Shackleton
Role: Lithium extraction, strategic port
Circumference: 11,270 miles
Population: 190,000
Orbital Path: Fourth
Rotational Period (days): 1.37
Orbital Period (days): 541
Primary Function: Mining, strategic port.
Retention Index: 3
A small world beyond the edge of civilised space. The people of Shackleton are hardened frontiersmen who provide the last safe harbour on the edge of the Skinnie Quarantine Zone, and are known for their stark sense of justice and isolation.
Characterised by sweeping, uninhabited landmasses and dense woodlands, Shackleton is known to bare a striking resemblance to the wilderness of old Earth. With sparse population centres concentrated in only a few cities, it is easy to become lost upon this world.
In spite of the dangers native to Shackleton from megafauna to uncharted wilderness, many colonists who discover a livelihood upon this planet stake out their own claims within the unknown, and fringe areas of the planet which are hotly contested by Shackleton’s local governments.
History
Seeded with Earth flora, and fauna, the colonisation of Shackleton was an endeavour initially declared abandoned following the discovery of the Skinnies race, which left the recently terraformed planet unoccupied. Various refugee groups, however, soon fleeing Skinnie raids on nearby worlds would find asylum upon the untouched Shackleton, forming the majority of the various nomadic bands, and ‘free republics’ that now dot the planet’s interior and hypothesised planet’s population.
Finding then, upon Shackleton vast reserves of lithium salts that the planet was host to, the fledgling colony of Shackleton would find itself an object of interest to the strategic analysts of SICON. Known soon to have successfully repelled Skinnie raids, often at great pyrrhic cost, Shackleton was once more considered a candidate for colonisation, and granted recognition of nationhood within the Federation.
With Shackleton’s proximity to the Skinnie Quarantine Zone noted, and fears of increasing Skinnie hostility aired, the resumption of colonisation focused upon building the Federation’s defensive connectivity and logistical range. Having argued that these facilities were more easily protected on Shackleton’s surface, than on an asteroid or moon, the Federation authorised colonisation to be conducted in three separate regions of the Pangea’s coastline.
These would become the chief townships, or nations of Shackleton. Kamloops, Nova Cadiz, and Al Khiba. It has however been noted by contemporary analysts that despite colonisation having begun within official capacity two generations ago, much of Shackleton remains underpopulated or without stringent Federation control, with much of the interior and national borders still hotly contested by self-governing nomadic bands.
Laws and Government
The de-jure capital of Shackleton is considered to be Kamloops. However, much of Shackleton’s three nations remain self-governing with their own councils, and courts and maintain only middling diplomatic relations with each other. This goes equally for the interior of Shackleton, with the many various nomadic bands, and ‘free republics’ found within the planet’s wilderness.
Kamloops, led by the Kamloops Federal Council is a nation which appears outwardly democratic; though to some, this is not the truth. Allegedly as manipulated as the republics beyond Kamloops’ walls, the Officer Corps of the local Planetary Defence Force takes an active part in the governance of Kamloops with some of the more cynical residents referring to the local commander, a former intelligence officer, as ‘President Moore’.
Kamloops, for much of its short history has directly intervened within the politics of the local, and unrecognised ‘free republics’ of Shackleton, forcing them into conflict in order to ensure that no group gains advantage over itself, or its neighbours. To some, this is how Shackleton’s Planetary Defence Force, stationed within Kamloops has gained its questionable reputation, and purported influence, which at times has created significant tension with the other nations of Shackleton. Nova Cadiz, and the Nova Cadiz Parliament is a nation whose chief concern has largely remained the extraction of the extensive lithium salts that fall within much of Cadiz’ recognised territories. There are notably few amiable connections between the ‘free republics’ of Shackleton, and that of Cadiz, with much of the nation’s far-reaching borders often contested and raided to a much larger degree compared to Cadiz’ neighbours.
