Renegade Rodian
- Intent: To establish a primary research facility for the Helix Syndicate.
- Image: No image provided.
- Canon: Nope.
- Links: N/A
- Name: Fort Aetherius
- Classification: Miscellaneous.
- Location: Frozen Wasteland, Dolis 3
- Affiliation: Helix Syndicate
- Population:
[x0001] H01 Artificial Intelligence - [x0060] Helix Syndicate Shock Troopers
- [x0200] Trajan-Class War Droids, Mk. I
- [x0080] Helix Syndicate Support Staff
- [x0300] Sallust-Class Service Droids
- [x0050] Helix Syndicate Communications Technicians
[*]Accessibility: The only way to access Fort Aetherius is by shuttle, as there are no roads or skylanes leading directly to it. It was constructed in a vast stretch of frozen wasteland and, aside from a small landing pad and access elevator, is completely subterranean. Due to the blizzards that frequent the area, finding Fort Aetherius without having the coordinates on hand is all but impossible.
DESCRIPTION
Dolis 3, while a populated world, is a notoriously frigid one. Large stretches of the planet simply cannot be navigated except by the suicidal or the reckless. The temperatures get too cold, the blizzards too fierce. This, however, was not an impediment to the Helix Syndicate, who managed to find a sweet spot between “just habitable enough” and “difficult for others to get to” within one of the many frozen wastelands that compromise the planet’s surface. The Helix Syndicate promptly began construction of a largely subterranean facility here, calling the complex Fort Aetherius.
The intensity of the surrounding blizzards and the remoteness of Fort Aetherius’ location make it all but impossible to approach by ground. The easiest way to approach would be through the air, and to prepare for any unwelcome and unregistered visitors, a series of anti-air emplacements form a nice perimeter around the facility. The main landing pad is easy to spot in optimal conditions (although that is a rarity) as the surface is occasionally heated to melt accumulated snow.
The primary function of Fort Aetherius, however, is not actually to be a defensive emplacement. It is is the primary research and development center for the Helix Syndicate, where (among other things) new technology and equipment for the Syndicate is developed before production. Each level of the Fort is dedicated to a singular purpose, which is explained more below.
As in several other facilities owned by the Helix Syndicate, the basement level of Fort Aetherius has been converted into a highly sophisticated listening post, outfitted with an assortment of communications monitoring equipment and an array of supercomputers. From this center, incoming and outgoing communications to anywhere on the planet are intercepted, recorded, and decrypted if necessary. These tasks are performed by a team of trained technicians utilizing the Aurelius-Class Decryption Engine.
POINTS OF INTEREST
- Level A: The uppermost level located directly below the landing pad. This level is dedicated to screening new arrivals and making the requisite security checks. It is heavily fortified.
- Level B: Living quarters for the Enforcers and Shock Troopers are here, as well as several armories to store their weapons and equipment.
- Level C: The primary industry of Fort Aetherius is conducted here. This level contains four large medical labs, two cryogenic storage facilities, and a moderately sized mainframe. Using advanced technology, the Syndicate 3D prints organs to be sold on the black market. They will also synthesize experimental drugs and other consumables
- Level D: Research and development pertaining to equipment technology (weapons, gadgets, and armor, for example) takes place here. There are six laboratories down here, as well as a gigantic mainframe on which all pertinent data is stored.
- Level E: Contains living quarters and recreational areas for support staff and communications technicians. There is also a maintenance bay for the droids operating in the facility
- Level F: Research and development pertaining to droids and their programming takes place here. There are six laboratories down here, as well as a gigantic mainframe on which all pertinent data is stored.
- Level G: Research and development pertaining to medicine and genetics takes place here. There are six laboratories down here, as well as a gigantic mainframe on which all pertinent data is stored.
- Level H: This section houses the fort’s listening post. Planetary communications are monitored here and decrypted before being sent via HSNET to headquarters. The primary control center that houses the H01 Artificial Intelligence Unit can also be found here.
Fort Aetherius’ landing pad is ringed by four anti-aircraft turrets. If they detect any vessels that are approaching for a landing, they will activate. If the approaching vessel gets too close without transmitting that week’s clearance codes, they will open fire. As the landing pad is the only part of Fort Aetherius on the surface, these are the only external defenses.
Inside, Fort Aetherius’ defenses are predictably mundane. There are security checkpoints at every major juncture. Keycards are needed for access to most areas. Retinal scans are mandatory for access to more important areas, like the control room. Be advised that the retinal scanners can detect whether or not the retina they are scanning belongs to a live person.
A network of security cameras keeps close watch over the employees at all times and auto-turrets keep watch over the hallways. These auto-turrets remain deactivated unless an intruder is detected. When active, they will open fire on any individual not carrying a clearance keycard or not logged in their facial recognition system.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Fort Aetherius was one of the more difficult construction projects the Helix Syndicate undertook. Weather conditions and the remote location meant numerous setbacks and accidents. Since the workers were largely droids and the overseers on the Syndicate’s payroll, they managed to persevere. After memory-wiping the droids and sending the overseers on to other projects, there were few opportunities for the fort’s location to be leaked.
Since then, the Fort’s location has remained a quiet mystery few of the locals are even aware of, much less committed to unraveling. Many of the Syndicate’s employees are circulated out regularly and are unaware that the planet they are on is named Dolis 3.
