Columbus Station
Commissioned by the Alabama Corporation, then a titan within the NSAC human faction, Columbus was meant to be a jewel on the frontier. A beacon of trade, diplomacy, and expansion at the edge of human and alien space. Its scope was audacious: a spinning superstructure with five massive habitable wheels and a towering central spire. The Accommodation Wheel alone stretched almost two kilometers, and its central spire was over 7 kilometers tall. Advanced modular systems would allow the station to grow for decades to come.
Construction began in 982 A.E., a marvel of engineering and ambition. However, within eight years, the dream had already begun to die. The sheer scale of the project bankrupted Alabama Corporation. Mismanagement, corruption, and the collapse of a high-profile merger shocked the NSAC corporations.
The first wheel became a shortened dome. The second of two habitat rings was never completed. The planned extensive satellite grid never made it beyond a basic four. Vast sections of the station were sealed off, unfinished, under-maintained, and swiftly forgotten.
Station Design
Command Dome
10 levels in height, access through Central Spire
Non-Rotating
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Function: Station governance, command and control, communications, security, and administration.
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Structure: 10 operational levels, non-rotating, dome-shaped.
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Key Elements:
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Level 1–3: System controls, navigation, communications, military command.
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Level 4–8: Governor’s office, executive boardrooms, economic departments, judicial chambers.
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Level 9–10: Executive suites, IT operations, and access to the Network Core (It's primary node).
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Personnel: ~500–1,000 staff.
Wheel 2, Accomadation Wheel
Structure: 12 levels; houses 30,000–60,000 people.
Key Elements:
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Levels 1–3: Prestige and upper-class housing, green spaces, MGC viewports.
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Levels 4–7: Mid-tier apartments and officer housing.
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Levels 8–12: High-density worker housing; some areas modified for alien residents.
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Miscellaneous: Modular habitats, adjustable gravity/atmosphere for alien visitors.
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Unique Trait: Only wheel designed for full cross-species compatibility.
Wheel 3, Retail and Commercial Wheel
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Function: Retail, hospitality, leisure, and trade.
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Structure: 3 levels; supports 5,000–7,000 transients.
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Key Elements:
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Sectors 1–5: Retail, services, daily goods, tech, and dining.
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Sector 6: Venn Casino Complex (entire sector).
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Sectors 7–12: Markets, exotic goods, medical, and entertainment.
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Notable: Each commercial sector has up to 60 active shops; integrated with monorail and utility systems.
Wheel 4, Docking, Storage and Industrial Wheel
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Function: Fabrication, freight handling, storage, and docking.
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Structure: 3 levels; supports 5,000–8,000 rotating workers.
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Key Elements:
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Level 1: Refineries, recycling, core power conduits.
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Level 2: Docking bays, customs, immigration; used by freight companies and shipyards.
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Level 3: Warehousing, transit hubs, secure storage.
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Design: High-security access; functional over comfort.