Guardian Stone 2: Stone and the T-Raptors
Page 31
Habitat
One of the more interesting features of the station is its ability to house and maintain a very large population. This large capacity makes it ideal for mass movement of populations in a relatively short time frame when threatened by a catastrophic event such as a nova scale solar event or an invasion such as that anticipated by the Glarin.
The real challenge was crafting a usable infrastructure for 1.5 billion people escaping from Antor 1. Ninety per-cent of the population was in stasis sleep and awakened as the facilities for their living were completed.
All Habitat sectors are each 50 miles wide. The ground level for the outer zone deck is at RM25 with a ceiling that is 9 miles high and for the inner zone deck, ground level is RM15 also with a 9 miles high ceiling. In the center of each habitat zone there is a mountain range that runs the full circumference of the habitat deck. Terrain elevation starts to increase at 15 miles from the habitat wall and returns to deck level at 15 miles from the opposite wall. Mountain peaks ranging to 21,120 feet can be seen in this area. The fabricators are programmed to assure that every mountain is different from those around it and on other stations. Mountains are made of the same material as found in the shielding material utilized in the outer hull area. They have the same look and feel as natural mountains on a planet. There are snow-covered peaks, streams, forests, trails and lakes. The mountains fulfill an esthetic need for persons living off planet for long periods of time as well as provide many recreational opportunities.
Beneath the mountains there is a 10 miles wide facility for sewage treatment and recycling, water purification and air quality control. This facility is completely automated.
At both walls of each habitat there are vertical transportation corridors that connect with those at RM5RM6, RM15–RM16, RM25–RM26 and the housing units.
At each wall there is a structure that is a mile in depth and two miles high. The portion of the structure containing the housing units has 870 floors. Housing units start at floor 9 and go up to floor 878. The housing units have a balcony overlooking the habitat, so every unit has a view. The balcony is 60' wide by 18' deep. The dwelling portion of the unit is 60' wide by 112' long. The contents of every unit are nonflammable so fire is unlikely. Each unit has a front double door that is six' wide. At the entry to the unit there is a porch that is 10' deep that has a 5'x10' storage shed at one end and an 8'x10' storage shed at the other. Residents generally store their outdoor equipment in these sheds, such items as bicycles, golfing equipment, tennis rackets, soccer balls, etc. Note that the Antorans have adopted many of Earth's sports.
Between the porch and the common walkways is a front yard that is 60' by 50'. The front yard and porch can be privacy screened at the press of a button switch. The front of the property has a 3' fence and gate. The common walkways are 50' wide with a 5' access lane from the dwelling units, 2 – 10' wide lanes for pedestrians, and 2 – 5' lanes for skating or bicycle traffic going in opposite directions. The remaining 15' portion of the walkway is for access to the vertical elevators that are located about every 300'. It is also a space to view the interior open spaces of the structure. The housing unit portion of the structure is 240' deep and 870 floors tall except for the Type 2B and that is 219 floors tall.
The remainder of the structure has a floor for every 10th floor of the dwelling structure. These floors have parks, playing fields, churches, schools, meeting places, exercise paths, etc. Many activities typically found indoors on Earth can be found in these spaces. The first eight floors of the structure contain offices, stores, theaters, music venues, dance halls, restaurants, flea markets and even amusement parks.
If every unit on the station were to be filled to its capacity of eight persons per unit, the population would be more than desired and it would be crowded. Most agree that while this is possible, it is far from likely since population density would be too great and would create unintended stress. Nevertheless the station is built to sustain a large population. The most likely scenario with all units occupied would be an average of four persons per unit.
Each unit is capable of comfortably holding up to 8 persons. Family units with more than 6 persons are eligible for a double unit where the Great Room adjoining wall has been removed and the dining area is reconfigured. While other configurations are possible. The most common configuration of the units contains:
1 -Master Bedroom (each 20' by 20')
2 -Bedroom (each 20' by 20')
1 -Kitchen/Dining Area (17'x 24')
1 -Great Room (configuration optional) (33' x 55').
While the living quarters appear to be conventional, the Great Room is fully programmable with numerous templates that can be used for guidance. Optional décor includes for example, old European, rustic American, South Pacific grass hut, old Japanese, you name it and the changes can be made in a matter of minutes. For groups wishing to exercise a more communal lifestyle, extended family group, or to socialize with their neighbor, a 64-foot section of wall in the Great Room and Kitchen can come down through common agreement for designated periods or left down. All units are self-maintaining and self cleaning. There are many options to explore. The housing units are identical on all stations.
