Theev - 2116 The Skull

The highport was constructed by tunnelling into a moonlet, which was given a minimal manoeuvre capability and accelerated into a geostationary orbit. This can only be maintained by occasional course corrections, requiring the drive system be maintained in working order. Without it, The Skull (as this moonlet is known due to its appearance from a distance) would gradually fall into a more stable orbit whose eccentricity might make the port less useful. There is a possibility that the port-orbit might decay to the point where it plunged into Theev’s surface, but this is unlikely on any time frame measured in centuries.
The highport is known by the same nickname as the planetoid it occupies, requiring context to indicate which is being spoken of. Large sections of the tunnel complex are disused, at least officially. Although sealed off by pressure doors and forgotten about these areas are still (mostly) airtight and could be used as storage or even secret living spaces. It is more than likely some are, though any habitation on more than a very small scale would require a self-contained life support system, otherwise the drain on the port’s main system would be obvious and the existence of any secret enclave would be revealed. Life support equipment and power systems are not hard to obtain of course, especially for those willing to take them from starships in acts of piracy.
The functional part of the highport is clean and businesslike, though obviously not new. There is a distinct anti-Imperial slant to the local culture, but not as pronounced as in some other areas. The port’s workers and businesses will happily take Imperial Credits and even apply a veneer of civility to the transaction. There is little to buy or sell much of the time, however, though a number of mercenary forces have offices at the highport and will facilitate trade in small arms and support weapons as a sideline to their business of actually using them.
The port’s shipyard can construct vessels up to 2000 tons or so, but typically specialises in overhauls and repairs of small merchant craft. This is partially a legitimate business – ironically perhaps, many merchant captains will come to Theev to get their ships upgraded or repaired after a pirate attack has damaged them –and partially a front for converting merchant ships to less legal operations. The port can build custom ships, which may be overt corsairs or, more commonly,disguised pirates or smugglers that closely resemble innocent merchants.
The port also does modest business in spares and components, but takes care to only supply obviously stolen parts to those who will not object to having them. The last thing Theev needs is a law-abiding merchant captain telling the authorities where he got his bargain-basement upgraded weapons fit in return for not going to jail.
Law enforcement at The Skull seems very light-touch, at least for those careful not to cause offence. There are few security officers to be seen, and those that are around seem to serve mainly as a point-of-contact or a reminder to obey the rules of civilised behaviour. Often they will do no more than approach people who are being rowdy or acting suspiciously and point out their conduct is verging upon the unacceptable.
Those that do not take the hint are dealt with quietly and efficiently by the Widows, black-robed individuals who typically hand out only one sentence – death. Occasionally a Widow may issue a final warning, but more often an all-or-nothing approach is taken. Offenders are simply killed and dumped out of an airlock or into a recycling station. There is a 'sentences handed out’ update section in the port’s datanet, but often the perpetrator/victim is not identified. The attitude of the port operators is that those who obey the rules are perfectly safe and those too ignorant to figure out what happens if you do not – or too wilfully stupid to keep their noses clean – will get what is coming to them. The end result is a quiet and orderly port, and that is all that matters.
The surface of The Skull has many bunkers housing missile bays and turrets. These are coordinated from heavily fortified control rooms, giving port operators the ability to blast anything that enters local space or tries to proceed to the downport without permission. What happens beyond the immediate environs of the highport is of no concern to the port operators, but they vigorously enforce their control of local space and seem to have missiles to spare.
Some ships are permitted to go directly to the downport, but these must have clearance codes or will be fired upon – often without any attempt to contact them. There is no such thing as a ‘warning shot’ from The Skull either; ships arriving in the vicinity are instructed that they must land at the highport or present a valid clearance code for the downport. As far as the missile gunners are concerned, anyone who does not take the hint is fair game.
Clearance to visit the downport is rarely given to ships belonging to outsiders, and individuals who request it will find themselves stalled for some time. It is possible to get clearance to go planetside, especially if the new arrival knows the system or has contacts, but outsiders are discouraged from visiting the planetary surface by a combination of bureaucracy and offers to sort out whatever business they have by proxy.

Type

Orbital, Station