Galactic Guide: Charon System

This Galactic Guide originally appeared in Jump Point 5.3.
Lonely Frontier
An ongoing civil war, centuries of strife, and the fact that they are the only system to have ever renounced their recognition in the UEE Senate are all reason enough to give most travelers pause before visiting Charon. Situated on the frontier, Charon may be connected to four other systems, but it still harbors a deep sense of isolation from the rest of the Empire. This mentality, fueled by the UEE’s regrettable actions in the system during the Messer era, has birthed a fiery and fiercely independent spirit that defines Charon to this day, a spirit that might have made the system all but impossible to govern.

Most accounts claim the discovery of this five-planet system swirling around a K-type main sequence star was an accident. In 2538, Max Keaton was a novice merchant marine pilot on his first supply run in Helios when the system’s intense solar winds disabled his ship’s sensors. Nervous about falling behind schedule, Keaton flew on, only to realize when the sensors rebooted that his bearing was wrong and he was well off course. Determined not to make another mistake, Keaton quickly tested all his systems. That’s when he noticed an anomalous reading on his scanners. In a surprising show of self-restraint, Keaton saved the coordinates, completed his run, and then returned the first chance he could. What he eventually discovered was the jump that would lead to the Charon System.

The UPE claimed the system and deployed a scan team from the Government Cartography Agency (the era’s ICC). Terraformation of Charon III began almost immediately, but once complete, the system’s remoteness never allowed it to develop as a hub for traffic and trade. Those who would eventually seek to settle the system were typically interested in living a simple life and saw Charon’s isolation as a benefit. The Messers, however, had another use for the system’s isolation.

Throughout the generations, the Messers and their policies created a vast number of enemies, dissidents, activists, and revolutionaries. They found that mixing these political prisoners into the usual criminal penal systems only radicalized the criminals and gave the dissidents access to criminal training. So, the Messers decided to build a vast prison network across Charon III, with many of them in the state of Dellin, and hired loyal government employees to staff it. Horror stories about the prisons swirled among residents, though they quickly learned not to press the issue publicly. Local officials that investigated the matter were silenced or suddenly charged with crimes that landed them in those very prisons.

When the Messers fell from power in 2792, people across the planet celebrated, and the local population forced their way into the prisons. What they found and documented horrified everyone and became an integral argument of 2806’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission report that exposed the horrors of the Messer regime. Local officials also discovered during their investigations that their Senators not only knew about the atrocities, but had been profiting off them. The Messer regime had funneled extra resources to Dellin, where most of the prisons were located, and even influenced elections involving corrupt Senate candidates they favored.

Senator Constance Winterfield was indicted on corruption charges and removed from power. The Governor’s Council was supposed to name a temporary replacement, but vicious in-fighting and political maneuvering stalled any decision. Charon III’s Senate seat stayed vacant for years until Constance Winterfield’s term expired. By that point, many residents had concluded that Charon III was better off than it had been with a Senator and the UEE imposing their will on the planet. In 2795, Charon III voted to renounce their recognition in the Senate, making them the only planet to ever do so.

Without an advocate on Earth, government credits to the system slowed to a trickle as the UEE political elite were intent to show that renouncing Senate recognition would come at a cost. As government funds evaporated at high cost to local economies, particularly in Dellin, the fierce independent spirit that inspired people to stand up to the UEE now turned them on each other. Constant strife between political factions only hardened over time, and governance of the planet became practically impossible. Any attempts at reforming the Governor’s Council and resubmitting for recognition have thus far failed.

Today, the system is primarily defined by the bloody and devastating civil war raging on Charon III between the states of Dellin and its neighbor Acheron. Regular commercial traffic in the system is minimal and may come under fire if entering Charon III’s atmosphere. Due to this unfortunate situation, and a lack of other habitable locations within the system, the Galactic Guide advises travelers to avoid the Charon System unless absolutely necessary.

