Galactic Guide: Branaugh System - [Comm-Links](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links) - Galactic Guide: Branaugh System Galactic Guide: Branaugh System =============================== Undefined Undefined News Update [Previous](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/17349) [Next](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/17351) Content ------- English This Galactic Guide originally appeared in Jump Point 5.10. Most people have been to a place where something just felt ‘off.’ You can’t put your finger on it, but there’s something unsettling. It could be a darkly lit street in Prime or the winding canyons of Reis, but either way, it’s the type of place where your flight instincts kick in and tell you to get out. For many, that sensation encapsulates the Branaugh system. While the system has been the subject of many political discussions over the past year, that disturbing, dangerous quality has haunted the system since its discovery in 2877 … and for one explorer, even before that. Born of Blood Desmond Fell always dreamed of charting the stars. Even as a child, growing up near the shipping pads on Lo in Corel system, he not only daydreamed about searching the cosmos to unlock its secrets, but also about getting to experience the varied cultures within the UEE. His ultimate goal, however, was to discover a new solar system. From geology coursework to weekend survival excursions to Castor, Fell dedicated every waking moment to absorbing everything that could potentially help him in his chosen vocation. He graduated from ULON with a shared degree in political discourse and geotechnology, and immediately began working as a surveyor for a mining company, while saving money for his own ship. Desmond toiled for years, never losing sight of his ultimate goal until, in 2872, he stepped aboard the scrappy Aurora that would be his first ship. This newly minted explorer now had a ship, a scanning array, and a dream. The final piece of the puzzle fell into place in 2877. After heading out to the Chronos system to finally have a look at the government’s audacious Synthworld project, he decided to test out some new scanning mods he’d recently acquired. The first ping didn’t register with him. Convinced the anomaly was just bound to the newly installed parts, he ran the sweep again. It pinged again. “Suddenly, my stomach sank to my ankles,” Fell recounted in an interview on Showdown from 2879. “I started to get that rush of excitement, but, for some reason, I didn’t want to move. I was seized with this fear that I was dreaming and moving would wake me up.” But he did. Fell begin to isolate the spacial anomaly to hone in on the exact position and angle needed to access the jump point. “I won’t even comment on how terrifying it was, navigating uncharted interspace,” Fell continued from that same interview. “But when I came out the other side, and my scanners said it was a fresh, untouched system … that feeling’ll stay with me the rest of my life.” After quickly returning to Chronos to stock up on supplies and quantum fuel, he set about charting his discovery. Sailing through the empty system, Fell noted three planets orbiting a K-type main sequence star. Positioned on the edge of the system’s green zone, only the second planet seemed potentially habitable. Fell quantumed towards the planet while prepping his scanners for a full planetary assessment. Pushing through the turbulent atmosphere, he navigated along the rocky terrain. The planet seemed devoid of life, unsurprising considering the storms and heavy winds that continually hammered his small craft. “I’ll admit, I was a little conflicted when I was surveying the planet. Part of me didn’t want to leave. I mean, this would probably be the only time I’d get to experience a planet on my own, so there was definitely excitement, but there was another part that wanted to get the hell out of there. Everything about the place, the weather, the landscape, it just seemed violent.” As he was finishing his sweep, Fell found something that would reinforce the latter instinct. Another ship. Sitting at the top of a massive overlook, it was almost indistinguishable against the swirling particulates in the air. Fell set down nearby and investigated. Although the ship was half buried, it didn’t appear to have crashed; it looked like it had exploded. Closer investigation revealed scorch marks that had the unmistakable look of laser fire. Fell searched the surrounding area and found a small cave. Inside, there was a corpse. An Inauspicious Beginning In a single hour, Desmond Fell submitted a jump point discovery form to the Department of Transportation and Navigation and a report to the Advocacy. While Imperial surveyors were assessing the system, a joint task force of