DOCE Research Facilities
DOCE Research Facilities
In terms of inhabited space, the region called "wild space" is the last area opened officially for exploration. Beyond that lies true and complete wilderness, the ever expansive area called simply the "unknown regions". This region is dangerous, uncharted, and can swallow even the best of scouts alive without a sound. It is among these bizarre and little understood areas which the DOCE has set up shop. It is indeed fitting for a place that wishes for no eyes.
The DOCE itself in fact harbors feelings of respect and fear for this area. They are well aware that even though outside scrutiny is their primary enemy, the prospect of becoming lost, forgotten or simply a victim of mystery is for all intents and purposes equal. For this reason, DOCE is very careful with their installations out there. They have set up a superb system which ensures security both for anti-surveillance and its occupants.
- Advanced Warning Systems
- The Empire has many measures of taking security seriously, and this system is a fine example. A miniscule station about the size of a few landspeeders is placed between the installation and the fringe of known space, roughly a day away from both. It is outfitted with vast sensors which work off a relay net of forward observation satellites and provide warning of any activity well ahead in time to alert. Also on board is a specially encrypted beacon which can only be read by incoming vessels on DOCE duty. This signal is constructed in a completely unique way unlike the regular BoSS (Bureau of Ships and Services) transponder techniques to ensure that it cannot be detected with any regular equipment by chance. The surveillance station is manned by one individual, off a rotating basis from the crew of the Fleet of Patrol and Protection.
- Fleet of Patrol and Protection
- Beyond the advanced warning systems in place, a fleet of vessels patrols the perimeter of the installation region. They work off an ever changing schedule, and are supplied very well to ensure they can sustain extended engagements while waiting a possibly lengthy amount of time before reinforcment is possible. They have direct access to the incoming data from the advanced warning systems, which allows maximum response time to threats. They patrol with orders to eliminate, not investigate, an order not to be trifled with.
- Quarantine Zones
- This is the heart and soul of the installation. The QZ encompasses the system in which the installation is physically located and all immeadiately surrounding and adjacent systems. Travel from the outside of the perimeter is restricted to vessels which carry DOCE-issued delivery orders, and travel from the inside to the outside does not exist. Ships are granted access by the patrolling naval vessels and once in are unloaded of cargo then themselves dismantled for use of their materials. Should a ship, Imperial or not, approach the QZ perimeter without proper delivery orders, the Fleet of Patrol and Protection stands under ongoing order to destroy said vessel without question. Again, this includes Imperial vessels. Finally, the perimeter itself is marked out by surveillance beacons which monitor for any activity and between them probots patrol on a staggered, uneven schedule.
- Communications
- The installation within the QZ is incapable of sending messages over a bandwidth beyond its immeadiate region of space. To communicate reports to the Ubiqtorate committee, a Patrol and Protection vessel moves within the perimeter once every three weeks, close enough to recieve a transmission. If a transmission is not sent within a pre-determined amount of time, the vessel simply moves away and comes again in three weeks. If a transmission is recieved, the vessel personally couriers this transmission to the Core. While travelling there, it is met by a security detatchment of fleet vessels from no less than three different sectors and accompanied to the Core. It delivers the report or supply requisition, awaits and collects any response and returns that response in the same manner. Note that it seems as though the installation could be compromised and not send a transmission for months, and the recieving vessel would never know the difference. This is covered by the fact that also every three weeks, fresh supplies are shipped in by special container modules which are jettisoned by the delivering ship into the QZ. The container module is picked up and consumed by the installation; again, this includes not only the contents but the container for materials.
*An informal map and graphical scheme will be provided soon for the above mentioned topics*
This is an original work by Tim Salam
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