Akash

Department of Akash
Qafi Federal Flag Seal
c.4005 photograph
Celestial Department
Official languages:	Arabic, Bengali
Currency:	Qafi Dinar (ع.د)
Demonym:	Akashian
Politics
Government:	Department of the Qafi Federation
- Department Minister:	Chirag Ibrahim
Demographics
Population:	50,000 (in orbit)
Ethnic groups:	Bengalis, Punjabis, Qafis
National minorities:	Cariocecians
Geography
Planet:	TRAPPIST-1c
System:	TRAPPIST-1 System
Avg. distance from Earth:	39.6 ly
Orbital period:	2.42 d
Rotation period:	Tidally locked
Moon(s):	0
Surface gravity:	1.086 g
Temperature:	66.6 °C (equilibrium)
[Source]

Akash is a mainly rocky atmosphere-poor exoplanet orbiting around the ultra-cold dwarf star TRAPPIST-1 governed by the Qafi Federation. Though cooler than its neighbour Jahannama, Akash is still uninhabitable, bearing only several orbital stations for scientific and military purposes.

History

Akash was not prioritised for settlement during the era of the Trappist Friendship Initiative due to its lack of atmosphere (like Kienen) and likelihood high geologic activity induced by tidal squeezing (like Jahannama or Io), and thus languished compared to Bellona, Qaf, or even Tezuka. This presence of volcanism was further confirmed by the arrival of unmanned probes in the early 3000's, and it has since been officially regarded as hostile to permanent surface habitation.

The planet was first properly settled when Qafi colonists set up orbital stations in 3358. These orbital stations were a joint venture by IGSA and Qafi scientists to study the Akashian surface. When the New Colonial Government was overthrown at the beginning of the War of the Caliphate in 3494, the Qafi scientists and IGSA officials aboard these orbital station isolated themselves, and they discussed the best course of action to proceed. Some wanted to ask for assistance from the nearby Union Trappist Administration, the governing body of the Trappist Martians, and even perhaps ask to join. However, the overwhelming number of Akashians supported the Free Qafi Army, and in 3495, all Akashian orbital stations declared their allegiance to the FQA. Soon enough, FQA units were dispatched to Akash and secured the orbital stations without incident. Akash was largely free from reprisal from other Qafi factions during the War of the Caliphate due to their lack of a presence outside Qaf, but the Akashian orbital stations did not avoid occupation by the Commonwealth of Earth when their invasion of the Trappist System began.

The Trappist Fleet of the Commonwealth of Earth arrived above Akash in 3500 as part of their invasion force. Left with little other choice, Free Qafi Army units under the direction of Moksud Khondakar surrendered willingly to the Commonwealth Marines since fighting there was regarded as pointless. The Commonwealth secured the orbital stations, disarmed the FQA units, and mostly departed to move on to Bellona and Qaf. Akash remained under peaceful Commonwealth occupation until 3540, when the Trappist Fleet evacuated its personnel from Akash's orbital stations and left the system.

After the end of the Commonwealth invasion, Akash willingly joined the Qafi Federation, alongside Salsabil, as a department of the new celestial state. Notably, residents of Akash's orbital stations were allowed to vote in elections for the Qafi Parliament, often voting for the ruling Federation Party. During the early Qafi Federation period under Khondakar, Akash's population grew. However, disasters on the orbital stations and corruption caused numerous problems over this period, resulting in little real development or change.

The increasing instability in the Trappist System due to the Martian Civil War and the following coup d'état by the 'Valleyan Clique' in 3718 led to a severe economic downturn on Akash. Even as the rest of the Trappist System prepared for the war, Akash was largely ignored and left out of these developments, with very little paid to its by the Qafi Federation or the new Cariocecian Republic. When the Martian invasion fleet did arrive in 3730, Akash's orbital stations were taken over by the Martian invaders like the rest of the Trappist System aside from Cariocecus and Qaf (partially). The Martians installed a capsule-form ALIAS-based AI named MaTD (Mazfredasan Taapiz Daarektiv, lit. Maat, Solar English: Martian Federation Trappist Directive) on Akash's orbital stations to oversee their occupation of the planet along with the rest of the Trappist System.

The Martian occupation of Akashian orbit lasted nearly a century, and it perhaps had a larger effect on Akashians than any other group in the Trappist System. Unlike on Qaf or Tezuka, Akashians largely did not resist the Martian occupation, and many scientists on Akash actively collaborated with the Martians to learn from them and improve conditions on Akash. MaTD in particular became a rather beloved figure on Akash, and there was very little terrorism from Qafi partisans on the planet.

Akash was eventually retaken peacefully in 3814 after the withdrawal of Martians to Salsabil and Kienen. The MaTD nodes on Akash's orbital stations were quickly removed by the Martians, and many were crippled by by ALIAS's swift departure, nearly killing many Akashians due to a cascading effect of failing systems. The Qafi Navy arrived on Akash, and they were forced to evacuate much of the orbital stations' populations until the situation could be stabilised.

Akash has grown slowly following its orbital stations being in 3818. It remains a place for scientific research in development, still very different from Qaf.

Geography

Habitability

As suggested in the early second millennium by James Webb Space Telescope observations - and later confirmed by exploratory probes - Akash is a rocky world with a near-negligible CO₂ atmosphere and a high presence of volcanic activity due to tidal interaction with its star and neighbouring planets; it has thus been popularly considered as TRAPPIST-1's "Red Io". It has a surface gravity of 0.966 g, and though its equilibrium temperature was initially estimated at 66.6 °C, due to being tidally locked its true surface temperature varies wildly between hemispheres.

Akash bears a notable magnetic field due to its liquid metallic core, which has assisted in protecting its orbital stations from stellar and cosmic radiation.

Government

The department minister of Akash is appointed by the Qafi Parliament, since Akash is a department of the Qafi Federation. Akashians are allowed to vote in elections for the Qafi Parliament, but the minimal numbers on Akash compared to Qaf means the inhabitants of Akash have little political control over their own planet.

Economy

Akash's largest economic activity is scientific research. The many Qafi scientists on Akash are there to study the planet and send the date back to Qaf.

Culture

Settled later than the other planets of the Trappist System after initial colonisation, Akash was settled first by IGSA and Qafi scientists to determine its habitability and value. After that, only a small number of Qafis, mostly from As-Saqar, were allowed to settle on Askash, mostly administration staff to assist the scientists. Akash would develop a quite secular culture over time in contrast to Qaf's sectarianism. Although many Akashians are religious like their Qafi cousins, they are often more 'business first' and do not let their religion influence their actions as much. Nevertheless, Akashians still see themselves as Qafi and have no aspirations of independence, with the majority of Akashians supporting the current Social Freedom government though many favor the Federation Party. Akash's more accepting culture and its location has led to them developing closer ties to Cariocecus, with a sizable Martian minority on Akash. Akash's automated infrastructure has also made it culturally closer to Trappist Martians,. There are also a large number of recent Qafi internal migrants on Akash who are far more conservative than the average Akashian. Small numbers of Tranquilans and Earthers are also present.