Military
The sector at either end of each station is the military sector. These are identical on all stations. The military training area is in the Outer Zone at RM16-RM25. The training area consists of four decks at RM25, RM23, RM21 and RM19. The combined area for the training decks for each station is 11,058 square miles. These areas can be configured in numerous ways to provide any level of training activity desired.
Flight Decks
The Inner Zone of the military sector is the location of the flight decks for shuttles, commercial vessel and warships. Flight deck bays are one mile high, one mile wide and 10 miles in length at both ends of the station. The first nine miles from the end of the station are used for the docking of the vessels. The innermost mile is the location of the elevators to move vessels from deck to deck, typically to return a ship to its parking place where it is locked down.
Warships
There are three Warship flight decks. These decks are located at RM13, RM14 and RM15. Deck RM12 typically is used for small commercial ships but can be quickly changed to warship docking if needed. Each bay is designed to hold vessels that are 300 feet in diameter and 900 feet in length. Each bay has ships that are four abreast with next ships 400 feet in back of the ship in front of it. Several moving walkways along the length of the bays provide rapid access to the ships by crew. Each Warship deck has bays or portions of bays reserved for construction, repair or the docking of visiting ships. Warships can also carry up to 1000 Marines with equipment for short hauls. Ship movement within the station is all automated until launched.
Warship Capacity
Deck
Bays
Capacity
Normal Complement
15
188
27,072
14
174
25,344
13
162
23,328
Totals
524
75,744
20,000
Each station is assigned 20,000 warships. Special operations may require a station to carry more warships and each station has the capacity to do so. Bays that are partially occupied can also be used for visiting ships. Each bay is capable of launching four ships every 5 minutes.
Commercial Ships
There are three Commercial ship decks. Each bay on decks RM11 and RM12 of the larger stations is designed and laid out the same as a Warship Deck. These decks hold the small commercial ships used primarily for hauling freight. Similar to other flight decks, heavy duty moving walkways down the length of the bay deck assure efficient loading and unloading the ships as well as provide quick access for flight crews.
Small Commercial Ship Capacity
Deck
Bays
Capacity
Normal Complement
11
138
19,872
12
150
21,600
Totals
288
41,472
20,000
Large Commercial ships are typically used for heavy freight movement and mining primarily for resupply of the station raw materials. This class of ship is typically 1000 feet in diameter and 3000 feet in length. Large Commercial ships are parked two abreast and 1000 feet apart. A heavy duty moving walkway down the middle of each bay aids in loading and unloading the ships as well as provide access for flight crews. The large commercial vessels can be converted to troop transports on short notice.
Large Commercial Ship Capacity
Deck
Bays
Capacity
Normal Complement
10
126
3,024
2,500
Shuttles
There are three Shuttle decks with the similar bay configurations as other flight decks. These decks are located at RM7, RM8 and RM9. Each deck is designed to hold a different class of shuttle. The 250 person shuttles (100'x800') are located in the bays closest to the core. They are parked eight abreast, with about 500 feet between rows. In line, the distance between ships is also 500 feet. Bay capacity in the larger stations is 288 ships. Moving walkways facilitate the loading and unloading of the shuttles. The 30 person shuttles (80'x300') are next. They are parked twelve abreast, 325 feet between rows. In line, the distance between ships is 300 feet. Bay capacity is 948 ships. The 8-person shuttle (50'x100') is next and they are parked twelve abreast, with 325 feet between rows. In line, the distance between ships is 400 feet. Bay capacity is 1,140 shuttles.
Shuttle Capacity
Deck
Size
Bays
Capacity
Normal Complement
9
(8) person
112
127,680
100,000
8
(30) person
100
94,800
50,000
7
(250) person
88
25,344
15,000
Totals
300
247,824
165,000
The shuttles are used for conventional movement, recreation and for humanitarian purposes such as medical evacuation, general evacuation, search and rescue and catastrophic disaster relief efforts.
Manning of Stations
In addition to the 650,000,000 Antorans on Antor II, the Antoran population distributed itself fairly evenly among the Stations. On average, there are about 60 million Antorans per Type 1 Station and 10 million Antorans per Type 2 Station. It is expected that residents from four of the other five planets and Earth would further populate the stations.