Aksum

This page refers to the planet Aksum, in the Decuu system.

Description
The planet of Aksum is an icy lump of rock located on the outskirts of the Decuu system. Various metals and alloys, from Iron to Cubirian to Lommite, are mined, refined and exported to the other worlds of the Confederacy.

A special mineral called Valarite is also mined on Aksum. This mineral is very important to the Kartanin Dominion, and large shipments are sent to the Dominion every year.

Aksum houses 200 million people divided in little over 200 towns and cities. Approximately half of the population work in the mines and boreholes.

The planet has standard gravity, even though the average temperature lies around -20 degrees Celsius. An Aksumi day lasts about 20 standard hours, while an Aksumi year lasts about 514 standard days.

Aksum is ruled by Planetary Governor Albert Bricks, a Fulleri who have worked his way up from the mines to his current position. He is well liked by the population.

History
Aksum was colonized sometime around 2,100 BBY by the Decuu Empire. It was only sparsely mined to begin with and was used primarily as a Penal Colony by the Decuu Empire.

As a result, Aksum has always been rebellious. During the Unification war between 1,030 BBY and 1,000 BBY, it served as a headquarter for the Decuri rebels. Since then, Aksum have been the center of numerous rebellions. The last rebellion, known as the Lommite Uprising, occurred in the Lommite mines near the southern pole. Afraid of losing their supply of Lommite, the Confederate government sent Drop Troopers to put down the rebellion. Though the rebellion was put down, the Lommite Massacre - in which more than three thousand unarmed rebels were murdered by Drop Troopers - resulted in numerous court martials and forced the resignation of Surface Marshal John Butler and President Jackson Miller.

Since the Lommite Uprising, Aksum have been relatively quiet. The memory of the massacre is still fresh in the minds of the people of Aksum, and few doubt that Emperor Thorn would order a similar action should the miners rise up against him. Nevertheless, Aksum is still host to numerous dissident groups, as it is easier to hide on the planet than it would be on Fuller or Decuu.