Bravo Fleet
Difference between pages "Starbase Bravo" and "Avalon Fleet Yards"

Difference between pages "Starbase Bravo" and "Avalon Fleet Yards"

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{{Icons|bfc|sf}}
{{workinprogress}}{{Starbase
{{Starbase
| name = Avalon Fleet Yards
| name = Starbase Bravo
| image = [[File:USS_Enterprise-E_in_drydock_2.png]]
| image = [[File:Guardianclass.jpg]]
| registry = AFY
| registry = Starbase 4
| class = Fleet Yard
| class = [[Guardian Class|Guardian-class]]
| commission = 2365
| commission = 2398
| decommission =
| decommission =
| taskforce =
| taskforce =
| quadrant = [[Beta Quadrant]]
| quadrant = [[Alpha Quadrant]]
| role = Fourth Fleet Command Headquarters
| role = Fourth Fleet Construction & Repair
| affiliation = *[[United Federation of Planets]]
| affiliation = *[[United Federation of Planets]]
*[[Starfleet]]
*[[Starfleet]]
*[[Fourth Fleet]]
*[[Fourth Fleet]]
| sector =
| sector = [[Grazer Sector]]
| system = [[Mellstoxx system]]
| system = [[Avalon System]]
| co =  
| co = Admiral TBD
| crew =   
| crew =   
| dedication =  
| dedication =  
}}
}}'''Avalon Fleet Yards''' is the primary shipyard that services the Fourth Fleet. Located in the Grazer Sector within the trailing rimward section of the Alpha Quadrant, this base has long served as a production facility for starships of all kinds. While other starbases, such as Starbase Bravo provide support for the Fourth Fleet, this shipyard handles the most difficult and time-consuming refits that can't be accomplished at a standard starbase.  
'''Starbase Bravo (SB4)''' is the headquarters of the [[Fourth Fleet]]. Consisting of surface facilities on the Mellstoxx III and a large, modern [[Guardian Class|Guardian-class]] spacedock in orbit, this base provides Fourth Fleet Command with a well-equipped operational hub with command and control facilities, repair and maintenance yards, and a satellite Starfleet Academy Campus. In addition to these primary facilities, there are additional surface bases and minor space stations in the Mellstoxx system that are all under the auspices of Starbase 4.


The original spacedock was constructed during times of tension with the Klingon Empire and the long, cold silence from the Romulan Empire, and was thus within striking distance of both territories. Ahead of [[Starfleet|Starfleet’s]] return to the frontier, a ''Guardian''-class station was commissioned to replace the ageing [[Spacedock Class|''Spacedock'']]-class station, as Starbase Bravo is intended to serve as a launching post for some of Starfleet’s most vital operations. In addition, there are a number of planetary facilities and other smaller space stations, all of which are collectively part of Starbase Bravo.
== History ==
The Avalon System was first surveyed in the 2290s. It was immediately recognized as an important energy production site, as it was home to both substantial dilithium and deuterium reserves. Facilities were constructed on Avalon II and its largest moon, Avalon Prime, in the years that followed to obtain these valuable substances. In the 2350s, Starfleet decided to expand the facility into a fleet yard to expand production capabilities in the rimward region of Federation space. An ''Anchorage''-class station was towed into position above Avalon II to coordinate the efforts of several dry dock facilities.


=The Spacedock=
In the late 2360s, the facility was expanded significantly to bolster the fleet following Wolf 359. In the 2370s, it was an important facility for the fleet's Dominion War efforts because of its position far behind Federation lines. It was during the 2370s that it became the primary fleet yard for the Fourth Fleet, a role that it retains in the 25th century. By the late 2370s, the original ''Anchorage''-class station was found to be too small for the volume of work faced by the fleet yards, so a new ''Probert''-class spacedock was built there.


Combining the functions of a repair and construction facility, an orbital habitat, a commercial hub, and a major defensive installation, ''Guardian''-class stations are the largest and most powerful starbases in the Federation. From a distance, it is clear that they combine a number of construction strategies in use by older classes: the modularity of the [[Regula class]] and her descendants, with the massive spacedock first designed for the eponymous ''Spacedock''-class.  
As of the 25th century, Avalon Fleet Yards is one of the largest starship production facilities in the Federation, and its importance has only increased following the destruction of Utopia Planitia in 2385.  


