Pluto


 * For the story, Pluto, see separate entry.

Pluto was a planet in the Sol system between Neptune and Cassius. It had a moon called Charon.

History
It had a native population of crystalline creatures, which had a 30,000 year old civilization until they were wiped out by radiation in 2157. (NA: GodEngine). In the 22nd century it also hosted the Lowell Depot, which was attached to the Sol Transit System. (NA: Transit)

After the Earth's resources were exhausted, the humans, in dire need of help, made a deal with the Company to settle Mars. After that planet was depleted,they moved the humans to Pluto. To this end the planet was terraformed with an atmosphere, and a city which the doctor found quite impressive, Megropolis One. Later five more Megropolis' were constructed. Each Megropolis was lighted by one of six Artificial suns, in the form of fusion satellites. At the end the planet housed 300 million humans.

Megropolis One was the main administrative center, where a single Usurian Collector administered the operation through human underlings from his palace. Other cities were Megropolis three, which housed miners, and Megropolis 4. All Megrapolis' had extensive industrial capacity.

As a side-effect of the perpetual day caused by the artificial suns, many inhabitants were afraid of the dark. The monetary unit was the Telmar.

Humans in the colony were ruthlessly exploited. They were drugged through the air with a substance called PCM, making them subversient. Furthermore they were taxed extensively, with tax evasion or simply being unable to pay the high fees being a grave crime. Criminal offences were curbed through screening with an extensive surveilance system, and caught criminals were deported to a detention center in Megropolis One, where they usualy did not survive very long. A more severe form of punishement was execution by steamer, often public.

A more free society of outlaws existed in the undercity though, where PCM was not distributed and people were able to think more freely. They eventualy, with the help of the doctor, managed to sabotage the PCM dispersion system in Megracity one, which lead to a succesful uprising against the company. Once the company retreated, declaring their branch to be no longer profitable, the humans intended to re-settle the Earth, which the doctor thought would have been regenerated. (DW: The Sun Makers)

Behind the scenes
At the time that The Sun Makers was produced in the late 1970s, Pluto was officially classified as the solar systems ninth planet. Its subsequent demotion in 2006 is one of the most controversial decisions in modern astronomical history, and is expected to be challenged in coming years. It is possible, therefore that in the future it may regain its planetary classification.