Harlune

Harlune

At a glance

  • World Type: Keth mid-core industrial world

  • Primary Role: Manufacture and certification of high-throughput turbines and rotating field assemblies used in jump beacons, port arrays, storm-harvest rigs, and large-mass drives

  • Constellation Link: Keth constellation (Slipwind → Harlune → Vastris)

  • Reputation: Precise engineering, strict testing culture, low tolerance for paperwork errors, strong recall discipline

  • Key Institutions: Rotor Houses Consortium, Keth Navigation Auditor’s Guild (KNAG), Beacon Mechanics Directorate (BMD), Spinway Test Authority, Recall and Warranty Board (RWB)

  • Primary Imports: High-temperature alloys and refractory parts (Talarq), structural composites and resins (Vellari cluster), heavy tools and bulk labor (Caraphex), certified compute blocks for test rigs (Synthborn)

  • Primary Exports: Certified turbines and rotor cores, beacon field stabilizers, port ventilation turbines, storm-harvest impellers, spare modules, maintenance kits, and warranty service contracts

Role in the galaxy

Harlune builds and certifies the rotating cores that keep lanes, ports, and storm sites stable and productive. Most major jump beacons in the core and mid run Harlune-pattern rotor stacks or compatible clones that follow Harlune tolerances. Port authorities buy Harlune assemblies with matched documentation so courts and insurers can verify claims after incidents. The world also trains beacon mechanics and issues technician cards recognized by many mid-belt ports.

History and USD markers

  • USD 0025.5: Keth constellation formalized; Harlune recognized for turbine production tied to Slipwind charts and Vastris salvage maps.

  • USD 0034.2: First Harlune Rotor Code (HRC) published; sets balance, vibration, and run-in standards for beacon turbines.

  • USD 0048.1: Spinway Test Authority expands; adds long-duration vacuum tunnels for endurance runs.

  • USD 0085.2: Drift zones increase after beacon collapses; emergency orders push Harlune to triple output and prioritize certified replacements.

  • USD 0091.7: Recall and Warranty Board created after a resin contamination wave; strict batch tracking becomes mandatory.

  • USD 0104.3–0107.0: Permit hardening at beacons raises demand for documented, HRC-compliant upgrades; Harlune service teams embed with core and mid ports.

Government and law

Harlune is run by a Rotor Houses Consortium under Keth civil code. Houses hold production licenses audited by KNAG. The Beacon Mechanics Directorate issues technician cards, maintains training records, and runs surprise audits on field crews. The Recall and Warranty Board can order groundings, mandate inspections, and block exports from any house that fails a safety probe. False stamps, altered batch logs, and forged spin data are criminal offenses with asset seizure and long export bans.

Economy

Production is organized around batches and serials. Each turbine core has a serial with linked materials lots, balance results, spin hours, and test signatures. Major revenue streams include export sales, port-side maintenance contracts, upgrade kits for older beacons, and lease-to-own programs for rim ports. Secondary sectors provide alloy machining, composite layups, coil winding, vacuum tunnel maintenance, and vibration analytics. When lanes are re-charted or beacons fail, Harlune enters surge conditions and pulls labor from Caraphex brokers under strict safety supervision.

Ports and industrial districts

  • Spinway Gate: Main spaceport and outbound freight node; handles crated turbines, coil pallets, and test-rig modules.

  • Rotor Row: Cluster of licensed Rotor Houses with bonded stores, balance halls, and serial stamping vaults.

  • Vacuum Run Tunnels: Long straight tunnels for burn-in and endurance rotation at variable pressure; sealed and monitored.

  • Coilworks District: Winding and impregnation facilities for field coils; strict solvent handling and batch logging.

  • Balance Fields: Precision slabs and gantries for static and dynamic balancing; houses book times months ahead.

  • Mechanics Yard: Training campus and exam bays for beacon mechanics; issues technician cards and keeps violation lists.

  • Recall Depot: Intake and teardown center for returned assemblies; root-cause labs and chain-of-custody archives.

Technology and standards

  • HRC (Harlune Rotor Code): Defines rotor geometry, allowable vibration, run-in hours, max thermal drift, and inspection intervals.

