Magnus
The Starholm System was even busier than Magon’s Hold. It was the gateway to the Warwick sector and Commonwealth itself. A port system on the edge of the Eriu Void. Thousands of starships traveled through the void to reach Starholm for trade without having to pay fees and custom dues through Walhaz Space or other systems of the Commonwealth.
The downside of the Void of Eriu was the many Eriu raiders and Furse raiders which infested it, not to spend the Tutha Walhaz or other pirates, but it could save captains millions in fees if they could reach port safely.
Magnus was in awe of the many starships which made that journey. There were ships from throughout the four major nations of the Dragon’s Head Nebula of Drala. All sizes and makes, and starships from across the Dralan Trade Route. Fabian starships from the Kingdom of the Salians, and the Lordship of Oritz among other, but also from Bulan space to the south of Fabian Space, and even Furse ships which Magnus wondered if they were friendly or just raiders in disguise.
The Gap of Starholm was the closest thing the Void of Eriu had to a lawful and safe section of space. The Gap of Starholm itself was bordered to the south by the Dumgarth Sector, and the north west of the Daxholm Sector. To the east the Warwick Sector, and to the north the kingdoms of Walhaz. Starholm was the greatest system along the border of the gap which it gave it’s name to, and System-lord Ileen Hood patrolled the Gap to allow trade to continue to pour in and enrich her star system.
The ‘Greymark’ continued it’s travel through the Starholm system, stopping just long enough to take on new supplies and off load other supplies for the Commonwealth Forces already in system. Little more than three days, and thirty jumps would take them back to the Steadfast System, and the posting of the ‘Greymark’ as part of Task Force Delta out of Magon’s Retreat.
Magnus was looking forward to the end of the non stop jumps of travel the past month had taken. It had taken them more than a month to reach the western borders of the Commonwealth from the Bastion System, and Magnus once again thought about how hard it really must have been to defend the Commonwealth when travel took so long. Commonwealth Jump Drives might have been better and faster than Tutha drives, but so were Furse drives better than Commonwealth.
The system of Starholm was like any system that Magnus had seen before but for one curious feature. There was the world of Starholm itself with it’s three billion people. The Minor world of Diamond Belt, and the Star Fortress of Blackfall that helped to defend the system, but there was also the Abandoned Fleet which Magnus looked forward to visiting.
The abandoned fleet of Bandon was made up of hundreds if not thousands of starships. Old ruined wrecks of some great battle it was said. Although others claimed they were just savaged starships from the Void of Eriu itself. Whatever the truth though, the Abandoned Fleet was home to more than five million who had created a home among the twisted wrecks of the starships.
Highlord Raiders of Bandon was said to have been descended from the raider kings that once called the fleet home until they bent the knee to the lords of Starholm.
