I040
(Type G5 IV star, 5 planets)
This yellow subdwarf star is fairly typical in all respects and is a stable and well-behaved star in midlife. Five planets are in orbit of I040, class D, class F, class K, class L, and class A, in order of orbit. The gas giant is ringed and is somewhat reminiscent of Saturn, and also features many moons. The Oort cloud of the system is dense and rocky, and like many systems in this region, micrometeroid density is very high.
The class F planet in the second orbit is an excellent candidate for the future formation of a class M planet in several hundred million years. Other than that, the system is unremarkable.
I041
(Type A1 V star, no planets)
This white dwarf star, probably the remnant of an ancient supernova, features a particularly spectacular planetary nebula extending out almost one light-year from the star. There is also a blue subdwarf star in orbit of the dwarf. This latter star was probably formed or ignited as a direct result of the nova -- it is a possible former class S near star -- and will likely not live for very long.
I042
(Type K9 II star, 7 planets)
Like the nearby Mirtai system, everything about the I042 system seems just a bit bigger than normal. The star is a orange supergiant -- a very rare commodity -- orbited by a stable family of seven planets. One of the planets, the sixth, is a class S near star with its own planetary system of four class D, E, and F planets. As a result, there are actually 11 planets in this system. The remainder of the planets are unremarkable, including four class L planets. This system might have been a good candidate for the formation of a class M planet but for the relative dimness of its ornage star. As a result, most of the planets are iceballs of little interest to anyone save a planetary geologist.
Like many of the other stars in this region, this system is a bit "dustier" than average, with extensive dust clouds and micrometeroid debris. Strong navigational deflectors are advisable in this region.
I043
(Type M4 V star, 6 planets)
This bright red main sequence star is the parent for a stable family of six planets, two class C, a rare class Y, a class E, and two class A gas giants. There is also a significant asteroid belt in what would have been the fifth orbit, probably representing failed planetary formation rather than a destroyed world. Micrometeroid danger in this system is particularly high, as is the system's radiation count. While the planets are in stable orbits, the star itself is a somewhat unstable flare star that seems to brighten to Type M1 every eight years or so, according to Reorsan scans.
As a result, the planets are alternately baked and cooled, and the formation of life is a virtual impossibility. The one interesting feature of the system is the class Y, "Demon" planet in the third orbit. Even more harsh than the remainder of the system in terms of radiation and inherent danger, demon planets have other attractions... notably the presence of molten metals on their surfaces due to the extreme temperatures.
I044 - Mirtai System
(Type G7 Ib star, 10 planets)
Large yellow supergiants are almost unheard of in the Milky Way, let alone systems as well-developed as this one. Called the Mirtai system, the system's namesake seems to have been a giantess out of a fantasy story. Whoemver named the system was gifted with a dry sense of humor, because the name fits -- everything in this system is perfectly normal... as long as you multiply the size by approximately five.
In particular, the third planet out from this enormous star is class M, but approximately five times the size and mass of Earth. Planetary density is about 5% less than Earth, resulting in a planet where 5Gs is the norm. Even water is compressed under this gravitational load, resulting in relatively rare sea life. What sea life there is are fish and underwater mammals grown to enormous size. The dominant sea life appears to be a carnivorous whale-like species fully eight times larger than the sperm whale on Earth, previously thought to be among the largest water species. Land-based life is similarly enlarged, with enormous massively built herbivores being the norm. Intelligent life does not appear to have developed, but with such massive life readings spread across much of the planet, it would be almost impossible to scan for more developed lifeforms.
The remainder of the system is also typical, but also super-sized, with two class T ultra gas giants patrolling the outer fringes of the system. The remainder of the system is made up of a basic mix of planetary types, including a particularly enormous class F iron-crystalline core planet rich in disulfide ores, including dilithium and keltrinium.
All in all, the Mirtai system is a nearly ideal resource-collection point except for one minor detail... the system's massive gravity well. Anything taken out of the system has to be hauled out of this well, resulting in a large energy budget being needed to take advantage of this system. As a result, friendlier systems are likely to be tapped first, but the sheer mass of resources in this system make it hard to resist...
I045 - Taeren System
(Type F5 IV star, 9 planets)
A very stable and well-behaved yellow-white subgiant forms the core of the Taeren system, whose second planet is class M. The Taeren species is peaceful and technologically advanced, possibly possessing technology more advanced than the Federation norm. The typical Taeren stands 2.5 meters tall and weighs approximately 120 kilograms. Like many species in this region, they possess six limbs, two legs and four arms. Other than the extra set of arms, they could pass for willowy, hairless, humanoids with larger than average craniums featuring a four-lobed brain. Telepathic and telekinetic abilities are both present; in particular, Taerens are capable of lifting themselves through the air with their telekinetic abilities. While they have a spoken language, it is relatively simple and primitive and seems to have been developed strictly to communicate with children; their mental abilities appear to fully form during the onset of Taeren puberty. The average Taeren appears to live to be approximately 70 or 80 years of age.
It is now known that the Taerens exist primarily in a sort of "mindlife." Much like Talosians in the Milky Way, Taerens possess extreme mental disciplines related to information-gathering and illusion. Most Taerens seen are not physically present, but are in fact projections sent from the Taer homeworld, known as Taer'Mori. The only place to see a physical Taeren is on their homeworld, where they live in extremely primitive conditions, more or less neglecting their physical bodies.
