Gaia

Also known as the Garden World, Gaia is named after the Greek goddess of the Earth. It is the first exoplanet to support native plant life. Gaia is well known for its tourism and agricultural industries. It is one of the core worlds of the Eridani Trust, and later the Sirius Military Consulate after the Sirius Conflict. Gaia has also been the subject of intense controversy regarding settlement rights.

Discovery

Gaia was observed from space to be within the habitable range of 40 Eridani and to have an Earth-like mass. Upon arrival, the Daedalus ship discovered that it was unique among any exoplanets yet discovered: it contained a vibrant ecosystem of local life. The wormhole was opened in the planet's surface and would be used as an observatory that would study the native life. Some of the local flora was found to be edible, and soon became a delicacy on the black market as the Eridani Trust turned a blind eye, and a long history of profiteering from local life forms began.

Settlement

Due to the lucrative nature of transporting native life, squatters began to reside on Gaia to raise and transport native life despite interplanetary protest. As many organisms discovered on Gaia provided cheap solutions to problems in several sectors including agriculture, textiles, and energy, settlement came to be fully endorsed by the Eridani trust which owned the wormhole. Control of Gaia quickly became the most lucrative benefit of interstellar travel in history. While it indisputably brought great benefit to humanity, many conservationists regard the settlement of Gaia as the greatest ethical misstep of the millenia due to the resultant extinction of several native alien species.

Eridani Trust

Main Article: Eridani Trust.

Like the vast majority of the post-Sirius systems, Gaia was owned by the Eridani Trust up until the Sirius Conflict. The seat of the company rested on the first world beyond Sirius, Janus, but upon settlement of Gaia the company began to shift its assets to the more pleasant environment. During the 5-year Sirius Conflict it was the site of some of the most intense fighting, eventually becoming the seat of the Sirius Military Consulate.

Sirius Conflict

Main Article: Sirius Conflict.

Many members of the SMC came from Gaia, some even being among the original squatters of the planet. The Sirius conflict started on Gaia with the seizure of the wormhole to Janus. Gaia would become the first planet to fall completely under SMC control, followed by Tau Ceti and finally Janus. Gaia currently remains the seat of the Consulate.