With a diameter 1.32 times Terra and a mass 1.76 times Earth's, the surface gravity of Borshall is 1.15 gees. The Borhsallan day is 26.30 standard hours, and the year is 289.03 local days (316.73 standard days). Although Kepator is twice as bright as Sol, Borshall is further from Kepator than Terra is from Sol (1.64 AU), and so receives only 81% of the heat and light that Earth does. With an orbital inclination of only 3.21 degrees, Borshall's seasons are much milder than Terra's. Borshall has one small moon.
Borshall's planetary system consists of two other rocky worlds and an abundance of planetoids in two distinct belts, the Mardol Belt and the Sentilla Belt. The first planet, Tarlinn, is only 33 million kilometers from Kepator and has a mass 1.79 times Earth. The second, Bevith, is a Venus-analog with a mass almost exactly the same as Terra's. There are no gas giants in the system. Extensive mineral mining operations, based on Tarlinn and the two planetoid belts, provide a large fraction of the mineral resources of Borshall Province.
Borshall is noted throughout the Empire for the high quality of its technology. From TE 75 onward, Borshallan Artificial Intelligences was one of the largest companies in the Empire. Borshall also developed the L-type pressure screen, a force field that opened the way for exploration of deep oceans, gas giants, and Venus-type worlds.
Besides the Imperial Navy settlement at Borshallisport, Borshall has no major cities. Population is dispersed across the globe, linked by a sophisticated virtual reality communication system and high-speed antigrav transport. The University of Borshall maintains various distinct campuses specializing in different technologies.
The planetary passion of Borshall is baseball; from Little League up to several major professional leagues, and at every level in between, just about every Borshallan has the opportunity to participate in the sport. With the mild climate, baseball is played year-round. The Borshallan World Cup is a month-long event involving hundreds of teams, culminating in the World Series which lasts a tenday and shuts down business across the entire planet. The Borshall All-Stars are perennial winners of the Imperial Series. On the lighter side, the madcap antics of the Borshall Globetrotters (actually there are several different teams with that name) entertain audiences throughout the Galaxy.
If there is a traditional Borshallan cuisine, it is the sausages served at baseball games. There are infinite varieties, and each local park has its own special version. Delamere Kreb's Hotdogs of an Eternal Summer (Borshall University Press, TE 183) remains the best guide to the unique flavors of this planetary dish.
copyright (c) 2010, Don Sakers
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