Roundtable Station (Maintenance Thread)

[Alversia]

Roundtable Station

“Roundtable Station is the headquarters of the new Galactic Assembly, a place for the many peoples of the galaxy to meet to share ideas, make deals and debate the finer points of galactic law. Located within neutral space and protected by a joint fleet of GA members, the station has been allocated as neutral space beyond the jurisdiction of any single nation in the spirit of fellowship amongst nations of differing perspectives and histories. It is not just a physical location but an embodiment of hope that peace can be fostered in a dangerous and violent galaxy through dialogue and mutual ground. It remains to be seen if these lofty goals can be attained.”

~From ‘The Galactic Assembly: Roundtable Station’, by Professor Lana Hopkins

Though it started life as a military station with capacity for 30 million troops and support staff, Roundtable has undergone a considerable overhaul so that it may better function as the diplomatic and cultural exchange centre that it will now function as. At its core is the Forum, intended to act as the beating heart of the Galactic Assembly while the rest of the station is broken into Wards intended for use by the various races of the GA.

Total Station Dimensions: 8km x 32km
Total Population: 26 million (est.)

Forum

“Just as Roundtable will act as the centre of the new Galactic Assembly, so the Forum must act as the centre of Roundtable.”

~From ‘The Galactic Assembly: Roundtable Station’, by Professor Lana Hopkins

At the core of this new-look station is the Forum. Once the headquarters of the military installation, most of the internal bulkheads have been removed and the remainder strengthened to keep the station’s structural integrity. An additional second and third skin was added internally to reduce the risk of depressurisation as a result of a breach or an attack upon the station. As a result, the central district, now known as ‘the Forum’, is generally open and spacious, connected by broad doors where bulkheads could not be sacrificed. These are connected by walkways and spaced by green gardens and blue pools to provide a natural feel and organic, relaxing sound to the area. After the overhaul, the buildings were painted white with blue effects to provide a neutral, clean look though this can be changed.

The Forum

Embassy Row

Roundtable station is the diplomatic centre of the Galactic Assembly but without diplomats and ambassadors, it is but another station. Based on the Forum, Embassy Row is the district in which the missions of the galaxy are based for day-to-day activity. It is rather misleadingly titled as rather than being a single row or street, it is an entire sub-district of the Forum. Located conveniently close to the Roundtable itself where galactic matters can be debated, it boasts excellent public transport facilities and connection to the private space docks which are the primary entries for diplomats arriving to and leaving the station. They also possess powerful communications arrays to allow communications with native encryptions to practically anywhere in the galaxy, ensuring Roundtable will always remain in the loop.

Embassies will be added below. To include an embassy/consulate/delegation to the Galactic Assembly, just use the template and TG/Discord to me.

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Nation:
Ambassador:

List of Embassies

Wards

“If you’re rich, you’ll live in the Forum. If you’re smart, you’ll live in the Wards.”

~Roundtable saying

Though the Forum is where the bulk of negotiations and diplomacy will occur, the wards will be where the majority of the inhabitants will reside. If the Forum is the heart of the station then the wards are its lifeblood. These are separated from one another by heavy duty bulkheads and airlocks to keep them contained, though access will be allowed through these airlocks throughout the day.

Wards can be general purpose, where they will follow the same atmospheric, weather and design layout of the Forum, or they can be claimed by any nation or group of nations. They can then customise their ward’s accommodation, atmosphere and ambience to their liking, within reason and subject to Station Security approval.

The wards are made up of ‘slices’ of the station, each slice being two kilometres in height and in shape resembling a hollow disk. The wards have a 4 kilometre radius with a total surface area of 43 kilometres square. This is due to the hollowed-out centre of the ward which has a 1.5 kilometre radius and constitutes the primary access to the Forum and between the Wards as well as the primary route for supplies and trade. Building primarily occurs along the ‘rim’ of the ward, taking advantage of the artificial gravity provided by the rotation of the station. As each ward has a depth of 3 kilometres, this provides a surface area of 48 kilometres square for construction up to a height of 1 kilometre.

