Nikolovsk Gate and the Bolshoi Aetherplex

Moored over the city of Yakutsk, the Nikolovsk Gate is an unassuming replica of the original Jefferson Gate, the product of espionage. Connected to the city’s grand arcology by the original Tsiolkovsky Ladder, the gate has the smallest human footprint among its peers, with 15,000 maintenance and security personnel sustaining it. These workers are mostly employees from the Okhotsk Techno Union, and live in the city below when not on extended duties, leaving the surface of the ring mostly undeveloped. A handful of government officials remain to nominally fill certain official roles, but the proprietary rule of the OTU meant that the corporate security teams on board hold the true power on the gate.

The return gate was completed in 1883, including the decadent and debaucherous Bolshoi Aetherplex. The bulk of the outer surface of the ring is a dedicated space for general guests, including the vyzhivshiye miners who are on leave from expeditions on Ledyanoy Shar. The accommodations in the residential zones are modest, spartan bunk rooms akin to military barracks. The most coveted prize for these haggard laborers is the promotion to Operations Sergeant, the commander of a CIC mining section, as the title grants them a room of their own and the first spot of privacy since their arrival.

The entertainment deck of the ring is a veritable sinner’s paradise, teeming with alcohol, gambling dens, and other more carnal vices. The lower levels were designed to let the miners forget their insurmountable debt and daily dangers for a time, clouding their mind and lengthening their tab. If the men enjoy their time off, they can work harder for their company’s gain, and those who could not find the relief they needed will at least be surrounded by plenty of distractions. Fighting between workers is common, but these encounters rarely go beyond drunken brawls. In spite of corporate corruption, the private security aboard has admittedly done exemplary work at keeping the peace among the quarter-million who call the place home. That said, there have been times in the past where more troublesome voices ring a little too loud, and would soon find themselves listed among those who “Missed Roll-Call” after a heated discussion with company enforcers…

The “Jewel” of the Aetherplex is a larger spherical structure, mounted to an armature that connects it to the central ring. This more exclusive space houses the corporate elite, and is filled with various theatres, clubs, and salons. Visiting executives and aristocrats can meet away from the prying eyes of the regency government, while enjoying the arts of high society to the backdrop of a glowing red giant. While beautiful in facade, the halls of the jewel are said to be deadlier than the tundras of the Ice Ball, as behind closed doors the seemingly friendly corporations wage shadow wars for system dominance.