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till, even the frontiers are being settled, if only via The station itself orbits an Earth-like world, lush and in-
token gestures. In a show of solidarity, the explo- viting. As of now there are no major colonies on its sur-
Sration community pooled their resources to con- face, but that will almost certainly change in the coming
struct Explorer’s Anchorage in early 3305. years.

The Ocellus starbase is a far cry from the hardscrabble Explorer’s Anchorage itself is like an oasis in the desert.
outposts that dot the road to Colonia. It is located a sin- It is a welcome sight for explorers and tourists alike, a
gle jump away from Sagittarius A*, considered by many symbol of mankind’s reach when it is determined to ex-
a de rigueur spacemark for the serious explorer. Such is tend it. To set foot within the Ocellus is to celebrate the
the state of exploration that many of those who visit the spirit of those who made its existence possible — and all
fabled black hole aren’t explorers, but tourists. Glimpses who came before them as well.
of Saud Kruger luxury are increasingly common among
the worn hulls of Anacondas and Asp Explorers.
Glimpses of Saud Kruger luxury are
The station itself has a remarkable history, short though increasingly common among the
it is. Neither a superpower nor a megacorporation was
responsible for its construction, but a grassroots effort worn hulls of Anacondas and Asp
derived from the Distant Worlds 2 expedition. The initia- Explorers.
tive to construct the station began in earnest on January
17th 3305, with three million tons of materials delivered
in short order. Massive thruster nacelles were affixed to
the main docking hub, and on February 21st, the core
modules arrived at their final destination in Stuemeae
FG-Y d7561. Resources from local systems were mined
to expand Anchorage’s services in March, bringing it up
to the standards of the Bubble.

The atmosphere within Explorer’s Anchorage is remark-
able. There is a sense of not only competence but pride
Neither a superpower nor a exuded by its inhabitants. The station is new, and its
crew works around the clock to keep its systems work-
megacorporation was responsible ing flawlessly. Bulkhead walls are polished and clean.
for its construction, but a There is little bragaddocio among those settling down
for a drink; to simply be there is an accomplishment that
grassroots effort derived from the speaks for itself. The same is true of the local scientific
Distant Worlds 2 expedition. community. Explorer’s Anchorage is as much of a sci-
entific installation as it is a haven for weary interstellar
wanderers; only the best and brightest are granted the
privilege of directly studying Sagittarius A*.

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