[[File:newgibson.jpg|thumb|New Gibson's capital, the Hengsha Arcology]]
Considered an ice world, ‘’‘New Gibson’’’ prides itself as the industrial powerhouse of Tau Ceti. As the atmosphere is too thin to support life, its population lives in domed megapolises.
Nestled within the New Ankara system is the crown jewel of the Serene Republic of Elyra: its capital planet of Perispolis. It is the most populous planet in the Republic by far with roughly fifteen billion citizens calling it home. On the cutting edge of technology and exceedingly prosperous, Perispolis is renowned both inside the Republic and outside of it for both its extreme technological prowess and its vibrant entertainment industries. The planet is remarkably hospitable, if arid, due to intensive terraforming efforts undertaken by the Sol Alliance before the planet’s initial colonization that gave the planet a habitable atmosphere and an environment Earthlike enough for comfortable human habitation. Much of Elyra’s pre-terraforming flora and fauna has survived to the current day, and now lives alongside imported Solarian flora and fauna. The planet’s vast deserts are home to some of the largest phoron deposits in the Orion Spur, which has contributed to the vast wealth of the Republic. These deposits are primarily managed by the government of the Republic or Elyran companies, rather than massive interstellar megacorporations. From orbit the planet is known for its incredible luster as a result of its large native forests, which take on an amethyst hue visible from orbit as a result of the soil in which they have come to thrive. Early photographs of the planet taken from orbit initially confused these trees for vast seas due to the massive sizes of the planet’s forests.
The planet is a prime location for industrial development, since minimal terraforming is required, and populations of workers can be sustained in biodomes scattered across the barren landscape. Any activity on the planet’s surface requires EVA equipment, but due to its high level of industrial development, the planet is the largest producer of consumer appliances, ship components, space station modules, and other manufactured goods in Tau Ceti.
Uthma, the planetary capital - and capital of the greater Republic of Elyra - is one of the wealthiest and most prosperous locations in the Orion Spur alongside [[Mendell City]] thanks to the immense phoron reserves found on the planet, and is sometimes referred to as the technological capital of humanity by its residents. Appropriately for this title the city is home to some of the most advanced constructions in the Orion Spur, including the largest manmade structure found in the Orion Spur: the gargantuan New Ankaran Jewel space elevator. Uthma is also renowned throughout the Orion Spur for its thriving entertainment industry and cultural productions, which have contributed to tourism being an unexpectedly large industry.
New Gibson has always had notable liberal and anti-Alliance sentiment, striving for independence. Political tensions became especially high when the bankrupt Alliance stopped supporting minor industrial domes and put a ban on building new ones. Ultimately, this sentiment was resolved when Tau Ceti achieved independence. Now New Gibsonite spirits are high, and Tau Ceti Independence Day is the most major holiday among the populace.
==Climate==
==History==
The atmosphere of New Gibson is composed primarily of methane, ammonia and trace amounts of water vapors, with temperature ranges from minus 243 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 153 degrees Celsius) to minus 370 F (minus 218 C). The upper regions, North and South poles respectively, being the coldest locations. On rare occasions radiation from [[Tau Ceti]]'s sun and from space infrequently heats the stratosphere of New Gibson from minus 370 F (minus 218 C) to minus 243 F (minus 153 C).
As the first planet colonized in what would eventually become the Republic of Elyra, much of Perispolis’ history is tied into the greater history of the [Republic_of_Elyra#History|Republic as a whole]]. However, the planet itself has its own history unrelated to the greater Republic.
The gravity of New Gibson is slightly heavier than [[Biesel]]'s and it has a magnetic field protecting it from cosmic rays and solar storms, though not completely.
New Gibson is enveloped in perpetual twilight.
Originally discovered in the late 2100s, the New Ankara system was marked as a target for terraforming within mere years. New Ankara IV, which would later become known as Perispolis, was deemed a prime candidate for terraforming now being tested on the Martian surface. In 2210 terraforming efforts were formally started by the Sol Alliance (though primarily funded by countries from the Middle East and North Africa) with a tentative deadline of 2220. Work finished slightly ahead of schedule in 2219, and the planet’s colonization formally began the next year.
