SB-176

You don’t need a planet in order to mine. Or at least, you don’t need ground. This combination “mining” platform and space colony is responsible for extracting resources from Vet, the gas planet below. The mining rigs in the skies below—mostly manned by Urbots—send their goods to this central hub. Most of those are packaged and fired towards the Rin-Ecliptis gate.

The Guild of Engineers' Citadel

Official Designation: Space Station Beta-176 (SB-176)

Location: Orbiting the gas giant Vet in the Rin System

Primary Function: Headquarters of the Guild of Engineers; hub for advanced engineering, research, and resource management.

Tier: V (reflecting the Guild of Engineers' high tier)

Description:

SB-176 is not merely a station; it's a colossal, sprawling complex that has grown organically over centuries around an ancient, perhaps even Precursor-era, core. Its exterior is a tessellation of docking bays, research modules, manufacturing arrays, and colossal solar collectors that unfurl like metallic flowers. While not overtly militaristic, its sheer size, defensive turrets, and the constant hum of powerful energy signatures make it clear that this is a well-protected and highly important installation.

Internally, SB-176 is a marvel of engineering. Gleaming corridors lead to vast laboratories, precision manufacturing facilities, and towering data archives. The air is thick with the scent of ozone, lubricants, and something subtly metallic – the smell of progress. Sections of the station are specialized, from bio-engineering labs to experimental propulsion chambers, each controlled by highly skilled Guild members.

The Guild of Engineers (GoE) on SB-176:

As their HQ, SB-176 is the beating heart of the GoE's operations. This is where:

• Key Decisions are Made: The Guild's High Council, composed of its most esteemed Master Engineers, convenes here to set policies, allocate resources, and approve major projects.
• Cutting-Edge Research Occurs: The Guild is constantly pushing the boundaries of technology. SB-176 is home to their most advanced R&D, including research into Way-tech applications, advanced AI, terraforming techniques, and new forms of energy generation. They also study Ur artifacts, often secretly, despite the Hegemony's (and especially the Church of the Stellar Flame's) disapproval.
• Patents are Managed: The GoE holds patents on many fundamental technologies (mining, AI, cybernetics, gadgets). SB-176 serves as the central repository for these patents and the administrative hub for their enforcement and licensing.
• Elite Training: The most promising apprentices and aspiring Master Engineers come to SB-176 for advanced training, learning directly from the Guild's experts.
• Resource Distribution: While resource extraction happens elsewhere (often on Vet itself, or other planets/asteroids in Rin), SB-176 acts as a central processing and distribution point for these raw materials, refining them for galactic trade or internal Guild projects.

Key Features & Areas:

1. The Grand Atrium & Administrative Spire: The main entrance and public-facing sector of the station. Impressive, high-ceilinged, and often bustling with Guild delegates, corporate liaisons, and a few well-monitored independent contractors. The administrative spire contains offices, meeting rooms, and the chambers of the High Council.
2. The Fabrication Decks: Massive, automated factories capable of producing everything from micro-components to starship sections. Highly automated, but with skilled technicians overseeing the processes. A perfect place for sabotage or illicit manufacturing.
3. Research & Development Sector (The "Forge"): Heavily secured, restricted areas where the Guild's most sensitive and dangerous research takes place. Might contain experimental weaponry, unstable energy sources, or even captive Way-creatures. Getting in here is a serious challenge.
4. The Data Core: A vast, multi-level server farm containing all of the Guild's patents, research data, financial records, and proprietary information. Well-defended by digital and physical security.
5. Residential & Recreation Hubs: Living quarters for the thousands of Guild members, their families, and support staff. Includes markets, entertainment venues, and parks under artificial light. While comfortable, life here is orderly and efficient, reflecting the Guild's values.
6. "The Scrapyard" (External Annex): A massive, ever-growing external annex of salvaged and repurposed components, derelict ships, and experimental prototypes that didn't quite work out. While ostensibly waste, it's a treasure trove for resourceful scavengers or those seeking rare parts.
7. The Way-Conduit (Rumored/Secret): Some whispers claim that deep within the ancient core of SB-176, or perhaps extending from it into the gas giant, lies a unique Way-conduit or anomaly that the Guild is studying and attempting to harness. This could be the true source of their technological prowess or a dangerous secret they wish to keep hidden.

Opportunities for Crews:

• Heists: Stealing a new prototype, patent data, specific components, or valuable raw materials.
• Espionage: Infiltrating the R&D sector for a rival corporation, the Hegemony, or a syndicate.
• Acquisition: "Legally" or otherwise acquiring rare Guild-exclusive tech.
• Smuggling: Transporting restricted Guild tech, or bringing in illicit goods to the station's residents.
• Rescue/Extraction: Getting a Guild engineer, scientist, or defector out of the highly secured station.
• Repair/Salvage: Being hired (or hiring yourselves) to fix a critical system or salvage components from a damaged section of the station or nearby derelict.
• Disrupting Operations: Sabotaging a competitor's project or causing general chaos for a powerful faction.
• Information Gathering: Finding out what the Guild knows about a specific Ur artifact, Way phenomenon, or a rival faction's tech.

Potential Factions & Contacts on SB-176:

• Guild of Engineers: The obvious primary faction. They can be employers, rivals, or targets. Their agents might be surprisingly naive or ruthlessly pragmatic.
• Hegemony Liaisons: Official Hegemony representatives ensuring the GoE complies with regulations and delivers on contracts. They might be open to bribery or leverage.
• Corporate Spies: Agents from other megacorps (e.g., those involved in trade, manufacturing, or finance) trying to get a leg up on the Guild.
• Syndicate Operatives: Even the syndicates have an interest in the GoE's tech, either to steal it, buy it, or use it for their own illicit activities. They might have moles within the station.
• Disgruntled Engineers/Researchers: Individuals within the Guild who are disillusioned, underpaid, or have ethical objections to certain projects. They could be potential allies or sources of information.
• The Cult of the Seekers: They might have agents trying to discover the Guild's secrets regarding Way-tech or ancient ruins.

SB-176 offers a rich environment for any Scum & Villainy crew, providing opportunities for high-stakes scores, complex social maneuvering, and tense technological challenges.