Horizon

Horizon was the first garden world to be colonized after Pandora.

**Location:** Milky Way Galaxy/Sirius System

Planet Class: Garden World

Horizon is the first planet orbiting white dwarf star Sirius B in the Sirius System. It is a habitable world in early stages of life, with only unicellular organisms in its oceans.

Humans detected Horizon as an Earth-type world via telemetry in 2124. After more surveys indicated life, ample fresh water and breathable air, the planet became a colonization priority. Commanded by Captain Ronald Taylor, the crew of Gaea Ark made planetfall on the garden world in 2192.

Horizon is the first place after Pandora that humans discovered the supremely rare mineral Unobtanium.

## Physical Characteristics

### Geology

Horizon is a relatively young planet roughly 250 million years old compared to the 4.5 billion years of Earth and is geologically stable. It is a bit larger than Earth, with a radius of 6,521 km, compared to the 6,378 km radius of Earth. Horizon's surface is empty deserts and towering mountains.

### Atmosphere

Horizon's atmosphere is very similar to other life bearing worlds humanity had seen before. A nitrogen-based atmosphere with oxygen. Although it had a large amount of helium in its atmosphere, its atmosphere was completely breathable for humans.

## Economy

### Trade

Most important trade of Horizon is its Unobtanium resources which enables interstellar commerce. Both Bekenstein and Earth relies heavily on these resources.

Horizon is also the largest exporter of titanium, and has many titanium mines on the surface. Titanium is in such abundance in fact, that entire spires of the element rise up from the ground.

### Starship Industry

Horizon is the largest and most active shipyard in Human space. Ships like the *Majesty*-class light frigate are built here.

## Military

Horizon is one of, if not the most important headquarters for the Sovereign Colonies as well as the main supplier of military and civilian spacecraft, and the location of the Sovereign Colonies largest and most active shipyard. Interstellar Navy of the Sovereign Colonies and the Sovereign Colonies Marine Corps maintain headquarters on Horizon, as well as many primary Naval Intelligence bases, which includes the highly classified CASTLE Base. It is also where the Sovereign Colonies most elite troops, including the Spartans, are trained. Horizon also has its own Central Command.

While Bekenstein is rightly seen as the Sovereign Colonies commercial, political, and cultural center; Horizon is undeniably the hub of its military power. The Sirius Defense Fleet is a full strength Carrier Group with the *Thunderbolt*-class supercarrier SCISS *Aurora* at its core.

Eighteen repair and refit space stations, such as Anchor 9, orbits Horizon. They help in repair, refit and other services to Sovereign Colonies Navy starships.

Orbiting around Horizon is a semi-mobile array of twenty Orbital Defense Platforms (ODP), equipped with heavy MAC Guns known as "big sticks," some of which in place as early as 2337. They are in turn defended by multiple wings of single ships and tactical multi-role craft. In addition, there are also about 100 to 150 warships stationed in the Sirius System at any time.