Charon I
This is a small terrestrial planet being sublimed into the system’s sun due to its decaying orbit. Analysis of the surface has led scientists to believe that a massive collision pushed it out of its original orbit and towards its eventual doom. The large trail that is forming in its wake as it spirals ever closer to the sun gives the appearance of a staggeringly large comet.

Charon II
Charon II is a smog planet with a dense layer of carbon dioxide that traps heat within its atmosphere. The greenhouse effect makes the planet’s surface inhospitably warm. The difficulties in terraforming such a hostile world, along with the difficult political climate throughout the system, have made any attempt to initiate the complicated process a non-starter.

Charon III
The UPE claimed this system because of Charon III. The planet was quickly terraformed, but few colonists were eager to settle in such a distant corner of the Empire. It lacked significant deposits of rare minerals to attract miners, and even though the real estate was inexpensive, few factories were built since the additional shipping costs more than offset any local savings for most manufacturers. Homesteaders that were attracted by the isolation did steadily stream in over the decades, though they often had to rely on soil enrichment products, like moly-nitronese, to reliably grow food.

Things changed in 2635 during Livia Messer III’s reign. She proposed a restructuring of the UEE’s legal system that involved building a massive, maximum security penitentiary in Dellin’s vast desert. The project kickstarted the economy and brought in new people and credits. When her brother Corsen Messer V rose to power, he built several more facilities. In 2670, the planet received recognition in the Senate via a decree from Corsen. Many of today’s historians now assume the move was a quid pro quo between Corsen Messer and Gwen Czukay, who was Dellin’s Governor’s Council representative and shortly thereafter the planet’s first Senator. When Senator Czukay was sworn in, she personally decided that the planet should be recognized under the name Haros.

In 2795, when the planet voted to renounce their recognition in the Senate, Haros was scrapped as the planet’s official name, as many of the locals continued to associate it with the Messer era. For a few years, the planet dealt with political turmoil but lived in peace. Then a terrible drought destabilized Dellin in 2811 and sparked violent uprisings. The neighboring state of Acheron, struggling with the drought itself, couldn’t provide much aid and was overwhelmed by desperate refugees from Dellin. The first civil war erupted between the two states in 2813 and lasted until 2819. The war never officially ended, as the adversaries simply agreed to what turned out to be a prolonged ceasefire.

Although tensions have flared up since then, not all hope is lost. Most recently, a 2934 earthquake that devastated Acheron brought much of the planet together in relief of Acheron’s ravaged population. During the rebuilding, the Phiyl Tower was constructed in Acheron’s capital. Considered a masterwork of Supermodernist architecture, it was meant to symbolize a new, more hopeful era for Charon III. Unfortunately, the peace did not last long, as residents of Dellin openly speculated on why Acheron needed their help yet had the funds to construct such a tower.

In 2944, the most recent war between the states of Acheron and Dellin broke out after the election of Tarquin Klast as governor of Dellin. Acheron had supported his political rival and claimed Klast used intimidation tactics to swing the vote in his favor. When Klast instituted sweeping changes to the government and removed the checks and balances designed to limit his power, Acheron intervened to stop what they claimed was a growing tyrant. Following several skirmishes, the UEE set up armistice talks between the two states, but no accord could be reached.

Today the civil war still rages. UEE Navy ships observe from above atmosphere only to ensure no gross violations of the Common Laws. While experts debate exactly how involved the UEE should get, much of the Empire’s population appears to be ambivalent to the conflict.

Charon IV
Upon discovering the system, Max Keaton first saw and became enthralled by the ice giant Charon IV. The beautiful blue, dead world inspired Keaton to call the system Charon, a nod to both the mythological character and Keaton’s grandfather, who was a beloved classics professor in Rhetor.

Charon V
Every few decades another upstart mining concern scans and surveys this distant dwarf planet in the hope of finding precious minerals others have missed. So far none have been found.

