DISTANCE: 4.3 light years from Sol
NEIGHBORING SYSTEMS: Sirius 9.5 lys Epsilon Eridani 12.6 lys Procyon 13 lys
ALPHA CENTAURI is a trinary star system made up of a yellow-orange primary, an orange-red secondary star, and a very cool and dim red dwarf.
Alpha Centauri A has four planets in orbit and a dense asteroid field which is believed to be the remnants of worlds that were ripped apart by gravitational forces early in their development.
Alpha Centauri B has five planets in orbit and an asteroid field of its own which consists of large rocky debris and icy material.
Proxima Centauri, is located roughly a fifth of a light year from the AB binary pair and has a total of six planets in orbit.
All three stars were likely formed from the same nebula due to their similar elemental compositions. Metallicity levels are over twice that of Sol and the entire region is rich in Neronium ore.
KENTAURUS PRIME is the second planet in orbit around the primary star, Alpha Centauri A. This world has an abundance of sources of water which includes vast oceans that cover 70 percent of its entire surface, numerous lakes and rivers, and two large ice caps at the poles. The three major continents consist primarily of dense, perennial forests, snow-covered mountain ranges, and fertile grasslands. Seasonal changes are relatively similar to Earth’s, yet the overall surface temperature is slightly cooler than the Human homeworld. Gravity on Kentaurus Prime is 0.9 Gs and the oxygen content in the atmosphere is slightly higher due to the great expanses of forests and trees. This planet also has two small moons named Chiron and Dionysus.
Although there is no evidence that any sentient life has ever evolved here, there are a large variety of mammals, enormous soaring birds, and a multitude of aquatic species as well.
Colonized in 2133 by Bourne Industries, Kentaurus Prime became the first planet outside of the Sol system to be permanently settled by Humans. The colonists who were chosen for this mission were considered to be among the very best that humanity had to offer. Selected for their intelligence, physical health, and psychological stability; these individuals were at the top of their fields and included scientists, doctors, teachers, engineers, contractors, and agriculturalists.
Over the next few decades, an average of 36,000 new colonists immigrated to this world each year. This number increased exponentially when QUAD engines were developed, which made interstellar travel much more accessible for the average individual. According to the census of Kentaurus Prime in 2233, over 9 million people were listed as inhabitants of this world. This population is almost entirely confined to the metropolitan areas with only a small number of individuals making their homes in the undeveloped fringes of society. The three major cities are Knossos; the first settlement established on the coast of the Delphinus ocean, Thrace; a large agricultural community located within the forests of Denlock, and Whitecliff; which is situated in the mountainous region south of the Kresayrian Alps.
The inhabitants of Kentaurus Prime are often described as aristocratic, arrogant, and extremely self-confident. This confidence is not entirely undeserved due to the fact that the original colonists were selected from an elite list of candidates and were the first to colonize another star system. Their descendants are a passionate people with a predilection for the liberal arts. Their cities are highly recognized for their classically designed architecture and their scientists have developed advanced genetic technology that has made many physical ailments and disorders a thing of the past. However, much of their success and achievements has led to an almost obsessive need for perfection.
TOLIMAN GAMMA is the third planet in orbit around the secondary star, Alpha Centauri B. This world exhibits a variety of habitats that range from subtropical jungles along the coastlines to semi-arid grasslands in the middle of the major continents; with extensive rocky mountain ranges scattered in between. Oceans cover approximately 45 percent of the entire surface with several lakes and interconnecting rivers as well. Due to the planet having only a minor axial tilt, seasonal changes are relatively moderate and overall temperatures are slightly warmer than Earth. Toliman Gamma also has one large moon named Grendel.
As the second planet in this trinary system to support life; a wide-range of both flora and fauna has evolved here including reptiles, large flightless birds, and a variety of mammals and insects.
Established in 2136 as Bourne Industries’ second interstellar colony, Toliman Gamma was initially founded as a base of operations for the corporation’s private security forces. Strict new policies were implemented that designated this world as a mandatory checkpoint for the entire trinary system. Any vessels entering or leaving the system were now subject to random inspections. In addition, they became responsible for overseeing immigration procedures, imports and exports, ship construction, and even ore processing. After the completion of the Ithaca orbiting shipyard in 2160, Bourne Industries became the leading corporation in the construction of large interstellar transports. The Centauri Research Institute was established here as well, along with The Citadel; the official headquarters and training center for The Sentinels. However, the majority of the individuals who eventually colonized this world were civilians who were vital in creating a working community with independently run businesses in an otherwise militarized environment.
According to the official census in 2233, over 11 million people were listed as inhabitants of Toliman Gamma. The majority of the population resides within the borders of three urbanized city-states. New Sparta, situated on the southeastern coastline of the Leonidas Sea, is the location of their chief military installation with local businesses run by civilians. Carthage, located on the subtropical coastline of the Agora Ocean, has become the commercial center for visiting merchants and supply ships. Scattered across the eastern plains are nearly a dozen interconnected industrial communities. Referred to as the Fortuna Collective, these settlements host the primary ore processing refineries for this adjacent planetary system.
