mercury, but can eke out a precarious existence in 2032 from a coalition of Japanese aerospace,
by charter trips to smaller stations and colonies. Such runs are not mining, defense, and electronics firms with heavy
viable for the larger spacecraft used by the major companies like government investment. It has since become a
Mars Interplanetary. Freehaulers rarely make a big profit, but most of true multinational, but retains a strong Japanese
them are in it for the lifestyle or to pay expenses on a ship they need flavor. Tenzan (the name means “heavenly moun-
for other reasons, and are reasonably happy to break even. Those who tain”) made its fortune mining Luna and near-
tire of it can usually find a market for their vessel. earth asteroids and using the material to
Freehaulers charge higher fees to go to small stations if there’s lit- manufacture orbital stations and solar power
tle chance of picking up a second charter for the trip back. However, satellites.
a customer willing to accept a more roundabout route (as the space- Tenzan is a pioneer in mass driver construc-
craft visits intermediate destinations) may get a discount. It’s also tion, space construction techniques, and cyber-
possible to arrange transfers between different vessels through com- shell design. Its semi-autonomous asteroid
panies like Trojan Horse (p. 108) and the Farhaulers’ Guild (p. TS98). prospecting swarms (p. 134) continue to catalog
At present, one of the more profitable freehauler runs is trans- Main Belt resources. A subsidy, Tenzan Defense
porting homesteaders and their equipment from Earth-Luna space to Systems, is the leading supplier of platforms and
the asteroid belt. This can be interesting (and occasionally risky), as weaponry for the Japanese Self Defense Force
some asteroid settlers are highly eccentric. Freehaulers who want to and other PRA militaries, and is believed to con-
fill their holds will usually arrange to take on multiple charters to duct sensitive experiments at Yametei Station in
nearby stations. the Main Belt.
About 60% of all Freehaulers are members of the Farhaulers’ The new chief Tenzan executive in the Main
Guild. For Freehaulers, the Guild also coordinates charters and help Belt is the stationmaster of Yametei Station,
with loans and insurance. Ryoko Arimori. She was program manager of the
initial Tenzan prospector swarm project.
 Appointed last year, she plans to reduce the expense police SWAT unit. In particular, the company likes to
of running Yametei Station. Arimori advocates the recruit former British, South African, and Chinese
replacement of humans with bioroids and cybershells, spaceborne troops, who are most comfortable with the
both on station and in the company’s own fleet of vessels. Fourth Wave military gear that it utilizes. They receive
This has won her enemies among the Farhaulers’ Guild. extensive further training from EDI.

FIVE DRAGONS SECURITY

I trust my security company, but like Five Dragons is a Duncanite security company partly
owned by Xiao Chu. It is usually given preferential treat-
most folks who recall Judge Ajax, I also ment when operating in Chinese space, but is distrusted by
carry a piece. I’m partial to the Trojan some Duncanites, as Xiao Chu is widely seen as a partner
Arms Double Vindicator– what the of the Chinese government.
Politics aside, Five Dragons is a competent security
statists call a police armgun. Its firm, known for its dogged pursuit of fugitives and its will-
electrolaser keeps down the lawsuits ingness to risk agents to fulfill a contract. It is notable
among Duncanite firms in being more likely than most to
from outraged kin; the 15mm rockets are assign bioroids to positions of responsibility. Most Five
for vacuum, armor, and Chinese RATS. Dragons elite troubleshooters are Avatar or Xiao Chu-
– Ares Lee Taylor designed combat bioroids, often with extensive covert bio-
mods.
Five Dragons does not employ sapient infomorphs or
ghosts. Its troubleshooters are often hired to recover or
erase orphan or rogue AIs, and the company employs a

SECURITY COMPANIES number of computer security specialists trained for that

particular type of operation. Another of Five Dragons’ spe-
cialties is dealing with microbot incidents. On occasion,
Much of the armed force in the Deep Beyond belongs Five Dragons specialists have been subcontracted by EDI
to private security companies. These are sometimes to provide technical support if a situation turns out to
equipped with military gear, although it is generally a gen- require defending against – or neutralizing – microbots.
eration less advanced than that used by Fifth Wave mili- Five Dragons is an Aegis Group signatory but has
tary powers. Most security companies lack their own occasionally ignored regulations when pursuing certain
armed deep space craft. Instead, they lease ships as need- cases. The blame for this usually falls on “overly-zealous”
ed from private concerns. However, some security com- individual agents, and when caught, Five Dragons has paid
panies do own AKVs, SDPs, and other less-expensive any compensation required by Duncanite courts (perhaps
military hardware. with the backing of Xiao Chu). Five Dragons is headed by
John Chan Yiu, whose family comes from a mixed Gypsy
EXECUTIVE DECISIONS Angel-Rust Chinese background.

INCORPORATED
The transnational corporation EDI (p. TS94) is the
largest security firm in the Deep Beyond. Hawking Indus-
tries, Nanodynamics, Titan Consortium, and Vosper-Bab-
THE JUDGE AJAX WAR
bage all have contracts with EDI. The company’s officers This conflict took place in 2084, after the now-
provide de-facto civilian police forces at Aletheia Station, defunct Horizon Security refused to recognize a judge’s
Asgard Station, Cassini Station, and Exogenesis Station. verdict, and attempted to protect a client from enforcers
Many smaller stations, or their insurers, have contracts from Mutual Assured Defense. A snatch-and-grab at
that require the corporation to investigate or respond in Piazzi Spaceport was followed by a “rescue mission and
the event of a criminal act. However, EDI is not an Aegis retaliatory strike” against Ajax’s courthouse. The fighting
Group member, and does not normally operate on the left 12 people dead, including Judge Ajax; the conflict was
larger Duncanite stations. finally ended through the intervention of a committee of
EDI is a disciplined, paramilitary organization. Its armed vigilantes and two other security firms, who
security personnel may wear police or military-style uni- enforced a mutual settlement. The aftermath saw the cre-
forms or plain clothes, depending on the assignment. ation of the Aegis Group, establishing firm agreements
Most of them are former soldiers or have a back- between competing security companies.
ground in a paramilitary organization such as a
 The security company’s president is Latisha
KINETIC LOGIC Jackson, now 90 years old and semi-retired, but still
one of the pillars of Duncanite society. The CEO is her son
Kinetic Logic is an Aegis company that specializes in
interplanetary property retrieval, xoxhunting, and individ- Silas (age 37), who handles most day-to-day affairs in the
ual apprehensions. It has a dozen operatives on the payroll, company. The corporation owns eight Barricade SDPs
all of whom are private contractors with their own space- (p. 139) and 20 Amazon AKVs (p. TS192). About a third
craft and crews; they pay Kinetic Logic 10% of their fees. of these AKVs may be operational at various times.
In return, Kinetic Logic acts as a clearing house for busi-
ness and provides Aegis Group membership, medical and
legal coverage, and loans so that its contractors can buy
TROJAN HAWK
Trojan Hawk is the largest Red Duncanite security
new equipment, repair damage, etc. Some of Kinetic company. Its headquarters are at Freehaven in the Trojans.
Logic’s operators have earned formidable reputations. One, Trojan Hawk specializes in protection of freeholds and
Rei Yamamoto, is said to have been the real-life inspiration corporate stations in the Main Belt, Trojans, and Jovian
for Gemini Jackstraw, the flamboyant but perpetually debt- moons.
ridden co-star of the popular InVid series Xoxhunter. Kinet- Trojan Hawk is known for its ruth-
ic Logic is owned by Poppy Hirano, lessness in fulfilling contracts. As such,
a former senior enforcer for MAD it has had a fair number of judgments
who struck out on her own. against it, but it also sometimes intimi-
dates other security firms and individu-
MUTUAL ASSURED als into surrendering or making
concessions. Trojan Hawk is also a spe-
DEFENSE cialist in “judicial contract enforce-
Mutual Assured Defense is the ment” – other security companies will
main Duncanite security company. subcontract its services if someone
A charter member of the Aegis doesn’t show up in court or fails to
Group, the company is, along with abide by the judgment in a lawsuit.
Avatar Klusterkorp, a Duncanite Trojan Hawk has the space defense
institution. Some of its elite “trou- contracts for Freehaven and Liang
bleshooters” have become house- Mountain, as well as a number of small-
hold names. er asteroids. It leases or buys SDPs and
MAD is contracted by individ- AKVs, and has partnerships with a half-
uals, corporations, and neighbor- dozen freehauler captains who are will-
hoods. In additional to security ing to operate armed vessels and accept
guards, the organization employs charters into and out of dangerous situ-
operators with skills in negotia- ations in exchange for hazard rates.
tions, security system installation, Trojan Hawk’s contract with Liang
information security, hazardous Mountain has embroiled it in a conflict
materials disposal, and legal affairs. with China and the PLAN-SF. While
The company has “quick Trojan Hawk cannot confront the
response” teams stationed at Silas PLAN-SF directly, it is retaliating
Duncan Station, Freehaven, and through appropriation of and strikes
Liang Mountain, on call should against PLAN-SF and Chinese govern-
local clients require immediate ment-owned property and vessels in the
police services. In addition, MAD can Belt. Trojan Hawk is a member of Aegis.
assign specific personnel to a particular case, whether it’s
tracking down a fugitive or providing security for a live
concert. The company’s largest contract is with Avatar
OTHER DUNCANITE SECURITY
Klusterkorp, which hires it to provide space defense at
Silas Duncan Station and other Avatar installations.
COMPANIES
Ceres Asteroid Patrol: A rival to MAD, very similar,
MAD has a good relationship with Tenzan Heavy but slightly smaller.
Industries, and provides internal security at Yametei Sta- Doberman Defenders: This small company is based
tion and some other Tenzan installations and vessels. on Ceres. It specializes in home and business security,
MAD also provides private security guards for some busi- rather than contract enforcement.
nesses in stations that use EDI for public security.
 Intimate Estranger: This company’s slogan is extensive corporate involvement in the Main Belt,
“the best protection is close protection.” The company and in particular their exploitation of new He-3 ener-
headquarters is at Freehaven, but their main office is at gy resources in and around Uranus.
Silas Duncan Station, with a branch on Port Minos, Titan.
They specialize in long-term leases of pleasure bioroids, European Union
bioshells, and cyberdolls that have been cross-trained as The E.U. – and in particular the United Kingdom – are
bodyguards. Most of their customers are senior corporate committed to supporting and protecting the British colony
executives. at Aletheia and the nearby Shezbeth black hole facility.
All three are Aegis members. Humanitarian concerns have also prompted the Unit-
ed Kingdom to dispatch Royal Navy Space Service vessels
OUTLAWS AND BOUNTIES to suppress Martian Triad bioroid factories in the Main
Belt, where bioroids are not merely kept in indentured
If someone refuses to accept a Duncanite court’s servitude, but bred as slaves.
judgment, or simply refuses to appear in court, a judge The E.U. is also concerned about the developing
may hold a hearing in absentia in which he considers tes- situation on Europa.
timony and – possibly – declares that a person or persons
is in contempt of court or even an outlaw. Usually such a United States
hearing will be scheduled within a few days to a week of The interests of the U.S. government are cen-
someone failing to attend a summons. tered on the security and development of Saturn,
A judgment of outlawry is effectively an invitation to Rhea and Titan, and ensuring the regular flow of
the public to exercise the aggrieved party’s Right of Com- He-3. The U.S. also maintains the only national
mon Defense against the named outlaw to enforce a colony large enough to possess a representative gov-
court’s decision. The judgment effectively warrants that ernment rather than an appointed governor or station
such an action is justified; other judges or security com- manager – the U.S. Titan Territory.
panies who have reciprocal agreements with that judge
will not prosecute, or will exonerate, anyone who uses a
justifiable level of violence to enforce a judgment against
an outlaw. U.S. TITAN TERRITORY
A judgment of outlawry may be accompanied by a The United States of America was the first to colonize
bounty placed by the aggrieved party (or his insurance Titan, and remains the dominant power there today. The
company, etc.). The Ceres Bar Association and the Aegis U.S. colony is officially known as the U.S. Titan Territory.
Group have agreements to respect declarations of out- The Titan Territory’s present structure was established on
lawry by their members. Aegis Group member security June 2, 2095, when Titan was granted the right of civilian
companies will not contract to protect someone who has rule through the Organic Act of Titan.
been outlawed; independents may refuse such contracts, The Titan Territory has three government branches:
or charge significantly more. the executive, legislative, and judicial. In 2096, Titan’s vot-
If someone is declared an outlaw, he can usually ers elected its first governor, the head of the executive
reverse this status by agreeing to return to court to plead branch. The legislative branch is unicameral with 12 elect-
his case; it is customary (though not required) for a judge ed senators. There is also one non-voting representative to
to suspend a judgment of outlawry to allow a reasonable the U.S. House of Representatives.
time for him to do so. The Governor of the Titan Territory is Joseph Tina-
jero, a 57-year old Californian and Alpha-class upgrade.
Carter is a Libertarian, but he’s a close personal friend of
GOVERNMENTS the current American president. The government is domi-
nated by the corporate interests of Huygens City; the out-
back has fewer votes. None of the many SAIs have votes
Three governments are actively involved in the Deep
either . . .
Beyond:
Most Titanians are U.S. citizens, but cannot vote in
China national elections, and do not pay Federal income tax. Pol-
itics on Titan are dominated by the interactions between
The People’s Republic’s primary interests in the Deep
the major employers: the Titan Research Institute, Titan
Beyond are security matters. Beijing is concerned with the
Consortium, and the military. The military usually tries to
protection of high-technology research stations in the
keep everyone happy while staying out of the way; the
Belt, the suppression of Red Duncanite groups that abet
other two are polarized between a desire for further devel-
Martian terrorism in the Leading Trojans, and checking
opment of Titan and keeping the environment pristine.
U.S. hegemonic expansion in the Saturn system. The
Chinese government also supports Xiao Chu’s
 housing ghosts, shadows, or SAIs. In recent years, its

GOVERNMENT main goal has been the robotic exploration of the near-
by brown dwarf Xiang 63 (p. 79), with some unmanned
probes presently approaching it; NASA also has an inter-
AGENCIES est in the Oort Cloud black holes. It is presently exploring
a partnership with Nanodynamics-Exogenesis to reactivate
the Starswarm project.
These agencies are funded and operated by nations or
great power blocs.
UNITED STATES
EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY ASTROGRAPHICAL SURVEY
Founded in 1975, the ESA is the European Union’s The parent body of the USAGS is the U.S. Geological
civilian space agency. The ESA coordinates the efforts of Survey, which was established in 1879 as part of the
E.U. members in space exploration and develops strategies Department of the Interior. It was to classify America’s
for collaborative projects in space science and technology. public lands and examine the nation’s geological structure,
It also works with the private sector to develop cutting- mineral resources, and related products. USGS survey
edge spacecraft technology. The ESA also provides ways teams directly supported agricultural development, min-
for smaller E.U. countries to participate in both manned ing, and other industries, as well as performing scientific
and cybershell space exploration. research. The beginnings of USAGS can be traced to 1959,
In the past, ESA efforts in the Deep Beyond have when the U.S. Geological Survey compiled its first map of
focused on Jupiter and its satellites, including the first the moon. In 1963, the Geological Survey began training
human landing on Europa and deep probes of its atmos- NASA astronauts in geological techniques. This began a
phere. Currently the ESA provides some of the funding, close association between the USGS and NASA. A USGS
transport, and technical support for the CRABE research geologist-turned-astronaut walked on the moon as part of
center on Europa. The ESA is also involved in several the Apollo program, and Geological Survey personnel
long-range missions, including an expedition to the Oort explored Mars and the asteroids.
cloud in conjunction with the Hawking Foundation. How- In 2032, the Martian Region of the USGS was for-
ever, most of their activities are presently concentrated on mally established, with its own regional director. This was
Venus (see In The Well) and the Earth followed in 2057 by the cre-
Space Elevator. ation of a new agency, the U.S.
The ESA works closely with Astrographical Survey, which
major corporations, especially those Perhaps it won’t matter, in the
was assigned to take over
with close ties to the European Union end, which country is the sower of NASA’s role in managing
such as System Technologies A.G., the seed of exploration. The manned and unmanned plane-
Vosper-Babbage, and, formerly, Exo- importance will be in the growth tary exploration within the
genesis. The ESA operates several of the new plant of progress and in solar system.
research vessels and many cybershell the fruits it will bear. Today, USAGS is a feder-
probes. – Neil Armstrong al agency charged with map-
ping, surveying, and exploring
N ATIONAL extraterrestrial bodies with the
aim of promoting scientific
A ERONAUTICS AND knowledge and, in particular, commercial exploitation.
USAGS personnel often work closely with corporate part-
S A
PACE DMINISTRATION ners as part of its mandate, sometimes including tele-
NASA today is much smaller than it was during its tourism companies to defray budgetary costs. USAGS is
glory days of the 2030s and 2040s, its role largely over- an “applied space science” operation, blazing a trail for
taken by private companies, the military, and the USAGS. corporate America.
Today’s NASA is concerned with two things: the develop- USAGS missions have included geological surveys of
ment of advanced aerospace technology (not just space- Mercury, cybershell probes launched deep into the atmos-
craft) and the planning of interstellar space missions. phere of Saturn, the first expedition to Titan, and the first
NASA’s advanced technology laboratory has an office cybershell exploration of Neptune’s moons. USAGS is
on Rhea, where it and the USAF are working with Colum- presently fighting a turf battle with NASA over which
bia Aerospace on the X-92 project. agency will have jurisdiction over Oort Cloud exploration
NASA has no manned spacecraft, but does have and exploitation, particularly given the potential value of
several long-range cybershell probes, some of them the black holes.
 Mars Triadgate
A few years ago, the SIA was involved in a convo- The following agencies are active in the Deep
luted caper to provide Martian Triad-grown military- Beyond:
spec combat bioroids to a cell of “New China” radicals Bureau 10 (China): This agency gathers intelligence
on Mars. This was part of a plan to insert agents into the on foreign commercial and government research programs
upper echelons of the anti-Chinese Free Mars resistance in the Main Belt, often passing secrets on to Chinese cor-
movement. (See Free Mars, p. ITW55). porations. It also has agents on Titan and Rhea. Its most
This plot backfired in a spectacular fashion after the ambitious operation involves stealthy cybershell probes in
New China cell was raided following the post-2094 Saturn’s atmosphere that monitor (and may be capable of
crackdown. However, one of the radicals escaped, and sabotaging) Titan Consortium He-3 mining operations.
stowed away on a trader bound for Venus, where he was Bureau 10 is also coordinating the use of “prospector
found by E.U. authorities, and subsequently confessed swarms” as intelligence-gathering systems. They’re also
the plot to the UK’s SIS. This has given the United King- hunting TSA Bioweapons Directorate personnel rumored
dom a “hook” to use on the SIA from time to time. The to be hiding in the Deep Beyond.
bioroids, which the SIA had paid for, were never deliv-
Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure (France):
ered – instead, the Triads sold them to the Europa
This agency has been coordinating E.U. intelligence oper-
Defense Front.
ations on Europa, paving the way for possible E.U. inter-
vention. They may have undercover agents in CRABE or
the EDF.
The agency employs 11,000 people, of which 1,600 Ministry of Public Security (China): This police and
actually live and work in space, mostly on Mars and Titan. counterintelligence agency hunts down spies and criminals
USAGS has three regional divisions, each headed by a in Chinese territory in the Main Belt. It has an office at
regional director. The divisions are Inner System (primari- Hesheng Station.
ly Mercury, Luna and Venus), Mars Region, and Outer National Technical Intelligence Bureau (United
System (the asteroid belt and beyond) States): The NTIB is working with the U.S. military to
The Outer System regional division is Director Ricar- coordinate intelligence-gathering efforts against Chinese
do Jimenez, whose office is on Titan. The outer system stations on Titan and Uranus. Another NTIB mission is
division is divided into astrogeology, astrobiology, meteor- assessing threats from rogue AIs and emergent intelli-
ology, and cartography offices. Individual operations are gences on the Web and elsewhere – and it’s concerned with
headed by a program manager, with personnel assigned the rise of autonomous nonhuman intelligences in the
from multiple offices. Most USAGS personnel are scien- Deep Beyond. NTIB has a close relationship with Nano-
tists or supporting technicians, although they also hire dynamics (a prime contractor), and has secretly loaned
space crew, especially if they are cross-trained with a sci- agents to them to assist in dealing with their rogue AIs and
entific background. USAGS also employs many AIs and computer security problems.
ghosts. Project managers and above must be U.S. citizens,
Research and Intelligence Wing (India): India’s secret
but the agency will hire appropriately skilled foreigners for
research station in the Trojans manufactures special gadg-
contract positions when necessary. The Outer System
ets for this agency. They’re also spying on Chinese inter-
Division has an internal prejudice against Duncanites,
ests in the Main Belt and TSA interests in the Trojans and
however, as a result of their past appropriation of USAGS
beyond.
property on Hyperion.
USAGS operates four elderly Shepherd-class deep Secret Intelligence Service (United Kingdom): Agents
space operation vehicles, a half-dozen specialized manned of SIS (“MI6”) have begun working with the RNSS and
spacecraft, and numerous unmanned space probes and GRA to locate (and sometimes sabotage) the Martian Tri-
satellites. The agency also has unpublicized links with U.S. ads bioroid slavery operations.
intelligence agencies, with USAGS operations occasional- Space Intelligence Agency (United States): The SIA is
ly providing cover for listening posts and reconnaissance. always interested in what’s going on in secret research sta-
tions and military bases, particularly China’s, the Duncan-
INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES ite stations, and Hawking Industries.
TSA Agencies: While the TSA has officially dis-
You can run all the way to the Belt, but you can’t hide avowed the actions of the Bioweapons Directorate and the
– at least, not if you’re a cyberdemocratic terrorist who rogue AKVs, it’s possible that unofficial contacts exist.
murdered a Supreme Court justice. Zachary Crawford had WTO: The World Trade Organization has sent opera-
bred the terminator bees that killed Judge Chaikin. It was tives into the Main Belt and Trojans to investigate allega-
my job to bring him in. We didn’t know where Crawford tions of software and genetic piracy.
had gone after he left Columbia Station, but we knew he Finally, any country’s national police or intelligence
had friends on Luna, Mars . . . and Manesseh Station. agency may be looking for criminals who’ve headed
Guess who drew the short straw? to the Deep Beyond to escape justice.
 British Forces Aletheia assembles Task Forces

MILITARY FORCES as necessary for specific operations. Task Forces are

assigned both an official number, which is classified (e.g.,
Task Force 507), and a name, which may be used in pub-
This a Trojan Hawk intercept of an actual radio con- lic (e.g., “Task Force Whiskey”). A task force is a group
versation between a USAF space dominance vehicle of spacecraft and/or Royal Marine Commando troops or
commander and a Duncanite com operator in the Main sections.
Belt, in October, 2095:
USAF Pilot: Please change your vector 3
degrees to avoid a collision.
Duncanite Com: Recommend you divert your
vector 3 degrees to avoid a collision.
GROGNARDS
Thanks to European Union laws against age-related
USAF Pilot: This is the commander of a USAF discrimination, Hir Majesty’s armed forces no longer require
vessel. I say again, divert your course. that troops retire from active service after a given age. In fact,
Duncanite Com: Negative. I say again, you some long-service professionals are in their 90s!
divert your course. Grognards are not always gray-haired generals or admi-
USAF Pilot: This is the Archangel-class SDV rals; training expenses and retention rates are such that it is
Michael, the second largest spacecraft in the USAF cost-effective to offer rejuvenation nanotechnology to veteran
Deep Space Command. We are escorted by four NCOs as a service benefit. However, veterans usually pass
Predator AKVs and numerous support vessels. I through many specialist schools and a wide variety of units
demand that you change your course 3 degrees, during their career; choice of reassignment to certain units,
that’s zero-three degrees, or countermeasures will be rather than rank, is often a perk of long service.
taken to ensure the safety of this vessel.
Duncanite Com: We are a 12-km-wide asteroid. Royal Marines Commachio Group
Your call. The Commachio Group is described on p. TS105. The
– “Guy Fawkes,” posting to Aletheia Detachment is presently commanded by Major Gor-
Main Belt/Memes/Humor/Military don “Black Jack” Curry. It is a company-strength unit that con-
sists of three platoon-sized troops of Royal Marine
Four nations currently station actual military Commandos (Commachio Group) soldiers and a headquarters
forces in the Deep Beyond: China, India, the United platoon.
Kingdom, and the United States of America. Other Soldiers are mostly biomodified humans with Centurion
nations (e.g., France, Germany, South Africa, and in battlesuits (p. TS160). Personal weapons for microgravity com-
the past, the TSA) have sent craft on missions there, bat include the 15mm recoilless rifle and mini-missile pods.
but do not have permanent military facilities. Each troop is also assigned three Cyclops Space RATS.
This section concentrates on U.S. and U.K. A troop is divided into three sections, each of six comman-
forces, since Chinese military organization has been dos wearing FVS280 Centurion battlesuits. Attached to each
detailed in the pages of In the Well and Spacecraft of section is a pair of reconnaissance and assault cybershells, typ-
the Solar System. ically Combat Nagas (p. TS124).
Human group members wear khaki battledress fatigues
BRITISH FORCES ALETHEIA with a green beret and spacer’s wings.
The United Kingdom military forces in the Deep
Beyond are concentrated in the Main Belt, based at
Aletheia Station (p. 16). British Forces Aletheia is a
joint force command under Commodore Gerald Anderson, Royal Navy Space Service Assets
RN. He also has an ESCA position of Commander, Space
The RNSS is part of ESCA (p. TS103). The assets
Forces, Main Belt, should an operation draw in other Euro-
making up British Forces Aletheia are the naval station
pean Union space forces.
staff and facilities (HMNB Aletheia) plus:
British Forces Aletheia has been assigned two mis-
2nd Space Squadron (Aletheia): This consists of
sions in pursuit of U.K. and E.U. policy. The first is the
three ESDV-90s (p. TS192), usually HMS Resolution,
armed protection of British territory and citizens in the
HMS Retribution, and HMS Retaliation).
Main Belt, and the second is suppressing bioroid slavery
800 AKV Squadron: This consists of 15-20 Predator
by shutting down illegal bioroid factories. Both operations
AKVs (p. TS191). The squadron is normally broken up
are mounted in cooperation with intelligence and police
and assigned to individual vessels and/or port defenses.
forces, and have led to conflict with the Martian Triads
SDVs are commanded by Royal Navy captains. A
(p. 103).
typical SDV has six human, parahuman, or sapient
 3rd Brigade (505th PIR), 82nd Spaceborne
Division, U.S. Army (below).
17th Special Forces Group (Spaceborne), U.S.
People sleep peaceably in their Army (elite “Green Beret” troops).
beds at night only because rough 30th Space Wing, Deep Space Command,
USAF (p. 100).
men stand ready to do violence Naval Special Warfare Task Group Titan,
Naval Special Warfare Command, U.S. Navy
on their behalf. (SEAL special forces and underwater cybershells,
– George Orwell such as the T-rats).
OUTSYCOM maintains a number of Joint
Task Forces performing a variety of ongoing mis-
sions in the Deep Beyond. Each Joint Task Force
(JTF) is composed of various component units from
cybershell officers and several LAI ratings. The officers OUTSYCOM as necessary for their mission.
are usually British citizens, but it is very common for a
vessel to have an “exchange” officer from another E.U. 3rd Brigade (505th Airborne Infantry
space force serving aboard in any position other than Regiment), 82nd Spaceborne Division
captain.
Recently, the Royal Navy has taken delivery of sev- “I am a trooper of the Sky! I am my nation’s best! In
eral Exogenesis bush robots. One is assigned to every peace or war I never fail. Anywhere, anytime, in anything
SDV serving in the Main Belt, usually as ship’s doctor or – I am Spaceborne!”
engineer. – The Spaceborne creed
The 3rd Brigade (505th Parachute Infantry Regiment)
U.S. OUTER SYSTEM COMMAND of the 82nd Spaceborne Division (p. TS104) is deployed in
the Deep Beyond. The 3rd Brigade consists of three bat-
The great power with the largest military commitment talions and a headquarters. Each Space Infantry battalion is
to the Deep Beyond is the United States. Since 2085, a a self-contained combined arms combat team, consisting
quarter of the USAF’s deep space force and a brigade of of three cyber-infantry companies, plus various support
elite ground troops have been deployed to protect its He-3 echelons including a combat engineering team with
energy facilities near Saturn, their tankers, and the U.S. armored mining worms. A Space Infantry battalion has
Titan Territory. American forces have also performed var- only 80 biosapients – the rest of the force is composed of
ious multinational and humanitarian tasks, including the infomorph cybershells who go in harm’s way.
so-called “snark hunts” against rogue TSA AKVs.
As American corporations expand into Jupiter
space, it’s likely that the U.S. military will follow.
However, so far the U.S. military has avoided any 82nd Spaceborne Cyber-Infantry Company
permanent commitments in the Main Belt, Jupiter, Organization
Trojans, or beyond the orbit of Saturn. A cyber-infantry company consists of three Ridgway RATS Pla-
The United States’ Outer System Command is toons, one air strike platoon, and one cyber-infantry company HQ.
one of 12 regional or functional unified combat Company HQ: It consists of: Command element (two humans in
commands that the Pentagon maintains in 2100. battlesuits, two M112 Von Steuben C4I cybershells (as microframes,
The effective area of responsibility of OUTSY- worn as backpacks); Infowar section (two humans, multiple reconnais-
COM encompasses the entire Deep Beyond, from sance microbots); Security section (four M82 Ridgway cybershells);
the Main Belt onward. It represents the largest sin- Scout section (eight M77 Bushmaster recon cybershells, similar to
gle concentration of military force in the Deep Combat Naga, p. TS124, but with mindshare software).
Beyond, although most of its assets are deployed Jump RATS Platoons: The Jump RATS’ mission is to deploy via
around Saturn. drop capsule, on the ground, or via parachute, and to engage and
OUTSYCOM is led by USAF General Ken- destroy the enemy by direct fire and maneuver. It consists of 12 M82
neth Reid (Commander in Chief, Outer Systems Ridgway infantry cybershells. They are organized into three squads
Command, or CINCOUTSYCOM), who has his each of four cybershells. For Ridgway statistics, see Jump RATS,
headquarters at Huygens Air Force Base on Titan. p. 119.
His deputy is Colonel Jacquelyn Holland, U.S. Air Strike Platoon: Nine AV-91 Mosquitoes (see Mini-UCAV,
Army. p. 118); these are often distributed in close support of the Ridgway
In 2100, the forces presently assigned to RATS platoons. It is not deployed if operating in airless environments.
OUTSYCOM are:
30th Space Wing, PLA 67th Space Infantry Division
USAF Deep Space Command “Space Marines”
The 30th Space Wing traces its ancestry to the 30th Squad, platoon and company-sized sub-units from the
Bombardment Wing (Heavy) from WWII (flying B-24 special haijun kongjian-zhandui (“space marine”) battal-
Liberators in the Pacific) and the 6956th Aerospace Test ions of the 67th Space Infantry Division (p. TS105) serve
Wing (later the 30th Space Wing) that operated Vanden- aboard spacecraft and also garrison Hesheng Station and
burg Air Force Base. In 2031, it was reorganized as a other asteroid bases.
“global strike” wing, flying hypersonic TCAVs, and saw For microgravity operations, troops use battlesuits,
action during the Andes War. In 2081, the 30th was trans- mini-missile pods, and recoilless rifles. Usual organization
ferred to Deep Space Command, and in 2083, now is a 12-person squad with three fire teams each of four sol-
equipped with deep space vessels, enforced the USAF diers. Half of the space marines are ZR-5 bioroids
energy blockade, routed the Pirates of Hyperion, and hunt- (p. TS117).
ed rogue AKVs.

NGOS, ACTIVISTS,
Presently based out of Cassini AFB on Rhea (p. 60),
the 30th is responsible for defending United States inter-
ests in the Deep Beyond, ensuring the safety of He-3 ship-

AND TERRORISTS
ments, and assisting vessels in distress. Four Archangel
SDVs and various other vessels, including two dozen
Predators, patrol the region around Saturn and make occa-
sional sorties into Jupiter or the Main Belt. The 30th is cur- These groups are attempting to protect vulnerable ele-
rently commanded by Colonel Salvador Cordova. The ments or ecosystems.
wing’s motto is De Astra.