TRAVEL WARNING
Due to the civil war, the Acheron military has designated all supply ships destined for Dellin, even those operated by freelance haulers, to be enemy combatants. We recommend that no ship enter Charon III’s atmosphere unless absolutely necessary.

HEARD IN THE WIND
“It is with a heavy heart that I stand here today to renounce Haros’ recognition in the UEE Senate. From here forth, the planet will relinquish its Senate seat along with all responsibilities and benefits associated with it. Though I strongly disagree with this decision, it is the will of the people and I will respect it. I fear not everyone on Haros will be as gracious in defeat.”
– Bernard Ma, Dellin’s Governor’s Council representative, in a speech before the Senate, 2795

“Turmoil and trouble, give us double ’Cause this unending struggle is what defines us.”
– Gasper Khan, lyrics from Halcyon Home, 2912

Dieser Galaktische Führer erschien ursprünglich in Jump Point 5.3.
Einsame Grenze
Ein andauernder Bürgerkrieg, Jahrhunderte des Konflikts und die Tatsache, dass sie das einzige System sind, das jemals auf seine Anerkennung im UEE-Senat verzichtet hat, sind Grund genug, den meisten Reisenden eine Pause einzulegen, bevor sie Charon besuchen. An der Grenze gelegen, kann Charon mit vier anderen Systemen verbunden sein, aber es birgt immer noch ein tiefes Gefühl der Isolation vom Rest des Imperiums. Diese Mentalität, die durch die bedauerlichen Handlungen der UEE im System während der Messer-Ära angeheizt wurde, hat einen feurigen und heftig unabhängigen Geist hervorgebracht, der Charon bis heute auszeichnet, einen Geist, der das System fast unmöglich gemacht hätte zu regieren.

Die meisten Berichte behaupten, dass die Entdeckung dieses Fünf-Planeten-Systems, das um einen K-Hauptreihenstern wirbelt, ein Unfall war. Im Jahr 2538 war Max Keaton ein Neuling in der Handelsschifffahrt bei seinem ersten Versorgungslauf in Helios, als die intensiven Sonnenwinde des Systems die Sensoren seines Schiffes deaktivierten. Nervös über das Verspäten, flog Keaton weiter, nur um zu erkennen, als die Sensoren neu starteten, dass sein Lager falsch war und er vom Kurs abgekommen war. Keaton war entschlossen, keinen weiteren Fehler zu machen und testete schnell alle seine Systeme. Da bemerkte er eine anomale Messung auf seinen Scannern. In einer überraschenden Show der Selbstbeherrschung speicherte Keaton die Koordinaten, beendete seinen Lauf und kehrte dann die erste Chance zurück, die er hatte. Was er schließlich entdeckte, war der Sprung, der zum Charon-System führen würde.

Die UPE beanspruchte das System und entsandte ein Scan-Team von der Government Cartography Agency (dem damaligen ICC). Die Terraformation von Charon III begann fast sofort, aber nach Abschluss der Arbeiten konnte sich das System aufgrund seiner Abgeschiedenheit nie zu einer Drehscheibe für Verkehr und Handel entwickeln. Diejenigen, die schließlich versuchen würden, das System zu regeln, waren typischerweise daran interessiert, ein einfaches Leben zu führen und sahen Charons Isolation als Vorteil. Die Messers hatten jedoch einen anderen Nutzen für die Isolation des Systems.

Im Laufe der Generationen schufen die Messers und ihre Politik eine große Anzahl von Feinden, Dissidenten, Aktivisten und Revolutionären. Sie stellten fest, dass die Einmischung dieser politischen Gefangenen in die üblichen strafrechtlichen Systeme nur eine Radikalisierung der Kriminellen bewirkt und den Dissidenten Zugang zu krimineller Ausbildung verschafft. So beschlossen die Messers, ein riesiges Gefängnis-Netzwerk über Charon III hinweg aufzubauen, mit vielen von ihnen im Staat Dellin, und stellten loyale Regierungsmitarbeiter ein, um es zu besetzen. Horrorgeschichten über die Gefängnisse wirbelten unter den Bewohnern, obwohl sie schnell lernten, das Problem nicht öffentlich zu machen. Lokale Beamte, die die Angelegenheit untersuchten, wurden zum Schweigen gebracht oder plötzlich wegen Verbrechen angeklagt, die sie in genau diesen Gefängnissen landeten.

