In which I post about a TL9 solar system

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

I think that is the assumption built into the system (at least at TL9+).

If that was the case, default starting wealth at TL 9+ would be several orders of magnitude higher than it actually is. Mostly, it's a case of "economically sensible minifacs are completely useless to PCs, so we'll ignore economics" (you can also fix factories by just increasing their raw material costs to 100% of item cost, making them useful to people who don't want to calculate their needs ahead of time but not useful for regular production).

[Say, it isn't that bad!]

Given some second thought, the factory rules are also perhaps not precise enough to really build economy rules on.

[Say, it isn't that bad!]

Hey, guess what? It's Monday! Time for more TL9-10 solar system musings, this time on Belter society, life, and religion.

As always, comments, critique, and review are welcome.

Belters: An Overview
First Published 2420 AD, 50-year commemorative edition 2470 AD.

Reader display mode: Summary. Expert system will present a summation of contents.

Belters: An Overview

h2. Belter Society, Life, and Religion

h3. Belter Society

Belters value debts and obligations fiercely, including their own. A debt unpaid or an obligation untended to is a way in which you've let the Cold in on someone else. Belter debts are strictly and stringently defined in monetary terms and contracts; Belter obligations were formalized into the Belter Constitution. Charity is both a major part of, and a source of pain for, Belters. Those who can no longer contribute are left on the next large station or planet, where they are expected to be taken care of. There are known instances of an old or feeble Belter "taking a quick walk outside." While no Belter will praise such an action, there are hints that an unspoken obligation is left.

As part of this system, an entity who holds someones' debt is considered to have an obligation to ensure they are capable of meeting that debt. This is in part practical, as someone who is incapable of paying back a debt is rendered an unnecessary burden. In particular, Solar War I happened in part not because the Belters resented the debts they had effectively inherited, but rather because they felt that the Earth-Mars Alliance was not living up to their obligations to their dependents, the Belters, as well as the commonly-cited reason of governmental autonomy. Indeed, some theorize that the former reason was the more deeply held one.

Sterile procedures are the default and very common medical operation for any Belter who is not intending to have a child. Once two Belters decide to have a child, if adoption or a surogate is not chosen, they will typically have the procedure reversed for long enough to conceive. Once the technology becomes available, the baby is then typically moved to an artificial womb. Provided the child is not in turn adopted, the two Belters have a deep obligation to care for, raise properly, and protect them. Belter adoptions may be a simple transference of obligation, or may involve a complex web of obligations. Belter opinion on sexual relations is generally formed by the specific belief(s) of the belter in question.

Belters tend to value courtesy; although Belter courtesy tends towards "not wasting peoples' time" and "a minimum of fuss and bother." Celebrations are typically communal, as something that positively impacts one member of a ship, station, or tribe, is expected to positively impact all members.

h3. Belter Life

Young children are raised on stations with their parents. Before reaching majority, they will spend some time on various local ships, learning how to handle ship-based tasks. Upon reaching majority, they will typically either join a ship, stay on the same station, or move to another station (local or distant).

There are three general cultural patterns that influence Belter life and practicies; Stationaries, Shipfolk, and Nomads. Stationaries are those who spend most of their time either on a station, or on a local ship. Shipfolk may travel across the solar system, but stay with the same ship, save for raising children. Nomads move from ship to station to ship; this wide experience gives them a broad variety of skills, and familiarity with various equipment. Although nomads with few or poor references are regarded skeptyically at best, those with good references are typically well-regarded.

Belters tend to recognize six stages of life: childhood, which entails light obligation and no debt; young adult, which entails some obligation and some debt; adulthood, wherin the Belter is expected to move into providing for themselves and make their own decisions; parenthood, which centres around the raising of the next generation of children; a "second adulthood", which typically involves more senior positions; and old age, wherein one once again becomes a dependent to be cared for. This view of life is somewhat cyclic.

h3. Belter Religion

Belters practice a sort of iron-clad tolerance. So long as the beliefs and practicies of a religion do not advocate "reckless harm" (as opposed to danger, risk, surgery, or other such things) to the ship or its crew, mass murder, or certain other restrictions, almost any belief system is tolerated. Should a belief system or practitioner violate that precept, or one of the other few rules, it is promptly banned.

Belters in general are religious and/or superstitious in a quiet and understated way. A Belter ship might not have a single chapel, while almost every cabin has a holy book, religious icon, one or more "lucky charms", and/or the like. Generally, if a chapel is desired, some space will be temporarily dedicated. A station will have a small, but sufficient, area set aside for that purpose.

Belters who are not particularly believing will generally quote the proven psychological, societal, and fellowship benefits of regular attendance to a belief system. Harrassing someone about their beliefs, or lack thereof, is considered an jailable offence (1d/2 days).

"The Cold", otherwise known as "outer space" or "space", occupies a particular space in general Belter beliefs. While not often ascribed supernatural force, it is often used to describe utter hostility, deep loathing, or the like.

[AlexanderHowl]

Just out of curiousity, do they have a philosophical religion or a theistic religion?

[Say, it isn't that bad!]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Just out of curiousity, do they have a philosophical religion or a theistic religion?