Studded with docking bays of all sizes, Starbase Bravo is home to hundreds of departures and arrivals on an average day and thousands on a busy day, not even counting the fleet of shuttles, work pods, and runabouts that are constantly coming and going from her hangers. At any one time, you can expect a dozen or more starships to be in dock in various states of construction, repair, or maintenance.  
== Organization ==
Avalon Fleet Yards is a major command, responsible to both Fourth Fleet Command and Starfleet Engineering. With a total crew of over 100,000, Avalon is under the command of a Vice Admiral, who is assisted by one commodore or fleet captain each for the shipyard's planetary, orbital, and mobile assets.
== Facilities ==
Avalon Fleet Yards is a massive installation with orbital and planet-side facilities. The yard's headquarters and the living quarters for many of its staff are located on Avalon II. The primary orbital facility is Brahms Station, a [[Probert Class|''Probert''-class spacedock]] orbiting between Avalon II and its largest moon, which has been mined extensively for dilithium and has nearly been hollowed out to provide additional space for fabrication and assembly facilities. There are dozens of dry docks around the spacedock and the moon. Additional orbital stations provide research and design, storage, and additional accommodations.


A distinctive feature of the ''Guardian''-class is it's eight quad impulse engines, mounted in two groups of four in the station's upper and lower reactor modules. These massive engines keep the station in orbit well above the atmosphere of Mellstoxx III with their red glow. Between these impulse engines are eight large deflector arrays, which both keep the space lanes around the station clear of debris and help provide the station with intensely powerful shields.
=== Avalon II Facilities ===
Avalon II is a Class-O pelagic world with 95% of its surface covered in oceans. Highly unusual for a life-supporting planet, the seas of this world are almost entirely composed of heavy water, that is to say water that contains deuterium rather than hydrogen. While toxic to most carbon-based biologies, it is an important source of fuel for anti-matter reactors, and so Avalon II was initially colonized as a refining station. Floating deuterium refineries bob on the waves around one of the planet's only land masses, which also plays host to the fleet yard's shore facilities. Additional research stations are spread around the planet, both on and under the ocean's surface. There are several dry docks built in shallow areas that allow for the construction and repair of smaller starships capable of planetary landings.


==Leisure Facilities==
==== Sato City ====
[[File:SatoCity.jpg|alt=Sato City to the right, with newer floating facilities to the left.|thumb|Sato City to the right, with newer floating facilities to the left.]]
Named for early explorer Hoshi Sato, Sato City has a permanent population of 20,000, with housing space for up to 20,000 more transient personnel. Small by Federation standards, this town has all of the comforts one would expect from a Federation colony. Most of the fleet yards' long-term staff live here and take shuttles or transporters into orbit. The landmass here is narrow and rocky, snaking and branching in a way that creates deep fjords between its many peninsulas. This means that most of the structures are narrow and tall, including most of the housing—mainly single-family townhouses. There are a few parks created in the larger flatter areas, and in recent decades floating platforms have been placed in the small coves to provide additional space. The fleet yard's administrative headquarters are in the center of Sato City, which is home to the admiral—though in practice, the admiral is in space more than they are on the ground.


Starbase Bravo is equipped to provide recreation and leisure opportunities for beings of all physiologies, on a short or long-term basis. To cater to a standard crew of 85,000 and anywhere between 20,000 and 40,000 civilian residents living aboard the station at any one time, there are two-hundred holodecks and four-hundred holosuites, in addition to an equal number of gymnasia, sports courts, bars, replimats, restaurants, shops, galleries, and lounges.
Sato City is also home to the Avalon branch of the Fourth Fleet Academy, which specializes in providing advanced training to third and fourth-year cadets in engineering. Approximately two-hundred students attend this program at any given time. They live and study in an interconnected dormitory and classroom complex overlooking the ocean.  


