Stanton system

the ship of the same name

Even without the inevitable Human intrusion, Stanton would have been an anomaly. Boasting a wide green zone and four especially large Human-suitable biospheres requiring only limited terraforming, the system is, from a cosmological perspective, unusual. Star systems as purely inhabitable as Stanton are extremely rare. Meanwhile, the divergent ecologies on Stanton’s four worlds are of significant interest to scientists of all stripes.

While the UEE still controls the rights to the system overall, the four planets themselves were sold by the government to four megacorporations, making them the only currently privately-owned worlds in the Empire. Though subject to the UEE's Common Law and standard penal code, the UEE does not police the region. Instead, private planetary security teams enforce the local law.

Settlement
No one is sure exactly who first settled the Stanton system, shortly before 2903. All indications are that it was discovered by a free agent trader, then as word of the location and its potential riches spread; settlers quickly moved in. Toshi Aaron is credited however with official discovery in 2903, who sold the Jump data to the UEE. They declared Stanton to be a case of eminent domain, citing a need to protect and extend nearby jump lanes. Without formal colonization papers on file, the existing inhabitants had little choice but to abandon their homesteads: prospectors, survivalists and other squatters have little means to protect themselves from the might of a Bengal-class carrier.

Planets for Sale
The Empire was then stymied. As is often the case, wanting was a great deal more interesting than having. With a down economy in the midst of a hundred-year colonization drought, not to mention the costly Synthworld project and skirmishes with the Vanduul, the UEE had few options for actually exploiting Stanton. After UEE naval engineers conducted the small amount of required terraforming, a series of underfunded military outposts were established including Naval shipyards in the upper atmosphere of the gas giant Stanton II, then Stanton sat untouched until the decision was ultimately made to sell the system piecemeal to the highest bidders. ArcCorp had been lobbying for this very opportunity, but wishing to purchase a continent - way more land than is usually sold in parcels. Some members of the UEE Senate pushed for continental sale within the Stanton system, until the idea arises to try and sell the entire planets for the biggest potential profit over a short timespan. ArcCorp agrees to this proposition, and it is brought to the Senate floor for a wider vote, which passes - albeit after much contentious debate, because while the planets must continue to abide by UEE Common Laws, planetary level jurisdiction will fall to the corporations. A bidding process opens up, and Megacorporations are quietly contacted to bid for their own planets. The winners are believed to have flushed trillions into the UEE economy: Hurston Dynamics, Crusader Industries, ArcCorp and microTech. In a remarkable lack of originality, the four worlds are now named Hurston, Crusader, ArcCorp and microTech. While the plan originally was for Crusader to be sold on a 'buy one, get one free' basis due to its lack of land, this was not a sticking point for Crusader who adapted and expanded the existing Naval shipyards for the manufacture of their own spacecraft. The megacorporations moved in slowly but surely, and the system became fully industrialized. The four worlds are now dotted with factories, corporate headquarters, testing ranges, mines and other company facilities. Only those working for the corporations (or anyone leasing their space) come to live in the Stanton system, inhabiting company towns.

Today
Today, Stanton is a great place to travel if you’re interested in the materials produced by several of the galaxy’s most successful corporations… or if you think you can make a profit shipping these companies the goods they need to keep working. Due to opening their world to other companies including competitors, ArcCorp is now so heavily urbanised that it is approaching the same planetary status as a Xi'an factory world. Hurston has undergone such pollution that its dominant savannah biome has been devastated, with air quality now a concern for those who live on the planet. microTech makes use of their planet's cold temperature for optimal running of data severs, and Crusader has recently begun to face issues with Outlaw activity in the shipping lanes.

Stanton
Stanton is a Main Sequence Dwarf-G star.

Hurston : Stanton I
A wealth of ore and other resources are mined on Hurston to manufacture the company's line of munitions and weapons. Heavy industry has resulted in severe pollution across the planet.

Crusader : Stanton II
A low mass gas giant that features a breathable atmosphere at high altitudes. This was an ideal situation for ship manufacturer Crusader Industires, who now occupies the planet's floating platforms to build massive ships like the Starliner.

Delamar in Star Citizen Alpha 3.0
For Alpha 3.0, the planetoid asteroid Delamar is temporarily located in Stanton outside the orbit of Crusader. It will eventually be moved to its lore-friendly system - Nyx and replaced with an Exchange Station akin to GrimHEX's original function.

ArcCorp : Stanton III
Buildings cover a majority of the planet's surface with residential areas relegated to the poles while the company's factories, business headquarters, financial and commercial districts are located in between.

MicroTech : Stanton IV
A terraforming error left the planet with an unnaturally dense cloud cover and a colder than average climate, making it an ideal location for its owner to house its heat-sensitive computing and manufacturing centers.

Asteroid Belts
The Stanton system contains one asteroid belt. The Aaron Halo is located between the orbits of Crusader and ArcCorp.

Known Jump Points
== Loremaker's Guide to the Galaxy ==