On August 17th, 2151, the MSV Enterprise and six other vessels launched from Earth orbit, into the depths of deep space. Their purpose, to travel from Sol to the closest Cluster to Sol, the Hyades Cluster. It would take them over four months and much hardship, but they would arrive at the edges of the Hyades Cluster on January 27th, 2152. Only 14 days later, the expedition would arrive in a system containing not only a Garden World, but a ruined prothean colony and a Secondary Mass Relay. On the next day, the MSV Venture would activate the Relay, and arrive in the Arcturus System on February 11th.
The Hyades Cluster is home to over two million humans, vast riches of natural resources, ancient prothean ruins, and the only major shipyard outside of Sol. The Hyades Cluster is also the most independently minded Cluster in human space, repeatedly coming into conflict with the Systems Alliance, though no confrontation has yet come to blows. The Granger Republic, named for the expedition that brought humanity to the Cluster, holds the tidal of oldest and largest human government outside of Sol, first founded while the expedition was still traveling to the Cluster and reigning over a rapidly growing population of three quarters of a million people.
EUDORA:
Stars: 1 (G1)
Planets: 7 (4 terrestrial, 3 gaseous)
Asteroid Belts: 3
Population: 1.6 million
Description: A bright and rich system that contains both the Garden World Babylon and the Cluster's Secondary Mass Relay, Eudora is the center of human colonization in the Cluster and one of the most developed systems in human space. Each world in the system are named after one of the ships used by the Granger Expedition.
Eudora-Venture Belt: An asteroid belt in a close orbit of Eudora, the Eudora-Venture Belt has seen significant mining after large amounts of vanadium and platinum were discovered within it.
Venture: A small rocky world about a third larger than Mercury, Venture holds several solar collection arrays and significant mining operations.
Astra: A large world 80 percent the mass of Earth, Astra has an atmosphere half again that of Earth, but is safe for habitation with only gas masks. This has led to a few small colonies popping up across the world, alongside several mining operations. This dramatically increased when large amounts of eezo were discovered on the world in early 2156, starting a eezo rush that continues to this day. Even still, Astra's population is only a fraction of Babylon's, with only a hundred thousand people calling it home.
Columbia: A small world half the mass of Earth's, Columbia plays host to several mining operations and settlements, though fewer than either Astra or Babylon.
Babylon: Garden World of the Eudora System and holder of its famous shipyard, Babylon is the center of the Granger Republic, holding four fifth of its citizenry, making up almost two thirds of the planet's population. In orbit of Babylon's moon of Hammurabi, the Babylon Shipyard stands as the only major shipyard outside of the Sol System. Capable of constructing vessels of great size and complexity, the shipyard began construction in April 2152, and its first sections were completed in November 2155. The shipyard is controlled jointly by Babylon Fleetworks and the Granger Republic, with the shipyard producing several warships for the Republic and its allies, mostly Corvettes and a few Frigates, though the Cruiser GRS Granger is currently under construction at the shipyard as of April 2157. Babylon was the second extrasolar colony to reach a population of a million people, gaining that Title in February 2156, less than a year after Terra Nova and half a year ahead of Eden Prime. Babylon once hosted a large prothean colony, estimated to have a population in the hundreds of thousands. The ruins of that colony survive to this day, with several technological advances discovered with them.
Babylon-Enterprise Belt: An asteroid belt between the worlds of Babylon and Enterprise, the belt has several mining operations and is a common location for mining vessels. Several asteroids show signs of prior mining, including entire mining colonies left by the protheans.
Enterprise: A large gas giant three times the mass of Jupiter, Enterprise holds the system's Mass Relay and is heavily developed, with several mining operations and settlements across its moons. A number of prothean ruins can be found on the moons of Enterprise.
Discovery: A large gas giant half again the mass of Saturn, Discovery holds several gas extraction operations within its atmosphere, with a number of mining operations also existing on its moons. An intact prothean gas extraction platform was discovered within the planet's atmosphere in 2155, still surviving after 50,000 years of no maintenance, though in poor condition.
