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Vinculum
Galactography > Regions of Space > Middle Regions/Hinter-regions
Galactography > Systems and Worlds > Systems & Worlds U - V
Galactography > Systems and Worlds > Systems & Worlds U - V
 Image from Steve Bowers | |
| The Clouds, a nebulous civilisation in the Serpens Sector surrounding an orange giant star | |
Star Vinculum, TYC 444-2457-1, HD 169007
Distance from Sol 1725 ly
Type K2
Luminosity 95 x Sol
Constellation: Ophiuchus
RA:18h22m22.80s Dec:06°31'13.5"
Orange giant star in the Serpens sector (actually across the border in Ophiuchus), 181 ly from Skiiws'nnii. Center of the foghood civilisation known as The Clouds. These entities, which consist of intelligent utility fog, have an expanding "empire" in the region, with mainly good relations to other species.
The Clouds themselves are shapeless forms in orbit around the star, although they can condense and assume almost any conceivable shape, even humanoid. Knowledge and information is distributed into a cloud of nanomachines, which can form useful structures. There are no individuals, just temporarily isolated parts. When they fuse, information diffuses into the overall knowledge. There are conflicting stories regarding their relationship with the inner sphere U-fog civilisation on Nimbus, but the consensus opinion (which is also supported by the information they have made available) is that they achieved foghood independently of the Nimbus civilisation. Although the Clouds have indicated the date of the foundation of their colony (6419at) they have given no hint of the origin or nature of their founders.
There are also worries that the Clouds are going to absorb many promising systems, their long-range motivations remain highly unclear and this may be a deliberate strategy. They have close relations with the system of Gammergan, which has independently developed a somewhat similar civilisation some 288ly away. Many systems in a 10-lightyear region around Vinculum have at least some Cloud activity, and small quantities can be found throughout this sector.
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Development Notes
Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Additional material by Steve Bowers
Initially published on 09 January 2002.
Additional material by Steve Bowers
Initially published on 09 January 2002.
