Pluto

Pluto
Seal, symbolising the Eastern Orthodox identity of the Plutonians
Photograph of Pluto (2280)
Interstellar Zone
Government:	IGSA administration; de-facto managed by the Gorgon Family
Official religion(s):	Eastern Orthodox (unofficial)
Councilman:	Martin Gorgon
Colonised:	2280
Currency:	Saturnian Legacy (SL)
Capital:	Yevgenygrad
Demonym:	Plutonian
Colours:	De-facto:              (Civil)              (Military)
Geography
Located:	Kuiper Belt
System:	Solar System
Avg. distance from Earth:	4.28-7.5 billion km
Moon(s):	5 (Charon, Hydra, Kerberos, Nix, Styx)
Demographics
Population:	12,000,000
[Source]

“	Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power.	”
–John Steinbeck

Pluto, once classified as the ninth planet from the Sun, is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt and was the first Kuiper Belt object to be discovered. It is the largest known Trans-Neptunian object by volume but is less massive than Eris. Pluto is primarily made of ice and rock and is relatively small. It is known for the double dwarf planet system it has with its largest moon Charon, and Pluto hosts a large space elevator that connects the two celestial bodies. Pluto has been directly administrated by the United Governed Space Authority since the first colonisation was undertaken, initially as a Celestial Department but later as an Interstellar Zone in 3210, which invited claims by Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn over its jurisdiction. Founded with the purpose of providing refueling to interstellar probes and vessels, the majority of Pluto's inhabitants are employed in resupply stations. Since the Great Solar War, Plutonian self-determination has steadily risen, with the goal of forming a Celestial State. This nascent nationalism, only bolstered by Neptune’s recent independence, is opposed by the current unofficial rulers of Pluto, the Gorgons, and is further hampered by their dependency on the gas giant solar powers for fuel.

History

Pluto’s human history began far before its official colonisation, which came more recently in its history. Although Pluto lost its status as a planet in 2006, interest in the dwarf planet was not lost by the scientific community. It was first landed upon by probes in the late 21st century, and the dwarf planet was explored by numerous manned missions in later centuries.

In 2280, a space station was transported to Pluto's orbit, with the intention of providing a staging point for the deployment of terraforming drones to the Luyten System and interstellar probes intended for the Gliese 832 and Wolf 1061 systems. A small domed base was lowered to the surface of the planetoid and would provide the foundations for human settlement. IGSA would also artificially alter Pluto's spin to provide 1g of spin gravity to further facilitate future colonisation. From there, colonists would arrive on Pluto attracted by the lucrative extrasolar exploration business. When Earth's atmosphere was declared unsafe to breathe in the 2300s, a mass exodus ensued. Wealthy American, Chinese, and Russian oligarchs conspired to secure Pluto as a residence far from Earth, that would ensure they would have priority passage to Luyten b once terraforming was complete.

A large project undertaken in Pluto's early history was a space elevator bridging the divide between Pluto and its largest moon Charon, based on designs used for the Equatorial Elevators built on Earth. Construction of the the space elevator began in 2310 and was finished by 2315, as Pluto's low gravity allowed for the tether to be extended between the two celestial bodies in a fraction of the time it took on Earth. No geostationary counterweight was necessary either, because that role and spot were already occupied by Charon, a mere 20,000 km away. The system's orbital eccentricity was and is still so slight that the first tether only required limited elasticity to stay taut. The centerpiece of the tether between Charon and Pluto was Sisyphus, the space station that was originally placed above Pluto in 2280. The space elevator, now known as Phlegethon, acts a highway of tethers lit by the glowing lights of the capsules moving back and forth like an old highway at night, dotted with many smaller hub stations every hundred kilometers. Most of the tethers do not stop when they go into Pluto's surface but instead burrow deeper underground. Phlegethon served to only make Pluto a more attractive destination for launching interstellar exploration missions as vessels could be constructed on Pluto on and launched directly from the Sisyphus.

