Thales Station

Located inside the Hypersea, Thales Station consists of nearly a hundred retired Starships that are never returning to normal space. Here, a total of more than twelve thousand scientists spend their days researching Hyperspace. They are well-defended by automated defenses that shred any unauthorised vessels into atoms, a lack of remorse shared by their mining fleet.
Thales Station was founded in 2715 CE, sponsored by Sol System and several System-owning companies. Their official intent was for politically neutral research, so that humanity's advances would not be obstructed by petty political squabbles. In reality they all knew that their own researchers would just become a target, so it was better to be favoured by a larger group that could fend for themselves.
To have a better research environment, while also being hard to sneak up on, the decision was made to have the station stay in Hyperspace. Since large ships could not reach the desired area due to its high Relativity, almost a hundred smaller ships were set up to permanently orbit each other instead.

Settlement Type

Space Station

Location

Hypersea, Caelum Area, 2.8 Relativity

Population

~13000

Defensive Strength

Immeasurable

Offensive Strength

Significant

Known Allies

Sol System, 19% of all Systems

Research

Permanently located in a turbulent area of Hyperspace, the sensors of Thales Station are constantly providing the researchers with a treasure trove of data. This has allowed them to research more advanced drives and sensors, as well as weaponry. They don't share the weapon research, but do sell the drives and sensors. If you want a next-gen drive, you'd better buy it fresh from Thales Station, lest you get scammed.

Defenses

Only a handful of the ships are used by the researchers. Most form a permanent globe-shaped defensive net, with various turrets facing outwards. This area of Hyperspace may be turbulent, but the present sensors make it impossible to sneak up on the station. Any unauthorised vessels are attacked and destroyed once they get too close. Due to leaving no survivors, the exact weapons remain a secret.

Resources

Being closed off to outsiders, Thales Station needs to be as self-sufficient as possible. A few mining carriers are constantly about, gathering both dark matter and farming supplies from uninhabited Caelum systems. Like the automated defenses, these mining carriers are equipped with advanced sensors and powerful weaponry, making sure nobody tries to rob them. As far as is known, no attack was ever successful.

Population

The station population can be practically considered xenophobic, because they never let any strangers approach or enter the station. The risk of sabotage or espionage is simply considered too great to risk it. Only individuals they covertly vetted, are ever allowed inside, under constant surveillance. An interesting aspect is that no Stormriders ever have been allowed, as the scientists consider those beliefs to contradict their work.