Methallax Prime
Located between the fifth and sixth planet in the Thallax System, the Methallax Asteroid field is replete with useful minerals, composites, and industrial and organic gases. To take advantage of that, members of the Gethan Alliance jointly decided to fund the building of orbital facilities in that area of space. The first, and for now, largest of these is known as Methallax Prime. Built around a concept of rotating sections to control specific areas for specific gravities, as well as huge balloon-like zero-gee manufacturing sites, the station is a sight to behold. Fully one-third of all Gethan Exoframe component manufacturing happens in Methallax stations, and perhaps as much as ten percent, occur on 'Prime', although the exact figures are classified. The zero-gee manufacturing sites are removable, and attach to different areas of the station to fill different warehouse containers. Apocryphal reports even hint that the station itself is modular enough to change shape, due to orbital conditions, and should be considered 'mobile' enough to enter planetary orbits, having done so around the fifth and sixth planets, at different occasions, but especially during a rare time of convergence(pictured above, after the fifth battle of Corax)."Sruk!" "At ease, what do you have for me Unkil?" "We are in range of their production facilities, as you ordered Sruk!" "And the system is clear, Unkil?" "Our instruments show no clear sign of any ships, but the interference..." "Ah, an important distinction. You will be an officer, someday, perhaps Unkil, how would you suggest I proceed?" "Mount a diversion." The revulsion in his voice was clear. "Make them commit what defenses they have, then strike." "Too simple, but your thoughts are in the right direction." "I don't understand..." "Their response to a single diversion doesn't have to be their entire force... So you make a probing attack, then a second attack, looking like the first was a diversion... They commit, to either, and you spear them with the main force."
"Starbrand Soshitan, Sir!" "Yes, Underofficer?" "Multiple signatures inbound. Warhawk-class, Tomahawk-class and Thunderbird-class warships in halo cloud." "How much?" "The interference cuts both ways Sir, they can't see us, and we can't count them properly." "Patch me to the station, I need to order the deployment of the class six drones."
Purpose / Function
To produce, in a controlled-gravity environment, exoframe and warship parts for the Gethan alliance.
Alterations
The original building was always meant to be modular, with sections replaced for wear. What was discovered early in its lifetime, was that replacing warehouse sections who were filled with finished product, and transporting that, was much more efficient than any transshipping system. After this discovery, the operation of the station changed, with 'shifts' coming to mean the filling of different sections, and their shipping to and from the station.
Architecture
Build around a 200km radius "ring" of fusion power generation, all but "dragging", for lack of a better term, either a blackwater drydock section, or removable warehousing sections that add themselves and detach, allowing visiting transport ships to scoop up manufactured sections, if necessary. The Gethan Alliance is famous for devising a specific module which houses parts to assemble a complete 0096-Reinforced Group of 96 exoframes, with support equipment, and can be orbit-dropped. The caveat with orbit-dropping's precision has been documented elsewhere, but when it works, orbit-dropping a Group's equipment sthealthily, and having the troops meet it covertly, can make for a splending ambush.
Defenses
Every hundred meters of the structure claims point-defenses, but it is without offensive capability of its own.
The fabrication capability of the station lets it create "recon drones" on the fly.
Often several warships 'loiter' in the asteroid belt, nearby, hidden by the sensor shadows, ready to defend the industrial pride of the alliance.
Tourism
Some wealthy space-qualified last-year engineering students make a pilgrimage to the outer ring, looking down on the industrial capacity as a ritual to gain a sense of perspective on large-scale projects, but given the expenses and risks, it's hardly a mass-movement.
Founding Date
7-6-2296
Type
Orbital, Shipyard
Parent Location
Ruling/Owning Rank
Comments