Paradice Moon

The mid 2030 exodus of the elite.

With the general deregulation of FTL space travel, a group of powerful families was free to set a new plan into motion. Although the UN still had nominal control over what star systems could be colonized, their power to enforce matters in distant space was limited.

Thus it was shortly after the 2030 attack on the Earth the cabal turned their speculative ideas into a solid plan. The public face of the venture was a vacation planet for the ultra rich. A habitable moon in the Beta Data system, some 15 LY from Earth was selected. The star was a bright blue giant, the moon in question orbited a gas giant Bata Data D, long with 6 other sizable but uninhabitable moons.

 

The actual plan was more ambitious. The Paradise Moon would be real enough, but it would only be a cover for the main development project that would happen nearby. Although the survey data did not indicate it, Bata Data was actually a binary star system. It had a small red dwarf orbiting out at nearly 1 LY from the main star. An asteroid field around that easily overlooked red star was the focus of the cabal.

The Paradise Moon tourist project got underway in 2032, with the purchase of 4 Outreach class ships, 4 smaller StarWagons and the commission of a specialty built luxury star liner. One Outreach was modified to be a construction platform, while two were max cargo carriers and the last remained in its original configuration. The project proceeded much like most colonization ventures, with a small gateway station and satellite network built before the ground facilities.

 

Work progressed slowly, because half the shipments were being diverted to the secret base site. Care was taken to make things look as normal as possible, with only a hand full of people knowing what was really going on. Work crews were rotated every year and those who did stumble onto the secret met with accidents. Sadly one entire crew was lost, but it was no accident. They were taken to the secret site to work on it. All the time being told this was a special job and that they were being well paid. They were in fact well treated and paid, right up until the tragic disappearance of the ship with all hands. Listed as a hyper space unexplained even, the loss of the ship was noted and the insurance paid for a new ship. (Note; normally starships are not covered by insurance, but this is the elite we are talking about).

Some of the work crew chose slavery over death, and so formed the first group of the slowly growing slave labour force. Although no records were kept, the slave force eventually numbered 300, before they were disposed of when the secret base was complete in 2038. After that, new workers were recruited in a dishonest but legal way.

Paradise Moon opened for business in 2036, the rates were high but anyone was welcome. Most guests came for a few months visit, while a few of the richest families opted to buy “cabins” rather than rent them. As the name implies, this vacation spot was a total luxury experience.

The secret base, on the other hand was very exclusive, only a select few were allowed there.

Paradise Moon is known to have a security force including 4 Percheron patrol craft, and 12 surface based VS-Minni attack craft. The guard staff numbers around 300. What security force the secret location has is unknown.