Weeeee [hider=Lunar Technate] [center] [h2][u]Lunar Technate[/u][/h2] [img]https://i.imgur.com/UFpirBY.jpg[/img] [/center] [b][u]Government Type:[/u][/b] The Lunar Technate is governed as a technocracy or even could be considered as a variant of a sophiocracy (rule by wisdom). The Technate is divided into a number of governing structures but is primarily made up of individuals educated to qualifying levels in academic fields. The Technate Directory is the uppermost level of government, consisting of the Director of the Technate, and several Provosts who oversee specific departments that run the Technate and form an advisory board to the Director. The Director possesses near complete final authority on nearly all matters considered as executive in the Technate, though action is generally taken with the approval of the Provosts and with consultation with the Hecatoncheires. The Director is typically selected by the Convocation after a Grand Debate, in which those vying for the position must submit and defend thesis in academic debate. Provosts themselves are selected from a list of qualifying candidates created by the Hecatoncheires. The Technate Convocation is the grand assemblage of all to be eligible to qualify for a position upon it, whome are then elected in a largely democratic process by the general population, and effectively acts as a form of Parliament or Senate. Nearly all Convocation members subsequently are educated academics, though a few other qualifying avenues do allow non-doctorate holders or others to attend and debate in the Convocation. The Convocation ultimately serves to provide a greater scope of direction and debate, providing the Directorate with legitimacy and information. The Committee is the term used by the local assemblies of individuals who oversee the day to day governance of settlements and other such locations in the Technate. Technate Committee's have different criteria from the Convocation, rather than the rest of the government which is overwhelmingly made up of academics. Committee's operate a direct democracy for all matters related to their areas of authority. A Technate House of Lords exists within the greater functions of the Convocation, being largely made up of hereditary peers who are descended from pre-fall Imperial nobility that posessed holdings or resided in Technate territory at the time of its transition in governance to the Technate. These nobility are treated as private citizens but possess some measure of wealth and influence in the Technate, economically and politically, and sometimes beyond. Accordingly an assembly to address their needs was created - though the House possesses no legislative power, it does hold consultancy powers on legislation that it sometimes exercises. [b][u]Demographics:[/u][/b] Human: 68%~ Non Base-line Human: 22%~ - Various groups exist in small or large communities in the Technate, and are often employed for their particular talents or to operate in areas automation or base-line humans are deemed at risk or unsuitable. Hecatoncheires: 1%. While most of the Human population of the Technate embraces some level of augmentation in regards to cybernetics, The Human element of the Hecatoncheires is another level, requiring some element of genetic tampering as well as technological enhancement. These individuals are directly linked to the entire Hecatoncheires structure and make up the elements of the system that are non-robotic, sythentic or stationary, operating as a pseudo-hivemind, though each individual retains the ability to deactivate the link for however long they wish, and, largely, do not lose their individuality. Hecatoncheires appear largely indistinguishable from Base-line humans barring any visible implants. The Hecatoncheires are consequently tied into the multi-element AI dubbed Gaea, which makes up the other primary element of Hecatoncheires. Aviosapien: 9%. Aviosapiens, or rather, the Aviosapiens Primus are a formerly licensed genome of one of Orion Advanced Technologies Subsidiaries and are typically avian creatures uplifted or base line humans genetically altered with avaian traits or features. Aviosapiens Primus is no longer a trademark enforced by the Technate, however, and they were not considered numerous in Orion holdings in Sol at the time of the gate collapse, yet over time they have come together and coalesced to make up a unique community in the Technate and are found in high ranking positions in a number of fields. [b][u]Economy:[/u][/b] The Technate Economy is based on a number of core industries, physical and otherwise, though predominantly concerned with technological progress and high-tech manufacturing. The Technate directly controls most of its core economy by necessity during the time of extended uncertainty, though it of course trades with and operates free market principles within those confines. While its economic roots lay in the circumstances of its founding, the Technate economy is primarily grown from the intial economies of Luna, though now varying in orders of scale. After a difficult transition period during and following the fall, the Technate economy ranges from still extant he3 extraction and processing to orbital smelting and construction to media. Technate interest in the inner asteroid belt it also notable, given it is still a source of valuable material, and defending these mining convoys remains a key aspect of Technate policy. Despite the maturity of Luna and its habitability in the modern era, The Technate is not as densely populated as some parts of the Solar System, such as Venus or Mars, and the transition to a more closed economical system has seen much of its workforce