Pluto would become something of a boomtown from the 24th to 29th century, with mining tunnels forming the foundations of an intricate subterranean network modeled after the one on Ceres. Colonists would live in the dwarf planet's icy crust and mantle, heating the tunnels with fusion reactors and mining the soft-ice for volatiles and minerals. Given the light gravity and resulting lower pressure in the ice mantle, colonizing the rocky core's outer surface gave colonists the largest number of mineral and volatile resources as well as insulating them from cold. An attractive destination for migrants from Earth, an essential staging point for launching extrasolar probes and serving as vital refueling station for Kuiper Belt miners, Pluto's population swelled. The dwarf planet stood as the last point of real civilisation before the great unknown. As extrasolar expeditions became more focused on colonization efforts at the beginning of the 30th century, Pluto's population would take a steep dive. Citizens, lured by the promise of a new life out beyond the Solar System, left in droves, boarding the early colonization vessels that departed for Barnard's Star b, Proxima Centauri b and Luyten b. Predominantly, many of the ethnic American and Chinese descendants would leave during this time, seeking new colonies beyond the Solar System where you could walk on a livable surface.

Pluto would spend the next three centuries in a slow decline as interstellar vessels began to favour the larger refueling depots in orbit of Neptune, their more efficient drives no longer dependent on refueling at Pluto. Further tragedy would hit the beleaguered Plutonian populace as as close on a millennium of mining on the planetoid had stripped it of its helium-3 deposits, forcing a dependency on imports from asteroid miners and the gas dwarfs. By the close of the 32nd century, what had once been a bustling hive of activity had become a shadow of its former self, inhabited predominantly by those too poor to afford to leave and Kuiper Belt miners vital to maintaining the survival of the rock.

The Climate Crisis on Earth at the dawn of the 33rd century would have a significant impact on Pluto, as refugees flooded out into the cosmos. Millions of migrants from Earth would make their home in the cavernous halls of the dwarf planet. However, this would not serve to reverse the fortunes of the planetoid, as the decayed infrastructure could not cope with the rapid influx of people. It would only be through the efforts of a particularly ambitious native, the descendant of the wealthy oligarchs who had once funded the colonization of Pluto, that would stave off a humanitarian crisis, Walter Gorgon. Gorgon had inherited a failing shipping company from his father and was certain he would only live to see it dissolve. However, the influx of new people provided an opportunity he had never planned for, an ample supply of employees. Gorgon saw the opportunity to turn around Pluto from a dying rock into the thriving port it had been in days of old, a trading hub between the Solar System and extrasolar territories. Purchasing a fleet of interstellar capable vessels from the Callisto Shipyards, Gorgon would lay the foundations for his new business. He would spend the rest of his lifetime negotiating first ever trade deals with the newly independent Zhu Que; the fledgling colonies of Nova and Tranquility, as well as the IGSA departments of Proxima Centauri b and Barnard's Star b.

Walter Gorgon did not live to see the true success of his enterprise, but his descendants would profit heavily from it. Pluto would also benefit considerably from the new business, with the dwarf planet serving as the primary trade node between the interstellar powers and the Solar System. The population would rapidly grow as the years went on, as refugees continued to pour in. The Gorgon family would utilize its considerable wealth to invest heavily into improving the planetoids infrastructure while simultaneously buying out their rivals and expanding into asteroid mining. By the 3400s, the Gorgon family owned every single vital enterprise on Pluto, including Phlegethon and all the dwarf planet's moons.

The fortunes of Pluto would be hampered again as IGSA fractured and expansionist powers rose from their former states. The most prominent of these was the Commonwealth of Earth, whose claim rested on the dwarf planet having been funded primarily by Earth based corporations. Commonwealth Marines would be deployed to the surface, claiming the rock for Earth in 3465 along with its moons and Phlegethon. The Gorgon family were forced to collaborate with the occupation forces, ensuring that their vessels would only operate between Earth and her dominions. This severely damaged the economy of Pluto, as they lost the majority of their key trade routes; both intra-system and extra-solar.

