Oasis colony is a human settlement on the desert planet Tarnor in the Sanguine system. Tarnor was colonized as an autonomous world, and so was not one of the officially recognized member worlds of the Allied Systems. This also means that Oasis colony had no senatorial representation in the Interstellar Alliance. There are persistent rumors of a hidden outpost that traders and smugglers used to circumvent the maintenance fees and storage fees of Oasis spaceport. It first appears in the Tears for Tarnor campaign.[1]
History[]
Founding[]
"On the 2nd of February 2231 (about 21 years prior to the events of Jacob's Rest), Oasis colony was founded, when the 1st construction ships made planetfall. Ever since then, the 2nd of February has been a national holiday on Tarnor to celebrate this. The original colony was limited in equipment, as funds were not inexhaustible. As such, the communication systems had to be built away from the colony proper, on higher ground, where the systems could better cut through the strong natural magnetic field that protected Tarnor from the brunt of it's star's intense radiation."[2]
"The colony was originally founded by people wishing a fresh start, and those who would like to consider themselves as true pioneers for settling on such an unfriendly planet (though in truth, compared to the pioneers of old, they had it easy as most of the work was carried out by automated robots). The colonization program was funded by a group of businessmen who shrewdly discerned the value of a colony amidst so many trading routes, and without any other colonies nearby to compete with. These men took great pains and went to a lot of trouble wheeling and dealing to ensure that Tarnor could be as autonomous as possible. However, having said that, in exchange for obtaining certain promises and favours, much of the main technology on Tarnor is supplied and maintained by Syntek."[2]
"These men weren't exactly the most wholesome group however, as they knew they were taking a gamble here, albeit a small one. Either the colony would flourish, making them rich, or it would fail and 20-30 years down the line, when equipment began to fail they could sue the original supplies, whilst lobbying with other bodies for funding in the name of humanitarian aid. The lives of the colonists never really factored into their plans beyond that."[2]
"The colony's name originates from two sources: the more simplistic being a reference to the large underground lakes located beneath the colony. The second reason being a throwback to the times of old when nomads and traders would meet, trade and rest before moving on to their destinations at the oases of the desert. Due to the level of autonomy afforded to the colony, merchants of all types have been attracted to it, including those of less reputable nature. It is said that you can find anything on Tarnor, for a price. Of all the times this phrase has been used, this is perhaps the most accurate."[2]
Autonomy[]
"The autonomy also allows the colony to conduct research, developing technologies, medicines and other breakthroughs that can be sold. This research sometimes includes areas which could be considered less than moral by some. The researchers working at Oasis are given a great deal of freedom, and supplied with state of the art equipment. As long as they continue to provide a steady (and highly lucrative) stream of income, they can pretty much work on whatever they choose to."[2]
"I would imagine the IAF and other official bodies look at Oasis with a hint of resentment, in the desire to impose some level of control on the colony. However, the colony is a source of money and supplies for a great many in the sector and in the age of mega-corporations, share prices speak louder than the grumblings of official bodies… and sometimes even moral compasses."[2]
Administration[]
"The colony is run from the administration building by a large body referred to simply as the "Administration". The Administration rules Oasis colony with a velvet covered iron fist. The colonists are kept blissfully ignorant and happy, under the pretence that the Administration cares about their well-being first and foremost. However, if any of the colonist were to speak out against the direction that the administration were taking the colony they would quickly and quietly disappear. Fortunately, due to careful planning and a little bit of luck, this course of action has never needed to be exercised."[2]
"The primary goal of the Administration is keeping the coffers full, but as the colony has expanded over the years, other roles have had to be taken on, such as overseeing colony education, recreation and expansion. In recent years, due to the diverse skill set of the colonists, new branches and departments have been opened up by the Administration, such as the Geological Surveyor Department. The GSD is supposedly responsible for giving detailed reports on potential mining sites on the planets surface to supplement the data that was gathered from orbit when the colony was founded. The truth in this case however is actually that the planet has already been well mapped out prior to colonising (for example, the discovery of the underground lakes conveniently below the chosen colony site was no accident, despite what the Administration would have the colonists believe) and the department only exists to keep the colonists happy (and to verify rumours that there is an unsanctioned storage facility somewhere on the planet being used by traders to circumvent the spaceport tax and storage fees.)"[2]
References[]
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