  • Spin Data Packets: Machine-signed logs from test stands; include speed ramps, temperature curves, and vibration spectra.

  • Batch Trace: Materials and resin lots mapped to each serial; used by courts and insurers to confirm liability.

  • Field Stabilizer Kits: Drop-in assemblies for older beacons; raise stability ratings without full tower replacement.

  • Storm-Harvest Impellers: Corrosion-resistant modules for high-salinity, high-particulate flows; popular at Mistral Gate operations.

  • Service Cards: Technician IDs tied to training hours, violation points, and tool calibration records.

Relations with other worlds

  • Slipwind: Uses Harlune tolerances when publishing beacon maintenance notes linked to chart revisions.

  • Vastris: Supplies salvage maps; Harlune issues retrofit kits to reuse legacy housings documented by Vastris crews.

  • Talarq: Provides the refractory alloys and heat-treated shafts used in high-load cores.

  • Vellari cluster (incl. Brinelight): Ships resin systems and composite fabrics for blades and casings under seal.

  • Kedra: Courts cite HRC and Spin Data in tariff and liability rulings; clean Harlune paperwork speeds releases.

  • Brightline (Synthborn): Hosts escrowed spin datasets for high-value contracts and remote audits.

  • Rim ports: Buy lease-to-own kits and training blocks; rely on traveling Harlune service crews.

Security and crime

Primary risks are spec-cheating and stamp fraud. Spec-cheating swaps materials or reduces run-in hours to cut costs, causing premature failures. Stamp fraud places a genuine serial on a non-compliant core. Harlune counters with encrypted spin packets, random serial audits, and teardown campaigns. Theft targets resin lots, signed tool heads, and blank stamp plates. When fraud is detected, the RWB can ground fleets and issue serial-wide recalls.

Society and culture

Harlune values accurate records, clean workspaces, and on-time maintenance. People track hours by project and batch rather than by free days. Training is steady and formal. Senior mechanics mentor juniors during live audits. Public life centers on shift canteens near Balance Fields and short-stay pods for visiting crews. Local media covers recall notices, safety bulletins, and court rulings that affect export lanes.

Languages: Trade Common and Keth technical jargon are standard. Many workers know basic Vellari material terms and Talarq alloy codes.

Traffic and procedure (for visiting crews)

  1. Pre-arrival: File purchase orders, service requests, and escrow keys for spin data.

  2. Intake: Present hull ID, beacon ID (if ordering kits), and technician card list.

  3. Spec match: House engineers confirm lane class, beacon revision, and HRC targets.

  4. Build and test: Batch components are matched, balanced, run-in, and serialized; spin packets are sealed.

  5. Handover: Receive crates, calibration tools, and maintenance interval chart; escrow holds release on receipt.

  6. Departure: Export desk checks blacklists, recall lists, and insurance riders; port seals crates and clears berth.

Common delays: missing escrow keys, wrong beacon revision numbers, or expired technician cards.

Notable locations

  • Rotor Houses A-Line (A1–A6): Oldest licensed producers; keep deep archives of legacy patterns.

  • The Long Run: Flagship vacuum tunnel used for endurance and thermal drift testing.

  • Calibration Hall East: Tool calibration and seal center; issues tool tags matched to mechanic cards.

  • Recall and Warranty Board Annex: Public counter for recall checks and refund claims; posts live serial advisories.

  • Slipwind Liaison Office: Publishes maintenance notes tied to new chart revisions and lane advisories.

  • Vastris Exchange Bay: Catalog of recovered housings and legacy frames with updated compatibility sheets.

Risks and pressure points

  • Resin contamination: Triggers serial-range recalls and strict teardown requirements.

  • Counterfeit stamp plates: Cause fleet-wide audits and temporary groundings.

  • Surge orders after beacon failures: Stress labor, increase overtime, and raise error risk.

  • Rim install errors: Poor field installs by uncarded crews lead to accidents; Harlune pushes remote audits and training refreshers.

  • Data tampering: Attempts to alter spin packets undermine court trust and insurance coverage.