Scoria
Scoria
At a glance
World Type: Industrial hot world
Primary Role: Source of reactor-grade refractories and heat-proof components
Constellation Link: Talarq (Tal — foundries; Scoria — refractories; Obsidian Reach — reactor testing)
Reputation: Tough, regulated, production-first; strict safety culture
Key Institutions: Refractory Standards Bureau (RSB), Talarq Materials Exchange (TMX), Thermal Safety Inspectorate (TSI), Heat Impact Medical Corps (HIMC)
Primary Exports: Crucibles, thermal tiles, heat-shield plates, kiln bricks, nozzle cones, containment liners, sensor housings, refractory cements
Primary Imports: Food and water, replacement coolants, medical supplies, sensor arrays, precision cutters, worker shelters
Role in the galaxy
Scoria supplies the galaxy with materials that survive extreme heat, pressure, and corrosive flow. Its factories and kilns produce the inner parts of reactors, fusion liners, smelter throats, high-velocity engine cones, and industrial furnaces. Shipping contracts from Scoria are often long-term and tied to maintenance schedules. Ports across the core and mid track Scoria batch numbers when certifying repairs and retrofits.
History and USD markers
USD 0004.0: High-temperature part labeling becomes mandatory galaxy-wide; Scoria workshops reorganize around serial tracking and batch proofs.
USD 0029.4: Talarq constellation is recognized; Scoria is designated the primary refractory exporter supporting Tal’s foundries and Obsidian Reach’s test beds.
USD 0060–0100: Serial fraud waves in other sectors push demand for Scoria’s sealed labels and tamper-evident coatings.
USD 0103+: Congestion in core ports increases “rush rebuild” orders; Scoria adds night-cycle shifts and expands bonded storage for urgent loads.
Environment and working conditions
Scoria is hot, dry, and ash-active. Industrial zones sit inside shielded basins with layered heat sinks and dust baffles. Work happens in coolant-assisted halls, negative-pressure kilns, and sealed casting lines. Outside travel requires suit time planning, dust filters, and heat exposure logs. Settlements are compact and linked by covered corridors to reduce exposure.
Hazards crews plan for: heatstroke, dust inhalation, surface flash events, corrosive kiln leaks, and micro-quakes triggered by deep industry.
Government and law
Planetary Directorate: Issues production quotas, controls export licenses, and assigns utility bands for power and coolant.
Thermal Safety Inspectorate (TSI): Conducts pre-shipment inspections and audits factory logs, calibration records, and worker exposure charts.
Refractory Standards Bureau (RSB): Publishes material grades, heat cycle specs, and failure-test procedures; maintains the public grade tables.
Labor Accords Board: Enforces suit standards, shift limits, and hazard pay. Violations lead to shutdowns and immediate re-inspection.
Law style: Form-driven, sensor-driven, and timestamped. If sensors disagree with paperwork, sensors win.
Economy
Scoria’s economy runs on grade premiums. Higher grade numbers and verified life-cycle testing earn better payouts. The Talarq Materials Exchange lists standard grades, batch lots, and forward contracts. Refits and reactive maintenance orders create price spikes. Many buyers lock multi-year options to secure stable supply for reactors and smelters.
Price drivers: ore purity, kiln uptime, coolant reserves, inspection throughput, and failure-test yields.
Ports and industrial districts
Ashgate Downport: Main freight port; enclosed gantries, dust-flush chambers, and coolant hook-ups at every berth.
Kiln Crown Complex: Cluster of mega-kilns dedicated to liner plates and engine cones; adjacent failure-test ranges.
Sinter Row: Fine-ceramic line for sensor housings and micro-channel plates; highest inspection density on-world.
Binder Yards: Mix, cure, and stamp refractory cements; outputs travel in sealed drums with heat history tags.
Coldwell Reservoir: Central coolant plant and recycling loop; guarded by the Directorate.
TSI Calibration Campus: Test rigs for temperature, thermal shock, and corrosive flow; home of the red-tag labs.
Bonded Vaults: Temperature-controlled storage for high-grade shipments awaiting off-world pick-up or court release.
Society and culture
Life on Scoria is organized by shifts and exposure budgets. People track personal heat time like currency. Families plan around cooling cycles and maintenance windows. Public spaces are cooled, quiet, and practical. Education focuses on material science basics, safety literacy, and equipment care. Respect goes to workers with clean exposure logs, high pass-rates, and incident-free years.
Languages: Trade Common with strong Talarq technical terms; many workers learn basic Keth chart jargon and Synthborn interface cues used by quality systems.
Factions and power players
Planetary Directorate: Controls utilities and export licensing; prioritizes large, stable buyers.
RSB Panels: Material scientists and veteran foremen who set grade tables and testing norms.
TSI Inspectors’ Union: Maintains calibration standards and protects stop-work authority.
Kiln Consortia: Private operators of mega-kilns; compete on yield and failure-rate statistics.
Coolant Syndics: Manage coolant production, recycling, and ration bands during shortages.
Free Carriers’ Cooperative: Schedules reliable outbound lifts for priority lots with guaranteed cold-berths.
Relations within the constellation
Tal (Foundries): Direct consumer of Scoria liners and bricks; sends back slag analysis to refine formulations.
Obsidian Reach (Reactor Testing): Stress-tests Scoria parts; failure data feeds RSB grade revisions.
Core and Mid Ports: Demand certified parts for maintenance cycles; rely on Scoria batch IDs during accident inquiries.
Brightline (Synthborn): Hosts escrow mirrors for high-value contracts and provides verified compute for RSB simulations.
Security and crime
The main risks are label fraud, grade swapping, and coolant theft. TSI and port inspectors scan for serial tampering and mismatched heat histories. Bonded vaults reduce theft risk, but sabotage attempts target coolant lines or calibration rigs to force shutdowns and manipulate prices. Penalties include seizure of lots, plant closure, and export bans.
Technology and standards
Serial Heat History (SHH): Every part carries a sealed record of peak temp, cycle count, ramp rates, and hold times.
Thermal Shock Index (TSI-Score): Standard score from lab tests that compares resistance to rapid temperature change.
Corrosion Class Tags: Chemical exposure ratings used for acidic, alkaline, or salt-rich flows.
Red-Tag / Green-Tag Protocol: Red = hold for failure review; Green = cleared for export.
Cold-Berth Protocol: Defines how to stage and load high-grade parts with active cooling and vibration limits.
Notable locations
Crown Line 7: Flagship kiln line for engine cones; known for low failure counts.
Red Basin Test Range: Live-fire test yard where plates are pushed to destruction under recorded conditions.
Directorate Coldwell: Deep coolant reservoir, mixing towers, and reserve tanks.
RSB Archive Hall: Public terminal room with grade tables, test videos, and recall notices.
Sinter Clinic: HIMC facility specialized in dust lung prevention and heat injury treatment.
Life on Scoria
Housing blocks have built-in cool rooms and dust locks. Markets sell suit filters, hydration packs, and salt tabs next to staples. Children learn to read warning placards early. Recreation centers run during cooler cycles. Festivals align with kiln maintenance weeks when noise and heat drop. Visitors are advised to rent certified suits and follow exposure guides.
Risks and pressure points
Coolant shortages: Trigger rolling slowdowns and export delays.
Calibration drift: Bad sensors can contaminate entire batches; TSI imposes broad retests.
Supply contamination: Low-grade ore or binder impurities raise failure rates.
Fraud rings: Counterfeit SHH labels surface in waves, forcing recall sweeps.
Logistics gaps: Missed cold-berths degrade parts, voiding warranties and contracts.