While recreational facilities are spread throughout the station, many are concentrated alongside spaces for commercial tenants on the station's two promenades, which runs the circumference of the large hub in the center of the station above and below its cargo facilities. These spaces each provide five decks of space for venues of all sizes.
'''In-Play'''


===Vandorin's Bistro===
* On a tiny landmass in an otherwise never-ending ocean, Sato City resembles a mediterranean city like Palermo or Malta, with narrow, winding streets. By and large, it is a sleepy residential community, and an excellent place to raise a family. Many of the fleet yards crew have spent a decade or more living and working here, and so the community bonds are tight-knit.
[[File:Starbase4Restaurant.jpg|thumb|Though light and airy, the décor of Vandorin's Bistro belies the weight of the conversations that often happen here. Esterra Vandorin herself believes that an understated aesthetic allows her food to shine.]]
* For those cadets interested in Engineering, this is a coveted place to finish one's third and fourth years, especially given that one will gain the opportunity to serve one's midshipman cruise aboard the technology testbed [[Avalon Fleet Yards#USS Edwin H. Armstrong|USS ''Edwin H. Armstrong'']]''.'' It's easy to imagine a cruise like this being significantly more exciting than some others—if your idea of excitement is matching wits with an experimental piece of prototype technology!
As the most luxurious and in-demand dining establishment on Starbase Bravo, Vandorin's is exclusive and hard to get into no matter if the docking bay is full or empty. You either have a table at Vandorin's, or you do not. Run by [[Esterra Vandorin]], a Betazoid chef of impeccable taste, the bistro seeks to provide the most evocative gastronomic experience on the station. Unsurprisingly, it is easier for admirals, diplomats, and highly-respected experts to jump the waiting list and enjoy a booking. With white-linen service, fresh food, music provided by a real string quartet, and Esterra themselves often on-hand to provide recommendations, dining at Vandorin's is pure joy. Esterra also has several private dining rooms to hand for secure meetings over dinner, as they understand their clientele.


'''Vandorin's Bistro In-Play'''
==== Deuterium Refineries ====
The planet's deuterium refineries are largely automated. Clusters of these refineries are connected by flexible but tough piping to bunkers on the ocean's floor. It takes many months for the refineries to fill up each bunker, at which point tankers transfer the deuterium to orbital storage facilities. Smaller quantities of deuterium can also placed in cargo shuttles fitted out as tankers from small landing pads at each refinery, and this is often done when ships in orbit need a top-off.


* During the Osiris Initiative, this space was host to several highly exclusive gatherings for the fleet's biggest big wigs. It's the place that you think of when you hear about backroom dealings or agreements hashed out in smoky rooms. If you're a cadet, you're unlikely to get in here.
==== Research Stations ====
* Some flag officers use this as either a special treat for visiting captains or their staff or as a way to intimidate the uninitiated. So, if you're invited here for lunch, it either means you're in the 'in crowd', or you're being tormented.  
[[File:AvalonUnderwaterScience.jpg|alt=A Starfleet Marine Biology station built into the side of an underwater cliff to study pelagic life.|thumb|A Starfleet Marine Biology station built into the side of an underwater cliff to study pelagic life.]]
There are multiple research stations on Avalon II, studying the planet's unique ecosphere, mineral deposits, and other areas of interest. The higher density of heavy water means that those on the ocean floor must be specially reinforced. These facilities are run by a mix of Starfleet Science offices and civilian Federation agencies.  


===Downtime===
{{Clear}}
[[File:Downtime Bar.png|thumb|No frills, just drinks.]]
Run by [[Skal]], a brusque Tellarite, Downtime is the bar of choice on Starbase Bravo for Starfleet officers wanting a no-frills drink. The fixtures are similarly plain: all spacer’s smooth metals and functional furnishings. The bar has a history from the original spacedock, and has moved over to the new station, so some of the furniture and even the replicator seem old-fashioned compared to the brand new starbase they now inhabit. Skal is a former Chief Petty Officer who takes a perverse delight in now speaking his blunt mind to officers, given that he can no longer suffer any repercussions from doing so. The walls are adorned with replica plaques of starships whose captains Skal and his predecessors have served drinks to, going back to the original Starbase 4’s construction, or else other Starfleet memorabilia. Civilians rarely go here.


'''Downtime In-Play'''
==== Ocean Dry Docks ====
[[File:AvalonOceanDrydock.jpg|alt=These sunken drydocks reclaim a small portion of the planet's surface for use in construction projects.|thumb|These sunken dry docks reclaim a small portion of the planet's surface for use in construction projects.]]
Made out of concrete reinforced with titanium, several hexagonal caisson structures were built in the shallows near to Sato City. These facilities provide stable, flat surfaces for maintaining and constructing starships capable of planetary landings. Capable of being sealed with forcefields, these large structures can also be used for general storage when necessary. Starfleet has considered creating facilities large enough to construct explorer-type starships, but the resource outlay required to do so would be significant, as the walls of the caissons need to be thicker and thicker as they get wider to compensate for the pressure of the water. 


