FAFNIR      UWP : A-479-964F  Amber   UTP : 6HiRi  FR     System Data : M5V designated Woden     First planet FAFNIR - orbital radius .61 AU.                                       orbital eccentricity 0.11                                       diameter 4504 miles                                       surface gravity 0.5g                                      atmosphere oxy-nitro, allergenic                                      native sentients, marine      Other system features                     Hugin Belt - very sparse planetoid belt, 1.9 AU

        Settled very early during the consolidation of the Third Empire, the separatist colonists of this system maintained a staunch independence from the very beginnings - undermined, it has to be admitted, by the almost complete lack of mineral resources in the system, and partially incompatible native ecosystem. Despite this, the Fafniri colonists developed a successful high technology culture, particularly in the fields of software design, gravitic applications, and advanced low-density plastics.
        Unfortunately, the imperial authorities of later times looked increasingly unfavourably on the world, and in the early part of 823 launched a massive naval attack on the world -  in retaliation, they claimed, for a terrorist attack by certain extremist groups violently opposed to any imperial presence in the system.
        The results of this military miscalculation have been documented in great detail.
        Faced with fanatical opposition by a formerly almost peaceful if fiercely independent populace incensed by the arrival of the sector navy, the imperial commanders were driven to inflict truly devastating damage on the military capabilities of the world. Unfortunately, such was the ingenuity of the locals in devising weapons from available resources and installations, this included much of the industrial infrastructure and civilian infrastructure as well.
        As a result, almost 300 years of careful negotiation and external control has been required to pacify the rightly outraged locals. However, certain malcontent groups, such as the F-squared-M, have used the unfortunate incidents of the past to try and further their own political and terrorist aims. For these reasons, visitors to Fafnir are strongly advised against discussing the topics of Politics, or The War.
        In these more peaceful times, Fafnir has regained it's position as an economically vital and rich world, particularly in its contribution to the information technology markets.

        The Fafnir Sea-drakes

        A native, superficially reptilian species strongly resembling the extinct Elasmosaurus of Terra. A long period of research during the Middle Period determined that the species was not only highly intelligent, but had a natural aptitude for mathematical theory, particularly Game Theory. This trait has been quite important in inspiring Fafniri software design, and the pseudo-elasmosaurs remain on very friendly terms with the human and dolphin colonists.

        People and Pastimes

        Fafnir's population includes a number of highly regarded software intelligences, amongst them TOKUGAWA, a hero of the War, FLORANCE, and ELLY - the latter developed from a model of pseudoelasmosaurs psychology. Many of these AIs welcome conversation and visitors are invited to say hello, from any of the available public web-nexi.
        Sports include competitive turtle-polo, deepsea drone-combat, and virtual maze-running.
        Despite their skill with electronic media, popular arts include traditional hard media such as oil-painting, the stage therimin and emotion-mobiles - the latter an artform in which patterns and sound and light are used to stimulate strong emotional response in the viewer. Amongst the practitioners of 'emming' are Springer Verlag and his son Johnathan, masters of the artform and residents of the Louise Peninsula.