Many of Nova Cadiz’ mines have under recent times been acquired by the AT&T Corporation, and ISK-LIT Manufacturing Group; and whilst there is a significant local holdout, growing interest from these corporations within the politics of Nova Cadiz have left many feeling dissatisfied. Among this, the Cadiz’ Mineworkers Union, headed by Vincente Fraile have perhaps been the most outspoken, having called into question the recent rulings of the Nova Cadiz Commerce Board, and Nova Cadiz Parliament. This has often led to civil strife within Cadiz’ society with many lithium fields, including the Salar de Aves, or Shackleton’s largest lithium field, occasionally being left unoperated for months at a time
Al Khiba, to some, is the most uncivilised township of Shackleton’s three. Led by the Al Khiba Consultative Assembly, an elected body of local elders and scholars; the nation of Al Khiba seeks non-belligerence and cooperation with its neighbours and ‘free republics’, which it trades richly with, with manufactured goods, specialist training and alleged backdealing.
Known to official figures to have only a population circulating 30,000. Small, and with questionable role within much of Shackleton’s greater society, the township of Shackleton is said to be able to afford a level of freedom few would expect. Few eyes are found within Shackleton, with some locals even granting the city the reputation of the ‘most egalitarian city within the Federation’, where business is without consequence and questions won’t be raised.
With this then, the township of Al Khiba has earned the reputation as a smuggling hive. Although there may be truth to this, the truth is simply that Al Khiba is a good host; whose people are unassuming of each person’s past. Regardless, the people of Al Khiba do face issues all the same, with the township and borders bearing much of the brunt of Skinnie raids when they occur, largely due to the township’s distance from the planetary garrison found within Kamloops.
Throughout Shackleton, displays of frontier justice are found as the norm. To many who inhabit the planet, it matters little whether one has citizenship or not when the closest police station is a week away.
Economy
Raids by both Skinnies, and the nomadic bands of the planet’s interior make the economic exploitation of Shackleton’s natural resources largely costly, and often nigh an impossibility.
Few goods are exported from the colony, save from the vast reserves and deposits found within the township, and nation of Cadiz. Thought of with little economic importance to the Federation, the planet serves with an often understated strategic position within SICON’s strategy, with many of Kamloop’s fleet facilities, and dockbases serving as last refuge to a great many of fleets which patrol the border of the Skinnie Quarantine Zone.
Beyond the city walls, most people exist nomadically, living off the land in the vast pine forest and glacial valleys of the Pangea. Only a handful of permanent settlements exist in this region, under constant threat from locals, or Skinnies left behind from unsuccessful raids.
Points of Interest
Owing to the foundation of the three nations, and townships by their homogenous ethnic groups, it would be a challenge to classify the people of Kamloops, Al Khiba and Cadiz as anything besides separate.
Distinctively having been colonised by those of the Anglosphere, Kamloops contains the only star-port of Shackleton. Even to call such a ‘star-port’ would be an overstatement, with many disputing the town’s claim. Still, however, it does provide a vital function for Shackleton’s interorbital transit.
Founded by those of Spanish-speaking inheritance, much of Cadiz’ cultural background is drawn from the Andes of old Earth. Cadiz projects much influence over several salt flats, whereupon it extracts a great bounty of lithium which Shackleton is occasionally renowned for.
Many who came and settled upon Al Khiba are those of Maghrebi Arabs. And though Al Khiba’s colonisation was initially organised by the Federation Colonisation Commission, much of the township’s politics have since deviated from the norm. Al Khiba is known, though underhandedly for its lax interpretations of Federal law, and often blurs the line between civilian and citizen. To much contest of the Al Khiba Consultative Assembly, the nation of Al Khiba maintains a questionable reputation as a smuggler’s port.
Much of Shackleton’s interior and wilderness, otherwise considered uncharted by Federation officials, is inhabited by fringe national entities and ‘free republics’ which dispute both governance of the Federation, and those of Shackleton’s chief townships. Unrecognised, and with constantly shifting politics, these ‘free republics’ are often played against the other by nations of Shackleton. Rumoured even, it is said that within the uncharted wilderness of Shackleton, lost tribes of Skinnies stranded, or otherwise, may be found.
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