Als die Messers 2792 von der Macht fielen, feierten Menschen auf der ganzen Welt, und die lokale Bevölkerung drängte sich in die Gefängnisse. Was sie fanden und dokumentierten, erschütterte alle und wurde zu einem integralen Argument des Berichts der Wahrheits- und Versöhnungskommission 2806, der die Schrecken des Messer-Regimes enthüllte. Lokale Beamte entdeckten auch während ihrer Untersuchungen, dass ihre Senatoren nicht nur von den Gräueltaten wussten, sondern auch von ihnen profitiert hatten. Das Messer-Regime hatte zusätzliche Ressourcen nach Dellin gesteckt, wo sich die meisten Gefängnisse befanden, und sogar die Wahlen mit korrupten Senatskandidaten beeinflusst, die sie bevorzugten.

Senatorin Constance Winterfield wurde wegen Korruption angeklagt und von der Macht genommen. Der Rat des Gouverneurs sollte einen vorübergehenden Ersatz benennen, aber bösartige Kämpfe und politische Manöver blockierten jede Entscheidung. Der Senatssitz von Charon III. blieb jahrelang unbesetzt, bis die Amtszeit von Konstanz Winterfield abläuft. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt hatten viele Bewohner festgestellt, dass Charon III besser dran war als bei einem Senator und der UEE, die ihren Willen auf den Planeten durchsetzen. 2795 stimmte Charon III. dafür, auf ihre Anerkennung im Senat zu verzichten, was ihn zum einzigen Planeten macht, der dies jemals tat.

Ohne einen Anwalt auf der Erde verlangsamten sich die Regierungskredite an das System zu einem Rinnsal, da die politische Elite der UEE beabsichtigte zu zeigen, dass der Verzicht auf die Anerkennung des Senats mit Kosten verbunden wäre. Als die staatlichen Gelder zu hohen Kosten für die lokale Wirtschaft, insbesondere in Dellin, verflogen, wandte sich der wilde, unabhängige Geist, der die Menschen dazu inspirierte, sich gegen die UEE zu behaupten, nun gegeneinander. Der ständige Streit zwischen den politischen Fraktionen verhärtete sich nur im Laufe der Zeit, und die Führung des Planeten wurde praktisch unmöglich. Alle Versuche, den Rat des Gouverneurs zu reformieren und wieder zur Anerkennung vorzulegen, sind bisher gescheitert.

Heute wird das System in erster Linie durch den blutigen und verheerenden Bürgerkrieg auf Charon III zwischen den Staaten Dellin und seinem Nachbarn Acheron definiert. Der regelmäßige kommerzielle Verkehr im System ist minimal und kann unter Beschuss geraten, wenn er in die Atmosphäre von Charon III eintritt. Aufgrund dieser unglücklichen Situation und des Fehlens anderer bewohnbarer Orte innerhalb des Systems rät der Galaktische Reiseleiter den Reisenden, das Charon-System zu vermeiden, es sei denn, es ist absolut notwendig.

Charon I
Dies ist ein kleiner terrestrischer Planet, der aufgrund seiner zerfallenden Umlaufbahn in die Sonne des Systems sublimiert wird. Die Analyse der Oberfläche hat Wissenschaftler zu der Annahme veranlasst, dass eine massive Kollision sie aus ihrer ursprünglichen Umlaufbahn in Richtung ihres endgültigen Untergangs drängte. Der große Pfad, der sich in seinem Gefolge bildet, wenn er sich der Sonne immer näher wölbt, wirkt wie ein überwältigend großer Komet.