The Jovian Republic would soon come to contest Earth’s claim on Pluto due to their proximity to the dwarf planet, and several skirmishes would occur in Pluto orbit throughout the 3500s. Some these skirmishes would do superficial damage to Phlegethon, and many Plutonians worried about a looming disaster. All this only served to infuriate the local Plutonian population, who wanted nothing to do with the territorial dispute and were still angry at the new restrictions in place on their home.

The Great Solar War would add another more unlikely contender to the Pluto dispute: Saturn. This came in the form of Saturnian Navy freelancers fighting for the Martians who descended upon Pluto and methodically destroyed every base on the dwarf planet’s surface before claiming it for Saturn. Recent colonists were angered at the Saturnians actions, but they just shrugged off Saturn's claim. Whether this claim was sanctioned by ALIAS is disputed, but it did further muddy the waters on the Pluto question with later claims by Mars even further complicating things.

In the years following the Great Solar War, the population of Pluto would fluctuate further as the dwarf planet's fortunes varied with every new extrasolar colonisation. Around that time, the Plutonian identity really took shape, and at the same time, more Saturnians began coming to Pluto as well. Life on Pluto became more normal as the dwarf planet fell out of the interest of the great powers.

In the last century or so, there has been a growing feeling of dissatisfaction among the residents of Pluto, especially the youth. Pluto is currently classified as an Interstellar Zone by the IGSA, and the dwarf planet is governed in a limited capacity by a plutocratic, oligarchical council. This council is elected by only a select few Plutonians of a certain wealth bracket, and it is almost always headed by a member of the Gorgon family, currently Martin Gorgon. Pluto’s council is generally very pro-corporate and has very close relations with the Union of Saturn. Meanwhile, many younger Plutonians wish to establish Pluto as a Celestial State to better defend their people’s interests on the interstellar stage instead of being thralls to the Saturnians and mining corporations. These pro-independence Plutonians are called Psychopomps, and they are a growing minority of Pluto. They also heavily resent the sale of Pluto's moons to off-worlders and the "hoarding" of Charon by the elites. Plutonians in favor of the status quo contend that Pluto is too small to be a player on the interstellar stage, and that independence would be an economic nightmare, especially in relation to the large Saturnian expatriate community on Pluto. The Psychopomps care little for the consequences of independence and just want independence for Pluto, its moon, and Phlegethon. The Psychopomps hope to force a referendum out of the council within the next ten years, and they are confident they have the means to force it or at least will.

Pluto currently has a small but growing population, along with its largest moon Charon. Its future is uncertain at the moment, but all Plutonians hope for brighter days ahead whether that means independence or just further economic prosperity.

Geography

Habitability

The plains on Pluto's surface are composed of more than 98 percent nitrogen ice, with traces of methane and carbon monoxide. The mountains are made of water ice. Pluto's surface is quite varied, with large differences in both brightness and color. The color varies from charcoal black, to dark orange and white. Notable geographical features include Tombaugh Regio, or the "Heart" (a large bright area on the side opposite Charon), Cthulhu Macula, or the "Whale" (a large dark area on the trailing hemisphere), and the "Brass Knuckles" (a series of equatorial dark areas on the leading hemisphere). Most of its civilian structures are large, subterranean settlements that infest the dwarf planet's crust. Meanwhile, numerous resupply station and mines potmark the surface along with the sprawling dome settlement of Yevgenygrad, located in the Sputnik Planitia. Phlegethon acts as a space elevator and a tether between Pluto and its largest moon Charon. It also acts as a major population center, larger than even Yevgenygrad.

Government

Effectively, Pluto has no real government despite there being a council that nominally acts as the government. All the council really does is act as the arbitrator between Plutonians and outsiders, mostly corporations and Saturnians (sometimes both). This does give the council (and the Gorgon Family) a large degree of influence over Pluto, but they are not a real government. The next closest thing is the local INTPOL based in Yevgenygrad who enforce interstellar law. The Gorgon family also have enforcers in case they need their own muscle who effectively carry out their will on Pluto.

