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BABYLON 5
In 2256, many of the finest Earth Force officers were considered for the task of commanding the station. The Minbari rejected all the choices, choosing instead Commander Sinclair, bypassing several distinguished generals and admirals. When Sinclair was reassigned to diplomatic duties on Minbar, President Clark chose Captain Sherdan (then stationed on the EAS Agamemnon) to replace him. Hoping for a more hard-line stance against aliens, and someone more sympathetic to his cause. President Clark was later sorely disappointed.
When the station's computer was completed in early 2256, an Artificial Intelligence subroutine was installed. It was an instant failure and was disconnected. When the station's computer was rebooted after declaring independence (2260 C.E.), it became active once more. The AI was removed from the system, all the while incessantly harassing the station's security chief.
The Sovereign
State (April 14, 2260 - 2261)
Babylon 5 seceded from the Earth Alliance and became
an independent state on April 14, 2260, following the declaration of
martial law on Earth. With the help of the renegade Omega-class destroyers Alexander and Churchill,
Babylon 5 repelled Clark's loyalist forces. Now severed from the Alliance,
the station suffers from a severe lack of funding. Under the control
of the War Council, Babylon 5 has created tenuous alliances with various Non-Aligned Worlds for the defense of the station
in addition to Minbari support.
Roughly half of the security forces on the station are free Narn.
Capital of
the Interstellar Alliance (2262)
Following the Earth Civil War and the creation of the
Interstellar Alliance, the Newly created galactic power made arrangements
to buy Babylon 5 from the Earth Alliance, while retaining the station's Earthforce
personnel. Captain Elizabeth Lochley was brought in as commander of
the station. It's use as capital of the ISA, however will be temporary,
as permanent facilities are being built on Minbar in the city of Tuzanor
(home of the Anla'shok).
"It was the dawn of the third age of mankind, ten years after the Earth-Minbari War. The Babylon Project was a dream given form. It's goal: to prevent another war by creating a place where Humans and aliens could work out their differences peacefully. It's a port of call, home away from home for diplomats, hustlers, entrepreneurs... and wanderers. Humans and aliens wrapped in two million five-hundred thousand tons of spinning metal, all alone in the night. It can be a dangerous place, but its our last best hope for peace... The name of the place is Babylon 5." - Commander Sinclair, 2258
Type
Babylon-class Space Station
Position
Roughly a central location between the five
major galactic powers. Babylon 5 is located at coordinates: 470x18x22. Physical
location in the Epsilon System places the station at the L5 point
between the local star, Euphrates (orbiting it at 33,000km) and that
planet's small moon.
Hyperspace distance from major homeworlds:
- Earth - 36 standard hours hyperspace
- Narn - 44 standard hours hyperspace (12.2 standard light years)
- Centauri Prime - 48 standard hours hyperspace (75 Centauri light years)
- Minbar - unknown
- Vorlon Homeworld - 96 standard hours hyperspace
Local Star Type
K2
(Epsilon Eridani)
Length of Year
artificial rotation is set to standard timetables
(Earth Mean Time).
Atmosphere
92% of pressurized spaces: Oxygen/Nitrogen.
5.2% of pressurized spaces: Methane.
2.8% of pressurized spaces:
Other non-standard.
Gravity
Zero-G to 1.41 G (Red Sector's gravity varies
from 0.9 G to 1.35 G)
Population
250,000 (est.)
- 58% Human
- 42% Alien
- 200,000 estimated daily turnover with 95% civilian traffic.
- It would take an estimated three to five days to completely evacuate the station.
Crew Compliment
Earth Force and Administration: 6,500
Guild Dockworkers: 1,500
Commanding Officer
Commander Sinclair, then Captain Sheridan, then Captain Lockley
Date of operation
September
2257
Length
8.0645
km
Mass
2.5
million tonnes (metal casing only); 9.1 billion tonnes (total)
Diameter (rotating
section)
840 meters
Garden Diameter
400
meters (on average)
Interior parkland
12
square miles
Thermal Panel Span
2,070
meters
Defense Grid
Pulse Cannons
Incoming fire Interceptors
Mine launchers
Plasma Guns
2ZX Tracking System (formerly an XP7 - a relic
from the Earth- Minbari War)
Starfighter Capacity
56SA-23E Mitchell-Hyundyne
Starfuries; 28 are ready to launch at any given time
Station Rules:
- The commanding officer of Babylon 5 is empowered to speak on behalf of his government the way that a ship's captain exploring new worlds is empowered. In addition to governing the station, the CO also acts as the Earth Ambassador. As such, he or she is forbidden from using Station personnel or firepower to threaten another government into signing a treaty; a situation that would be considered void since it was signed under duress.
- To help pay for maintenance, every visitor pays a fee upon boarding, all staff have to pay rent on their quarters (deducted from their pay), and additional funds are derived from fees generated by use of the local jumpgate.
- No weapons are allowed on station.
- On-station commercial activity is not subject to EA scrutiny. While guests are allows to make arms deals on station, they are not permitted to bring the weapons on board or transferred anywhere in Babylon 5 Space..
- Those living or visiting the station are subject to the laws and regulations of the Earth Alliance. Babylon 5 operates a court system, which is authorized by the Earth Alliance Judicial System, to conduct trials.
- Alien cultural differences are not interfered with in any way on the station, as long as such interaction is between members of the same species unless requested. Intervention is only warranted when an alien's culture is brought upon someone not of his/her/its species.
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All original text, artwork and page design ©1995-2004 Christopher Russo
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