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Tarsonis
Tarsonis SC2 Art1
Astrography
Sector Koprulu sector
System Tarsonis system
Satellites 4 – Ender, Orson, Treason and Worthing[1]
Physical characteristics
Diameter 8,894 km[1]
Axial tilt 5.6 degrees[1]
Gravity 0.96[1]
Natural features
  • 2 oceans
  • 7 inland seas/major lakes
  • 1 major continent
  • Wasteland/ruins[1]
Climate Temperate, +/- 24 Centigrade (75.2 Fº), low humidity[1]
Length of day 27 standard hours
Politics
Capital Tarsonis City (?—2500)
Society
Race(s)
Population
  • 2 billion+ terrans (2500)
  • 7,000 terrans, unknown zerg (2504)[1]
Habitation
Fauna
Imported fauna
Surface settlements and installations
  • 12 major conurbations (destroyed)
  • 1,572 residential districts (destroyed)
  • 875 industrial zones (destroyed)[1]
Orbital settlements and installations
Capital world
Allegiance TerranConfederacy SC1 Logo1 Terran Confederacy
Date 23232500
Infested world
Allegiance Zerg SC1 Logo Zerg Swarm
Date 2500
Infested world
Allegiance Zerg SC2 Icon Kerrigan's Zerg Swarm
Date 2500
Salvage world[1]
Allegiance Independent[1]
Organization TerranDominion Logo2a Terran Dominion (presence)[2]
Economy
Exports
  • Scrap salvage
  • Recovered technology
  • Precious metals[1]
Imports
  • Personnel
  • Food
  • Water
  • Scanning devices
  • Salvage equipment[1]
Metagame
Tileset(s)

Tarsonis is a planet in the Koprulu sector.

A temperate planet[1][5] with a core continent[6] and 27 hour day, Tarsonis residents were occasionally afflicted by powerful solar flares.[7]

History

Early Settlement

Tarsonis

Tarsonis from space

When the Nagglfar crash-landed on the planet, the passengers accessed ATLAS directly and confirmed their growing suspicions that they would never see Earth again. In an attempt to find refuge in their new surroundings, they stripped the Nagglfar of essential materials.[5] The ruling class, commanders of the Nagglfar, believed that keeping law and order was critical. The police district headquarters were built from bits of the original colony ships.[7]

The vagabond new inhabitants worked to survive in what they termed 'the New World', making do with whatever meager resources they could find.[5] They expanded quickly to establish cities and industry over much of the planet's surface.[1] In a relatively short amount of time, the Tarsonians spread to other worlds and developed a prosperous, self-supporting economy.[1][5]

After living in isolation for sixty years, the Tarsonians developed second-generation subwarp engines which allowed their ships to make contact with Moria and Umoja.[5] Tarsonis was the most technologically advanced and prosperous of the three colonies, having been given a head start by ATLAS.[1]

Tarsonis initially pushed for a conglomerated government, but Moria and Umoja steadfastly refused[5] as they were faced with the likely pre-eminence of Tarsonis in such an arrangement. The Old Families responded by expanding their military and colonizing more aggressively.[1] Founding prosperous colonies on seven other worlds enabled Tarsonis' military might to grow by leaps and bounds. Tarsonis and its colonies founded the Terran Confederacy.[5]

The Confederacy

As Tarsonis was the central hub of the Confederacy's governance and economy,[1] its most potent defenses were over the planet. Three primary orbital platforms served as staging areas for the Confederate fleet. The central platform was defended by Omega and Delta Squadron troops.[8] The primary defensive weapon was the Ion Cannon.[8] Over time, these defenses were engaged in over thirty major battles.[8]

TerranConfederacy SC2 Art1

Tarsonis's prosperity

At the height of the Confederacy's power, huge quantities of money and materials were shipped in from the colonies on a daily basis. The economic boom dwarfed that of any other terran world in the Koprulu sector, and the population of Tarsonis grew exponentially[1] until it was one of the most densely populated planets in the sector.[9]

The Fall

Main article: Fall of Tarsonis
"Families ripped apart -- literally -- when the savage zerg arrived. Mountains of dead bodies, deserted cities..."

