System: Chirikof

Chirikof is the seat of the AFFS’ aptly named Chirikof Operation Area (also known as the Edgeward Combat Theater Alpha). It wasn’t colonized until the 24th century, and then only as a mining world. With the help of terraforming technologies, the world became marginally more habitable; farms and ranches were established to ease the burdens on shipping in food, while businesses formed to cater specifically to Chirikof’s small but growing population. As the Federated Suns expanded rimward, the Chirikof system proved to be a key travel hub, prompting national leaders to not only permanently station military forces there to ward away pirates, but also to construct significant travel way-stations at both of the system’s jump points.

Chirikof remains an important link in the Federated Suns’ economy and defense today. The way stations remain incredibly busy, with DropShips coming and going on a continual basis. Cargo of all kinds finds its way into the stations’ bays awaiting transfer from one ship to another, all the while generating more revenue for the people of Chirikof in the form of duties and docking fees. The world itself remains a prime mining center, though operations have long since expanded to extract valuable — and plentiful — resources from the other bodies in the system. Of particular value to New Avalon is a prosperous Germanium mining operation on Chirikof II, which has exclusively supplied Galax with the rare and important element for more than two decades now.

For all these reasons, the Chirikof System remains perpetually abuzz with military forces. While the AFFS does not keep any BattleMech forces permanently assigned here, the Chirikof Operation Area Command Center, located within Fort Chirikof, is home to several active and militia conventional brigades, as well as two marine regiments and a special forces regiment. Likewise, the way-stations host a strong permanent garrison of fighters and military DropShips, ever on the watch for smugglers and pirates, to protect those stations and patrol the system.

There are no functional factories located on this planet.