Taranis system

The Taranis system is an unclaimed star system best known for two dense asteroid belts that must be passed through when traveling between jump points. Besides the asteroids belt providing plenty of cover for pirates and criminals to hide, the Taranis System is probably best known for its broken moon above Taranis II, which inspired the "Broken Moon of Taranis" map in Original Systems' Arena Commander.^[1]

History

The rocky heart of the frontier! Taranis is best known as one of the systems of Kellar's Run, and it allows transport crews a way to avoid transit through the pirate warrens of the Nexus System. It's a questionable bargain, though. Taranis' is free of all the most brazen pirates for a good reason: a pair of extremely dense asteroid belts that must be traversed to travel from one jump point to another. The asteroid and lunar debris fields of the Taranis system have proven an early graveyard for many pilots who did not have the skill to negotiate such hazards. Taranis itself is an A-Type Main Sequence star, blue-white in appearance. It was discovered in 2478 by the famed UEN survey ship Mythic Horizon. Taranis' discovery was routine, done almost in passing. The system was considered nonviable at the time, with only a single high risk candidate for terraforming. Further, the star's location offered no visible strategic advantage at the time and the raw resources were rated as low-to-middling. The system's initial exploration was the site of a minor tragedy: one of Mythic Horizon's survey boats was lost with all hands in a meteor strike. A plaque located near the landing zone on Taranis III eulogizes them as noble sacrifices to mankind's expansion. Taranis has also recently entered the popular culture because of its role in Original Systems' Arena Commander. The "Broken Moon of Taranis" map is one of two included in the massively popular simulator's public demo. The setting pits players against one another in the debris field near Taranis II. Hornet, Aurora and 300i pilots dodge both flying rocks and massive pulsating terraformers as they fight it out in an ultra-realistic battle royale. The choice of Taranis in Arena Commander has even led to increased (and very dangerous) tourism in the system, as self-titled "Arena Nuts" travel from far and wide to have their holographs taken in front of the lunar remnants.^[2]

Gravitational governors

Taranis

Taranis is a A-type main sequence star.

Planets

Taranis I

The first planet in the Taranis system is a typical uninhabitable inner dwarf, with no atmosphere.^[2]^[3]

Taranis II

Taranis II is most known as the site of the "Broken Moon of Taranis" map in Original Systems' Arena Commander.^[2]^[4]

Taranis III

Taranis III is a smoggy, stormy world located on the edge of the system's habitable zone.^[2]^[5]

Taranis IV

Taranis IV is a mid sized gas giant consisting of hydrogen and helium.^[2]^[6] It has seen little in the way of commercial traffic owing to its remote location.

Asteroid Belts

Taranis Belt Alpha

Beyond Taranis II and its former moon is an extremely dense asteroid belt which must be traversed to pass the system. While it is a hazard to navigation, the First Taranis Belt is not particularly mineral rich and very few mining claims have ever been placed on it. The best of the best smugglers consider it to be a good place to hide, and the occasional top level pirate will set up an ambush point in the belt, but even these types frequently find themselves the victim of rock strikes.^[7]

Taranis Belt Beta

The second Taranis Belt is located past Taranis III. It is similar to the inner belt, but less dense with a number of safe approach vectors (to the point of making transit to Taranis III slightly less dangerous than crossing the system). In 2930, the Bengal class carrier Indomitable famously suffered extensive damage trying to move through Second Taranis in pursuit of a pirate Q ship.^[8]

Taranis 2a Debris

An asteroid field sourrounding Taranis II. Result of the failed terraformation of Taranis moon' 2a.

Known jump points

Jump gate	Direction	Size	Destination
Taranis - Ellis	Bidirectional	Medium	Ellis - Taranis, in Ellis system
Taranis - Genesis	Bidirectional	Medium	Genesis - Taranis, in Genesis system
Taranis - Helios	Bidirectional	Medium	Helios - Taranis, in Helios system
Taranis - Terra	Bidirectional	Small	Terra - Taranis, in Terra system