Naval Investigative Division and Advocacy agents from Chronos launched an investigation. Over the next few months, several curious events occurred. The surveyors’ attempts to analyze the system were hampered by the limited size of the jump point into the system. Deprived of their ability to bring in larger transports, they were forced to break down the large equipment into smaller components for cargo runs. In the meantime, the Advocacy was making little headway on their investigation, thanks to the adverse atmospheric conditions destroying any trace evidence. They did manage to identify the body as Theresa Branaugh, an explorer who had been missing for nearly four years. Between interviews with friends and family and the limited data they could extract from her mobiGlas, agents compiled a rough timeline of her movements up to her disappearance. The story that began to unfold was of an explorer, much like Fell, who had dedicated her life to the unknown, but had not found much success in her endeavors. She was deeply in debt and had borrowed from whomever she could in order to keep flying, so when she ultimately disappeared, local authorities at the time suspected that she had run afoul of a loan shark. Now it seemed that Branaugh had found the new system and — while surveying — had come across someone who was using the system as a hideout and died for it. Unfortunately, the Advocacy were unable to find any clues of her killer and her case remains unsolved to this day. Fell was so moved by Branaugh’s tragic fate that he amended his initial application to name the system after her, to honor her discovery. To Claim or Not to Claim The newly minted Branaugh system still had its fair share of problems, though. The small jump point was continuing to make it difficult for the UEE to move any large machinery into the system. Surveyors were busy compiling resource assessments while planetary engineers studied the terraforming prospects of the second planet and the military conducted a strategic analysis. Ultimately, the Pathfinders presented their findings to the Senate subcommittee on Expansion. Among other issues, they determined that the potential resources gleaned from the planets would barely offset the cost and time needed to break down and transport terraforming equipment into the system. The Senate ultimately recommended that the Imperator pass on claiming the system, citing the lack of economic incentives to justify the cost of establishing settlements there. The system was then abandoned. For years, the only visitors were curious explorers, the occasional miner and outlaws looking for a place to lay low. In 2928, an ICC cartographer travelled to the system to perform a series of long-distance scans and discovered something very interesting. The New Inhabitants Since the Tevarin purged themselves of their culture as a response to their loss in the Second Tevarin War, their people seemed aimless and adrift in the UEE. While some tried to embrace the government that offered to assimilate them, a majority of the Tevarin sank into despondency, trading their refined warrior code for bargain enforcer jobs. Many just wanted to be left alone, content to spend their days drinking and fighting. They had been conquered by the UEE, twice. That fact was grudgingly accepted, but it didn’t mean they had to like it. After the UEE officially abandoned Branaugh system, Tevarin began to drift into the system over the course of years. By all accounts, this didn’t seem to be any kind of concerted or organized effort. Branaugh just seemed to represent something that these Tevarin were searching for: an unused, ignored corner of the universe where they could simply be left alone. Despite the completely hostile environment and unbreathable atmosphere, Tevarin and other expatriates have continued to drift to Branaugh II and the nearby asteroid field and make them their home. Branaugh I This small rocky planet is mostly known for its rapid orbit around the system’s star. Branaugh II To all who see it, the most immediate striking aspect of Branaugh II is the stunning set of rings around the planet; to most, that’s where the beauty ends. The surface is an unforgiving landscape of jagged rocks, high winds and churning storm systems. Planetary surveyors were unconvinced that the terraforming needed to make the atmosphere breathable would also be able to stabilize the tumultuous weather patterns. When Tevarin began to migrate to the planet, they initially took over the outposts and structures originally used by the UEE Pathfinders to study the planet and subsequently abandoned. As more settlers arrived, most claimed their own isolated corner of the planet as their own, but some built around this initial cluster of outposts to create the closest thing Branaugh II has