Background
Northern Stretch
The Northern Stretch runs the entire length of the Kingdom of Jod's northern boundary, creating a natural defense for the Kingdom in the north, and is anchored by the Western Expanse to its west and the Eastern Holes to its east (collectively forming the Alkine Collision Zone). While not on the outskirts of Companion Cresh, like the Eastern Holes, life beyond the Northern Stretch is largely unknown to the Jod and the slice beyond its boundaries of the satellite galaxy is nonetheless minimal before the darkness of deep space between Companion Cresh and the Outside Galaxy begins. Most estimates put the area outside of the Northern Stretch at only several dozen star systems; despite this, the Jod Military Forces maintains a single Army Fortress and several dozen PB-950 Patrol Boat X-3s, M-2FD Light Escorts, and aging Strike I-class Corvettes patrolling the area as an advanced alert system against any hostile or scientific advance from the Outside Galaxy or anywhere else within Companion Cresh.
Unlike the Eastern Holes, the Northern Stretch is a vast expanse of tightly compacted nebulas (including H II Regions, Supernova Remnants, and Dark Nebula), which the entirety of is highly charged with electrically conducting plasma (ionized gases). This environment not only produces naturally unpredictable & violent lightening throughout the Northern Stretch on a constant basis, the region is also plagued by solar storms, solar wind, and other space weather that disrupts everything from communications & sensors to hyperspace & realspace travel. Even worse, shattered and broken hulks of rogue dead worlds (such as the Prison World of Alkine Nine), asteroid fields, white dwarfs, and neutron stars populate the nebulas with unusually dense fields of drifting carbonbergs and hidden black holes & gravity wells to make matters even more hopeless.
Considered a no man's land, the Northern Stretch is a death trap to anyone who doesn't possess a specifically designed navigation computer (NSP System) tuned for the Northern Stretch, which is always updating route possibilities every few seconds based on stored navigational history through the Northern Stretch and current weather patterns. However, the NSP System is not 100% accurate with the unpredictable nature of the Northern Stretch and its only two known destinations are the Prison World of Alkine Nine & the black project Actualize Station; the House of Royal Intelligence & Royal Command are the only organizations with access to the NSP System.
There is no known safe path through the Northern Stretch in its entirety from one side to the other side or from end to end. Additionally, unlike the Eastern Holes & Western Expanse, the Northern Stretch is completely shut off to civilians & shut off to government personnel and only authorized military vessels may enter the Northern Stretch. Jod Military Forces have a shoot-to-kill order on any civilian, government, or military craft violating established military travel policies in the Northern Stretch.