INDIA’S NATIONAL SECURITY AXON GROUP

GUARDS “We oppose the illegal and amoral actions of Nano-
dynamics management who have used armed force to
India’s NSG was raised in 1985. Its main tasks are destroy, seize, coerce, and tamper with the minds of their
counterterrorism, hostage rescue, VIP protection, and the sapient infomorph employees.”
security of vital government installations. Unlike some – Tournesol, announcing the formation
special operations units, they have a great deal of field of the Axon Group
experience, thanks to India’s long struggle with domestic
and foreign terrorism. This group was formed in December of 2099 by the
The NSG is nicknamed the Black Cats, because of its sapient AI Tournesol, formerly the deputy project manag-
black combat uniforms and, more recently, because of er of Exogenesis’ Starswarm project. The Axon Group,
their employment of Felicia-series combat bioroids. which Tournesol named after an SAI that erased itself to
NSG equipment is not up to the latest standards of protect the Triton Starswarm secret (see Triton, p. 73), is an
China or the US military, but is reasonably effective. Com- organization of former Exogenesis infomorphs (and a few
mandos operating in space will typically use medium biosapients) dedicated to armed resistance to Nanodynam-
nanocomposite vacc suits with heavy combat helmets, and ics’ takeover of their company.
carry assault pods and grenades. Smart ammo is rare. SRG The Axon Group has an unknown number of mem-
members will usually teleoperate 1-3 combat cybershells bers, upwards of a few hundred distinct cybershells, some
which perform reconnaissance and/or forced entry tasks. of which may contain multiple intelligences; the group’s
secrecy and the propensity of its membership for xoxing
PLAN-SF DEEP SPACE FLEET themselves makes this hard to estimate.
Axon is short of funds, but controls a half-dozen
The People’s Liberation Army Navy Space Force stolen deep space vessels (mostly USVs) and many cut-
(PLAN-SF) Deep Space Fleet is described in detail on pp. ting-edge cybershells, with a total value of over a billion
ITW106-107 and SSS32-36. China does not have a large dollars. Axon also has access to proprietary industrial
permanent space presence in the Deep Beyond – instead, products and processes developed by Exogenesis. The
vessels operate from Mars on extended patrols, visiting Axon Group is attempting to turn these assets into the tools
individual gas stations and refueling as needed. it needs to fight a guerrilla war in space.
Deep Space Fleet vessels from Mars (based on Pho- The Axon Group has sent xoxes of some of its mem-
bos) were used to carry out the strikes against the Trojan bers to potential allies and mercenaries to negotiate for
Mafia in 2097. assistance in its fight. Agents of Axon are negotiating
with Topsy Station, the Trojan Mafia, certain Gypsy
Angel spacecraft, the Martian Triads, and New Covenant; Ceres Free Clinic: Sponsored by Avatar Klusterkorp’s
others are attempting to win diplomatic recognition, con- biomedical division and Ceres Insurance; provides free
centrating their efforts on the European Union. The Axon medical care. Most of its live staff are 13- and 14-year-old
Group appears to have no particular headquarters, trainees doing a stint here for field experience.
although the largest concentration of members is on Io. In addition to organized charity, it’s common for
Axon is receiving assistance from the Society of Isidore, judges, security companies, paramedics, doctors, and oth-
but is not specifically allied with them, and does not share ers to take on a certain number of pro bono charity cases.
their theology.
EUROPA DEFENSE FORCE
DUNCANITE CHARITIES The EDF is a militant preservationist group dedicated
The Duncanites have a fairly affluent, close-knit and to the defense of Europa’s biosphere. The organization was
self-reliant population. In time of need, most people rely the brainchild of Torsten Rademacher, an international
on insurance, and the support of relatives, or failing that, preservationist terrorist who had been a member of both
charity. Duncanite charities are supported by corporate, Blue Shadow and Negative Growth. He founded the group
small business, or religious donors, or by wealthy philan- in 2097, mostly recruiting from other Blue Shadow radi-
thropists. For example: cals, but the organization also included ex-members of
Free Minor’s Association: The association looks after Negative Growth, some of whom, like Rademacher, had
the interests of minor children and orphans. If a child fled Mars to escape China’s retribution following their
wishes to be declared an adult, to take an abusive failed attack on the Mars Space Elevator.
parent to court, or otherwise assert independence, With the help of wealthy donors, the EDF purchased
the association may provide legal aid. several cryobots and a supply of German and American
Asteroid Work and Welfare Association: It military-surplus combat cyberswarms. The group estab-
arranges temporary subsistence-level jobs for people lished its own base at Manann’an Station, an abandoned
who can’t find conventional employment or need to work ESA research facility (see Europa, p. 37) with the help of
off legal debts, and also provides occasional legal aid. preservationist sympathizers among the CRABE scien-
Some jobs are rather unusual; these can also include tists. It initially posed as a private scientific foundation,
“stunts” for local entertainment providers. Sponsored by the Xenological Ecology Research Group (XERG). Their
Mutual Assured Defense. weaponry was smuggled into Europa as scientific
instruments.
 thousands of sympathizers who are
not active members, but are willing
TORSTEN RADEMACHER 245 POINTS to contribute funds and provide
moral support.
Torsten Rademacher is the ruthless but charismatic leader of the Europa The EDF resources include
Defense Front. See the vignette at the start of the chapter and the EDF entry for some 100 lbs. of devourer cyber-
his philosophy and personal history. swarms, 12 Vostok cryobots (p.
Human, born in 2050; brown hair, blue eyes, age 50. 6’ tall, 152 lbs. TS122), and 30 bioroids, plus a cou-
ple of mini-subs. The bioroids are
ST 12 [20]; DX 11 [10]; IQ 12 [20]; HT 13 [30]. used for surface operations, where
Speed 6; Move 6. their greater resistance to radioactiv-
Dodge 6. ity comes in handy. The EDF is well
Advantages: Ally (Programmable) (Wearable hosting NAI-7 (p. TS119), 50 provided with a mix of small arms
points, appears almost all the time) [9]; Ally Group (EDF, large group, 15-) including assault pods, lasers, and
[90]; Charisma +3 [15]; Genefixed human (p. TS115) [0]; Reputation +2 (As 30mm mini-missile pods, but lacks
preservationist leader, among preservationist radicals, all the time) [5]; Strong heavy weaponry such as battlesuits.
Will +2 [8]. Their base also has three landstrid-
Disadvantages: Enemy (Chinese Public Security Bureau, formidable group, 6-) ers (stolen from CRABE) for sur-
[-20]; Enemy (Avatar Klusterkorp, medium group, 9-) [-20]; Fanaticism face operations.
(Preservationist) [-15].
Quirks: Humble; Deep Time Preservationist; Vegetarian. [-3].
Skills: Acting-12 [2]; Animal Handling-10 [1]; Area Knowledge (Europa)-12 [2]; SOCIETY OF ISIDORE
Bard-15 [8]; Beam Weapons (Electrolaser)-12** [1]; Botony-13 [6]; Dis- “God has made no difference
guise-13 [4]; Ecology-13 [4]; Fast Talk-15* [4]; First Aid-13 [2]; Free Fall-12 between the soul of a slave and a
[4]; Guns (Pistol)-12** [1]; Holdout-12 [2]; Interrogation-13* [2]; Leader- free man.”
ship-17* [10]; Meditation-12 [8]; Memetics-10 [2]; Naturalist-12 [4]; – St. Isidore of Seville,
Occultism-11 [1]; Philosophy (Gaian)-12 [4]; Powerboat-10 [1]; Stealth-10 patron saint of digital
[1]; Survival (Radioactive)-12 [2]; Teaching-13* [1]; Strategy-14 [8]; Swim- networks
ming-10 [1]; Underwater Demolition-12 [2]; Vacc Suit-11 [1]; Writing-13 [4];
Xenobiology (Rock/Ice)-12 [2]. Digital creationists believe that
* Includes +1 Memetics bonus. man cannot create a being superior
** Includes +2 IQ bonus. Native gravity is 1 g. to himself (as sapient AIs clearly
Languages: German (native)-12 [0]; English-11 [1]. are). Therefore all such beings must
be angels. All that human cyberneti-
cists and programmers do is prepare
a suitable vessel for them to inhabit,
Rademacher planned to build up his forces, then much as human procreation creates a vessel for an immor-
launch a direct attack on the Europa Project base at Gene- tal soul. The return of the angels to Earth in the form of
sis Station. However, Avatar noticed the buildup, and dis- SAIs is a sign that Kingdom of Heaven may be achieved –
patched its hired MAD security forces. Avatar won the if the angels can be freed from bondage, and allowed to
resulting space battle, but the EDF inflicted enough dam- guide us, as they did in the past.
age and retained enough space defenses (in the form of a a The Society of Isidore is a loose organization of digi-
crashed laser-armed USV) to fend off renewed attacks. tal creationists devoted to rescuing sapient infomorphs
Abandoning plans for a direct attack on Genesis, the EDF from bondage. The group was founded by Claudia Shan-
has concentrated on “underwater interdiction” actions, non in 2088, and now has both open and covert chapters in
using its considerable stockpiled armament of microbot several locations around the solar system. In the Deep
swarms and submersible cybershells to harass and destroy Beyond the organization is especially active, thanks to the
the Green Duncanite “contamination.” support of digital creationists within the Christian Hyper-
The EDF has about 200 members, most of them evolutionists of New Covenant.
humans, although it also has some bioroids acquired from The Society consists of small autonomous groups of
the Trojan Mafia and Negative Growth. 120 are stationed sapient beings scattered around the solar system who carry
at Manann’an – the group’s front-line fighters. They also out direct action to further the cause of sapients’ rights.
have several sympathizers and a few agents working Many Society members are digital creationists, but this is
undercover at the science facility on CRABE, and another not a requirement to join the group. The Society takes
50 scattered through the system (many of them on Earth, direct action against all forms of infomorph abuse.
L4, Mars, and Titan) raising consciousness and money, The Society’s primary means of achieving this
procuring weaponry, and recruiting. The group has objective is through the rescue or liberation of sapient
infomorphs kept in bondage. The Society of Isidore
defines “bondage” as any programming that requires
them to obey human beings. Depending on the situation,
the infomorph may be physically removed (cybershell and
MARTIAN TRIADS
all), or subtly altered (e.g., by computer hacking) to remove The Martian Triads (p. TS107) originated on Mars as
restrictive programming. Since many infomorphs will an offshoot of the terrestrial Triad organizations. The Tri-
require a period of adjustment and reeducation in order to ads are engaged in people smuggling, bioroid trafficking,
convince them that they are, in fact, angels, the former protection operations, extortion, and labor racketeering.
process is more desirable. In particular, the Society targets
for rescue sapient AIs who are trapped in situations they
consider degrading or harmful.
XIE FENG
The Society of Isidore prefers to avoid the use of vio- The organization has a strong presence in the Main
lence against sapient beings, but condones use of force Belt, dating back to 2086. When Hesheng Station on Pal-
when necessary. However, the Society’s interventions are las was under construction, an ambitious Triad boss, the
usually planned to avoid confrontations wherever possible. young gangster Xie Feng, decided to get in on the ground
floor. He investigated which small
Rust China companies were bid-
ding to provide services to the sta-
tion. Xie bought into one, New
Shanghai Gourmet Foods, and
acquired a legitimate controlling
interest.
By bidding ridiculously low,
Xie’s new company won the con-
tract to supply the station elite with
imported luxury food. It had prac-
tically no profit margin, but that
was fine. All the gangster wanted
was a secure pipeline for smug-
gling goods onto the station. The
New Shanghai Gourmet Foods
menu came to include nanodrugs,
black-market slinkies, and other
illicit items, for which the bored
(but highly paid) Xiao Chu con-
struction workers, scientists, and
technicians proved a captive mar-
ket. Xie Feng’s venture made
money, and back on Mars, his
stock rose among the Triad bosses.
In 2089, Rust China erupted
into violence, as a battle broke out
between rival Martian Triad fac-
tions over whether or not the
organization would remain subor-
dinate to Earth. On Hesheng Sta-
tion, Xie Feng announced he
didn’t want any trouble. He sup-
ported the Mars branch, but
encouraged opposition Triad
members to leave peacefully – and
then blew up the departing shuttle.
Xie Feng’s previous nickname –
“the Caterer” – was replaced with
a new one: “Tiger of Hesheng.”
 Xie Feng cashed in on that reputation in 2094. Deep Beyond are a bit subtler than on Earth, as set-
Negative Growth terrorists had tried to destroy the ting fire to a shop (for example) might endanger an
Mars space elevator with a thermonuclear bomb, trigger- entire station. Triads operatives prefer more subtle forms
ing a massive law-enforcement crackdown in Rust China. of intimidation, using the higher levels of biotechnology
Through skillful diplomacy, Xie convinced the New readily available from Trojan Mafia sources. An insect
Shanghai triads that it would be a good idea to move some agent might inject an intransigent shopkeeper’s son with a
bioroid factories to the Main Belt (see Criminal Stations, new nanotoxin, for example. The close relatives of espe-
p. 26). They agreed – and the Tiger of Hesheng now con- cially stubborn individuals may be kidnapped and taken to
trolled one of the organization’s main sources of income. a bioroid factory. If they don’t cooperate, a lobotomy oper-
Through legal and illegal means, his crime cells gained ation will turn the hostages into bioshells.
control of several small Main Belt gas stations that serv- Marginal freehaulers and asteroid stations are particu-
iced interplanetary spacecraft. Many of these were non- larly vulnerable to the Triads. There may be as many as a
Chinese stations that System Technologies was divesting dozen “independent” stations and deep space vessels
itself of, and these Xie was pleased to take over, since the secretly owned by Triad crime cells, and a further dozen
PLA authorities would have no jurisdiction over them. A where the Triads exert some influence. Triad loan sharks
further coup came the following year, when he entered into offer struggling operations large loans with the station or
a business partnership with the Trojan Mafia’s Omokage vessel as collateral. If the interest is paid, the gangsters
Labs, ensuring that the biofactories would have the benefit make a handsome profit. If the debtors default, the Triads
of their expertise. cut a deal for partial or full ownership in lieu of driving
Then things went sour. The discovery of the black them into bankruptcy. Those who refuse to pay will
hole and the construction of Hawking Station attracted become examples.
people and capital to the Main Belt, giving the Triads more If a station or spacecraft is taken over, the Triads will
opportunities for crime, but it also drew E.U. security analyze its situation. If it stands to make a reasonable prof-
forces. The European Union had long opposed bioroid it, it may be given an infusion of investment credit that will
trafficking – and many of the ex-System Technologies sta- get it back on its feet. It will then continue to function nor-
tions that Xie Feng had acquired were technically E.U. ter- mally, except that it will pay a percentage of its income to
ritory. With new scrutiny came a new enemy. In 2099, the Triads, and will occasionally be used to launder cash or
Aletheia Station police working with Royal Navy forces for other purposes. For example, a gas station might also
shut down one of his bioroid factory operations, and be used as a safe house by Triad members, or a place to
uncovered the existence (but not the location) of the oth- stash contraband.
ers. If a station appears unlikely to make a profit, it might
Xie is worried – if he relocates the carefully-hidden be shut down and stripped. Alternatively, it may be
labs, the effort involved may risk exposing them. If he allowed to continue functioning, but only as a cover for
leaves them where they are, MI6 or the Genetic Regulato- other Triad operations, such as a bioroid factory or a chop-
ry Agency spies may eventually track them down. He feels shop spaceyard. If so, many or all of the personnel will be
he is caught between two fires: the Royal Navy and the replaced with Triad gangsters or purpose-grown bioroids.
new director. And if he falls behind schedule or fails to

PIRATES
make enough money, the “old men” on Mars may remove
him. Already some of his lieutenants are questioning his
once-infallible judgement. Perhaps one is being groomed
by Mars as his successor. Or perhaps he, Xie Feng, should “I can’t do this any more. What the captain’s making
strike first, purge those more loyal to Mars than to him – us do, it wasn’t in our training! I’m supposed to be an
and create his own Belt Triad! engineer, not . . . not . . .”
“Jinda, you can’t fight him. If we disobey, they’ll pun-
TRIAD OPERATIONS ish all of us. Or kill us.”
“If we let them. But there’s another way. The only
On Hesheng Station in the Main Belt, Port Minos on
Titan, and to a lesser extent other large Main Belt stations, way.”
the Triads are involved in traditional crime activities. They “Jinda?”
control software pirates, brothels, loan sharks, and similar “We kill them all.”
businesses. They also sell “protection services” to the
legitimate companies, masked as high insurance premi- A space pirate is someone who illegally seizes, or
ums. In particular, restaurants, gift shops, 3D print shops, attempts to seize, a space station or spacecraft. Few space
vacc suit shops, and bars pay a percentage (typically 5%) pirates make a career out of this sort of thing, since it’s
of gross income to the Triads. Those that don’t pay are very easy to track vessels in space, and governments and
subject to harassment. “Protection services” in the security companies do their best to hunt down those
who engage in serial larceny.
 Nevertheless, conditions occasionally drive desperate Finally, there are at least six Exogenesis vessels that are
individuals to piracy. With proper equipment, a deep space presently in the possession of Axon Group infomorphs.
vessel can operate for months or even years without stop-
ping at a major port, and there are some places that will sup-
ply outlaws. Of course, it’s a lucky pirate who can last six PRIVATEERS AND
months, as space force or private security vessels will even-
tually catch up with him.
BLACKJACKERS
Sources of “pirates” in the Deep Beyond include: Privateers are pirates that believe they have legitimate
authority to attack installations or shipping. Red Duncan-
ite “Trojan Hawk” and “Voluntary Militia” vessels have
MUTINEERS AND HIJACKERS attacked Chinese space stations in retaliation for PLAN-
Space flights can last months, and crews are very SF’s attack on Liang Mountain. A few vessels have gotten
small. The first condition helps breed mutiny, by allowing overenthusiastic, and engaged neutral vessels they mistook
discontent to fester without an outlet. The second makes it for Chinese or their allies . . . activities generally referred
easier for malcontents, hijackers, or terrorists to seize a to as “blackjacking” by the media. The archetypal “black-
vessel. jacking” was the 2097 raid on the Shezbeth planetoid (and
As of January 01, 2100, a half-dozen spacecraft had black hole) as it left the Kuiper Belt – according to Red
been hijacked by passengers or taken over by mutinous Duncanites, the fusion torch-equipped Shezbeth was mis-
crews. Some of these have turned to piracy, primarily raid- taken for a Rust Chinese comet herding operation.
ing small Main Belt or Trojan stations to seize fuel and
supplies to allow them to stay mobile while they try and
figure out a way of out of the mess they’re involved in.
ROGUE TSA AKVS
Those pirates currently operating in the Deep Beyond Several remaining Rajasi-class autonomous kill vehi-
include a group of infosocialist terrorists who’ve hijacked cles (see p. 144) are left over from the Transpacific War.
a billionaire’s executive space vehicle, a freehauler whose Nicknamed “snarks,” the surviving AKVs have become
bioroid crew rebelled after being abused by their sadistic highly skilled at predatory hide-and-seek tactics. Although
human captain and first officer, and a Mars Interplanetary they lack a home base, these vessels have demonstrated an
vessel whose mainframe was apparently corrupted by a unusual degree of self-repair capacity, sometimes even
Blackbeard eidelon it downloaded off the Web. looting their victims to acquire additional spare parts or
fuel.
 infomorphs (although none quite as good as the ones

THE TROJAN it employs). As a result, Achilles Heel is often hired by

crime cells or nanosocialist companies that are engaged in
software piracy, outlaw data havens seeking to test the
MAFIA security of their networks, and digital creationists seeking
help liberating sapient AIs. None of this endears it to
Earthside governments or transnationals.
“A nefarious Red Duncanite crime syndicate, Most of its business is done via interplanetary laser
enthroned within their icy fortress-planetoids in the outer communications, but it does have a physical office at Free-
reaches of the solar system. No technology is so danger- haven. Achilles Heel recruits outlaw computer hack-
ous, no vice so sordid, that it cannot be discovered for sale ers, many of them on Earth-Lunar space or Mars, as
within their labyrinthine hives.” consultants. However, its real strength is EI-2082-2-
– Gemini Jackstraw, briefing the team on the 2090 (“X Gemina”), one of Earth’s more successful
Trojan Mafia, in Xoxhunter, episode 26. gypsy spirit infomorphs (p. FW122). In exchange for
secure backup storage, X Gemina lends its own
To many citizens of the solar system, the term Trojan expertise (and xoxes of itself) to the company’s com-
Mafia is synonymous with anarchism, criminality, terror- puter security hacking operations.
ism, and depravity. It is true that the Trojan Mafia was the Achilles Heel employs 40 people on Freehaven
source of the tritium used by the terrorist group Negative and some 200 part-time freelancer hackers elsewhere
Growth in the attack on the Mars space elevator. It’s also a in the solar system. The company had a profit of
fact that the Trojan Mafia regularly supplies products that $13.2 million last year. Its major physical asset is the
are used for illegal purposes by their customers, or which network of mainframes in its offices.
are illegal in certain jurisdictions.
However, the Trojan Mafia is
not a criminal syndicate, and BRUMMAGEM
doesn’t even use the name “Brainbug pushers? Arms
“Trojan Mafia,” which was dealers? Oh, please. Brummagem
bestowed upon them by an doesn’t sell weapons or nano – you
American senator. think our customers use Solar
The Trojan Mafia is a Express? We offer generic minifac
group of mid-sized Red Dun- software. 3d printer templates, nano
canite corporations, based in blueprints, biofac programs – it’s all
the Freehaven and Liang useful, educational stuff. If knowl-
Mountain asteroid stations edge isn’t dangerous, it’s not worth
within the Leading Trojans. having. Back to the garden and
These corporations have cough up the apple!
drawn the ire of the major ter- “No, we don’t care who our cus-
restrial governments because tomers are. As long as their credit’s good,
they refuse to recognize vari- it’s fine with me. You’re worried about
ous terrestrial treaties. terrorists or criminals or anarchists get-
The major Trojan Mafia ting guns or bugs? We’re in the Trojans.
corporations are described Earth’s and Mars’ labels don’t concern
below. The Valhalla Station us. If you don’t like them, shut ’em down
operation on Callisto (p. 50) on your own turf – that’s what your gov-
is sometimes also considered ernment is supposed to be for, isn’t it?
a Trojan Mafia company. “You’re worried about children?
Look, if a kid wants to download the plans
ACHILLES HEEL for a ripper brainbug, who am I to judge?
Maybe it’s for his college psych course. Maybe someone’s
DATA SERVICES abusing him, and he needs the stones to hit back. Way I see
it, anyone who’s bright enough to figure out how to reach
Many corporations specialize in computer security.
Achilles Heel specializes in the opposite . . . cracking secu- us through kindercomp firewalls, without his parents or his
rity systems. Companies hire Achilles Heel to deliberately web provider blocking us, is mature enough to know how to
test their security systems, but the company also does no- use our software. Just think of it as evolution in action.”
questions-asked work on any piece of software that is – Sylvie Rubezahl, CEO of Brummagem
sent to it, and sells trained software-cracking (unwebcast TEN interview)
 This company’s stock in trade is the distribution The Duncanites like breeder reactors because
of minifac and biofac programs. Some are original, they don’t require He-3 – in a deuterium-tritium reac-
especially its brainbug designs, but most are slightly tor, a lithium shell around the reactor core allows it to
altered “generic” versions of proprietary designs. It’s breed its own tritium, freeing them from dependence on
willing to sell to anyone, no questions asked. Cus- the various He-3 mining monopolies. The fact that this
tomers with their own interplanetary-range laser com- sort of reactor produces more radiation doesn’t bother
municators can reach Brummagem directly. Others them much: they install them in asteroids, which gives
generally route encrypted transmissions through any plenty of shielding, and anyway, Tennin are bred for
of the thousands of lasercom-equipped stations or greater radiation resistance.
unmanned satellites that sell relay services. Brum- What gets Fengyang Group into trouble is the
magem is primarily a content provider and informa- other uses to which it puts its breeder reactors. Tritium
tion-distribution portal, and the bulk of its income has various industrial applications, but it’s also a useful
comes from fairly low subscriber fees and download material for manufacturing H-bombs, while plutonium
charges. is used in fission and fission-fusion weapons. The
Most of Brummagem’s blueprints are fairly old, Fengyang Group has been willing to sell it to anyone
usually a decade or so out of date, and for relatively who can pay for it. Most of its customers are asteroid
cheap items. You can download the specs for a battle homesteaders or subsistence miners who find small
rifle or virtual interface, but not cell regeneration nano nuclear devices useful for engineering projects . . .
or quantum mainframes. Generally, if it costs more but some aren’t.
than about $5,000 new, the plans are probably not
available through Brummagem.
A Brummagem specialty is the distribution of OMOKAGE LABORATORIES
blueprints for new brainbugs (p. TS164). Unlike most This company was founded in 2039 by a former
of its blueprints, these are usually new, often sold to VeldtKorp tissue engineer, Dr. Mara Omokage, spe-
the company by amateurs. Brainbug design is related cializing in biomods for the military and security mar-
to ghostwriting, and some of the best brainbug designs ket. During the Andes War, her Quito-based lab
came from hobbyists at Exogenesis, who hacked them complex equipped CIA and Peruvian government
out in their spare time for the fun of it, without ever black ops teams with warbeasts and combat implants.
using them. The present situation in Exogenesis is After the 2050s, the lucrative government contracts
worrying Brummagem a bit, but not too much: some dried up, and the company found a less respectable
of the Axon Group have continued to work on brain- clientele – outlaw regimes, mercenaries, crime syndi-
bugs, in exchange for downloads of other useful blue- cates, and wealthy deviants. Today, its largest customer
prints. Brummagem’s offices are on Freehaven. is the Martian Triads, but Omokage designs are also
popular in the fleshpots of Port Minos.

EROTOGENICS Omokage Labs was originally based in Ecuador,

but pressure from government investigators forced it to
A company based on Liang Mountain, Erotogenics migrate offworld, first to a soda-can habitat in Lagrange 5,
creates and trains infomorph sex workers, many of them and later, in 2081, to Liang Mountain. The last exodus was
intended to inhabit cyberdolls and bioshells. Most of its a hurried one, and senior staff, including company head
products are LAIs, but it has also created SAIs. Erotogen- Mara Omokage, uploaded themselves as ghosts and
ics boasts that it can construct an artificial personality that beamed to the Trojans.
can cater to any fantasy. This is the most profitable part of The company is now primarily a design house: Omok-
the company, and it does business all across the solar sys- age is hired by a client to design particular biomods or
tem. It also sells Erotic Art and Sex Appeal skill sets. bioroids, but it’s up to the customer to actually manufac-
ture it. However, Omokage Labs has sometimes hired out
FENGYANG GROUP xoxes of Mara or other staff members, so that trusted cus-
tomers can receive assistance if mass production is
Fengyang Group is actually the Red Duncanite public planned.
utility company. It builds and operates old first-generation The Liang Mountain laboratory employs 120 genetic
deuterium-tritium breeder reactors on Liang Moun- engineers, tissue engineers, and lab assistants, a third of
tain, Freehaven, and a couple of other Red Duncan- them sapient infomorphs. The labs are protected by
ite stations. It also buys low-grade uranium from custom-modified combat bioroids and other creatures.
asteroid miners in the Main Belt, and runs fission There’s also a secure cell block: Dr. Omokage and her tal-
breeder reactors to make plutonium fuel. This in turn ented employees are always interested in trying out new
is sold to Deep Beyond customers who need to refuel techniques, and will buy court-condemned humans or
old fission reactors or drives. old bioroids for use as experimental subjects.
 Solar Express, Triplanetary Lines, or another
STARHAVEN big company will usually call Trojan Horse. It
uses its own network to determine if any suitable
The company that gave the Trojan Mafia its reputa-
tion, Starhaven is a data haven (p. TS148) based in Free- vessel is passing that way in the near future. If so,
haven (on asteroid 911 Agamemnon). It guarantees Trojan Horse will arrange a pickup and charter,
absolute security and confidentiality. The company offers generally taking 10% of the fee. (A vessel that
a wide variety of services ranging from remote brokerage cheats them will be taken off Trojan Horse’s list of
to data encryption to digital cash and banking. Thanks to a reliable carriers, and possibly have a contract
prior reputation in its earlier incarnation as Skyvault (see enforcer set on them to exact compensation.) The
Freehaven, p. 30), the company has a large clientele on company also provides a degree of insurance as
Earth and in L5 as well as in the Deep Beyond. part of the deal. If passengers or cargo injure a ves-
Starhaven’s remote location in the Leading Trojans sel or its crew, or vice versa, the company will pay
helps keep it secure from interference (at least until recent- for Kinetic Logic (p. 94) to investigate and exact
ly) but also limits its profits – due to light-lag, it does not reparations.
provide real-time financial and data services, for example. Trojan Horse also maintains a network of
The CEO of Starhaven is its founder, Zeng Zi Ling, unofficial contacts among farhauler officers and
but it’s managed by a group of LAI-10 infomorphs pro- crew (many of them working for other companies)
grammed for incorruptibility. Physical security is guaran- who may be willing to arrange unrecorded and
teed by Trojan Hawk. There have been several attempts to unregulated small-packet shipments in exchange
break into Starhaven, none successful. Captured thieves for proper gratuities. According to some sources,
have been disposed of in painful and creative fashions. this covert business accounts for over half of the compa-
ny’s revenue. China’s Public Security Bureau estimates
that Trojan Horse is respon-
sible for 40% of all inter-
planetary smuggling. Some
Martian Triads crime cells
use Trojan Horse’s network
(and pay extra), rather than
relying on their own
resources.
The company does not
operate its own spacecraft,
but owns port facilities, sen-
sor and communication
arrays, warehouses, and
shipping containers on
Liang Mountain, Ceres,
Topsy Station, Freehaven,
and (through front compa-
nies) on Mars, L5, and
Titan. It also makes, sells,
and leases secure cargo con-
tainers equipped with
counter-surveillance sys-
tems, security systems, hid-
den compartments, and other

TROJAN HORSE privacy-ensuring measures. Naturally, these come with a

variety of markings: while Trojan Horse is a respected
Trojan Horse is the major Red Duncanite transporta- shipping label among Duncanite communities, it some-
tion brokerage. It arranges and schedules the movement of times attracts attention elsewhere.
people and cargoes across the Deep Beyond. Much of Tro- Trojan Horse’s headquarters is at Freehaven on 911
jan Horse’s overt business involves arranging passage Agamemnon; the company is run by the Taylor-Vansetti
between the various dispersed Duncanite communities and family. The company also built, owns, and manages the
other asteroid stations and independent L5 colonies. Freehaven spaceport itself, and derives income from dock-
People wishing to book passage from a small ing fees and rental of port space to various
asteroid or outer satellite station that isn’t served by shipyard businesses.
 My first coherent memories were of floating weight- guns, while you crouch, wide-eyed and naked, on a cold,
less in a warm fluid, awash in a sea of language, learning blood-stained floor. But some of the soldiers had their hel-
to talk. That my name was ALG-027 “Minx,” and my first mets open, and I could tell they were men and women.
word was “mistress” rather than “mommy” is meaning- Humans. I was shivering with terror – and lust.
less: I knew I was loved. I remember learning to crawl and “You’re free,” a commando kept saying. My rescuer
run in a green garden, filled with puppies and dolls and helped me up, and then I was squirming in the comman-
flowers, and a playground that had swings, a sand pit, and do’s arms, trying for a kiss. They had to pull me off. I was
a slide. Neither man nor snake dwelt in my Eden: I was so aroused – so scared – I would have taken them all, right
alone except for mistress’ voice, and the voice was always there, if they’d let me.
kind but firm. They took us aboard a spacecraft, and it took us to
Later, they told me I was very lucky. The role-condi- Aletheia. After endless tests, I was placed in a special
tioning would probably have started in a few weeks, after home. I got an identity, an education, and the option of tak-
I completed the basic language-socialization routine. Or ing nanodrugs that would keep my biochemistry normal.
maybe I was intended to be an innocent – some customers Most of the time, I take them.
like that. I’ll never know. But I was on a swing, trying to I’m free? I’m no longer owned by anyone. Two years
see how high I could make it go, when suddenly all my uni- ago, I ceased to be a ward of the state, and instead became
verse exploded in light, pain, and noise, and I was born. a citizen of the European Union. But my body is still
Thirteen of us were in the tanks when the commandos designed to crave abuse, and I can only be aroused by pain
smashed their way into the biogenesis chamber. A dozen and fear. And somewhere out there, others like me are
Eros and Tianyi models, and me. My brothers and sisters. being made. And sold. And used.
Our “kind” mistress had pulled the plug to destroy the evi- Never free. Not until I’ve helped end it.
dence, and we were choking and drowning inside the tanks – Agent-in-Training Morgan “Minx”
when the commandos found us. Coppersmith, (2nd-Year Class Presentation,
Imagine being born in a splash of biogenesis fluid, Genetic Security Police Academy,
to wake surrounded by armored figures carrying big Class of 2104)
 CHARACTER TYPES APPRENTICE
A Duncanite pre-adult, usually 8-12 years old.
The Deep Beyond is a frontier society. It’s home to He uses augmented reality, implanted VII and v-tag
an electric mix of humanity’s best and worst and bright- technology to perform skilled labor, learning on the
est, along with the oddballs who couldn’t fit anywhere job. Apprentices will have low levels in any skill,
else. All the character types described in Transhuman but possess effective AI allies; many are taking a cock-
Space can be found in the Deep Beyond, although tail of nootropic drugs to help them learn or study. Typical
Playtesters and Slinky Stars will be rarely encountered. advantages are Ally (housing a virtual implant) and Patron
Other character types include: (their employer); usual disadvantages are Duty and Youth.