Charon II
Charon II ist ein Smogplanet mit einer dichten Schicht Kohlendioxid, das die Wärme in seiner Atmosphäre speichert. Der Treibhauseffekt macht die Oberfläche des Planeten unwirtlich warm. Die Schwierigkeiten bei der Gestaltung einer so feindlichen Welt, zusammen mit dem schwierigen politischen Klima im gesamten System, haben jeden Versuch, den komplizierten Prozess einzuleiten, zu einem Fehlstart gemacht.

Charon III
Die UPE beanspruchte dieses System wegen Charon III. Der Planet war schnell terrassiert, aber nur wenige Kolonisten waren begierig darauf, sich in einer so fernen Ecke des Reiches niederzulassen. Es fehlten bedeutende Vorkommen an seltenen Mineralien, um Bergleute anzuziehen, und obwohl die Immobilie preiswert war, wurden nur wenige Fabriken gebaut, da die zusätzlichen Versandkosten die lokalen Einsparungen für die meisten Hersteller mehr als ausgleichen konnten. Homesteader, die von der Isolation angezogen wurden, strömten im Laufe der Jahrzehnte stetig herein, obwohl sie sich oft auf Bodenanreicherungsprodukte wie Moly-Nitronese verlassen mussten, um Lebensmittel zuverlässig anzubauen.

Während der Regierungszeit von Livia Messer III. änderte sich 2635 alles. Sie schlug eine Umstrukturierung des Rechtssystems der UEE vor, bei der ein massives, hochsicheres Gefängnis in der riesigen Wüste von Dellin gebaut wurde. Das Projekt hat die Wirtschaft angekurbelt und neue Menschen und Kredite gebracht. Als ihr Bruder Corsen Messer V. an die Macht kam, baute er mehrere weitere Anlagen. Im Jahr 2670 wurde der Planet im Senat durch ein Dekret von Corsen anerkannt. Viele der heutigen Historiker gehen heute davon aus, dass der Schritt eine Gegenleistung zwischen Corsen Messer und Gwen Czukay war, der Dellins Vertreter des Gouverneursrates und kurz darauf der erste Senator des Planeten war. Als Senatorin Czukay vereidigt wurde, entschied sie persönlich, dass der Planet unter dem Namen Haros anerkannt werden sollte.

Als der Planet 2795 beschloss, auf seine Anerkennung im Senat zu verzichten, wurde Haros als offizieller Name des Planeten gestrichen, da viele Einheimische ihn weiterhin mit der Ära Messer in Verbindung brachten. Einige Jahre lang beschäftigte sich der Planet mit politischen Turbulenzen, lebte aber in Frieden. Dann destabilisierte eine schreckliche Dürre Dellin 2811 und löste heftige Aufstände aus. Der Nachbarstaat Acheron, der mit der Dürre selbst zu kämpfen hatte, konnte nicht viel Hilfe leisten und wurde von verzweifelten Flüchtlingen aus Dellin überwältigt. Der erste Bürgerkrieg brach 2813 zwischen den beiden Staaten aus und dauerte bis 2819. Der Krieg endete nie offiziell, da die Gegner einfach zustimmten, was sich als verlängerte Waffenruhe herausstellte.

Obwohl seither Spannungen aufgeflammt sind, geht nicht jede Hoffnung verloren. Vor kurzem brachte ein Erdbeben vom Typ 2934, das Acheron verwüstete, einen Großteil des Planeten zusammen, um die verwüstete Bevölkerung von Acheron zu unterstützen. Während des Umbaus wurde der Phiyl Tower in der Hauptstadt von Acheron errichtet. Es galt als Meisterwerk der supermodernen Architektur und sollte eine neue, hoffnungsvollere Ära für Charon III. symbolisieren. Leider dauerte der Frieden nicht lange, da die Bewohner von Dellin offen darüber spekulierten, warum Acheron ihre Hilfe brauchte, aber über die Mittel verfügte, um einen solchen Turm zu bauen.