The Taeren are a peaceful, civilized species whose primary personality traits are strong senses of both morality and whimsey. Definitely more straight-laced than the average human, they are also more intelligent. They also seem to regard physical lifeforms with a great deal of humor; Taerens smile and laugh often, and at very unusual things. They seem to take a particular glee in watching physical lifeforms perform the most basic of tasks. A number of Taeren scientists have "left" their world -- in illusion form, of course -- to explore the immediate area -- several dozen have even settled on Reorsa and the Meyer colonies. These latter keep to themselves for the most part, but seem to be "studying" the colonies in general and the humanoids from Churchill in particular. For the moment, the Taeren are keeping their own counsel about whatever opinions they may have drawn. Their single allies in the region appear to be the Kioth, particularly the nearby Kioth colony in the Penthia system. Several hundred Taeren "live" on that colony. In addition, there appear to be a number of significant Taeren colonies to the "west" of this system. To date, however, the Taeren have not shared the locations of these colonies and ships from Reorsa have not explored very far west of here.
Taeren, as stated above, have an extremely advanced technology and an equally advanced culture. The Taeren don't have ships per se -- they don't need them -- but do have interstellar reconnaisance capability and the ability to defend their planet from attackers. The "ships" are illusions, but the Taer can see through them and reflect attacks directed against them. Since the ships are illusions generated from Taer'Mori, they are essentially invulnerable. Since they can reflect any attack directed at them, they are also essentially invincible. Of course, as long as no attacks are directed against the ships, they are not a threat, but they are outstanding reconnaissance platforms. Task Group 5.4 members have come to call the Taer ships "Kami-class," for the Japanese word for a helpful spirit.
The species appears to have their own version of the Prime Directive which forbids the sharing of technological information. In particular, the Taeren seem somewhat... amused by the knowledge that the Reorsan humanoids would like to know more about them. One Reorsan scientist commented on this point that, "the Taerens seem to think of humans as particuarly intelligent dogs... picture the look you'd give a dog if he asked you why you wear clothes. That's the look the Taerens give me half the time."
The Taeren homeworld is the single class M planet in the system and has a particularly large and beautiful (though uninhabited) blue-white moon; there are also several other moons in the system with a Taeren presence, and the species appears to be terraforming the third planet in the system, currently class K. There are two gas giants in the system, and a variety of other worlds, all of which are being developed or used as resources in some way. Like many systems in the region, Taer is particularly "dusty," though the risk of micrometeroids is somewhat less than in the surrounding region. Radiation counts are also fairly high, especially as one moves closer to the Taer star.
One other unusual feature of the system is the fact that the Taeren's appear to be constructing some kind of shell around their home star. The shell is definitely fashioned out of carbon-neutronium but to date, the Taerens have not let a ship close enough to the star-shell to determine what its function may be. The shell is not an illusion -- it has definite mass. There's no way to know how the Taeren are constructing it, or why. They have allowed a Starfleet subspace relay / timebeacon to be placed in orbit of their star.
I046
(Type M4 III star, 3 planets)
This red giant has managed to capture two class I asteroids and a frozen class L world from the nearby I047 system. All three planets are in unstable, retrograde orbits and the closest is farther from the star than Pluto is from Sol. It is entirely possible that I047 will recapture the planets at some point in the future. Other than this and the relatively "dusty" nature of the system, I046 is unremarkable.
I047
(Type K9 V star, 3 planets)
This orange dwarf star is implacably hostile to humanoid life -- flares and extreme solar radiation is common, particularly in the delta and theta bands. The system's three planets are blasted rock balls of no interest to anyone. No ship should enter this system without full metaphasic shields in place, and even then, there doesn't seem to be any particularly good reason to visit. The entire system should be regarded as a hazard to navigation and avoided.
I048 - Zsolai System
(Type G2 V star, 5 planets)
This star is a virtual twin of Sol in the Milky Way system and even has a habitable planet to show for it... sort of. A class N world is the third planet in this system, orbiting the star at a distance of approximately 90 million kilometers. There is a significant Taeren colony on this world, which the Taerens refer to as the Zsolai system. The remaining planets are unremarkable. A single gas giant patrols the outer boundary of the system, making Zsolai less vulnerable to asteroidal debris than the other systems in the sector.
Taeren watercraft are particularly advanced, and appear to be both water- and space-capable. Like all Taeren craft, they seem to lack hyperlight capability, which begs the question of how the colony was founded. The colony itself is off-limits to non-Taerens, so it is unknown how extensive the Taeren presence in the system is, nor why the Taerens would establish a colony on a planet that is 99.2% covered in water. Water itself is of course a valuable commodity, but given Taeren technology, it is unlikely that this is the reason for the colony.
I049
(Type A7 V star, unknown)
This system has yet to be explored. Long range scans of this white dwarf star are inconclusive at best. Like all white stars, I049 contains an atmospheric "shell" of metallic gasses. In this star's case, however, the shell is somewhat larger than normal, disrupting the normal scans of the system. It is probable based on mass spectrometer readings, that there are planets in this system. However, without a full close-range scan, it will be impossible to tell numbers or types at this time.