New Gibson's weather is characterized by frequent very high wind speed snow storms. The snow storms are frequent, however once in a while New Gibson allows it's weary plains (and inhabitants) a rest with a long, if not quite welcomed, mild snowfall. Any outside contact must be kept within RIG EVA procedures, and EVA is strictly prohibited during the snow storms duration.
The planet rapidly became exceedingly wealthy due to a high amount of rare minerals, such as phoron (though its mining would not become widespread until the 2410s) and, by the mid-2300s, was able to support colonies of its own such as [[Medina]] and [[Aemaq]]. This prosperity has continued to build in the 2400s thanks to the rapid growth of the phoron industry on Perispolis, and the planet has come to be a center of wealth in the contemporary Orion Spur. The Perispolis of the present day attracts immigrants from across civilized space, and remains less dependent on megacorporations than other comparable planets due to its powerful (and wealthy) central government.
New Gibson is characterized by huge snow-covered valleys, large solitary mountains (including Mount Tian, the mountain where Hengsha is constructed on), frozen lakes (or oceans) and vast frozen ice caves, the largest of which (discovered) is found at the Blue Mesa outpost.
[[File:Perispolis2.png|Perispolis seen from orbit, clearly displaying its desert regions and alien forests. The New Ankaran Jewel is visible in the planet's southern hemisphere.|thumb|left]]
==Fauna and Flora==
==Environment==
No animal life has thus far been registered as far as the explorer vehicle drones have noted. This is probably due to the very hostile nature of the planet's weather. As with the fauna, the flora is non-existent.
The environment of Perispolis can be divided into three major regions: the forests, the deserts, and the phoron fields. All three of these environments are arid and generally hot, though the forested regions receive more rainfall and are cooler than average. Terraforming efforts by the Sol Alliance in the years leading up to the planet’s colonization have made the environment more hospitable for humanity overall at the cost of many native species, which thrived in the weaker atmospheric conditions of pre-colonization Perispolis. However, many species have doggedly persisted despite terraforming.
== Life on New Gibson ==
The large, alien forests of Perispolis are home to a remarkably diverse section of flora and fauna, most of which is benign to humanity. Some of the larger predators here are regarded as dangerous if threatened, but injuries rarely occur due to the distance these animals keep from major settlements. The flora of the forests is particularly fascinating to researchers throughout the Orion Spur due to their unusual coloration and high adaptability to various soil types. The planet is often visited by researchers from the renowned botanical institutes of [[Silversun]] interested in studying the planet’s flora. Many regions of the planetary forests are considered to be planetary reserve parks by the Republic of Elyra, and human development in them without government permission is disallowed. These reserve parks are a large source of tourism for the planet, though Perispolis’ city life attracts more visitors. Many of the planet’s fifteen billion residents live in the arboreal zones of Perispolis, despite the utter lack of significant phoron deposits in this region.
=== Biodomes ===
The planetary capital of New Gibson is the Hengsha Biodome, or simply Hengsha, a self-contained complex mimicking the landscape of Biesel, complete with parks, waterfalls and wildlife. This large complex represents the heart and soul of the many operations on New Gibson. Hengsha contains the largest, most up to date industrial complex ever constructed, integrated and dug in the large mountain on the side of which Hengsha resides, Mount Tian. NanoTrasen has purchased, and manages, a major part of local industrial facilities.
The deserts of Perispolis dominate the geography of the planet, forming the majority of its land. These deserts are vast and rocky environments similar to the Earthling counterparts, with some notable differences such as a greater amount of precipitation annually. However the deserts of Elyra have one very, very important thing that separates them from the deserts of Earth: vast phoron deposits often referred to as “phoron dunes” can be found scattered throughout the deserts. The name “dunes” is, technically, a misnomer resulting from the misconceptions of the original surveyors: the phoron deposits on Elyra’s surface naturally form into crystalline formations rather than traditional dunes. While some of these crystalline formations can be quite large, most instead hug the ground and instead extend downwards rather than upwards. Areas of Elyra’s deserts that feature large amounts of phoron in the soil are known to be nearly devoid of plant life with only rare animals making their home in the dunes. Xenobiological surveys have concluded that phoron poisons the soil it resides in, leading to a lack of plant life and - eventually - desertification due to erosion. Areas without large phoron deposits display more ecological diversity and often instead resemble an environment more akin to a savannah. Most of the desert-dwelling population can be found in these savannah regions, where major settlements such as Uthma and its New Ankaran Jewel space elevator can be found.
