Primary:
Binary
star system. Ikuna, spectral class F5IV. ICN S4G0809F5IV. Mass, 2.5 standard.
Stellar diameter, 2.6 standard. Luminosity, 12 standard. Gakur, spectral class
M0VII. ICN S4G0809M0VII. Mass, 0. 154 standard. Stellar diameter, 0.256
standard. Luminosity, 0.011 standard. Orbital radius, 5.2 AU.
Planetary System:
Eight
major bodies. No inhabited worlds. Two gas giants in system. One planetoid belt
(inhabited) in system.
The
Ikuna Belt: Mean orbital
radius, 104.72 million to 134.64 million kilometers (0.7 - 0.9 AU). Ikuna
starport mean orbital radius 127.16 million kilometers (0.85 AU). Period of LSP
Management Facility, 175/7 days. Belt composition, primarily nickel-iron bodies
of varying sizes. Remarks: The Ikuna
asteroid belt is a small and not particularly rich region in an unusual star
system. The belt is located between the orbits of the two stars, Ikuna and its
smaller companion, Gakur. Probably gravitational stresses between them created
the belt; the remaining worlds of the system lie outside the orbit of Gakur, and
are quite devoid of interest.
Remarks:
The Ikuna Belt is wholly owned by the Imperial
megacorporation Ling Standard Products,
which bought all rights to exploit the star system from the Imperium 200 years
ago. In addition to mining activities, the belt boasts several fairly large
manufacturing centers, including an LSP starship
plant specializing in the construction of planetoid-hull vessels.
In fact, the LSP operation at the Ikuna Belt is far larger than might be
expected for an E-class port. The facilities at Ikuna are actually far more
sophisticated; the belt easily qualifies for status as a class-A port, but LSP
managers refuse to open the belt's facilities to non-LSP vessels. Visitors must
make do with some primitive facilities located on the moon of the outermost gas
giant, over 1,000 astronomical units out from the belt's orbit. Private vessels
venturing closer to the belt without express permission are turned away by
patrol cruisers crewed by tough mercenaries in the pay of the megacorporation.
This extreme concern with security has led to a great deal of speculation as to
the "secret of the Ikuna Belt." Rumors abound; some of the most common
include a rich minerals strike which LSP wishes to keep secret both from outside
prospectors and from Imperial tax collectors; the presence of a secret testing
area for new, high-tech ship designs; the discovery of an Ancients site filled
with technological wonders, and many even sillier notions.
The belt, of course, is big enough to make it difficult to police, and other
ships could get in among the LSP-restricted belt. However, several incidents
have occurred already in which intruders were destroyed without warning if they
were found to have ignored the general signals restricting visitors from the
belt zone. Whatever LSP is hiding in the Ikuna Belt, the corporation is
determined to keep hidden.