In Bounty Head Bebop you get a chance to visit every planet in our Solar System. Each one is a unique place for a setting in its own right but its only a small part of the whole. So as a bonus to anyone following this here is a bit of a preview of what the planet Venus is like. Its a Wild place let me tell you.
Venus
Designation: Nation State (Franco-Venusian), Formidable defenses
Economy: (From the tourist brochure: Beautiful sunny Venus is the ideal stop for the care worn traveler. Come to the First Colony, where the days are longer than the years! Avail yourself of the always sunny, rolling paradise: Venus Vegas, the Sunset Kingdom®! Try your luck at our games of chance, or enjoy our fine dining and galaxy class entertainment. For the more discerning customer, we have accommodations to suit the most exotic tastes. “What happens on Venus, stays on Venus™”)
While Venus may indeed be a fine stop for the weary traveler, it is more often sought for its excellent reputation in weapons trade, in the fine French tradition. If you can’t meet your needs for reliable or even exotic ordinance on Venus, your problem is probably connections, not availability.
There is also a considerable trade in Intrusion Counter Electronic (ICE) specialists, who can hack into any system. Usually, such systems specialists are tied to one of the many syndicates, and are happy to help the less-than-scrupulous customer.
Therefore, all visits to the casinos and pleasure dens should be taken with the aforementioned facts in consideration. If something bad happens on Venus, you aren’t likely to leave Venus.
Environment: Near Earth gravity (“for your comfort and convenience”). Moderate tectonic slip and volcanic activity. Weather and biosphere is heavily terraformed, with an enormous, acidic (pH+ 5.8), ocean that was formed of the massive cloud cover the first colonists encountered. pH+ balanced inland seas are kept for fish and kelp farming. Helium in the atmosphere causes a slight raise in pitch of voice, (“which makes the French language that much more beautiful”).
Social: While the French are oft noted for their rudeness, it is born mostly of pragmatism. A tremendous amount of their cultural identity is tied to the subtleties of the language, and so it is best for visitors to speak French. If you cannot, Venus Vegas will accommodate any language, for a price.
Venusian politics and society is largely run by criminals. The “legitimate” criminals are quasi-legal, corporate entities known as Syndicates (e.g.: Le Messuer). Such Syndicates control the planet’s manufacturing and businesses, as well as the major population centers. They are all heavily armed, and coexist in a precarious balance of power.
Venusian government is essentially an oligarchy, controlled by a “Parliament” made up of the heads of the various Syndicates, both major and minor. The leader of the Pariliament is known as the “Sun King,” and he serves an eight-year term, after which a new Sun King is elected by the Parliament. The populous petitions the courts and representatives of their own contracted Syndicate in all matters. It amounts to little more than Feudalism in practice.
The less-than-legitimate criminals, who tend to run afoul of the SSPB whist dealing in Venus’ more exotic tastes, are almost universally associated with Venus Vegas. Venus Vegas itself is an enormous, mobile party, catering to epicurean delights of all manners. Vegas itself is run by clans, mobs (e.g.: Serpent Vert), and flamboyant entrepreneurs of all kinds. Through a Venusian engineering marvel, it rolls against the planetary rotation, always keeping itself aligned with the setting sun. It is referred to by the Syndicates as “The Sunset Kingdom®” (A registered trademark of Le Messuer).
Hazards: Volcanoes and Venusquakes claim the unwary traveler, but the greatest hazard is usually to your wallet. Beyond that, be sure of the political connections of the Venusians you contract with. Problems are notoriously solved with sudden and overwhelming violence.
Venus
1 Orbit of Sun About 225 Days
1 Rotation About 243 Days
Diameter 7,523 Miles
Gravity 100 lbs = 90 lbs (.9)
Escape Velocity 23,300 MPH
Distance From Sun 67 Million Miles
Average Temperature 85° F
New Atmosphere Nitrogen, Oxygen, Helium