Im Jahr 2944 brach der jüngste Krieg zwischen den Staaten Acheron und Dellin nach der Wahl von Tarquin Klast zum Gouverneur von Dellin aus. Acheron hatte seinen politischen Rivalen unterstützt und behauptet, dass Klast mit Einschüchterungstaktiken die Stimme zu seinen Gunsten schwang. Als Klast weitreichende Änderungen an der Regierung einleitete und die Kontrollen und Gleichgewichte entfernte, die seine Macht einschränken sollten, intervenierte Acheron, um das zu stoppen, was sie als einen wachsenden Tyrannen bezeichneten. Nach mehreren Scharmützeln nahm die UEE Waffenstillstandsverhandlungen zwischen den beiden Staaten auf, aber es konnte keine Einigung erzielt werden.

Noch heute tobt der Bürgerkrieg. UEE Navy Schiffe beobachten aus der oberen Atmosphäre nur, um sicherzustellen, dass keine groben Verstöße gegen die Common Laws vorliegen. Während Experten darüber diskutieren, wie genau die UEE einbezogen werden sollte, scheint ein Großteil der Bevölkerung des Imperiums ambivalent zum Konflikt zu sein.

Charon IV
Als Max Keaton das System entdeckte, sah er zuerst den Eisriesen Charon IV und war begeistert. Die schöne blaue, tote Welt inspirierte Keaton dazu, das System Charon zu nennen, ein Nicken sowohl für den mythologischen Charakter als auch für Keatons Großvater, der ein beliebter Klassiker-Professor in Rhetor war.

Charon V
Alle paar Jahrzehnte scannt und untersucht ein weiterer aufstrebender Bergbaukonzern diesen fernen Zwergplaneten in der Hoffnung, wertvolle Mineralien zu finden, die andere übersehen haben. Bisher wurden keine gefunden.

REISEWARNUNG
Aufgrund des Bürgerkriegs hat das Militär von Acheron alle Versorgungsschiffe, die für Dellin bestimmt sind, auch die von freiberuflichen Spediteuren, als feindliche Kämpfer bezeichnet. Wir empfehlen, dass kein Schiff in die Atmosphäre von Charon III eindringt, es sei denn, es ist absolut notwendig.

IM WIND GEHÖRT
"Es ist schwerwiegend, dass ich heute hier stehe, um auf Haros' Anerkennung im UEE-Senat zu verzichten. Von nun an wird der Planet seinen Senatsitz sowie alle damit verbundenen Verantwortlichkeiten und Vorteile aufgeben. Obwohl ich mit dieser Entscheidung absolut nicht einverstanden bin, ist es der Wille des Volkes, und ich werde ihn respektieren. Ich fürchte, nicht jeder auf Haros wird bei der Niederlage so gnädig sein."
- Bernard Ma, Vertreter des Rates des Gouverneurs von Dellin, in einer Rede vor dem Senat, 2795

"Aufruhr und Ärger, gib uns das Doppelte, denn dieser unendliche Kampf ist es, der uns ausmacht."
- Gasper Khan, Texte von Halcyon Home, 2912

This Galactic Guide originally appeared in Jump Point 5.3.
Lonely Frontier
An ongoing civil war, centuries of strife, and the fact that they are the only system to have ever renounced their recognition in the UEE Senate are all reason enough to give most travelers pause before visiting Charon. Situated on the frontier, Charon may be connected to four other systems, but it still harbors a deep sense of isolation from the rest of the Empire. This mentality, fueled by the UEE’s regrettable actions in the system during the Messer era, has birthed a fiery and fiercely independent spirit that defines Charon to this day, a spirit that might have made the system all but impossible to govern.

