Central Corridor
Central Corridor
The Central Corridor is a wide access way that runs around the entire circumference of the station between Blue and Red Sectors. It is a 24 hour hub of activity with several small traders and cafes situated along its walls to take advantage of the large amount of pedestrian traffic that constantly streams through. Access points throughout its length allow easy travel between locations within Red and Blue Sectors and the constant stream of visitors going to and from customs to other parts of the station are the main targets for the traders who ply their business here. Security retains a high presence in the Central Corridor as thieving from traders and even muggings are not unknown.
Using the Central Corridor to travel between locations situated in Blue and Red Sectors on foot will reduce travel times to 15 minutes, rather than 20. The Central Corridor is 18 metres wide and stretches for 1.2 kilometres.
There are two main areas of permanent commercial establishments along the Red Sector side of the Central Corridor, all of which are open every day during their regular business hours. Other businesses marked on this map are mobile – traders selling items from a cart or small portable stand, for example – and while the ones listed below are the true ‘fixtures’ of the Central Corridor, they may not be there every day or always be in the same place. Usually, however, these mobile traders find a spot and stick with it. Though there is no means of establishing a proprietary claim on any one bit of the corridor, the concept of ‘owning’ a spot in the Central Corridor is a common agreement amongst the traders. A trader who arrives early one day to set up in a spot normally used by someone else is considered a claim-jumper by the other traders, and can at the very least expect harsh words. More than once, security has been called to break up a fight between two traders claiming the same spot.
Though traders might become attached to a particular spot, the entire length of the Central Corridor sees about the same amount of traffic over the course of the day, and no one section of it is better than any other for attracting business. Traders who sell their wares from mobile carts or portable stands are forbidden by law from using any cart or stand that extends more than three metres out from the wall.
1. Access to Blue Sector. These doorways mark
entrances to Blue Sector from the Central Corridor.
2. Access to Red Sector. These doorways mark
entrances to Red Sector from the Central Corridor.
3. Border BBQ.
A regular sight in the Central Corridor almost since the day the station went online,
Danny Ulrich (Human Male) comes here every day to sell barbecue sandwiches from a hand cart. The barbecue, of course, is all synthetic, but Ulrich’s sauce helps make up for that. Ulrich was a construction worker on Babylon 5
from the beginning of the project, and after staying on the station through the entire finish-out process, decided he was here to stay. When budget cuts to the station’s operating budget deprived him of the job in maintenance he had hoped for, he opted to go into business for himself instead. Ulrich rolls his cart into the Central Corridor at 11:00 every day, then returns to his home in Red Sector at 20:30, or whenever he runs out of food (usually by 18:00). Sandwiches cost 6 credits.
4. From Far Stars.
Ideally suited to catch and fleecewide-eyed tourists as they step through customs,
G’Hrath (Narn Male) has made a tidy business for himself selling cheap bits of plastic and
metal he hawks as religious and cultural trinkets from a dozen or more alien races. G’Hrath can usually be
found here between 07:00 and 20:00, working long hours to work the most crowds.
5. Border's Guide.
Though maps of the station are freely provided to anyone requesting one at customs,
Roland Garrett (Human Male) makes a tidy profit from selling them to those who are unaware of
this. His maps are, in truth, more detailed than those provided by the station. Garrett seldom keeps regular
hours, but still manages to be here almost every day.
6. Empty Shop
7. Bright Day.
Open only for breakfast, this popular eatery is designed to catch the morning rush of ships coming into the station, and is having the side effect of luring many officers away from the Mess Hall to eat here instead. Bright Day is owned by Thluush (Abbai Female), and is open from 06:00 to 11:00 every day except Abbai holy days.
8. Jump Point.
Doing a brisk business with freighter captains, cargo crews and tourists alike, the Jump Point is the first of many bars most people will see on the station. It offers a variety of moderate quality drinks at inflated prices, as the owner, Rento Jullard (Centauri Male Trader 3) gladly takes advantage of both his bar’s location and the laziness of his
customers. The Jump Point is open daily from 12:30 to 01:00.