* While Ten Forward was replete with pastels and comfortable furniture, Downtime is much more utilitarian. Tritanium and duranium everywhere to make it easy to clean. It's not the sort of place you go hoping for trendy cocktails or an interesting atmosphere. It's where you go to be by yourself for a drink at the end of a long shift.
{{Clear}}
* Junior officers often think that going here is part of the Starbase Bravo experience, and can congregate in loud groups that earn the ire of the bartender. If you're going here, act like you belong there or you'll quickly be corrected.


===The Gate Inn===
=== Orbital Facilities ===
[[File:Authentic-english-pub-basement-remodel.jpg|thumb|The Gate Inn is a tourist trap, but the food is good and sometimes you need a good tourist trap in your life.]]
In addition to planetary facilities, Avalon Fleet Yards has a substantial orbital presence, anchored by a new ''Probert''-class station constructed in the 2380s, in addition to free-floating orbital dry docks and smaller subsidiary stations.
An old-fashioned pub-style establishment, run by the ever-helpful proprietor who’s only ever given his name as ‘Terry.’ The Gate Inn, so named for the station’s position on the threshold between Core Worlds and the Federation’s old frontier, is a new arrival at the station. It is decorated much as an ancient Earth pub, with wood-panels and a floor that is somehow always a little sticky. Terry specialises in good beers, but also does a line in hearty pub food. Considering he probably uses a replicator, his limited menu is clearly an affectation.


'''The Gate Inn In-Play'''
==== Brahms Station ====
[[File:ProbertClass.jpg|alt=Capable of hosting ships of all sizes, Brahms Station is the primary facility for Avalon Fleet Yards.|thumb|Capable of hosting ships of all sizes, Brahms Station is the primary facility for Avalon Fleet Yards.]]
The centerpiece of Avalon Fleet Yards is Brahms Station, a ''Probert''-class spacedock built in the 2380s to replace the [[Anchorage Class|''Anchorage''-class station]] that had originally been located there. Named for Dr. Leah Brahms, Brahms Station is capable of producing and maintaining starships of all classes and is the primary orbital habitat for personnel who do not live on Avalon II. In practice, this station most often builds frigate and cruiser-sized starships, while larger explorers are built and maintained at dedicated dry docks. It is also where visiting starships in need of only minor maintenance are serviced, to keep the dry docks free for more intensive construction tasks. It is also the primary defensive facility for the Avalon System, using its own substantial arsenal as well as a network of defense platforms to keep the fleet yard safe. The station itself is commanded by a Starfleet commodore or fleet captain in charge of all of the orbital facilities, who reports to the admiral in command of the fleet yards.
{{Clear}}


* This is the sort of pub you would encounter in the modern day at an airport or at Epcot; it's more of a gimmick than an authentic experience, but at least it's got a 'real' proprietor and not a hologram!
==== Orbital Dry Docks ====
* You probably go here when you're tired of the ultra-sanitized interior of the rest of the station. It's a taste of terrestrial living without needing to beam down to the planet.  
As with all Starfleet fleet yards, Avalon has many stand-alone dry dock facilities. These support frameworks provide a starship with power and life support while it is being constructed or repaired. They are generally used when a ship needs substantial work done, such as replacing its warp engines or other tasks which must be done with substantial clearance around the ship for maintenance vessels to manuever. Most of these facilities can only handle a single starship at a time, but the larger ones are sometimes used to service more than one smaller ship, especially when the work being conducted is not intensive. <gallery>
File:ESMDrydock.jpg
File:Class9Drydock.jpg
File:Class8Drydock.jpg
File:Drydock.jpg
</gallery>{{Clear}}


===Brew===
==== Subsidiary Stations ====
One of the coffee shops of the leisure plaza, Brew is bright and relaxed. Specialising in a wide variety of hot drinks and baked goods from across the quadrant, it offers both comfortable lounging space as well as decent table space for more intimate or professional engagements. The lighting has been specifically designed, along with the array of potted plants, to evoke a more ‘planetside’ feel.
In addition to Brahms Station, there are a number of smaller stations at Avalon that provide additional engineering support capabilities, storage, and research and development facilities, especially for projects that are too volatile to be conducted on the main station. Depending on their size, they are each commanded by a commander or captain who reports to the commodore on Brahms Station. As of 2401, this group of stations includes 3 [[Presidium Class|''Presidium''-class facilities]], 1 [[Jupiter Class|''Jupiter''-class facility]], and the Yard's original [[Anchorage Class|''Anchorage''-class station]].<gallery>
File:Presidioclass.jpg
File:Jupiterstation.jpg
File:Regulusclass.png
</gallery>