(OOC: Anyone who wants an individual Ward please send application to me via TG/Discord)

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[u]Template:[/u]
Ward Name:
Nation:
Primary Inhabiting Species (can be more than one):
Atmospheric Changes:
Description:
Picture (Optional):

List of Wards
Ward A - Little Ozun Ward (Ozun Freeholds Confederation) - Red
Ward B - General Ward 1 - (Green)
Ward C - General Ward 2 - (Dark Blue)
Ward D - MacIntyre Ward (New Dornalia) - Yellow
Ward E - New Rhydin Ward (Phoenix Domain) - Orange
Ward F - Elysia-27 Ward (Federated Worlds of Olimpiada) - Gold
Forum/Docks (White)
Ward G - New Ebonheart Ward (The Eridani Imperium) - Blue
Ward H - Six Oaks Ward (Alversian People's Republic) - Pink
Ward I - Celes Aeranas Ward (The Dominion of Valefore) - Brown
Ward J - General Ward 3 - Grey
Ward K - General Ward 4 - Purple
Ward L - Sil'Kinasaava Ward (Huerdaen Star Empire) - Turquoise

Hotspots

“Visit Bea’s and you’re guaranteed three things; beer, breasts and brawls. Maybe not in that order.”

~Advertisement Slogan

Throughout the station, there are places that people just keep being drawn to and so are magnets for trouble, interest and intrigue.

List of Hotspots
Kyrtic Oak (Ward H - Sil'Kinasaava Ward)

[Alversia]

The Forum

The Forum operates on the “default” atmospheric settings, that is the ones which are most widely tolerable to the greatest number of races. This means a mostly nitrogen/oxygen mixture with temperatures fluctuating from between 5-25 degrees centigrade. The regulation of the atmosphere is mostly artificial but the presence of the gardens helps with carbon dioxide recycling to reduce pressure on station systems. This common atmosphere is restricted to the public areas of the Forum as individual buildings can have bespoke atmospheric combinations to best suit their inhabitants needs.

Due to its role as the centre of the station, it is in the Forum that the embassies of the GA’s member nations are situated. These are uniform in dimensions so that no one embassy is larger than the others though they can be internally modified to the most optimal layout for the race in question and to help with security. As well as these, there is the Roundtable Chamber where representatives can meet to discuss events and policies complete with gallery to allow observers to view proceedings. There are also dwellings in a variety of sizes, from two room apartments to larger mansions for representatives or visiting VIPs. No matter the size, these are fitted out to a high standard and can be rented either by delegations for their staff or privately to individuals who wish to be close to the heart of Roundtable. These homes are not intended as defensive points, though the embassies can be used as such, pending the feedback of the station security forces.

The gardens which dot the Forum are designed with two purposes in mind. To assist in maintaining the planet-like atmosphere as previously mentioned, and to be aesthetically pleasing areas to look at, walk through or sit in. The flora have come from a variety of GA planets, carefully housed together were possible in order to give visitors or residents a familiar sight from home. Generally favouring larger trees and shrubs, there are additional beds of flowers that bloom in compatible seasons and windows. The lawns are kept short and green, watered by the staff and from the ponds which contain additional aquatic plant life. The gardens are considered public property and thus may be freely used by any member of Roundtable, pending the approval of the Security Services for sporting events, concerts or other such activities as desired. Any activity which may cause damage to the gardens may result in a small charge being requested of the organisers to help repair and clean up said damage.

As well as the gardens, there are vast pools of varying depths around the Forum, linked together with canals and rivers. As well as being pleasing to look at and providing a source of water, these are also equipped with additional facilities and buildings which may be used for aquatic races, complete with communications areas to allow representatives to meet in mutually comfortable environments. These pools also provide water to the countless fountains that fill the Forum.

These fountains are part of a series of monuments located in the squares, gardens and in front of the embassies. These monuments can take any shape or function desired by the members of the GA; from historical or national heroes, artistic works, religious symbols or anything else. Consideration will be given to the needs and sensitivities of other nations and races but as part of the station’s mission is cultural exchange and freedom of expression, only symbols of outright hatred or offense will be prohibited. The Alversian embassy, for example, will have a statue of an oak tree in its nearest, the traditional symbol of the APR’s founding.

The Forum operates on a 24 hour/7 day week cycle. Depending on the season, the ambient lighting will be brightened or dimmed in order to simulate day and night. The station will work on a standard four-season year; consisting of summer, spring, autumn and winter. During the summer, the temperatures will be at the higher end of the average and days longer. In winter, the days will be colder and shorter to help acclimatise residents and visitors. The weather will maintain consistently clear however in order to avoid maintenance headaches that may be caused by snow or rain on the station and in vital systems.

