Tiliala

Name : Tiliala

Allegiance : Federation

Government : Federal Democracy

Economy : Capitalist

Coordinates : -4,-1

Population : 100 Million

• Valhalla is a small, hot world, comprising equal parts of tropical jungle and desert. Water covers only one third of its surface, but it teems with native life. The seafood of Valhalla is a gourmet's dream, complicated only by the dangers involved in fishing on the planet, which is subject to violent storms throughout the year. The Valhalla serpent is incorrectly named, since it is anatomically related to the mammal like native animals of the world. It grows to lengths in excess of thirty metres in the deep ocean regions of the planet and careful control of hunting of the creatures maintains the population at a sustainable level. The serpent is the source of cabitol oil and greaver, used in pharmaceuticals and beauty products throughout human space, and its brilliantly patterned hides adorn the most wealthy of the Federation.

• Similarly striking animals inhabit the jungles of Valhalla, perhaps the best known being the Rajah Sphinx, now unfortunately extinct in its native habitat, but preserved in zoos throughout the galaxy. The Trupin Sphinx remains in the wild, however and safari tours to see it in situ are arranged on an ad hoc basis. Valhalla is a relatively light world, with few accessible mineral deposits, so competition for land has been slight and the ecological management of the planet has proceeded in an exemplary fashion.

• The sister world of Democracy has been terraformed and is the site for most mining and industrial activity in the system. The world is dense and mineral rich, and is heavily exploited. The combination of a naturally fertile 'organic' world and a heavily industrialised and mineralised artificial world is very successful and many of the wealthiest people of Federation call the system home.

Entry by David Massey