Most accounts claim the discovery of this five-planet system swirling around a K-type main sequence star was an accident. In 2538, Max Keaton was a novice merchant marine pilot on his first supply run in Helios when the system’s intense solar winds disabled his ship’s sensors. Nervous about falling behind schedule, Keaton flew on, only to realize when the sensors rebooted that his bearing was wrong and he was well off course. Determined not to make another mistake, Keaton quickly tested all his systems. That’s when he noticed an anomalous reading on his scanners. In a surprising show of self-restraint, Keaton saved the coordinates, completed his run, and then returned the first chance he could. What he eventually discovered was the jump that would lead to the Charon System.

The UPE claimed the system and deployed a scan team from the Government Cartography Agency (the era’s ICC). Terraformation of Charon III began almost immediately, but once complete, the system’s remoteness never allowed it to develop as a hub for traffic and trade. Those who would eventually seek to settle the system were typically interested in living a simple life and saw Charon’s isolation as a benefit. The Messers, however, had another use for the system’s isolation.

Throughout the generations, the Messers and their policies created a vast number of enemies, dissidents, activists, and revolutionaries. They found that mixing these political prisoners into the usual criminal penal systems only radicalized the criminals and gave the dissidents access to criminal training. So, the Messers decided to build a vast prison network across Charon III, with many of them in the state of Dellin, and hired loyal government employees to staff it. Horror stories about the prisons swirled among residents, though they quickly learned not to press the issue publicly. Local officials that investigated the matter were silenced or suddenly charged with crimes that landed them in those very prisons.

When the Messers fell from power in 2792, people across the planet celebrated, and the local population forced their way into the prisons. What they found and documented horrified everyone and became an integral argument of 2806’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission report that exposed the horrors of the Messer regime. Local officials also discovered during their investigations that their Senators not only knew about the atrocities, but had been profiting off them. The Messer regime had funneled extra resources to Dellin, where most of the prisons were located, and even influenced elections involving corrupt Senate candidates they favored.

Senator Constance Winterfield was indicted on corruption charges and removed from power. The Governor’s Council was supposed to name a temporary replacement, but vicious in-fighting and political maneuvering stalled any decision. Charon III’s Senate seat stayed vacant for years until Constance Winterfield’s term expired. By that point, many residents had concluded that Charon III was better off than it had been with a Senator and the UEE imposing their will on the planet. In 2795, Charon III voted to renounce their recognition in the Senate, making them the only planet to ever do so.

Without an advocate on Earth, government credits to the system slowed to a trickle as the UEE political elite were intent to show that renouncing Senate recognition would come at a cost. As government funds evaporated at high cost to local economies, particularly in Dellin, the fierce independent spirit that inspired people to stand up to the UEE now turned them on each other. Constant strife between political factions only hardened over time, and governance of the planet became practically impossible. Any attempts at reforming the Governor’s Council and resubmitting for recognition have thus far failed.

Today, the system is primarily defined by the bloody and devastating civil war raging on Charon III between the states of Dellin and its neighbor Acheron. Regular commercial traffic in the system is minimal and may come under fire if entering Charon III’s atmosphere. Due to this unfortunate situation, and a lack of other habitable locations within the system, the Galactic Guide advises travelers to avoid the Charon System unless absolutely necessary.

Charon I
This is a small terrestrial planet being sublimed into the system’s sun due to its decaying orbit. Analysis of the surface has led scientists to believe that a massive collision pushed it out of its original orbit and towards its eventual doom. The large trail that is forming in its wake as it spirals ever closer to the sun gives the appearance of a staggeringly large comet.

Charon II
Charon II is a smog planet with a dense layer of carbon dioxide that traps heat within its atmosphere. The greenhouse effect makes the planet’s surface inhospitably warm. The difficulties in terraforming such a hostile world, along with the difficult political climate throughout the system, have made any attempt to initiate the complicated process a non-starter.

