RICE Paper - Ruby

Date: Tue, 31 Oct 1995 21:40:11 -1600
From: Michael Bailey <pd82495@wapol.gov.au>
Subject: RICE Paper - Ruby

Updated to reflect Regency Sourcebook Data.

RICE Paper #SM-1005 Ruby/Jewell

Ruby (Jewell:  Spinward Marches/1005)
B400445-B S   Lo Ni Va       201 DD M1 V M3 D        <---- 1117 Data
A400445-C S,I Lo Ni Va       401 Re M1 V M3 D        <---- 1202 Data
G = 0.76, Day = 47d 12:27:17.50, Year = 47d 12:27:17.50
Atmo = 0.00, No weather control
Temp = +7.8 (dayside 7/lat +0 to +26.4 nightside 56/lat -0 to -224.8)(no
seasonal var.)
Daily temp range 0.0
Ores, Radioactives, Metals
Progressive, Advancing, Passive/Peaceable, Discordant/Friendly
Legal: 5-35625  Tech: CC-CCACC-C6BC-CA-F

Ruby is part of the Jewell Cluster, a group of three worlds at the spinward
edge of the Regency.  Dominated by, and reliant on heavily populated Jewell
one parsec away, the citizens of Ruby have managed to preserve independence.
Like Jewell, Ruby's location so near to the Zhodani border makes it a
frequent stop for Regency military forces.  However, where centuries of
exposure to the Frontier Wars has given Jewellers an ingrained distrust of
the Zhodani and Vargr, the people of Ruby have an unprejudiced attitude to
all races.

Ruby was first settled in 339, primarily to obtain ores for the inhabitants
of Jewell and Emerald.  Never of great importance, the colony was abandoned
in 362, after large quantities of high-grade lanthanum ores were discovered
on Jewell.  The system remained essentially uninhabited until 634, although
small Zhodani contingents occupied Ruby from 592-603, and in 617.  Both of
these forces withdrew from the system as the balance of the First and Second
Frontier Wars tipped back towards the Imperium.

In 631, Papaieie Sawaiu led a group of leftist libertarians to petition the
Jewell government for permission and aid to settle Ruby.  Jewell's
government (which was still legally the owner of the system) granted the
petitions requests (probably more to be rid of a troublesome minority than
anything else), and set aside MCr4.0 to reopen the abandoned colony.  In
634, six hundred Sawaiuites settled a site about 80km southwest of the old
lanthanum mines.  The group began shipping small quantities of platinum to
Emerald in 640, and surprisingly, managed to pay it's way.  Sharp falls
precious metal prices in the region in the late 690's put an end to the
colony's modest prosperity, and Jewell was once again forced to subsidise
it's neighbour.

The subsidy was withdrawn in 711, and preparations were made to repatriate
the colonists to Jewell.  The colony, now numbering several thousand, was
saved by the Imperial Government's decision to establish scout facilities in
the system.  Tensions between the Imperium and the Zhodani had been
increasing since the end of the Second Frontier War, and the IISS had
decided to upgrade it's presence in the subsector as part of a overhaul of
intelligence operations against the Zhodani.  The base and accompanying
starport facilities were completed in 720, many of the existing colonists
were contracted to provide support services for IISS personnel in this
lonely frontier outpost.

The Scout base was hastily abandoned at the outbreak of the Third Frontier
War, it's personnel and ships pulled back help defend Jewell from major
Zhodani attacks.  Once again, Zhodani ground troops occupied the world,
taking over the scout base for use in supplying the forces beseiging Jewell.
They pulled out of the system at the end of the war, having largely ignored
the civilian population during their seven year occupation. At the outbreak
of the Fourth Frontier War, Zhodani forces ran into substantial Imperial
naval assets deployed from Jewell.  Their attack was beaten off, and the
Zhodani chose to bypass and isolate the world.  

Ruby was occupied by Zhodani ground forces following a short battle with
Imperial screening forces at the opening of the Fifth Frontier War in 1107.
During the battle, the IMS 'Johore' was forced down onto Ruby's surface.
It's surviving crew and marines fled the crash site to begin a guerilla war
against the Zhodani.  In response to raids, the Zhodani commander took
hostages from among the civillian population.  Unfortunately, twelve of the
hostages were killed in an abortive rescue attempt by the guerrila forces.
When news leaked out, the Imperium made it's celebrated accusation of
Zhodani atrocities against Ruby's civilians.  Perhaps surprisingly, the
Zhodani occupation of Ruby was rather benign - the unfortunate Zhodani
ground forces commander was replaced, and reparations were paid to the
families of the deceased.  A ceasefire was negotiated between the Zhodani
and the guerillas shortly afterwards.  The Imperial Marines were guaranteed
safe passage aboard a neutral vessel to Imperial-held space, were they were
feted as heroes.  Their commander, Lt. Rivka Moishe, was later knighted by
Duke Norris of Regina for her actions.

Since then, Ruby has remained on the 'front lines'.  Imperial, and later
Regency fleets regularly deployed to the system for exercises.  The thaw in
Regency-Zhodani relations from 1117 onwards saw the scout presence scaled
back, and the scout base was transferred to the Regency Quarantine Service
in 1146.  In the following decade, as trade between the Regency and the
Zhodani Consulate grew, Ruby's starport was upgraded to 'A' class.  The RQS
operates a Customes Station on Ruby, primarily to inspect the small number
of Jump-1 ships travelling along the Jewell-Cipango Main from the Consulate.
Naval units also routinely deploy here from Jewell and Mongo for joint
exercises with RQS and RISS units.