Stargazer: A large ice giant a third again the mass of Neptune, Stargazer has seen relatively little development.
Trans-Stargazer Belt: An asteroid belt beyond the orbit of Stargazer, the belt has seen little development.
CORONIS:
Stars: 1 (K4)
Planets: 3 (3 terrestrial)
Asteroid Belts: 1
Population: 124,000
Description: A small system only a single light year from Eudora, Coronis is of a rather high metallicity, and has thus seen several mining colonies set up, mostly on Damascus, but several can be found across the system.
Krupp: A small world half the mass of Venus, Krupp has seen relatively little development, though it has a few mining operations and solar collection arrays.
Damascus: A world about 10 percent more massive than Earth, Damascus is the most populous of the planets within the system due to its relatively habitable conditions, though nowhere near that of a Garden World. The planet's moons are also mined and the largest, Wootz, serves as the main spaceport of the system, servicing mining ships alongside transports. A small prothean mining operation was discovered on the planet's surface in 2153.
Damascus-Harvey Belt: A large asteroid belt found between Damascus and Harvey, the belt is frequented by mining ships and hosts a few mining colonies.
Harvey: An icy world used as the primary discharge point within the system, Harvey has a rather profitable ice cracking infrastructure.
PHYTO:
Stars: 1 (M1)
Planets: 2 (1 terrestrial, 1 gaseous)
Asteroid Belts: 1
Population: 314,000
Description: A small Red Dwarf System, the only thing of note within the system is the Garden World Tauron, though it fits the term only just. It has seen a moderate amount of colonization since its discovery in 2154, but its population still remains relatively small. The system is believed to be not native to the Hyades Cluster, being far older and with a lower eezo concentration.
Tauron: A world two thirds the mass of Earth, Tauron is mostly covered in ice, with only a relatively thin band around the equator staying unfrozen throughout the year. This has not stopped life from flourishing, both within the habitable band and beneath the ice. The majority of colonization within the system is directed toward the planet, with almost 300 thousand people calling it home. The most notable wildlife on the world is the Goliath Bull, a massive Bull-like animal that gives the world its name. A prothean research base similar to the one found on Mars, though smaller and in worse condition, was discovered on Tauron's moon, Tauron Beta.
Tauron-Minos Belt: A relatively sparse asteroid belt between Tauron and Minos, the belt has a small number of mining operations and ships.
Minos: A modest ice giant about the size of Neptune, Minos is the primary discharge point for larger ships within the system, and has a few gas extraction operations within its atmosphere.
POLYXO:
Stars: 1 (A2)
Planets: 4 (2 terrestrial, 2 gaseous)
Asteroid Belts: 3
Population: 140,000
Description: A system centered around a star once known as Delta squared Tauri, Polyxo lacks any worlds that could be considered habitable, but it does contain a large amount of materials and eezo. This has led to the system hosting a large amount of mining operations.
Polyxo-Denarius Belt: An asteroid belt in close orbit of Polyxo, the belt has seen some mining, but is less favored compared to the Aureus-As Belt.
Denarius: A small world about twice the mass of Mercury, Denarius hosts several mining operations and some solar collection arrays.
Aureus: A world three and a half time the mass of Earth, Aureus is particularly notable for its large deposits of gold. It hosts several mining operations across its surface, mostly controlled from its moon, Quinarius.
Aureus-As Belt: An asteroid belt found between Aureus and As, the belt is the largest of the system's belts, and sees heavy mining. The Granger Republic operates a small patrol squadron within the belt to combat rising piracy within the area, stationed out of Tsukuyomi Station, the largest asteroid colony in the belt.
As: A large gas giant nearly twice the mass of Jupiter, As holds several mining operations on its moons and is a common discharge point for larger ships.
Sestertius: An ice giant a third the mass of Saturn, Sestertius has a few gas extraction operations within its atmosphere. Of greater note is the wreckage of a prothean scout ship discovered in orbit of Sestertius on November 9th, 2156.