to a town. Named Ne’er (a mispronunciation of the Cathcart slang term ‘now’er’ for ‘nowhere’), this sprawling frontier town has become the main trading hub for the planet, exchanging goods and services with those travelling through, as well as providing a place for locals to pick up supplies. Branaugh Belt Alpha This staggered belt of asteroids provides the bulk of the system’s income. Residents and smaller mining operations set up digs on the various asteroids to mine and trade out-of-system. Again, thanks to the restricted nature of the jump point, none of the larger mining companies can get their larger machines in here, keeping it open for independent operators. Pilots should be careful though; several of the more reclusive Tevarin settlers who find Branaugh II ‘too populated’ live in the belt. Most locals will even avoid travelling through this belt if necessary, as a handful ships reportedly vanish here every year. Branaugh III Nicknamed “Tempest” for its continual planetwide storms, this sprawling gas giant offers the other source of income for the system. Settlers on Branaugh II have set up harvesting facilities to refine the planet’s gases. TRAVEL WARNING Branaugh is an unclaimed system and not subject to the same level of security enjoyed by civilized systems. Anyone attempting to visit should exercise extreme caution. HEARD IN THE WIND “After all this time, I can’t believe it. All those people who told me I should just stop. That I’m wasting my time … It’s weird though. Standing where I am right now, I don’t want to rub their faces in this. Tell them ‘I told you so.’ They just didn’t know what I was chasing. This feeling right here, right now, this made all the lows worth it, but for me. Not them. I’m happy to be me.” – Last journal entry of Theresa Branaugh “It’s wretched. I couldn’t think of anyone who would possibly want to live there.” – Excerpt from Dr. Ellis Vonat’s summary of findings to Senate Subcommittee on Expansion Dieser Galaktische Führer erschien ursprünglich in Jump Point 5.10. Die meisten Leute waren an einem Ort, an dem sich etwas seltsam anfühlte. Man kann den Finger nicht darauf legen, aber es gibt etwas Beunruhigendes. Es könnte eine dunkel erleuchtete Straße in Prime oder die kurvenreichen Schluchten von Reis sein, aber so oder so, es ist die Art von Ort, an dem Ihr Fluginstinkt einsetzt und Ihnen sagt, Sie sollen aussteigen. Für viele ist dieses Gefühl das Branaugh-System. Während das System im vergangenen Jahr Gegenstand vieler politischer Diskussionen war, hat diese beunruhigende, gefährliche Qualität das System seit seiner Entdeckung im Jahr 2877 verfolgt.... und für einen Entdecker schon vorher. Aus Blut geboren Desmond Fell träumte immer davon, die Sterne zu kartieren. Schon als Kind, das in der Nähe der Versandpolster auf Lo im Corel-System aufwuchs, träumte er nicht nur davon, den Kosmos zu durchsuchen, um seine Geheimnisse zu enthüllen, sondern auch davon, die verschiedenen Kulturen innerhalb der UEE kennenzulernen. Sein oberstes Ziel war es jedoch, ein neues Sonnensystem zu entdecken. Von der geologischen Kursarbeit bis hin zu Wochenendausflügen nach Castor widmete Fell jeden wachen Moment der Aufnahme von allem, was ihm in seiner gewählten Berufung helfen könnte. Er absolvierte ULON mit einem gemeinsamen Abschluss in politischem Diskurs und Geotechnik und begann sofort als Sachverständiger für ein Bergbauunternehmen zu arbeiten, während er gleichzeitig Geld für sein eigenes Schiff sparen konnte. Desmond kämpfte jahrelang und verlor nie sein Endziel aus den Augen, bis er 2872 an Bord der rauflustigen Aurora trat, die sein erstes Schiff sein sollte. Dieser neu geprägte Entdecker hatte nun ein Schiff, eine Scananordnung und einen Traum. Das letzte Stück des Puzzles fiel 2877 in Position. Nachdem er sich auf den Weg zum Chronos-System gemacht hatte, um endlich einen Blick auf das kühne Synthworld-Projekt der Regierung zu werfen, beschloss er, einige neue Scan-Mods auszuprobieren, die er kürzlich erworben hatte. Der erste Ping hat sich nicht bei ihm angemeldet. Überzeugt, dass die Anomalie nur an die neu installierten Teile gebunden war, führte er die Suche erneut durch. Es hat wieder gepingt. "Plötzlich sank mein Magen auf meine Knöchel", erzählte Fell in einem Interview über Showdown von 2879. "Ich fing an, diesen Ansturm der Aufregung zu bekommen, aber aus irgendeinem Grund wollte ich mich nicht bewegen. Ich war von der Angst ergriffen, dass ich träume und dass mich das Bewegen aufwecken würde." Aber er tat es. Fell beginnt, die räumliche Anomalie zu isolieren, um sie genau an der Position und dem Winkel abzurichten, die für den Zugang zum Sprungpunkt erforderlich sind. "Ich werde nicht einmal kommentieren, wie beängstigend es war, durch unerforschten Zwischenraum zu navigieren", fuhr Fell aus