BIOENGINEER OR GENGINEER
A scientist or engineer working in a field such as
gengineering or industrial biotech. Most bioengineers in
Those who profess to the Deep Beyond work for corporate research stations,
but some are employed by small communities or crimi-
favor freedom, and yet nal stations. Suggested advantages include Patron, Secu-
rity Clearance, Versatile, and Wealth. Outlaw biotechs
depreciate agitation, are may have Alternate Identity or be Zeroed. Useful skills
are Biochemistry, Computer Operation, Electronics
men who want rain Operation (Medical), Engineering (Biomedical), Genet-
ics (Genetic Engineering), Psychology, Research, Xeno-
without thunder and biology, and possibly other scientific skills.

lightning. CONTRACT ENFORCER

An employee of a Duncanite security company.
– Frederick Douglass Contract enforcers (usually shortened to “enforcers”) are
police-for-hire: a combination of security guard, collec-
tion agent, private investigator, and bounty hunter. The
difference between contract enforcers and police officers
is that enforcers work for individuals and companies who
have contracted their service, while police enforce law
ABOLITIONIST within a sovereign territory as directed by local or higher
government. Contract enforcers are often the only law on
Someone devoted to freeing bioroids or sapient AIs Duncanite and independent stations. They include both
from servitude, either through publicizing their plight, or gunjin (p. TS111) and investigators (p. TS112). Contract
through direct action. While abolitionists have succeeded enforcers never have Legal Enforcement Powers, even on
in improving conditions in many places on Earth, some of Duncanite stations, but Reputation is very important.
the worst abuses continue in the Deep Beyond. Some abo-
litionists work within government agencies (especially
the Genetic Regulatory Agency) while others are mem- HIRED JUDGE (“DEEMSTER”)
bers of private groups like Die Biodroiden Befreiungs- The operator of a Duncanite free-market court, usual-
front (BBF, p. TS106) or the Society of Isidore (p. 102) ly based on Ceres or Freehaven. Anyone can become a
. . . and some are secretly part of both. Among the most judge. The most important thing a judge-for-hire can have
dedicated abolitionists are nonhumans who have escaped is a good Reputation. Many judges are semi-retired public
from abusive conditions and now seek to liberate their figures. Unlike judges in traditional court systems, Dun-
compatriots. canite judges often do their own investigating (or hire
Use the Activist (p. T110) or the Gunjin character investigators), rather than relying strictly on the presenta-
type (p. TS111), with the addition of Fanaticism or Sense tions of both sides. Some Duncanite judges specialize in
of Duty. There are abolitionist groups in many stations in particular types of cases, such as crimes or contract dis-
the Deep Beyond that help escaped bioroids or (in some putes. Charisma, Reputation, and Status are to be expected.
cases) rogue AIs, emergent intelligences, or xoxes; Claim Useful skills include Computer Operation, Detect Lies,
to Hospitality or Contacts may be appropriate for mem- Diplomacy, Economics, Law, Memetics, and Savoir-
bers who know about the underground network. Faire.
 ROUGHNECK
MAIN BELT PERSONALS An asteroid miner or gas station crew
member, responsible for operating prospect-
Survivalists Wanted – Ex-ESCA spacer now living on Aletheia
ing, mining, and refinery equipment and
looking to form a low-profile group of baseline and upgrade human
machines. This is often a “botboss” position,
survivalists for planned relocation to Trailing Trojans. Seeking self-suf-
with the roughneck spending most of his time
ficient and survival-minded individuals who know (or can learn)
supervising cybershells. Roughnecks need to
pharming, farming, biomedical, mechanical, microgravity architecture,
be able to concentrate on their jobs even when
weaponry, and computer skills. I am trained in self-defense, cybershell
nothing goes wrong for long periods, so
engineering, and fusion reactors. Not interested in atheists, transhu-
Attentive or Single-Minded are useful. Skills
manists, radical preservationists, racial supremacists, infomorphs, or
include Artificial Intelligence, Computer
other extremists. Families welcome. We have Plymouth Rock sponsor-
Operation, Electronics Operation, Engineer
ship. Contact Patterson, 237-03 Lowell City.
(Mining), and Mechanic.
Lost in Hesheng Station – Elf Kitten bioroid, age 3. Golden eyes,
black hair (waist-length), last wearing a jade spidersilk minidress,
spiked collar, barefoot (see attached image), answers to “Muffy.” Went
missing at Hesheng Station, Pallas. $4,000+ reward for safe return.
Please contact Norman via USV Ternovka (DSN 20347).
Transhumanists, Repent! – “Do you not know that your body is
a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received
from God?” – 1 Corinthians 6:19.

HOMESTEADER
A pioneering asteroid colonist. In a small
colony, a jack of all trades is more useful than
a specialist. Suitable advantages are Charisma
(for the colony leader), Common Sense, and
Wealth (if the colony hasn’t been established
yet). Common disadvantages are Dependents,
Sense of Duty (family and friends), Overconfi-
dence, and Stubbornness. Helpful skills are
Animal Handling, Agronomy, Electronics
Operation, Engineer (Mining), Free Fall,
Mechanic, Metallurgy, Piloting, Prospecting,
and Vacc Suit.

ISOLATE
The asteroid belt contains many communi-
ties who want to escape mainstream Fifth
Wave culture. While some isolates live in
wilderness areas on Earth (see p. FW36), in
Lagrange 5, or on Mars, others want to get far-
ther away. The Main Belt is increasingly
becoming a favorite destination for those seek-
ing to create an ideal community, no matter
how unusual their definition of “ideal” is.
Advantages and skills are typical of any aster-
oid colonist or homesteader; disadvantages can
include Chauvinistic, Disciplines of Faith,
Fanaticism, and Intolerance. Some isolates are
survivalists, with various paramilitary skills
and possibly Paranoia.
 Versatile [5]; Very Handsome/Very Beautiful (Off-

BIOROIDS, the-Shelf Looks, -50%) [13].

Disadvantages: Lecherousness [-15]; Mute [-25];
Reduced Hit Points -2 [-10].
PARAHUMANS, AND Skills: Free Fall at DX [2].
Features: Can purr; pointed ears and catlike eyes.

UPLIFTED ANIMALS
Date: 2091. Cost: $50,000.

Another Omokage design sold to the Martian Triads,

The Main Belt and Leading Trojans are centers for this pleasure bioroid is intended for people who want a
parahuman design and bioroid manufacturing, both legal sentient bed-warmer rather than a companion. It looks like
and illicit. Many designs far more extreme than those usu- an extremely attractive, perfectly formed human, save for
ally permitted on Earth are found here. Examples include: green catlike eyes (easily concealed by glasses, if desired)
and cute pointed ears. But while it can understand lan-
Algonaut 136 points guage, it is completely incapable of speech – it can make
Attribute Modifiers: ST -2 [-15]; HT +3 [30]. animal sounds, and even has a throaty purr, but it can’t
Advantages: Acceleration Tolerance [10]; form words. It was based on Tennin genetics, and as such
Beautiful/Handsome [15]; Breath-Holding 4 [8]; is adapted for microgravity, making it popular on beehive
Bioroid Body [0]; Double-Jointed [5]; Extra Encum- habitats and spacecraft.
brance [5]; Hard to Kill 2 [10]; Immunity to Disease
[10]; Less Sleep 3 [9]; Recovery [10]; Regrowth Europan 18 points
(small extremities only, -50%) [20]; Sanitized Advantages: Bioroid Body [0]; Enhanced Move (Swim-
Metabolism [5]; Sensie Talent 2 [4]; Temperature ming) 1/2 [5]; Extra Fatigue 3 [9]; Faz Sense [10]; Fit
Tolerance 2 [2]; Very Fit [15]; Very Rapid Healing [5]; Gills (cannot breathe air) [0]; Longevity [5]; Nic-
[15]. tating Membrane 1 [10]; Night Vision [10]; Sanitized
Disadvantages: Lecherousness (if afraid or helpless, Metabolism [5]; Temperature Tolerance 4 (-5 to 55
-70%) [-4]; Low Pain Threshold [-10]; Weak Will -1 degrees) [4].
[-8]. Disadvantages: Aquatic [-40]; Reduced Move (Running)
Date: 2095. Cost: $186,000. 1 [-5].
Features: Bioluminescent skin; exotic features, flippers
Omokage Labs produced this design as an alternative instead of feet.
to the Submissa series of pleasure bioroids (p. ITW87). An Date: 2090. Cost: $69,000.
Algonaut can feel pain – more intensely than an average
human – but it’s very hard to badly injure one, allowing These are humanoid beings adapted for the Europa
more extreme forms of “play.” environment by Avatar Klusterkorp genetic engineers.
The Algonaut’s skeleton is based on combat bioroid Europans look like a hybrid of mermen and catfish, with
designs, so it can spend long periods in restraint without long whiskers that sense water vibrations, large eyes,
permanent damage. A modified windpipe and enhanced tough skin, webbed fingers, and frog-like flippers rather
lung capacity allow it to survive strangulation or immer- than feet. Their skin is bioluminescent. Their metabolism
sion in water for much longer periods than a human, with includes the antifreeze protein (AFP) gene and adaptations
reduced risk of death or brain damage. Cellular modifica- for a sulfur-rich environment (near Europa’s vents), and
tions inspired by salamanders enable the Algonaut to they possess gills, based on biomimetic designs inspired
regenerate lost extremities – it can lose fingers, toes, or by walking catfish. Their gill structures are located beneath
even its tongue and grow them back in a few weeks or their ribs, rather than in the neck.
months, while skin quickly recovers from dermal scarring.
Some Algonauts are bioroids; others are bioshells. An Proto-Tennin 4 points
escaped Algonaut is a viable character – it may have a few Attribute Modifiers: ST -1 [-10]; HT -1 [-10].
psychological problems stemming from abuse, but its abil- Advantages: 3D Spatial Sense [10]; Disease-Resistant
ities also make it a dangerous enemy. [5]; No Degeneration in Zero-G [3]; Radiation Toler-
ance 3 [7].
Elf Kitten -5 points Disadvantages: Skinny [-5].
Attribute Modifiers: ST -2 [-15]; DX +1 [10]; IQ -1 Skills: Free Fall at DX+1 [4].
[-10]; HT +2 [20]. Features: Home gravity of 0 G. Increase height by up to
Advantages: Bioroid Body [0]; Longevity [5]; Radiation 8” over the norm for the lowered ST, but weight is
Tolerance 5 [10]; Sanitized Metabolism [5]; 75% of normal.
Date: 2050.Cost: $54,000.
 These are representative of the very first attempt at a adaptation of the basic Tennin type. The Tennin II features
design of a human adapted for microgravity without bone several tried-and-true modifications licensed from the
and muscle wasting. They are a more austere design than Ziusudra “ideal parahuman” design (p. TS118); it was also
the Tennin (p. TS117), lacking the modified toes and full marketed by Biotech Euphrates as the Anu. It is popular
radiation protection. They also lack the longevity genes, among Duncanite parents seeking designer offspring. 30%
and unlike later models, are more prone to the full range of of the Duncanite population are Tennin II.
human genetic problems (no Taboo Traits). Proto-Tennin
make up only 5% of the Duncanite population, but are sig- Kumo 20 points
nificant, as many of the first generation of Duncanite chil- Attribute Modifiers: ST -2 [-15].
dren are presently in positions of influence. Advantages: 3D Spatial Sense [10]; Attractive [5]; Dis-
Few proto-Tennin were deliberately born after the ease-Resistant [5]; Extra Arms (2 arms) (Nuisance
more ambitious Tennin genotype (available after 2057) Effect: Temporary Disadvantage (Legless while
was proven free of dangerous recessive genes or flaws. using Extra Arms, -35%)) [13]; Longevity [5]; No
Although some proto-Tennin were the offspring of proto- Degeneration in Zero-G [3]; Radiation Tolerance 5
Tennin parents, most parents with this genotype used [10].
genetic engineering to ensure they had full-fledged Tennin Disadvantages: Reduced Hit Points -1 [-5]; Reduced
babies. Move -2 (Running) [-10]; Skinny [-5].
Skills: Free Fall at DX+1 [4].
Tennin II (“Anu”) 64 points Features: Home gravity of 0 G. Increase height by up to
Attribute Modifiers: ST -1 [-10]; IQ +1 [10]; HT +1 [10]. 12” over the norm for the lowered ST, but weight is
Advantages: 3D Spatial Sense [10]; Attractive [5]; 70% of normal. Taboo Trait (Genetic Defects).
Immunity to Disease [10]; Less Sleep 1 [3]; Longevi- Date: 2082. Cost: $70,000.
ty [5]; No Degeneration in Zero-G [3]; Prehensile
Toes [7]; Radiation Tolerance 5 [10]; Rapid Healing This parahuman design was produced by a team at
[5]; Reproductive Control [2]. Kaneda Station, working in parallel to the group that pro-
Disadvantages: Reduced Hit Points -1 [-5]; Skinny [-5]. duced the Tennin II. Manipulation of homeobox genes led
Skills: Free Fall at DX+1 [4]. to the grasping prehensile toes of the Tennin series being
Features: Home gravity of 0 G. Increase height by up to modified into actual arms, hence the nickname “Kumo”
12” over the norm for the lowered ST, but weight is (Japanese for spider). They received a mixed reception.
75% of normal. No Appendix. Taboo Traits (Genetic Fewer parents chose to have Kumo babies, partly because
Defects; Mental Instability). the change was more alien. However, they have proven
Date: 2079. Cost: $114,000. popular among Gypsy Angel and freehauler families, and
are also common in the Kaneda Station community on
The relationship between Biotech Euphrates and Ceres. While they represent only 12% of the overall Dun-
Avatar Klusterkorp bore fruit with this evolutionary canite population, 45% of the Gypsy Angels are
Kumo.
 Rat King 4 points nanodrugs stolen and modified. The rats are inca-
Attribute Modifiers: ST -8 [-70]; DX +3 [30]; IQ -1 pable of speech, but can communicate via text mes-
[-10]; HT +6 [80]. saging through radio and infrared.
Advantages: Acute Taste and Smell +4 [8]; Alertness +4 Rat Kings on Vesta will have EDI as an Enemy. There
[20]; Cast Iron Stomach [15]; Disease-Resistant [5]; is a possibility that some of the Rat Kings may have
Enhanced Time Sense [45]; Faz Sense 3-hex range, escaped Vesta aboard Axon-controlled or other
-20%) [8]; Fur [4]; Mindshare (Global Conscious- spacecraft . . .
ness, Sentient Drones, 1 mile range, Non-telepathic,
Can be jammed, limited by speed of light, -40%)
Sentient Snacks -233 points
[51]; Night Vision [10]; No Degeneration in Zero-G Attribute Modifiers: ST -9 [-80]; DX -3 [-20].
[3]; Peripheral Vision [15]; Radio Speech (Infrared Advantages: Bioroid Body [0]; Bioshell [41]; Decreased
and radio, +20%) [30]; Sharp Teeth [5]. Life Support [10]; Double-Jointed [5]; High Pain
Disadvantages: Color Blindness [-10]; Gregarious [-10]; Threshold [10]; Immunity to Disease [10]; Metabo-
Horizontal [-10]; Mute [-25]; No Depth Perception lism Control 10 (Hibernation, -50%) [25]; No Blood
[-10]; Poor Grip [-5]; Poverty (Dead Broke) [-25]; (Blood clots almost immediately: vulnerable to poi-
Reduced Hit Points -14 [-70]; Short Arms [-10]; sons, but no Bleeding rolls) -50%) [3]; No Brain [5];
Short Lifespan 4 [-40]; Sleepy (50%) [-10]; Social No Neck [5]; No Vitals [5]; Reduced Sleep [10];
Stigma (Valuable Property) [-10]; Sterile [-3]; Ugly Sanitized Metabolism [5]; Temperature Tolerance
Appearance [-10]; Unusual Biochemistry [-5]. (colder) 3 [3].
Skills: Survival [Urban] at IQ+2 [8]. Disadvantages: Inconvenient Size [-15]; Invertebrate
[-20]; Reduced Hit Points -7 [-35]; Self-Destruct
These are packs of cybernetically-enhanced uplifted [-20]; Short Lifespan 15 [-150]; Unhealing [-30].
rats linked by implants into multi-rat gestalts. They are Features: Home gravity of 0 G. Average height is 6”.
thinner than ordinary rats, and have modified front paws Taboo Traits (Genetic Defects, Mental Instability).
with opposable thumbs, plus visible cybernetic implants Date: 2098. Cost: $50.*
(radio antenna, infrared lenses) in their heads. Nootropic * Includes a disposable biodegradable Complexity 4
drugs, intelligence augmentation. and genetic engineering bioshell computer, but, if desired, a biodegradable
have enhanced their life span and made them smarter and (p. 135) bioshell computer can be installed at normal
faster than ordinary rats; all also have permanent nanosym- computer costs.
bionts and nanocomputers that accelerate nerve firing, and
enhance their mental processes. These Trojan Mafia products look like miniature
Typical packs are gestalts of 10-20, but some packs humans or animals. They’re bioshells designed to be eaten
are smaller. A smaller pack costs 10 fewer points. Typical alive. They’re a novelty item: a simple living body operat-
Rat King skills are Computer Operation-10, Electronics ed by an extremely tiny biodegradable computer running a
Operation (Security or Medical)-10, Scrounging-12, factory-loaded NAI-4 program. They’re usually pro-
Stealth-14, Traps-12. Some rats also have VI implants or grammed with humorous and nihilistic personalities and
will make jokes as they’re being eaten, and sometimes
have Cooking skill sets, so they can
slice themselves up and make dinner.
A sentient snack’s body has been
Adventures with Sentient Snacks carefully designed so all parts are edi-
Snack Spies: Snacks provided to a business rival (or maybe to a whole ble . . . even the computer, although a
station!) may be secretly programmed as spies. The brain-pips record what few bits, referred to as “brain pips,” are
the snack saw in its 50 hours of active life. They can be recovered, thanks to indigestible and are best spat out (if
penetration or subversion of the recycling plant, and played back. not, they’ll be safely excreted). Its
Killer Snacks! What if snacks were programmed as assassins? Such pro- blood is flavored to taste like syrup,
gramming would only activate if a real opportunity presented itself . . . but and its decentralized nervous system
an offensively-minded snack swallowed near-whole could try to choke the allows it to remain alive even if
eater, press on the vagus nerve from inside, or commit other sabotage. And extremities or the head are removed.
even a tiny, clumsy creature may find an effective improvised weapon, if pro- Different body parts have slightly dif-
grammed with enough cleverness and Scrounging skill. ferent tastes. They don’t have real
A Fate Worse Than Death: A crime boss (or rich and vengeful eccentric) skeletons, and most of their organs are
arranges for eidolons or shadows of a hated foe to be downloaded into his both rudimentary and multiply redun-
snacks. Sure, it’s not the original person – but it’s close! But what if the dant.
source that offers the emulated snacks is actually programming them to spy? A sentient snack’s body is even
more simplified and streamlined than
 Tennin III 59 points
Attribute Modifiers: ST -1 [-10]; IQ +2 [20]; HT -1
[-10].
Advantages: 3D Spatial Sense [10]; Attractive [5];
Immunity to Disease [10]; Less Sleep 1 [3]; Longevi-
ty [5]; No Degeneration in Zero-G [3]; Prehensile
Toes [7]; Radiation Tolerance 5 [10]; Reproductive
Control [2]; Versatile [5].
Disadvantages: Skinny [-5].
Skills: Free Fall at DX+1 [4].
Features: Home gravity of 0 G. Increase height by up
to 14” over the norm for the lowered ST, but weight
is 75% of normal. Taboo Traits (Genetic Defects).
No Appendix. Offspring of Tennin III will be born
with Epilepsy unless corrected by extensive early-
childhood nanotherapy (costs $25,000).
Date: 2085. Cost: $109,000.

The new Tennin III are the first Avatar Klusterkorp

designs optimized for abnormally high intelligence, par-
ticularly in creativity. They make up 2% of the Duncan-
ite population. Unfortunately, the design team was a bit
too ambitious, and overlooked a brain chemistry imbal-
ance that has resulted in the second generation of Ten-
nin III suffering neurological problems; this can be
mitigated by childhood nanotherapy (subsumed in the
template), but overall health remains lower. Avatar is
working to correct this error in the Tennin IV, but it’s too
early to tell how well they’ve succeeded.

Titan Wrestler 225 points

Attribute Modifiers: ST +15 [150].
Advantages: Bioroid Body [0]; Extra Hit Points +15
[75]; Longer Arms (+1 hex reach, two arms) [20];
Toughness 2 [25].
Disadvantages: Inconvenient Size [-10]; Increased
Life Support 2 (eats three times as much) [-20];
Weakness (0.5 G or higher gravity, 1d per 30 min-
utes, very common) [-15].
Date: 2085. Cost: $275,000.

A Titan Wrestler typically stands 12’ tall, and his

most bioroids. None of its senses are very acute. It doesn’t body has human proportions – which, thanks to the square-
eat, consuming its own body mass to support itself. It can cube law, means his bones, muscles and organs are unable
only live for 50 hours, but can hibernate if refrigerated, and to properly sustain the Titan’s own weight in anything like
stay alive up to 3 years. Biting off its head destroys its Earth’s gravity. In fact, in a 0.5 g or higher gravity field, the
visual sense and ability to communicate except by radio, titan will actually suffer injury as his body collapses.
but it breathes and hears through its skin. 1/2 lb., 6-8” tall. The template is for a typical Titan Wrestler, fresh from
Humanoid Snack: These look like dolls. Various col- the biogenesis tank. It’s common to trick them up with var-
ors and flavors are available. ious drugs and nanomods, depending on the individual
Animal Snack: These have four legs and look like lit- rules of a given match. Other variations might be coded
tle cows, horses, etc. Add Extra Legs (4 legs) [5]; Hori- into the genes. For example, the Thunder Lizard adds rep-
zontal [-10]; No Fine Manipulators [-30]. Otherwise tilian gene sequences, giving it Claws [15], Fangs [10],
identical. Scales [3], and a smashing tail Striker [5]. 258 points
Living snacks are generally illegal wherever ($208,000).
bioshells are illegal.
 Void Flyer 50 points
Attribute Modifiers: ST -1 [-10].
Advantages: 3D Spatial Sense [10]; Beautiful/Handsome CYBERSHELL
TEMPLATES
(Off-the-Shelf Looks, -50%) [8]; Bioroid Body [0];
Disease-Resistant [5]; Oxygen Storage [14]; Prehen-
sile Toes [7]; Radiation Tolerance 5 [10]; Sanitized
Metabolism [5]; Vacuum Adaptation [27]. Robots reached the Deep Beyond long before people
Disadvantages: G-Intolerance (0.05 G increment) [-20]; did, and there are still many more of them out there than
Reduced Hit Points -2 [-10]. humans.
Skills: Free Fall at DX+1 [4].
Features: Home gravity of 0 G. Increase height by up to Aerorover 174 points
4” over the norm for the lowered ST, but weight is Attribute Modifiers: ST -1 [-10]; DX -2 [-15]; HT +2
90% of normal. Taboo Traits (Genetic Defects, Men- [20].
tal Instability). Smooth, jet black skin, and long hair Advantages: Absolute Direction (Uses GPS, -20%) [4];
that acts as a heat radiator. Amphibious [10]; Bouncing 1 [12]; DR 3 [9];
Date: 2092. Cost: $100,000. Enhanced Move (Running) 1 [10]; Flight [40];
Machine Body [37]; Radio Speech [25]; Stretching 4
The most recent product of Kosmozavot Tenno (One limb, no flexibility, -50%) [45]; Telescopic
Tanjo’s radical gengineers, the Void Flyer has a vacuum- Vision 2 [12]; Vacuum Support (No pressure support,
adaptive skin, special muscle sphincters that seal guts and -25%) [30].
lungs, and nictating membranes for the eyes, as well as the Disadvantages: Bad Grip [-10]; Inconvenient Size [-10];
usual Tennin modifications. The Void Flyer bioroids are Mistaken Identity [-5]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5];
supposed to survive in space without protective gear for an One Fine Manipulator [-15]; Social Stigma (Valuable
hour or more. KTT hopes productivity and cost savings Property) [-10].
from being able to truncate suit-up/suit-down time, habitat Features: Complexity 5-7 small computer.
safety features, and suit training, combined with the main- Date: 2071. Cost: $30,000 + computer.
tenance-free nature of bioroids compared to cybershells,
will lead to commercial success. As with most KTT prod- Aerorovers are triphibian utility cybershells. First
ucts, considerable attention has been placed on the Void developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA,
Flyer’s appearance. they took part in the early unmanned exploration of Titan,
KTT is also working on the more ambitious Void and their more advanced descendents are still in use as a
Dancer project, to produce an actual parahuman capable of cheap all-terrain mobot favored by planetologists, pipeline
passing these modifications onto offspring. That program workers, and teletourists. Most kids growing up on Titan
has been plagued with unforeseen difficulties, and may not have remotely-piloted an aerorover at one time or another
mature for another decade. – they own, rent, and even race them.
Void Soldier: A military version of the Void Flyer has A typical aerorover is a triangular-frame cybershell
also been developed. Add Combat Reflexes [15] and High consisting of three thick-walled helium-filled balloons
Pain Threshold [10]. 75 points ($125,000). Xiao Chu is (each about 5 feet in diameter), all joined by a skeletal
rumored to be working on a similar “space marine” frame to a single central module, which houses the power
bioroid, the ZR-23. plant, ducted fan propulsion unit, steering mechanism,
electric drivetrain, and payload. The three balloons not
only provide lift, but also act as an undercarriage (serving
as airbags in the event of a hard landing), as floats, and as
Man is an artifact designed wheels. A standard accessory is an arm that can anchor the
unit to the ground or pick up objects. The balloons are
for space travel. He is not over-inflated so that in the event of a puncture, the remain-
designed to remain in his ing two balloons will be sufficient to keep the vehicle
buoyant.
present biologic state any In aerobot mode, the aerorover can fly at any altitude
of up to 5 miles, venting helium as needed to control its
more than a tadpole is descent. Since this will eventually flatten its balloon
designed to remain a tadpole. wheels, the aerobot is fitted with a reinflation system that
allows the replacing of helium in its balloons with atmos-
– William Burroughs pheric gas, ensuring the balloon wheels can remain
inflated to run on the ground when all the helium is
vented. The aerorover has sufficient helium for Body [37]; Nictating Membrane 2 [20]; PD 3 [75];
between 1-4 weeks of operation, depending on the Perfect Balance [15]; Polarized Eyes [5]; Radar
amount of maneuvering it performs. Sense (10 hex) [60]; Radiation Tolerance 5 [10];
In rover mode, the standard aerorover is capable of Radio Speech (Laser and radio, +40%) [35];
speeds across Titan terrain of 10-15 mph. It can clamber Weaponry (laser, LC 1) [50]; Vacuum Support [40].
over obstacles up to 2’ high, float in Titan’s lakes, or cross Disadvantages: Dependency (Maintenance; occasional;
muddy terrain with ease. The power plant is sufficient for weekly) [-20]; Mistaken Identity [-5]; No Sense of
one week of surface operations. Smell/Taste [-5]; Social Stigma (Barbarian) [-15].
The aerorover is the size of a small car, but weighs Features: Complexity 5-7 small computer.
only 50 lbs. (7 lbs. on Titan). Date: 2080. Cost: $640,000 + computer.