For a planetoid with no real government, Pluto has a surprisingly low crime rate, especially among Plutonians themselves. Plutonians tend to resolve problems without violence as most are related or know each other through one channel or another. This differs greatly when applied to Saturnians who live on Pluto, who the Plutonians sometimes violently clash with.

Economy

Pluto’s economy is largely based upon its role as a resupply station between the Solar System and interstellar space. Because of this, Pluto gets many visitors from all over all the time, and it has only increased in importance as the Solar System’s stability has decreased. Pluto largely relies on Saturn for imports and uses the Saturnian Legacy as its local currency.

Mining is also an industry on Pluto, though less so than on many other planetoids. Ice is the main target, and it is exported for the most part or cleared. This mining is mostly done by Kuiper Minerals, a corporation that owns much of Pluto’s surface. Helium-3 was another target of Pluto's mines, but it disappeared over the years to the displeasure of certain corporations. Some Plutonians have proposed using greenhouse gases to melt some of Pluto’s ice to create oceans, but the council has rejected this on the grounds that it might cause a devastating natural disaster.

Culture

Architecture

Out of necessity, subterranean settlements are still popular homes for Plutonians. However, in Yevgenygrad the architecture is more varied and has taken on almost a life of its own. In the last century, a certain sense of Plutonian architecture has taken form, drawing comparisons to the greco deco architectural style of the distant past.

Ethnicity

Plutonians are the main ethnic group on Pluto, making up more than half the population. This ethnic group, mostly employed as miners and resupply station workers, is descended from the core population of a little more than a hundred colonists who originally colonised Pluto. The colonists were mostly of American or Russian stock, with both English and Russian being spoken on the colony in early years. The Plutonian culture has become something of melting pot of American and Slavic influences, with a hard work ethic, alcoholism, depression, high trust, and strong family values being the hallmarks of a Plutonian. Many Plutonians are also members of the Eastern Orthodox Church, though Pluto is still largely secular in outlook and governance. The Psychopomp movement is drawn from a Plutonian desire for independence as their own Celestial State but is still a minority position for most Plutonians. The desire for Pluto to be reclassified as a planet is also a desire for many Plutonians, but this is usually only expresses in jest or after a bit of vodka.

Nearly a third of Pluto’s population are Saturnian expatriates who live on the dwarf planet for a variety of reasons. Some are corporate, others live on Pluto for the cheap cost of living, and still others just like the change of pace from the fast life on Saturn’s moons. Plutonians have mixed feelings on Saturnians, as many see them as a boon to the the local economy while driving up local prices. Also, many Psychopomps and even regular Plutonians resent the Saturnians' often patronizing attitude towards them. Various Saturnians technically own almost seventy percent of Pluto’s landmass along with many of its mines due to numerous early ill-advised sales in Pluto’s recent history, a further sticking point for the Psychopomps.

The other ten percent of the population are from all over, mostly a result of Pluto’s role as a resupply station for interstellar trade. Notable represented communities are Earthers, Jovians, and Zhu Que. Most these are represented on the smaller hub stations and settlements clinging to Phlegethon.

Language

Kuiper English, a dialect of Solar English with Slavic and Belter influences and loanwords, is the most common language on Pluto. Kuiper English is largely intelligible with other forms of Solar English such as the Saturnian dialect spoken by many Saturnian expats on Pluto. Solar Russian is also present among those who favor it over English for cultural and religious purposes, leading to a bilingual culture among many native Plutonians. Other languages are present on Phlegethon, mostly from Earth.

Religion

Pluto is home to the Autonomous Orthodox Church on Pluto (Archbishop of Pluto and Metropolitan of All the Kuiper Belt), a self-governing part of the Eastern Orthodox Church technically under the authority of the Russian Orthodox Church. Eastern Orthodoxy is the dominant religion on Pluto, especially among Plutonians, but it is not a dominating factor in most people’s lives. Most Saturnites and non-Plutonians on Pluto are irreligious with the exception of DVYNE members. There is also a local pagan movement known as Yuggothism that has some adherents among the Psychopomps, but the religion has largely remained mysterious due to the reluctance of its adherents to share about its rituals.