Rice Papers
RICE Paper: Kubishush/Inar
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Date: Tue, 26 Sep 1995 12:24:06 -0700
From: Christopher_Griffen@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
Subject: RICE Paper: Kubishush/Inar
Another in the Vincennes Cluster of worlds, Deneb Sector. Comments,
criticism, is invited.
RICE Paper #DB-0917: Kubishush System
Kubishush (Inar: Deneb/0917)
B8B6AAA-D Fl Hi 101 RE M3 V M8 V
G=1.60, Day=43:14:01.68, Year = 46d 17:13:23.1* Atmo=6.10, Weather
Control
Temp= +41.88 (7/lat +21 to -49) (season +9 to -27.0, 27 deg lat) Daily
temp range 565.24 (+471.86 to -93.38)
Ores, Compounds; Metals, Non-Metals; None; Recordings, Software,
Documents
Conservative/Indifferent, Unaggressive/Peaceable, Discordant/Friendly
Legal: A-B77D6 Tech: DA-DEDEE-DEDD-AB-G
* Kubishush orbits a small gas giant, Oolvig Naseena. Oolvig Naseena
orbits the system's primary star, L'gnng Uuvon. The "Year" entry
shown above is Oolvig Naseena's orbital period around L'gnng Uuvon.
Kubishush orbits Oolvig Naseena at a rate of 9y 126d 19:23:43.36.
[NOTE: DGP's article on Deneb Sector, featured in MegaTraveller
Journal #3, was used as a resource for this RICE paper. I would like
to acknowledge the authors of the DGP article, James Holden, Mike
Makesh and Nancy Parker. This RICE paper is intended to build upon
the information they have provided.]
Kubishush, or Unan Olov as it is known to its natives, is one of the
more hostile places one may visit in the Regency. The native minor
race, the Gl'lu, are friendly enough, but the buckling terrestrial
surface and corrosive nitrogen-rich, ammonia-tainted atmosphere of the
planet tend to make even a routine stopover an adventure.
To get to know Kubishush, one need only get to know the Gl'lu. The
Gl'lu have, at least to human perceptions, formed an entire
civilization based on planetary cataclysms. Their world, a roiling
hell by the standards of any of the major races, is so subject to
natural catastrophes that its entire sentient culture is based upon
surviving its earthquakes, storms and volcanic explosions.
With 11 tectonic plates and a seismic stress factor of over nine,
Kubishush is highly unstable. Constant earthquakes and aftershocks
rock regions throughout the planet's dozens of major faultlines.
Kubishush is known to have 13 to 16 continents at any one time, with
occasional continental separations and convergences increasing or
decreasing the number from time to time. Immense mountain ranges
crisscross the planet's continents like a web. While the geological
and meteorological upheavals of Kubishush are great enough to cause
dozens of small catastrophes every year throughout the globe, every
decade or so, a quake, storm or volcanic eruption hits that is so
severe it warrants the title of Yulangngol, or "Great Cataclysm."
These events are so commonplace on Kubishush that they have been
integrated into the Gl'lu culture. Many Gl'lu religious groups hail
these events as signs from otherworldly deities. Secular Gl'lu groups
look at these natural disasters as opportunities to prove Gl'lu
prowess in the areas of environmental and disaster recovery
technology.
At the time of first contact by the IISS, the Gl'lu had independently
achieved a high-common technology level of 8. After Kubishush was
incorporated into the Imperium in 188, IISS representatives offered
technological aid to lessen the impact of the planet's frequent
catastrophes. The IISS was politely refused in the characteristic
Gl'lu way. Such technological assistance, ruled Gl'lu leader Sananes
Nuruva Gogonas, would upset the balance of Gl'lu culture. Most Gl'lu
heartily agreed. The basis upon which one socially advances in Gl'lu
society is proving one's skill at averting the affects of natural
disasters and helping those less fortunate Gl'lu who are vicitimized
by the whims of nature.
