Gateway

Relay Station 12, Piluno, or just “Gateway” is the great Orga Canals Network stopping point in the Adhara 51 system, located at the edges of the system’s Termination Shock. Built into a large comet, the station rotates to produce gravity at 0.64 g, the gravity of the Orga homeworld.
While it was once the busiest port in all the Adhara cluster, most Orga vessels now simply fly on by. Those that do stop, often do so for ill cause - pirates and smugglers aiming to steal technology and slaves from Pangard. It is believed by Wing Intelligence to be a major hiding spot for the Corsairs.
The station is the current home of Orga merchant-lord Nar’gal, who keeps the station under the iron grip of his paid agents. Little is known about Nar’gal, or why such a rich and powerful figure has decided to set up shop on such an isolated and desolate space-station.
Largely abandoned and under criminal control, it is still home to several hundred legitimate trades-people and their families (including a few recent human move-ins), many of whom are the Pangard’s last links to the rest of the Adhara cluster. Pangard missionaries still occasionally visit the Gateway, though in recent times it has become even more dangerous than usual for them to do so, due to Nargal and his ilk taking over more and more of the station.

Demographics

The station, once able to house a population of almost a million, is now largely abandoned, containing only 40,000 individuals at most. The majority of the station's inhabitants are Orga, who are most suited to the artificial gravity. There are small populations of other species from across the Adhara cluster as well - the fungal Nyrthiitragl, and the sentient convection cell Qaxaklg to name a few. There are now even several hundred humans aboard the station as well.

Government

Technically, the station is owned by the Orga trade network as a whole, collectively owned by all Orga polities, who treat stations like these as "free trade areas" open for pretty much anyone to live and do business on.
In reality, everyone knows that the station belongs to Nar'gal. The enigmatic Orga has enough wealth to be considered a "Merchant King" by his equals, however few know how he came across such wealth (or they know and refuse to tell). What inhabitants of the station do know, is that he is in charge, and to oppose him always has very ill consequences for those involved. He enforces his will using all manner of hired guns, his most recent employees being the Jackdaws.
The Pangard could theoretically conquer the station if they wished, but do not wish to antagonize neighboring systems - they have however raided the station in the past, in response to pirate raids or other crimes. They currently have a small embassy on the station, though it is advised that no Pangard leave the embassy grounds - Nar'gal is no friend of the Pangard.

Industry & Trade

Little honest trade comes through the Gateway - most ships do not stop at the station, bypassing the A51 system entirely. This does not mean there is no money to be made of course - the crime pays very well. Pirates and marauders of all stripes travel to the station, seeking to raid the Pangard, steal what they can, and then leave the system as quickly as they came, making a fortune selling their ill gotten goods in other systems. The Pangard only have the time and patience to chase down the most serious criminals across the Cluster, allowing most to simply get away. As such, there is much wealth to be made serving these adventurers - food, fuel, maintenance, weapons, docking fees, all of these can be sold to the gangs at exorbitant rates. All those who wish to use the station as a base for such operations should also pay a significant cut of their profits to Nar'gal, lest they meet an unfortunate end.
That being said, some more honest trade remains - the new human colony has many needs, and is more than willing to trade what goods they have for advanced technologies. Dairy products, as well as the "Kelp Fruit" native to Crow, in particular fetch a very high price on the station, having become something of an exotic luxury good, leading some Colonist to make the risky journey to the Gateway to trade their hauls.

Infrastructure

The station is built around a massive laser array, used for propulsion of solar-sail ships. The Orga have been tempted to use it as a weapon in the past, however this proved to be impractical, as a well placed piece of aluminum was enough to deflect it.
Massive dockyards have also been built to accommodate the large number of ships stopping at the station...or rather, the massive amount that used to come, most are now unused and in a state of disrepair.
Processing mills, refineries, greenhouses and autofactories also dot the station, providing the population most of what they need for permanent habitation.

Guilds and Factions

There are many gangs of pirates, criminals, and adventurers aboard the Gateway - different gangs come and go, though some stay under the long term employ of King Nar'gal. The most recent addition are the Corsairs, a few hundred human criminals who have made the Gateway their primary hideout.
Also present is the local office of the Orga Guild of Conductors, as well as a small, understaffed, and very well fortified, Pangard Embassy.

Alternative Name(s)

Piluno, Relay Station 12, "Umbar"(humans only)

Type

Orbital, Station

Population

40,000

Location under

Adhara 51

Owning Organization

Jackdaws