Ah; perhaps that wasn't clear. There is no specific "Belter religion"; the statement is merely that most Belters have some sort of religion or superstition, even if it's merely a "lucky charm" sort of thing.

To sum up - when the only thing between you and death can the width of your ships' hull (and any armour), or a simple spacesuit, you tend to want some sort of comfort, even if you view it as entirely psychological.

To extract something more that may have been missed - even purely atheist Belters will almost always join some sort social organization. That might be a gaming night, barbershop quartet, coin collectors - whatever. Something to keep you from sitting alone in your quarters thinking about the Cold, if things get bad.

[Say, it isn't that bad!]

Originally Posted by Say, it isn't that bad!

Ah; perhaps that wasn't clear. There is no specific "Belter religion"; the statement is merely that most Belters have some sort of religion or superstition, even if it's merely a "lucky charm" sort of thing.

To sum up - when the only thing between you and death can the width of your ships' hull (and any armour), or a simple spacesuit, you tend to want some sort of comfort, even if you view it as entirely psychological.

To extract something more that may have been missed - even purely atheist Belters will almost always join some sort social organization. That might be a gaming night, barbershop quartet, coin collectors - whatever. Something to keep you from sitting alone in your quarters thinking about the Cold, if things get bad.

Don't think I used the best wording there. Religious beliefs tend to come with an inherit social group and structure; whereas atheism doesn't have an implicit social structure or necessarily a social group per se.

Since social groups and structures are very important to Belters, the point I was making badly is that Belters who don't have a social group or structure tend to either make or join one - and most Belters would prefer the latter.

An existing social group and structure has proven ability to survive, after all.

[AlexanderHowl]

One thing to consider are the possible loci of trade and/or governance. 1 Ceres, 4 Vesta, and 2 Pallas are nature candidates because they are the three largest bodies in the Main Belt, though any of the large asteroids would probably work. 1 Ceres is probably a natural fit because of the water supplies, but it probably lacks the metals that would be the primary goal of the initial wave of colonization.

In addition, I am also curious what you would do with 8 Flora. It is the closest of the large asteroids, it averages 2.2 AU from the Sun, so it would be a natural candidate for the first Main Belt colonies (it is sometimes closer to the Earth than Venus or Mars). It probably possesses plenty of metals and would be quite easy to mine, so it may be a natural candidate for the first wave of colonization. It is also close enough to the Sun to try to depend on solar power.

[Say, it isn't that bad!]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

One thing to consider are the possible loci of trade and/or governance. 1 Ceres, 4 Vesta, and 2 Pallas are nature candidates because they are the three largest bodies in the Main Belt, though any of the large asteroids would probably work. 1 Ceres is probably a natural fit because of the water supplies, but it probably lacks the metals that would be the primary goal of the initial wave of colonization.

In addition, I am also curious what you would do with 8 Flora. It is the closest of the large asteroids, it averages 2.2 AU from the Sun, so it would be a natural candidate for the first Main Belt colonies (it is sometimes closer to the Earth than Venus or Mars). It probably possesses plenty of metals and would be quite easy to mine, so it may be a natural candidate for the first wave of colonization. It is also close enough to the Sun to try to depend on solar power.

True; I've mostly been considering the smaller asteroids and the areas between large stations in the official posts.

Only a few initial thoughts, because it is too hot today.

8 Floras' orbit looks really good for Hohmann transfers from Earth, Mars (provided you can get a little past Mars), and to the asteroid belt; and, later, a sort of "travelling Belter trade hub". By probably mineral composition, it looks good as a mining and manufacturing sector, and the mineral composition also looks good for agriculture (noting the above post about possible food crops). It would need imported water, though.

So, overall, it has short-, mid-, and long-term viability as a colony; although suitable water sources would have to be located and secured along its route.

With 128km of diameter to work with, although an asteroid colony would of necessity be managed as a strictly closed ecology, their need for water, or growth as a colony, is highly unlikely to be curtailed by natural causes at any point within the time-frame under discussion in this thread.

[AlexanderHowl]

1 Ceres would likely be a good place to get the water. Because of 8 Flora's position of importance, it would probably make more sense to export ice from 1 Ceres than to import metals to 1 Ceres. Other possible sources would be the Jupiter Trojans, as prospectors could grab a 1 km radius hydrated body and send it down the gravity well to 8 Flora for lots of money.

[Say, it isn't that bad!]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

1 Ceres would likely be a good place to get the water. Because of 8 Flora's position of importance, it would probably make more sense to export ice from 1 Ceres than to import metals to 1 Ceres. Other possible sources would be the Jupiter Trojans, as prospectors could grab a 1 km radius hydrated body and send it down the gravity well to 8 Flora for lots of money.

For water shipments, there'd basically be two sources, I think. The first would be taking in small shipments along a known route; the second would be the noted "1-km ice asteroids" sent on Hohmann transfers.

The former doesn't seem all that likely, because you're shipping away the thing you need to keep yourself alive, from the ice asteroid you're living on. Much easier to just live on the ice asteroid, or push it a little closer to the asteroid you're actually living on.

The latter would generally be a high-reward, low-risk, long-term shipping business. Given ice/waters' vital necessity, payment could consist in part of shares in the concern that you are shipping the ice to.