Hecate Station
Built not long after the system was settled, Hecate Station began as a
simple He3 mining and refinery facility in its orbit around Faust. For a
time it did well in this roll, though its position so deep in the
system’s gravity well made it less than ideal as a real trade hub.
But it also made the station more easily defensible, and as the Schism
Wars brought the fighting to Cygni, many of the secondary stations that
had been established in more convenient orbits were taken or destroyed.
But through it all, Hecate remained virtually untouched.
During the Isolation, Hecate Station struggled, its status as a trade
depot rendered largely inert. And so it adapted, becoming a haven for
refugees trapped between destinations, no questions asked. Many of the
soldiers from the various factions that had been deployed to the sector
took up residence at Hecate, and within a few years grew to consider
their new residence as their home. Hecate grew from a supply station to
a home for many, and a wellarmed one at that.
As interstellar trade was reestablished, Hecate once again became a
stopover between systems. Quickly, it became a haven for those in need,
a place to get lost, and a place to find items that would otherwise be
dangerous to even inquire about. As the Schism Wars entered their third
phase, neighboring stellar governments agreed that 61 Cygni would be a
neutral system, and Hecate Station a diplomatic staging ground for any
future negotiations. Since then, the station has earned a newfound
respectability, though for most this is still overshadowed by its true
nature as an anarchofreestate.
History
Hecate Station was founded by Obadiah Essex, an eccentric man with an
enormous personal wealth acquired after selling several enormously
successful corporations for unheard of amounts. Originally pitched as a
trading post and fuel depot, Essex claimed that 61 Cygni would become a
“Crossroads” of interstellar trade, a name that immediately stuck. In
building Hecate, he exhausted his own fortune, insisting on using a
number of personal designs and unusual specifications in its
construction. The station was far larger than any comparable station for
its stated purpose, and eschewed the far more reliable (and affordable)
O’Neill Cylinder design in favor of an inverted pyramid. He even
insisted on the installation of artificial gravity plating throughout,
which was an enormous expense that few stations deemed necessary.
On the day of Hecate’s grand opening, Essex stabbed himself in the heart
with an antique pyramidal blade just moments after giving the dedication
speech in the Hub. Over the years the events surrounding his death have
grown to urban legend, many claiming foul play, conspiracy, or the hand
of the supernatural at play. But all official investigations have
concluded that Essex had simply killed himself without the help of any
external factors. The reason for this remains unclear.
In his will, Essex left detailed instructions n the running of the
station, outlining the various partners who would step in to take over
various aspects of the running and upkeep, along with reorganization
(and in some cases even outright abandonment) of many levels. These
instructions provided detailed guidance for over 50 years after his
death, amazingly anticipating the Schism War and its various phases, the
surge in refugees, and the need for the station as a diplomatic hub.
“The Will” has become a document for forecasting the future for many,
but its instructions only detail the needs of the station. While many
have tried to take advantage of the information provided to foretell
coming disasters or windfalls, the result of these prophecies has always
been in error, resulting in naught but disaster.
Today the Essex family still maintains official control of the station,
the head of the station strictly adhering to The Will’s instructions
with an almost religious fervor. But The Will’s instructions do not last
into perpetuity, and the day is soon coming when the Essex family will
have to begin to make decisions for themselves, and for all those aboard
Hecate Station.
Alternative Name(s)
Crossroads
Type
Orbital, Station
Population
10,000,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Hecatians
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
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