for manual tasks become automated, aswell as a diversification and automation of much of its lower end industrial capacity. While once compounded by a lack of industrial base in some respects a series of plans and developments have seen old high-tech industry retooled to serve consumer industries and new, more efficient industrial centres created across the surface and in orbit. On Earth, Technate territories are mostly self sustaining, and primarly produce most manufactured goods used in consumer industries of the Technates and also are involved in exports on Earth itself. Nearly all other economic activity on Earth is placed into developing and defending these territories rather than being diverted to Luna and vice versa. Having transitioned from a mixture of multi-stellar corporate models, however, the Technate has been able to put extraordinary work towards eliminating most waste and inefficiencies, particularly in regards to fusion generation and logistical supply chains. However, much of the Technate's outgoings are licensed intellectual properties and high-tech components typically used to maintain those products, and that shows little signs of changing. [b][u]Military:[/u][/b] The Technate Military The Technate Military is at its core an academy based, voluntary system which makes up the majority of peace and war time troops. It consists of three official branches and their constituent subbranches - The Technate Custodial Fleet often referred to as the Technate Navy, The Custodial Corps and the Technate Information Bureau (TIB). The Technate commits to the concept of war and its associated doctrines with the matter of enforcing its survival through punching above its weight with a force possessing superior technological force - and when this is impossible, to apply sufficient applicable force to make concepts such as invasion of Technate territory itself too bloody to entertain. The strength of the Technate Military is consequently dependent on its elite backbone found within the co-operating branches of the Custodians and the application of the ground forces, despite their large degree of automation and advancement, ideally never at all, and only when occupation is paramount. The Technate consequently relies heavily on automation, reconnaissance, advanced deceptive electronics and further its intelligence services and the standing defensive strength of its Navy to deter aggressors and ultimately resolve conflicts - preferably before they enlarge and threaten Luna itself. The Custodial Corps The Custodial Corps are a small but highly trained force mostly centered around, primarily, small corps sized Marine Groups who can be rapidly deployed or withdrawn. The Technate maintains a training regimen for "army" grouped size operations of Marines in concert with standard infantrymen, though most of these forces are entirely automated or remotely operated. Each Committee maintains a militia, automated or otherwise that can be suborned to the Custodial Corps Command - as defined under the Technate Charter - and they are the ones responsible for the large part of peace time troop deployments and maintaining a standing defence force of infantrymen and associated equipment for the benefit of the Technate's Security. Technate Marines are typically a moderately armoured, highly mobile force trained primarily in securing space-borne assets in capture or seizure operations and in insertion into contested areas to sever command and control networks by seizure of essential enemy ground assets. Marines consequently rely on speed, agility, and an efficient utilization of intelligence and and other support to effectively cripple an enemy and eliminate them piecemeal, though elements of "bulwark" or heavily armoured marines exist. The Army at large however, does maintain an appropriate level of vehicle based support, although utilization of these assets, in doctrine, at least, requires orbital and air superiority. The Custodial Fleet The Custodial Fleet consists of a number of Fleets and dedicated Strike Battlegroups. Prevailing doctrine - in the case of offensive operations, would be for ships to switch jurisdiction to the regional command which most required them. The Technate Military has, largely, effected a unique mix of strong low level initiative and higher level lead by task - rather than a top to bottom lead by order doctrine that has been proved ineffective in most situations. Fleet Doctrine relies on large, "ships of the line" supported by its smaller cousins and screening by varying numbers of picket forces, in particular, drone carriers and automated defense ships. The Fleet is currently coordinated from the Aventus Complex on Luna, with orbital mirroring of operations conducted from Galatis Station. Technate Information Bureau Intelligence is paramount in any operation, and the Technate has inherited a history of corporate espionage that has brought this to the fore. The Bureau itself is arguably a "holding company" for intelligence from numerous sources, states and agencies, but has its own agents, agenda, and has ultimate control over all intelligence operations and branches, from domestic to foreign, as well as far reaching authority to accomplish its objectives with plausible deniability, with little regards to cost or collateral. The TIB remains free, largely, of political manoeuvring or games of influence by its control being tied into the civil service - however, it is overseen by an appointed Provost selected by the Directorate. [hider=Fleet Equipment] This Article Serves to provide a brief look at common Technate Naval Equipment, including vessels typically reserved for civilian duty but