==Docking Facilities==
=== Avalon Prime Facilities ===
The starbase has two large docking facilities on the upper and lower ends of the station, with the upper facility being able to hold several dozen large starships with construction facilities to build ore and the lower facility holding several dozen smaller starships; the lower facility does not have space doors and is used for traffic that is expected to have a quick turn-around time. In addition, there are dozens of smaller docking bays and hangers across other areas of the station. It is always buzzing with activity.
[[File:RegulaOnMoon.jpg|alt=This station controls the mostly-automated facilities on Avalon Prime.|thumb|This station controls the mostly-automated facilities on Avalon Prime.]]
Avalon Prime, formally Avalon IIB, is the largest of Avalon II's three moons, and the only one large enough to achieve a roughly spherical shape. This moon is home to dilithium deposits and was mined extensively throughout the 24th century to the point where these have largely been reduced to just traces. Much of the moon has been excavated and is now home to large scale power generators, fabricators, and storage facilities. Some of these storage bays are large enough to hold mothballed starships, even, and the planetoid now relies on powerful structural integrity field generators to remain intact. The majority of the equipment on Avalon Prime is automated, though there is substantial shuttle traffic in and out to move goods between the moon and the various starship construction projects around the system. Avalon Prime is just outside of transporter range from Brahms Station. These facilities are all controlled by a control center in a ''Regula''-type station body on the moon's equator under the command of the yard's orbital commodore.


===Available Small Craft===
{{Clear}}
Starbase Bravo carries all manner of shuttlepods, shuttles, and runabouts. You can learn more about them [[Auxiliary_Craft|here]]].


=Shore Facilities=
== Mobile Assets ==
Shore facilities on Mellstoxx III include a Starfleet Medical hospital, several villages for personnel accommodation, planetside industrial facilities, and a Starfleet Academy campus.
In addition to the many space stations, Avalon Fleet Yards is supported by a significant number of shuttles, runabouts, and starships. These assets, collectively Task Group Avalon, support the Yards' construction and maintenance mission and provide security. This group is under the command of a fleet captain or commodore, and is divided into three squadrons commanded by captains or fleet captains.


==Bravo Fleet Academy Campus==
=== USS ''Edwin H. Armstrong'' ===
The Bravo Fleet Academy Campus (technically known as Starfleet Academy—Mellstoxx IIII) is the main facility through which officers entering the Fourth Fleet pass, either spending all four years of their training there, or sometimes just a few weeks, depending on their course of study and other factors. This campus has the capacity for 10,000 students and graduates about 2,500 officers per year. As a Betazoid colony, this academy campus is especially known for its counseling program, though it is a full-service academy.
The USS ''Edwin H. Armstrong'' is the only remaining ''Ambassador''-class starship in Starfleet mainline service. Saved from the mothball yards or disarmament for Auxiliary Service by Admiral [NAME], the ''Armstrong'' is the ex-USS ''Adelphi'' renamed for the first recipient of the Medal of Honor from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers for his invention of Frequency Modulation and the superheterodyne receiver system. The ''Armstrong'' serves as an experimental testbed vessel for new starship technologies and as a training ship for the Avalon branch of the Fourth Fleet Academy.


The facility itself has several dormitories, classroom buildings, and athletic facilities, all designed to the highest standards of Federation engineering. The campus is clean, modern, and peaceful, with large grassy areas between the buildings and a quadrangle containing several hundred tree species. Cadets generally spend most of their time on the surface, though they are permitted to visit the main starbase for leisure activities and for certain training exercises.
=== Avalon Security Squadron ===
At any given time, there are at least four ''Inquiry''-class heavy cruisers and an equal number of frigates or escorts on patrol in the Avalon System. Typically, this is an assignment that these ships perform for a few weeks or months at a time after having rotated off of a deep space assignment. In addition, there is a full division of starfighters, consisting of 48 [[Starfighters#Valkyrie-class fighter|''Valkyrie''-class craft]].


