The Arete Dustcloud

The Arete dust cloud is a supernova remnant that permeates the inner portion of the Arete binary star system. Though relatively cool by supernova remnant standards, it is still highly energetic and filled with radiation, heat, and radiowave emissions that foul and distort starship sensors. This has made the world of Arete II a prime base of operations for smugglers, and ships from that region have to contend constantly with pirates who hide within the dust cloud.
Unfortunately, ships must get clear of the dust cloud before engaging their FTL systems, meaning they are vulnerable longer.
Before the war began, the Terran Protectorate considered the cloud a pain, as they had to regularly send ships in on long patrols to scour every inch of it for pirates. Since the war began however, pirate activity has stopped, and a massive number of Protectorate warships and large-scale space construction vessels have gone in, but have not been seen coming out again.
Fortunately, the population of Arete, pirates or not, are loyal Protectorate citizens, and local spacers will not speak of what they've seen, or suspect, is going on inside the Arete Dustcloud.


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