Most of the visitors to this world are merchants and freighter crews who only remain long enough to complete their business transactions. Because of this, the colonists are typically hesitant to develop close bonds with off-worlders. Added to the already heightened level of system-wide security, the inhabitants of Toliman Gamma are generally very suspicious of strangers and are often described as brash and uncompromising.
GERYON is the third planet in orbit around the small red dwarf, Proxima Centauri. This planet is a large gas giant which is nearly two-thirds the size of Jupiter. Made up primarily of hydrogen, helium, and ammonia; it has a rocky core of heavier elements, yet lacks a well-defined solid surface. Geryon has a massive internal heat source and radiates almost as much thermal energy as it receives from its sun. This world is surrounded by a lethal halo of charged radioactive particles which is intensified by the star’s frequent flare eruptions. This gas giant also has a total number of 24 moons.
Encephides, the largest of Geryon’s moons, has a dense, rocky surface with a thin atmosphere made up mostly of ammonia. Although no indigenous lifeforms can be found here, this moon has nearly the same mass as Earth and contains the largest quantities of Neronium in the entire trinary system. This factor led to the final decision of building a permanent enclosed colony on its surface rather than constructing an orbiting station in space.
In 2140, Bourne Industries established a permanent settlement on Encephides making it the third colony in this trinary system. The original group of colonists consisted mostly of engineers and registered Free Workers who were highly experienced in off-world mining operations. Within four months, they had constructed a functional mining facility along with enclosed residential units and had already extracted a greater amount of raw metal ore than either of the other two colonies had in seven years. This led to them expanding their operations even further and hiring an ever-growing number of new workers. Although the colonists have developed several highly productive hydroponic gardens for growing a variety of fruits and vegetables, they must rely heavily on Toliman Gamma as a source for much of their food and supplies. Provisions shipped from Kentaurus Prime are often considered delicacies and are typically very expensive. Most of the basic necessities that are imported from their sister colonies are paid for in shipments of unprocessed ore.
According to the official census of Encephides in 2233, approximately 750,000 colonists have made this large moon their home. The inhabitants are known for their obsessive-compulsive and eccentric behavior and often come across as unpredictably intense. They take their work very seriously because, for them, the survival of their colony depends on it. However, over the years, wide-spread stimulant use has risen to epidemic proportions and many sociologists believe that the colonists have gradually become completely dependent on these highly addictive drugs.
In less than a century, the colonies of Alpha Centauri have become the most wealthy and influential of all the Human settlements outside of Sol. Founded by Bourne Industries, which was one of the original members of the United Earth Conglomerate (UEC), the first group of colonists was well-accustomed to operating under an administrative Corporatocracy. Yet, as growing numbers of individuals immigrated to this trinary system, a variety of social and economic changes began to develop.
The Centaurans, as the colonists eventually came to call themselves, had initially instituted a socialistic caste structure in an attempt to maintain some level of hierarchy among its people. Determined to remain true to their original vision of creating a society comprised of the best that humanity had to offer, strict requirements were established for individuals to gain full citizenship. Registered “citizens” were given priority to obtain high-level jobs, vote in public forums, and even serve on the colonial council. In the beginning, this status was only granted to the original colonists and their descendants, as well as to ranking officers of their security forces. However, these restrictive conditions eventually became nearly detrimental to their overall society as the non-citizen immigrants quickly began to outnumber the citizens themselves.
Following the revolt of the Synthoids in 2157, the colonial council amended its previous conditions by offering guaranteed citizenship to any individual who served in the Centauri Military for a minimum of four years. This decision proved to be advantageous for the Centaurans as their navy and armed forces were only second to Earth by the time the war with the Zendathu began. Yet even with the additional security provided by the highly-trained Sentinels, their colonies suffered far more losses than any other system.
After the war, many of Earth’s colonies became increasingly frustrated with the UEC’s blatant abuse of authority. Having cultivated a long-standing business relationship with the colonists in the Sirius system, the colonial council of Alpha Centauri, along with their sister colonies of Procyon and Groombridge 1618, officially announced their independence from Earth in 2197 and merged together to form the Centauri Union. This new union of systems, not only combined each of their executive functions, but also made widespread policy changes to reduce the restrictions for gaining full citizenship.
The Centaurans have developed a very amicable rapport with the people of 61 Cygni. From the beginning, they implemented an open trade agreement with them and were eager to offer their advice and experiences on colonizing a new world. They also have a great fondness for the colonists in the Tau Ceti system and generally view them as their “unrefined” younger siblings. They often refer to them in an amused manner as the “cowboys of the galaxy”, but are genuinely fascinated by their resilience and determination. To this day, most Centaurans maintain an air of superiority when dealing with others, but this is normally tempered by their compassion, sense of honor, and their desire for justice.