Primary:
Trinary
star system composed of close double (spectral classes A7III and F5V) and far
companion (spectral class K0V). Double A, Achwan, spectral class A7III. ICN
S4K0208A7III. Mass 8.6 standard. Stellar diameter 4.66 standard. Luminosity 166
standard. Double B, Lagirr (orbit #2), spectral class F5V. ICN S4K0208F5V, Mass
1.3 standard. Stellar diameter 1.4 standard. Luminosity, 2.9 standard. Far
companion, Akeen (orbit #16) spectral class K0V. ICN S4K0208K0V. Mass 0.81
standard. Stellar diameter 0.76 standard. Luminosity 0.42 standard. (Has no
planets, and is of negligible interest).
Planetary
System: Ten
major bodies. One Inhabited world (Kraan, IX). Three gas giants, two
IX
Kraan: Mean orbital radius, 15,013.86 million kilometers (100.36 AU).
Period, 319.54 years ... No satellites ... Diameter, 8,594 kilometers. Density,
1.09. Mass, 0.266 standard. Mean surface gravity, 0.68 G. Rotation period: 16
hours, 48 minutes, 19 seconds. Axial inclination, 4°14'18.2". Albedo, .22
... Orbital eccentricity, .25 ... Surface atmospheric pressure, 0.001atm;
composition – near vacuum conditions with traces of methane-ammonia in
planetary 'summer' (periastron). Hydrographic percentage, 16%, composition,
frozen water and ammonia ice. Mean periastron temperature, -155.7°C. Mean
apastron temperature, -182.3°C.
Remarks:
Circling
at a staggering distance away from its star, Kraan is an unlikely site for a
colony. Heavy metals attracted the colonists, for Kraan abounds in various
radioactives and other useful mineral wealth. The Dakaar
Corporation recently bought out four smaller companies which had held leases
to assorted sites and Dakaar Minerals
division is beginning to gear up for extensive changes to the planet's
traditional organization and operation.
A source of considerable friction on Kraan is the scientific research station at
the edge of the shadowland mountains. This station was first erected six years
ago to study an archeological find of tremendous potential historical value, an
intact base apparently set up by the Iltharans
when Drexilthar's (Reavers' Deep 1826)
empire was at its peak. it has been described as "a treasurehouse of Reaver-era
technology and knowledge", and' it is now threatened with destruction.
The excavations sit right on top of a deep vein of high-grade lanthanum
ore. When previous companies held Kraan, they and the colonial government, had
permitted the scientists to study and restore the site at their leisure,
recognizing the historical significance of this thousand-year-old archeological
relic. Shortly after Dakaar Minerals bought out the other companies, however,
they did a fresh survey, noted the presence of the ore and gave the scientists
six months to pack up and leave the area clear for strip mining.
Naturally, the colonial government disagreed with this ultimatum, and has
attempted to back up the scientists. But Dakaar has a long reach, and it is
generally believed that the best the government or the scientists can do is
delay the inevitable.
The colony on Kraan is largely independent of the mining operations, though a
significant portion of the economy is devoted to sporting the mining community.
Kraan's position in the subsector brings a fair amount of business through the
class C starport, much of it bound for or originating from the freeport at Drellesarr
(Reavers' Deep 2029). Piracy is not uncommon in the system, with a market for
hijacked goods only 2 parsecs away. A favorite tactic of such pirates is to lurk
in the upper layers of a gas giant's atmosphere to pounce on craft attempting
wilderness refueling.