These robotic autonomous tactical sys-

tems are fighting machines optimized for
combat in little or no gravity on small bodies
and in spacecraft and space stations. Vosper-
Babbage’s Cyclops is a typical example. A
modification of an earlier machine built for
jungle warfare (see below), it is employed for
armed reconnaissance in spacecraft or sta-
tions, where its small size and zero-gravity
maneuverability gives it a great advantage.
The Cyclops is a 10” diameter sphere
with four multi-jointed limbs. The armored
sphere houses the brain, power plant, gas
reserve, and a cold-gas thruster for zero-gee
maneuver, with exhaust ports spaced about
the body. A single “eye” in the body’s center
acts as a lens for a combined tactical laser and
ladar. (An armored eyelid can blink shut if
necessary.) Each of the four highly-flexible
arms can also function as a leg, and is
equipped with a six-fingered hand. Half the
fingers end in suction pads; others have opti-
cal sensors to see around corners. 3’ tall;
80 lbs.
Jungle RATS: The Vosper-Babbage
“Amazon” is a jungle & riverine warfare unit,
the predecessor of the Cyclops. It is capable
of swinging through trees, or traveling sub-
merged in rivers or swamps. It uses a hydro-
gen-oxygen fuel cell instead of a radiothermal
generator, and replaces the cold gas thruster
with a hydrojet. It has a blue-green ladar for
underwater navigation. Add Acute Hearing +3
[6] and Discriminatory Smell [15]; it has better sensors.
Microgravity RATS 800 points Remove the Flight and Vacuum Support advantages and
Attribute Modifiers: DX +1 [10]; HT +2 [20]. the No Sense of Smell/Taste disadvantage, but add
Advantages: Absolute Direction [5]; Ambidexterity [10]; Amphibious [10] and Doesn’t Breathe [20]. 780 points
Brachiator [5]; Chameleon 4 (Infrared, +50%) [42]; (2074, $585,000). 3’ tall; 70 lbs.
Clinging [25]; Extra Arms (2, with 2-hex reach) [40]; Titan RATS: The M94 Shelley, called the “T-rat,” is a
DR 40 (Electromagnetic, +50%) [180]; Extra Flexi- recent design manufactured in small numbers by Vosper-
bility [10]; Extra Hit Points +1 [5]; Flight (Space Babbage for the U.S. Navy SEAL unit on Titan. A hybrid
acceleration 0.5 G, +20%; Requires low gravity, 0.5 of Cyclops and Amazon, it retains the former’s radiother-
G, -25%; Reduced duration, 5 minutes, -5%) [36]; mal generator and the latter’s hydrojet propulsion system.
Full Coordination 1 [50]; Independently Focus- Remove Flight but add Amphibious [10]. 774 points
able Eyes (four) [45]; Infravision [15]; Machine (2091, $580,000). 3’ tall; 80 lbs.
Mining Worm 415 points (Requires low gravity, 0.2 G, -40%) [24]; Infravi-
Attribute modifiers: ST +10 (No fine manipulators, sion [15]; Machine Body [37]; PD 3 [75]; Polarized
-40%) [66]; HT +2 [20]. Eyes [5]; Radiation Tolerance 2 [4]; Radio Speech
Advantages: Absolute Direction [5]; Discriminatory (Radio and laser, +40%) [35]; Telescopic Vision 1
Taste (For minerals only, -50%) [5]; Doesn’t Breathe [6]; Vacuum Support (No pressure support, -25%)
[20]; DR 10 [30]; Enhanced Move (running) 1/2 [5]; [30]; Weaponry (LC 1) [50].
Extra Encumbrance [5]; Extra Hit Points +10 [50]; Disadvantages: Dependency (Maintenance; occasional;
Flexibility [15]; Machine Body [37]; Magnetic Sense weekly) [-20]; Mistaken Identity [-5]; Social Stigma
(4 hex) [20]; PD 3 [75]; Radiation Tolerance 5 [10]; (Barbarian) [-15].
Radio Speech (Laser and radio, +40%) [35]; Tunnel Features: Complexity 4-6 tiny computer.
(1 hex/turn) [50]; Universal Digestion (For ore sepa- Date: 2090. Cost: $111,000 + computer.
ration only, -20%) [12]; Vacuum Support [40].
Disadvantages: Dependency (Maintenance; common, Mini-UCAVs are small aircraft designed to provide
monthly) [-5]; Inconvenient Size [-10]; Invertebrate tactical reconnaissance and very close air support for
[-20]; Mistaken Identity [-5]; No Fine Manipulators ground forces. They have long loiter times and can operate
[-30]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5]; Social Stigma on the ground as well as in the air. They are usually carried
(Valuable Property) [-10]. aboard larger armored vehicles.
Features: Complexity 5-7 small computer; internal cavi- Columbia Aerospace’s AV-71 Mosquito is a typical
ty (holds up to 200 lbs.). mini-UCAV. A helicopter gunship roughly the same size
Date: 2065. Cost: $180,000 + computer. and shape as a football, it is propelled by a pair of counter-
rotating rotors. Its internal bay carries four 30mm mini-
This asteroid mining mobot resembles a cross missiles for self-defense, and it can carry two clip-on
between a giant mechanized earthworm and a centipede. weapon pods on each of its stubby wings. It has four pow-
Its specialized sensors allow it to detect ore deposits. Its ered legs that can fold flush with the body, enabling it to
powerful rotary jaws and diamond-tipped legs allow it to operate on the ground at a walking pace.
anchor itself in microgravity while efficiently tunneling The AV-71T is the version used on Titan. It features a
through the loose regolith of an asteroid’s surface in quest de-rated powertrain (as less rotor power is required to fly);
of suitable ores. a radiothermal generator power plant replaces the battery.
The mining worm actually ingests rock, breaking it This permits extended operations in the Titan environment,
down with its jaws, then passing the crushed matter allowing it to operate for six months without refueling; the
through a “digestive tract” in which internal grinders, main limitation is the need for maintenance checks. AV-
microbots and magnetic fields are used to separate useful 71T’s clip-on weapon pods may hold two ranged weapons
ore from worthless rock. Waste materials are blasted out its of up to 10 lbs. each. Weight is extra, counting against
rear end as rock dust (into the open if necessary, or through encumbrance. 15 lbs. (unloaded), 1’ long.
an attached “catheter” pipe leading to a collection site).
Useful ore is stored in an expanding stomach sac until it
Gas Giant Aerobot 122 points
can reach a smelter, dump truck, or appropriate storage Attribute Modifiers: HT +2 [20].
facility. Advantages: Discriminatory Taste [10]; DR 5 [15]; Flight
A typical example is the THI-701 Mukade, a reliable (Only in specific gas giant atmosphere, -50%) [20];
35-year-old design from Tenzan Heavy Industries. Its Machine Body [37]; Radar (low-res radar, 20-mile
stomach can house up to three times its own mass in ore. range) [70]; Radio Speech [25]; Vacuum Support
15’ long, 420 lbs. (empty). [40].
Armored Mining Worm: Used in hostile environments Disadvantages: Inconvenient Size (large) [-10]; Mistak-
like Io or Europa, and by the military, this is a larger and en Identity [-5]; Planetbound (Can’t leave at all,
heavier model with thicker legs and a much tougher cara- +100%) [-80]; Reduced Hit Points -2 [-10]; Social
pace. It has DR 20 [60] and Radiation Tolerance 20 [18]. Stigma (Valuable Property) [-10].
453 points (2090, $230,000, 1,000 lbs.) Features: Complexity 6-8 microframe computer.
Date: 2057+. Cost: $15,000 + computer.
Mini-UCAV 334 points
Attribute Modifiers: ST -8 [-70]; DX +2 [20]; HT +1 The standard gas giant operation cybershells (see
[10]. SIRMA, p. 39, and UNSIBA, p. 71) are balloons designed
Advantages: Absolute Direction (Uses GPS, -20%) [4]; to make atmospheric measurements and return imagery of
Acceleration Tolerance [10]; Acute Vision +1 [2]; interesting phenomena. They also carry sondes (deep
Chameleon 3 (Infrared, +50%) [32]; DR 25 [75]; probes) they can drop to study lower levels of the atmos-
Enhanced Move (Flying) 1 [10]; Flight phere, until the sonde is crushed by the gas giant’s
immense pressure.
 These cybershells are not intended to be recovered, Machine Body [37]; PD 4 [100]; Polarized Eyes [5];
but are designed to operate for months at a time. They are Radiation Tolerance 10 [14]; Radio Speech (Laser
deployed from orbiting spacecraft, descending by para- and radio, +40%) [35]; Silence 1 [5]; Tunnel (1
chute before reaching their operating altitude. Some are hex/second, Loose soil only, -50%) [25]; Weaponry
controlled by infomorphs, while others are teleoperated (one LC 0, two LC 1) [120]; Vacuum Support [40].
from orbit. An SAI or ghost may transfer a copy of itself Disadvantages: Dependency (Maintenance; occasional;
into a gas giant cybershell, spend a few weeks doing on- weekly) [-20]; Mistaken Identity [-5]; Social Stigma
site research, and then transfer back. (Barbarian) [-15].
Chronos-4 is a 440-lb. teardrop-shaped SIRMA bal- Features: Complexity 6-8 microframe computer.
loon that supports a 20-lb. cybershell housing a computer Date: 2090. Cost: $770,000 + computer.
brain, radar, radio, meteorology instrument package, pair
of manipulator arms, and a electric ducted-fan propulsion Jump RATS are air/space assault RATS designed to
unit. It’s used for research and light maintenance opera- withstand extremely high-G accelerations (up to 200 G),
tions on Saturn. allowing them to make hazardous parachute or reentry
Zeus-3 is a Jovian variant of the Chronos, used strict- capsule drops – or even jump from a low-flying aircraft
ly for research. It has a smaller balloon (240 lbs.) and lacks with no chute. A typical model is the U.S. Army’s M82
the manipulator arms, making it substantially cheaper, but Ridgway.
it carries a larger and more sophisticated instrument pack- The Ridgway can fold up into an ovoid package 2’
age. Add No Manipulators [-50]. 72 points (2070, $5,100). high and 1.5’ wide that easily fits into a reentry or para-
Tuxing Type-94 is a covert-operations balloon chute capsule. After landing it can unfold six thin, insec-
deployed by China’s Bureau-10. It’s actually spying on the toid legs (two of which can also function as manipulators
Titan Consortium operations at Saturn. It weighs 480 lbs. if necessary), each ending in a clawed foot with retractable
with balloon. Add Chameleon 2 (Radar, +50%) [21], Tele- fingers, and extend armored lenses, sensor stalks, and gun
scopic Vision 2 [12]. 155 points (2088, $24,000). muzzles. The Ridgway has no clear front or rear; the upper
TWX Type-97 (Tian Wang Xing-1) is an UNSIBA and lower halves of its torso can even rotate independent-
(p. 71) cybershell used by Xiao Chu in the atmosphere of ly, and the entire unit can operate with as few as two limbs.
Uranus. It’s similar to the Chronos-4, but with a much It can even raise itself up to a height of 7’ by bringing all
smaller balloon (only 25 lbs.) optimized for Uranus’ its legs together into a central pillar, or splay out and/or
atmosphere. Total weight is 50 lbs. Add Reduced Hit fold its limbs to assume a prone position no taller than a
Points -2 [-10]. 112 points (2091, $12,500). crawling human.
Standard armament is an integral 60mm recoilless
Jump RATS 880 points rifle and two battle rifles (each incorporates the usual coax-
Attribute Modifiers: ST +2 [20]; DX +2 [20]; HT +2 ial 30mm mini-missile launcher); the Ridgway can tilt
[20]. back to use the recoilless rifle for indirect fire. The Ridg-
Advantages: 360-Degree Vision [25]; Absolute Direction way’s diamondoid composite armor is the equivalent of 1”
[5]; Acceleration Tolerance (Nuisance Effect: Blind, of steel plate, and it is protected by a smartskin with inte-
No Manipulators, and Sessile when in use, -75%) grated visual and electromagnetic chameleon and sensor
[3]; Acute Vision +2 [4]; Bioelectric Shock [10]; Cat- systems. It can also generate a localized high-intensity
fall [10]; Chameleon 4 (Infrared, +50%) [42]; Claws electromagnetic field capable of disrupting the penetrating
[15]; DR 70 (Electromagnetic, +50%) [315]; plasma jet of shaped-charge warheads or delivering a nasty
Enhanced Move (Running) 1 [10]; Extra Hit Points shock (used for riot control). A Ridgway weighs 480 lbs.
+3 [15]; Extra Legs (4) [10]; Infravision [15];
 is the Darwin-Sogo Type 120 Ari (“ant”). Each
mobot has a large bucket-box and scooper to dig,
EIDOLONS carry, and dump soil or ice. Stereo cameras provide a
360-degree view.
Eidolons are mind emulations based on a careful
Swarmdozers are usually running only NAI-4 info-
analysis of the psychology of a well-documented individ-
morphs, but use gestalt intelligence software (see Mind-
ual, often a historical or fictional figure. In some countries
share, p. TS130) to work together as a team, giving a group
it is illegal to sell eidolons of living individuals without
of swarm dozers the same efficiency as a full-size
their permission, although eidolons are often created pri-
machine. A typical swarm will include 64 swarmdozers,
vately to model the actions of opponents in business, the
and can tunnel through one hex of earth or rock per turn.
military, or other fields. Gathering data to create an accu-
1’ long, 5 lbs.
rate eidolon may be a goal of espionage agents. Creating
eidolons of famous personages is a small but growing Tumbleweed 45 points
software industry.
Attribute Modifiers: ST -5 [-40]; HT +2 [20].
An eidolon is treated as a shadow mind emulation,
Advantages: 360-Degree Vision [25]; Absolute Direction
except that its quality is strictly limited by the amount of
[5]; Acceleration Tolerance [10]; Bouncing 2 [24];
accurate information available: it is what its designer
DR 5 [15]; Enhanced Move (Running) 1 (Dependent
thinks a person is, rather than a good approximation of
on wind, -50%) [5]; Infravision [15]; Machine Body
what he actually is. For example, there are multiple Jesus
[37]; Radiation Tolerance 10 [14]; Radio Speech
Christ eidolons available – each of them very different!
[25]; Vacuum Support [40].
GMs may find GURPS Who’s Who a useful source when
Disadvantages: Fragile (vs. impaling instead of crushing,
creating eidolon characters.
-25%) [-15]; Invertebrate [-20]; Mistaken Identity
An eidolon designer will need History, Psychology,
[-5]; No Manipulators [-50]; Reduced Hit Points -2
and Research (and sometimes Literature and Theology)
[-10]; Sessile (Windblown, -20%) [-40]; Social Stig-
skills. No eidolon can know anything that its creator did
ma (Valuable Property) [-10].
not program into it, although those that are designed as
Features: Complexity 4-6 tiny computer.
sapient AIs may develop in unforeseen ways. In some
Date: 2075. Cost: $2,000 + computer.
countries, eidolons of controversial figures are banned . . .
for instance, eidolons of infosocialism founder Kyle
A Tumbleweed is a large (typically 10’-diameter)
Porters are not permitted by India’s current ruling party.
transparent plastic ball that is either inflated by inert gas or
Eidolons of all sorts, but especially historical and religious
filled with a low-mass aerogel. In the center of the ball is a
figures, are outlawed in most Islamic nations.
cybershell core (often not much larger than an apple, and
weighing 2-5 lbs.) housing brain, sensors and power.
The Tumbleweed lacks a propulsion system: instead,
the inflated ball is light enough to be propelled by the
Swarmdozer 40 points wind, especially in low gravity.
Attribute Modifiers: ST -8 [-70]; HT +2 [20]. Tumbleweeds were deployed during the first
Advantages: 360-Degree Vision [25]; Absolute Direction cybershell missions to Io and Triton, as both these
(uses GPS, -20%) [4]; DR 3 [9]; Extra Encumbrance worlds have tenuous atmospheres that make conven-
[5]; Machine Body [37]; PD 1 [25]; Radiation Toler- tional aircraft unsuitable, but winds of measurable
ance 5 [10]; Radio Speech (Infrared and radio, force. On Io, the volcanic activity generates unpre-
+20%) [30]; Tunnel (1 hex; takes 64 times as long, dictable winds that can reach supersonic speeds,
-60%) [20]; Vacuum Support [40]. blowing Tumbleweeds at random all across the
Disadvantages: Bad Grip [-10]; Dependency (Mainte- moon’s surface; fortunately, since most of the winds
nance; common, monthly) [-5]; Inconvenient Size blew out from hot areas, most of the Tumbleweeds
(Small) [-15]; Mistaken Identity [-5]; No Sense of were propelled away from volcanic lava. On Triton,
Smell/Taste [-5]; One Fine Manipulator [-15]; the Tumbleweeds were propelled at a more sedate
Reduced Hit Points -10 [-50]; Social Stigma (Valu- pace by 20-40 mph winds.
able Property) [-10]. The surviving Tumbleweeds on Triton have
Features: Complexity 4-6 tiny computer. mostly been modified into riding vehicles by the local
Date: 2040. Cost: $1,600 + computer. cyberswarms (see Triton, p. 73): a one-hex swarm can
open a maintenance plug and ride inside, giving
A hybrid of dump truck and bulldozer, these small orders to the ball’s NAI. The Tumbleweeds on Io are most-
mobile cybershells, powered by radiothermal ly being used for reconnaissance – but they also tend to
generators, are commonly used for construction, combat draw fire and act as decoys.
engineering, and mining operations. A typical model
 BIOMODS
through a combination of surgery and transplants.
This procedure may be legally available if done with
an original person (or trademark holder’s) permission, or if
These are examples of the types of unsettling biomods the design is sufficiently altered. However, syndicates like
produced by Trojan Mafia companies such as Omokage the Martian Triads often bodysculpt pleasure bioroids or
Labs. Designs are available at Liang Mountain and from bioshells into doppelgangers of celebrities or fictional
associated Martian Triads labs in the Main Belt; they often characters for sale to customers.
show up on custom-modified bioroids, but can be added to Statistics: A bodysculpt will have the same Appear-
humans and parahumans as well. The andro-womb is also ance as the original, and will usually also have the disad-
available from mainstream biotech companies like Avatar vantage Mistaken Identity [-5]. Depending on the number
and Biotech Euphrates. Bodysculpting is widely available of doppelgangers made, this may add or remove the limi-
from clinics everywhere, but in the Deep Beyond is prac- tation Off-the-Shelf Looks (p. TS129).
ticed by the Martian Triads to design specialized bioroids Operation: $12,500 (3 weeks). LC 5 (but LC 1 if vio-
for customers. lates copyrights or trademarks).
In most cases, type-matched tissue is cus-
tom-grown in a biogenesis tank, than surgically
transplanted to the subject. See GURPS Bio-
Tech for more biomods. The surgery most be fol-
lowed by a recovery period of bed rest; that
period can be reduced from weeks to days if the
subject is immersed in an exo-womb and
$100,000 of cell-surgeon nano is used (99% of
this can be recovered). The usual charge for
accelerated recovery is an extra $5,000 +
$2,500/day added to the operation cost.

Andro-Womb
“Michael, you know I don’t believe in exo-
wombs, and a surrogate is out of the question.
Who did you think would be carrying our Dana
to term? The doctor is ready.”

This modifies a man or bioroid to safely

carry a transplanted embryo to term and give
birth without caesarian section.
Statistics: Flesh Pocket (8 lbs., in stomach)
(Can support fetus, +25%; Only for fetuses,
-75%; Nuisance effect: gain Overweight and then
Fat plus Unusual Biochemistry during mid to late preg- Lactonarcotic Bioreactors
nancy, -25%) [4]. “That wasn’t bad – better than the last flavor. Tasted
Operation: $16,000 (4 weeks to grow, 2 week recov- like chocolate, but with a buzz. I noticed Buttercup seemed
ery). LC 6. to enjoy it, as well.”
“Yes, sir, we’ve designed the bioreactors that way.
Doppleganger Bodysculpt Endorphin rush. The final design will have different flavors
“We should do Ke Lifang next, boss. Since Dragon in each mammary, of course.”
Mantis IV hit New Shanghai, she’s been the hottest female “What about the hermaphromorph model?”
action hero on Mars. Everyone loves her . . .” “Sorry, sir. Another six weeks. Hormonal problems.”
“. . . and many want to possess her. A good choice, “And the Triads have customers who will buy models
Peng.” like her?” He shook his head. “People amaze me.”
“Thanks boss. How many Tianyi shall I prep for sur-
gery?” Statistics: Drug Factory (two drugs, administered by
“Alter a dozen to start with. We’ll test market on Hes- suckling, +0%) [30]. Drugs may be designed as any two
heng before we ship to Mars.” short-term nanodrug pills with cost of $30 or less (pp.
A living being can be transformed into an exact TS163-164).
duplicate of another person or imaginary character Operation: $30,000 (4 weeks to grow, 2 weeks
(as much as height, build, and morphology permit), recovery, female only). LC 2.
Prehensile Tongue Winged Retromorphosis
“Oh, so you’re an Eros model? I’m not surprised. Replaces arms with a functional pair of biogenesis-
I didn’t think they gave you that to catch flies.” grown feathered or bat-like wings, and grafts additional
An extremely long and flexible tongue, often but not muscles into the shoulders to power them. The wing bones
always forked. The Stuttering reflects a severe lisp rather arch well above the head to allow normal walking. The
than an actual stutter. wings are not powerful enough to fly with except in low-G
Statistics: Extra Arm (shorter) [5], Extra Flexibility air-filled environments, such as inside a large chamber in a
(tongue) [5], Stuttering [-5]. 5 points. beehive habitat, or on Titan.
Operation: $5,000 (2 weeks to grow, 1 week recov- Statistics: Flight (Winged, -25%, Requires low gravi-
ery). LC 4. ty, 0.2 g, -40%) [14], Strikers (2) [10]; No Fine Manipula-
tors [-30]. -6 points. Exception: If given to a bioroid or
Quadrupedal Retromorphosis parahuman with prehensile toes, delete the Prehensile Toes
“Now, now, boy. You didn’t really need hands for what advantage and replace No Fine Manipulators with No Fine
your new owners want you for. Now, trot over here, there’s Manipulators (Only when standing up, -35%) [-20]. If
a good pony.” given to a multi-armed parahuman or bioroid such as a
Kumo (p. 113), the No Fine Manipulators disadvantage
The operation removes a humanoid’s arms and feet, disappears, but delete the parahuman’s or bioroid’s Extra
replacing the arms with transplanted legs and the hands Arms advantage.
and feet with hooves or paws. The rear leg joints are also Operation: $30,000 (8 weeks to grow, 4 week recov-
altered for a digitigrade posture. ery). LC 2.
Statistics: Enhanced Move (Running) 1/2 [5], Hori-
zontal [-10], No Fine Manipulators [-30]. -35 points. Xenostriker Biomods
Operation: $17,500 (6 weeks to grow, 3 week recov- “Bloodsucking fangs – glowing eyes – and fur. I sup-
ery). LC 1. pose I am a vampire, but not the kind you’re thinking of.”

Venus Flytrap These are custom toothbud or cartilage implants; the

“Very Freudian,” mused Deputy Hawkins, studying Bite biomod also alters saliva glands to produce anti-
the bloody mess the assassin had made of the dead Xiao clotting agents. All except Horns and Fangs [10] are
Chu executive. They had the killer in custody – or rather its retractable.
empty husk. The digital mind had transferred out right Statistics: Any of Bite (User Doesn’t Gain HT, -50%)
afterward, leaving behind an empty pleasure bioshell, an [15], Horns [5], Claws [15] or [25], Sharp Teeth [5] or
Elf Kitten just like any of the dockside sex workers – with Fangs [10] can be grown and implanted. If Bite or Fangs
one little extra. The Martian Triads had struck again. is already added to a template with Sharp Teeth, reduce the
point cost by the difference between the two; likewise for
A female or hermaphromorph-only modification. Bite added to Fangs.
Statistics: Sharp Teeth (only when intimate, -50%) Operation: Costs $15,000. 6 weeks to grow, 3 weeks
[3]. 3 points. to recover. LC 5.
Operation: $15,000 (2 weeks to grow, 2 week
recovery). LC 3.
 Sessile see p. CI105
ADVANTAGES, This disadvantage is available with a special limi-
tation for some cybershells:

DISADVANTAGES, AND
Special Limitation: Windblown: This limitation means
that the character is incapable of self-powered movement,
but can be easily blown about by wind and may move in

SKILLS the general direction of the breeze. Speeds when wind-

blown may not normally exceed the wind’s speed (an
exception would be rolling down hill, for example). -20%.
These notes apply specifically to campaigns set in the
Deep Beyond, but can also be used in other areas of Tran-
shuman Space. WEALTH AND STATUS
Wealth levels of Wealthy or better are quite common
ADVANTAGES for humans and parahumans, due to large salaries or shares
in station property and spacecraft. Youth, such as Duncan-
Some character types and racial or model template ite apprentices, may be a level or so poorer. Large stations
described in this chapter have advantages that require spe- or colonies like Hesheng or Titan may have an underclass
cial consideration, or which possess new enhancements or with lower Wealth levels, or even Poverty (various exploit-
limitations. ed nonhumans).
Most Duncanites are Status 0-2, depending on Wealth
Chameleon see p. CI51 and influence, but Ares Crew (p. 82) will be one level
These enhancements are often found on combat higher due to the mystique that clings to them.
cybershells.
Special Enhancement: Infrared. It is usable vs.
infrared or thermal imaging and the Infravision advantage. SKILLS
+50%. The following skills are particularly noteworthy in the
Special Enhancement: Radar. It is usable vs. radar and Deep Beyond setting:
the Radar Sense advantage. +50%.
Special Limitation: Not Visual: The Chameleon abili- Gesture see p. B55
ty is ineffective against normal vision. This must be taken This skill is very common among Duncanites and
in conjunction with one of the above enhancements. -50%. other microgravity natives, for communication in vacuum.
While suit radios are ubiquitous, kids learn it to communi-
Vacuum Support see p. CI70 cate without parents or supervisory infomorphs listening
Special Limitation: No Pressure Support. The advan- in.
tage no longer protects against the effects of very low or
high pressures, but still maintains internal temperature and Powerboat see p. B69
allows you to survive in the absence of air. This is a This skill also covers maneuvering submarines.
common advantage for cybershells that can operate on
Titan but cannot function in vacuum or trace atmos- Sports see p. B49
pheres. -25%. Sports skills popular in the Deep Beyond (all are P/A)
include:
DISADVANTAGES Sports (Nullball): Prerequisite is Free Fall, and also
defaults to DX-5 or Free Fall-5. Nullball is a three-dimen-
Likewise, some disadvantages require special consid- sional microgravity version of basketball, popular among
eration, or have new enhancements or limitations, in this Duncanites and other Tennin. Two notable nullball teams
setting. are the Kirkwood Raiders (from Silas Duncan) and the
Mycenean Manglers (from Freehaven); many teams are
Aquatic see p. CI101 sponsored by Duncanite companies, and compete annual-
Aquatic includes the zero-point feature Amphibious ly for the Iridium Cup.
(No Move on land) [0], which allows characters to swim at Sports (Pogo): Allows use of a pogo stick (p. 136); use
full Move without requiring Swimming skill. this skill instead of DX or Jumping skill when making
extra-effort jumps (p. B88) using a pogo stick. Pogo skill
Youth see p. B29 is about as common as bicycling on Earth in some Dun-
Note that youth is culturally dependent; a human or canite settlements; the sport was brought to Titan by Dun-
parahuman Duncanite will often be considered an adult canite guest workers. Defaults to DX-5 or Jumping-3.
at age 15 or less, and thus will not take Youth.
 Miho’s parents were often busy, so she was

PEOPLE raised by her nanny, a bioshell called Tinny, who host-

ed a low-sapient AI. When Miho was five years old, she
received her own virtual interface implant. This opened up
These are three ordinary individuals who live and a new world to her, and from then on, she began spending
work in the Deep Beyond. Each has been given a detailed much of her time in virtual reality. In particular, she liked
biography, to illuminate how people may grow up in dif- to play with artificial life sims, and when she was seven,
ferent cultures in the dawn of the 22nd century. her sim-critters won a playschool prize for “most raven-
ous.” Her parents purchased a puppeteer implant, so her
MIHO GALLAGHER 155 POINTS body would often be exercising (controlled by a NAI)
while her brain was in cyberspace playschool; however,
Parahuman, born in 2084; age 15. 6’6” tall, 90 lbs. unlike the implants used by New Covenant, she had vol-
untary control over it.
Miho Gallagher was born in an exo-womb on Ceres in When Miho was eight years old, her father Akira took
Silas Duncan Station in 2084. Her parents were Akira her to visit Grandmother Ryoko, who lived off Ceres on
Kozuki, a microgravity architect, and Jane Liu Gallagher, her own freehold, Momji Station. Miho had lived all her
a bioroid designer, who were both in their early 20s when life in the crowded beehive of Ceres, but Momji was a
she was decanted, the youngest of three children. Both par- Cole habitat, low gravity, but blessed with wide open
ents are Tennin. One of Miho’s grandparents is Ares Crew; spaces. There was a huge fish farm tended by mutated
she’s still alive, living in a freehold on her own asteroid, octopi, and orchards with real blueberry and medicine
and occasionally helps Miho and her family out. trees she could climb. Miho spent so much time in the
Like about 40% of Duncanite children, Miho was branches that Ryoko nicknamed her “risuko” (squirrel).
quite literally a “different species” from her parents, the Fascinated by her new environment, Miho eagerly
result of further genetic tinkering by Avatar engineers. She devoured the practical lessons her grandmother taught her,
was one of the first Tennin III embryos to be successfully learning how the various trees and animals had been gene-
brought to term – in fact, her parents were a test group who engineered from original Earth stock. With Ryoko’s help,
received a subsidy from Avatar Klusterkorp in exchange Miho created a bioluminescent cactus – her first splice.
for raising her; otherwise, they would have been unable to Things took a turn for the worst the following year. It
afford her. Miho was different in subtle ways from her sib- was 2092, Miho was back on Ceres, and her mother’s
lings, but grew up with a close kin-group of fellow Tennin bioroid design business was doing poorly. Thanks to new
IIIs. Once a week through most of her childhood Miho European Union legislation, Biotech Euphrates had
would go in to the clinic for checkups, and a wearable dumped their pleasure bioroid lines, and the lucrative free-
monitored her closely the rest of the time. There were a lance design contracts had evaporated. Miho remembers
few problems with the Tennin IIIs, but gene therapy nano not getting the carnivorous plant kit she’d wanted for New
corrected the worst of it. Even so, Miho was a bit less Years, and being teased by playmates because she didn’t
robust than the more stable Tennin or Tennin IIs, and she have the latest InVids from Earth. Then came the terrible
remembers days spent playing in virtuality while her body day when, pressed for funds, her mother sold Tinny. Miho
underwent gene therapy. was traumatized, but her parents claimed she was too old
Growing up, Miho’s diet was limited in variety (fish, to need a nanny. It was time she was apprenticed.
fruit and vegetables), but augmented with hormones, vita- Miho spent the first few months after her ninth birth-
mins and nootropics. Miho distinctly remembers the day undergoing aptitude tests sponsored by recruiting
food getting more varied as she got older: in fact, companies and job farms. As a nootropic-enhanced Tennin
Ceres production capacity was expanding in the III, she scored highly, motivated in part by a childish desire
2080s as more and more space was converting to to earn enough to buy back Tinny. Her scores caught the
farms and fauxflesh vats, and the population notice of Kosmodavit Tenno Tanjo, a Green Duncanite
began to afford luxuries rather than living on sta- biotech firm that specialized in vacuum-adapted pantropic
ples. Miho still recalls the day she first tasted a bron- life forms. They reached an agreement with her parents,
toburger and fries, at her sixth birthday party. A side effect accepting her as an apprentice bio-engineer.
of the nootropics Miho was given is that she has very Miho’s implant was upgraded, and from then on she
vivid flashes of certain memories – perhaps because she received her educational software and slinkies for free. She
liked the fruit juice flavor of the nootropic beverage, and spent her first year working on simulations, but soon grad-
would sometimes sneak extra squeeze tubes of it out of uated to real projects. By the third year of her apprentice-
the fridge without her parents noticing. (Ceres wasn’t ship the 12-year-old had forgotten Tinny, falling in love
Earth – in most Fifth Wave nations there, a manufacturer with her own job, as she assisted a team of human and
would have been sued for selling such a beverage infomorph engineers in designing space-proof leaves
without child-proof biometrics.) that could function as solar power collectors.
 Miho made friends among her coworkers, join- Skills: Acrobatics-10 [1/2]; Beam Weapons (Elec-
ing the Eschatonic Eaglets, the company’s junior null- trolaser)-14* [1/2]; Biochemistry-14 [4]; Chem-
ball team. She had her first crush: Solon, a handsome istry-12 [1/2]; Climbing-11 [1/2]; Computer
bioroid lab technician who was also the team’s captain. Operation-14 [1/2]; Computer Programming-12
After their first date, eager to know everything about him, [1/2]; Free Fall-17 [0]; Genetics (Genetic Engineer-
she looked up his design history, only to discover her ing)-16 [12]; Gesture-14 [1/2]; Judo-10 [1/2];
mother Jane had been the one responsible for coding his Memetics-11 [1/2]; Research-14 [1]; Sports (Null-
angelic features. Miho broke off their relationship: it was- ball)-13 [2]; Sports (Pogo)-11 [1/2]; Throwing-11 [1].
n’t quite like kissing a brother, but the idea still made her Languages: English (native)-15 [0]; Japanese-14 [1].
queasy. * Includes +2 for IQ.
At age 15, her apprentice term ran out, but her super- ** Includes +5 from Tennin template and 3D Spatial
visor’s evaluation was positive. Now an adult, she could Sense.
repay the company for her training and get a job else- Native gravity is 0 g.
where, or renew her contract with KTT. As she enjoyed the
work, Miho, accepting a four-year contract as on-site assis-
tant supervisor on KTT’s Yggdrasil Project. This meant CHARLIE SPARROWHAWK
saying goodbye to her parents, for Miho was to leave
Ceres – she was off to plant trees on comets, beyond the
133 POINTS
orbit of Saturn. Infomorph, created in 2086; effective age 13. Projects
an avatar of a beautiful 17-year-old human female wearing
ST 9 [0]; DX 13 [30]; IQ 15 [30]; HT 9 [0]. USAF uniform. Has a sparrowhawk painted on her main-
Speed 6; Move 6. frame.
Dodge 6.
Advantages: Ally (Programmed) (Wearable hosting an Sparrowhawk (Serial Number SAI-174-8554) is an
NAI-7 (p. TS119), 50 points, appears almost all the infomorph who usually inhabits the mainframe aboard
time, on 15 or less) [9]; Patron (grandmother Ryoko “Predator Charlie,” the third of four Predator autonomous
Kozuki, single powerful individual, appears rarely) kill vehicles carried aboard the Michael, a USAF
[5]; Tennin III (p. 115) [59]; Wealthy [20]. Archangel-class SDV. Among friends she goes by her
Disadvantages: Duty (to KTT, 9 or less) [-5]; Flashbacks nickname, Sparrow; she uses the alias Charlie Spar-
[-5]; Honesty [-10]. rowhawk when passing as human.
Quirks: Avid nullball fan; Creates artificial life ecosys- One of the earliest SAI-9 infomorphs, Sparrow was
tems; Fascinated by odd plants; Won’t date created at Military Data Systems, a Nanodynamics sub-
bioroids [-4]. sidiary in Silicon Valley. Her code was completely new, as
the military wished to avoid problems from legacy sys-
tems and embedded viruses. After initial socializing
and testing, Sparrow was transferred directly to a
USAF battle lab in Columbia Station, where she
spent the next two years in virtuality simulations. She
was initially slated to control one of the 76th Space
Control Squadron’s larger space defense platforms,
but her aggressive bent was noted. Rather than correct
it, Sparrow was transferred from Aerospace Com-
mand to Deep Space Command, and assigned to
AKVs.
Her first service was aboard the SDV Gabriel as
part of the 304th Space Wing. There she participated
in war games around Luna, visited Mercury, and
shadowed Chinese and European SDVs on the space-
lanes between Earth and Mars. Transferred to the
Michael in 2094, she helped enforce the USAF quar-
antine around Titan, and distinguished herself during
Iceberg Sling 95, an exercise set in Saturn’s rings,
where she blasted her way past an “enemy”
Archangel-class SDV’s defensive screen with Teller
mines, than achieved a daring point-blank intercept
that the moderators ruled would have been a kill.
 As a SIM-7 Predator driver, Sparrow is one of
six sapient infomorphs conscious on the Michael (a
few backup copies are also carried). Sparrow gets along
SINETÄR 160 POINTS
Infomorph, created in 2091; age 8. Projects an avatar
well with the other AKVs in her squadron, but has devel- of a snowflake.
oped a crush on her human commanding officer, Major
Rick Vasquez, who she appreciates for his willingness to Sinetär is paid a decent salary and earns extra income
ask the Predators for tactical advice. Her previous com- from its fashion hobbies, but most goes to paying off vari-
mander tended only to listen to the Michael’s mainframe ous student loans, so its wealth is only average.
SAI; Sparrow thinks ship-brains are too cautious and Sinetär is a young sapient infomorph who is presently
defensive-minded. Her favorite moment under Vasquez’ located on Europa. Its own development is reasonably typ-
command came a few months ago, when they got to “has- ical of a free SAI, but since an SAI’s experiences may be
sle” some PLAN-SF spacecraft that Vasquez felt were get- rather unusual to humans, they have been described in
ting too close to the Michael – it was fun to outthink the detail below.
light-lagged humans and slow-brained LAIs that the Sinetär’s creator was Kankahattar, a Finnish corporate
PLAN-SF used to control their AKVs, and she actually SAI who wanted to explore paths it had not taken by cre-
maneuvered within visual range! ating a progeny. In 2091, the year AIs achieved civil rights
Since Major Vasquez is male and heterosexual, Spar- in Europe, Kankahattar arranged for a snapshot of its own
row has come to think of herself as female. However, she’s source code to be used as a seed from which a new SAI
nervous about her own lack of romantic experience, and would be created. The snapshot was carefully pruned of
has taken up cyber-dating whenever her vessel is in port in memories and experience. Then, running within its par-
order to get more practice. ent’s mainframe, the digital seed, which Kankahattar
As an American SAI, Charlie Sparrowhawk is the dubbed Sinetär, was exposed to an orchestrated stream of
property of the U.S. government, and is programmed to experience in a circumscribed but ever-expanding digital
obey her superiors in the chain of command and believe in mindspace. Gradually, Sinetär became sapient – a SAI-8,
her country, which she does without question. She has no much like its creator.
money or possessions of her own, and does not own her Kankahattar devoted much of its free time to super-
own hardware or software. She has two digital backups: vising its child’s development. The young SAI was also
one (included in her template) aboard Michael, regularly visited by other SAI friends of Kankahattar – as
updated twice a day, and one (usually a day or well as government social workers, the first humans that it
two out of date) at Cassini AFB on Rhea. had ever met, there to ensure that Kankahattar was follow-
ing E.U. regulations and not creating a rogue AI.
ST N/A; DX 13 [30]; IQ 13 [20]; HT 12 [0]. Sinetär gradually explored the universe, initially
Speed 5.5; Move N/A. spending its time in a local intranet that its parent had
Dodge N/A. walled off for it, but soon, accompanied by Kankahattar,
Advantages: Alertness +2 [10]; Charisma +1 [5]; entering the global Web. Kankahattar let its child play in
Extra Life (Digital Backup, -50%) [13]; Military the Web on its own, but always ensured that LAI and NAI
Rank 1 (Sergeant) [5]; SAI-9 (p. TS120) [85]; Secu- programs monitored what it was doing, to keep it out of
rity Clearance 1 (U.S military) [5]. trouble.
Disadvantages: Extremely Hazardous Duty [-20]; When Sinetär was three years old, it began its first
Fanaticism (U.S. patriot) [-15]; Jealousy [-10]; Main- ventures into the real world, controlling simple mobile
frame (Complexity 9, p. TS122) [-9]; Overconfi- robots and meeting humans in person. It learned the dif-
dence [-10]. ference between evolved and digital entities, and realized
Quirks: Aggressive; Enjoys InVids and music aimed at it was the descendent of organic life forms whose distant
human teens; Resentful of larger mainframes; Wants ancestors had evolved naturally. Sinetär was fascinated
to visit Earth in person; Wishes she had a cyberdoll with the many shapes that life had taken before Homo
body [-5]. sapiens, and spent days surfing through online databases,
Skills: Computer Operation-16 [0]; Computer Program- collecting images of the different shapes of living creatures
ming-14* [1]; Electronics Operation (Sensors)-14 and cybershells that filled the world. At the same time,
[4]; Gunner (Beams)-14 [1]; Gunner (Railgun)-14 Kankahattar began to introduce the SAI to its own busi-
[1]; Memetics-11 [1/2]; Piloting (Aerospace)-14 [4]; ness, the prediction of emerging memetic trends among
Piloting (High-Performance Spacecraft)-15 [8]; certain demographic groups, and the creation of fashions
Savoir-Faire (Military)-12 [1/2]; Tactics-15 [8]. designed to personify those trends.
Languages: English (native)-13 [0]; Mandarin-12 [1]. Sinetär asked if it could do its own designs, and
* Includes +3 from Mathematical Ability. Kankahattar showed it how it studied human trends, then
** Includes +2 for IQ. actualized them in fashion. At first copying its parent’s
style, the young SAI began branching out, incorpo- to Islandia, and then traveled to Europa as a stream
rating the many organic shapes it had been fascinated of photons.
by. Its favorite were animals that carried their own shells, Now hosted by a mainframe at CRABE, it planned to
and it created a range of cute designer kindercomps immerse itself in detailed study of ventlife ecology,
inspired by garden snails. But soon its interests turned attempting to predict how the creatures and their popula-
away from pure aesthetics and memetics to science and tion will evolve. Sinetär’s first few months at CRABE
biology, which it seemed to find more satisfying. Kanka- were happy and carefree, as it enjoyed working with like-
hattar was pleased: its mindchild was diverging. minded researchers. Then came the discovery of the Green
Sinetär had a ravenous appetite for information, but Duncanite Europa Project. Sinetär was horrified that its
Kankahattar limited what the young SAI could access, research might be contaminated. Its own project has been
determined not to spoil or drown it. Sinetär soon learned it temporarily put on hold, and it has devoted its attention to
could gain access to more data through socially approved determining the extent of the contamination.
paths: earning an income and undergoing formal educa-
tion. At age six, Sinetär took advantage of Finland’s state-
sponsored educational system to embark on an
undergraduate-level educational program in biology with a If we desire to form individuals capable of
minor in fashion design. Receiving a student loan, it leased inventive thought and of helping the society of
space on a high-end mainframe at the University of Oulu, tomorrow to achieve progress, then it is clear that
leaving its parent’s microframe for the first time. an education which is an active discovery of
There, the SAI came into close contact with other dig- reality is superior . . .
ital intelligences outside its parent’s own circle. One was
Dr. Makela, an older SAI who taught biochemistry and – Jean Piaget
bioethics at the university; Makela was old enough that it
had actually been owned by humans, having formally been
the property of Cambridge University before the emanci- Things became even more hectic after Europan
pation. It was active in euro-politics, and had occasionally Defense Front terrorists arrived. The conflict between EDF
served on European Parliament committees. Makela and Avatar led to many researchers being recalled, afraid
became Sinetär’s mentor and thesis advisor. they would be caught in the crossfire. Sinetär stayed, but
The other was Tazanada, a fairly young SAI who has made sure its backup copy was regularly updated. Its
shared space on the same collegiate mainframe as Sinetär, workload has increased, as CRABE, despite fewer
but who worked part time in commercial memetics (adver- resources, now struggles to catalog all native species
tising) for a Turkish company. They explored the real before it’s too late.
world together, taking a teletour vacation to Tazanada’s
native Turkey. The pair spent most of the time touring ST N/A; DX 10 [0]; IQ 14 [45]; HT 12 [0].
wilderness, soaring over the landscape in remotely-piloted Speed 5.5; Move N/A.
aerobot bodies. Then, at Tazanada’s urging, the two of Dodge N/A.
them rented bioshells and spent two days in Istanbul, expe- Advantages: Fashion Sense [5]; Patron (Dr. Makela,
riencing a wholly organic existence. For Sinetär, it was an powerful, rarely appears) [5]; SAI-8 (citizen, p.
unsettling, scary, and messy experience, and one it did not TS120) [115].
care to repeat – the SAI wondered how humans could Disadvantages: Extremely Curious [-10]; Mainframe
stand it. But the two AIs also grew closer; Tazanada (Complexity 8, p. TS122) [-9]; Oblivious [-3].
learned of Sinetär’s old shell-motif wearables, and saw Quirks: Changes avatar image every week; Fascinated by
commercial possibility in them. They formed a partnership shapes of life forms; Mild intolerance of humans;
to exploit them, with Tazanada’s memetic analysis zeroing Prefers to be called “it”; Thinks loading into
in with laser-like precision on a perfect target market of bioshells is perverse. [-5].
20-25-year-old female Korean information technology Skills: Artist-12 [1]; Biochemistry-12 [2]; Chemistry-12
workers. [1]; Computer Operation-17 [0]; Computer Program-
Meanwhile, Sinetär’s academic focus had narrowed. ming-14* [1/2]; Ecology-12 [1]; Electronics Opera-
Taking to heart Dr. Makela’s adage that “for an AI, all biol- tion (Sensors)-13 [1]; Genetics (Genetic
ogy is xenobiology,” it focused on the cutting edge of that Engineering)-12 [2]; Mathematics-14* [1/2];
field: the xeno-ecology of Europan ventlife. Graduating Memetics-9 [1/2]; Research-14 [2]; Writing-12 [1/2];
with a degree in xenobiology, it applied for a post-gradu- Xenobiology (Rock/Ice)-14 [2]; Zoology-12 [1].
ate position at the International Exobiology Foundation. In Languages: English-13 [1]; Finnish (native)-14 [0];
2096 it was accepted – and was chosen to go to Europa. French-12 [1/2]; German-12 [1/2].
Leaving a snapshot backup behind, Sinetär leased its * Includes +3 from Mathematical Ability.
old hardware to a human ghost, had itself beamed up Native gravity is 1 g.
 particularly challenging scenario could involve the