- Kate Lockwell on the day Tarsonis fell(src)

In 2500, Alpha Squadron assaulted the central platform.[8] General Edmund Duke planted psi emitters to lure the zerg there.[10] Adjutant 23-46 intercepted a transmission of Mengsk revealing that he authorized the use of psi emitters.[11][12]

BattleOfTarsonis SC2 Art1

The zerg invading Tarsonis

Billions of zerg arrived in the Tarsonis system, and began their invasion of the planet. In a short amount of time,[13] the zerg overran the planetary defenses and devastated Tarsonis' major cities and industrial centers.[1]

The zerg set up their primary hive at New Gettysburg, where Executor Tassadar deployed ground forces to engage them. Mengsk sent a strike force led by Lieutenant Sarah Kerrigan to stop Tassadar's interference. Kerrigan neutralized the protoss, but a wave of zerg advanced on her position. She called for immediate evac, but Mengsk ordered the Sons of Korhal fleet to move away from Tarsonis, abandoning her to the zerg.[14] Captain Jim Raynor rushed to Tarsonis to save Kerrigan, but found no trace of her.[15][16]

The Sons of Korhal rescued a number of civilians from the last functioning space port, Osborne Port.[7] However, an estimated two billion people were killed. Refugees were absorbed into other colonies,[1] such as Ursa.[7]

The protoss and zerg continued to battle across the core continent[6] until the zerg abandoned the planet[17] and the Conclave bade Tassadar to return to Aiur.[18]

The Dominion Engineering Corps, a division of the Kel-Morian Combine, built Theta Prime station over Tarsonis in order to maintain the flow of commerce following the destruction of the Terran Confederacy.[19]

The Brood War

Battlecruiser SC1 Art1

The Aleksander above Tarsonis

During the Brood War, the United Earth Directorate's research team uncovered the psi disrupter on Tarsonis. Lieutenant Samir Duran destroyed four zerg hives in the area before locating the disrupter. Before he could plant the explosives on it, he was relieved by ghosts who came with orders from Vice Admiral Alexei Stukov to disassemble the disrupter[20] and reconstruct it on Braxis.[21]

Kerrigan established her fortress on Tarsonis, from which she contacted Raynor and Fenix. Just as they arrived, the disrupter's signal shattered the unity of Kerrigan's broods. Over a few hours, they turned on each other and left their hive clusters to run out of control. Kerrigan had her cerebrate take the few zerg still under her control and stem further damage to her seven hive clusters.[22]

Kerrigan returned to Tarsonis to rest after driving the UED from Korhal. Two days later, the UED sent hundreds of enslaved zerg to Tarsonis,[23] which was too remote for them to maintain direct control, so they sent thirty scientists to coordinate their attack from a small facility towards the rear of their landing zone. A number of Kerrigan's outposts fell before Duran located the facility and ordered the cerebrate to kill the scientists.[24] Kerrigan abandoned Tarsonis shortly afterward, relocating her base of operations to Char.[25]

The Dominion

Tarsonis SC2 Art2

Salvage operations on Tarsonis

The Terran Dominion placed Tarsonis under strict quarantine while its salvage teams sifted through the rubble for any Confederate technologies and military secrets that may have survived the assault. Mengsk promised that Tarsonis would be restored, and the Dominion would help guide it toward a brighter future.[1] However, feral zerg continued to thrive on the planet, and Tarsonis became a hideaway for criminal groups such as the Scantid Pirates.[26]

The Great Train Robbery

Train Job

Raynor's Raiders attack Dominion trains

The Dominion restored power to the old rail network and ran a large number of supply trains with minimal security. During the Second Great War, they found Adjutant 23-46. As they were transporting it to the processing station, Raynor's Raiders arrived, having learned from their informants that something unusually valuable had been uncovered. Captain Matt Horner discovered Confederate diamondbacks in the hills that the Dominion had not yet salvaged. The Dominion responded by sending escorts to protect the trains, attacking Raynor's base, constructing a series of bunkers to protect the tracks, patrolling the tracks with large groups of marauders and boosting their trains' speed. However, Raynor's troops successfully retrieved the adjutant.[2]

A memorial was later unveiled on Tarsonis.[27]

End War

AlliedCommanders SC2-LotV Art1
This article or section contains information derived from Co-op Missions, and should not be considered part of the official StarCraft storyline.

In 2506, Moebius Corps activated the railway network on Tarsonis and used it to ferry supplies. Graven Hill was tasked with destroying the trains, but his forces could not arrive in time. He then tasked allied forces with destroying the trains and warding off Amon's forces defending them.[28]

Insurgents Among the Ruins

GriffinTarsonis SC2-NCO Cine1

Dominion forces arrive at Tarsonis

After the End War, a terrorist group known as the Defenders of Man established a base in Tarsonis City. At some point during her time with the Defenders of Man, Nova Terra visited the city. When her wiped memories were partially restored by Reigel, she remembered having gone there. She and her Covert Ops Crew investigated the planet, setting up garrisons surrounding the base to hold off the feral zerg on the planet while she investigated the base.

