| “ | The unspoken truth was that the union had commissioned the void cities as a permanent response to the colony worlds’ interest in building their own fleets. A void city couldn’t control a whole solar system, but it could command a ring gate. | „ |
| — Persepolis Rising, Chapter 23 | ||
A void city is an enormous settlement for residents of the system who would normally be considered within "Belters' dominion" and these cities are controlled by the Transport Union, each housing roughly two hundred thousand people. These cities were equipped to also serve as battleships, medical facilities, ports, and resupply posts.
These cities include Independence, Guard of Passage, and People's Home, as well as Assurance of Peace which was half-together, under construction at the Pallas-Tycho Shipyards.[1]
Design
Void cities are designed as a drum spinning around a core with 70 decks. The docks are on one end of the core, and the drive is on the other. The drum is separated from the core by a powerful magnetic field. The rooms and hallways in the drum are designed to shift, depending on whether the city is moving and using thrust gravity or stationary and using spin gravity. The spin gravity is kept at one tenth of a g, enough to provide steady gravity but not to inconvenience those that are used to living in zero g.[2]
These are massive ships, but also mobile cities with greenhouses and schools, children and common space, universities and research labs.[3]
Void cities have vast carbon-silicate ribs, and when under construction, these can be seen still bared to the vacuum.[1]
History
 “An old enemy returns” — Spoilers for Persepolis Rising follow.
|
During the Laconian attack on Sol the Void City Independence was destroyed during the opening battle.
| “The enemy is here” — Spoilers for Tiamat's Wrath follow.
|
After the Transport Union was defeated by the Laconian Empire the surviving void cities were disarmed as part of treaty negotiations[4]
Known Void cities
| Designation | Type | Appearances | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| People's Home | Station/battleship | Books | |
| Independence | Station/battleship | Books | Destroyed by the Heart of the Tempest.[5] |
| Guard of Passage | Station/battleship | Books | |
| Assurance of Peace | Station/battleship | Books | Never completed. Was abandoned when Heart of the Tempest approached when only half-built. |
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Expanse Novel Persepolis Rising - Chapter 31: Drummer
- ↑ The Expanse Novel Persepolis Rising - Chapter 5: Drummer
- ↑ The Expanse Novel Persepolis Rising - Chapter 23: Drummer
- ↑ The Expanse Novel Tiamat's Wrath - Chapter 12: Bobbie
- ↑ The Expanse Novel Persepolis Rising - Chapter 34: Drummer