IS Atlas / System / Detail

Description:

Seen from orbit, Rukbat is a wonderful expanse of endless oceans, tropical islands and small continents, with woodlands and green valleys aplenty. The majestic mountains, capped with only the slightest dusting of snow and ice, are treasure troves of minerals, and the seas are full of life. It therefore came as a surprise when the first colonists to set foot on Rukbat discovered their newfound paradise was thoroughly poisonous. The air, containing only slightly more nitrogen than Terran standard, was not a problem, but everything else, from the waters and soils to the native flora and fauna, was.

Scientists quickly realized that the alien biochemistry of Rukbat's diverse ecosystem was completely incompatible with humans, creating a serious problem for the settlers. Moreover, this incompatibility extended to the water and soil. Though purifiers could help negate the more nauseating effects of Rukbat's freshwater table, the soil, saturated with the byproducts of the native life forms, could not sustain the colonists' crops. To support the mining communities that sprang up around the extensive mountain chains, the inhabitants of Rukbat had to import all of their foodstuffs and obtain a healthy number of water purifiers.

Under the Terran Hegemony, during the height of the Star League, efforts were made to introduce genetically altered crops and livestock to Rukbat, but they met with only limited success. The altered crops, a bit more sustainable than the expensive, high-maintenance altered cattle, helped lessen Rukbat's nutritional woes, but the planet remained dependent on offworld meats and produce. Meanwhile, the mineral mining industry continued to grow, the basis for the large cities of New Glasgow and Korbensberg on the primary island continent of Schender Prime.

During the Amaris crisis, the Usurper's troops resorted to scorched-earth tactics, destroying Rukbat's few viable farms as they retreated from the liberating SLDF troops. The fall of the Star League and the onset of the Succession Wars worsened the situation, throwing the planet's precarious agricultural system into ruin once again. Never able to recover, Rukbat remains dependent on its neighbor worlds for the basics of life.

The capital city of Oskart is located on Schender Minor, Rukbat's second largest island continent, located just south of Schender Prime. The planet's other major island continent, Melrin, lies mostly south of the equator.