ACF Sigrid
Sigrid Comms and Trading Post
The ACF Sigrid, also called the Sigrid Comms and Trading Post, or just Sigrid, is a joint Arshan-Sionian controlled border station along the United Arshanov Socialist Federation and Stellar Republic Accord of Sion border. Sigrid sits in a fixed-point of space, near the Tsar Kovna Nebula. The station holds a population large enough to consider itself a small city, and has undergone several upgrade and expansion projects throughout its lifetime. Due to the station's position along the Arshanov-Sionese border, residents are commonly able to speak both Arshkiy and Syntari, sometimes being fully fluent in both.
Demographics
- 57% Arshanov
- 23% Mixed
- 17% Sionese
- 3% Solusian
Sigrid's population is entirely Human, and primarily consists of about 57% Arshanov, 17% Sionianese, 23% mixed culture, and 3% Solusian. Delta border patrol fleets, Zulu security forces, and logistical personnel from the Foreign Sector's Trade Branch and Kilo make up a good portion of the Arshanov population. However, a vast majority of Arshans are non-active service and most of the Sionese are civilians whom work aboard and service the station and any vessels docked with it. The most common professions found in Sigrid are related to engineering, hydroponics, and sports, with a small percentage of jobs in tourism due to the nearby Tsar Kovna Nebula.
Government
Being a joint-owned station, Sigrid is subject to both Arshanov regulations and Sionese laws from the Katar region. This has led to a somewhat unique adaptation of the Arshanov communist economy and strict regulations on trade and personnel assignment mixed with Katar's capitalist concept of a 'free and open market' - Arshans find themselves with more economical freedom than they're used to, while Sionese are expected to comply with certain regulations that don't exist elsewhere in Katar. Republic taxes apply to transactions involving Sionese citizens, including Sionese buying from or selling to Arshans.
Standard Sionese credits are used as the primary currency in Sigrid; No Arshanov currency is used, as the Federation lacks any form of internal currency. Trade between Arshans and Sionese does utilize credits, but Sionese are also typically willing to accept goods and supplies instead in a barter-like system.
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Outfitted with a number of hydroponics and agricultural modules, Sigrid grows various different fruits and vegetables of both Arshanov and Sionese origin, as well as some livestock. Most of these agricultural modules are tended to by Kilo personnel, with assistance from Sionese where Sionese crops and livestock are grown. In the United Arshanov Federation, Sigrid is designated primarily as a trading port with Katar, and a food source for the Internal Sector. This has resulted in the station producing a surplus of crops and livestock, which is distributed evenly between Katar and the Federation as part of the joint-ownership agreement.
Docking Ring
The station is also outfitted with a large number of docking bays, ports, and hangers where ships from both sides of the border come to conduct trade and official business, receive repairs and maintainence, prepare for a racing event, or just relax. Due to the nature of Arshanov economics and culture, Arshanov citizens are allowed free passage and maintainence through most docking ports, while non-government sponsored Sionese citizens are required a fee or trade in exchange for these services. Repair work is handled by various personnel of both Sionese and Arshanov sourcing, with these groups typically splitting the work based on what type of vessel is being serviced.
Space Racing Courses
As part of a recent contract with the Katarian Space Racing League, the Sionese government has permitted the construction of racing courses. Regions of open space near the station have been sectioned off and dedicated to racing events, complete with navigational buoys to denote travel paths for more technical races and observation platforms for spectators. There are currently two main courses present at Sigrid: The Lyyra Circuit focusing on sharp angles and technical maneuvers, and the Sigrid 500 with a focus on speed and long stretches.
Public Transit
A network of elevated public transit lines runs through Sigrid's civilian sectors. This transit network consists of 8 lines connecting directly between the Military District and Docking Ring, along the dividing lines between civilian districts, as well as an inner, central, and outer transit ring. The inner ring loops around the Military District, connecting each access gate. The outer ring loops around the Docking Ring and connects each airlock. The central ring connects central stations along each of the eight lines between the inner and outer lines.
Districts
The station is divided into three main ring sections, each separated by a thick bulkhead and security-manned airlocks. The outermost district is the Docking Ring, housing a combination of docking bays for large vessels, and hangar bays for smaller craft. The core of the station is designated the Military District, where active duty Arshan personnel reside and perform a majority of their duties. The station's Command & Information Center, or CIC, is also found within this district alongside other military infrastructure. The civilian, commercial, and hydroponics districts alternate around the central core of the station. These are divided by transit lines that connect the Military District to the Docking Ring and provide access for civilians and workers to the station's public transit system.
