Aethel Starport

Overview

The starport controlled by the Federal Republic located in Aethel.

As seen in play (Session 7): a massive hub. Landing pads are union-managed — The Bamboo Union’s ground crews hook up fuel and water on arrival, cargo handlers watch newly-landed ships for kickback opportunities, and the docking fee is fifty credits. Entry to the starport proper runs through weapon scanners that flag lethal arms for confiscation (Six’s blaster went back to the ship; the vibro-axe passed as a tool). Inside, a vast, brightly lit commerce district: clean walkways, duty-free shops from kiosks to multi-level department stores, security in armored suits with heavy robotic sentries. The district ages as it runs toward the far end, where the House of Parts sprawls, and the Aethel Security Checkpoint gates the way into the city proper. The Marshal’s office here is the largest in the sector, and a restricted area holds a federal military base.

As seen in play (Session 9): the starport splits into planetary and federal jurisdictions, and the federal side is Republican territory under federal law. The perimeter between the Aethel City Sewers and the starport is a layered gauntlet of fencing, no man’s land and defensive systems. Beneath the landing platforms lies the Aethel Starport Sub-Level, a restricted industrial space guarded by federal soldiers and Dreadnought battle suits, with secured storage units beyond it (Storage B-342 among them). The area went into lockdown seconds after Shackleton Magellan slipped through a service gate on a false identity.

Points of Interest

• The commerce district — duty-free bazaar; the Bamboo Lounge.
• The far end — the House of Parts and Storage B-342.
• The Aethel Security Checkpoint — starport-to-city gateway.
• The Aethel Office of the Marshal of the Federal Republic — six marshals, sector’s largest.
• Federal Fleet Base Aethel — restricted; Six has a hypothetical strike plan on file in his head, because of course he does.
• The waste infrastructure — landing-bay hoses feeding pipes that converge below and run under the perimeter into the Aethel City Sewers.

Appearances

• Session 7 (Session 07 - The Goodwin Contract) — The Albatross docks; the crew’s first hours on Eris III all happen here.
• Session 8 (Session 08 - A Crappy Plan Comes Together) — The far side of the underground DMZ the crew must cross with Peter Goodwin to reach Storage B-342. Ronin Sanchez stayed aboard The Albatross for the initial scouting.
• Session 9 (Session 09 - Snakes on a Catwalk) — The crew’s tunnel breaks in under the landing platforms (Aethel Starport Sub-Level); Peter Goodwin is delivered at Storage B-342 and handed to Leonard Romeijn; Roselyn Monroe registers The Albatross with a legal federal transponder; The Bamboo Union workers load the hold for the run to Peric IV D. The Sewer Breakout, The Storage B-342 Handoff.