Blue Mesa, the second largest outpost in New Gibson, is a Nanotransen owned research facility. It is built similarly to New Gibson, but in a modular fashion, allowing extensions or “rearrangements” of departments. It’s located in a system of large ice caves which span far and wide, relatively close to Hengsha.
==Life on Perispolis==
Another notable archology would be the Xoikko Biodome, built with help from Skrell architects. While it is a relatively young settlement, it houses bars, nightclubs and other entertainment facilities. A lot of them focus on native Gibsonite culture, serving ethnic drinks and meals.
Quality of life on Perispolis is one of the highest in the Orion Spur due to both the wealth that the phoron industry has brought to the planet and the technology that has resulted from the industry itself. Technological marvels thought to be nearly impossible a century ago such as anti-gravity hover technology, plasma, and high-end virtual reality that has become commonplace for everyday Elyrans throughout the Republic can all be traced back to the laboratories and institutes of Perispolis. These once-impossible marvels have become commonplace on Perispolis, and are viewed as a fact of everyday life. Massive skyscrapers shoot out of the ground and spiral their way miles into the air, space travel is cheaper than ever thanks to the New Ankaran Jewel - the Orion Spur’s largest space elevator - providing easy transport into orbit, hover-vehicles are the premier method of transit, and so much more. Perispolis - and the Serene Republic of Elyra more generally - attracts people from all across the Orion Spur due its splendor, and the population of Perispolis is remarkably diverse: its residents originate from all across the Orion Spur.
Xerxes Biodome contains the larges portion of the Scay’extiih’aur workers, which houses the New Gibson hive-net relay. For more information on Scay’extiih’aur and her brood, please see [[Vaurca]].
While life on Perispolis is one of luxury, some areas are not without their hardships, particularly for those such as the employees of the government-owned Elyran Interstellar Phoron Corporation (often simply referred to as “EIPC”) and others that spend much of their time in the phoron dunes of the planet. While much of their work is done remotely, work in the phoron fields requires somebody to remain in the harshest, hottest, most barren environment on the planet for extended periods of time - often up to three months before one is rotated off of the fields. The harsh environment, coupled with distance from most other residents of the planet, has been known to inflict intense bouts of loneliness upon workers sometimes referred to as “phoron sorrows” or “phoron blues.”
Other than that, New Gibson has a complex dedicated to virtually all heavy industries, with a particular focus on shipbuilding.
==Society and Culture==
=== Transportation ===
Earlier - and, in minor domes to this day - people tended not to leave their native biodome, and transportation between them was limited to either industrial aircraft, usually manned by [[IPC]]s, or space shuttle travel, which is expensive and inefficient. However, with Tau Ceti getting independence, Nanotrasen has initiated a massive civilian transport program. Nowadays, all major domes have an atmosphere-controlled underground subway between them, and work continues on connecting the minor ones as well. A person can live in Hengsha and go bar drinking in Xoikko in just a matter of a couple of hours, much to the enjoyment of local populace.
Society in the cities of Perispolis is certainly not a Spartan one. The extreme wealth and prosperity of the planet has led to a lifestyle that some, in other areas of the Orion Spur, might describe as excessive. The incredible opulence of the Republic has led to a society that is based around perfection and leisure due to the ease with which the average citizen of Perispolis is able to live their life through the use of technology. Daily life for many residents of Perispolis is focused around the production of cultural works and art, though Perispolis tends to focus more on social arts such as films than [[Medina]]. Films are a common export of Perispolis, with its industry having a known rivalry with the Cytherean film studios of [[Venus]]. Whether or not Perispolis’ film industry surpasses (or even comes close to) the quality of Venus is a matter of intense debate amongst film critics and fans throughout the Orion Spur.