Though much of the military infrastructure has been removed from this central area, some elements have remained. These mainly consist of barracks and armouries that can be used by station security to patrol and maintain order in the Forum. The nature of the security, how it is laid out and enforced is beyond the scope of this document.

Transport is provided by a number of different systems. A mag-lev monorail system allows access to more distant areas of the Forum while neighbouring areas are connected by a series of walkways, bridges and elevators. Pathways are clearly light and signposted in a variety of languages to allow easier navigation. Wheeled transport is allowed along roads laid out in a grid system with many areas pedestrianised. A traffic control system also exists to allow repulsor or levitated vehicles to pass above the Forum though generally occupying the same grid system for ease of navigation and control. Generally, the lowest and highest altitudes are reserved for diplomats and emergency vehicles while middle altitudes can be used by civilian traffic as well.

The Forum is serviced by a variety of space ports which are separated by military grade airlocks and bulkheads to reduce the risk of accidents. These can be used for military vessels, cargo or transport craft. There are also smaller, private docks for use by individual embassies or individuals who have the wealth to rent or purchase them. These can provide transport to processing centres, trade depots or to the embassy district for maximum ease for ambassadors.

[Alversia]

MacIntyre Ward

Nation: New Dornalia
Primary Inhabiting Species: All Dornalian species, including but not limited to humans.
Atmospheric Changes: Earthlike atmosphere, though warmer than the average around the station.
Description: A fairly busy area which resembles a large Dornalian city, albeit with plenty of green space. It smells real nice due to the restaurants within. Otherwise, it's basically a little slice of New Dornalia.

[Alversia]

Celes Aeranas Ward

Ward Name: Celes Aeranas
Nation: The Dominion of Valefore
Primary Inhabiting Species: Valeforean
Atmospheric Changes: None. This ward operates on the same default as The Forum
Description: Celes Aeranas is a slice of typical Valeforean city life with sleek, crimson and plexiglass structures interspersed with small parks, greenery, and crystal clear waterways. Planned from the ground up, Celes Aeranas was designed for ease of travel with an advanced system of public hyperloop transit and numerous open areas to accommodate foot traffic. As it is designed to imitate a slice of city life, Celes Aeranas has everything a city could need when it comes to businesses and restaurants to cater to its residents, and also has numerous entertainment venues such as bars, clubs, casinos, theatre's, concert halls, and more; allowing Celes Aeranas to cater to a wide array of desires and interests.

It should be noted that Valeforean law allows open and concealed carry, gambling, and prostitution, though the last is limited to Celes Aeranas' Red Light District and medical testing is required of any wishing to partake in this to ensure a clean level of health and a lack of transmissible diseases.

While a R-Sec presence is at hand, there is a Valeforean security presence on hand as well to ensure the safety of Celes Aeranas from any potential internal or external threats, and to enforce Valeforean laws and to maintain order. This security force is maintained by a fully stocked barracks and a supply of lethal and nonlethal armaments for units of tactical PA and the Valeforean's typical PA infantry forces as well. All public areas are monitored by aerial drone surveillance, and poor behavior by outsiders will not be tolerated; with such outsiders being escorted out under armed guard. Severe criminal acts will be met with legal action which may include the death penalty depending on the crime... Visitors to Celes Aeranas are made aware of this upon arrival and can access this information and more on any one of the many available public terminals located throughout Celes Aeranas.

[Alversia]

New Ebonheart Ward

Nation: The Eridani Imperium
Primary Inhabiting Species: Kadrian (50%), Aedirni (25%), Tochrann (20%), Other (5%).
Atmospheric Changes: Standard atmo, but temperatures will be adjusted to this: https://weather-and-climate.com/average ... eim,Norway
Description: A microcosm of the City of Ebonheart on Kadria, the Ward of New Ebonheart boasts all the architecture and amenities of the oldest city in the Nebula. Bars, shops and various other establishments are on every block. BATTLEMAGES PAY ATTENTION: Please note that the concentration of Harmonic tones may be high in this area, and prepare accordingly.

