Vastris

At a glance

World Type: Keth technical hub
Primary Role: Communication relay service, beacon fabrication, certified salvage maps and claims
Constellation Link (Keth): Slipwind (Archive of Routes) → Harlune (turbines and power lines) → Vastris (relays and salvage maps)
Reputation: Accurate, process-driven, and cautious. Work moves fast when paperwork is complete.
Key Institutions: Keth Cartographic Guild, Relay Authority, Salvage Adjudication Board, Beacon Maintenance Office, Archive Branch (Slipwind Mirror), Data Integrity Watch

Role in the galaxy

Vastris keeps route traffic connected and informed. It builds and services long-range relays, updates beacon firmware, and publishes certified salvage maps. Crews come here to synchronize navigation data, file salvage claims, and buy legal salvage routes that avoid restricted wreck sites and no-work zones. Courts on Vastris settle disputes about who found a wreck first, which scan is valid, and what can be removed under current law.

History and USD markers

USD 0002.x: Keth auditing becomes the navigation standard; Vastris is designated as a relay build and test world.
USD 0025.5: Keth constellation formalized. Vastris is confirmed as the relay service and salvage-mapping node.
USD 0060–0065: Vastris integrates dual-send message rules and blackbox custody templates after signal-tampering incidents in nearby sectors.
USD 0101+: Growth in drift zones increases demand for Vastris salvage routes, firmware hotfixes, and claim verification.

Government and law

Relay Authority (RA): Owns core relays and licenses private repeaters. Certifies beacon firmware, key rotations, and uptime.
Keth Cartographic Guild (KCG): Runs survey standards, map formats, and version control. Audits scan data and issues map IDs.
Salvage Adjudication Board (SAB): Court that rules on claim priority, exclusion zones, quarantine, and title release.
Data Integrity Watch (DIW): Investigates spoofed scans, forged timestamps, and beacon tampering.

Core laws used on Vastris

Beacon Law: Unauthorized firmware changes, key theft, and false beacon IDs are major crimes.
Salvage Law: First valid scan and continuing presence establish priority. Wrecks with hazardous cores or military frames are quarantined.
Blackbox Law: Flight recorders move under sealed chain-of-custody with strict access logs.

Economy

Primary exports: Relay hardware, beacon cores, certified salvage maps, survey packages, court-validated claim titles, training and calibration services.
Primary imports: High-grade alloys and ceramics (Talarq), bulk structural stock and labor parts (Caraphex), compute blocks for data rooms (Synthborn), legal services (Kedra).
Secondary markets: Second-use components, hull patch kits, survey drone parts, courier services, and bonded storage for recovered cargo.

Price drivers: Beacon revision cycles, drift expansion, convoy clustering, and court backlog in the Salvage Adjudication Board.

Ports and districts

Orbital Relay Yards: Drydocks for relay towers, repeater buoys, and antenna arrays; launch cranes and test lines.
Beacon Foundry Way: Fabrication, calibration, and key-burn rooms for new beacons.
Survey Quadrant: Map labs, scan-merge suites, and certification counters for KCG.
Adjudication Court Ring: Filing halls, claim hearing rooms, bonded storage, and evidence vaults.
Archive Branch (Slipwind Mirror): Read-only mirror of the Archive of Routes with local annotations.
Courier Dock: Fast-turn berths for message tenders and proof-of-delivery services.
Quarantine Aprons: Pressure-wash, decon, and hazard-core containment for recovered wreck parts.

Procedures for visiting crews

Pre-arrival: Upload last known beacon list, relay keys, and drift-risk flags.
Berth and sync: Receive berth, pass beacon key check, and sync route deltas with the Archive Branch.
If carrying salvage: Declare wreck ID, present scan chain, and move cargo to bonded quarantine until cleared.
Claims: File claim packet with timestamps, position logs, and witness records. Obtain temporary protection if accepted.
Purchases: Buy certified salvage maps, beacon updates, and RA key rotations.
Departure: Confirm no open claims, no quarantine holds, and current beacon firmware.

Common delays: Missing timestamp proofs, conflicting scans, or outdated beacon keys.

Society and culture

People on Vastris value accuracy and clear records. Work shifts align with relay maintenance windows and hearing calendars. Peer review is normal in daily tasks. Residents learn map standards, chain-of-custody rules, and basic decon procedures in school. Public spaces include quiet halls, study rooms, and training simulators. Street stalls sell simple food for short breaks between labs and docks.

Factions and power players

Relay Authority: Controls relay budgets, firmware schedules, and licensing for private repeaters.
Keth Cartographic Guild: Sets mapping rules and approves public releases.
Salvage Brokers Union: Matches crews with legal routes and buyers; pushes for faster title release.
Courier Guild: Manages trusted hand-to-hand message routes when signals are unreliable.
Data Integrity Watch: Tracks fraud, trains auditors, and runs sting operations against claim forgers.
Independent Surveyor Co-ops: Small teams with good reputations who sell specialized maps.
Syndicate Salvagers (covert): Seek early leaks of drift sites; target unsecured repeaters and slow courts.

Relations with other worlds

Slipwind (Keth): Primary route archive; Vastris mirrors updates and adds salvage overlays.
Harlune (Keth): Supplies turbine assemblies and power conditioning for relay towers.
Kedra (Human): Finalizes titles, liens, and insurance on contested salvage.
Brightline (Synthborn): Verified compute for large scan merges and escrowed decryption of blackboxes.
Caraphex hubs: Provide labor clades and heavy tools for relay installation and wreck handling.
Talarq foundries: Deliver heat-resistant parts for beacons and hazard-core containers.
Serean sites (e.g., Mistral Gate): High-risk weather corridors that need frequent beacon maintenance and fresh maps.

Security and crime

Main threats are signal spoofing, scan forgery, beacon key theft, and black salvage in restricted zones. The Relay Authority runs live integrity checks and random key rotations. DIW audits court filings and map submissions. Beacon tampering, stolen keys, and forged timestamps lead to fast seizure of ships, data stores, and claims.

Technology and standards

Beacon Firmware: Signed releases with key windows and rollback paths.
Relay Keys: Time-boxed keys with automatic rotation; dual-send verification for critical messages.
Map IDs: Versioned map packages with hash proofs and scan source listings.
Claim Packets: Timestamp, position log, witness list, and continuous-presence proof.
Blackbox Handling: Sealed readers, escrowed decrypt, and mirrored logs on Brightline.
Quarantine Protocol: Decon, hazard-core test, and staged release after court approval.

Notable locations

Array 7 Proving Line: Full-scale relay test corridor used for burn-in of new hardware.
SAB Hall of Records: Public terminals to check claim status and title chains.
KCG Merge Lab: High-capacity room for stitching long-baseline scans into certified maps.
Foundry C-12: Beacon core burn room with observation gallery for licensed engineers.
Courier Green: Secure lockers and booking desks for bonded couriers.
Quarantine Bay E: Negative-pressure cargo hall for hazardous salvage.

Life on Vastris

Housing is modular and close to work sites. Schedules are stable but strict. Many residents hold certifications in two fields, such as survey + decon, or relay + firmware. Recreation is low-impact and often tied to training sims and map puzzles. Public transport runs on fixed blocks linked to court times and maintenance windows.

Risks and pressure points

Drift growth: Creates new wreck fields faster than courts can process claims.
Firmware faults: A bad release can cause route confusion and relink storms.
Relay outages: Weather and debris can break lines and slow message flow.
Data fraud: Forged scans and timestamp attacks threaten trust in all titles.
Quarantine overflow: Too many hazard cores at once can stall the port.