When she entered, her intrusion was discovered, and the Defenders of Man activated a psi emitter in the base and began to evacuate. This lured feral zerg in the base, but did not deter her, and Nova entered the facility's command room. There she killed the technician in charge of the facility, and discovered that the Defenders of Man planned to use psi emitters on civilian planets in order to undermine the rule of Emperor Valerian Mengsk.[29]

Locations

Tarsonis SC2 Art3

The ruins of Tarsonis

Cities and Towns

Landforms

Military Bases

Orbital Facilities

Tarsonis SC-BG Phys1

Tarsonis

Starports

Trivia

Tarsonis is a black metal band named after the planet which lyrically bases its music on the StarCraft universe.

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 Blizzard Entertainment. 2010-07-24. Koprulu Sector Systems: Tarsonis. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2010-07-24.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Wings of Liberty, The Great Train Robbery (in English). 2010-07-27.
  3. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Among the Ruins (in English). 1998.
  4. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard) (in English). July 27, 2010
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Underwood, Peter, Bill Roper, Chris Metzen and Jeffrey Vaughn. StarCraft (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Hammer Falls (in English). 1998.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 DeCandido, Keith R. A. (November 28, 2006). StarCraft: Ghost: Nova. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 978-0743-47134-3.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Big Push (in English). 1998.
  9. Blizzard Entertainment. 2010-07-24. Cast of Characters: Kerrigan. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2010-07-24.
  10. Edmund Duke: "This is Duke. The Emitters are secured and on-line."
    Sarah Kerrigan: "Who authorized the use of Psi Emitters?"
    Arcturus Mengsk: "I did, Lieutenant."
    Kerrigan: "What? The Confederates on Antiga were bad enough, but now you're going to use the Zerg against an entire planet? This is insane."
    Jim Raynor: "She's right, man. Think this through."
    Mengsk: "I have thought it through, believe me. You all have your orders. Carry them out." StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Level/area: The Big Push (in English). 1998.
  11. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Adjutant 23-46 (in English). 2010.
  12. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Conversations after Cutthroat (in English). 2010
  13. 2015-09-18, NYCC 2015 – James Waugh’s StarCraft Field Manual Signing Schedule. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2015-09-23
  14. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: New Gettysburg (in English). 1998.
  15. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty: Quickstart Guide. Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 2010.
  16. Blizzard Entertainment. 2010-10-18. A New Era. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2014-01-15.
  17. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Egression (in English). 1998.
  18. Tassadar: "As you know, the Zerg vanished after the fall of the Terran world of Tarsonis, and though the Conclave bid me return home, I was compelled to remain." StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Level/area: Into the Flames (in English). 1998.
  19. 1998-10-09. Catwalk Alley. StarCraft Compendium Map Archives. Accessed 2007-07-05.
  20. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: Ruins of Tarsonis (in English). 1998.
  21. Adjutant: "Admiral, our sensors have detected a fully functional Psi Disrupter on the planet's surface directly below our position. It would appear that the Vice Admiral did not destroy the Psi Disrupter on Tarsonis as was ordered." StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Level/area: Patriot's Blood (in English). 1998.
  22. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: Vile Disruption (in English). 1998.
  23. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: Fury of the Swarm (in English). 1998.
  24. Samir Duran: "My Queen, we have located a small Terran facility towards the rear of the Renegades' landing zone. There appears to be a number of UED scientists working within the compound, but we are unable to determine the purpose of their presence..."
    Kerrigan: "I know what they're up to. I suspected that the UED's control of the Overmind was tenuous. Tarsonis is too remote for them to maintain direct control over the Swarms, so they've sent these 'scientists' to coordinate their attack."
    Duran: "Cerebrate, focus your attacks against the Terran facility. All of the UED scientists must be killed. Only then will we be able to finish off these Renegade Zerg." StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Level/area: Fury of the Swarm (in English). 1998.
  25. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: To Slay the Beast (in English). 1998.
  26. Jurgens-Fyhrie, Gavin. "Just an Overlord." (March 21, 2013). Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft Lore: Just an Overlord Accessed 2013-03-21.
  27. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mengsk Talks: UNN newscast after "Cutthroat." (in English). 2010.
  28. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Great Train Robbery. (in English). November 10, 2015
  29. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Nova Covert Ops, Enemy Intelligence (in English). 2016-03-29.
  30. Furman, Simon (w), Federico Dallocchio, Carlos D'Anda (p, i). "StarCraft #7" StarCraft 1 (7) (January 20, 2009) DC Comics (Wildstorm).
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