===Parade Field===
=== Avalon Utility Squadron ===
The Parade Field is used for large gatherings of the student body and for training exercises, retaining its name from several ancient academies on Earth. Cadets rarely actually are asked to march or parade in the modern Starfleet, but this large field can also be used for sporting events and as a landing area for shuttlecraft when large movements of people are required.
The Avalon Utility Squadron consists of a dozen or so tugs, transports, and engineering support vessels, including one ''California''-class utility cruiser. The vessels in this squadron perform countless tasks across the yards, ranging from moving cargo containers and towing inactive starships, to refueling, to performing repairs on stations and equipment in the system.  


===Cadet Union===
=== Avalon Trial Squadron ===
The Cadet Union is a large student support facility that has mess halls, lounges, academic advisors and tutors, as well as holodecks. There are a number of cafes as well that offer places for cadets to study.
The Avalon Trial Squadron consists of any starships that are undergoing shakedown cruises or space trials under the auspices of Avalon Fleet Yards. This is always a temporary posting for the ships in question, and the purpose of this squadron is to coordinate their operations to ensure that each ship undergoing its trials is adequately supported.
 
===Classroom Buildings===
The classroom buildings on this campus are all about ten stories tall and contain several hundred classrooms each; there are few large lecture halls, but there are a handful of rooms that can accommodate classes of one-hundred for the rare large lecture course.
[[Category:Starfleet Facilities]]
[[Category:Starfleet Facilities]]

Revision as of 03:36, 28 March 2023

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Avalon Fleet Yards
Information
Registry AFY
Class

Fleet Yard

Affiliation
Location
System Avalon System
Sector Grazer Sector
Quadrant Alpha Quadrant
Assignment
Role

Fourth Fleet Construction & Repair

Personnel
Commanding Officer Admiral TBD
Template:Starbase

Avalon Fleet Yards is the primary shipyard that services the Fourth Fleet. Located in the Grazer Sector within the trailing rimward section of the Alpha Quadrant, this base has long served as a production facility for starships of all kinds. While other starbases, such as Starbase Bravo provide support for the Fourth Fleet, this shipyard handles the most difficult and time-consuming refits that can't be accomplished at a standard starbase.

History

The Avalon System was first surveyed in the 2290s. It was immediately recognized as an important energy production site, as it was home to both substantial dilithium and deuterium reserves. Facilities were constructed on Avalon II and its largest moon, Avalon Prime, in the years that followed to obtain these valuable substances. In the 2350s, Starfleet decided to expand the facility into a fleet yard to expand production capabilities in the rimward region of Federation space. An Anchorage-class station was towed into position above Avalon II to coordinate the efforts of several dry dock facilities.

In the late 2360s, the facility was expanded significantly to bolster the fleet following Wolf 359. In the 2370s, it was an important facility for the fleet's Dominion War efforts because of its position far behind Federation lines. It was during the 2370s that it became the primary fleet yard for the Fourth Fleet, a role that it retains in the 25th century. By the late 2370s, the original Anchorage-class station was found to be too small for the volume of work faced by the fleet yards, so a new Probert-class spacedock was built there.

As of the 25th century, Avalon Fleet Yards is one of the largest starship production facilities in the Federation, and its importance has only increased following the destruction of Utopia Planitia in 2385.

Organization

Avalon Fleet Yards is a major command, responsible to both Fourth Fleet Command and Starfleet Engineering. With a total crew of over 100,000, Avalon is under the command of a Vice Admiral, who is assisted by one commodore or fleet captain each for the shipyard's planetary, orbital, and mobile assets.

Facilities

Avalon Fleet Yards is a massive installation with orbital and planet-side facilities. The yard's headquarters and the living quarters for many of its staff are located on Avalon II. The primary orbital facility is Brahms Station, a Probert-class spacedock orbiting between Avalon II and its largest moon, which has been mined extensively for dilithium and has nearly been hollowed out to provide additional space for fabrication and assembly facilities. There are dozens of dry docks around the spacedock and the moon. Additional orbital stations provide research and design, storage, and additional accommodations.