often found occupying military logistical roles. The Custodial Fleet has largely scrapped, phased out or retrofitted its lighter pre-fall corporate security designs, with none in front-line service, and has nearly completely eliminated all pre-great war large ships from its black reserve fleets. Most modern reserves are filled with the ad-hoc design "new builds" of the civil war design testing era, most of which have now been replaced with modern, effective ships since the completion of appropriate orbital infrastructure to maintain front-line warships. [i]TNT Argos Transport[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/Kww5svm.jpg[/img] The industrious and aged Argos has become the standard military transport vehicle for the fleet. Argos sometimes carry new weapons and combat craft prototypes to and from testing grounds or to front-line deployment positions. Military VIPs occasionally commandeer Argos' to travel from installation to installation in some semblance of comfort. Argos are most often used as assault transports, carrying squads of Marines through heavy flak to board enemy vessels that Command has decided to capture rather than destroy. The Argos improved upon on its predecessor, the TNT Elysium, greatly increasing transport capacity, and is generally much more survivable due to much heavier armor. Defensive armament, however, remained deficient at only 2 Turret mounts and the Argos still requires escort to survive hostile situations. [i]TNL Anemoi[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/iTnxIXi.jpg[/img] Logistics vessels are the newest class of support vessels commissioned by the Technate navy. These mammoth ships serve as an all-around support ship, combining freight hauling capabilities with field repair stations and medical facilities. They are an indispensable asset to long-range battle groups that are expected to undergo long-term operations far from friendly outposts. They are however, effectively super-freighter sized craft with the armament of a basic trade freighter, and require the appropriate defense afforded to them. The Anemoi however effectively allows a fleet or task force to operate at great lengths of time without a considerable supply chain or infrastructure to support technate vessels. [i]TNSS Oculus[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/tSurV2w.jpg[/img] The Oculus is a class of fleet support ship designed to provide dedicated ECM/ECCM cover, sensor coverage and other similar tasks and roles in exclusivity to all else. The designs signature dome provides it with a dedicated sensor suite that can be fed into small fleet elements that may lack comprehensive systems or are operating away from other support, or used to assault or confuse hostile sensor grids. [b]Strike Craft:[/b] The Technate maintains a force of Strike Craft with sapient pilots for specific operations, as well as numerous automated rebuilds and drone swarms as its main strike craft element. All designs listed here are the piloted versions. [i]FNF Loki:[/i] [img]WIP[/img] The Loki is a Imperial Era, privtely designed fighter that was used by Orion Advanced Technologies as a security escort just before the Fall for corporate security and then put into production as a stealth fighter by the Technate. Its hull and reactor were specially designed to make it invisible to nearly all forms of detection sensors. However, a minor flaw in its design, discovered shortly after the its initial production run in Sol, nearly completely nullified the Loki's stealth capabilities, reducing it into a heavily armed reconnaissance fighter. It later became an staple part of the Technates's fighter forces during the Solar Cold Wars. Its high speed, weapons compatibility, and maneuverability is offset by its low armor and weapons capacity. All the same, the Loki remains a capable heavy recon fighter - while not invisible, remaining difficult to detect. The Loki is armed with 2 Primary Cannon Banks of 2 Guns each, and has space for upto 20 Secondaries in its two side mounts. [i]TNF Myrmidon:[/i] [img]WIP[/img] A result of the "New Navy Project" undertaken by the Technate, Kamiko Aeronautical’s TNF Myrmidon replaced the Ulysses as the Technate’s primary space superiority fighter. The Mymidon has received high marks for speed, maneuverability, armor, and loadout. An ultra-efficient hull configuration provides for the mounting of three secondary fire control systems, a first for Technate fighters. This versatility enables space superiority squadrons to fulfill a range of combat roles, from light assault to heavy reconnaissance. In practical application, the 22nd Starknight's of the TNC Perachora have demonstrated the effectiveness of the Myrmidon against pirate and insurrectionist forces alike. The Myrmidon is armed with 1 Primary Cannon Bank and 1 Secondary, of 4 and 2 Guns each respectively. The Myrmidon retains space for up to 80 secondaries in 3 Banks, depending on missile type. [i]TNF Perseus:[/i] [img]WIP[/img] The TNF Perseus was and is the newest fighter in the Technate arsenal. Slated to replace the aging Valkyrie as the Technates primary interceptor, the Perseus's high max speed and maneuverability make it ideal to hunt and destroy enemy bombers. Perseus fighters have been assigned to the 1st Battle Group on a trial basis, with wide deployment expected after the OpEval period. Primary weapons (of 2 Banks totaling 4 guns) include the Subach HL-7 and Prometheus cannon, with secondary loads of Harpoon and Hornet missiles, of which she can carry up to 80 in 2 banks. Preliminary results have shown the Perseus to be a superb fighter. [i]TNF Hercules Mk2:[/i] [img]WIP[/img] The TNF Hercules