Location: Pheben Sector, Galactic Rim / Beta Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
Description[]
The location of the Allied Exploration Forces Milky Way base of operations for Project Magellan. Federation Science Team discovery of the twin Ancient Artifacts Hecate and Artesia led to the official Exploration Project known as Magellan. The site contains signs of ancient civilizations dating back millions of years and two artifacts still functioning. A underground monolith like structure that seems to function as a Planetside Tracking instrument in constant communication with a far larger artifact located deeper in system.
The Monolith dubbed Hecate is self aware and benign in personality. One of the two 'sister' the monolith communications via telepath and uses a tonal language that seems to predate the Iconian tonal language. Hecate is always in constant communication with her sister Artesia, the gateway artifact. Artesia much like Hecate is self aware and is the actual transit gateway to the Large Magellanic Cloud, a galaxy that orbits the Milky Way. Artesia itself is self aware and communicates when she wishes with someone in a similar matter to Hecate.
The Artesia Gateway seems to exist in both the Avernus star system as well as simultaneously in the Artesia Sar System, the exodus point in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The Exit system in the LMC was named after the Artifact. Artesia appears to ensure the complete safety of any vessel traveling through her to either galactic location, as well as refusing any of ill intent passage through her gateway. Thus protecting the Milky Way from those hostile races in the LMC and protecting those in the LMC from any of a hostile nature based in the Milky Way Galaxy. Avernus IV is also the location of a Project Magellan Planetside base in charge of the ongoing archaeological digs around the world. It houses the Project Magellan Orbital installation on this side of the gateway used for trading, resupplies and shipyard repairs (which are overseen by the 22nd Mobile Fleet)
The Avernus starsystem is also the current location of Starbase 220, the command center for the 22nd Mobile Fleet