demselben Interview fort. "Aber als ich auf der anderen Seite herauskam und meine Scanner sagten, es sei ein frisches, unberührtes System... dieses Gefühl wird mir für den Rest meines Lebens erhalten bleiben." Nachdem er schnell nach Chronos zurückgekehrt war, um sich mit Vorräten und Quantenkraftstoff zu versorgen, machte er sich daran, seine Entdeckung zu dokumentieren. Als er durch das leere System segelte, bemerkte Fell drei Planeten, die einen K-Typ Hauptreihenstern umkreisten. Am Rande der grünen Zone des Systems positioniert, schien nur der zweite Planet potenziell bewohnbar. Fiel quantumed auf den Planeten zu, während er seine Scanner für eine vollständige planetarische Beurteilung vorbereitete. Als er durch die turbulente Atmosphäre fuhr, navigierte er durch das felsige Gelände. Der Planet schien lebenslos zu sein, was angesichts der Stürme und starken Winde, die sein kleines Schiff ständig hämmerten, nicht überraschend war. "Ich gebe zu, ich war ein wenig in Konflikt, als ich den Planeten erkundete. Ein Teil von mir wollte nicht gehen. Ich meine, das wäre wahrscheinlich das einzige Mal, dass ich einen Planeten alleine erleben würde, also gab es definitiv Aufregung, aber es gab einen anderen Teil, der zum Teufel noch mal da raus wollte. Alles über den Ort, das Wetter, die Landschaft, es schien nur gewalttätig." Als er seine Suche beendete, fand Fell etwas, das den letztgenannten Instinkt verstärken würde. Ein anderes Schiff. Auf dem Gipfel eines massiven Aussichtspunktes sitzend, war es fast nicht von den wirbelnden Partikeln in der Luft zu unterscheiden. Fiel legte sich in der Nähe hin und untersuchte. Obwohl das Schiff halb vergraben war, schien es nicht abgestürzt zu sein; es sah aus, als wäre es explodiert. Bei näherer Untersuchung wurden Verbrennungsspuren festgestellt, die den unverwechselbaren Look von Laserfeuer hatten. Fell durchsuchte die Umgebung und fand eine kleine Höhle. Da drin war eine Leiche. Ein unangenehmer Anfang In einer Stunde reichte Desmond Fell ein Formular zur Entdeckung von Sprungbrettern beim Ministerium für Verkehr und Navigation und einen Bericht an die Advocacy ein. Während kaiserliche Vermesser das System beurteilten, leitete eine gemeinsame Task Force der Naval Investigative Division und der Advocacy-Agenten von Chronos eine Untersuchung ein. In den nächsten Monaten kam es zu mehreren merkwürdigen Ereignissen. Die Versuche der Gutachter, das System zu analysieren, wurden durch die begrenzte Größe des Sprungpunktes in das System behindert. Da sie ihrer Fähigkeit beraubt waren, größere Transporte einzubringen, waren sie gezwungen, das große Equipment in kleinere Komponenten für Frachtfahrten zu zerlegen. In der Zwischenzeit machte die Advocacy bei ihren Ermittlungen wenig Fortschritte, da die widrigen atmosphärischen Bedingungen jegliche Spuren vernichteten. Sie schafften es, die Leiche als Theresa Branaugh zu identifizieren, eine Forscherin, die seit fast vier Jahren vermisst wurde. Zwischen Interviews mit Freunden und Familie und den begrenzten Daten, die sie aus ihrem mobiGlas extrahieren konnten, erstellten die Agenten einen groben Zeitplan von ihren Bewegungen bis zu ihrem Verschwinden. Die Geschichte, die sich zu entfalten begann, war von einer Forscherin, ähnlich wie Fell, die ihr Leben dem Unbekannten gewidmet hatte, aber nicht viel Erfolg in ihren Bemühungen gefunden hatte. Sie war tief verschuldet und hatte sich von jedem geliehen, den sie konnte, um weiterfliegen zu können, so dass die damaligen örtlichen Behörden, als sie schließlich verschwand, vermuteten, dass sie mit einem Kredithai in Konflikt geraten war. Nun schien es, dass Branaugh das neue System gefunden hatte und - bei der Vermessung - auf jemanden gestoßen war, der das System als Versteck nutzte und dafür starb. Leider konnte die Advocacy keine Hinweise auf ihren Mörder finden, und ihr Fall ist bis heute ungeklärt. Fell war so bewegt von Branaughs tragischem Schicksal, dass er seine ursprüngliche Anwendung änderte, um das System nach ihr zu benennen, um ihre Entdeckung zu würdigen. Anspruch erheben oder nicht geltend machen Das neu geprägte Branaugh-System hatte jedoch immer noch seinen gerechten Anteil an Problemen. Der kleine Sprungpunkt machte es der UEE weiterhin schwer, große Maschinen in das System zu bringen. Die Vermesser waren damit beschäftigt, Ressourcenbewertungen zu erstellen, während die Planeteningenieure die Terraforming-Perspektiven des zweiten Planeten untersuchten und das Militär eine strategische Analyse durchführte. Schließlich präsentierten die Pfadfinder ihre Ergebnisse dem Senatsausschuss für Expansion. Unter anderem stellten sie fest, dass die potenziellen Ressourcen, die von den Planeten gesammelt wurden, die Kosten und Zeit, die für den Zusammenbruch und den Transport von Terraforming-Ausrüstung