Deux-Sevres

The Planet

Physical

Deux-Sevres is an old human colony world, located some 21.484 parsecs from Earth. It is slightly smaller than Earth, but richer in heavy metals and so somewhat denser and with a slightly higher gravity. The atmosphere is suitable for earthly life. Deux-Sevres' sun is the G7 V star Sevres (historically known as Kappa Doradus, from its place in the earthly constellation of Dorado).

Deux-Sevres is a chilly world, with substantial icecaps locking away most of the planet's water at latitudes above about 60 degrees. Two small seas exist in the temperate belt around the equator. Landforms are subdued - most of the land surface is bare rocky plain, puncuated by the odd impact crater.

Biological

Deux-Sevres' native life consists only of photosynthesising microbes, which mostly inhabit the seas and icecaps where they have access to water. The only macroscopic evidence of native life is the oxygen content of the atmosphere.

Humans have imported typical terrestrial fauna and flora for the climate. This amounts to tundra ecosystems graduating to a band of coniferous forest and finally some deciduous forest near the equator. The native microbes cause no ill effects for any imported life.

Civilisation

Deux-Sevres is home to about 950 million humans and around 30,000 sentient aliens. The population tends to congregate in the more clement equatorial zone, though there are several cities based in colder areas to service the lucrative heavy metal mining and related industries.

Economy

Deux-Sevres' major resource is its supply of heavy and industrial metals. Mining and exporting of refined metals forms a major portion of the planet's economy, but finished machinery and particularly space ships comprise the most lucrative industries. Sevres Shipyards is a major supplier of space ships for all purposes.

A secondary industry is logging and the manufacture of wood and paper products. The fast-growing pine forests which blanket much of the temperate zone provide a constant supply of this valuable commodity. The Sevres Forestry Commission operates this industry as a government monopoly.

With its harsh climate making agriculture difficult and expensive, Deux-Sevres is one of the relatively rare established worlds which imports significant quantities of food. This imported organic material, after recycling through the world's ecosystem, is eventually exported again in the form of wood or paper.

Politics

Deux-Sevres is a self-governing global athenian democracy, regulated and administered through the global computer network. In practice about 30% of eligible citizens (adults not currently serving criminal sentences) participate actively in day-to-day democracy, spending a few minutes to a few hours keeping up to date on political issues and contributing to votes. Some more important issues are promoted more heavily by the media and attract larger voter responses.

Curiously, Deux-Sevres' active democracy has produced a socialised state, with all essentials (health care, education, basic services such as power and waste removal, and even food and some entertainment) provided free. Non-essential goods and services must be purchased, and attract a 10% tax to pay for the essentials. A 0.5% import and export duty also raises considerable revenue from economic interaction with other worlds.

Visitors to Deux-Sevres will find that for the 10% tax on their hotel room they can eat all meals free of charge, though such meals are bland and monotonous. A more palatable restaurant meal will cost money, plus tax.

Apart from the socialised heavy taxation, laws on Deux-Sevres tend to be rather lax. Ownership of most weaponry is tolerated, though crimes of violence are dealt with severely.

Last Updated: