Part of the Confederate Saga
The Confederacy
The Confederacy of Bellona is a major star-nation, lying to the north of the Terran Empire and east of the League of Independent Systems. It consists of a dozen core systems, with another dozen colony worlds and a number of protectorate systems. The capital world is Bellona, an Earth-like planet with two major continents. The capital, Bellona City, sits on the west coast of the northern continent. The Confederate government is a bicameral legislature, headed by the President and split into the House of Representatives, the lower house, and the Confederate Council, the upper house. Representatives and Councillors are sent from the core systems and colony worlds, with the core systems having greater representation than the colonies. The protectorates are not represented in the government, being administered by a central office on Bellona.
The Confederacy was formed from a mutual defence pact between the Bellona, Mori and Crucis systems in the wake of the Terran Empire’s reconquest of much of the known galaxy. Not wishing to join the League, the three systems agreed to mutual protection and cooperation. With the addition of the Wen Chang, Vespae and Midgard systems the Confederate Constitution was adopted and Bellona chosen as the capital system. Another half-dozen systems quickly joined, forming the core worlds as they stand today.
Around thirty years before the present date the Terran Empire launched an attack on the Confederacy and League. Known as the Imperial War, this conflict lasted a number of years and cost millions of lives on both sides. Eventually the northern powers were able to drive the Empire from their territories and an uneasy peace settled over the galactic north.
The Aurora
CSS Aurora, hull number CL11081, is a Persephone-class light cruiser, the Confederate Navy’s newest light cruiser design. Part of the rearmament program following the Imperial War, the Persephone-class boasts the most advanced sensors and computer systems available and is armed with 60cm primary guns, 30cm secondary guns, anti-ship and point-defence missile tubes and a close-in weapons system. She masses one megaton and measures five hundred metres in length with a beam of sixty-five metres and a draught of fifty-six metres. The ship’s company is three hundred enlisted, twenty officers and one hundred and sixty marines. Her commanding officer is Captain Elizabeth Lewis.
For the last year CSS Aurora has been assigned to Home Fleet based at Bellona. Prior to that she was part of Q’Ten Station in the colony region performing patrol and goodwill duties among the colony systems.
The Gypsy Moth
SS Gypsy Moth is a medium freighter registered with the Confederate Merchant Service and owned by the Nomad Lines shipping company. She’s commanded by Captain William Jackson. Gypsy Moth has worked the Aule Sector for two decades, covering various routes over the years and carrying almost every cargo that passes through the region.
The crew of the Gypsy Moth have seen nearly every system in the sector and made port in most of them.