History
Liren is another primary gas giant of the Antares System. Its atmospheric composition lends the world a gray hue mottled by crimson smudges indicating the presence of invaluable Tibanna Gas pockets. Tibanna is used in the manufacture of exotic weapons systems components as well as some variants being used for hyperdrive coolant.
The planet also possesses a set of five rings measuring some 400,000 km across. These rings are collections of ice, dust, and rock accumulated over the planet’s lifetime. Between each ring is a small gap or band of ice enhancing the shimmering aura of the rings and denoting Liren as one of the more impressive sights to behold in the Antares system.
Some rocky components of the ring system are nearly a kilometer in diameter. The Brotherhood has cleverly secreted several Krath research facilities in these bodies so that its scholars may work in absolute secrecy. These scientists’ research includes enhanced exploitation of Tibanna mining, crystal synthesis, and advanced ore refining techniques.
In addition to the research facilities intended to increase resource collection efficacy, several mining facilities exist both within the rings, and on Liren’s two moons, Palimen and Kivo. Rare minerals and ores such as Corax are painstakingly mined from automated quarries ministered by droids.
Though devoid of a sentient population, Liren is host to a rare species of beldon capable of plying open space and colonizing new homes. Beldons are massive, non-sentient creatures capable of organically processing chemicals and microorganisms in the atmosphere into much sought after Tibanna Gas which they excrete as a byproduct. A future project for the Brotherhood’s Krath scientists is rumored to be ascertaining the plausibility of forcibly relocating a beldon colony to its other gas giants in hopes of further increasing Tibanna output.
Prior to the Obscuration and the Antares system’s merger with Antei, it is unknown whether any other civilization or organization was able to exploit any of Liren’s impressive, though limited resources.
Landmarks
Facility 88
This “facility” is actually a series of eighty-eight repulsor platforms that dot the atmosphere of Liren. So crucial is the Brotherhood’s supply of Tibanna to its machinations, the series of platforms is purposefully misrepresented as one single site in an attempt to sew disinformation and thwart possible sabotage.
Each platform is eighty meters in diameter and fully automated. The circular platforms are laden with fourteen large storage tanks that line its outer ring. The platforms are set at various altitudes within Liren’s gaseous atmosphere so as to most effectively target the Tibanna pockets.
When capacity is reached, the devices elevate to the upper atmosphere and transmit their coordinates on an encrypted channel for extraction by droid piloted tankers. When relieved of its precious cargo, the platform sinks back to its former altitude to resume mining of its assigned pocket.
The network is controlled by a droid brain and supervised by Krath technicians working in the various labs throughout Liren’s rings. Once a pocket is exhausted, the technicians route the platforms to new sources.
Moons
Palimen
Named for a great warrior in Antaran mythology, Palimen was the slayer of Kivo (the namesake of Liren’s other satellite), a winged beast half-avian, half-dragon. Palimen literally translates as “protector” in the Antaran tongue. In their culture, Liren was the lover of Palimen and pursued by the jealous and sanguinary Kivo. Like the myth, the moon circles between its parent-body and its nemesis.
Orbiting Liren at some 300,000 km apogee, the brownish moon lies in vacuum devoid of atmosphere or life. Its surface is rocky, pocked with crags, and its natural basins are coated with a fine powdery dust. Though not plentiful, the moon contains the balance of the Brotherhood’s supply of Opila crystals. These precious resources are carefully extracted through the use of mining droids and automated facilities built atop the deposits.
Kivo
Sometimes called “The Nemesis” moon, Kivo chases round Liren eternally seeking its prey. With an orbit double that of Palimen, Kivo only completes one circuit every three standard years.
Also in vacuum, the satellite is a ghostly white resulting from its chalky surface. Gravity here is 1/5th that of Coruscant, making mining droid labor here efficient and cost-effective. Though non-descript in all other respects, the moon does possess two notable resources: Bronzium and Firefacet.
Bronzium is a remarkably dense metal used in sculpture, the creation of exotic alloys, as well as in some micro-electronics communication systems. Though difficult to work with due to its density, the Brotherhood has put the Herald to good use crafting numerous awards and decorations from the substance.
Firefacet is a rare and brilliant gem also used in the construction of awards, medals, and other Brotherhood regalia.
Political Outlook
Liren is a critical link in the Brotherhood’s logistical chain. It provides much-needed resources for its starships, weapons systems, and even lightsabers. These items are costly on the open market beyond Antei’s borders so it is vital that this planet and its operations are maintained in absolute secrecy.
This further aids the organization by not only saving it precious credits, but allows for a lower profile to be kept by Brotherhood agents seeking resources abroad. As a result of the highly-efficient mining and processing conducted here, fewer of these critical components are required for import.
It is hoped that if the resourceful Krath can further increase output, some materials may even be exported to other systems (filtered through dummy corporations of course) and sold at market to generate capital to be put to other very dark ends.
Military
As the research and mining facilities on Liren and her moons are secret, the Brotherhood has chosen anonymity as its best defense against would-be raiders however unlikely the concept. All facilities are electronically camouflaged across several spectrums as well as from optical scanning.
What military presence there is comes in the form of several squadrons of surplus Mark I Vulture droids. The squadrons are housed independently across the three primary bodies and are capable of mutually supporting one another. They lay dormant awaiting activation if needed.