=== Work Culture ===
An overwhelming majority of people living on New Gibson are lower class workers manning or repairing the manufacturing facilities on the planet. Gibsonites are stereotypically dilligent, responsible workaholics. However, this isn’t always the case.
Despite this bitter rivalry, Elyran holovids - often taking the form of episodic series rather than singular films - have become massively popular throughout the Orion Spur, with many of their iconic characters appearing in merchandise throughout civilized space. The famous Quu Trifective, or QQ’s, originated on Perispolis and have since become famous throughout the Orion Spur. Their likelinesses, particularly Mychau, are used throughout the planet to advertise various products, sometimes in giant holograms promoting the latest trends on the planet and in the greater Republic.
Factories on New Gibson usually have the same 9 to 5 schedule, which has always resulted in full bars and pubs after work hours. Getting wasted every Friday is a popular Gibsonite tradition.
The most famous holovid to come out of the animation studios of Perispolis is the long-running ''Freedom Fliers'' series, produced by Marut Studios, which portrays the trials and tribulations of exosuit and mech pilots during the Interstellar War through the use of fictional characters. With a well-developed cast of characters and patriotic roots in fighting against the Sol Alliance the series is beloved in the Republic of Elyra and Coalition of Colonies, but has been less well-received in the Sol Alliance. It has become prominent in Tau Ceti post-independence, and its advertisements can often be found throughout the Republic of Biesel.
=== Demographics ===
A typical Gibsonite is very pale due to the perpetual twilight on the planet. Ethnic groups are distributed as follows:
Many artists that start on Medina eventually make their home on Perispolis, due to the greater prestige often associated with working on the capital planet of the Republic of Elyra.
Native Gibsonites - 76.2%
Other human ethnicities - 13.8%
Skrell - 5.3%
Vaurca - 2.7%
Others (including Aut’akh) - 2%
A center of culture on Perispolis is, perhaps surprisingly, the New Ankaran Jewel. Located in the planetary capital of Uthma, the Jewel is the Orion Spur’s largest space elevator by far and houses significant residential and commercial facilities. With transport to and from levels of the Jewel, and the skyscrapers surrounding it, extremely easy due to the prevalence of hover technology, many have come to call it their home - including some of the planet’s best artists. The Elyran News Network, the official public service broadcaster of the Republic, is located in one of the middle levels of the Jewel, and its famous backdrop is a view of the Uthma skyline from their studio.
Gibsonites usually have good opinions about Skrell, and are mostly neutral to all other species. While no official discrimination exists, non-humans that are not Skrell tend to stick together in their own isolated biodomes, especially Vaurca.
==Major Settlements==
===Major Settlements
'''Uthma''' is the planetary capital of Perispolis and the administrative center of the entire Republic of Elyra more generally. Located near the equator in a savannah-like desert region, Uthma’s climate is extremely hospitable, with the weather being quite comfortable at all times of the year. The first city established after the planet’s colonization, the centuries since have seen Uthma grow into one of the most prominent cities in the Orion Spur thanks to the planet’s phoron deposits and technological advances. The city has the most advanced VR centers ever constructed by humanity and is, like most Elyran cities, entirely designed for transportation via hover-vehicles rather than traditional vehicles. As a result, Uthma is a city that is designed more vertically than horizontally - a trait made no more obvious than in its massive space elevator: the New Ankaran Jewel. The Elyran National Institute of Phoron Sciences, the largest phoron-researching organization outside of NanoTrasen, is located in the city.
'''Hengsha''' contains the largest, most up to date industrial complex ever constructed, integrated and dug in the large mountain on the side of which Hensha resides, Mount Tian. This large complex represents the heart and soul of the many operations on New Gibson. NanoTrasen has bought many of the ports, construction firms, welding industries and other similar industrial firms, although the complex still contains a sizeable amount of independent and Assembly owned firms. Furthermore, Hengsha has its own academy called H.A. Wallace Space Academy, boasting an impressive number of industrial based studies and specializing in EVA operations. Named after Henry Arthur Wallace, the scientist and engineer who designed the Hengsha Arcology project.