The Gl'lu Sananes, literally translated as "young one," is the
solitary ruler of the entire planet. Sananes are elected by a council
of elders from among the dynastic families of the Unaga, or "exalted
ones." The Sananes rules from early adolescence until it reaches
maturity at about the age of 32 human years. Geriatric effects set in
so quickly after maturity for Gl'lu that their culture has developed
the tradition of bestowing leadership upon its youth. The position of
Sananes is an honored one, but little fought over. The 17 electoral
gerontocrat seats, however, are vehemently sought by Unaga who pass
maturity. A gerontocrat electoral seat is held for the lifetime of
the Gl'lu who acquires it. Because of the long lifespan of the Gl'lu
(about 120 human years), opportunities for gerontocrat positions are
few and far between. Selection of gerontocrat positions is determined
by the outcome of a peculiar tournament, in which all eligible mature
Gl'lu compete with one another for the available seat. Humans
visiting Kubishush during gerontocrat selections have compared the
game to "marbles," a game commonly played by human children on
low-tech worlds in which small opaque glass spheres are rolled or
hurled at each other.
Perhaps the greatest Sananes ever was S'lmar Vovon, who lived from
1098-1192. S'lmar developed and administered the global recovery
project following arguably the worst Yulangngol in Gl'lu history. In
1108, over two billion Gl'lu died when the convergence of two tectonic
plates created a quake so severe that Kubishush's smallest continent
effectively sank below the surface of one of the planet's ammonia
oceans. S'lmar Vovon directed the recovery project so efficiently
that other than the fatalities, little evidence of the catastrophe's
effect on Gl'lu society could be seen five years after the incident.
Over the post-Imperial contact centuries, trade with the Imperials
inadvertantly raised Gl'lu technology to the point where they could
not help but develop better disaster recovery methods. While most
Gl'lu do not enjoy the benefits of TL-13 technology, the elite Unaga
developed ways to protect themselves from planetary catastrophes. The
most popular method utilizes borrowed elements of Vincennezi
technology. The Unaga began to build floating cities with gravitic
capabilities to lift them into the upper reaches of Kubishush's
atmosphere during times of high seismic and/or meteorological
activity. Low-common technology generally reflects the technology of
the land-based Gl'lu, or Kilig Gunati, who comprise the majority of
the population. The Kilig Gunati on the whole do not benefit from the
technological advancements made by the Unaga and continue to be
subjected to the violent upheavals of the planet.
While only about 10 percent of the Gl'lu enjoy high-common technology,
the centuries of imbalance have allowed the Gl'lu to increase their
population from approximately 800 million at first contact with
Imperial surveyors to about 14.7 billion inhabitants at the present
time. Because of the disparity in technology levels between the Unaga
and the Kilig Gunati, however, the Gl'lu currently have a large
surplus of "elite" citizens. One might think that the Kilig Gunati
would resent this arrangement. Surprisingly enough, they do not.
Gl'lu on the whole are extraordinarily accepting of ewang'vn or
"fate." Because of a natural propensity for lending a helping hand to
fellow Gl'lu, the Unaga are known to do whatever they can to help the
Kilig Gunati through the turmoil of natural disasters. This
extensiveness seems to curtail resentment of the social inequalities
that exist on Kubishush. Unaga factions are surprisingly paternal and
territorial over the groupings of Kilig Gunati they protect, however,
and are not likely to assist a rival faction with disaster relief.
Parcels of Kilig Gunati territory are unofficially under the
protection of individual Unaga factions that report to the Sananes.
So it is that the ambiguous traits of racial extensiveness and
internecine competition meet in Gl'lu society.
Gl'lu possess unique physiological characteristics. The Gl'lu are
hermaphroditic septapods whose metabolism is based on the oxidation of
ammonia in Kubishush's atmosphere. Upon first meeting a Gl'lu, the
first feeling most humans have is revulsion. Their porous mottled
skin, six slimy appendages and periscope-like eyestalk make them look
like a cross between a Terran octopus and a slug. Upon first
encountering the race during the Grand Survey, scouts mistook them for
a far-flung colony of githiasko or genetically altered hivers.