in das System benötigt werden, kaum ausgleichen würden. Der Senat empfahl schließlich, dass der Imperator das System weitergibt und das System in Anspruch nimmt, indem er sich auf den Mangel an wirtschaftlichen Anreizen zur Rechtfertigung der Kosten für die Errichtung von Siedlungen in diesem Land beruft. Das System wurde dann aufgegeben. Jahrelang waren die einzigen Besucher neugierige Entdecker, gelegentliche Bergleute und Gesetzlose, die nach einem Ort suchten, an dem sie sich zurückziehen konnten. Im Jahr 2928 reiste ein ICC-Kartograph zum System, um eine Reihe von Langstreckenscans durchzuführen, und entdeckte etwas sehr Interessantes. Die neuen Einwohner Seitdem sich die Tevarin als Reaktion auf ihren Verlust im Zweiten Tevarinkrieg von ihrer Kultur befreit hatten, schienen ihre Bewohner in der UEE ziellos und treibend zu sein. Während einige versuchten, die Regierung zu umarmen, die ihnen anbot, sie zu assimilieren, sank eine Mehrheit der Tevarin in Despondenz und tauschte ihren verfeinerten Kriegercode gegen billige Enforcer-Jobs ein. Viele wollten nur in Ruhe gelassen werden, zufrieden damit, ihre Tage mit Trinken und Kämpfen zu verbringen. Sie waren zweimal von der UEE erobert worden. Diese Tatsache wurde widerwillig akzeptiert, aber das bedeutete nicht, dass sie es mögen mussten. Nachdem die UEE das Branaugh-System offiziell aufgegeben hatte, begann Tevarin im Laufe der Jahre in das System zu driften. Nach allem, was man hört, schien es sich dabei nicht um eine konzertierte oder organisierte Aktion zu handeln. Branaugh schien nur etwas zu repräsentieren, wonach diese Tevarin suchten: eine ungenutzte, ignorierte Ecke des Universums, in der sie einfach in Ruhe gelassen werden konnten. Trotz der völlig feindlichen Umgebung und der unatmungsaktiven Atmosphäre sind Tevarin und andere Expatriates weiterhin nach Branaugh II und dem nahegelegenen Asteroidenfeld getrieben und haben sie zu ihrer Heimat gemacht. Branaugh I. Dieser kleine felsige Planet ist vor allem für seine schnelle Umlaufbahn um den Stern des Systems bekannt. Branaugh II. Für alle, die es sehen, ist der unmittelbarste auffallende Aspekt von Branaugh II der atemberaubende Satz von Ringen um den Planeten; für die meisten endet die Schönheit dort. Die Oberfläche ist eine unnachgiebige Landschaft aus zerklüfteten Felsen, starken Winden und wirbelnden Sturmsystemen. Die planetarischen Vermessungsingenieure waren nicht überzeugt, dass das Terraforming, das erforderlich ist, um die Atmosphäre atmungsaktiv zu machen, auch in der Lage sein würde, die turbulenten Wetterbedingungen zu stabilisieren. Als Tevarin anfing, auf den Planeten zu wandern, übernahmen sie zunächst die Außenposten und Strukturen, die ursprünglich von den UEE Pathfinders zur Erforschung des Planeten genutzt und anschließend verlassen wurden. Als mehr Siedler kamen, beanspruchten die meisten ihre eigene isolierte Ecke des Planeten als ihre eigene, aber einige bauten um diese erste Gruppe von Außenposten herum, um das zu schaffen, was Branaugh II einer Stadt am nächsten liegt. Diese weitläufige Grenzstadt mit dem Namen Ne'er (eine Fehlinterpretation des Cathcart-Slogans 'jetzt'er' für'nirgendwo') hat sich zur wichtigsten Handelsdrehscheibe für den Planeten entwickelt, indem sie Waren und Dienstleistungen mit den Durchreisenden austauscht und den Einheimischen einen Ort zur Versorgung bietet. Branaugh Gürtel Alpha Dieser versetzte Gürtel von Asteroiden stellt den größten Teil des Einkommens des Systems dar. Einwohner und kleinere Bergbauunternehmen gründeten Ausgrabungen über die verschiedenen Asteroiden, um Minen zu bauen und außerhalb des Systems zu handeln. Auch hier kann aufgrund der eingeschränkten Beschaffenheit des Sprungbereichs kein größeres Bergbauunternehmen seine größeren Maschinen einbringen und für unabhängige Betreiber offen halten. Piloten sollten jedoch vorsichtig sein; einige der zurückgezogeneren Tevarin-Siedler, die Branaugh II. für "zu besiedelt" halten, leben im Gürtel. Die meisten Einheimischen werden sogar vermeiden, wenn nötig durch diesen Gürtel zu reisen, da hier jedes Jahr eine Handvoll Schiffe verschwinden sollen. Branaugh Gürtel III Der sich ausbreitende Gasriese, der wegen seiner anhaltenden weltweiten Stürme "Tempest" genannt wird, bietet die andere Einnahmequelle für das System. Die Siedler auf Branaugh II. haben Ernteanlagen eingerichtet, um die Gase des Planeten zu veredeln. REISEWARNUNG Branaugh ist ein nicht beanspruchtes System und unterliegt nicht dem gleichen Sicherheitsniveau wie zivilisierte Systeme. Jeder, der versucht zu besuchen, sollte äußerste Vorsicht walten lassen. IM WIND GEHÖRT "Nach all der Zeit kann ich es nicht glauben. All die Leute, die mir gesagt haben, ich solle einfach aufhören. Dass ich meine Zeit verschwende.... Es ist trotzdem seltsam. Wenn ich jetzt da stehe, wo ich gerade bin, will ich ihre Gesichter nicht damit einreiben. Sag ihnen: "Ich habe es dir ja gesagt. Sie wussten nur nicht, was ich verfolge. Dieses Gefühl hier und jetzt, das machte alle Tiefen wertvoll, aber für mich. Nicht sie. Ich bin froh, ich selbst zu sein." - Letzter Journaleintrag von Theresa Branaugh "Es ist erbärmlich. Mir fiel niemand ein, der dort leben wollte." - Auszug aus Dr. Ellis Vonats Zusammenfassung der Ergebnisse an den Senat-Unterausschuss für Expansion This Galactic Guide originally appeared in Jump Point 5.10. Most people have been to a place where something just felt ‘off.’ You can’t put your finger on it, but there’s something unsettling. It could be a darkly lit street in Prime or the winding canyons of Reis, but either way, it’s the type of place where your flight instincts kick in and tell you to get out. For many, that sensation encapsulates the Branaugh system. While the system has been the subject of many political discussions over the past year, that disturbing, dangerous quality has haunted the system since its discovery in 2877 … and for one explorer, even before that. Born of Blood Desmond Fell always dreamed of charting the stars. Even as a child, growing up near the shipping pads on Lo in Corel system, he not only daydreamed about searching the cosmos to unlock its secrets, but also about getting to experience the varied cultures within the UEE. His ultimate goal, however, was to discover a new solar system. From geology coursework to weekend survival excursions to Castor, Fell dedicated every waking moment to absorbing everything that could potentially help him in his chosen vocation. He graduated from ULON with a shared degree in political discourse and geotechnology, and immediately began working as a surveyor for a mining company, while saving money for his own ship. Desmond toiled for years, never losing sight of his ultimate goal until, in 2872, he stepped aboard the scrappy Aurora that would be his first ship. This newly minted explorer now had a ship, a scanning array, and a dream. The final piece of the puzzle fell into place in 2877. After heading out to the Chronos system to finally have a look at the government’s audacious Synthworld project, he decided to test out some new scanning mods he’d recently acquired. The first ping didn’t register with him. Convinced the anomaly was just bound to the newly installed parts, he ran the sweep again. It pinged again. “Suddenly, my stomach sank to my ankles,” Fell recounted in an interview on Showdown from 2879. “I started to get that rush of excitement, but, for some reason, I didn’t want to move. I was seized with this fear that I was dreaming and moving would wake me up.” But he did. Fell begin to isolate the spacial anomaly to hone in on the exact position and angle needed to access the jump point. “I won’t even comment on how terrifying it was, navigating uncharted interspace,” Fell continued from that same interview. “But when I came out the other side, and my scanners said it was a fresh, untouched system … that feeling’ll stay with me the rest of my life.” After quickly returning to Chronos to stock up on supplies and quantum fuel, he set about charting his discovery. Sailing through the empty system, Fell noted three planets orbiting a K-type main sequence star. Positioned on the edge of the system’s green zone, only the second planet seemed potentially habitable. Fell quantumed towards the planet while prepping his scanners for a full planetary assessment. Pushing through the turbulent atmosphere, he navigated along the rocky terrain. The planet seemed devoid of life, unsurprising considering the storms and heavy winds that continually hammered his small craft. “I’ll admit, I was a little conflicted when I was surveying the planet. Part of me didn’t want to leave. I mean, this would probably be the only time I’d get to experience a planet on my own, so there was definitely excitement, but there was another part that wanted to get the hell out of there. Everything about the place, the weather, the landscape, it just seemed violent.” As he was finishing his sweep, Fell found something that would reinforce the latter instinct. Another ship. Sitting at the top of a massive overlook, it was almost indistinguishable against the swirling particulates in the air. Fell set down nearby and investigated. Although the ship was half buried, it didn’t appear to have crashed; it looked like it had exploded. Closer investigation revealed scorch marks that had the unmistakable look of laser fire. Fell searched the surrounding area and found a small cave. Inside, there was a corpse. An Inauspicious Beginning In a single hour, Desmond Fell submitted a jump point discovery form to the Department of Transportation and Navigation and a