'''The New Ankaran Jewel''' is, nominally, part of the planetary capital of Uthma. However, this massive structure is arguably a city onto its own, though one that has been constructed vertically rather than horizontally. The Jewel is both a result of the planet’s immense wealth and a reason for its increasing prosperity, as it was originally constructed as a method to cheaply and efficiently move resources from the surface to low-Perispolis orbit and was only possible due to the immense profits brought into the New Ankara system by phoron. In the years since its construction, the Jewel has made transit to and from the surface even easier and has come to be a significant population center due to the residential and commercial wings built into its massive structure. A significant amount of the planet’s entertainment industry has come to find its way into the tower, with many artists often competing to secure a spot in the Jewel.
'''Blue Mesa''', the second largest outpost in New Gibson, is a Nanotransen owned research facility (presumably), it is built similarly to New Gibson but in a modular fashion to allow extensions or "rearrangements" of departments. It's located in a system of large ice caves which span for many miles (kilometers) relatively close to Hengsha.
'''Ashkhaimi''' is a city in the forested regions of Perispolis well-known for its verdant surroundings and institutes of biology. The city is home to many of the institutes of science that have helped to produce Elyran hove technology and other marvels, and features a significant military proving grounds on its outskirts where the first practical plasma weapons were developed. The forests of Ashkhaimi are a significant tourist attraction for residents of Perispolis looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life, and also manage to attract visitors from off-world. The forests are often commonly used as a shooting location by the film studios of Uthma, due to their unique flora and fauna.
'''Xerxes Biodome''' contains the larges portion of the Scay’extiih’aur workers, which houses the New Gibson hive-net relay. For more information on Scay’extiih’aur and her brood, please see [[Vaurca]].
'''Madinat Omraia''' is a settlement dedicated to phoron mining and processing located on the edge of the desert’s phoron fields. Despite a smaller population of permanent residents than other cities on Perispolis, due to the nature of phoron mining in the deep deserts necessitating the rotation of mining crews every three months. Despite this small population it remains prominent due to its significant phoron production and, unexpectedly, the racing circuits in the dunes around it. Madinat Omraia is one of the few locations in the Republic of Elyra where wheeled vehicles can be found among the civilian population, due to the city’s prominent rallying scene desiring wheeled vehicles for racing.
Patriotic flag of New Gibson.New Gibson's capital, the Hengsha Arcology
Considered an ice world, ‘’‘New Gibson’’’ prides itself as the industrial powerhouse of Tau Ceti. As the atmosphere is too thin to support life, its population lives in domed megapolises.
The planet is a prime location for industrial development, since minimal terraforming is required, and populations of workers can be sustained in biodomes scattered across the barren landscape. Any activity on the planet’s surface requires EVA equipment, but due to its high level of industrial development, the planet is the largest producer of consumer appliances, ship components, space station modules, and other manufactured goods in Tau Ceti.
New Gibson has always had notable liberal and anti-Alliance sentiment, striving for independence. Political tensions became especially high when the bankrupt Alliance stopped supporting minor industrial domes and put a ban on building new ones. Ultimately, this sentiment was resolved when Tau Ceti achieved independence. Now New Gibsonite spirits are high, and Tau Ceti Independence Day is the most major holiday among the populace.
The atmosphere of New Gibson is composed primarily of methane, ammonia and trace amounts of water vapors, with temperature ranges from minus 243 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 153 degrees Celsius) to minus 370 F (minus 218 C). The upper regions, North and South poles respectively, being the coldest locations. On rare occasions radiation from Tau Ceti's sun and from space infrequently heats the stratosphere of New Gibson from minus 370 F (minus 218 C) to minus 243 F (minus 153 C).
The gravity of New Gibson is slightly heavier than Biesel's and it has a magnetic field protecting it from cosmic rays and solar storms, though not completely.
New Gibson is enveloped in perpetual twilight.
New Gibson's weather is characterized by frequent very high wind speed snow storms. The snow storms are frequent, however once in a while New Gibson allows it's weary plains (and inhabitants) a rest with a long, if not quite welcomed, mild snowfall. Any outside contact must be kept within RIG EVA procedures, and EVA is strictly prohibited during the snow storms duration.
