The Sentinel
The shield above the Deep
A jointly held fortress moon where Kharad directs the compact guarding the Deep and the inner approaches of the Grasp.
Overview
The Record
The Sentinel protects the Deep without owning it. Armored galleries, interceptor docks, surveillance arrays, and buried shelters watch the inner approaches and the industrial lanes that sustain Kharad’s most sensitive operations. Weapons prohibited by the Binding are absent; layered observation, controlled access, and crews already in position provide the defense.
The garrison belongs to a compact among the principal powers of the Grasp. No member may claim the moon outright, but Kharad directs operations involving the Deep. That clause has remained active since it was first invoked against the Faithful, leaving Kharadi command continuous even as the other members dispute it in committee.
Dawn practice coordinates watches, interceptors, and the clear reporting of an approaching threat. Gloam conceals defensive systems, frustrates hostile observation, and denies an intruder a reliable path. Neither aspect grants authority to begin an operation; command remains with the compact’s officers.
The Sentinel can make an unauthorized approach difficult and costly, but it cannot convert operational command into sovereignty. Member forces retain their own marks, while the fortress uses identification codes and a shared defense device that belongs to the compact rather than to a realm.
Political Relationships
Standing
Standing at a Glance
- Political Status
- Allied Confederation
- Civilization Status
- Inhabited
- Heraldic Standing
- No Unified Mark
- Principal Power
- Kharad
The Sentinel is jointly maintained under a Grasp defense compact. Member powers retain authority over their own forces, while Kharad directs operations involving the Deep. No member possesses recognized sovereign ownership. The operational clause has remained active since it was first invoked against the Faithful, an unbroken Kharadi command that other members have challenged in committee but never ended by vote.
Member powers display their own military marks. The Sentinel uses identification codes and a shared defense device rather than a territorial crest.
Physical Characteristics
Ground and Sky
- Diameter620 km
- Mass0.000032963 Earth masses
- Gravity0.02 g
The Sentinel is airless. Its garrison districts, interceptor docks, command halls, and buried shelters occupy independent pressure networks so a breach or contaminated section can be isolated without abandoning the fortress.
Orbit and Time
Path Around Oranth
- Orbital Order17
- Orbital Radius360,000 km
- Orbital Period0.806 days
- Rotation19.34 hours
- Inclination0.05 degrees
- Eccentricity0.002
The Sentinel rotates once during each 0.806-standard-day orbit and is tidally stabilized with its fortified face toward Oranth. It passes repeatedly through Oranth’s shadow and reflected glow. Watches follow command time, while exterior crews treat each eclipse as a change in visibility and thermal conditions.
Culture
The Twofold
Dawn practice coordinates watches, interceptor crews, and the clear reporting of approaching threats. Gloam governs concealed defenses, counter-surveillance, and the denial of reliable approach vectors. Practitioners support compact command; they do not decide whom the fortress may engage.
Travel
Travel Notes
Obtain advance clearance and hold to the assigned approach vector. Civilian vessels use a single inspection dock and may be kept outside the defensive perimeter during Deep operations, magnetic storms, or an active intercept. A clearance to dock does not authorize access to command halls, launch galleries, or Deep-support infrastructure.