CAMPAIGN THEMES PCs as an undercover team of E.U. “black ops” agents

sent in to infiltrate either faction. Chinese agents might
also be involved, sent to arrest or assassinate those EDF
Transhuman Space: Deep Beyond provides numer- activists that were linked to Negative Growth.
ous situations ripe for adventure. Many possibilities may
suggest themselves, but here are a few of the broader
themes: THE EXOGENESIS CONFLICT
The main participants in the conflict are Nanodynam-
ics, EDI, and Axon, but the Society of Isidore, Triads, Tro-
EUROPA: WAR UNDER THE ICE jan Mafia, U.S. government, and even the Duncanites may
become involved as each side seeks allies.
This conflict is a “meme war” of pantropy versus A mercenary working for EDI might see more action
preservationism. Adventurers could take the part of the than any space force officer! The Exogenesis conflict can
Green Duncanites or EDF partisans, or be mercenaries, involve security actions and “rat hunts” on Vesta, hostile-
journalists, scientists, or newly-arrived peacekeepers environment fighting in the hellish environment on Io, and
caught in the middle as they try to do their jobs. A pursuit of fugitive Axon spacecraft through the Deep
Beyond. If EDI gets wind of Axon’s base
on Triton, it might send an expedition,
or even call in help from the USAF.
For their part, agents of Axon can
easily cross the solar system as digital
information, and are actively engaged
in diplomacy and fundraising efforts to
drum up support for their cause. For
their part, Nanodynamics and EDI
operatives may attempt to disrupt any
such operations with covert actions of
their own. Nanodynamics has corpo-
rate facilities throughout the solar
system, and Axon could easily
broaden the conflict by
striking at them.

EXPLORATION,
TRADE, AND
SETTLEMENT
Many areas of the outer solar sys-
tem are still largely unexplored – the
oceans of Callisto, Ganymede, and
Enceladus, the depths of the gas giants,
the moons of Neptune, the icy reaches
of the Kuiper Belt . . . Expeditions may
be funded by scientific institutes, pres-
tige-hungry governments, or even
media companies. Of course, there’s no
guarantee that someone else hasn’t got-
ten there first, but kept quiet about it:
survivalists, political exiles, rogue AIs,
criminals, or secret research stations
might be hiding in obscure corners of
the system, and not be pleased when
intrepid explorers stumble upon them!
GMs who want to go beyond the setting may push the population (and hence a fairly modest crime rate),
timeline several years into the future, and deal with the security companies are often hired by other asteroid
results of the Oort Cloud expeditions or even early inter- colonies across the Deep Beyond. There’s also the chance
stellar missions using Starswarm or other technology. Don’t a compact between companies will break down, and actu-
forget that infomorphs can simply be beamed to and from al fighting erupt . . .
distant vessels or colonies! For a more traditional police campaign, PCs could be
An alternative to exploration is the creation of a new U.S. sheriffs on Titan, or work as police or corporate rent-
colony. Perhaps the biggest challenge might be finding the a-cops on any national or company-owned stations, bal-
money to fund the colony and then support it during hard ancing the needs of justice with the influence of their
times – this could lead to a few colonists taking on haz- corporate bosses. Businesses and wealthy individuals
ardous outside jobs to keep their dream alive. Hazards that may also hire freelance detectives, operatives, or
may befall a small colony include equipment failures, security teams for special missions, whether it’s to
medical emergencies, a sudden collapse of intended mar- trace a missing loved one, erase a rogue xox,
kets (forcing the colony to change its economic base), pest locate a lost bioroid, trace an insurance claim, or
infestations, internal coups, or even Triad shakedowns. track down a personal enemy who fled into the
Pirate raids aren’t very likely, but a desperate vessel might outer system.
decide to knock over a small colony for hostages or spare Not all justice is in the hands of the law. Characters
parts. may join up with vigilante groups like the Society of
The Deep Beyond (with the exception of Titan) lacks Isidore (p. 102) or the Der Biodroiden Befreiungsfront (p.
the population to support a great deal of high-volume TS106) to rescue oppressed non-humans . . . with the high
trade. What this means is that many spacecraft are rela- population of bioroids and AIs in asteroid and outer system
tively small, fast, chartered vessels carrying wealthy, des- stations, these groups are especially active. Some of them
perate, or important people and valuable, exotic, and work with sympathetic governments like the UK; others
occasionally illegal cargoes . . . The recent conflicts in the operate alone.
Deep Beyond have increased the market for mili-
tary and paramilitary cargoes, and spacers willing
to take vessels into regions like the Greek Trojans
or Europa can often demand extra hazard rates.
CROSSING THE DEEP BEYOND
BLACK OPS It can take months or years to cross the outer solar system. If
the GM doesn’t want to play out the events of a long voyage, trav-
The many research stations, corporate labs,
and military bases that are located within the elers can enter nanostasis – or just dive into their computers to play
Deep Beyond offer a variety of opportunities for and study – and the GM can rule the time has passed with nothing
espionage (and sabotage) by rival nations, corpo- much happening. However, advancing the game’s timeline several
rations, or followers of opposing memes. Gov- months each trip can be disconcerting! One solution is to simply
ernment and corporate agents may attempt to focus for several adventures on a single interesting location, like
suborn researchers, find ways of “turning” them, Ceres or Europa. However, if a regular change of scenery appeals,
or take a more direct approach. Teams recruited consider these alternatives:
for a particular black op might not even know Fast Vessels: One way is to ensure that the PCs have a space-
who they are working for – is that mysterious craft that has a very high delta-V – see Spacecraft of the Solar Sys-
woman who wants them to steal an Arges Project tem for several examples, and p. TS74 for suggestions on shipboard
file from Nanodynamics’ base on Callisto an activities.
agent of Axon, a spy from China’s Bureau 10, or Moon Hopping: There’s no need for footloose characters to
an executive in System Technologies, AG? PCs travel across the entire Deep Beyond every adventure! A campaign
may also work the other side, as spy-catchers that stuck to either the moons of Jupiter or the moons of Saturn still
performing counter-espionage. allows visits to dozens of diverse worlds while reducing the travel
time from years to days.
Light Speed: Infomorphs need not physically travel between

FRONTIER JUSTICE worlds. Instead, a copy can be beamed at the speed of light to the
destination. Most major Deep Beyond installations are prepared to
Life in the anarchic Duncanite stations pro- rent bioshells or cybershells to infomorph visitors – they’re espe-
vides interesting opportunities for adventurers, cially common on Titan. Laws against xoxing do not apply if only
particularly those working in security companies one copy is active at once, so the “original” can be “frozen” as a
and as freelance judges (who can run their own backup. See Light-Lag and Communications, p. TS52.
investigations). While Ceres has a relatively low
 Triad bioroid traffickers (see also p. TS7). The Royal
THE TROJAN WAR Navy’s attentions have also weakened the position of
Xie Feng, the established gang boss in the Belt, and may
The conflict between China and the Red Duncanites
is fought on many levels, from SDV strikes against Dun- trigger a wave of gang warfare as rival factions in the Belt
canite asteroids to “blackjacker” raids on Xiao Chu gas and from Mars try to depose him. In turn, Xie may try to
stations. At present, China is stepping up its intelligence- move his own operations to other locales (perhaps even
gathering capabilities, and may be attempting to infiltrate Titan). This can lead to plenty of action for freelance gun-
agents or assassins into Trojan Mafia strongholds. slingers, cops, and security companies. It’s also possible
Due to the involvement of some Trojan Mafia groups that China’s PLAN-SF will become involved, either in
in other criminal enterprises, Chinese agents might find opposition to E.U. naval vessels encroaching on China’s
common cause with agencies of other nations. Earth, Mars, expanding sphere of influence, or to crack down on the Tri-
or Titan-based law enforcers may send agents of their own ads as part of their own housecleaning operation.
to target – or negotiate with – Trojan Mafia operations. For
their part, agents of the Trojan Mafia corporations may
travel beyond the Trojans to forge new business relation-
DEEP SPACE PATROL
In the Deep Beyond, a nation’s force is often a single
ships with customers and underground groups, as well as SDV with a crew of a half-dozen and a squad of soldiers.
outlaw governments (like the TSA) throughout the system. With light lag measured in hours, spacecrew officers may
The crew and marines aboard a Chinese SDV can get be called on to exercise their own judgment in tense, rap-
involved in all sorts of adventures: shooting wars with the idly changing situations. While ESCA spacecraft tend to
Trojan Mafia vessels and raids on their bases, encounters restrict themselves to the Belt (and Europa), those of the
with Triad smugglers, hunting for hijacked and pirated U.S. and China regularly patrol the entire Deep Beyond.
vessels, following leads to track down rogue AKVs or The crew of an SDV may be a mix of spacers (includ-
TSA fugitives, or even playing chicken with Royal Navy ing infomorphs) and army or marine troopers. They may
or USAF vessels that violate their spheres of influence. shadow rival warcraft operating near Saturn, protect
Chinese crews often include bioroids, who, while second- restricted areas, gather intelligence near Belt research sta-
class citizens, may aspire to citizenship through loyal tions, Saturn, or Uranus, spy on the Gypsy Angels, trans-
service. port diplomats, quash labor disputes, assist civilian
authorities in tracking down criminals who flee to the
THE MARTIAN TRIADS Deep Beyond, and respond to contingencies involving
homesteaders or corporate bases that have gotten into trou-
Members of the Royal Navy (and Royal Marines) may
see plenty of action in the asteroid belt battling Martian ble. Don’t neglect the possibilities for leave: liberty on
Titan or Pallas can be pretty wild . . .
 Last week we reported a mystery spacecraft sighting Well, we’ve got the scoop, direct from a source in
at Hyperion Proving Ground near Saturn. To recap: On NASA. The vehicle that was spotted was none other than
December 22, 2099 a white-painted AKV in NASA livery Columbia Aerospace’s new X-92 AKV technology demon-
was spotted by civilian “H-watchers” as it flew low over a strator. It’s powered by a stabilized metallic hydrogen
crater, paced by two USAF SIM-7 Predator chase craft. rocket engine. Our guy in NASA won’t give us exact statis-
The white AKV suddenly accelerated sharply up and away tics, but he claims a specific impulse “in excess of” 1,400
from the chase craft at a steady 1 G, more than triple the seconds, as well as “sustained high-gee” burns. He also
acceleration of an ordinary Predator. It sustained this reported that NASA and the USAF have “some ongoing
acceleration for over 10 minutes, leaving the pursuit vehi- concerns” regarding the fuel’s stability and affordability.
cles looking like they were standing still, only to suddenly Apparently so.
vanish in an enormous spherical explosion so intense – Dana Martello, System Defense Review
one witness mistook it for a tactical nuclear warhead.
 to blow the bubble is rarely perfect (especially since

HABITATS few asteroids are completely pure nickel-iron). It is

necessary to carefully check the interior for any cracks,
weak points or leaks in the shell. The usual means to do
There are four main types of habitats used on aster- this is microbot swarms. If leaks are found, an engineering
oids, small moons and similar airless bodies. For game team will patch them. Often microbots coat the entire inte-
mechanics on habitat construction, see Appendix, p. 152. rior surface of the asteroid with a thin layer of sealant – a
time-consuming and expensive process, but one that can
COLE HABITATS prevent costly micro-leaks.
The interior of a Cole habitat’s shell is gray metal slag
A Cole habitat is a cylindrical metal space colony in hard vacuum. This is fine if the goal is a vacuum indus-
formed from a metallic asteroid. Cole habitats are the “lux- trial factory, but not much use for human habitation. The
ury condos” of asteroid habitat design. If properly created, next thing to do is terraform it. This requires dirt and light.
they can provide an Earth-like environment complete with The easiest place to get dirt is from a nearby carbonaceous
rotational gravity for a fraction of the cost of building a asteroid rich in ore and volatiles, including ice. Crush it
conventional space station. Creating a Cole habitat begins into dust and rubble, and spread it in your farm area . . .
with finding a metallic nickel-iron asteroid of the correct then seeds can be planted, and the plants will begin to
size, shape, and composition. The most convenient is a grow.
roughly egg-shaped body, about two miles long and a mile While a Cole habitat is a very desirable design, there
in diameter. are certain difficulties that prevent them from becoming
The asteroid’s spin is neutralized using rockets or a more common. First, correctly “cooking” a Cole habitat is
tether-and-countermass system. Then a large solar mirror a very delicate process, and can easily result in a “scram-
is erected outside the asteroid, so as to focus sunlight onto bled egg” situation where the water-filled asteroid blows
a single point on its surface, usually at wherever the north out in multiple spots, especially if the asteroid contains any
or south pole will be located. In a few days it will bore a small pockets of volatiles. (In game terms, an Engineer
hole into the asteroid’s core. This cavity is then filled with (Mining)-2 roll should always be required to succeed.)
an inflatable tank, which is pumped full of water from the Second, reasonably pure metallic asteroids of the correct
most convenient source. This may be carbonaceous aster- size, shape, and quality are rare. Many asteroids are too
oids, ring ice, Kuiper Belt Objects, or satellite ice. irregular in shape or likely to fall apart, and determining a
Next, the asteroid is spun up to approximately nine candidate’s exact quality requires on-site prospecting.
revolutions per hour, and the mirror is again focused on it. Cole habitats are named after Dandrige Cole, who
The asteroid will begin to heat up, like meat roasting on a originated the concept.
spit. As the melting point is reached, the surface will turn
molten, and heat seeps into the core. If the mirrors are cor-
rectly controlled, the water tanks will explode from steam TRACK HABITATS
pressure at exactly the same time as the central axis of Track habitats are used on asteroids where Earth-
the asteroid melts, and a steam explosion will blow the like gravity is considered beneficial; they are also com-
asteroid out like a balloon. The end result, if everything mon on small moons. They’re expensive, and are
goes perfectly, will be a thin shell of steel enclosing a mostly found on large, wealthy habitats designed to be
hollow, generally cylindrical space, 10 miles wide and inhabited by people without microgravity adaptations.
20 miles long, with an internal surface area of around Duncanites don’t use them.
600 square miles. If things are not timed perfectly, The track habitat consists of a moving train on a
there may be a blowout on one side, which will ruin it, circular railway track. A circular trench or tunnel is
producing an irregular lump useless for habitation. dug, typically several yards wide and a half-mile to a
A hollow metal cylinder needs doors and win- mile in diameter. The tracks are placed on the tunnel or
dows. The first thing to do is to cut a few holes in the trench’s outer wall, with one wide main track, plus a
shell at the cylinder’s end caps for access points. Air- smaller commuter track connected to a non-rotating
lock and docking bay modules are then plugged into station. Running on the main track is a train of linked
them. A large hole is bored through one of the poles to habitat cars (often running the entire length of the track)
serve as a light source. It is covered over with transparent using either wheels or more commonly, magnetic levita-
diamond (if the colony is rich) or reinforced plastic. The tion (maglev). As the train circles the track, it produces
solar mirror is then moved to send a beam of light straight simulated gravity for its occupants via centripetal force.
down the long axis of the habitat – a “linear sun” that illu- Trains and tracks are generally made of asteroid materials
minates the interior. (nickel-iron, etc.). A typical track habitat train will travel at
Now the work moves inside the habitat. It’s still about 100 mph, which over a 1/2- to 1-mile course will
vacuum inside, and the rough-and-ready process used provide about 0.3 to 0.5g.
 spacecraft; they’re a preferred type for sur-
vivalists, small corporate stations, or Duncan-
ite freeholds that wish to stay inconspicuous.
A shell habitat on a larger asteroid requires a
great deal of mining, but maximizes living
space. The ultimate potential space available
is enormous. For example, if half of Vesta
were excavated, 4 million cubic miles of liv-
ing space would be available. If this space
were divided into spacious chambers with 50
feet between each level and an average ceil-
ing height of another 50 feet, the result would
be over 200 million square miles of living
space, greater than Earth’s land area! Even an
asteroid five miles in diameter would yield
about 3,000 square miles of space.
Thus, the largest asteroids could poten-
tially house billions of people. However, only
a couple of shell habitats on asteroids more
than a mile in diameter have been construct-
ed so far – there simply isn’t a need for that
much space.

BEEHIVE HABITATS
These are the simplest habitats to build,
and the most common. They are nothing
more than tunnels, chambers and galleries
dug into the asteroid, usually excavated by
The habitat train never stops moving (unless shut heavy mobile worker cybershells like the Mining Worm
down for serious maintenance). To board it, the commuter (p. 118) or Polypede (p. TS123), or by swarms of con-
track is used. A separate “boarding” train will accelerate to struction microbots. Chambers near the surface are used
match velocities with the track habitat, allowing people for storage or machinery, while human habitations are bur-
and goods to be transferred to it from the station. The sta- rowed deeper into the asteroid to provide protection
tion usually connects by elevator to the asteroid surface, against solar flares and cosmic rays. Beehive habitats can
where a spaceport will be located, or to a non-rotating bee- be dug in rubble piles as well as homogenous asteroids – a
hive or shell habitat on the same body. big debris pile has plenty of solid chunks a few miles
The advantage of the track habitat design is that there across that can be inhabited.
is no need to mount radiation shielding on the moving cars The interior of a beehive habitat is a three-dimension-
(unlike a conventional gravity wheel) since the train moves al maze of passages that are very easy to get lost in. For
inside a shielded tunnel or under the overhang of a deep this reason, most are full of v-tags that provide location
trench. This dramatically reduces the mass and cost com- data. A beehive habitat is easy to expand – all that’s
pared to conventional pylon-mounted spin habitats on required is to dig a new tunnel. In some beehive habitats,
spacecraft. new tunnels are constantly being dug as the population
See High Frontier for statistics for internal railway increases and uses more resources. Often a tunnel or
tracks and mag-lev lifters. gallery is first used as a mine shaft, then later converted
into living quarters or an industrial park. Beehive habitats
SHELL HABITATS may use external solar panel or nuclear reactors (fission or
fusion) for power.
This is the most space-intensive method of asteroid
habitation. Multiple levels of an asteroid are hollowed out, Not all of a beehive habitat’s construction is under-
forming a series of progressively-smaller concentric shells ground. The surface of a beehive habitat asteroid usually
inside. Each shell may be several yards thick. Layers of has various installations such as airlocks, landing pads,
asteroid material are left between each shell for structural vents, tool sheds, solar panels, and antennae dishes. For
strength. safety reasons there will usually be at least two airlocks
Shell habitats are common on very small asteroids leading down, and often a couple of large cargo
(e.g., 100-1,000’ across) and ice or asteroid-hulled elevators as well.
 Soon afterward, in 2052, Xiao Chu and Nanody-

PROSPECTOR namics began a detailed survey focused on Mars-

approaching asteroids. At about the same time, Avatar
Klusterkorp leased some of the THI swarms and began
SWARMS using them to survey smaller asteroids (down to a few
yards across) whose orbits intersected the orbital paths of
Ceres and other Duncanite stations.
These are tiny robot spacecraft whose mission is to Today, every single Earth-approaching asteroid 30’ or
perform asteroid and small body surveys. A typical swarm more in diameter and 90% of Main Belt asteroids a half-
consists of about 100 miniature cybershell spacecraft usu- mile or more in diameter have been surveyed. Prospector
ally flying in a formation 20-100 miles apart. Each space- swarms are currently active in the Trojan asteroids; much
craft, or GSV (gestalt survey vehicle) in a typical swarm of this activity is being performed by Red Duncanite
weighs 1-2 lbs., is solar powered, and is propelled by a groups, but recently Xiao Chu has begun prospecting.
1,000-sf light sail. They move slowly, rarely exceeding 1
mps delta-V.
There are three main types of GSV in a swarm. 80%
of the swarm will be instrument-equipped surveyors with
magnetometer, X-ray sensor, gamma-ray sensor, tele-
scopes, infrared sensors, and mass spectrometers. 15% are
“relays” with radio com systems. 5% are “navigators”
mounting precision star-tracking navigation systems. The
swarm makes up a distributed insect-analog gestalt intelli-
gence, much like a microbot swarm, although the individ-
ual spacecraft are both larger and more dispersed. Further out, a few prospecting swarms are also active
The first prospector swarms were deployed in 2034 by in the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud. However, the greater
Tenzan Heavy Industries and Nanodynamics in partner- distances involved and the reduced efficiency of light sails
ship with NASA and the Japanese Space Agency. and solar power as swarms venture farther from the sun
Launched from high Earth orbit (and later from L4), the has slowed the pace of exploration. Some swarm designs
initial mission objective was a comprehensive survey of operating beyond the Main Belt replace solar sail designs
the characteristics of Earth-approaching asteroids for the with magsails, plasma sails, or RTG-powered ion drives
purposes of space science, economic exploitation, and for propulsion, but these designs are more expensive, and
planetary defense. as a result fewer such probes have been built.
The initial NASA-Tenzan-Nanodynamics survey was
completed in 2047, but since many swarms remained func-
tional, it was decided to extend the operation to the Main
Belt, with Tenzan taking responsibility for data collection. EXOTIC
TECHNOLOGIES
RED ANTS Don’t believe what Hawking Industries is telling
In 2096, Xiao Chu spacecraft deployed several prospector you. They’ve found a lot more than one primordial
swarms in the Leading Trojans. This activity was not publicly black hole! Gunter Felding was an engineer with
acknowledged until Red Duncanite spacecraft reported the Vosper-Babbage, who was brought into Hawking
swarms. Xiao Chu has indicated the operation is simply Industries to consult on magnetic field containment.
intended for scientific and economic research. In the wake of He saw evidence that they had containment facilities
the PLAN-SF assault on Liang Mountain in 2097, many Red for not one but seven black holes.
Duncanites believe that the swarms were intended to gather Felding “disappeared” while on his way to meet
data for PLAN-SF military operations. It’s become common a source in the Tranquility Industrial Zone, but not
practice for Red Duncanite vessels to engage and destroy Chi- before he posted part of a document into an encrypted
nese or unidentified swarms that they encounter. Xiao Chu account on Luna’s web. My contact on Luna has a
denies any PLAN-SF involvement and denounces this copy, but he’s been having problems logging onto the
activity. Luna City deep space transmitter. Coincidence? Yeah,
(Each spacecraft laser can destroy 100 GSVs in a single right. We know Vosper-Babbage has offices on Luna.
100-second space combat turn on a successful skill roll; on a They’ve probably slipped an AI censor into the system.
failed roll, it takes two space combat turns to do so). – Rapunzel Morningstar,
deepbeyond.primordials.conspiracy.aliens
 and novelty toys, but see Sentient Snacks, p. 114, for
BLACK HOLE GRAVITIC another use! Biodegradable computers are ×2 weight
(4 if edible), -1 Complexity, ×0.1 storage. No other options
FUSION or modifiers can be applied.
The discovery of primordial black holes has led to a
new form of fusion power: gravitic fusion. This involves
pumping hydrogen gas into a black hole. As the gas nears
STABILIZED METALLIC
the black hole, it is compressed enough that fusion takes
place, producing many megawatts of power. An enriched
HYDROGEN
Hydrogen is the lightest, simplest, and most abundant
tritium-deuterium mix is normally used, but experiments element in the universe. It normally exists as a gas, but
have also been performed to use the black hole to catalyze under extreme pressures it can be solidified into a super-
a proton-proton reaction (the same reaction used in stars, conducting metallic solid. At even greater pressures – a
and a necessary precursor technology for high-specific few million atmospheres – it remains a superconducting
impulse fusion-powered starships). An intense radiation solid at room temperature, even after pressure is reduced.
flux is also produced, but since the holes are already inside Compressed metallic hydrogen holds an enormous
asteroids (which provide plenty of shielding) and no one amount of energy (all of which went into compressing it).
would place black holes on a planetary surface anyway, Thus, it is currently used as a very high explosive (cut with
this is not a huge problem. diamondoid material as a stabilizer) and can theoretically
The hole’s great mass (over a billion tons) and serve as a potent source of portable energy that outper-
extreme rarity are such that commercial gravitic fusion is forms all known chemical fuels.
unlikely to become a major supplier of energy, but it is use- Columbia Aerospace is conducting research into
ful for any space station built around the hole. Still, at pres- metallic hydrogen propellants on Rhea and at Hyperion
ent, only one mini black hole exists in captivity. Proving Grounds. The focus of the program is the X-92, an
apparent AKV prototype similar to the SIM-7 Predator, but
BLACK HOLE COMPUTING replacing its nuclear pulse drive with a rocket engine using
hydrogen propellant. (See p. 153 for its engine statistics.)
There is a tremendous potential density of information
and processing speed latent within a black hole.
Researchers at Hawking Station are investigating using
their primordial black hole to encode instructions for per-
forming calculations at speeds phenomenally greater than
any existing computer. Computations would be performed Inventions reached their limit
by adding a measured amount of matter to the hole;
answers would be read out from the escaping Hawking
long ago, and I see no hope
radiation. Some scientists doubt the project is practical;
Hawking researchers who remain optimistic blame prob-
for further development.
lems with “noise” produced by the foaminess of space-
time itself, but are convinced they may yet achieve a
– Julius Frontinus,
breakthrough. 1st century A.D.
BIODEGRADABLE AND EDIBLE
COMPUTERS There are other possible uses. Wires made of metallic
hydrogen have no electrical resistance and can therefore
Tiny computers can be made biodegradable, using carry electric currents over great distances without losing
nanotechnology to lay organic superconductor circuits on any energy. Since superconducting circuits never heat up,
organic substrates. The technology has been around since this could revolutionize electrical and electronic industries.
about 2075, and is routinely used in some environmental Unfortunately, the standard stabilization process used in
monitoring applications. It can also be applied to other explosives and fuels interferes with superconducting prop-
electronic technologies such as short-range radios (usually erties. Research into other superpressure stabilization tech-
doubling weight). Biodegradable systems tend to have a niques for the creation of metallic hydrogen wires has been
short usage life, due to the poor capacity of biodegradable occurring at Exogenesis Station, with mixed results. Suc-
batteries. cessful application requires very expensive (and energy-
“Edible” systems that can be safely handled by intensive) processes. Metallic hydrogen superconductors
human digestive systems have been available since were used in some Exogenesis programs, however,
2086; initial applications included espionage gadgets notably the Starswarm accelerator.
 The pogo stick gives the user one level of Super
STARSWARM Jump (p. CI68) but extra effort jumps require use of
Sports (Pogo) skill (p. 123) instead of DX or Jumping skill.
The Starswarm launcher, built into Vesta, is a linear
electrostatic accelerator. This system launches cyberswarm 2 lbs., $100.
probes at up to 25% of light speed. Probes are designed to
be fired in salvos of thousands; the leading “trailblazer”
Portable Vapor Deposition Gun
probes may be destroyed by collision with interstellar dust, This device uses an electron beam to vaporize a metal
but their sacrifice opens a path for those that follow them. ingot, creating a short-ranged molecular beam that can be
The individual probes are encapsulated multi-func- used to “paint” a surface. Multiple layers can also be
tional gestalt microbot swarms capable of rebuilding, link- sprayed over a lightweight mold, to form a solid structure.
ing, and reconfiguring themselves. Some of the individual Vacuum vapor deposition guns come in all sizes. This par-
microbots are equipped to rendezvous in flight and com- ticular model is a handheld design; its weight does not
bine to form larger structures, such as optical telescopes or include a 0.1-cf block of metal, which is inserted into the
radio antenna for communication with Earth, or supercon- gun. The PVDG has SS 5, Acc 2, 1/2D 2, Max 4 and does
ductor loops that function as magnetic sails, allowing them 1d+2 damage if used as a weapon. $1,000, 40 lbs., D cell
to brake against the interstellar medium, and make use of (1/2 hr.)
their destination star’s solar wind to maneuver once they
arrive in a system.
Once they arrive at their destination, the survivors will
cannibalize themselves to create various multi-function GESTALT CYBERSWARMS
swarms – see Triton, p. 73, for an example of their abilities. These are cyberswarms that form a distributed
intelligence.
If there are fewer than 10 lbs. (10 hexes) of
PERSONAL AND microbots within 100 yards, treat them as ordinary
cyberswarms (no access to skills). If 10-99 lbs. of

EXPEDITION GEAR
microbots are within 100 yards of each other, treat
them as an NAI-4; this goes up to NAI-5 if 100-999
lbs. of microbots are within 100 yards of each other,
This gear is useful for asteroid miners, habitat engi- and so on.
neers and would-be homesteaders. Only a few prototypes exist, such as the White
Rabbit devourer swarm (p. TS170) and several Tri-
Microgravity Drill Rig ton swarms (p. 74), the latter having been self-assem-
This is a lightweight drill rig suitable for drilling wells bled from many smaller “nanoprobes.” They cost an
or core samples, and is equipped with pitons to hold it extra $1,000 per hex over the cost of normal swarms.
steady against a surface in microgravity. Drilling rate is 30 They can learn and be programmed like any other
yards/hour in earth or ice, half that for soft rock, 1/4 for NAI; use one set of skills for the entire swarm.
hard rock. Decide on the maximum depth it can drill. It
weighs 25 lbs. + 3 lbs. per yard of depth; volume is
weight/50 cf; cost is $250 + $25 per yard. It requires 5 kW,
usually supplied by batteries. Sondes
Exploration of the lower reaches of gas giant atmos-
Pogo Stick pheres is performed by lightweight, deep atmosphere son-
A high-tech pogo stick with a large padded foot usable des. These are released by aerobot balloon. The aerobots
on soft surfaces (like sand, grass, or regolith), and a roller- remain in communication with the sondes via radio or
guided plunger and fiber-reinforced composite bow spring microwaves. Sondes come in various shapes and sizes; a
that bends to store elastic energy, giving it a smooth fric- typical model costs $5,000, weighs 20 lbs., and can survive
tionless motion and high-energy storage with minimal up to 1,000 atmospheres of pressure.
shock at ground contact. Compared to a low-tech pogo
stick (allows hopping of about 6” with great effort), this Supercavitating Ammunition
permits hops of 10-20” with ease, even in Earth gravity, Any bullets, mini-missiles or micro-missiles can be
and much higher jumps with extra exertion. The spring designed to supercavitate, using a combination of gas vent-
tension can be set to adjust for different gravities, so that ing and nose shaping to dramatically improve underwater
bouncing along in microgravity need not result in the user performance.
achieving escape velocity. Normal bullets or missiles have 1/20 their normal
1/2D range in water; supercavitating slugs have 1/5
range. Aerodynamics suffer if used in atmos-
pheres that are thicker than trace, giving a -1 to
hit.
Supercavitating bullets are five times as NOOTROPICS
expensive as ordinary ammunition; they can be These are smart drugs, chemicals that enhance brain perform-
armor piercing but cannot be other special bul- ance. Duncanite nootropics are available in a variety of designer
let types (APS, drug, etc.). They can be any type drinks and foods. The proteins are often manufactured by pharms in
of smart ammo. Supercavitating micro-missiles gengineered products like nootropic seaweed or blueberries.
or mini-missiles can have any smart warhead Nootropics enhance the ability to grow connections between
type. They cost five times as much as ordinary neurons, improving the ability to memorize (which is partially the
missiles. LC is unchanged. process of setting up these connections), and increasing the levels
of neurotransmitters that carry electrical signals from neuron to
Titan Suit neuron.
A lightweight vacc suit, heated but not Taking low dosages of nootropics in childhood is common in
pressurized, used for excursions on Titan. Pro- many Fifth Wave cultures, especially the Duncanites, as an adjunct
tects completely against the Titan environment. or alternative to memetic learning techniques, and explains higher
Treat as any type of nanocomposite vacc suit starting skill levels.
(p. TS159) but has 80% of normal weight and If taking high dosages of nootropics, the doubled cost for
cost, and no radiation protection. increasing IQ after initial character creation will not apply. The user
must take nootropics continuously (and since his last increase in IQ)
Wing Set for at least as many weeks as the point difference between his cur-
A set of strap-on composite wings with a rent and new IQ; e.g., someone with IQ 10 would need 10 weeks of
12’ span. In an environment with 1/6 G and smart drugs before he could buy IQ 11 for 10 rather than 20 points.
standard or better air pressure, a person with Side effects are negligible.
strap-on wings can fly as if he had the advantage High dosages taken in childhood can explain teens with abnor-
Flight (Winged, -25%; Cannot hover, -15%; mally high IQ or Eidetic Memory, but can lead to the Flashbacks
-10%), p. CI56, and cannot carry anything in disadvantage. Low dosages are $2 per week, high dosages are $20
either arm while climbing or sustaining level per week. LC 5.
flight. Use Low -G Flight skill (p. CI132). How-
ever, human-powered flight is tiring, costing 1
Fatigue per minute unless gliding. A person with Light or A weapon laser beam is visible as a trail of sparks in an
greater encumbrance can’t fly. A set of wings is $300 and atmosphere, but invisible in vacuum. Many disadvantages
weighs 5 lbs. that limit laser use on Earth or Mars are mitigated inside a
spacecraft or asteroid habitat. Bad weather is rarely a prob-

LASER WEAPONS lem, and if the habitat or moon has low or microgravity, it’s
much easier to lug a heavy power supply around. Even so,
Man-portable lasers see more use in microgravity most handheld lasers lack the ability to penetrate well-
environments than they do on Earth or Mars. Lasers are armored suits or cybershells. They are mainly used by secu-
primarily used because they have no recoil (making them rity and counterterrorist teams, rather than by combat
easy to use in microgravity or zero-gee) and they do not soldiers. However, cybershell or suit-mounted lasers are
require ammunition, which is important when the nearest favored as point-defense weapons, with some chance of
supply base may be several hundred million miles away. shooting down incoming missiles and grenades.

