Mastersphere

A gargantuan spaceship orbiting the planet of Raana, part of the Second Republic, and from which the ruling Senate and the Chancellor who rules them wield power over those on Raana's surface - backed up by superior technology, ion cannons, space shuttles and space marines.

The Mastersphere, also known as "the Sphere", was the first of the four huge colony ships from Earth which arrived at Raana after passing through the Celassi quantum gate 250 years ago. It was a modified space dreadnought — the USS Seneca – and carried an optimistic selection of 5,812 men and women with a wide range of academic and professional skills and from diverse socioeconomic groups, plus technological equipment selected to enable the initiation of an advanced civilization on a new planet.

Today, after centuries of instability and society-changing events following The Severance, The Sphere is home to a small group of individuals commonly titled "The Spheremasters". They are descended from Ikaanos' founding families, and wield unprecedented power over Raana's human societies. Unlike Ikaanos, The Sphere still enjoys most of the luxuries that were widely available pre-Severance. On artificial gravity levels covering approximately 20 million square feet, a lucky guest may indulge in virtual worlds, inconceivable sex orgies, and cuisine that will launch one into an euphoria of never-before experienced deliciousness.

The Sphere extends its power through five space shuttles connecting to Raana's surface, plus 900 elite space marines reporting to The Chancellor, and the eight surface forts they control. The station's ion cannons have been used to devastating effect to maintain the corrupt rule of the Council, now known as The Senate - however it is rumored that their plasma batteries are now depleted.