MudMeko

System: Muda MekoHex Location: 1825

Star Type: Single K9 V

Number of Worlds: 6

Gas Giants: 3 (1 hot Jupiter)

Planetoid Belt: Cometary belt; 2 asteroid belts

Starport Type: X No services

World Size: Larger than Earth

Atmosphere Type: Thin

Surface Water: 20%

Population: Medium sized (c. 30 million)

Political Affiliation: Carthen Colony (Revanchist Republic)

Notes: A planet of Oerk clans, strong, scaled and reptilian aliens. They don't always have primitive tribal culture (although left on their own, they do tend to revert to that mean) but on Muda Meko they certainly do. The oerks of Muda Meko are not citizens of the Republic, or citizens at all, for that matter—the Republic ignores them except to exploit them as cheap labor locally, or they trick them into entering indentured servitude and going abroad—again, usually as cheap manual labor, or cannon fodder in their wars. As of right now, the oerk population still accepts this state of affairs, not really knowing much of what goes on off-world, and therefore too naive to know better, but they are becoming more and more suspicious every day of these "little weak people from the stars."

These tribal natives are not what the Republic considers when it calls this world one of theirs, however. Powerful corporate interests within the Republic have used their crony relationship with corrupt politicians to prompt the claiming of the world, and they've established their own settlements (mostly large orbital cities) from which their employees and contractors can exploit the planet for its mineral, agricultural and humanoid capital. Few people in the Republic really understand much of what happens here (and besides, there are so many exploited worlds), so this in many ways resembles the Congo Free State; corporate interests provide extensive propaganda about "humanitarian" and missionary concerns, while they effectively strip-mine the planet of anything of value; including the natives themselves.

On the surface of the planet, however, there are no starports at all, or even high tech urban facilities to speak of. The oerks live a primitive life, and the Revanchists don't stay on the surface (the combination of high gravity and thin air make it quite uncomfortable) so they spend their time in a far orbit, nearly at lunar distance, in an artificial torus city.