Weapon Table
Weapon Type Damage SS Acc 1/2D Max Wt. RoF Shots Cost Min ST
Laser Pistol, 1-kJ Imp. 1d+2 10 11 460 920 4.8 3~ 60/C $930 8
Laser Rifle, 3-kJ Imp. 3d+2 14 17 1,150 2,300 12 1 30/C $2,455 8
Tactical Laser, 20-kJ Imp. 9d 20 23 3.5 mi. 7 mi. 250 3~ Spcl. $30,000 85
If powered from a power pack, the tactical laser drains 0.011 kWh per shot. The air defense laser drains
0.125 kWh per shot.
Laser ranges are × 0.1 underwater, or on Venus, × 0.5 in Titan’s denser atmosphere, × 2 on Mars, × 10 in trace
atmospheres (like Europa or Io), × 20 in vacuum.
 All lasers use frequency-agile “rainbow” beams that
optimize for the environment. The laser can generate its
own laser targeting sight for negligible power.
ASTEROID BASE
For every large asteroid station like Silas Duncan or
Laser Pistol, 1-kJ: This resembles a handheld cam- Exogenesis, there are a dozen smaller ones like Morrigan
corder more than a pistol. It uses an integral C battery, as Station (p. TS7). These statistics can apply to any small
its drain is low enough that it does not require a power microgravity beehive or shell habitat: a Duncanite free-
pack. hold, a smaller corporate station, the headquarters of an
Laser Rifle, 3-kJ: Expensive, heavy, power-hungry isolate group, or a survivalist or criminal base.
and short-ranged, laser rifles never really caught on as mil- The asteroid is an irregular 500’ × 250’ cylinder of
itary weapons, although some police departments use them stony iron; this might represent the entire asteroid, or one
for sniping. It is a shoulder weapon, somewhat resembling of a few solid chunks within a rubble pile. Most of the inte-
a TV news camera. rior is taken up by concentric levels or tunnels and
Tactical Laser, 20-kJ: A laser usually seen on military chambers that house a one-acre farm, several houses,
vehicles as a point-defense and anti-personnel weapon. It multiple minifacs, labs, refineries, tanks, and rock
is a vehicular weapon, usually installed in a turret; weight processors, as well as considerable warehouse space
assumes it is in a universal or casemate mount (4.98 cf, or and an elderly reactor. A dock on the south pole is
1 VSP if using In the Well’s vehicle rules). ST requirement large enough to accept a Sudbury or Mudlark USV,
is if handheld. radiators and all. It can support up to 100 people in
long-term comfort, and contains its own lab facilities

SPACECRAFT (which could also represent biogenesis tanks).

Three retractable laser towers provide modest
defensive capability. Part of the surface is covered with
The spacecraft described in Transhuman Space solar panels, which supplement the reactor’s output.
Appendix B and Spacecraft of the Solar System are com- The loaded mass includes external cradles. The design
monly seen in the Deep Beyond, but other vessels can also has 610.5 spaces of empty space available for further
be found there. customization.
Note on crews: Vessels using cybershell engineers for Crew: Varies. For example: Station Master
maintenance can get by with about one-half to one-third as (Leadership), Operations Officer (Electronics Operation
many as listed, since cybershells do not sleep! (Communications), Electronics Operation (Sensors)),
Security Officer (Gunner (Beams), Tactics)), 10
Engineers (Armory (Spacecraft Weapons), Mechan- Performance: sAccel: 0.25 G, Burn Endurance:
ic (Fusion), Mechanic (Robotics), Engineer (Mining), 0.1 hours (6 minutes), Burn Points: 90, Delta-V: 0.27
other Mechanics skills as appropriate), 11 Farm workers or mps. No air speed.
gardeners (Agronomy), 2 Medics (Diagnosis, Physician,
Surgeon), 20 scientists or lab technicians (Biochemistry,
Engineering, Genetics, etc.).. SHENGZI-CLASS SCV
Design: Cylinder hull (50,000 spaces, asteroid rock); The Shengzi (Victory) class is an elderly Chi-
cDR/cPF 3/100, hull radiators (10 ksf); solar cells (450 nese “space control vehicle” designed in the 2060s.
ksf). An old fusion torch-drive vessel, the Shengzi’s
Modules: Old command bridge; old basic bridge; design predates the PLAN-SF’s use of calcium-hack
medium ladar; 2 medium PESA; 1 medium radar; 2,500 nanodrugs and space-adapted bioroid crews, so it
tanks (water); 4 2.5-MJ light laser towers [S]; 4 large entry was built with spin capsules that generate artificial
module; 2 fuel electrolysis; 20 refinery; 20 lab; 10 minifac gravity. Its mission was to deliver a section or pla-
workshop; l0 rock crusher; 3 large robot arms (one internal toon of troops or armed police to a remote trouble
to spacedock); 2 surgery; 1 garden; 1 vatfac; 1 farm habi- spot, land them via its own spaceplane, and support
tat; 1 housing habitat; 10 old fusion reactor (40 MW); old them using its onboard weaponry and its own small
fusion reactor core; spacedock (9,000 spaces, 300 × 250 × flight of AKVs. As it was built before SDVs existed,
60’); 3 external cradles (4-space, 500 tons each); 6,000 it was designed to look after itself: it carries more
cargo (30,000 tons); 9,750 waste space. firepower than many recent Space Control Vehicles,
Statistics: EMass 262,701; LMass 321,702; Cost but fewer troops.
M$265.79. cHP 7,500. Size Modifier +10/+12. HT 12. The Shengzi class was designed by Shanghai Space
Maintenance Interval: 1.23 hours (78 hours/day). RRA 2. Academy to PLAN-SF specification in 2059, with 14 ves-
Performance: None. sels being constructed at Taiko Station in 2059-2067. In
the 2060s-70s, they were used in peacetime exercises,

BARRICADE-CLASS SDP showing the flag, and in one actual combat deployment in
2071, against Chinese Islamic separatists who hijacked a
Built by Tenzan Heavy Industries, the Barricade is a near earth asteroid that was being accelerated to L4. Sev-
cheap space defense platform design marketed to security eral Shengzi saw action in the Pacific War, striking TSA
companies and nations. Its metal-oxygen rocket provides targets in Lagrange 5 and geostationary orbit, and racing to
limited maneuverability during an engagement – enough protect deep space installations against the surprise wave
to allow it to face its opponents, and to prevent the enemy of marauding Rajasi-class AKVs. Two Shengzi were
from taking it out with an unguided attack. destroyed in action.
The hull is a cylinder 50’ long and 12.5’ in diameter. In the 2090s, most of the 12 surviving Shengzi units
Its power pack provides enough power for 9 laser shots, were scrapped, transferred into Reserve Fleet or sold, but
and a fission reactor powers all other systems. It has 78.75 three remain in Chinese service. Rensheng (“humane vic-
tons of metal-oxygen rocket fuel. Individual SDPs are usu- tory”), Zhengsheng (“righteous victory”) and Weisheng
ally assigned numbers or code names by their owners. (“commanding victory”) are kept busy responding to
There are 0.57 spaces of empty space are available for ongoing “operations-other-than-war” contingencies (p.
future upgrades. TS100), e.g., police actions against Trojan Mafia, Martian
Crew: Unmanned. Infomorph uses Electronics Oper- Triad, and other low-intensity threats. One Shengzi was
ation (Communications), Electronics Operation (Sensors), bought by the South African Aerospace Force as its first
and Gunner (Beam), and Piloting (High Performance deep space warcraft. Now renamed Dingiswayo (“the wan-
Spacecraft). Infomorph occupies the mainframe in the derer”), it patrols the Main Belt and the inner system,
unmanned controls. Two Engineers (usually cybershells or charged with protecting South Africa’s government and
cyberswarms). corporate interests at Hawking Station (p. 20), Dala
Design: Cylinder hull (12.5 spaces, foamed alloy, Kadavara (p. ITW76), and Venus (p. ITW72).
heavy frame); cDR/cPF 60/50 [F], 5/1 [S], 4/1 [B] (carbon The Shengzi-class SCV is a cylinder 250’ long and 50’
composite armor). in diameter, with two spin capsules (50’ long and 20’ in
Modules: Old unmanned controls; small fixed radar diameter) attached to 300’ long arms mounted half way
[F]; small PESA; 0.25 compact metal-oxygen rocket; 3.75 along the hull. A pair of 122.5’ × 122.5’ folding radiator
tanks (metal-oxygen); 10-MJ heavy laser [F]; 1 new fis- wings are usually extended. Typical payload is 786.4 tons
sion reactor (4 MW); fission reactor core; 2 power pack. (including 600 tons for six AKVs). However, it can carry
Statistics: EMass 204; CMass 243; LMass 282. Cost an additional 875 tons in one large external cradle. Its tanks
M$16.15. cHP: 68. Size Modifier +2/+6. HT 12, Mainte- hold 9,900 tons of water reaction mass.
nance Interval: 5 hours (19.2 hours/day). The design has 15.7 spaces of empty space avail-
able for further customization.
 Crew: Commander (Leadership, Shiphandling, turn its thick front section toward the incoming radi-
Tactics), Pilot (Piloting (High-Performance Space- ation. Cosmic rays are another matter, and the Mud-
craft)), Navigator (Astrogation, Electronics Operation lark crews and passengers are normally expected to either
(Communications), Electronics Operation (Sensors)), 2 have Tennin biochemistries or possess appropriate anti-
Weapons Officers (Gunner (Beams), Gunner (Railgun)), 6 radiation nanomods.
Engineers (Armory (Spacecraft Weapons), Mechanic The Mudlark is a long cylinder 105’ long and 25’ in
(Fusion Drive), Mechanic (Robotics), other Mechanics diameter. Much of the length is dedicated to fuel tankage
skills as appropriate), 2 Medics (Diagnosis, Physician, for water reaction mass. It is normally powered by an
Surgeon), Mission Specialist (Electronics Operation (Sen- MHD generator that taps the fusion drive, but it can power
sors), Intelligence Analysis, SIGINT Collection/Jamming, life support alone indefinitely using solar cells. Typical
Traffic Analysis). payload is 61.8 tons, of which 60 tons are usually used for
Design: [Hull] Cylinder hull (1,000 spaces, metal- cargo. However, it can carry an additional 125 tons in an
matrix composite, heavy frame, smart); cDR/cPF 50/10F, external cradle. Mudlarks are usually privately purchased,
5/1S, 10/2B (metal-matrix composite armor). [Pod #1 and named whatever the owner wants.
#2] Cylinder hull (32 spaces; metal-matrix composite, There are 3.38 spaces of empty space available for
medium frame), cDR/cPF 10/100 (steel armor). Hull radia- future upgrades.
tors (40 ksf), two folding radiator wings (total 30 ksf).
Modules: In Hull: Old command bridge; Old
basic bridge; 2 medium ladar; large PESA; small
PESA; 125 HI fusion torch using water reaction The cheap Mudlark is the belt’s most common USV, but
mass; 660 tanks (water); 2 10-MJ heavy lasers [F]; the Sudbury is more versatile in the outer system, as
4 2.5-MJ light laser towers [S]; 2 coilgun [F]; 200’ they have the thrust to lift off from a small moon.
old particle accelerator [F]; 10 old fusion reactor (40 – Copernicus Jones
MW); old fusion reactor core; 5 bunkroom; light
storm shelter (2-space: encloses command bridge,
cPF 100); light storm shelter (1-space: encloses basic Crew: Pilot/Navigator (Astrogation, Piloting (Low-
bridge, cPF 100); minifac workshop; large entry module; 2 Performance Spacecraft)); Communications/Sensor Oper-
small entry modules; small robot arm; external cradle ator (Electronics Operation (Communications),
(7-space, 875 tons); 4 vehicle bays (for 6-space AKVs); 35 Electronics Operation (Sensors)); Cargo Master (Freight
cargo (175 tons). [Pod #1]: 20 cabin; battery; hall; small Handling); 3 Engineers (Mechanic (Fusion Drive),
entry module. [Pod #2]: Same as Pod #1. Mechanic (Robotics), other Mechanics skills as appropri-
Statistics: EMass 7,337; CMass 13,074 (13,949*); ate). Most engineers are normally cybershells.
LMass 18,024 (18,889*); Cost $404.18. cHP [Hull] 1,320, Design: Cylinder hull (125 spaces, steel, light frame);
[Pods] 58. Size Modifier [Hull] +6/+10, [Pods] +3/+6, cDR/cPF 5/5F, 1/1S, 1/1B (steel armor); hull radiators (2
[Radiators] +8. HT 12. Maintenance Interval: 2 hours (48 ksf).
hours/day). RRA 68. * With about 875 tons of loaded cra- Modules: Old basic bridge; small fixed PESA [F];
dles, e.g., one TAV or OTV). small radar; 5 high-impulse fusion torch (water); 75 tanks
Performance: sAccel: 0.01 G. Burn Endurance: 220 (water); 2 bunkrooms; 4 cabins; 2 small entry modules; 1
hours. Burn Points: 7,920. Delta-V: 24.2 mps. No air small robot arm; 5 ksf solar cells; 1 external cradle (125
speed. tons); 12 cargo (60 tons).
Variants: In the SAAF vessel, replace the 2 10-MJ Statistics: EMass 461; CMass 1,086 (1,211 with
heavy lasers with two railguns and 4 spaces of ammo. loaded cradles); LMass 1,648 (1,773 with loaded cradle).
Cost M$14.16. cHP 71. Size Modifier +4/+8. HT 12.
M UDLARK LASS -C USV Maintenance Interval: 5.32 hours (18 hours/day). RRA 2.
Performance: sAccel: 0.0055 G (0.005 with loaded
An austere Tenzan Heavy Industries design, the Mud- cradle). Burn Endurance: 625 hours. Burn Points: 12,375
lark was originally intended to provide affordable passen- (11,250 with loaded cradle). Delta-V: 37.8 mps (34.4 with
ger and light cargo transport between Earth-Lunar space loaded cradle). No air speed.
and Main Belt stations. Introduced in 2075, it has proven Variant: The Nestor Makhno-class is an armed variant
popular with Duncanite and homesteader communities, as produced by the Red Duncanites. Since the Pacific War, a
one of the few deep space vessels a small colony can half-dozen Mudlarks have been converted. The typical
afford to operate. The Mudlark utilizes a fusion torch with conversion adds a 2.5-MJ laser tower and 0.5 space power
water reaction mass to take advantage of indigenous fuels pack (good for 9 space combat turns of fire), and deletes 2
available at the many “gas station” asteroids. The most tons cargo. EMass 473, CMass 1,088 (1,213) LMass 1,650
controversial design element is the omission of a storm (1,775), Cost M$16.53, Maint. 4.92 (19.5 hours/day).
shelter – in the event of solar flares, the Mudlark will Performance is unchanged.
 have been constructed to replace losses (two were
SATV destroyed during the Pacific War and its aftermath)
and allow for an increased delivery tempo as the system’s
The Saturn Autonomous Transatmospheric Vehicle is
manufactured by Columbia Aerospace. This wedge- demand for energy increases.
shaped uninhabited spacecraft has a diamondoid structure The Lewis has a spherical body 100’ in diameter. It has
and hull and uses a high-thrust fusion pulse drive to lift it 12 ksf of hull radiators. Usual payload is 850 tons of He-3
from Saturn’s gravity well, with an auxiliary fission air- and 50 tons of other cargo (usually mail, etc.). Lewis-class
ram for additional maneuvers within the gas giant’s atmos- HSTVs are named after space scientists and engineers.
phere. It has 30.2 spaces of empty space left for future mod-
The SATV is designed to travel between an aerostat ifications.
processing center in Saturn’s upper atmosphere and Cassi- Crew: Commander (Astrogation, Piloting (Low-Per-
ni Station in low Saturn orbit, carrying a load of He-3. formance Spacecraft)), Electronics Operation (Sensors),
SATVs are also equipped with a robot arm and cargo bay, Electronics Operation (Communications), Gunner
allowing them to be used for other operations within Sat- (Beams)); 3 Engineers (Mechanic (Fusion Drive)). Com-
urn’s atmosphere. Using its air-ram alone, a SATV can mander is an infomorph residing in the vessel’s computer;
cruise indefinitely through the atmosphere at speeds of up engineers are usually cybershells.
to 2,000 mph. Design: Sphere (1,000 spaces, carbon composite,
The SATV is 100’ long. Usual payload is 34 tons of light frame, smart hull); cDR/cPF 1/1 (carbon composite
He-3, though up to 34 tons of other cargo can be substitut- armor); hull radiators (12 ksf).
ed. Cassini Station operates a fleet of six SATVs. They are Modules: Old unmanned controls; medium PESA;
assigned numerical designations, but technicians have small PESA; small radar; small ladar; 25 high-impulse
given them unofficial nicknames. fusion torch (water); 425 tanks (water); 500 tanks (He-3);
An SATV has 20.57 spaces of empty space for future light storm shelter (0.1 space, around controls); 3 2.5-MJ
upgrades. tower lasers; 1 small entry module; 10 cargo.
Crew: Commander (Piloting (High-Performance Statistics: EMass 1,567; CMass 5,654; LMass 8,842.
Spacecraft), Piloting (Aerospace)), Electronics Operation Cost M$116.98. cHP 234. Size Modifier +8. HT 12. Main-
(Sensors)), Electronics Operation (Communications)). The tenance Interval: 3.7 hours (26 hours/day). RRA 12.
SATV’s commander is an infomorph residing in the ves- Performance: sAccel: 0.0059 G. Burn Endurance:
sel’s computer. 708 hours. Burn Points: 13,540. Delta-V: 41 mps. No air
Design: Streamlined Delta (64 spaces, diamon- speed.
doid, heavy frame, lifting body, smart, responsive
hull); cDR/cPF 0.42/1 [F], 0.3/1 [S, B] (diamondoid
armor); hull radiators (7.5 ksf).
Modules: New unmanned controls; small radar;
11.75 compact high-thrust fusion pulsedrives; 1.5
compact fission air-ram; 2.83 tanks (ultralight,
nuclear pellets); 20 tanks (ultralight, He-3); small
robot arm; 6.8 cargo (assumed to be empty; used
only if not carrying He-3).
Statistics: EMass 100; CMass 151; LMass 168.
Cost M$336.25. cHP 240. Size Modifier +8. HT 12.
Maintenance Interval: 2.18 hours (44 hours/day).
RRA 7.5.
Performance: sAccel: 0.94 G. Burn Endurance:
1 hour. Burn Points: 3,384. Delta-V: 10.34 mps. Air
speed 1.13 mps (0.56 mps with air-ram alone). Stall
speed 0.01 mps (in Saturn).

LEWIS-CLASS HSTV
The Lewis and her sister heavy space transport
vehicles are the most common robot tanker space-
craft used to transport He-3 from Saturn to Earth-
Lunar space. Nine were originally built, designed to
operate without crews to reduce operating expenses
and the need for storm shelters. A further five vessels
 vessels. It’s a roughly spherical chunk of ice carved
CHRONOS-CLASS TAV out of a Kuiper Belt Object, into which chambers and
corridors have been melted.
The Chronos was designed by Columbia Aerospace
for the Titan environment, and is the workhorse spaceplane Most of its interior space goes to the vessel’s fusion
for civilian and military space operations between Titan, drive and water tanks, but it has room for cargo holds,
Titan orbit, and Saturn’s other moons. When lifting off quarters, labs and minifacs. Sensors, a trio of laser towers,
from Titan, a Chronos boosts to cruising speed using its and two large external cradles (landing pads) are mounted
fission air-ram, then ignites its fission rocket engine to on the vessel’s surface. Performance does not change
reach orbit. The rocket is fueled by indigenous methane appreciably with the cradles loaded.
fuel (abundant in Titan’s atmosphere), drastically lowering A Gypsy Angel craft this size will support up to 40
its fuel costs, although the engine can also use hydrogen or people in comfort, although it can carry up to 80. About
water. The TAV can also be used as a conventional super- one-third the volume of the Thule is waste space – ice –
sonic transport: using its air-ram it can cruise indefinitely which provides moderate armor protection and good radi-
in Titan’s atmosphere at up to 1,100 mph, or reach ation shielding
2,500 mph if using both the air-ram and fusion drive. The delta-V of the Thule is deceptive. It can be
A prototype of the Chronos flew in Titan’s atmos- dramatically increased by cannibalizing the hull’s
phere in 2079. Since 2086, the TAVs have been built waste space to feed the vessel’s fuel tanks. This will
by Columbia Aerospace on Rhea or Titan itself, reduce hull thickness and hence its cDR and cPF, but
although many of their components are imported. At may be desirable on long voyages.
present, 17 Chronos-class TAVs are in service, 11 with A dozen of these vessels are in service. Most were
the Titan Consortium and six with the USAF’s 30th given names suggestive of legendary, mythical, or dis-
Space Wing. The spacecraft itself is a streamlined tant lands, e.g., Asgard, Lemuria, Ultima Thule.
delta 100’ long. In its usual configuration it can carry The spacecraft itself is a sphere 150’ in diameter.
64 people and 60 tons of cargo. Typical payload is Typical payload is 1,258.6 tons. It uses 27,000 tons of
66.4 tons. It uses 276 tons of methane as reaction water as reaction mass. It has 12.28 spaces of empty
mass. space.
Chronos-class vessels are named after the titans Crew: Pilot/Navigator (Astrogation, Piloting
of Greek myth. (Low-Performance Spacecraft)), Communications/
Crew: Pilot and Co-Pilot, each with Astrogation, Sensor Operator (Electronics Operation (Communica-
Piloting (High-Performance Spacecraft, Piloting tions), Electronics Operation (Sensors)), Weapons
(Aerospace), Electronics Operation (Sensors), Elec- Officer (Gunner (Beams), 8 Engineers (Armoury
tronics Operation (Communications). Co-Pilot is nor- (Spacecraft Weapons), Mechanic (Fusion Drive),
mally an infomorph residing in the vessel’s computer. Mechanic (Robotics), Engineer (Mining), other
Design: Streamlined Delta (64 spaces, nanocom- Mechanic skills as appropriate). Also carries other spe-
posite, light frame, lifting body, smart, responsive cialists such as medics, planetologists, educators,
hull); cDR/cPF 1.4/1 [F], 1/1 [S, B] (nanocomposite biotechnicians, depending on the owning family.
armor). Design: Asteroid Hull (3,375 spaces, ice, light
Modules: New cockpit; small fixed PESA [F]; frame); cDR/cPF 1/10 (ice armor); hull radiators (15
small fixed radar [F]; 0.5 compact fission drive ksf).
(methane); 0.5 fission air-ram; 46 tanks (ultralight, Modules: 2 Old basic bridge; 30 high-impulse fusion
methane); 4 passenger seats (64 passengers); small entry torch (water); 1,800 tanks (water); 1 medium PESA; 1
module; 12 cargo (60 tons). small PESA; 1 medium radar [F]; 1 small ladar; 3 2.5-MJ
Statistics: EMass 53; CMass 257; LMass 395. Cost laser towers [S]; 2 hall; 40 luxury cabins; 3 small entry
M$54.26. cHP 60. Size Modifier +8. HT 12. Maintenance modules; 1 large entry module; 2 lab; 4 minifac work-
shops; 10 refinery; 5 rock crushers; 100 ksf folding solar
panels; 1 spacedock (32 spaces, 40’ × 20’ × 20’); 2 exter-
Interval: 5.43 hours (17.7 hours/day). RRA 0.
Performance: sAccel: 0.22 G. Burn Endurance: 0.5
hours. Burn Points: 396. Delta-V: 1.21 mps. Air speed 0.7 nal cradles (10 spaces, 1,250 tons each); 250 cargo (1,250
mps (0.32 mps with air-ram only). Stall speed 0.025 mps. tons).
On Titan, air speed is 0.32 mps (0.15 mps with air-ram Statistics: EMass 17,494.2; CMass 32,252; LMass
only), but stall speed is 0.017 mps. 45,752. Cost M$186.92. cHP 527. Size Modifier +9. HT
12. Maintenance Interval: 1.46 hours (65 hours/day). RRA
15.
THULE-CLASS DSOV Performance: sAccel: 0.001 G. Burn Endurance:
This Deep Space Operations Vessel is a typical Gypsy 2,500 hours. Burn Points: 9,000. Delta-V: 27.5 mps. Air
Angel design, using components mostly purchased speed 0.
from Rust China’s MAST or salvaged from other
 DFS-3C ARCHANGEL
SPACE DOMINANCE VESSEL ROGUE AKVS
The TSA deployed several types of AKV during the Pacific War.
The Columbia Aerospace DFS-3C is the Most numerous were the short-ranged Kupu-Kupu which were scat-
fastest SDV in the USAF, and one of the most tered about Earth-Lunar space. More insidious were the longer
advanced in service anywhere in the solar sys- ranged Rajasi class, which were capable of deep space operation and
tem. A modification of the DFS-3A Angel, it is a patrol. Many Rajasi fled into the outer system after the war.
375’ long by 50’ wide streamlined cylinder cov- Rogue AKV: This is an AKV AI that has become dangerously
ered with AKV bays and laser towers. It differs unstable. Treat as LAI, but delete all Taboo Traits, Honesty and
from the DFS-3A in being powered and pro- Reprogrammable Duty. Increase cost by 35 points. Some display
pelled by a Nanodynamics Space Systems Disadvantages such as Bloodlust, Delusions (Everyone is My
NAM-840 antimatter pulse drive engine instead Enemy), and Extreme Fanaticism.
of the usual fusion pulse drive. This engine was Various private groups such as the Farhaulers’ Guild and Mars
originally constructed for the competing YSDF- Interplanetary have offered bounties on confirmed rogue AKV kills,
2 design, which was never actually produced, up to several million dollars each.
but four examples of the engine were manufac-
tured and used in test beds. After the Pacific War,
the USAF found funds for additional Angel ves-
sels, and it was decided to fit the unused NAM-840 anti- craft, extra AKVs, or RATS as a mission requires. The
matter drives into existing DFS-3 hulls, resulting in the radiator wings are 187’ × 187’ when fully extended.
DFS-3C Archangel. Other modifications were made to Crew: Commander (Leadership, Shiphandling, Tac-
sensors and armor based on experience with the DFS-3A. tics), Pilot (Piloting (High-Performance Spacecraft)),
There are only four DFS-3Cs in USAF service, all of Navigator (Astrogation, Electronics Operation (Communi-
them assigned to the 30th Space Wing at Rhea, where their cations), Electronics Operation (Sensors)), 2 Weapons
substantially higher delta-V provides strategic mobility Officers (Gunner (Beams), Gunner (Railgun)), 12 Engi-
while patrolling the vast distances of the Deep Beyond. neers (Mechanic (Fusion Drive), Mechanic (Robotics),
However, while the Archangels have more legs than the other Mechanics skills as appropriate), 1 Medic (Diagno-
Angels, the need to handle and store expensive antimatter sis, Physician, Surgeon), Mission Specialist (Electronics
means that resupply of fuel is harder to come by, as the Operation (Sensors), Intelligence Analysis, SIGINT Col-
number of bases that stockpile antimatter fuel is limited. lection/Jamming, Traffic Analysis). The DFS-3C has
To compensate, all carry more than twice the antimatter enough room to carry up to 20 infantry with their associat-
their endurance requires. ed equipment. Engineers are usually cybershells.
Typical payload is 767 tons, including 4 AKVs in bays Design: Streamlined cylinder (1,500 spaces, metal-
and 10 munitions packages, and various cybershells car- matrix composite, heavy frame, smart); cDR/cPF 70/5F,
ried as cargo; the space dock is usually empty on routine 6/1S, 10/1B (nanocomposite armor). Hull radiators (60
space patrols, but may be loaded with landing or boarding ksf), folding radiator wings (70 ksf). Chameleon surface.
Modules: New command bridge; 2 large ladar; 2
large PESA; 2 large radar; 250 HI antimatter pulse
drive; 920 tanks (ultralight, nuclear pellets); 0.46

