Strategic Location: Within the area controlled by the
Chakh Empire, near the Yaeger border.
Temperature: 142% standard.
Atmosphere: Thin, with lower than average percentages
of water vapor.
Hydrosphere: 12% of the surface of Alkanath is covered
in water, 90% of which has a salinity between 15% and 19%.
Gravity: 119% standard.
Terrain: Large regions of open desert, desiccated
canyons, and badlands.
Mineral Resources: Substantial reserves of sapphire and
other corundum gems, vast seas of quartz and feldspar sands.
Length of Day: 45 standard hours.
Length of Year: 120 local days.
Sapient Species: The deep desert dwelling, rodentlike
Kirut, and the badlands haunting, saurian Khamchur.
Capital City: Markuith'Dij is the largest facility on
the planet, and the headquarters of Lieutenant General Eth'Ithmar,
the commander in charge of the operations of the world.
Other Cities: There are several other major
facilities on Alkanath, including Th'inkrin and Rhal'ajir.
Starport: Markuith'Dij has a planetary class port,
and there are six standard class ports elsewhere on the planet.
Population (within +/- 1%): 451,029 native,
12,394,330 aliens, mostly Chakh races, though some human and other
advisors are present.
Government: Chakh Military.
Tech Level: Medium space.
Major Exports: None.
Major Imports: Military personnel, equipment, and
supplies.
System: Rhiutian
Star: Rhiut
Name
Planet Type
Moons
Druim
Scalding Rock
0
Alkanath
Desert World
1
Rilardrui
Airless Rock
3
Ardeth'Atre
Gas Giant
15
Ebruth
Gas Giant
11
Erthu'Arkoth
Frigid Rock
4
System Capsule:
Druim: Too hot even for Ethcroi
tastes, Druim is home to a few mining ventures of a temporary
nature.
Alkanath: See below.
Rilardrui: To small and light to hold a substantial
atmosphere, even at it's ideal distance from Rhuit, Rilardrui is an
inconsequential world.
Ardeth'Atre: A large and dark world, Ardeth'Atre is
incredibly hot, and is just short of reaching stellar size.
Ebruth: Almost as large as Ardeth'Atre, but less dense and
hot, two of the moons of Ebruth support life.
Erthu'Arkoth: The home of the system defense fleet, and
whatever additional forces the High Command can spare, the outlying
Erthu'Arkoth is almost as heavily developed as Alkanath.
Planetary Capsule:
Flora and fauna: Despite it's arid nature, Alkanath is
home to a surprisingly wide array of life forms. From the deep
rooting Creminar of the silt seas, to the whitethorn scrubs of the
badlands, the flora of Alkanath is varied and more widespread than
one might expect. And the fauna of Alkanath is equally unusual and
prolific. Vast herds of Thob, a Bantha variant, roam the wastes,
and the meter long Krell, a rodentine scavenger can be found across
the world, particularly in the company of the Kirut, who use them
as pack animals, mounts, and as food.
The inhospitability of the world forces it's ecosystems to
balance very delicately, and the increasing military presence has
caused imbalances and extinctions around virtually every base, and
if changes are not made, an environmental catastrophe may very well
result. One product of the alien presence is the burst of growth
in the yellow sandfly, an annoying biting insect which can act as
a vector for any number of diseases. Most of the native species
have defence mechanisms, which keep the sandfly from feeding to
often, but Krants have no such mechanisms,
and Krant barracks often swarm with the pests.
Sentient Species: The small, agile, nocturnal Kirut are
dwellers of the deep desert. Nomadic omnivores, Kirut are a very
shy race, and until recently, there was no hard evidence of their
existence.
The humanoid saurian Kamchur build small adobe villages in the
most isolated badlands regions. A powerful, warlike race, Kamchur
bands have been known to attack Chakh emplacements, and have been
stealing modern weapons from those military encampments.
History: Located near the Yaeger border, Alkanath was
claimed by the Empire, and then later released into Krant control.
When the Krants joined the Chakh Empire, the Ethcroi were attracted
to Alkanath for it's climate, which is somewhat similar to Chakh,
and for it's strategic value.
The decision to concentrate forces on Alkanath was soon made.
If the Yaeger would attack along the Chakh border, Alkanath would
be a strong point in the border's defence, and the ground forces on
Alkanath would be transferred to any point along the line where
they were needed. When the Yaeger did not attack, buildup on
Alkanath continued, in preparation for an eventual attack on Yaeger
space.
Prefab barracks and temporary weapon emplacements and shield
generators have been replaced by somewhat more permanent
facilities, and plans for a large permanent staging ground and
command facility near Rhal'ajir are being considered, to replace
the less substantial facilities of Markuith'Dij. The Yaeger are
somewhat concerned about the buildup on Alkanath, and are planing
sending Kommando units in to contact the natives and begin an
insurgency campaign, coupled with raids on supply shipping to
Alkanath by naval vessels flying pirate colors.