report to the Advocacy. While Imperial surveyors were assessing the system, a joint task force of Naval Investigative Division and Advocacy agents from Chronos launched an investigation. Over the next few months, several curious events occurred. The surveyors’ attempts to analyze the system were hampered by the limited size of the jump point into the system. Deprived of their ability to bring in larger transports, they were forced to break down the large equipment into smaller components for cargo runs. In the meantime, the Advocacy was making little headway on their investigation, thanks to the adverse atmospheric conditions destroying any trace evidence. They did manage to identify the body as Theresa Branaugh, an explorer who had been missing for nearly four years. Between interviews with friends and family and the limited data they could extract from her mobiGlas, agents compiled a rough timeline of her movements up to her disappearance. The story that began to unfold was of an explorer, much like Fell, who had dedicated her life to the unknown, but had not found much success in her endeavors. She was deeply in debt and had borrowed from whomever she could in order to keep flying, so when she ultimately disappeared, local authorities at the time suspected that she had run afoul of a loan shark. Now it seemed that Branaugh had found the new system and — while surveying — had come across someone who was using the system as a hideout and died for it. Unfortunately, the Advocacy were unable to find any clues of her killer and her case remains unsolved to this day. Fell was so moved by Branaugh’s tragic fate that he amended his initial application to name the system after her, to honor her discovery. To Claim or Not to Claim The newly minted Branaugh system still had its fair share of problems, though. The small jump point was continuing to make it difficult for the UEE to move any large machinery into the system. Surveyors were busy compiling resource assessments while planetary engineers studied the terraforming prospects of the second planet and the military conducted a strategic analysis. Ultimately, the Pathfinders presented their findings to the Senate subcommittee on Expansion. Among other issues, they determined that the potential resources gleaned from the planets would barely offset the cost and time needed to break down and transport terraforming equipment into the system. The Senate ultimately recommended that the Imperator pass on claiming the system, citing the lack of economic incentives to justify the cost of establishing settlements there. The system was then abandoned. For years, the only visitors were curious explorers, the occasional miner and outlaws looking for a place to lay low. In 2928, an ICC cartographer travelled to the system to perform a series of long-distance scans and discovered something very interesting. The New Inhabitants Since the Tevarin purged themselves of their culture as a response to their loss in the Second Tevarin War, their people seemed aimless and adrift in the UEE. While some tried to embrace the government that offered to assimilate them, a majority of the Tevarin sank into despondency, trading their refined warrior code for bargain enforcer jobs. Many just wanted to be left alone, content to spend their days drinking and fighting. They had been conquered by the UEE, twice. That fact was grudgingly accepted, but it didn’t mean they had to like it. After the UEE officially abandoned Branaugh system, Tevarin began to drift into the system over the course of years. By all accounts, this didn’t seem to be any kind of concerted or organized effort. Branaugh just seemed to represent something that these Tevarin were searching for: an unused, ignored corner of the universe where they could simply be left alone. Despite the completely hostile environment and unbreathable atmosphere, Tevarin and other expatriates have continued to drift to Branaugh II and the nearby asteroid field and make them their home. Branaugh I This small rocky planet is mostly known for its rapid orbit around the system’s star. Branaugh II To all who see it, the most immediate striking aspect of Branaugh II is the stunning set of rings around the planet; to most, that’s where the beauty ends. The surface is an unforgiving landscape of jagged rocks, high winds and churning storm systems. Planetary surveyors were unconvinced that the terraforming needed to make the atmosphere breathable would also be able to stabilize the tumultuous weather patterns. When Tevarin began to migrate to the planet, they initially took over the outposts and structures originally used by the UEE Pathfinders to study the planet and subsequently abandoned. As more settlers arrived, most claimed their own isolated corner of the planet as their