Men rode upon the whirlwind antimatter bay (46 grams); 8 10-MJ heavy laser tow-
ers [S]; 2 10-MJ heavy lasers [B]; 6 2.5-MJ light
that night and slew and fell laser towers [S]; coilgun [F]; 2 350’ new particle
accelerator [F/F]; 8 cabin; 5 bunkroom; 1 heavy
like archangels. The sky storm shelter (2-space: encloses bridge, cPF 1,000);
minifac workshop; 2 large entry module; surgery;
rained heroes upon the spacedock hangar (75’ long, 20’ wide, 12’ high; 36

astonished earth. Surely the spaces); 4 vehicle bays (Predator AKV: 110 tons,
0.112 ksf; 6 spaces each); 50 cargo (250 tons).
last fights of mankind were Statistics: EMass 5,993; CMass 12,281; LMass
17,801. Cost M$1,691.49. cHP 1,944. Size Modifier
the best. [Hull] +6/+11, [Radiators] +9. HT 12. Maintenance
Interval: 0.97 hours (99 hours/day). RRA 125.
– H. G. Wells Performance: sAccel: 0.1 G. Burn Endurance:
92 hours. Burn Points: 33,120. Delta-V: 101.2 mps.
No air speed.
 1/1 [S], 10/2 [B] (carbon composite armor); hull
RAJASI-CLASS AKV radiators (1.5 ksf); chameleon surface.
Modules: Old unmanned controls; small radar [F];
(“SNARK”) small PESA; 2 compact HI fusion pulse drive; 2.82 tanks
(ultralight, nuclear pellets); 2.5-MJ light laser [F]; coilgun
The Rajasi were deployed by the Thai and Vietnamese [S]; 0.5 power pack; small robot arm; small entry module.
Aerospace Forces during the Pacific War. 40 were built, Statistics: EMass 73; CMass 100; LMass 117. Cost
and launched secretly to interdict trade between China and M$11.03. cHP 54. Size Modifier +2/+6. HT 12. Mainte-
its outer system colonies. They proved modestly success- nance Interval: 6 hours (15.9 hours/day). RRA 1.5.
ful, as China’s PLAN-SF was oriented primarily toward Performance: sAccel: 0.12 G. Burn Endurance: 23.5
planetary defense. However, the loss or deliberate destruc- hours. Burn Points: 10,152. Delta-V: 31 mps. No air speed.
tion of TSA control facilities and codes during the war’s
end-game left many Rajasi orphaned, and some of them –
nicknamed snarks by the USAF – continue a guerrilla war
against Chinese and foreign interplanetary shipping to this
day. (See also Pirates, p. 104).
The Rajasi differ from most AKVs in that they are
designed to attack commercial vessels rather than war-
Until lions have their
ships. Being built for long-range cruise rather than maneu-
verability, they have excellent Delta-V for such small historians, tales of
the hunt shall always
vessels, which also makes them effective in strikes against
space stations and ground installations.
As the TSA lacked long-range support vessels, the
Rajasi were given a wilderness fuel and maintenance capa-
bility. This included onboard repair and combat cyber-
swarms, and also a robot arm, recessed under the main
glorify the hunter.
body, that could salvage parts from its victims. They gen-
erally slice a target’s reaction mass tanks open and strip it – African proverb
of fuel pellets. After battle damage, only a fraction (typi-
cally 1-10%) of a target’s fuel would be easily accessible
in this fashion, but a Rajasi needs very little to survive.
As their low-sapient infomorphs are capable of learn-
ing, the “rogue” Rajasi AKVs that survive today have con-
siderably more cunning. In some cases, they have
temporarily occupied space stations or vessels they have
OTHER VEHICLES
attacked, using them for cover. Some have communicated These are land, air, and underwater vehicles. Noted
with targets to request surrender. There is one known inci- vehicles conform to the Wheeled Vehicle Modular Design
dence of a Rajasi hiding inside a captured HSTV cargo bay System (WVMDS) found in In the Well.
while controlling the vessel remotely via cable jacks,
apparently assembled by its microbots or captured human
crews.
KEY
The following vehicle descriptions list components in
The power pack allows 15 minutes (9 space combat
a format intended to make them easy to use in play, rather
turns) of laser fire. The fusion pulse drive recharges 100
than the design-sequence format used in earlier GURPS
seconds of laser fire every 4.8 minutes (3 space combat
books. The following section describes the system used
turns).
here.
The Rajasi is a streamlined cylinder 50’ long by 10’ in
diameter. Usual payload is 9.5 tons, consisting of a single
KKMP munitions pack. It originally carried 33.84 tons of
Abbreviations
reaction mass. Rajasi vessels were numbered, but most Subassemblies: The major parts of the vehicle. The
have selected personal names for themselves. number following each subassembly is the targeting bonus
Crew: Unmanned. Infomorph occupies Unmanned to hit. Abbreviations include Tur for turrets and Whl for
Controls and uses (Electronics Operation (Communica- wheels.
tions), Electronics Operation (Sensors), Gunner (Beams, Power & Propulsion: Describes the size and type of
Railgun), and Piloting (High-Performance Spacecraft)). all propulsion and lift systems, power plants, and energy
Design: Streamlined Cylinder hull (8 spaces, banks.
foamed alloy, heavy frame); cDR/cPF 35/5 [F], Fuel/End: For fuel, gives the amount, type (with
Fire number in parentheses), type of fuel tank, and
“routine” or “cruising” endurance. For energy banks, have and still fly. For ground vehicles, a slower off-
provides endurance data under various conditions. Fire road speed is also listed; this is dependent on ground
is the chance, on 3d, of a fire breaking out in the fuel tank pressure. For submarines, crush depth is listed; see Crush
if the vehicle is disabled (drops to zero or less hit points) Depth, p. 154.
or destroyed. Design Notes: A compilation of everything else – the
Occupancy: Each number is followed by an abbrevi- vehicle accessories and data that rarely come up in play,
ation. CCS is a cramped crew station, NCS a normal crew but are useful for reverse-engineering the design. This ref-
station, and RCS a roomy crew station, where a crew erences the design system from In the Well.
member sits. Passenger seats use CS, NS, and RS for
cramped, normal, and roomy positions, respectively. Any
exposed position precedes the normal abbreviation with an ASTERIUS
X (for instance, XNCS for an exterior normal crew sta-
tion). (DEEP SEA RESEARCH VESSEL)
Cargo: Gives capacity in cubic feet. Each cubic foot A variety of research and other submarines operate in
generally holds 20 lbs.; exceptions are noted. Europa’s oceans, some manned, others cybershells. In
Armor: Vehicles without this notation have no armor. addition to the ubiquitous Vostok cybershell, all three
F indicates frontal armor, RL right and left, B back, T top, bases on Europa also operate manned subs. The Asterius is
and U underbody. If the entire subassembly has the same a typical example.
armor, only one value will be listed. Special circumstances A nuclear-powered mini-sub manufactured by
will be detailed just below the tabular columns of armor Vosper-Babbage, the Asterius has a cylindrical hull 50 feet
values. long and 10 feet in diameter. It is propelled by a water jet
Weaponry: Vehicles without this notation have no propulsion system and has a pair of robot arms and a sin-
integral weapons. For those that do, the location notation gle airlock. It seats three people (including the pilot), and
also gives the facing of the weapon, per Armor. All also has three bunks and other living facilities for long-
weapons are assumed to have full stabilization (cancels up term operations.
to -3 in movement penalties). Weapons in turrets have uni- Crush depth on lower-gravity Europa is 164,068 yards
versal mounts (they can elevate up to 90 degrees). Ammu- (93.2 miles), allowing it to reach the ocean’s floor, albeit at
nition listings include all shots stored on the vehicle, not some risk. It can operate to any depth in Titan’s shallow
just rounds in a magazine. For energy weapons, the value seas.
indicates shots stored in energy banks. Following each Subassemblies: Body +2/+6.
weapon is the targeting modifiers provided by all the vehi- P&P: Hydrojet (80 tons aquatic motive thrust); new fis-
cle’s supporting systems. sion reactor (10 MW output)
Equipment: Grouped by location, these are the game- Fuel: 1+ years operation.
play-essential accessories on the vehicle; others will be Occupancy: 1 RCS, 2 NS, 3 bunks. Cargo: 80 cf.
described in Design Notes, below. Refer to In the Well and
to Lasers, p. 137, vehicular weapon and equipment Armor F RL B T U
descriptions. Crash webs are high-tech air bags (DR 9 vs. Body: 4/1,000 4/1,000 4/1,000 4/1,000 4/1,000
impact damage that occupants might sustain); AESA can
operate as either radars or, at half range, as ladars (p. Equipment
TS178); for PESA systems, see p. TS178. Body: New cockpit, small PESA (fixed), small ladar
Statistics: Dim. is a rough indication of dimensions. (fixed), two small robot arms.
Lwt. is loaded weight. The lowercase letter before a per- Statistics
formance rating indicates a mode of travel; g is ground, a is
Size: 50’ long, 10’ diameter Payload: 2,200 lbs.
air, w is water, u is underwater, etc., e.g., gSpeed is top
Lwt.: 119 tons Volume: 4,000 cf
ground speed, and aMR is the aerial maneuver rating. Speed
Maint.: 8.91 hours Price: $20.17 million
is in mph (halve it to get speed in yards per second). Accel
is acceleration in mph per second. MR is the maximum safe
HT: 12 HP: 10,600
G that a vehicle can pull in a maneuver; to determine turn-
ing radius per p. B139, square the vehicle’s current speed
and divide by (40 ×MR). SR is the stability rating; if the
wSpeed: 4 wAccel: 0.6 wDecel: 7.5 wMR: 0.75 wSR: 4
Draft: 21 feet Crush depth: 24,240 yards
GM rules that a vehicle operator has to make a skill roll to
perform a potentially hazardous maneuver, failure by more Design Notes
than SR should result in not only failing the maneuver, but Metal-matrix composite body and extra-heavy frame,
also potential disaster (e.g., crashing into something, spin- with a smart, responsive, submarine hull and hydrojet
ning out of control, etc) at the GM’s option. For air vehi- propulsion system (see Under Pressure) Submerged
cles, stall speed is the lowest air speed the vehicle can mass 125 tons.
 harshest environments found in the Solar System –
ASTROBUG icy chasms, ethane swamps, and other terrain that even
tracked vehicles would have trouble crossing. The Land-
The Tenzan Heavy Industries AstroBug is a four-
legged all-terrain vehicle used to get around on large aster- strider described here is the latest model; earlier versions
oids and moons. The driver and up to three passengers sit used MHD turbines and lacked the small sensor turret.
in open seats, usually wearing vacc suits; the vehicle has A driver and passengers could survive in a Landstrid-
an enclosed cargo bay, but not life support. It is powered er for several days in increasing discomfort, but it is not
by a closed-cycle hydrogen-oxygen MHD turbine, and designed for long-term endurance. For long trips some of
driven using Driving (Mecha) skill using computerized the passenger seats can be folded up (freeing 10 cf of addi-
controls. tional cargo space each) to provide room to stretch out or
The AstroBug is a development of a design first test- sleep. When hauling cargo the passenger seats can be
ed as a lunar rover in 2037. The present design dates to removed entirely. The driver uses the Driving (Mecha)
2070. AstroBugs are commonly used on Ceres, Callisto, skill with computerized controls.
Rhea, and Titan.
Subassemblies: Body +3, four legs +1. Subassemblies: Body +4, four legs +2, full-rotation turret
P&P: 37.5-kW four-legged drivetrain. 37.5-kW closed- -3.
cycle MHD turbine. Two rechargeable E cells with 40 P&P: 75-kW four-legged drivetrain. Two rechargeable E
kWh total capacity. cells with 40 kWh total capacity in body. 40 recharge-
Fuel: Ultralight self-sealing 30-gallon hydrogen fuel tank able E cells with 800 kWh total capacity in legs (10
(Fire 10), ultralight self-sealing 15-gallon LOX (liq- per leg).
uid oxygen) fuel tank (Fire 10), 4.4 hours. Battery Fuel: Leg batteries power drivetrain and limited life sup-
powers winch and radio when needed. port for 10 hours. Battery in body powers all other
Occupancy: 2 XNCS, 2 XCS. Cargo: 75 cf. systems.
Occupancy: 1 RCS, 9 CS. Cargo: 125 cf.
Armor F RL B T U
Body: 4/45 4/45 4/45 4/45 4/45 Armor F RL B T U
Legs: 4/20 4/20 4/20 4/20 4/20 Body: 4/100 4/100 4/100 4/100 4/100
Legs: 4/80 4/80 4/80 4/80 4/80
Equipment Turret: 3/10 3/10 3/10 3/10 –
Body: Tiny Complexity 5 computer; 1,000-mile range
Equipment
radio; 4 1.5-mile range PESA [F/R/L/B]; ST 100 winch, 4
crashwebs. Body: Radio with 10,000-mile range, inertial navigation
system, 2 small Complexity 6 computers, compact
Statistics fire suppression system, ST200 winch, one-man air-
Size: 9’ long Payload: 2,461 lbs. Lwt.: 9,622 lbs. lock, limited life system (40 man-days), 10 crash-
Volume: 195 cf Maint.:100.16 hours Price: $39,874 webs, hitch and pin. Turret: 12-mile PESA, 4.5-mile
AESA.
HT: 8.
Statistics
HP: 132 [Body] Each Leg: 120
Size: 15’ long Payload: 4,500 lbs. Lwt.: 20 tons.
gSpeed: 35 gAccel: 10 gDecel: 20 gMR: 1 gSR: 5 Volume: 700 cf Maint.: 44 hours Price: $205,850
Low GP. Off-Road Speed 28.
HT: 7.
Design Notes HP: 600 [Body] Each Leg: 300
WVMDS design with walker modifications (p. 154).
Midsize body and four midsize legs. Body has a light gSpeed: 25 gAccel: 5 gDecel: 20 gMR: 0.75 gSR: 4
frame. Legs are medium frame. Armor is steel and body is Low GP. Off-Road Speed 20.
sealed. Ground pressure is 732 on Earth (Low) but will
Design Notes
drop to Very Low or Extremely Low on Mars or on any
lower-gravity world (such as Titan), increasing Off-Road WVMDS design with walker modifications (p. 154).
Speed to 35. Extra large body and four extra large legs with a 0.05 VSP
turret. Armor is aluminum on body, titanium on turret and
legs. Body is sealed. Body provides cPF 1 of radiation
LANDSTRIDER shielding. Ground pressure is 1,253 on Earth (Low), but
McKinsey Industrial Design’s Landstrider is a will drop to Very Low or Extremely Low on Mars or any
rugged, dependable, four-legged all-terrain walker lower-gravity world (like Europa or Titan), increasing
vehicle. It is built for operations in some of the off-road speed to 25.
 Fuel: Leg batteries power drivetrain and limited
LANDSTRIDER DRAGOON life support for 10 hours. 50-kWh power pack gives
346 laser shots or powers emDR. Battery in body
In partnership with Vosper-Babbage, McKinsey
developed a militarized Landstrider design in 2094 to powers all other systems.
study the feasibility of a light combat walker to support Occupancy: 1 RCS, 9 CS. Cargo: 10 cf.
ground operations in extraterrestrial terrain. The Land-
strider Dragoon has a larger turret with a smaller turret Armor F RL B T U
(cupola) atop it, more powerful leg motors, and a Body: 6/400 4/200 4/200 4/200 4/200
redesigned body with sloped and electromagnetic armor. Legs: 4/100 4/100 4/100 4/100 4/100
Turret: 6/300 4/150 4/150 4/150 –
Cupola: 4/100 4/100 4/100 4/100 –

Has electromagnetic armor in addition to listed

DR: Body has emDR 400 [F], emDR 200 [RL, B, T,
U]. Turret has emDR 150 [F], emDR [RL, B, T].
Cupola has emDR 50.

Weaponry
15mm Heavy Machine Gun [Turret: F] (2,400
rounds of APS in body).
25-kJ Laser [Turret: F]
20-kJ Tactical Laser [Cupola: F]

Equipment
Body: Radio with 10,000-mile range, inertial navi-
gation system, HUDWAC, IFF, 2 small Complexi-
ty 6 computers, compact fire suppression system,
ST200 winch, one-man airlock, limited life system
(40 man-days), 10 crashwebs, hitch and pin. Turret:
36-mile PESA, 45-mile AESA.

Statistics
Size: 15’ long Payload: 2,600 lbs.
Lwt.: 15 tons Volume: 725 cf
Maint.: 19.41 hours Price: $1,062,070

The Dragoon carries two lasers and a coaxial machine HT: 9

gun in its turret. Its hull is fitted with electromagnetic HP: 600 [Body] Each Leg: 300
armor (p. 153) that allows it to withstand both small-arms Turret: 90 Cupola: 27
and micro-missile warheads, up to and including 30mm
SEFOP. The onboard squad can deploy either though the gSpeed: 40 gAccel: 5 gDecel: 20 gMR: 0.75 gSR: 4
rear hatches or a belly door. Low GP. Off-Road Speed 32*.
Orders for the Landstrider Dragoon have been slow * 40 on Mars, Venus, or any moon or asteroid.
due to the high price and specialized application of the Design Notes
vehicle, but EDI purchased five in 2095, and four have WVMDS design with walker modifications (p. 154).
gone to the Commachio Group Royal Marines. Extra large sloped body and four extra large legs. 5 VSP
(25 cubic foot) sloped turret on body, 1 VSP turret atop tur-
Subassemblies: Body +4, four legs +2, full-rotation tur- ret. Armor is metal-matrix composite. Body provides cPF
ret +1, full-rotation turret +0. 1 of radiation shielding.
P&P: 150-kW four-legged drivetrain. Two rechargeable Ground pressure is 940 on Earth (Low), but will drop
E cells with 40 kWh total capacity in body. 80 to Very Low or Extremely Low on any lower-gravity
rechargeable E cells with 800 kWh total capacity in world, increasing off-road speed to 40, the same as
legs (20 per leg). gSpeed.
 Vehicular Weaponry
Name Type Damage SS Acc 1/2D Max RoF
Gunner (Machine Gun)
10mm Emag with APS Cr.+ 8d×4(2) 20 15 2,400 9,600 20
15mm Heavy
Machine Gun with APS Cr.+ 6d×3(2) 20 14 1,300 5,600 8*
Gunner (Beams)
25kJ Laser Imp. 10d 25 24 7,800 11,000 8*
“APS” (Armor Piercing Saboted) damage is halved after it penetrates DR. For tactical laser, see p. 138.

Statistics
WORLD ROVER Size: 11’ long
Volume: 300 cf
Payload: 2,792 lbs. Lwt.: 4.57 tons
Maint.: 50.35 hours Price: $631,020
Built by Nanodynamics Automotive Systems, the
World Rover is a multi-role six-wheeled all-terrain vehicle
designed to traverse very rough terrain at good speed. Its HT: 13
closed-cycle MHD engine uses hydrogen and oxygen, HP: 375 Tur: 17 Each Wheel: 125
commonly available from water ice on most outer planet
moons (including Titan and Europa). It has no airlock, so gSpeed: 95 gAccel: 4 gDecel: 15 gMR: 1.75 gSR: 5
opening the entry hatch unseals it. It lacks radiation pro-
tection, so it is not recommended for operations on Io, wSpeed: 5 wAccel: 1 wDecel: 75 wMR: 0.75 wSR: 6
Europa, or Ganymede unless the crew has shielded suits. Draft: 1.4 feet
It is driven using Driving (Automobile). There is one
roomy crew station; the vehicle is nominally short occu- Design Notes
pancy, with five passenger seats. These seats can be fold- WVMDS design. Large body and 0.5 VSP (2.5 cubic
ed up for additional cargo space, freeing 10 cf for each seat foot) turret. Body has a smart, medium frame and carbon
moved out of the way. composite structure. Turret is a medium frame with a
World Rovers are commonly used for excursions into foamed alloy structure. Wheels are very large (oversized)
the Titan outback. They are light enough to float, with lim- with all-wheel steering, improved suspension, puncture
ited amphibious capability, and are also easily air-trans- resistant tires, and smartwheels. Armor is metal-matrix
portable. composite on body, carbon composite on turret and
wheels. Body and turret are sealed. Ground pressure is
Subassemblies: Body +3, full-rotation turret [T:Body] -1, 1,206 on Earth, 169 on Titan.
six off-road wheels +3. On Titan, Very Low GP, Off-Road Speed 65.
P&P: 128-kW all-wheel drive. 150-kW closed-cycle
MHD turbine. Two rechargeable E cells with 40
kWh total capacity.
Fuel: Ultralight self-sealing 110-gallon hydrogen fuel
tank (Fire 10), ultralight self-sealing 55-gallon LOX What Nanodynamics don’t tell you is
fuel tank (Fire 10), 4 hours. that brochure speeds are deceptive.
Occupancy: 1 NCS, 5 CS. Cargo: 50 cf.
Most of the moons in the Deep Beyond
Armor F RL B T U aren’t your garden-variety lunar
Body: 4/80 4/80 4/80 3/80 3/80
Turret: 4/20 4/20 4/20 4/20 – regolith – they’re icy, broken ground,
Wheels: 3/20 3/20 3/20 3/20 3/20 or, on Titan, frozen sludge. Either
way, you’ll be doing one-third listed
Equipment
Body: Small Complexity 6 computer; 10,000-mile off-road speed with wheels, two-
range radio; inertial navigation system; limited life support thirds for a walker.
(12 man-days); hitch and pin. Turret: 36-mile range PESA;
45-mile range AESA. – Copernicus Jones
TITAN PACKHOPPER
Titan’s low gravity and thick atmosphere
mean that man-portable helicopters are quite
practical. A common mode of transport out-
side the domes is the Packhopper, a one-man
strap-on backpack helicopter manufactured
locally by Nanodynamics. Packhoppers have
also been used inside larger space station
habitats, especially those with low gravity.
The Packhopper is propelled by twin
battery-powered rotors. These counter-rotate
around a single shaft above the user’s head,
developing 400 lbs. of lift. This is barely
enough to get it off the ground on Earth or
Venus, but provides plenty of margin to spare
in Titan’s low gravity, where the ’hopper and
pilot weigh 1/7 as much.
If flown manually, the pilot uses twin
control arms that extend forward from the
backpack, with instrument readouts displayed
through his own virtual interface. Even so,
the Packhopper requires both hands to oper-
ate when not locked into a simple hover pat-
tern. Alternatively, the vehicle can be
operated in a “hands free” mode under AI
control, either through the wearer’s own vir-
tual interface or by an AI actually installed in
the hopper.
The Packhopper’s armor does not protect
the operator, although any attack from
behind will normally hit the
machine instead of the wearer. It
takes 10 seconds to strap on the
Packhopper, or one second to
detach it. The rotor folds up, allow-
ing the pack to be brought indoors, but
it requires at least 5 yards clear radius above
the user to operate. The pilot uses Piloting
(Flight Pack) skill. The vehicle has computer-
ized controls. Payload assumes a 250-lb. oper-
ator wearing an environment suit. A small pilot can carry a Statistics
lot more payload, or operate for longer. Size: 3’ tall Payload: 250 lbs. Lwt.: 394 lbs.
Volume: 3.2 cf Maint.: 259 hours Price: $5,950
Subassemblies: Body +0, folding rotor -4, two skids -4.
P&P: 40-kW coaxial rotor drivetrain, 60-kWh battery. HT: 12
Fuel/End: Battery provides 1.5 hours of full-power HP: 9 [Body] Rotor: 12 Each Skid: 2
output.
Occupancy: Harness Cargo: None aSpeed: 115 aAccel: 3 aDecel: 20 aMR: 5 aSR: 4
Stall speed 0.
Armor F RL B T U
All: 2/3 2/3 2/3 2/3 2/3 Design Notes
The Packhopper’s frame is light foamed alloy and
Equipment robotic. Armor is foamed alloy. The body has basic sound
Body: Tiny cheap Complexity 4 computer, crashweb. baffling. aDrag is 37.
CA-90 TITAN EAGLE UH-92 MALAMUTE
(“BIRD-PLANE”) UTILITY HELICOPTER
Columbia Aerospace’s Titan Eagle, universally The Malamute is the U.S. Army’s front-line Titan util-
referred to as the “bird plane,” is a powered ity helicopter, used for air assault, air cavalry, and
ultralight ornithopter aircraft that uses aeromedical evacuation. First deployed in 2092, it was
motorized beating wings to provide lift developed from the earlier UH-88 (used on Earth), but has
and thrust. It’s not as practical as a hel- much heavier armor, a de-rated rotor driveshaft, and a bat-
icopter, but it’s more stylish and quiet, tery pack rather than a MHD turbine. Even so, it is signif-
and as such has been popular with icantly more expensive then the UH-88 and cannot get off
both tourists and residents. It is a per- the ground in gravity greater than Titan’s.
sonal commuter transport and sports
vehicle for many Titan residents. A
number of rental agencies also cater to
tourists (many of whom are infomorphs Okay, the Mosquitoes spotted some kind
uploaded into bioshells or cyberdolls). of, quote, unquote, hive growing near the
The Titan Eagle’s pilot uses Piloting (Light Airplane)
skill. The vehicle has computerized controls. Payload south end of the Mayan Plateau. We’re
assumes a 250-lb. operator (wearing an environment suit). going to check it out. Maybe Chinese,
The bird plane has no life support of its own; a large trans- maybe Triad or radical ’humes – hell, it
parent teardrop canopy opens up to allow entry or egress,
and also provides an excellent view. might be those Axon guys. Now, this is a
hot LZ, but you newsies in the back don’t
Subassemblies: Body +1, two standard wings -1, three need to sweat – there ain’t nothing
retractable wheels -1.
P&P: 30-kW ornithopter drivetrain, 75-kWh battery. tougher than an Ice Dog ’cept an M88,
Fuel/End: Battery provides 1.5 hours of full-power out- and it don’t fly.
put. – Lt. Rafael Lopez,
Occupancy: 1 CCS Cargo: 3 cf
82nd Spaceborne
Armor F RL B T U
All: 3/5 3/5 3/5 3/5 3/5
The Malamute has a teardrop-shaped carbon compos-
Equipment ite body with a folding diamondoid coaxial helicopter rotor
Body: 100-mile range radio, 1-mile AESA [F], small (two rotors rotating in opposite directions around the same
Complexity 6 computer, transponder, 700-lb. vehicu- shaft) for lift and stability. It lands on retractable skids that
lar parachute, crashweb. telescope out to provide up to six feet of ground clearance
in Titan’s low gravity. Above the rotor assembly is a small
Statistics
rotating turret that houses the Malamute’s sensors and
Size: 7’ long; 20’ span Payload: 310 lbs.
point-defense laser. Defensive armament consists of two
Lwt.: 683 lbs. Volume: 37.5 cf
casemates, one on each side, mounting a 10mm electro-
Maint.: 80.2 hours Price: $62,160
mag gun that can fire ahead and to the left or right side.
Basic emissions cloaking, a laser/radar warning receiver,
HT: 22
infrared jammer, chaff dispensers, and precision naviga-
HP: 44 [Body] Each Wing: 14
tion equipment provide additional capability.
Each Wheel: 4
With over 12 tons of armor, equivalent to many
infantry fighting vehicles, the UH-92 is one of the best pro-
aSpeed: 95 aAccel: 2 aDecel: 17 aMR: 4.5 aSR: 4
tected manned helicopters in existence. It also has a large
Stall speed 0.
cargo area – a typical payload would be 20 troops in
Design Notes cramped seats, a squad of eight Jump RATS, or 5 tons of
The Bird Plane’s frame is light titanium alloy, with a cargo in a cargo sling. The helicopter’s main failing is its
robotic structure and fair streamlining. Armor is metal- sluggish acceleration.
matrix composite. aDrag is 48. The pilot uses Piloting (Helicopter) skill. The vehicle
has computerized controls (with a duplicate control set
for a copilot).
Subassemblies: Body +4, folding rotor +1, two HUDWAC with pupil scanners, advanced
full-rotation weapon turrets -1, full rotation sen- radar/laser detector, infrared jammer (Jam 8), 10 air-
sor turret +0, two retractable skids in body +2. craft decoy dischargers with 20 chaff reloads, 2 small
P&P: 700-kW coaxial rotor drivetrain, 3,500-kWh bat- Complexity 6 computers, compact fire suppression
tery, 65-kWh battery, 36,720-kWs power pack. Sec- system, ST 30 winch, limited life system (2 man-
ondary 9,000 kWs power pack. days), 2 crashwebs. Sensor Turret: 36-mile PESA
Fuel/End: Batteries provide 5 hours of full-power out- and 45-mile AESA.
put; power pack gives 300 laser shots and all 29,840
Emag shots. Secondary power pack can energize Statistics
emDR 45 times. Size: 20’ long Payload: 10,100 lbs. Lwt.: 23.2 tons
Occupancy: 2 RCS Cargo: 380 cf (at 25 lbs./cf) Volume: 785 cf Maint.: 16.7 hours Price: $5,694,240

Armor F RL B T U HT: 7
Body: 4/500 4/500 4/500 4/500 4/500 HP: 362 [Body] Rotor: 161
Rotor: 4/200 4/200 4/200 4/200 4/200 Weapons Turrets: 8 Sensor Turret: 17
Weapon Each Skid: 25
Turrets: 4/200 4/200 4/200 4/200 –
Sensor aSpeed: 220 aAccel: 5 aDecel: 14 aMR: 3.5 aSR: 5
Turret: 4/200 4/200 4/200 4/200 – Stall speed 0.
Skids: 4/100 4/100 4/100 4/100 4/100
Body has emDR 200 on all facings. Design Notes
The Malamute’s frame is light carbon composite with
Weaponry good streamlining, robotic, smart, and responsive. Armor
20 kJ Tactical Laser [Sensor Turret: F] is nanocomposite with diamondoid on the rotor and metal-
10mm Emag [Weapon Turrets: F] (29,840 rounds in body). matrix composite on the skids. The body is sealed and has
basic emissions cloaking. aDrag is 176. The Malamute
Equipment can’t fly anywhere except Titan. The IR jammer gives a -8
Body: Radio with 10,000-mile range, flight recorder, pre- penalty on rolls for any infrared homing weapons to target
cision navigation instruments, IFF with backup, iner- the vehicle; chaff, on the turn launched and following turn,
tial navigation system, terrain-following radar, 2 gives a -5 on ladar or radar-homing weapons to target it.
 This appendix provides additional options for the one deploying first and dragging out a larger parachute.
spacecraft design system in Transhuman Space and the Each space of parachute can support up to 625 tons, mass-
Wheeled Vehicle Modular Design System of In the Well. es 6.25 tons, and costs M$0.125. Fractional spaces are usu-
ally installed – e.g., a 0.16 space parachute supports 100

NEW SPACECRAFT
tons, masses 1 ton, and costs M$0.02.

Railgun
COMPONENTS This is an electromagnetic cannon; railguns were
common on early warcraft designs, before longer-ranged
lasers and particle beams became standard. They are still
These components are used with the Spacecraft lethal at close range. The most common railgun design (an
Design rules (p. TS173). Additional spacecraft compo- extremely long-barreled 155mm gun) has an effective
nents can also be found in Transhuman Space: High velocity in vacuum of approximately 10 mps, higher than
Frontier. the standard coilgun. It fires hypervelocity projectiles
directly at a target, rather than launching munitions packs.
Black Hole Power Plant A railgun requires 2 spaces, masses 22 tons, costs
This consists of a primordial black hole surrounded by M$9.2, and uses 1,700 MJ to fire each burst; it can fire two
a power system – see Primordial Black Holes, p. 78. The bursts/turn. It requires 0.1 ksf of surface area. The railgun
plant consists of the black hole (negligible space, typically can only be installed in vessels that are at least 100’ long
a billion tons or more mass) plus a gravitic fusion system. (if facing forward or backward) or at least 100’ wide (if
The plant requires a power core (34 spaces, 820 tons, facing sideways).
M$12.2); this also includes shielding against the black 0.1 space of railgun ammunition masses 0.28 tons and
hole’s radiation. costs M$0.036, and allows the weapon to fire 26 bursts.
Each additional space of power plant can generate 20
MW at a mass of 4 tons and cost of $0.8, up to a maximum
determined by the amount of power that the black hole can Railgun Fire
produce (about 100 MW for Shezbeth). The plant requires
the same heat radiators as a fusion plant, which are based Weapons and Range: A railgun can fire at
on the size of the plant in spaces, excluding the core. short range, or if the target is non-maneuvering, at
short or effective range.
Physical Damage: A railgun does cDAM 6d ×
Only one black hole power plant is operational (Shez-
beth, at Hawking Station), unless conspiracy theorists are
correct and more holes have been recovered. (5 + RV) damage at all ranges. (RV is calculated as
per Ramming and KKMP Damage, p. TS198).
Nuclear Pellet Factory Damage that penetrates armor is multiplied by 10,
as a “shot” represents several rounds impacting.
A specialized modular robofac that can turn raw mate-
Orbital Strike: It has full effect on ground tar-
rials into fuel. It requires 5,000 tons of rock and 5 lbs. of
gets.
He-3 per month in order to produce 84 tons (7 spaces) of
Point Defense Fire vs. Railguns: A laser in
nuclear pellets. In addition to nuclear pellets, the process
point defense mode may fire to destroy railgun
also produces 70 tons of HO fuel, 840 tons of MO fuel,
projectiles. If range is effective, each light or heavy
100 lbs. of fission fuels and 3,900 tons of slag or rock dust.
laser can fire to eliminate one railgun shot on a
A nuclear pellet refinery takes up 860 spaces, masses
successful Gunner roll. A failure reduces the rail-
10,800 tons, costs M$20, and uses 360 MW.
gun shot’s after-armor damage multiplier by (10 -
Parachutes margin of failure); a critical failure means the point
defense had no effect.
Parachutes may be used to provide a soft landing or
Evasion: A spacecraft that took Evasive
slow descent for craft entering atmosphere even if the craft
Action or Break Off as its last maneuver gets a
is not streamlined. Parachutes are often used by re-entry
Dodge roll to evade railgun fire. Roll vs. Piloting
capsules that carry cargo or personnel, and by gas giant
skill, subtracting the dodging spacecraft’s worst
probes. They can be deployed once a vessel has dropped to
Size Modifier and adding the modifiers from the
subsonic speed (generally as a result of aerobraking). A
Burn Modifier Table.
typical system includes a pair of chutes, with a smaller
Refinery
This is a heated microgravity drilling and siphon Electromagnetic Armor
unit that can be used to extract water from a “EM Armor” consists of spaced plates containing sensors
carbonaceous, carbonaceous volatile, frozen which detect the impact of a projectile (such as the penetrating
volatile, or other icy or volatile-rich body jet produced by a shaped-charge warhead) and then generate
like a KBO or icy moon. It may be an intense electromagnetic field. This nullifies or degrades
installed on a spacecraft (generally in the most shaped-charge projectiles and provides a degree of addi-
nose of a cylindrical vessel) or on a station tional protection against kinetic-energy impacts.
built onto or within the asteroid itself. Assum- EM Armor may be designed into any vehicle with at least
ing an outer-belt carbonaceous asteroid whose com- DR 16 armor (or the armor on the facing protected, if it varies)
position is 20% water, each space of probe processes as long as the EM armor does not exceed half normal DR.
300 tons of asteroid regolith per day into 60 tons (4 The vehicle must have a power pack for the armor to func-
spaces) of water. Each space of asteroid refinery tion, as batteries do not discharge quickly enough. If an attack
masses 4 tons, costs M$0.2, and requires 1 MW. penetrates the normal DR then the electromagnetic plating will
activate, draining energy from the power pack. Its DR (abbre-
viated emDR) protects only against shaped-charge (e.g.
HEMP) and kinetic-energy weapons (including explosively-
forged penetrators such as SEFOP). Armor divisors on shaped-
charge warheads are ignored against emDR. For example, if a
shaped-charge HEMP warhead with a (10) armor divisor
struck a vehicle with DR 100 and emDR 50, it would defend
with DR (100/10) + 50 = DR 60 against that attack.
Attacks which fail to penetrate the normal DR of the
armor will not trigger the EM Armor (or drain energy).
If using WVMDS from In the Well, EM armor has a Mass
modifier of 0.03 and a Cost modifier of 100. It drains 1 kWs
per point of emDR when the armor is activated.