Many archaeologists who have explored the ancient ruins of Kubishush
postulate that the Gl'lu are actually natives of the system gas giant,
Oolvig Naseena. The authors of this theory believe that the Gl'lu had
successfully achieved non-jump spaceflight in approximately -3200 and
had successfully colonized Kubishush some time after. The similar
atmospheric content of Kubishush and the Oolvig Naseena highlands
bears this out. Many physiological and historical aspects of the
Gl'lu indicate that the race is not actually native to Kubishush. For
example, the high strength of Gl'lu limbs and skeletal structure
indicate that they evolved on a world with higher gravity, and perhaps
a less dense atmosphere than that of Kubishush.
Other evidence that bears this out is Kubishush's fossil record. Not
only is there no natural life on Kubishush, but there is no indication
that life ever existed on the planet. The world's instability makes
excavation a risky proposition at best, however, and most scientists
admit that extensive enough digs have not yet been made. The Gl'lu do
not allow excavation by human archaeologists at several sites due to
their religious significance. These sites are usually epicenters for
the world's greatest seismic upheavals and become holy burial grounds,
not to be desecrated for a period of one nugesan after the upheaval
(about 124.25 standard Terran years).
Why the Gl'lu would have wanted to abandon their comparatively calm
home on Oolvig Naseena is subject to a great deal of debate, mostly
among non-Gl'lu historians, paleontologists and archaeologists. The
most popular theory, though unfounded, is that Oolvig Naseena was the
victim of a latent biological weapon housed there by the Ancients.
During the Final War, Grandfather and the children who allied
themselves with him were known to use deadly biological weapons. Such
a weapon killed the entire Droyne race on Zhdant and set the Zhodani
back several centuries in their quest for the stars. The theory that
such a catastrophe occurred on Oolvig Naseena assumes that uninfected
Gl'lu, having recently acquired spaceflight technology, set out to
colonize Kubishush to escape their doomed brethren who were beset by a
bioweapon-induced plague.
Whether or not the Oolvig Naseena theory is correct or not is
unconfirmed. Whatever the case may be, however, the Gl'lu do not
currently inhabit the rocky highlands of Oolvig Naseena's icy core.
In fact, the gas giant is effectively interdicted by the Gl'lu for
what they claim are religious reasons. The Gl'lu claim Oolvig Naseena
as sacred ground, not to be desecrated by travellers wanting to skim
for fuel. A considerable fleet of Gl'lu SDBs enforces this holy law,
infraction of which is punishable by death. Gl'lu SDBs will not
attempt to disable and board offenders of the interdiction, but rather
will destroy offenders' ships or blast them into Oolvig Naseena's
unforgiving gravity well.
Kubishush's turbulent atmosphere, dense over-ocean grav traffic and
high number of floating cities make skimming its ammonia oceans a
dangerous task, effectively eliminating them as wilderness refueling
sites as well. In addition, no other planets in the system have any
hydrosphere whatsoever. In order to compensate traders for the lack
of viable wilderness refueling sites, the Gl'lu sell imported fuel at
their orbital and planetary starports for approximately 50 percent of
the normal price found throughout the Regency. Political pressures
from outside the system and the need for trade have influenced the
Gl'lu to grant such generous dispensations of fuel.
Gl'lu architecture is universally the most sound and durable one is
likely to find. The Gl'lu mastery of materials technology gives them
the ability to produce TL-14 bonded superdense alloys. The most
common shape for Gl'lu buildings is a flattened sphere with an
interior "rolling sphere." During large quakes, the rolling sphere
within rotates on its transverse axis, thereby protecting the
inhabited interior structure from toppling onto its side. The rounded
edges, spherical rooms, elliptical entryways and portals of the
interior remind many cosmopolitan travellers of aslan architecture. A
closer look, however, will reveal numerous microstruts and jambs
throughout the interiors of Gl'lu buildings, intended to ensure the
integrity of each and every wall and doorway.
The Gl'lu are nothing if not meticulous about safety and the strength
of their constructions. Following punishing earthquakes and storms,
Gl'lu corporate buildings and housing complexes are frequently found
intact hundreds of meters from their original locations. Their
inhabitants may be frightened and perhaps bruised, but most often
protected by the strength of the building hull. So strong is the
outer hull of these buildings that they can often be recovered even
after slipping into crust fissures during particularly heavy quakes.