[Alversia]

New Rhydin

Nation: The Phoenix Domain
Primary Inhabiting Species: Phoenixi
Atmospheric Changes: Earth standard
Description: Initially visitors to New Rhydin would be excused from believing that Domain architecture was devoid of any artistry or aesthetics. All around are rows of grayscale boxes; prefabricated buildings of diamond-plastic composites. New visitors however will be directed to access the local augmented reality network, via their own implants or with freely available glasses and contact lenses, and suddenly the dull boxes transform into a barely controlled chaos of color and architecture. Everywhere one turns are carefully crafted overlays which make the prefab buildings appear to be taken from dozens of civilizations from across the galaxy. Occasionally one can catch advertisements for local businesses and restaurants hovering at the periphery of one's vision unobtrusively, only coming into full view when one attempts to look at them directly. The locals as well often make use of the AR overlays to turn simple uniforms and overalls into clothing styles as equally diverse as the buildings. Welcome to New Rhydin!

[Alversia]

Elysia-27

Nation: The Federated Worlds of Olimpiada
Primary Inhabiting Species: Human (Augmented)
Atmospheric Changes: Standard Terran oxy-nitrogen mix.
Description: Artificial diamond and carbon fiber buildings mix with stone bricks and genetically engineered bushes and vines in this export version of Elysia-3, Olimpiada's capital arcology. Enjoy the monthly cherry blossoms, automated stores, and lively bars, all brought to you in cooperation between Aurelius-Kawahara Aeronautics and the Mykonos Syndicate. Visitors are encouraged to remember that while weapons are allowed, their undue use will result in confiscation by security, regardless of how attached they are.

[Alversia]

Little Ozun
"House Where There Are No Enemies"

Nation: Ozun Freeholds Confederation
Primary Inhabiting Species: 30% Ozlukar, 70% fre’snaga (free people) caste Yig'xe
Atmospheric Changes: Oxygen dominant atmosphere, frequent storms, intense cold
Description: Comprised of the elite warlord clans of Ozlukar society, Kazh'og'nogarog'nar is a village comprising of several hundred domed huts and a giant domed ziggurat built on a artificial system of small islands. Each island serves as a pleasure palace for a different elite warlord's clan and boasts a bevy of artificial hot springs, spas, grottos, buffets, exotic animal zoos, theaters, sports arenas, concert halls, brothels, casinos, amusement parks, and other so on. Instead of footpaths, these small complexes are divided by a system of artificial canals. The largest complex is the Golden Hut, occupied by members of the ruling Oderus clan.

Visitor Warning: while warm enough to easily support the amphibious Ozlukar and Yig'xe, temperatures can reach more than a hundred degrees below zero in certain areas. Layers are suggested but not enforced.

[Alversia]

Sil'Kinasaava Ward
The Silky Ward

Nation: Huerdaen Star Empire
Primary Inhabiting Species: Heavily Mixed, including Human, Kitsune, Kaskan, Karkouan, Sikissa, Huerdaen Rethast, and many others.
Atmospheric Changes: Localized Internal Life Support (Per Module)
Description: Sil'Kinasaava, or 'Silky' Ward, is surprising to those who come into it expecting a certain level of overt minimalism in the Huerdaen. It is a rare example of Huerdaen life outside the Star Empire, with some additions meant to cater to other species and peoples. Public transit rail lines are the only way in, with twice the normal lines running into Silky Ward than average for another ward of similar size. These pass through a series of airlocks on each line, designed to permit the rail vehicle to glide through without slowing. Once inside, the sheer scale of the interior of Silky Ward becomes clear, with buildings stretching above and below the public transit, though there is an interior section through which this transit flows at a breakneck speed, all encircling one main, surprising feature.

The center of Silky ward is dominated by a massive tree, its genetic data saved from the ill-fated world Il'Kaska. It is a treasured prize of the Kaskan people, known as a Kyrtic Oak, and serves as the home of the largest spa and resort in Silky Ward, the Walking Lakes Spa. The roots, and indeed, some indentations in the crooks of the massive branches, create areas where the massive tree gathers nutrients and organic matter. In its homeland, it would use these to bait bugs and other creatures into them, to digest and add to its nutrients. The pools themselves are not harmful, and instead serve as merely a gathering point of very weak digestive fluids. It does not kill its own prey, it merely allows the dead that fall in to decay, and break down in these pools. It is these pools that the Kaskans used as spawning pools, and the Kyrtic Oak is a primary point of their life cycle and religion in the wild.