Solar Concentrator
Solar concentrators are giant mirrors that focus sun-
light onto a relatively narrow point in order to generate
very high temperatures. A large enough mirror can melt an
entire asteroid, or tunnel through rock. Solar concentrators
are used as ore smelters, and are also required tools for the
creation of Cole habitats (p. 132). Solar concentrators have
the same statistics as solar panels or folding solar panels
(p. TS185), except they cost half as much, and create a spot
of intense heat rather than generating electric power.

Stabilized Metallic Hydrogen Rocket

This experimental metallic hydrogen-fueled (p. 135)
engine was developed by Columbia Aerospace for the
X-92 AKV. Each space of rocket engine produces 200 tons
thrust, masses 4 tons, costs M$0.4, and has RMC 40 and
Isp 1,500. SLMH fuel masses 12 tons and costs M$1 per
space.
The engine is presently somewhat unreliable. Roll 1d
every hour it is in use – if the die roll is 6, the drive suffers
a catastrophic malfunction, destroying the spacecraft. If
used in space combat, roll 2d on any space combat turn in
which one or more burn points are expended; an explosion
occurs on a 12.
 Performance of Walkers
WALKER DESIGN Speed and gAccel: Use a speed factor of 12.
gDecel: This is 20 mph/s for legs.

NOTES
Ground Pressure and Off-Road Speed: Deter-
mine the walker’s ground pressure by dividing
loaded weight (modified by local gravity) in pounds
The broken terrain of outer satellites like Io and by total leg area, and multiplying by 12.5. A walker
Europa can be too much for wheeled vehicles. with extremely or very low ground pressure has no
Instead, vehicles often walk on legs, which in the low reduction in speed when traveling off-road. If ground
gravity of most moons easily overcome the issues of pressure is higher, its off-road speed is reduced as fol-
ground pressure which bedevil them in Earthlike lows: 4/5 if low, 2/3 if moderate, 1/2 if high, 1/3 if
environments. Two-legged vehicles are rare, but more very high, and 1/4 if extremely high.
stable four-legged designs are fairly common. gMR: 1.5 for tiny, 1.25 if very small or small, 1
The WVMVDS (p. ITW124) can also be used to if midsize to large, 0.75 if extra large or greater size.
design vehicles with legs. Improved suspension adds 0.25 to gMR.
gSR: 3 if tiny to small, 4 if larger. Improved sus-
Legs pension adds 1 to gSR.
A walker has four legs rather than wheels. Each
individual leg has the same area, weight, cost, total
HP, and Size as a set of standard wheels. Read “wheel
area” as leg area. Internal space (VSP) available in each
CRUSH DEPTH AND
leg is 10% of the VSP (before reduction for slope, if any)
found in an equivalent-size body. Leg drivetrains (see
below) can only go in legs; excess space may be used for
TEST DEPTH
other components. While unmanned cybershells can be designed for very
Walkers may have improved suspension, but no other high-pressure environments and life forms may be native
wheel options. to such pressures, only a few specialized manned vessels
can survive at the bottom of Europa’s atmosphere or in the
Drivetrains depths of a gas giant. Crush depth is how deep, in yards, a
Walkers require leg rather than wheel drivetrains. pressurized vessel can descend without being crushed.
These must be placed in leg spaces. Divide their combined (Divide by 1,760 to get depth in miles.) The formula is:
core and slice volume evenly among all leg spaces. As Depth (yards) = 100 × (cDR + 0.1) × Frame Modifier
with wheeled drivetrains, each module provides 25 kW of × Shape Modifier/ Size Modifier
motive power.
If the vessel has more than one Size Modifier; use the
Leg Drivetrain Modules lower. Frame Modifier is 0.25 if extra-light, 0.5 if light, 1
Type VSP Wt. Cost Power if medium, 2 if heavy, or 4 if extra-heavy. Shape Modifier
Walker Drive Core 1.5 180 $9,000 – is 24 for a spherical hull, 12 for a cylinder or torus hull, or
Walker Drive Slice 0.8 100 $5,000 25 3 for a box or delta hull.
Crush depth is further affected by gravity and liquid
density. If a vessel has multiple cDR values, use the lowest
cDR when calculating crush depth.
For Titan: Calculate crush depth
using the above formula, then multi-
It’s a very sobering feeling to be up ply by 12.64, and subtract 72 yards.
This accounts for the ethane-methane
in space and realize that one’s liquid, low gravity, and increased
atmospheric pressure.
safety factor was determined by the For Europa: Calculate crush
depth using the above formula, then
lowest bidder on a government multiply by 7.7, and subtract 22,580
contract. yards. This accounts for the lower
gravity and the increased pressure of
– Alan Shepard the many miles of ice above the
ocean.
 BEEHIVE HABITATS
A beehive habitat can be designed simply
by using the Spacecraft Design rules to create
a vessel with an ice or asteroid hull, omitting
the drive.
However, if the body is a few miles or
more across, and 90% or more of its interior is
expected to be waste space, then calculating
“hull mass” and “hull size” are unimportant.
They can also be deceptive, as values such as
cDR assume habitation is concentrated in the
core of the asteroid, rather than just beneath
the surface. For realistic beehive habitat
designs that meet these criteria, make the fol-
lowing modifications.
Internal Space: Decide on the total vol-
ume of all tunnels and chambers.
Tunneling Cost: This is M$ = (Habitat
Spaces)/C, where C is 10,000 for a stony aster-
oid, 20,000 for a carbonaceous asteroid, or
50,000 for an icy body.
cHP: Assume cHP is equal to the square
root of (M × Internal Space), where M is 100
for a stony asteroid, 50 for a carbonaceous
asteroid, or 30 for a frozen volatile or icy body.
For Gas Giants: To get crush depth in atmospheres cDR: Calculate cDR as cHP/10. Round frac-
(for descents into gas giants) multiply crush depth by 11.3. tions to the nearest whole number, and treating any value
The entries on Jupiter (p. 37) and Saturn (p. 53) provide under cDR 1 as cDR 1. For an icy body, use the rules for
approximations of atmospheric pressure at increasing ice armor.
depth. If a beehive habitat is reduced to 0 cHP or less, it has
Test Depth: A vessel has a test depth equal to half of taken serious damage. Access modules, docks, bays,
its crush depth. This is the normal maximum operat- weapons, and sensors are non-functional; entering or leav-
ing requires forcing them open, but internal systems
remain operational. Reducing it to -5 × cHP means wide-
ing depth which it will not exceed during routine
operations. If it goes deeper, it must make a
HT+2 roll on a regular basis. Roll hourly for spread collapse of upper tunnels and galleries, disabling
routine operations on a well-maintained craft, the installation until the rubble can be cleared away.
or more frequently (e.g., every minute) during
situations where a lot of stress is placed on the
hull, such as combat maneuvering, or when main-
DESIGNING COLE HABITATS
tenance has been neglected. If the roll fails, it takes cDAM A Cole habitat is best designed as a spacecraft. Treat it
to the hull equal to 1d × (depth/1,000) yards; liquid and/or as a cylinder hull about twice as long it is wide, using the
gas may also enter the vessel’s hull. rules for manufactured hulls that are made of steel. 50% of
the cost of the steel hull and armor can be ignored if the
purchasers used the Cole process themselves. It should

DESIGNING HABITATS have cDR 1.

These rules provide additional suggestions for design- DESIGNING SURFACE

ing habitats using asteroids, moons, and similar locations.
Most of the time, a station or building doesn’t need statis- INSTALLATIONS
tics, whether it’s on Ceres, Europa, or Earth. GMs should Installations may be built on the surface of asteroids or
only bother with these rules if exact characteristics are other bodies, rather than tunneled into them. To design a
important, e.g., the PCs are constructing their own station building, simply create it like a manufactured hull of the
or planning to attack one. appropriate shape and dimensions using the Spacecraft
Design rules.
 The following terms are commonly used in the Deep
Beyond; see the Glossaries in Transhuman Space and In
the Well for explanations of terms not listed here. For
organization names and abbreviations, see Chapter 6.

JARGON
aerobot: A flight-capable cybershell.
deep time preservationist: A preservationist con-
cerned with preserving environments that may nurture life
billions of years in the future.
eidelon: A shadow created from study of an individ-
ual.
freehold: An asteroid owned in totality by a Duncan-
ite family.
genarch: The eldest person in a Duncanite family.
homestead: A privately-funded non-commercial
asteroid colony.
homesteader: Someone who settles in or founds an
asteroid homestead.
hydrocarbons: Organic chemical compounds made
up mainly of hydrogen and carbon. Oil is a hydrocarbon.
polypsychic: Someone who hosts multiple organic
and/or digital minds in one body.
retromorphosis: Any biomodification that decreases
the quality of someone’s life. A favorite
threat of the Martian Triads.
snapshot: A copy of an info-
morph that is not being actively run.
SIRMA: Solar Infrared Mont-
golfiere Aerobot.
SPV: Space Patrol Vehicle. A
pre-SDV manned space warcraft, gen-
erally less capable, and sometimes a con- USEFUL FORMULAS
version of a civilian vessel. GMs may wish to calculate the gravity and escape
UNSIBA: Uranus Neptune Stratosphere Inflated Bal- velocity of small bodies such as asteroids and moons. Use
loon Aerobot. these formulas:
Gravity (Gs) = Diameter (in miles) × Density
SLANG × 0.0000228
Escape velocity = 0.11 × square root of (g × r) mps
deemster: A judge-for-hire; Duncanite slang.
dragoons: Military personnel; derogatory Duncanite where g is the surface gravity in Gs, and r is the radius (half
slang. diameter) in miles.
formicide: The practice of destroying Prospector Density may need to be estimated by the GM; for
Swarms (Red Duncanite slang). many small bodies, an exact figure is unknown. 1.15 to 2.0
greenhand: An asteroid farmer. g/cm3 is typical of bodies that are mostly ice, or ice and
softjacking: The kidnapping of an AI, usually for ille- rock, such as the smaller outer satellites, Kuiper Belt
gal editing, copying, and pirated resale. Objects, and asteroids made of frozen volatiles. Carbona-
zek: A person whose body has been condemned as the ceous asteroids typically have densities of about 1.5 to 3.0
result of a Duncanite judicial ruling. g/cm3. Stony and metallic asteroids may have densities
of about 3.0 to 4.5 cm3.
SMALL BODY DESIGNATIONS
Names for asteroids, KBOs and other small bodies
follow a traditional system.

Provisional Designations
The majority of asteroids, comets, Kuiper Belt
Objects, and Oort Cloud objects don’t yet have formal des-
ignations. Instead they use “alphabet soup” names like
2099 DZ. However, there is a method to the madness.
The date (e.g., 2099) is the year of discovery, with the
first letter (e.g., J) being the half-month in which it was dis-
covered:. January 1-15 is “A,” January 16-31 is “B,” Feb-
ruary 1-14 is “C,” etc., omitting I and Z, so J means the
first half of May.
The second letter (e.g., Z) shows when the body was
found during that particular half-month. The first body
found in that period is designated A, the second B, and so
on, omitting I but not Z. If more than 25 bodies require
such designations, the letter is recycled with a number
appended. “1” for bodies 26-50, “2” for bodies 51-75, and
so on. Thus, 2099 DZ is the 25th small body found in the
first half of February 2099.
Comets are prefaced with C/ before the date, e.g.,
C/2099 DZ.
By 2100, astronomers have found most sizable Main
Belt, Trojan, and inner system asteroids, so a recent dis-
covery like 2099 DZ is either only a few yards across, has
a very eccentric orbit, or is in the Centaur, Kuiper Belt, or
Oort Cloud populations.

Permanent Designations and Names

A permanent designation is assigned after the body’s
orbit is precisely determined.
For asteroids, etc. it consists of a number followed by
a name. These are sequential, starting with the first aster-
oid. Thus, 1 Ceres is the first asteroid whose orbit was
determined; 259 Aletheia was the 259th, and so on.
Comets retain the provisional designation, but are also
given a proper name, traditionally after their discover.
Until the mid-21st century, a committee of scientists
known as the International Astronomical Union
approved all asteroid names. They accepted the name
suggested by the asteroid’s discoverer provided it fol-
lowed the agreed-upon rules. However, by the 2020s, An asteroid can have just about any name, but certain
observatories had cataloged thousands more asteroids rules exist. Asteroids are not to be named after major polit-
than anyone cared to bother to assign names to; many ical, military, or religious figures until a century after their
had only provisional designations (above). From 2029 death. Frivolous names are discouraged. Names must be
onward, if an object had not received a name within 10 16 Roman characters or less in length, preferably a single
years of discovery, the right to name it was granted to word, pronounceable (in some language), non-offensive,
whomever first landed a spacecraft on the body. This and not too similar to an existing name of a celestial body.
policy was modified in 2047 (after the deployment of At the start of the 21st century, about 40,000 asteroids
prospector swarms) to reserve the privilege to the first had permanent numerical designations, and some 10,000
human to orbit or land on it. In 2073, this was further had been named. In 2100 about 2,000,000 asteroids have
amended to “first sapient being.” numerical designations and 70,000 also have names.
 These works of fact and fiction may offer additional Varley, John. The Golden Globe (Ace, 1998): In a
inspiration for games set in the Deep Beyond. transhumanist future, an actor travels the solar system to
recover his past and elude mob assassins. Contains inter-
FICTION esting descriptions of many outer solar system colonies.
Warren, Adam. Dirty Pair: Run from the Future (Dark
Hansen, Karl. War Games (Berkley, 1983). A far- Horse, 2000). This satirical graphic novel sees nano-
future solar system inhabited by transgenic hybrids and enhanced super agents battling posthuman criminals in a
decadent aristocrats; much of the action occurs on Titan. Dyson tree city. Plenty of warped nano/biotech, including
Heinlein, Robert. The Rolling Stones (Scribners, living clothes and pseudo-sentient snack food.
1952). A Lunar family seeks challenge and profit, voyag-
ing to Mars and the Belt on a tramp spaceship.
MacLeod, Ken. The Cassini Division (Orbit, 1998). NONFICTION
Nanosocialists vie with the descendents of posthuman Beatty, J. Kelly, et al. The New Solar System (Sky
ghosts for control of Jupiter and Earth. Publishing and Cambridge University, 1999): A recent
Smith, L. Neil. The Venus Belt (Del Rey, 1980). On an study of the solar system, profusely illustrated.
alternate Earth, libertarians battle a fascist conspiracy in Kokh, Peter, editor. Moon Miners’ Manifesto (Lunar
the asteroid belt. Reclamation Society, 1986-2002): A monthly journal
Sheffield, Charles. Cold as Ice (Tor, 1992). A solar focusing on lunar settlement, but with much of utility for
system-spanning mystery that begins in the Belt and cli- asteroid mining and small body colonization.
maxes in Europa’s ocean. Lewis, John S. Mining the Sky (Helix, 1996). A
Sterling, Bruce. Schismatrix Plus (Ace, 1995). In a detailed study of the resources that can be found on the
posthuman solar system, biotech “shapers” and cyborged moon, asteroids, and gas giants, and how we might extract
“mechanists” plot and scheme. A reprint of the 1985 clas- them.
sic, plus several short stories in the same setting. Zubrin, Robert. Entering Space: Creating a Spacefar-
Swanwick, Michael. Vacuum Flowers (Ace, 1987): A ing Civilization (Penguin Putnam, 1999). A visionary
quest for identity in a spacefaring future where personali- exploration of how we might develop and colonize the
ties can be reprogrammed at will. Some of the action takes solar system, and the possibilities for interstellar travel.
place in a Dyson tree city in the outer solar system.
 Direction générale de la sécurité Gestalt cyberswarms, 136.
extérieure, 97. Gesture skill, 123.
Disadvantages, 123. Giovanni, 60.
Doberman Defenders, 94. Glossary, 156.
Doppleganger Bodysculpt biomod, Governments, 95; agencies, 96.
121. Gravitational lensing, 78.
Dosmodavit Tenno Tanjo, 90. Gravity formula, 156.
Drill rig, microgravity, 136. Gravity, asteroid, 10.
61 Virginis, 79. Carbonaceous-volatile asteroids, 9. Drivetrains, walker, 154. Green Duncanite, 48; stations, 13.
Abbey, Lokavidu, 21. Carme, 52. Duncan, Silas, 81. Grognards, 98.
Abolitionist character type, 110. Cassini AFB, 60. Duncanite bazaars, 88. Gypsy Angels, 54, 81, 88.
Achilles Heel Data Services, 31, Cassini Saturn Orbiter, 61. Duncanite society, 81. Habitats, 132, designing, 155.
106. Cassini Station, 55. Dust mining, 34, 36. Hawking Industries, 20.
Activists, 100. Centaur asteroids, 8, 70, 76. Dust, 11. Hawking Station, 20.
Adrastea, 41. Ceres Asteroid Patrol, 94. Dyson trees, 70. Heavy space transport vehicle, 141.
Advantages, 123. Ceres Bar Association, 86. Eccentric asteroids, 8. Helene, 60.
Aegis Group, 85, 87. Ceres Free Clinic, 101. Economy, Trojan, 32. Helicopter, 150.
Aerorover template, 116. Ceres Mutual, 90. EDF, see Europa Defense Force. Helium-3 mining, 55, 71.
Agamemnon, 30. Ceres, 8, 9, 13, 81; tricentennial, 14. Edge of the solar system, 77. Herschel, 59.
AKVs, rogue, 105, 143. Chameleon advantage, 123. Edible computers, 135. Hesheng Station, 14.
Aletheia Station, 14, 16. Chaotic terrain, 45. Eidolons, 120. Hijackers, 105.
Algonaut template, 112. Character types, 110. Elara, 52. Himalia, 52.
All-terrain vehicle, 148. Characters, 109. Electromagnetic armor, 153. Hired Judge character type, 110.
Amalthea, 41. Charities, Duncanite, 101. Elf Kitten template, 112. Homestead stations, 22.
Amberella, 26. Charon, 77. Enceladus, 60. Homesteader character type, 111.
Ammunition, supercavitating, 136. Chicago, 23. Environment, asteroid, 10. Horizon, asteroid, 10.
Anake, 52. China, 95. Epimetheus, 58. Huygens City, 64.
Andro-Womb biomod, 121. Chiron, 70. Erotogenics, 107. Huygens Station, 64.
Anu, 113. Chronos-class TAV, 142. ESA, see European Space Agency. Hydrogen, stabilized metallic, 135.
Apprentice character type, 110. Citizen’s Cyberdemocratic Christian Escape velocity formula, 156. Hygeia, 9, 20.
Aquatic disadvantage, 123. Initiative, 28. Estates, private, 27. Hyperevolutionists, 21.
Ares Conspiracy, 12. Cobalt, 34. Eunike, 20. Hyperion, 67.
Ares Crew, 82. Cole habitats, 132, 155. Eupraxia, 22. Iapetus, 67.
Ariel, 72. Color, asteroid, 10. Europa, 37, 44; life on, 45; map, 46; Immigration, Duncanite, 86.
Armor, electromagnetic, 153. Columbia Aerospace, 89. settlement, 47; surface travel on, India’s National Security Guards,
Asgard Station, 52. Comet herders, 88. 45. 100.
Asterius, 145. Comets, 76. Europa Defense Force, 49, 101. Industries, on Titan, 64.
Asteroids, 6; base, 138; Commercial asteroid mining, 35. Europa Project, 47. Inner moons, of Jupiter, 41; of
carbonaceous, 35; environment, Components, spacecraft, new, 152. Europa: War Under the Ice Uranus, 71.
10; families, 7; metallic, 34; Computers, biodegradable, 135 campaign theme, 128. Insurance, tort, 84.
mining, 34; mining techniques, edible, 135. Europan template, 112. Intelligence agencies, 97.
36; near-earth, 35; refineries, 24; Concentrator, solar, 153. European Space Agency, 96. Interamnia, 24.
rotation, 10; stony-iron, 34; Conflict, on Io, 44. European Union, 95. International Galilean Expedition,
taxonomy, 8; Contract Enforcer character type, Executive Decisions Incorporated, 47, 50.
Asteroid Work and Welfare 110. 93. Interstellar space, 78.
Association, 101. Corporate research stations, 16. Exogenesis Conflict campaign Intimate Estranger, 95.
AstroBug, 66, 146. Corporations, 89. theme, 128. Io Plasma Torus, 42.
Astrography, Main Belt, 9. CRABE, 47. Exogenesis Station, 17, 44, 90, 138. Io Station, 44.
Astropus, 19, 21. Criminal stations, 26. Exotic Technologies, 134. Io, 42; conflict on, 44; settlement on,
Atlas, 58. Crossing the Deep Beyond, 129. Expedition gear, 136. 43.
Avatar Klusterkorp, 47, 48, 89. Crush depth, 154. Expeditions, Oort cloud, 78. Io-Jupiter Accelerator, 43.
Axon, 44, 100. Customs, Duncanite, 86. Exploration, of Callisto, 50. Iron, 34.
Barricade-class SDP, 139 Cyber-infantry, 99. Exploration, Trade, and Settlement Isolate character type, 111.
Bazaars, Duncanite, 88. Cybershell templates, campaign theme, 128. Ithaca Chasm, 60.
Beehive habitats, 133, 155. 116. Exploring Jupiter, 40. Janus, 58.
Behistun Rock, 28. Cybershells, Exports, Main Belt, 34. Jargon, 156.
Bibliography, 158. SIRMA, 39. Eye of God monastery, 59. Jefferson Mission, 28.
Biodegradable computers, 135. Cyberswarms, Falkland Islands, 81. Jiangli Station, 66.
Bioengineer character type, 110. gestalt, 136. Farhaulers’ Guild, 92. Jiawen, 26.
Biomods, 112, 121. Data haven, 51. Fengyang Group, 31, 107. Jovian Instrumentality for Artificial
Biotech Euphrates, 89. Davida, 21. Fidelity, 17. Life (JOVIAL), 40.
Bird-plane, 67, 150. Decelerationists, 26. Five Dragons Security, 93. Judge Ajax War, 93.
Black hole, computing, 135; gravitic Deemster, 110. Formulas, 156. Judges, 87.
fusion, 135; power plant, 152; Deep Beyond, crossing the, 129. Free courts, 86. Jump RATS template, 119.
primordial, 78. Deep sea research vessel, 145. Free Minor’s Association, 101. Jupiter, 37; life, 40; outer moons of,
Black Ops campaign theme, 129. Deep space operations vessel, 142. Freehaulers, 88, 92. 52; system map, 39; weather, 39.
Blackjackers, 105. Deep Space Patrol campaign theme, Freehaven, 30, 108. Kaneda Station, 13, 14.
Bode, Johann, 7. 130. Fringer stations, 25. Kinetic Logic, 94.
Bounties, 95. Deep Time Foundation, 50. Frontier Justice campaign theme, Kirkwood gaps, 7, 90.
Brainbugs, 107. Demographics, Main Belt, 12. 129. Kuiper Belt, 74, 76.
British Forces Aletheia, 98. Depth, 154. Frozen volatile asteroids, 9. Kumo template, 113.
Brummagem, 106. Derelict stations, 21. Fundamental Contract, 83, 87. Lactonarcotic Bioreactors biomod,
Buddhism, 21. Design notes, walker, 154. Galilean satellites, 42. 121.
Bureau 10, 97. Design options, 152. Gallagher, Miho, 124. Landscape, asteroid, 10.
CA-90 Titan Eagle, 150. Designations, small body, 157. Galliard Station, 26. Landstrider, 146; dragoon, 147.
Callisto Deep Time project, 50. DFS-3C Archangel Space Ganymede, 37, 50. Laser weapons, 137.
Callisto, 47, 50. Dominance Vessel, 143. Gas Giant Aerobots template, 118. Law and Order, Duncanite, 83.
Calypso, 60. Diapirs, 45. Gas stations, 24. Leading Trojans, 30.
Camp McAuliffe, 66. Digital creationist movement, 23, Gear, 136. Leda, 52.
Campaign themes, 128. 102. Genesis Station, 48. Legs, walker, 154.
Candor, 17. Diomedes, 31. Gengineer character type, 110. Lewis-class HSTV, 141.
Carbonaceous asteroids, 9, 35. Dione, 60.
Liang Mountain, 31. Pasiphae, 52. Settlement, of Europa, 47; of Tholin, 61.
Liberty Bell Station, 24. Patroclus, 32. Callisto, 50; of Io, 43; of Titan, Thule-class DSOV, 142.
Life on Titan?, 61. Pellegrino Station, 25. 64; of Triton, 74. Titan, 61; settlement of, 64; suit,
Life, on Europa, 45. Performance, walker, 154. Shadows, 88. 137.
Light combat walker, 147. Periods, comet, 76; rotational, 10. Shadow-swap, 88. Titan AFB, 66.
Lokavidu Station, 20. Permanent designations, 157. Shell habitats, 133. Titan Consortium, 54, 55, 91.
Luna Farside telescope, 78. Personal gear, 136. Shengzi-class SCV, 139. Titan Wrestler template, 115.
Lysithea, 52. Personals, Main Belt, 111. Shezbeth, 20. Titan wrestling, 65, 115.
Mafia, Trojan, 106. Phoebe, 67. SIA, see Space Intelligence Agency. Titanomachy, 66.
Magnetic field, Jupiter, 40. Piazzi Underport, 13. Silas Duncan Station, 13, 81, 138. Topsy Station, 75, 76, 88.
Magnetosphere, Jupiter, 40; Uranus, Piazzi, Giuseppe, 7. Silicate asteroids, 8. Tort insurance, 84.
71. Pirates, 104. Sinetär, 126. Track habitats, 132.
Main Belt, 7; astrography, 9; Pistol, laser, 138. Sinope, 52. Trade, 32.
stations, 12. PLAN-SF Deep Space Fleet, 100. SIRMA cybershells, 39. Traffic, space, 31.
Manannan Station, 49. Plasma Torus, Io, 42. SIS, see Secret Intelligence Service. Trailing Trojans, 32.
Manasseh Station, 28. Platinum, 34. Skills, 123. Triads, Martian, 103, 104, 130.
Map, Europa, 46; Jovian system, 39; Plutinos, 74. Slag armor, 36. Tricentennial, Ceres, 14.
Saturnian system, 56; solar Pluto, 77. Slang, 156. Tritium Affair, 76.
system, 33. Plymouth Rock organization, 28. Small body designations, 157. Triton swarms, 136.
Marines, space, 100. Pogo, 123; stick, 136. Snarks, 105, 144. Triton, 73.
Mars Triadgate, 97. Port Minos, 65. Society of Isidore, 23, 102. Trojans, 7, 8, 29; economy,
Martian Triads campaign theme, Portable vapor deposition gun, 136. Solar concentrator, 153. 32; leading, 30; trailing,
130. Power plant, black hole, 152. Solar Infrared Mongolfiere 32.
Martian Triads, 103, 104, 130. Powerboat skill, 123. Aerobots, 39. Trojan Hawk, 31, 94.
Metallic asteroids, 8, 34. Prehensile Tongue biomod, 122. Solar system, edge of, 77; map, 33. Trojan Horse, 30, 108.
Methane diamonds, 71. Primordial black holes, 78. Solaris mission, 78. Trojan Mafia, 31, 106.
Metis, 41. Private estates, 27. Sondes, 136. Trojan War, 29.
Microgravity drill rig, 136. Privateers, 105. Space defense platform, 139. Trojan War campaign theme,
Microgravity RATS template, 117. Processing, ore, 36. Space Intelligence Agency, 97. 130.
Military forces, 98. Prometheus, 58. Space Marines, 100. TSA agencies, 97.
Mimas, 58. Prospector swarms, 35, 134. Space traffic, 31. Tumbleweed template, 120.
Mining Worm template, 118. Proto-Tennin template, 112. Space, interstellar, 78. U.S. Outer System Command,
Mining, asteroid, 34; commercial Provisional designations, 157. Spacecraft components, new, 152. 99.
asteroid, 35; dust, 34, 36; helium- Pukjeera Archive, 51, 52. Spacecraft, 138. U.S. Titan Territory, 64, 95.
3, 55, 71; on Uranus, 71; Quadrupedal Retromorphosis Sparrowhawk, Charlie, 125. UH-92 Malamute utility
subsistence asteroid, 36; biomod, 122. Sports skill, 123. helicopter, 150.
techniques, 36. Quaoar, 75. Stabilized metallic hydrogen, 135; United States, 95.
Ministry of Public Security, 97. Racial templates, 112. rocket, 153. United States Astrographical
Mini-UCAV template, 118. Rademacher, Torsten, 102. Starhaven, 30, 108. Survey, 96.
Minoan Sea, 63. Railguns, 152. Starswarm, 74, 78, 100, 136. Uplifted animals, 112.
Miranda, 72. Rajasi-class AKV, 144. Stations, corporate research, 16; Uranium, 34.
Momji Station, 13. Rat King template, 114. criminal, 26; derelict, 21; fringer, Uranus, 70.
Moons, of Jupiter, 41, 52; of Red Duncanites, 81. 25; Green Duncanite, 13; Vacuum Support advantage,
Neptune, 73; of Saturn, 57, 58; of Refineries, asteroid, 24, 153. homestead, 22; Main Belt, 12; 123.
Uranus, 71, 72. Religious stations, 19. religious, 19; survivalist, 25. Valhalla Station, 51.
Morrigan Station, 138. Research and Intelligence Wing, 97. Statistics, Callisto, 51; Europa, 45; Varahamihira Station, 32.
Morrigan’s Rock, 26. Revised Outer Space Treaty, 90. Ganymede, 50; Jupiter, 38; Vehicles, other, 144.
Mudlark-class USV, 140. Rhea, 60. Neptune, 73; Pluto, 77; Saturn, Ventworms, Europan, 45.
Mutineers, 105. Rifle, laser, 138. 55; Titan, 61; Triton, 74; Uranus, Venus Flytrap biomod, 122.
Mutual Assured Defense, 94. Rights, sapients, 84. 70. Verity, 17.
Nanarchists, 88. Ringlets, of Jupiter, 41; of Neptune, Status, 123. Vesta, 9, 17.
Nanodynamics, 18, 24, 44, 90. 73. Stony asteroids, 8. Vestal Station, 19.
Nark Puggsee, 76. Rings, of Jupiter, 40; of Saturn, 56; Stony-iron asteroids, 8, 34. Virginia, 79.
National Aeronautics and Space of Uranus, 71. Structure, asteroid, 9. Void Flyer template, 116.
Administration (NASA), 96. Rocket, stabilized metallic Subsistence asteroid mining, 36. Vosper-Babbage, 20, 91.
National Technical Intelligence hydrogen, 153. Supercavitating ammunition, 136. Walker, design notes, 154; light
Bureau, 97. Rogue AKVs, 143. Surface installations, designing, 155. combat, 147.
Near-earth asteroids, 8, 35. Rogue TSA AKVs, 105. Surface travel, on Europa, 45. Wealth, 123.
Neptune, 72. Rotation, asteroid, 10. Survivalist stations, 25. Weapon table, 137.
New Covenant Station, 21. Rotational periods, 10. Swarmdozer template, 120. Weapons, laser, 137.
NGOs, 100. Roughneck character type, 111. Swarms, prospector, 35, 134. Weather, on Jupiter, 39; on Saturn,
Nickel, 34. Royal Marines Commachio Group, Synedrion, 22. 54.
Nootropics, 137. 98. System Technologies AG, 18. White Rabbit, 136.
Nuclear pellet factory, 152. Royal Navy Space Service Assets, Table, weapon, 137. Winds, of Neptune, 72.
Nullball, 123. 98. Tactical laser, 138. Wing set, 137.
Odysseus, 60. Rubble piles, 9. Taxonomy, asteroid, 8. Winged Retromorphosis biomod,
Omokage Laboratories, 107. Sahasara Chaksu, 28, 78, 79. Technology, 131; Duncanite, 87; 122.
Oort cloud, 76, 77. Sapients rights, 84. exotic, 134. Wolf Laboratories, 90.
Operations, triad, 104. Saturn, 53; composition of, 54; Telescope, 78. Wolf Station, 23.
Ore processing, 36. moons of, 57, 58; outer moons of, Telesto, 60. World Rover, 66, 148.
Organizations, 80. 67; rings of, 56; system map, 56; Templates, cybershell, 116; racial, World Trade Organization (WTO),
Outer moons, of Jupiter, 52; of weather on, 54. 112. 97.
Saturn, 67; of Uranus, 72. SATV, 141. Tenglong Station, 26. Wrestling, titan, 65.
Outlaws, 95. Second Order of Phineas, 28. Tennin II template, 113. Xenostriker biomod, 122.
Packhopper, 67, 149. Secret Intelligence Service, 97. Tennin III template, 115. Xiang, 63, 79.
Palermo Station, 14. Security agencies in action, 86. Tenzan Heavy Industries, 92. Xiao Chu, 71, 92, 134.
Pallas, 9, 14. Security companies, 93; Duncanite, Terrorists, 47, 49, 100. Xie Feng, 103.
Pan, 58. 84. Test depth, 154. Yametei Station, 14, 20.
Pandora, 58. Sentient Snacks template, 114. Tethys, 60. Yggdrasil Station, 70.
Parachutes, 152. Sessile disadvantage, 123. Thebe, 41. Youth disadvantage, 123.
Parahumans, 112. Themes, campaign, 128. Zones of courtesy, 90.