Technology

Sultonia’s heavy industry is limited to a few chemical processing facilities for fertilizer, the odd mining company with the equipment to break through to the planet’s mantle, and an increasing number of self-reliant agricultural complexes, or “agricoms”. Combining the principles of crop rotation, responsive sun shading, automatic harvesting and hydroponics into a cohesive and self-contained system, these structures feed most of Sultonia – allowing more conventional farms to focus on high-value livestock and specialty crops.

Situated as it is on the rim of Alliance space, Sultonia was a strong candidate – and the ultimate winner – of the right to host the launch of the AES-Ardent. While central command of the Ardent Initiative is conducted via faster-than-light messaging from the Initiative’s heartspace headquarters on Earth, it is the relays in orbit around Sultonia and their quivering instruments that stand poised for the latest news from the Ardent and its crew.