Besides being thrown into some of the most intense fighter combat on this side of the galaxy, one of the benefits of being a Terran Confederation officer is that you get to travel through a diverse range of star systems. Whether is doing routine patrols in a Confederation held system or doing a counterattack into Kilrathi held territory, it’s a guarantee that you’ll have the time of your life.
Colonization: Light
Confed Military Presence: Light
ISS Presence: Light
Strategic Importance: Minor
The Oberan system is a sparesely populated system within Confederation controlled space. It consists of a red giant star with two terrestrial planets and three major gas giant planets, each with a score of moons. One of the terrestrial planets, Oberan 3, has a moderately breathable atmosphere and a temperature range that has allowed for colonization with the help of atmospheric processors and biosphere domes. Oberan 3 has several small settlements, divided between agricultural areas, mining zones, and light industrial centers. With greater resources dedicated to terraforming, the greater surface of Oberan 3 could become habitable without the use of biospheres. Motions have been made in the senate for the past four years to upgrade the terraforming status of Oberan 3, yet each has failed to pass. The local government of Oberan 3 intends to make another motion in the upcoming Senate session.
Of the several dozen gas giant moons, only two moons are suitable for terraformation. Terraformation has begun on Oberan 5.2, which has the most favorable conditions for succesful terraformation. Currently, 5.2 is only populated by scientists and terraforming workers. Terraformation of Oberan 5.8 was scheduled to begin in 2667 but was put on hold indefinitely due to funding issues.
The Oberan system also consists of numerous asteroid belts, although the amount of mineable minerals and metals is surprisingly lower than in many other systems. Confed scientists are still trying to find an explanation for this situation.
Due to the current situation of the habitable and terraformable planets, the Oberan system is given a low probablity of ever becoming a contested system, since the Kilrathi are more likely to focus their efforts on systems which are naturally habitable or in which the work of terraforming has already been done to a fuller extent. In addition, jump points in the Oberan system are not on any direct jump corridors leading to front-line or highly strategic systems. Flight plans leading through the Oberan system are utilized by ships and convoys willing to take a longer route deeper into Confed territory without the risk of Kilrathi encounters.
The relative remoteness of the Oberan system also makes it ideal as a training ground for new pilots. It offers a diversity of environments for training: light atmospheric, heavy atmospheric, asteroid field, and deep space. New pilots can train with a very low possiblity of hostile encounters. In fact, no hostile encounters have occurred in Oberan for the past two years, and the previous encounter was with a small group of Retros looking to set up a new sanctuary. As of yet, the Kilrathi have shown no interest in the Oberan system, and most Kilrathi encounters in the past have been with Kilrathi privateers. Due to the lack of a threat, training squadrons assigned to the Oberan system often serve as the major system defense, since ISS in Oberan are extremely limited and are prone to being transfered to other more strategically important systems.