Sion-Katar Bloc District
One of two residential districts in the ACF Sigrid is officially known as the Sion-Katar Bloc district. This part of the city primarily houses Republic residents in Arshanov utilitarian styled structures decorated in the colorful Sionese culture. The neighboring West Market Commercial District, while officially a separate sector, is in practice part of the Sion-Katar district. While structures here, still built in the Arshanov style, are designed for offices and commercial businesses utilized by the Republic, the overall appearance and style is indistinguishable from the Republic residences. Even the Republic governor managing their citizens aboard the station refers to the residential and commercial sectors here as a single district. Arshans, loving their acronyms, tend to refer to this as the SKB Bloc (sic).
Arshanov Bloc District
Located opposite the Sion-Katar district, the Arshanov Bloc District is primarily populated by the city's Arshanov population. The residential blocks here maintain their mostly undecorated and uncolored utilitarian black and gray styles, though color still pops where used as guides through the district. As you near the neighboring East Market Commercial District, however, the cityscape starts to turn more Sionese in influence - Many of the Republic citizens that run businesses out of the East Market take residence in the neighboring Arshanov Bloc, and have decorated their neighborhoods accordingly.
Defences
As part of of the joint-ownership agreement, defence of the station and military presence is handled entirely by the United Arshanov Federation. Garrisons at Sigrid are filled by both Delta and Zulu personnel.
Zulu Security Forces
Main article: Yellow Shield
Internal security is handled by Zulu Yellow Shield teams. These teams handle local law enforcement, internal security, escort services, and even have a designated Holocombat team for sporting events on Sigrid. Yellow Shield regularly runs training excercises throughout the station, which became the original inspiration for the Katarian-invented holocombat sport.
Delta Garrison
Main article: BPT-KTR Sigrid
Protection of the station from the outside is covered by a garrisoned fleet of Delta ships. This fleet, designated 'BPT-KTR Sigrid' or simply 'Sigrid Border Patrol', is under the direct command of ACF Sigrid. Consisting of the standard Border-Patrol Group configuration, the fleet fields a destroyer, two flak frigates, and two missile frigates. Several wings of strike, transport, and interceptor craft are also based out of Sigrid's hangar bays.
History
The ACF Sigrid was originally built as the command post for the UASF's border patrol fleet situated along the Sionese border. Due to peaceful relations with the Republic, the garrison was only ever lightly fortified and primarily existed as a communication and trading point between the two factions. As time went on, and the station's workforce grew and became a population, the ACF Sigrid was re-designated as the Sigrid Comms and Trading Post and re-branded as a primarily 'civilian' city by the UASF. Now, the station is controlled under an agreement of 'joint-ownership' between the Arshanov and Sionese governments and is a melting pot of both cultures.
Geography
Sigrid is located within deep space, near the Tsar Kovna Nebula. Due to this location, 'space-weather' phenomena are rare to non-existent. The station is situated along the Arshanov-Sionese border, connected to the Katar region of the Republic of Sion's territory. The nearby nebula serves as a tourist attraction for Sionese, while the open space surrounding the station provides plenty of room for expansion and construction of racing courses.
Extended
This article is part of the Extended Lore series. These articles exist to provide extra background information on various aspects of Galaxies End but are typically not the core focus of any RPG modules or writings, whether released or planned for the future.
Table of Contents
9,236 active duty
14,446 civilian
Command Group
- 5-2 COL Kester Romanov (Station Commander)
- 5-1 JCL Cheyenne Gniewek (Station Sub-Commander)
ACF Sigrid Navigational Map
An abstracted navigational map of the ACF Sigrid. This map highlights the various districts and the primary transit lines that loop around the station.
A very thought out and detailed article! Did rebranding the station have any effect on the bilateral relationship between the United Arshan Federation and the Republic of Sion? How well do the inhabitants cope with the differences in law, especially the Sionians who face stricter regulations?
The rebranding itself didn't really have much effect on their relationship - It was the joint-ownership agreement and the station's usage as a trading post, then a bi-cultural city that really helped to cement the bond between the Republic and the Federation. As a fun fact, despite the station officially being named 'Sigrid Comms and Trading Post', many Arshans still just call it the 'ACF Sigrid'.
The differences in law, Arshans are probably handling it a lot better than the Sionians. The less strict regulations they've found helpful when dealing with Sionians, but otherwise, most Arshans stick to following what laws and procedures they've known throughout the Federation. On the Sionian side of things, dealings with the Arshans already have a reputation of being a 'paperwork simulator' but that's something they've gotten used to over the centuries the two cultures have known eachother. Those who live in Sigrid have gotten more used to it, as well, to a point where they still follow these regulations when dealing with other Sionians on the Katarian side of the border, which is typically responded to with jokes.