Charon III
The UPE claimed this system because of Charon III. The planet was quickly terraformed, but few colonists were eager to settle in such a distant corner of the Empire. It lacked significant deposits of rare minerals to attract miners, and even though the real estate was inexpensive, few factories were built since the additional shipping costs more than offset any local savings for most manufacturers. Homesteaders that were attracted by the isolation did steadily stream in over the decades, though they often had to rely on soil enrichment products, like moly-nitronese, to reliably grow food.

Things changed in 2635 during Livia Messer III’s reign. She proposed a restructuring of the UEE’s legal system that involved building a massive, maximum security penitentiary in Dellin’s vast desert. The project kickstarted the economy and brought in new people and credits. When her brother Corsen Messer V rose to power, he built several more facilities. In 2670, the planet received recognition in the Senate via a decree from Corsen. Many of today’s historians now assume the move was a quid pro quo between Corsen Messer and Gwen Czukay, who was Dellin’s Governor’s Council representative and shortly thereafter the planet’s first Senator. When Senator Czukay was sworn in, she personally decided that the planet should be recognized under the name Haros.

In 2795, when the planet voted to renounce their recognition in the Senate, Haros was scrapped as the planet’s official name, as many of the locals continued to associate it with the Messer era. For a few years, the planet dealt with political turmoil but lived in peace. Then a terrible drought destabilized Dellin in 2811 and sparked violent uprisings. The neighboring state of Acheron, struggling with the drought itself, couldn’t provide much aid and was overwhelmed by desperate refugees from Dellin. The first civil war erupted between the two states in 2813 and lasted until 2819. The war never officially ended, as the adversaries simply agreed to what turned out to be a prolonged ceasefire.

Although tensions have flared up since then, not all hope is lost. Most recently, a 2934 earthquake that devastated Acheron brought much of the planet together in relief of Acheron’s ravaged population. During the rebuilding, the Phiyl Tower was constructed in Acheron’s capital. Considered a masterwork of Supermodernist architecture, it was meant to symbolize a new, more hopeful era for Charon III. Unfortunately, the peace did not last long, as residents of Dellin openly speculated on why Acheron needed their help yet had the funds to construct such a tower.

In 2944, the most recent war between the states of Acheron and Dellin broke out after the election of Tarquin Klast as governor of Dellin. Acheron had supported his political rival and claimed Klast used intimidation tactics to swing the vote in his favor. When Klast instituted sweeping changes to the government and removed the checks and balances designed to limit his power, Acheron intervened to stop what they claimed was a growing tyrant. Following several skirmishes, the UEE set up armistice talks between the two states, but no accord could be reached.

Today the civil war still rages. UEE Navy ships observe from above atmosphere only to ensure no gross violations of the Common Laws. While experts debate exactly how involved the UEE should get, much of the Empire’s population appears to be ambivalent to the conflict.

Charon IV
Upon discovering the system, Max Keaton first saw and became enthralled by the ice giant Charon IV. The beautiful blue, dead world inspired Keaton to call the system Charon, a nod to both the mythological character and Keaton’s grandfather, who was a beloved classics professor in Rhetor.

Charon V
Every few decades another upstart mining concern scans and surveys this distant dwarf planet in the hope of finding precious minerals others have missed. So far none have been found.

TRAVEL WARNING
Due to the civil war, the Acheron military has designated all supply ships destined for Dellin, even those operated by freelance haulers, to be enemy combatants. We recommend that no ship enter Charon III’s atmosphere unless absolutely necessary.

HEARD IN THE WIND
“It is with a heavy heart that I stand here today to renounce Haros’ recognition in the UEE Senate. From here forth, the planet will relinquish its Senate seat along with all responsibilities and benefits associated with it. Though I strongly disagree with this decision, it is the will of the people and I will respect it. I fear not everyone on Haros will be as gracious in defeat.”
– Bernard Ma, Dellin’s Governor’s Council representative, in a speech before the Senate, 2795

“Turmoil and trouble, give us double ’Cause this unending struggle is what defines us.”
– Gasper Khan, lyrics from Halcyon Home, 2912