Avalon II Facilities

Avalon II is a Class-O pelagic world with 95% of its surface covered in oceans. Highly unusual for a life-supporting planet, the seas of this world are almost entirely composed of heavy water, that is to say water that contains deuterium rather than hydrogen. While toxic to most carbon-based biologies, it is an important source of fuel for anti-matter reactors, and so Avalon II was initially colonized as a refining station. Floating deuterium refineries bob on the waves around one of the planet's only land masses, which also plays host to the fleet yard's shore facilities. Additional research stations are spread around the planet, both on and under the ocean's surface. There are several dry docks built in shallow areas that allow for the construction and repair of smaller starships capable of planetary landings.

Sato City

Sato City to the right, with newer floating facilities to the left.
Sato City to the right, with newer floating facilities to the left.

Named for early explorer Hoshi Sato, Sato City has a permanent population of 20,000, with housing space for up to 20,000 more transient personnel. Small by Federation standards, this town has all of the comforts one would expect from a Federation colony. Most of the fleet yards' long-term staff live here and take shuttles or transporters into orbit. The landmass here is narrow and rocky, snaking and branching in a way that creates deep fjords between its many peninsulas. This means that most of the structures are narrow and tall, including most of the housing—mainly single-family townhouses. There are a few parks created in the larger flatter areas, and in recent decades floating platforms have been placed in the small coves to provide additional space. The fleet yard's administrative headquarters are in the center of Sato City, which is home to the admiral—though in practice, the admiral is in space more than they are on the ground.

Sato City is also home to the Avalon branch of the Fourth Fleet Academy, which specializes in providing advanced training to third and fourth-year cadets in engineering. Approximately two-hundred students attend this program at any given time. They live and study in an interconnected dormitory and classroom complex overlooking the ocean.

In-Play

  • On a tiny landmass in an otherwise never-ending ocean, Sato City resembles a mediterranean city like Palermo or Malta, with narrow, winding streets. By and large, it is a sleepy residential community, and an excellent place to raise a family. Many of the fleet yards crew have spent a decade or more living and working here, and so the community bonds are tight-knit.
  • For those cadets interested in Engineering, this is a coveted place to finish one's third and fourth years, especially given that one will gain the opportunity to serve one's midshipman cruise aboard the technology testbed USS Edwin H. Armstrong. It's easy to imagine a cruise like this being significantly more exciting than some others—if your idea of excitement is matching wits with an experimental piece of prototype technology!

Deuterium Refineries

The planet's deuterium refineries are largely automated. Clusters of these refineries are connected by flexible but tough piping to bunkers on the ocean's floor. It takes many months for the refineries to fill up each bunker, at which point tankers transfer the deuterium to orbital storage facilities. Smaller quantities of deuterium can also placed in cargo shuttles fitted out as tankers from small landing pads at each refinery, and this is often done when ships in orbit need a top-off.

Research Stations

A Starfleet Marine Biology station built into the side of an underwater cliff to study pelagic life.
A Starfleet Marine Biology station built into the side of an underwater cliff to study pelagic life.

There are multiple research stations on Avalon II, studying the planet's unique ecosphere, mineral deposits, and other areas of interest. The higher density of heavy water means that those on the ocean floor must be specially reinforced. These facilities are run by a mix of Starfleet Science offices and civilian Federation agencies.


Ocean Dry Docks

These sunken drydocks reclaim a small portion of the planet's surface for use in construction projects.
These sunken dry docks reclaim a small portion of the planet's surface for use in construction projects.

Made out of concrete reinforced with titanium, several hexagonal caisson structures were built in the shallows near to Sato City. These facilities provide stable, flat surfaces for maintaining and constructing starships capable of planetary landings. Capable of being sealed with forcefields, these large structures can also be used for general storage when necessary. Starfleet has considered creating facilities large enough to construct explorer-type starships, but the resource outlay required to do so would be significant, as the walls of the caissons need to be thicker and thicker as they get wider to compensate for the pressure of the water.


Orbital Facilities

In addition to planetary facilities, Avalon Fleet Yards has a substantial orbital presence, anchored by a new Probert-class station constructed in the 2380s, in addition to free-floating orbital dry docks and smaller subsidiary stations.

Brahms Station

Capable of hosting ships of all sizes, Brahms Station is the primary facility for Avalon Fleet Yards.
Capable of hosting ships of all sizes, Brahms Station is the primary facility for Avalon Fleet Yards.

