Fabrication Depots

Corporate Infrastructure Hubs

Fabrication depots serve multiple interconnected functions:

Teleportation arrays — Where Moonstalkers materialize when spawning to the surface and extract back to their vessels
Nanotech fabrication bays — Molecular manufacturing systems that build cargo vehicles on-demand
Cargo processing centers — Staging areas for materials being transported across the surface
Contract terminals — Where available missions are posted and accepted
Vehicle return stations — Where Corp-owned transports are returned and disassembled for recycling

Depots are clean corporate islands in a flooded ruin. They're sterile, efficient, monitored — and you're dependent on them for access to work and extraction.

Teleportation Arrays

The heart of every depot is its teleportation infrastructure:

Multiple teleportation pads — High-traffic depots have dozens, smaller ones just a few
Bidirectional transport — Same pads used for both spawn (inbound) and extraction (outbound)
Automated queue management — System prioritizes based on urgency, payment, and congestion
Status monitoring — Real-time operational status visible from orbit before you spawn
Organic matter only — Energy limitations prevent vehicle teleportation (see Technology & Labor in core design)

Spawn teleportation is "free" from your perspective — Selenite Corp subsidizes inbound transport as part of their labor infrastructure. Extraction costs resources — you pay to get back up with your gathered loot.

Vehicle Fabrication Bays

Nanotech manufacturing systems dominate depot interiors:

Molecular assembly platforms — Watch vehicles materialize in minutes: frame, hull, power systems, cargo bed
Material feedstock storage — Raw materials sourced from surface salvage and recycling
Template library — Standardized vehicle designs fabricated thousands of times
Recycling systems — Returned vehicles disassembled back into feedstock
Repair assessment stations — Damage evaluation when vehicles are returned

Nanotech makes vehicles disposable tools rather than valuable assets. It's cheaper for Corp to fabricate a new vehicle than teleport one from orbit.

Cargo Processing Areas

Sprawling staging zones for materials in transit:

Sealed containers — Cargo registered to specific mission IDs
Automated loading systems — Some cargo loads automatically, others require manual handling
Security monitoring — Cameras and sensors track all cargo movement
Delivery verification terminals — Where completed missions are confirmed and paid

Contract Terminals

Interactive stations where work is assigned:

Mission listings — Available cargo transport contracts, salvage jobs, Corp objectives
Route planning — Maps showing pickup, delivery, hazards, tide predictions
Payment preview — Base rate, bonuses, penalties, time constraints
Reputation tracking — Your standing with Selenite Corp affects available jobs

Bustling Activity

Depots are the most populated locations in MOONSTALKERS:

Other Moonstalkers — See players spawning in, accepting contracts, returning vehicles, extracting out
NPC clone workers — Corp employees maintaining systems, processing cargo, monitoring operations
Automated security drones — Patrolling the facility, enforcing no-violence protocols
Ambient surveillance — Cameras everywhere, Corp monitoring all activity

Depots are safe zones — violence is impossible inside due to automated defense systems. You can interact with other players, but aggression is suppressed. It's neutral ground, but not private ground.

Information Exchange

Natural gathering points for Moonstalker communities:

Surface conditions — Share information about hazards, resources, opportunities
Contract coordination — Form groups for multi-player missions
Trade opportunities — Exchange resources, gear, information
Reputation building — Repeated encounters create familiarity and trust

Unlike underground hatches (desperate shared survival spaces), depots are professional work environments. The social dynamics are different — less intimate, more transactional, but no less important.

Control Through Infrastructure

Fabrication depots exemplify Selenite Corp's control architecture:

Access Control: You can only spawn at operational depots. Corp decides which facilities are online and when. Depot shutdowns (for "maintenance" or "security") can cut off entire regions.
Work Dependency: All cargo missions originate from depots. All vehicles are fabricated at depots. If you want reliable income, you work through Corp infrastructure.
Extraction Dependency: All teleportation pads are at depots. To extract your progress, you must return to a Corp facility. There's no hiding in the wilderness with your loot — you need their infrastructure to bank progress.
Surveillance: Everything that happens in depots is monitored. Every contract accepted, every vehicle fabricated, every extraction performed — Corp tracks it all. Your work history, earning patterns, and surface activity are visible to them.
Reputation Gatekeeping: Better contracts, premium extraction pads, and advanced equipment require high Corp reputation. Fall out of favor (or dig into their secrets), and opportunities dry up.

Why The Network Exists

The independent Moonstalker collective called The Network formed specifically to escape depot dependency. They operate outside Corp infrastructure:

Jury-rigged teleportation — Independent extraction points (unstable, expensive, but private)
Alternative vehicle sources — Salvaged transports instead of fabricated ones
Drifter economy — Work for surface survivors instead of Corp contracts

Going independent is possible but difficult. Depots represent the easy path — structured work, reliable infrastructure, guaranteed extraction. Breaking free means harder work, higher risk, and significantly more resource investment. Most Moonstalkers stay dependent on depots, even if they don't trust the Corp behind them.

Operational Status

Depots aren't always available:

Tidal flooding — Some depots are submerged during high tides, teleportation impossible
Technical maintenance — Scheduled downtime for repairs and system updates
Security lockdowns — Corp occasionally restricts access to specific depots
Congestion — High traffic can delay teleportation and increase extraction fees

Before spawning, you check depot status from your vessel. Choose a depot that's operational, has good contracts, and isn't flooded or locked down. Your spawn location shapes the entire session's opportunities.

Depot Variety

Not all depots are equal:

Major hubs — Large facilities with many pads, high contract variety, best infrastructure
Regional depots — Medium facilities serving specific surface zones
Remote outposts — Small facilities in dangerous or isolated areas, fewer contracts but unique opportunities
Specialized facilities — Some depots focus on specific cargo types or mission categories

What Depots Are