| System: | Terra system |
|---|---|
| Owner: | United Empire of Earth |
| Orbit: | ??? Standard Earth Days |
Terra concept art
Terra Prime concourse concept art
Terra Prime landing area concept art
With a size and environment extremely similar to Earth, Terra has been labeled a "Superearth." These close similarities are the very reason why this world was named Terra, and due to its population and economic importance, it is considered a sister world to Earth. It is a key hub in the Eastern Systems due to five known jump-points being located nearby, and a sixth jump-point is believed to exist. The nearby alien races are friendly than those located near the Western Systems, resulting in a more peaceful atmosphere than that found closer to Earth.
Infrastructure[]
New Prime[]
The capital of Terra is New Prime. A bay-side megacity built on the foundations of two of the original colony ships, everything in Prime was planned to create a balance between nature and civilization. Primary landing zones are located away from the city to mitigate pollution and air congestion. The city has everything you would expect from a major capital including ship upgrade stores and black market opportunities.
The city is divided into two sectors: the higher-class Downtown and the more working-class The Block. However, opportunities abound in either location.
Quasi[]
Second only to New Prime, Quasi is located in the colder southern hemisphere, and was built into the massive shadow of the native stone ruins found there. More of a tourist destination than anything, many corporations such as Crusader Industries still have a presence there.
New Austin[]
On the other side of the coin is New Austin, the planet's closest thing to an industrial city. Essentially a large business park and home to corporations like ORIGIN Jumpworks and Cronus Devices, the cost of living in New Austin is lower leading to a more blue-collar mentality in the area.
The Old Hall, formerly a Miner's Guild meeting place, is the centerpiece of the city, home to factory owners, pilots, haulers and shippers.
Terra-centrism[]
One of the biggest criticisms levelled against the planet of Terra—particularly in the political context—is that its people are largely pre-occupied with the planet itself, rather than its status as a member of the UEE. This is illustrated by the dispute over military spending spearheaded by Senator Kyle Polo, who argued that the needs of the planet in terms of issues like healthcare and education outweighed the impetus to invest money in combat defences for outer planets at risk of Vanduul attack.
Polo garnered plenty of support for his campaign, but was criticized by some as aiming to woo voters with a view of greater political success further down the line. Indeed, many warned against the short-sighted nature of failing to protect UEE borders from attackers, with the fear being that an invading force would reach planets like Terra sooner or later.