The centerpiece of Avalon Fleet Yards is Brahms Station, a Probert-class spacedock built in the 2380s to replace the Anchorage-class station that had originally been located there. Named for Dr. Leah Brahms, Brahms Station is capable of producing and maintaining starships of all classes and is the primary orbital habitat for personnel who do not live on Avalon II. In practice, this station most often builds frigate and cruiser-sized starships, while larger explorers are built and maintained at dedicated dry docks. It is also where visiting starships in need of only minor maintenance are serviced, to keep the dry docks free for more intensive construction tasks. It is also the primary defensive facility for the Avalon System, using its own substantial arsenal as well as a network of defense platforms to keep the fleet yard safe. The station itself is commanded by a Starfleet commodore or fleet captain in charge of all of the orbital facilities, who reports to the admiral in command of the fleet yards.


Orbital Dry Docks

As with all Starfleet fleet yards, Avalon has many stand-alone dry dock facilities. These support frameworks provide a starship with power and life support while it is being constructed or repaired. They are generally used when a ship needs substantial work done, such as replacing its warp engines or other tasks which must be done with substantial clearance around the ship for maintenance vessels to manuever. Most of these facilities can only handle a single starship at a time, but the larger ones are sometimes used to service more than one smaller ship, especially when the work being conducted is not intensive.

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Subsidiary Stations

In addition to Brahms Station, there are a number of smaller stations at Avalon that provide additional engineering support capabilities, storage, and research and development facilities, especially for projects that are too volatile to be conducted on the main station. Depending on their size, they are each commanded by a commander or captain who reports to the commodore on Brahms Station. As of 2401, this group of stations includes 3 Presidium-class facilities, 1 Jupiter-class facility, and the Yard's original Anchorage-class station.

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Avalon Prime Facilities

This station controls the mostly-automated facilities on Avalon Prime.
This station controls the mostly-automated facilities on Avalon Prime.

Avalon Prime, formally Avalon IIB, is the largest of Avalon II's three moons, and the only one large enough to achieve a roughly spherical shape. This moon is home to dilithium deposits and was mined extensively throughout the 24th century to the point where these have largely been reduced to just traces. Much of the moon has been excavated and is now home to large scale power generators, fabricators, and storage facilities. Some of these storage bays are large enough to hold mothballed starships, even, and the planetoid now relies on powerful structural integrity field generators to remain intact. The majority of the equipment on Avalon Prime is automated, though there is substantial shuttle traffic in and out to move goods between the moon and the various starship construction projects around the system. Avalon Prime is just outside of transporter range from Brahms Station. These facilities are all controlled by a control center in a Regula-type station body on the moon's equator under the command of the yard's orbital commodore.


Mobile Assets

In addition to the many space stations, Avalon Fleet Yards is supported by a significant number of shuttles, runabouts, and starships. These assets, collectively Task Group Avalon, support the Yards' construction and maintenance mission and provide security. This group is under the command of a fleet captain or commodore, and is divided into three squadrons commanded by captains or fleet captains.

USS Edwin H. Armstrong

The USS Edwin H. Armstrong is the only remaining Ambassador-class starship in Starfleet mainline service. Saved from the mothball yards or disarmament for Auxiliary Service by Admiral [NAME], the Armstrong is the ex-USS Adelphi renamed for the first recipient of the Medal of Honor from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers for his invention of Frequency Modulation and the superheterodyne receiver system. The Armstrong serves as an experimental testbed vessel for new starship technologies and as a training ship for the Avalon branch of the Fourth Fleet Academy.

Avalon Security Squadron

At any given time, there are at least four Inquiry-class heavy cruisers and an equal number of frigates or escorts on patrol in the Avalon System. Typically, this is an assignment that these ships perform for a few weeks or months at a time after having rotated off of a deep space assignment. In addition, there is a full division of starfighters, consisting of 48 Valkyrie-class craft.

Avalon Utility Squadron

The Avalon Utility Squadron consists of a dozen or so tugs, transports, and engineering support vessels, including one California-class utility cruiser. The vessels in this squadron perform countless tasks across the yards, ranging from moving cargo containers and towing inactive starships, to refueling, to performing repairs on stations and equipment in the system.

Avalon Trial Squadron

The Avalon Trial Squadron consists of any starships that are undergoing shakedown cruises or space trials under the auspices of Avalon Fleet Yards. This is always a temporary posting for the ships in question, and the purpose of this squadron is to coordinate their operations to ensure that each ship undergoing its trials is adequately supported.

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