9. Miles Investigations.
It is a big station with a large population, and from time to time, people need the help of a private investigator. Art Miles (Human Male) and his partner Jack Brody (Human Male) help to serve that need, working cases from missing persons to marital infidelity to bail jumping. Recently, they have been investigating the disappearance of three people in Grey Sector.
10. Empty Shop
12. Flowers by Ira.
A small cart full of imported flowers that seems to be here in the Central Corridor every
day and virtually around the clock, Flowers by Ira is actually more than it seems.
The owner of the cart Ira Lowentz (Human Male), is a cog in one of the largest smuggling operations on the station....
By the arrangement and colours of the flowers he puts in display, he lets smugglers know where and when
to pick up and drop off cargo and payments without ever requiring them to meet. This little operation
has been going on for some months now, with security none the wiser.
Of course, Ira does sell his flowers, charging 30 credits per bouquet.
13. Oasis.
Owned by a Vree trader named Ch’lisk (Vree Male Trader 1), this cart offers a variety of human and non-human non-alcoholic drinks, though as with all other businesses in the station, all the drinks here must be tolerable to humans.
14.Taste of Narn.
Offering an assortment of small, easy to carry snacks, this cart is owned by G’Bral (Narn Male), an ardent Narn nationalist, and his mate Na’Fell (Narn Female), of similar disposition. Neither of them will sell goods to Centauri customers, and have been known to verbally provoke passing Centauri in the past.
The inevitable fights that result have caused security officers to loiter in this area whenever they know a Centauri transport is coming into the station. Taste of Narn is open every day from 10:00 to 21:00, manned either by G’Bral or Na’Fell at all times.
15. We Carry.
A poorly written sign hangs on the front of this cart, owned by Graath (Drazi Male).
Considering Graath’s command of English, however, the sign is not surprising. Graath and his three children
rent themselves out as porters, carrying luggage and other goods throughout the station. Graath charges
25 credits per hour for his services. Though he does not advertise it, Graath will also hire himself out as a
bodyguard or simple muscle, for which he charges 40 credits per hour.
16. Icon Emporium.
Considering the sheer number of Centauri gods, it is little wonder that Troth Fellon (Centauri Male) needs two carts to run his business. Fellon is a quiet, unassuming fellow, traits that put him at odds with the perception most people have of the Centauri, but that do little to soften the hostility washing his way from G’Bral on the other side of the corridor. Fellon’s business is in selling Centauri religious trinkets to travelling Centauri. His best-selling items are icons of Ilarus, the goddess of luck and Treveth, god of travel. Though few would believe it, Fellon is one of the wealthiest people on
the station – though he keeps his wealth hidden and untouched in a number of accounts flung across the length and breadth of the Centauri Republic.
17. Babel.
There are literally dozens of languages spoken on station, and though it is usually possible to
navigate the station using only English, relying on only one language can be problematic, particularly
for new arrivals to the station. Nina Jenkins (Human Female) has the solution to that problem in the form of cross-language dictionaries. Available in both pocket-sized print form, and as a data flexi, Jenkins offers the many language translation programs:
Though there have been a few requests, Jenkins does not stock translation programs for any human language other than English(common). A printed dictionary costs 25 credits, while the more efficient data flexi costs 75.
18. Tariff Services.
Traders coming through are often unaware of the complexities and minutia tariff regulations –
this facility was established to explain them. Tariff Services is open every day from 09:30 to 16:00 hours,
though there is never any telling who will be working there. Explaining to alien races why the nation is taking such a large amount of their money is a singularly thankless and unpleasant job, one no one wants to hold for very long.
19. Escape Hatch.
The largest bar in the Central Corridor, the Escape Hatch is known for its pervasive
sports theme. Ten comm terminals throughout the bar constantly show sporting events from various worlds.
Striving to bring in a steady clientele, the Escape Hatch offers meals as well, though the food is generally of very poor
quality. Still, the bar is very popular with the station’s StarFury pilots, who will often be found here or in the Dark Star.
The Escape Hatch takes its name not from some association with space travel, but from the fact that its back door leads directly into Red Sector. The Escape Hatch is managed by a man named Lee Rollins (Human male).
20. Empty Shop