Polaris-V

> " Polaris, oh, Polaris. Where dreams are born, then go to die. " - from the "Ballad of March 15th"
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## Overview

Polaris-V, officially known as SH.17.119 in documentation, is a moderately-sized, semi-habitable world located in Cluster 119, with two orbiting moons. It has a universal Wass-Kessler Habitability Rating of 7.988, as well as a CAA Development Score of LOW. Current population is approximately 4.7 billion, counting non-human entities. It is located within range of a Class-I Relay System, currently disconnected from GalNet. It is currently under the claim of S&G Energy, Inc. and has last undergone an inspection by the CAA 4 years ago; the next inspection is due in 6 years.

## Brief History

Polaris-V is the 17th planet discovered in Cluster 119, and in accordance with CAA protocol, was designated ‘Semi-Habitable’. The discovery was credited to the private exploration vessel PV Aquilla, under contract by the Proctor-Gavell Contracting Company on behalf of Smith & Grüber Energy, Inc. The mining conglomerate was shortly rewarded claim of the planet by the CAA, and eventually sent two colony ships filled with volunteers. The primary objectives of the colonists were to explore and chart the planet, then to find a suitable location for permanent residence. This task was completed within three generations, revealing a significant amount of exploitable natural resources located within the planet. Mining operations were expanded to industry-standard levels within six months following the discovery. To protect the company assets deployed planetside, as well as to more easily administer over the colonists, S&G constructed extensive orbital infrastructure around the planet and a local command center on the larger of the two moons, Durvas.

To accommodate corporate officials and their families, Durvas enjoyed high levels of infrastructure and development - moreso than flagship colonies located planetside. Whilst colonists were still using portable generators for power and hunting to supplement dwindling survival rations, officials on Durvas had access to an maglev system and their choice of several five-star accommodations. This became a major point of contention between planetary administrators and corporate officials - of which, the former believed that the colonists were being treated unfairly, and in flagrant violation of CAA regulations regarding private colonies. For a short period of time, tensions flared as the miners went on strike and corporate threatened to bring in pacification units - during which, several unaligned merchants are said to have smuggled armaments to the disgruntled colonists. Although the situation calmed before an armed uprising took place, the brief rise in friction fostered anti-corporate sentiment and a culture of resistance. It also, however, threatened the Company enough to warrant the deployment of a small pacification force to keep the peace planetside.

The March 15th Massacre, undertaken by S&G security contractors, caused a sharp rise in criminal and anti-corporate activities; with a notable increase in acts of violence and vandalism against corporate assets, employees, and property. The wealthier colonists managed to contract and hire a small contingent of freeborn privateers and mercenaries, the Blackpowders, to support a mutual-defense agreement between the colonies. This informal agreement would eventually become the Polaris Confederation of Colonies. Unbeknownst to S&G, the mercenaries, or the colonists, the hardline-separatist extremist group Sons of Foreman had seized a cargo freighter shortly after the Blackpowders had landed on their staging point, Puranas. Before the privateers could launch their assault, the SoF crashed the freighter into the system's InterRelay, immediately cutting the planet off from outside communication and access by hyperlane. The corporate hold over the planet, already strained, completely evaporated.

The colonies declared emergency powers as orders from the Company ceased, formally - and somewhat illegally - separating themselves from any obligation to S&G. Of the five existing Administrative Zones on Polaris, two were absorbed into the PCC, one almost immediately broke apart into infighting, and the remainder chose to dissolve the Zones and become independent city-states. However, the situation did not immediately improve for the newly-independent colonists. With the majority of company security contractors having retreated into Durvas following the sudden isolation, tensions and occasional skirmishes with the local, indigenous species became inevitable without the barrier of of S&G Security to shield the colonies. In addition, the planetary defense AI interpreted the attack on the system InterRelay as an assault originating from the outside, and immediately initiated lockdown protocols in preparation for what it predicted would be an imminent invasion. Nothing could leave or approach the planet, so long as the PD's massive, heavily-armed orbital defense arrays were active.