KIRATA

## BACKGROUND

Kirata is technically part of TRUEVISION's space, but is almost the polar opposite of CHYKE - where Chyke is a highly secure maze of megastructures, Kirata is a lawless ocean planet where fleets of trawlers compete to harvest megashoals of ocean creatures and for the deepest trenches to mine filtered water. While it is technically controlled by TrueVision, anyone can get a boat and fight for harvesting rights and the company don't care who brings them the goods, so long as they are brought in.

When the fleets aren't fighting each other or harvesting, they have a thriving trade in scrimshaw art after a noble on safari purchased some and took it to the galaxy at large. Kiratan bone statues are considered high art, mostly by people who have no idea (or, in some cases, are well aware) that they were made by literal pirates.

## GOVERNMENT AND FACTIONS

While Kirata has no true government, the starport that takes up the only major landmass on the planet's surface is considered neutral ground by all fleets, and it's the only place where you can know you are safe from being shot at with ship-mounted cannons. It is staffed by TrueVision employees and, while it's considered a punishment, a savvy dock worker can make a lot of credits prioritising specific cargo allocations...

The largest fleet, THE HYDRATS, are little more than raiders who are rumoured to be more interested in sinking their opponents than harvesting food and water for Chyke. Their ships are heavily armed, armoured and entirely capable of annihilating targets well above their weight class.

Possibly the only fleet actually interested in harvesting, SILVERLINE SHIPPING are a mercantile company who retrofit their ships for speed. Their main tactic is quickly and efficiently stripping an area of resources so they can move on quickly, and it's a tactic which has kept them wealthy enough to be much higher technology than the rest of their competitors.

The smallest fleet, the Red Wave Company, barely engages in either piracy or harvesting, but nobody touches them. This is because it is a front for the CRIMSON DRAKES criminal syndicate with the flagship, The Bloody Wave, being the permanent residence of LLI'SHOL themself - even scratching the paint on one of their vessels will incur overly violent reprisals. It creates an odd area of calm around the fleet that can be taken advantage of by ships trying to escape pursuers and it works every time - the Red Wave Company don't care.

## LEGAL NOTES

Anything goes on Kirata, up to and including nuking the ocean to kill hundreds of creatures in seconds for efficient, if unethical, fishing. While smaller boats are traditionally left alone by the larger fleets, nobody is truly safe on the open waters and the ocean floor is lined with the wrecks of hundreds if not thousands of ships.

## PEOPLE

BOROK LUS - SCOUT SERVICES liaison based at the starport.

FRANK HEWITT - Mechanic on The Narwhal, an independent fishing boat.

HUGO BAIRD - Silverline Shipping fisherman.

IRATHA KHUL - Young shiphand in the Silverline Shipping fleet.

PRIASHUR - Customs guard at the starport.

STEVE TARKESIAN - Deck crew on The Narwhal, an independent fishing boat.