Way Station
A Way Station is a larger-than-normal Scout Base of the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service (IISS) dedicated to the support of official interstellar courier activity along the Imperial Express Boat network. The Imperium’s xboat system carries communications between worlds on an expedited basis. The way station services and maintains these xboats. A way station is located on main xboat routes about one per 40-50 parsecs.
Description (Specifications)[edit]
Way stations have stocks of scout-oriented repair and maintenance equipment, as well as a trained staff of service personnel. They are the IISS equivalent of Naval Bases, although they are capable of servicing only smaller tonnage ships (10,000 tons and less) due to the size and orientation of their facilities.
The modern IISS Way Station performs the following functions:
- During a normal tour of duty, an express boat will jump from system to system, occasionally changing pilots, but steadily working its way farther and farther down the line.
- At each stop (xboat station), the xboat is routinely checked, refuelled, re-provisioned, and sometimes re-crewed.
- Ultimately, however, the X-Boat must undergo maintenance and possible repair after the rigors of its mission.
Note that in addition to the above-mentioned standard operations, in Frontier Regions Imperial Way Stations are sometimes pressed into service to perform additional functions reminiscent of their historical purpose prior to the establishment of the Express Boat network (see below).
The following additional services are sometimes provided by Way Stations along the Imperial Frontier:
- Repair, maintenance, and overhaul of Imperial equipment more generally.
- Provisions for Imperial Army troop barracks.
- IISS Scout Ship and limited Naval vessel overhaul facilities.
- Subsector Intelligence operations centers.
History & Background (Dossier)[edit]
Many Imperial Way Stations were originally established as bases for the repair, maintenance, and overhaul of Imperial equipment in the early years of the Imperium, and sometimes included provisions for Army troop barracks, naval and scout ship overhauls, and intelligence operations. With the expansion and consolidation of the core regions of the Empire, and the reestablishment of a stable footing after the conclusion of the Imperial Civil War, the Empress Arbellatra established the foundations of the Express Boat ("X-boat") network as part of the Communications Branch of the IISS. At that time, many of the initial maintenance and junction waypoints utilized existing Imperial Way Stations in the central regions of the Empire repurposed and/or expanded to fit a new role as Communications hubs and as expanded support infrastructure for the new requirements of the high-speed communications network. Many additional Way Stations were built over time to accommodate the needs of the new network, supplementing the initially designated outlay. As time progressed, those initial Way Stations were gradually transformed in primary mission to that of the modern IISS Way Station.
Worlds & Sectors (Astrography)[edit]
No information yet available.
World Listing: 1105[edit]
There are known bases of this type located in the following systems and worlds:
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References & Contributors (Sources)[edit]
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