own, but some built around this initial cluster of outposts to create the closest thing Branaugh II has to a town. Named Ne’er (a mispronunciation of the Cathcart slang term ‘now’er’ for ‘nowhere’), this sprawling frontier town has become the main trading hub for the planet, exchanging goods and services with those travelling through, as well as providing a place for locals to pick up supplies. Branaugh Belt Alpha This staggered belt of asteroids provides the bulk of the system’s income. Residents and smaller mining operations set up digs on the various asteroids to mine and trade out-of-system. Again, thanks to the restricted nature of the jump point, none of the larger mining companies can get their larger machines in here, keeping it open for independent operators. Pilots should be careful though; several of the more reclusive Tevarin settlers who find Branaugh II ‘too populated’ live in the belt. Most locals will even avoid travelling through this belt if necessary, as a handful ships reportedly vanish here every year. Branaugh III Nicknamed “Tempest” for its continual planetwide storms, this sprawling gas giant offers the other source of income for the system. Settlers on Branaugh II have set up harvesting facilities to refine the planet’s gases. TRAVEL WARNING Branaugh is an unclaimed system and not subject to the same level of security enjoyed by civilized systems. Anyone attempting to visit should exercise extreme caution. HEARD IN THE WIND “After all this time, I can’t believe it. All those people who told me I should just stop. That I’m wasting my time … It’s weird though. Standing where I am right now, I don’t want to rub their faces in this. Tell them ‘I told you so.’ They just didn’t know what I was chasing. This feeling right here, right now, this made all the lows worth it, but for me. Not them. I’m happy to be me.” – Last journal entry of Theresa Branaugh “It’s wretched. I couldn’t think of anyone who would possibly want to live there.” – Excerpt from Dr. Ellis Vonat’s summary of findings to Senate Subcommittee on Expansion Links ----- No links available. Images ------ 5 image/png [ ![](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/u4rylvz9xyeosr/source/Tsb.png) ](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/u4rylvz9xyeosr/source/Tsb.png) Tsb.png [Details](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/4865) Last Modified 9 years ago Size 40.86 KB [Source](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/u4rylvz9xyeosr/source/Tsb.png) [Info](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/4865) image/png [ ![](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/xoh0h57yqhmror/source/TRAVEL_WARNING.png) ](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/xoh0h57yqhmror/source/TRAVEL_WARNING.png) TRAVEL_WARNING.png [Details](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/22318) Last Modified 9 years ago Size 18.25 KB [Source](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/xoh0h57yqhmror/source/TRAVEL_WARNING.png) [Info](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/22318) image/jpeg [ ![](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/2pwue5py4jezlr/source/Branaugh-System-JP.jpg) ](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/2pwue5py4jezlr/source/Branaugh-System-JP.jpg) Branaugh-System-JP.jpg [Details](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/22611) Last Modified 6 years ago Size 4.75 MB [Source](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/media/2pwue5py4jezlr/source/Branaugh-System-JP.jpg) [Info](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/22611) image/jpeg [ ![](https://media.robertsspaceindustries.com/weozjmuuh3hwh/source.jpg) ](https://media.robertsspaceindustries.com/weozjmuuh3hwh/source.jpg) source.jpg [Details](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/26463) Last Modified 6 years ago Size 823.29 KB [Source](https://media.robertsspaceindustries.com/weozjmuuh3hwh/source.jpg) [Info](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/26463) image/jpeg [ ![](https://media.robertsspaceindustries.com/w3o9r4zgppm77/source.jpg) ](https://media.robertsspaceindustries.com/w3o9r4zgppm77/source.jpg) source.jpg [Details](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/27892) Last Modified 4 years ago Size 879.80 KB [Source](https://media.robertsspaceindustries.com/w3o9r4zgppm77/source.jpg) [Info](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/comm-links/images/27892) Metadata -------- CIG ID 17350 Channel Undefined Category Undefined Series News Update Comments 17 Published 6 years ago (2019-11-13T03:00:00+00:00) [RSI Article](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/spectrum-dispatch/17350-Galactic-Guide-Branaugh-System) [API](https://api.star-citizen.wiki/api/comm-links/17350)