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 Arshan-Sionian border, residents are commonly able to speak both Arshkiy and Riikabic, sometimes being fluent in both.
Demographics
- 57% Arshan
- 23% Mixed
- 17% Sionian
- 3% Solus
Sigrid's population is entirely Human, and primarily consists of about 57% Arshan, 17% Sionian, 23% mixed culture, and 3% Solus. 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 Arshan population. However, a vast majority of Arshans are non-active service and most of the Sionians 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 Arshan regulations and Sionian laws from the Katar region. This has led to a somewhat unique adaptation of the Arshan's 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 Sionians are expected to comply with certain regulations that don't exist elsewhere in Katar. Republic of Sion taxes apply to transactions involving Sionian citizens, including Sionians buying from or selling to Arshans.
Standard Sionian credits are used as the primary currency in Sigrid; No Arshan currency is used, as the Federation lacks any form of internal currency. Trade between Arshans and Sionians does utilize credits, but Sionians 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 Arshan and Sionian origin, as well as some livestock. Most of these agricultural modules are tended to by Kilo personnel, with assistance from Sionians where Sionian crops and livestock are grown. In the United Arshan 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 Hub
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 Arshan economics and culture, Arshan citizens are allowed free passage and maintainence through most docking ports, while non-government sponsored Sionian citizens are required a fee or trade in exchange for these services. Repair work is handled by various personnel of both Sionian and Arshan 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 Sionian 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, including fleet command and security operations. Finally, the remaining mass of the station is further divided into 8 civilian districts, housing the civilian population, residential, industrial, commercial, and dedicated hydroponics zones.
These civilian districts alternate around the central core of the station, divided by transit lines that connect the Military District to the Docking Ring and provide access for civilians to the station's public transit system.
Assets
Crops & Livestock
Due to the Arshan's agricultural focus within Sigrid, the station tends to have a large surplus of crops and livestock. These are distributed first within the station, including into emergency stockpiles, then the remainder is divided evenly between the United Arshan Federation and Katar.
Defences
As part of of the joint-ownership agreement, defence of the station and military presence is handled entirely by the United Arshan 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 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, battle-carrier, two flak frigates, and two missile frigates alongside several wings of strike, transport, and interceptor craft.
History
The ACF Sigrid was originally built as the command post for the UAF's border patrol fleet situated along the Sionian 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 UAF. Now, the station is controlled under an agreement of 'joint-ownership' between the Arshans and Sionians 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 Arshan-Sionian border, connected to the Katar region of the Republic of Sion's territory. The nearby nebula serves as a tourist attraction for Sionians, while the open space surrounding the station provides plenty of room for expansion and construction of racing courses.
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.