New Gibson is characterized by huge snow-covered valleys, large solitary mountains (including Mount Tian, the mountain where Hengsha is constructed on), frozen lakes (or oceans) and vast frozen ice caves, the largest of which (discovered) is found at the Blue Mesa outpost.
Fauna and Flora
No animal life has thus far been registered as far as the explorer vehicle drones have noted. This is probably due to the very hostile nature of the planet's weather. As with the fauna, the flora is non-existent.
Life on New Gibson
Biodomes
The planetary capital of New Gibson is the Hengsha Biodome, or simply Hengsha, a self-contained complex mimicking the landscape of Biesel, complete with parks, waterfalls and wildlife. This large complex represents the heart and soul of the many operations on New Gibson. Hengsha contains the largest, most up to date industrial complex ever constructed, integrated and dug in the large mountain on the side of which Hengsha resides, Mount Tian. NanoTrasen has purchased, and manages, a major part of local industrial facilities.
Blue Mesa, the second largest outpost in New Gibson, is a Nanotransen owned research facility. It is built similarly to New Gibson, but in a modular fashion, allowing extensions or “rearrangements” of departments. It’s located in a system of large ice caves which span far and wide, relatively close to Hengsha.
Another notable archology would be the Xoikko Biodome, built with help from Skrell architects. While it is a relatively young settlement, it houses bars, nightclubs and other entertainment facilities. A lot of them focus on native Gibsonite culture, serving ethnic drinks and meals.
Xerxes Biodome contains the larges portion of the Scay’extiih’aur workers, which houses the New Gibson hive-net relay. For more information on Scay’extiih’aur and her brood, please see Vaurca.
Other than that, New Gibson has a complex dedicated to virtually all heavy industries, with a particular focus on shipbuilding.
Transportation
Earlier - and, in minor domes to this day - people tended not to leave their native biodome, and transportation between them was limited to either industrial aircraft, usually manned by IPCs, or space shuttle travel, which is expensive and inefficient. However, with Tau Ceti getting independence, Nanotrasen has initiated a massive civilian transport program. Nowadays, all major domes have an atmosphere-controlled underground subway between them, and work continues on connecting the minor ones as well. A person can live in Hengsha and go bar drinking in Xoikko in just a matter of a couple of hours, much to the enjoyment of local populace.
Work Culture
An overwhelming majority of people living on New Gibson are lower class workers manning or repairing the manufacturing facilities on the planet. Gibsonites are stereotypically dilligent, responsible workaholics. However, this isn’t always the case.
Factories on New Gibson usually have the same 9 to 5 schedule, which has always resulted in full bars and pubs after work hours. Getting wasted every Friday is a popular Gibsonite tradition.
Demographics
A typical Gibsonite is very pale due to the perpetual twilight on the planet. Ethnic groups are distributed as follows:
Native Gibsonites - 76.2%
Other human ethnicities - 13.8%
Skrell - 5.3%
Vaurca - 2.7%
Others (including Aut’akh) - 2%
Gibsonites usually have good opinions about Skrell, and are mostly neutral to all other species. While no official discrimination exists, non-humans that are not Skrell tend to stick together in their own isolated biodomes, especially Vaurca.
===Major Settlements
Hengsha contains the largest, most up to date industrial complex ever constructed, integrated and dug in the large mountain on the side of which Hensha resides, Mount Tian. This large complex represents the heart and soul of the many operations on New Gibson. NanoTrasen has bought many of the ports, construction firms, welding industries and other similar industrial firms, although the complex still contains a sizeable amount of independent and Assembly owned firms. Furthermore, Hengsha has its own academy called H.A. Wallace Space Academy, boasting an impressive number of industrial based studies and specializing in EVA operations. Named after Henry Arthur Wallace, the scientist and engineer who designed the Hengsha Arcology project.
Blue Mesa, the second largest outpost in New Gibson, is a Nanotransen owned research facility (presumably), it is built similarly to New Gibson but in a modular fashion to allow extensions or "rearrangements" of departments. It's located in a system of large ice caves which span for many miles (kilometers) relatively close to Hengsha.
Xerxes Biodome contains the larges portion of the Scay’extiih’aur workers, which houses the New Gibson hive-net relay. For more information on Scay’extiih’aur and her brood, please see Vaurca.