Cities on Kubishush are generally regions dotted with hundreds or even
thousands of these flattened spheres, with nothing by dry rocky land
in between. Huge grav tugs are employed to transfer buildings to
other regions when a corporate headquarters or factory requires
relocation to another Kubishushi region. Because of the frequent
movement of Kubishushi buildings, both natural and unnatural, the
planet has no "cities," per se. Regions are sometimes given
unofficial names or nicknames, but due to the everchanging nature of
the Kubishushi landscape, the convention of naming geographic regions
is almost obsolete on Kubishush.
Because of the Gl'lu obsession with safety and security, their
starships are also unique within the realm of Regency Space. The
Gl'lu are accustomed to inhabiting small spaces and require only a
fourth of the space necessary to lodge the average human. Staterooms,
generally built to house up to eight Gl'lu, displace only four metric
tonnes. Gl'lu starships contain hardy ammonia filtration systems to
keep the nitrogen atmosphere comfortably tainted. Humans visiting
Gl'lu starships have noted the constant meter-high fog that covers the
floors of the ship. Many humans marvel at the tight accommodations
and seeming uniformity of all rooms on the ship. Many touring humans
have been known to become lost in Gl'lu ships, unable to differentiate
one room from another, an occurrence from which the Gl'lu derive great
merriment.
Perhaps the strangest feature of Gl'lu starships is their obsession
with backup systems. All Gl'lu starships have two maneuver drives,
one on each end of the ship, negating the need for turnaround and
retrofire. Any ships built for planetary landing also employ two
contra-gravity units as well. While these are the most common
redundancies on Gl'lu ships, many Gl'lu are known to install their
ships with backup power plants, jump drives, bridge workstations and
large quantities of backup hull material. To a human, this lack of
concern for wasted space is ludicrous, but to a Gl'lu, humans are
living on borrowed time in their poorly backed up ships. Most Gl'lu
starships and spaceships are built in the familiar flattened sphere
configuration, with large ovular openings for maneuver drive, jump
drive and antenna surface space. It is currently popular to build
modular ships with interlinked spheres. Multiple-sphere modular ships
look something like giant metallic earthworms.
Uplifted by Imperial and Regency technology, the Gl'lu have become a
minor starfaring race. Thousands of Gl'lu traders can be found
throughout the region, selling their high-grade materials and
innovative environmental products. Through years of study, the Gl'lu
have found ways to implement their knowledge of catastrophe-defying
technology into usable products by humans, vargr and droyne (the three
most common races in the region). Though the Gl'lu have also invented
high-tech environment suits and PLSSs to protect them and nourish them
with ammonia-tainted nitrogen, they generally do not stray too far
from home. Few worlds present an atmosphere that is breathable in the
long term for the Gl'lu and even fewer are dense enough to provide a
comfortably high gravity level.
Kubishush is a tumultuous world filled with mystery. Geological and
political concerns make unravelling the mystery all the more
difficult. While the Gl'lu are an amiable and sociable minor race,
eager to trade and exchange ideas with their human and vargr
neighbors, they often appear secretive about their history or
motivations. People who know the Gl'lu are aware that this apparent
secrecy is not secrecy at all but rather acceptance. Living in an
environment as harsh as Kubishush's, the Gl'lu have learned to accept
impending fate and the frequent death of friends and family members.
Discussing such events at length or the long history of Kubishush's
cataclysms serves no purpose as far as the Gl'lu are concerned, other
than to prolong one's sorrow for lost compatriots.
Kubishush System Details
Orbit Name UPP Remarks
Primary L'gnng Uuvon M3 V
0 Oolvig Naseena Small GG Size 60
3 Ring System YR00000-0
5 Sanunnga Y20036B-C Va
9 Kubishush B8B6AAA-D Fl Hi (Known as Unan Olov
to the Gl'lu)
40 Gaumng Nol Y400000-0 Va 60 Yil'anan
G100300-C Va
1-2 (Empty Orbits)
3* Magae' Nannga M8 V
4 A'man'a Y200000-0 Va
*Companion Star.