How such a massive specimen came to being inside the station, living and healthy and well over twenty stories in height, is a testament to the ingenuity of the Huerdaen. In Silky Ward, these pools have drains installed, permitting the resort to build over top of the Oak, enclosing pools and baths in the hundreds. The weak digestive fluid and bacterial content is recognized to clean, cleans, and pull away dead skin and other particles, the abundant nutrients absorb into anything from skin, scales, or jelly, and provide rejuvinating properties for almost all species, at the cost of a notable smell, though not considered unpleasant by all.

All inbound transit deposits visitors between Levels One and Five, which are fit to match standard sizing for the station. This includes the Walking Lakes Spa and Sauna, as well as a multitude of entertainment establishments and recreational areas. The variety of these establishments is almost endless, from simple dance halls and an endless assortment of bars, to near-death combat arenas. Above the tenth level, of which there are two station-standard floors on each level, the design changes suddenly to meet Huerdaen-Standard, and goes from entertainment to a more expected residential living. Due to the high density of Silky Ward's construction, including the fact that much of it is structurally anchored to the walls or even ceiling of the Ward Enclodure.

Because of this, and because everyone enters by transit into the large, central chamber at some level or another, visitors are greeting with what appears to be a vast, lit cavern, dominated by the Kyrtic Oak in the center. Lights, windows, and even landing pads jut out from the city that seems to cling to all surfaces of the ward. There is no open sky in Silky Ward, instead you are treated to a vast array of sights and sounds of being completely enclosed in the life of a city in motion at all hours. Roadways and internal transit rails run from the central entry point, disappearing at high speed into the Huerdaen metropolis. Bridges and roadways criss-cross the sky, all of which is built around, but not touching, the Kyrtic Oak in the middle.

The Oak itself has a main entrance at each cardinal direction by station navigation, and a secondary halfway between each main. The first ten levels of the Walking Lakes Spa are kept apart from the city by a simple energy field used on Huerdaen ships to preserve atmospheric integrity. This field does not stop sound or light, allowing those within to talk and laugh with those outside. Parties have been known to 'spill out' of the Spa into the entrance, as revelry and good humor spreads from this central point. Hot springs surround the main level, with two large pools opposite each other, for those who prefer to be more active. Higher levels of the Walking Lakes spa become increasingly distinguished, with lower levels being little more than open pools, and those a few levels up being more like all-service resorts. The very top levels are reserved for private parties and events at a high cost, and include all manner of distractions and amenities, including some that permit diving through open air to lower level pools, dozens of meters below. The entirety of the Walking Lakes spa is set to Kaskan atmospheric conditions, making it a tropical world inside the center of Silky Ward.

In all, Silky Ward is place of wonder for many, though few realize the true power of its design. The 'ground' levels of Silky Ward is actually slightly raised from that of other wards nearby, by a significant margin. Beneath this is the 'lower' levels, where storage and other parts of the Ward exist, keeping it out of sight and out of mind. The scale of these storage areas is so great that it can sustain the expected multi-million-resident population of Silky Ward for up to six months, and includes maintenance areas for the roots of the Kyrtic Oak. The truth behind Silky Ward lies hidden out of sight. In the lower levels are garages, barracks, and armories that can house tens of thousands comfortably, with massive, state-of-the-art medical facilities prepared for wounded anywhere in the Ward. Emergency transit reaches from this central citadel of force and healing to all parts of Silky Ward.

Additional hospital points, barracks, and armories exist in every major residential cluster, and inside the Huerdaen-standard areas, the gun positions remain in position. On the exterior, the great lights used for advertising can be focused into spotlights for the myriad gun positions hiding behind them, permitting elevated firing positions on anyone entering through the limited, massive entrances of the Ward. The airlocks themselves are small fortresses, with bunkers cleverly hidden by the speed of the trains and heavyweight construction. Silky Ward is a massive, impregnable citadel hidden behind the joy and shine of a civilian Huerdaen lifestyle. The pads that allow air travel between parts of the upper city are capable of landing heavy gunships or dropships. In accordance with Huerdaen construction, all modules installed have their own life support, power, and sanitation systems. Even removed from the station entirely, Silky ward could function for some time, keeping its residents alive with a determination indicative of the Huerdaen people.