Regular RQS customs procedures are in effect on Ruby.  Incoming starships
will be escorted to the RQS station on Eloise Tay, the small outermost moon
of Boyden, the system's only gas giant.  The permanent presence of the RQS
'Carlton', a 4000 ton Quarantine Service Carrier, provides the muscle to
back up RQS directives.  Extensive examinations of the starship and it's
crew will take 1-3 days (for starships under 1000 tons).  During this time,
crews and passengers are 'invited' to stay at the 'Eloise Hilton' (the
somewhat spartan guest accomadations on the station).

Following inspection, the ship is free to move on to Ruby, or to refuel at
Boyden and jump outsystem.  Ruby itself has only one starport, the Class A
RQS facility on the world's surface.  This starport is open to civilian
traffic, although berthing fees are considerably higher than for comparable
private facilities.  The base's repair and maintenance facilities are not
available to civilians excepts in emergencies (although detatched duty
Scouts and RQS officials are welcome).

New visitors will be steered towards 'Ruby's Startown Bar', on the edge of
the starport complex.  'Ruby's' is famous throughout the region for it's
cheap booze (and other, less common stimulants), and for it's bouncers.
Unruly patrons are given a brief lecture on the anit-social aspects of their
violent behaviour by the doormen (a lecture given with absolute sincerity ).
Continued troublemaking will normally result in extremely violent ejection
and arrest.  All staff at 'Ruby's' are members of the Stivlprerqaf family,
descendents of a Zhodani prole who fled across the border in 992.  The
current manager is Jdishehtaev Stivlprerqaf (Jdishehtaev is probably better
known in the Regency as 'Jades Stive', acclaimed romance novelist).  The
Stivlprerqaf family has persuaded a substantial number of Zhodani refugees
to leave their holding camps on Jewell.  With the blessing of Regency
officials, about 6,000 refugees were brought to Ruby, where they received a
warm welcome from the locals.

Sawaiu Town, the only substantial settlement of Ruby, adjoins the RQS base.
Almost all of Ruby's 43,300 permanent inhabitants live here.  The town
itself consists of four pressure domes atop an underground tunnel complex.
The domes are given over largely to parkland - each dome has a different
environment and 'theme'.  In order of size, these are:  Sawaiu Dome (Terran
/ Tropical Maritime), Isgiidu (Vilani / Highland), Summondamus (Terran /
Desert) and Taenu Diran (Sylean / Savannah).  Residential, commercial and
support areas are all underground.  Local although the world is small, local
gravity is a reasonable 0.78g, due to the planet's higher than normal
density.  Atmospheric pressure is maintained at 0.8 standard atmospheres,
making the environment tolerable for most visitors.

Visitors will find the locals friendly and agreeable, if somewhat strange.
Non-violence is an important part of the Rubyan lifestyle, although
potential criminals are warned that Ruby's law enforcement officials are
generally hired from offworld, and do not have the same passive ethic.
Offenders face deportation and confiscation of their assets if caught -
within a short time, they will find themselves on Jewell with little more
than the clothes on their back.  Given the world's reliance on offworld
powers for it's continued existence, foreigners are treated with respect.
Merchants on Ruby will buy and sell for fair prices - at any rate, they are
trading for the good of the colony more than their own gain.  A disgruntled
customer won't come back, a potential loss for the world.

Ruby's inhabitants are fiercely egalitarian - the concept of 'privelige' is
repellant to them.  Without exception, all citizens are allocated the same
communal floorspace in Sawaiu Town's residential areas.  this concept of
'equality of opportunity' is one of the basic tenets of Ruby's society - the
lasting legacy of the settlement's commune origins.  The settlement's ruler,
the 'Premier', is directly elected by all permanent residents for a two year
term.  Traditionally, the office is one of the lowest paying jobs on the
planet.  Although the Premier is responsible for all aspects of
administration, much of the more judicial and administrative work is handled
by a council of elders.  Membership in the council is voluntary and unpaid,
but anyone over the age of 40 can join.  Ruby's four senators are elected by
popular vote.

One interesting custom practised by the Rubyan is 'fostering'.  Ruby lacks
all but the most elementary educational facilities, children are instead
sent to Jewell to complete their education.  A child will spend from three
to twelve years on Jewell as a 'fosterling', before returning to Ruby as an
adult citizen.  This practise has recently declined somewhat, as the newly
arrived Zhodani settlers were understandably reluctant to send their
children to Jewell - a world that they had only just left, and a world where
Zhodani are not at all liked.  More advanced educational facilities are
being built by the planetary government to cater to this trend.

Most of Ruby's residents are employed either directly or indirectly by the
RQS, although some mining still takes place.  Mineral ores are shipped
mainly to the agricultural worlds of Emerald and Esalin in exchange for
food.  A small number of independant miners eke out a precarious existence
from gold and platinum deposits.  All large scale mining is conducted by
RubyCorp, a statutory authority run by the government.  Miners typically
spend six weeks at a time in the camps, followed by six weeks layover in
Sawaiu Town.  Independent miners number less than two hundred, and typically
live permanently at their workings, coming to town only to sell their ores
and resupply.

Ruby maintains a small fleet of four Type R Subsidised Merchants, used to
service the mineral trade with Emerald and Esalin.  The 'Papaieie', 'Rhys',
'Topaz' and 'Guiding Hand' are all subsidised by the Ruby and Regency
governments.

System Information

Orbit           Name            UPP             Remarks

Primary         Talau           M1 V            Far Companion
0               Ruby            B400445-B       Ni Va Qb
        4       Lahr            YS00000-0
1               Boyden          Small GG
        7       Athelbard       YS10000-0
       35       Eloise Tay      H100166-B       Qb

Secondary       Papaiete        M7 D            

(Qb - Quarantine Base)
Michael Bailey (pd82495@wapol.gov.au)