Sterry
Name: Sterry
Created By: Jay P. Hailey
Summary: A Planet of black and white issues
System Sidebar System Name: Sterry system Affiliation: Neutral, Borderline Prime Directive Other Planets: 11 other planets and an asteroid
belt in a sprawling solar system. Artificial Objects: The Planet Sterry has artificial satellites and a healthy if low-tech space program. SIS: The huge distances between planets in this system makes in-system travel very difficult for all but Impulse technology. |
Environment: Sterry is a colder world than Earth on the average, with large temperate forests, and landscape carved repeatedly by advancing and retreating glaciers.
Locations: Sterry Prime, or Capital City. The seat of government on Sterry
and the largest city on the planet. This is the location that draws most visitors.
Cross River City - A large, well devloped city with an active University
System
History: Sterry may have been settled in the distant past by sentients
from the Planet Cheron. The current civilization of Sterry is composed of humanoids
with a striking color scheme. These humanoids are either white on the right
and black on the left side or they are black on the right side and white on
the left.
This color differential has shaped the entire history of Sterry. The first records
of Sterrian history details accounts of different nations on the surface of
the planet, many based on the notion that one coloration of Sterrian was superior
to the other. A brutal history of warfare and conquest is detailed, with many
historical phases, developments and almost chaotic progress. Eventually the
black/white Sterrians gained the upper hand in the constant fighting for dominion
and rose to the superior position on the planet. They oppressed the white/black
Sterrians energetically, inflicting crusades, pogroms and even slavery. The
black/white
Planetary Sidebar
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Sterrians then went on to conquer even themselves in a long campaign of cold
and hot wars for dominance. The former nations of Sterry exist as administrative
districts in a large planetary government. Once the issue of dominance was settled
Sterry began to slowly, painfully discover the concepts of human rights and
equality. These were marked by many protests, uprisings and outright civil war.
Now, Sterry stands at the opening of it's space age, wrestling with rapidly
advancing technology, and social institutions which no longer function as well
as they once did.
Culture: The average Sterrian is colored black/white and believes that
he lives in Sterry's Golden age. The government, while not terribly responsive
or representative, is dedicated to keeping the peace and seems content to get
out of the way. New technologies and new media mean new opportunities for commerce
and artistic expression. A sizable minority of Sterrians are white/black and
see things somewhat differently. Their standard of living is lower and the numbers
and kinds of jobs, training and education are generally closed to them. However
slavery hasn't been legal in several generations and the Apartheid laws regarding
color are crumbling slowly. Too slowly for many young white/black Sterrians
and more progressive black/whites.
Sterry has good technology for tech level five, approximately equal to Earths
in the 2030s. However the Sterry system is built on a grand scale, with the
nearest planets being tens of Astronomical Units away. This places the system
out of reach of most any drive technology short of impulse drives. These great
distances have hampered the development of the Sterrian Space program. It was
only after being visited by Orion traders that the Sterrians began to approach
Space with some commitment.
Population: 4 billion approximately
Government: Bureaucratic/Military dictatorship, checked and balanced
by bureaucratic procedures and the unwillingness of the ruling council to let
any one Sterrian gain dominance.
Strategic Importance: Little. If developed to full tech level the Sterrians
could easily support a starbase and a large fleet based on their own level of
militarism and available resources. However until they get the technology, they
are a backwater.
Economy: The Sterrian internal economy is moribund and bland. It rarely
changes due to the drag of having a sizable portion of their population excluded
from wealth creation, and the control of a bureaucratic administration, which
sees the status quo as safe and desirable. If Sterry is able to develop their
in system resources, it could become a industrial powerhouse in their sector.
Some Sterrian luxury items have found a small market in the galaxy, as well
as Sterrian art, music and literature. But the traffic in these is small enough
to be statistically insignificant
Present Conflicts: The main Sterrian conflict is internal between the
black/white Sterrians and the white/black ones. The social inequity is a major
problem and creates a continuous tension and risk of conflict.
Episode Seeds: Black and White Issues - The PCs receive a distress call from
Sterry. A disease is ravaging the planet. It begins with a fever that
can be deadly for the very young or very old, but healthy adults and
children should survive their bout with it. The big problem is that
once the disease has run its course the sufferer's colors will be scrambled.
Zebra stripes, large random patches or polka dots will be seen. This
presents a problem in that once scrambled, it's impossible to tell whether
the victim was of the dominant black/white color, or the oppressed white/black
color. This disease is spreading rapidly and Sterrian Medical technology
is helpless before it. |
Relations:
The United Federation Planets has declared Sterry off limits due to the Prime Directive and sincerely urges Civilians and non-Federation travelers to avoid the planet. The Sterrian Approach to government and civil rights is not compatible with Federation ideals.
Orion Traders stop occasionally at Sterry due to the thin Starfleet
presence in the region, and ruthlessly exploit the technology and lack of external
trade for their own benefit. This is something the Sterrians are keenly aware
of and would like to change. Because of the Orion visits the Prime Directive
injunction on Sterry is basically a moot point. No one else visits Sterry, currently.
Military: The Sterrian Military is basically a very large, competent
and aggressive internal security force. Following contact, they are reconsidering
their mission, as the idea of an attack from Space leaves the realm of fantasy
and becomes real. The internal Security mission remains at the center of Sterrian
military operations at this time. The Sterrian Military is the direct descendant
of the winner of the last internal military struggle on Sterry, which decided
which faction would dominate the planet afterwards. They retain many of the
elements of this old mission in vestigial and ceremonial functions. However,
without an organized, opposing military, these elements are small and not terribly
influential.
Languages: The Main Sterrian Language is an official language taught
to all Sterrians. It's a development of the language spoken in Sterry Prime
during its nation's climb to dominance over the planet. This language has been
completely translated by Orion and Federation visitors and is commonly available.
Universal translators should translate the Sterrian Language immediately and
with very few errors.
Notable Inhabitants: Ktar Margli, First Minister of Planet Sterry, is
a competent bureaucrat, Charismatic and intelligent. He's a firm servant of
the status quo, but if change becomes necessary on Sterry, He'll see the need
and adapt to it quickly.
General Margan Zillo, Chief of the Sterrian Military. Much more stubborn
and strong willed than
First Minister Margli, Zillo is a veteran of some tough anti-guerilla and counter-terrorist
actions. He's a dyed in the wool military man through and through, and believes
in his heart of hearts that the current Sterrians System is the best possible.
He'll die and kill to preserve it.
Doctor Zil Marga, a notable genius even by galactic standards. He has
advanced the state of the art in Sterrian genetic engineering and biotechnology
by almost a century during his 30-year career as a scientist.
Sterry Class G II, 6.0 solar masses. Orbit 01, 0.5 AU - Hot rock ball |
Disclaimer: Paramount owns all things Trek. I claim original characters and situations in this material for me.