Mark II is the next generation of Technate heavy assault fighter. Introduced during the Fall, the original Herc's balance of firepower and maneuverability made it the most versatile strike fighter in the corporate security fleet and of immediate interest for licensing. Some military historians have claimed the Hercules single handedly ended piracy in local Lunar Orbit, citing its deployment in key battles with pirate forces near the end of the Fall era in Sol. Implementing recent advances in fusion drive technology, the Mark II improves the assault fighter's speed and maneuverability without sacrificing loadout capacity. The Hercules is armed with 2 well placed cannon banks of 2 Guns each, and retains space for 180 Secondaries in its two missile banks. [i]TNF Erinyes:[/i] [img]WIP[/img] A result of the "New Navy Project", the TNF Erinyes craft are still regarded as being fresh off the drawing boards of Hermes Dynamics. Though fast and heavily armored, their main attraction is firepower. With two banks totaling eight primary guns and two secondary weapon bays with a capacity for 90 secondaries, Erinyes are at the top of the combat craft food chain. Both sets of weapon banks have been designed to maximize compatibility with the greatest possible number of weapon system. Erinyes-class ships are being evenly distributed through the Technate fleet, but only elite pilots are currently authorized to fly them. [i]FNB Ursa:[/i] [img]WIP[/img] The FNB Ursa is the slowest bomber in the Technate fleet. What it lacks in speed, however, it more than makes up with its massive payload. The Ursa was the first bomber designed specifically to destroy capital ships. With a rack of Helios bombs, in addition to a standard complement of Hornet missiles and Prometheus cannon, a squadron of Ursas have the potential to take out a heavy capital ship if it is caught without support. Ursas have the highest shielding of any bomber, along with a TIB-designed hyper-dense hull. These help ensure that the Ursa gets close enough to deliver its payload and possibly even survive the escape. The Ursa hosts 2 Primary banks totaling 4 guns each and retains capacity for 240 Secondaries. [i]TNB Zeus:[/i] [img]WIP[/img] Another product of former TIB R&D, the Zeus strike bomber is a worthy successor to the Athena. Its balanced design and increased reactor capacity give it remarkable speed for a bomber, yet still remains capable of carrying the powerful capital cracker bombs. These features make the Zeus a versatile and effective weapon against capital ships. The TNB Zeus is the fastest of all currently active Technate bombers. It replaced the fleet's old Athena bombers as they were mothballed during the years following the Fall. Though slightly slower than the Athena, the Zeus's heavier armor and armament give it a much better battlezone survivability rate. The Zeus hosts 2 Primary banks totaling 4 guns each and retains capacity for 120 Secondaries. [b]Support Vessels:[/b] [i]TNCrv Minos[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/le2a4mz.jpg[/img] The Minos is the most prolific vessel in the Technate Navy - easy to construct, requiring a small crew and yet moderately armed and defended, it serves as the main element of patrol forces, picket forces and is the main element of far flung trade defense, outpost cover and reconnaissance conducted by the Technate's military. The Minos is also a favourite for isolated outpost defense, not requiring orbital infrastructure to produce or maintain. [i]TNCrv Bellerophon Class Corvette[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/w92aRuY.jpg[/img] The TNCrv Bellerophon Corvette was the first corvette design to enter service in place of the aging Eclipse design, and was the first ship of her class to mount modern weapons such as the Trinity-class main cannon. The Bellerophon, while sporting more turrets than the average Eclipse Corvette, is not as heavily armored as more recent designs, and her Trinity Cannon configuration is noticably weaker than that of the larger Chimera class. The Bellerophon has thus become the main escort vessel of the Technate fleet, Bellerophon-class multi-role corvettes fill the role of anti-ship combat and capital escort admirably. Possessing a anti-capital ship beam array and several short-ranged heavy turrets that provide significant firepower, the Bellerophon is also blessed with a surplus of reactor energy to provide an appreciable boost in speed. [i]TNFG Chimera Class Frigate:[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/RmGEVIW.jpg[/img] The TNFG Chimera is the latest frigate design produced by the Technate Navy. Mounting three very powerful long-range beams in a forward configuration, the Chimera is designed specifically to engage craft at range and inflict maximal damage before coming in to weapons range of its target. The Trinity-class main cannons are derivatives of Mesonic technology, extremely powerful but so power-hungry that plasma must be vented directly from the main reactors to fire. The Chimera is more heavily armored than its lighter cousin, the Bellerophon. The result is a slower-propulsed but better-armed variant of the Bellerophon chassis, with new hull plating taking advantage of breakthroughs in armour research. [i]TNFG Pharos Class Frigate[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/R594PVj.jpg[/img] Whilst the Pharos programme retrofitted dozens of existing or under construction vessels for use in a greater stealth programme, it also called for a bespoke design to function both as an independent recon vessel and as an element of small strike groups operating under stealth protocols. The result was the eponymous Pharos itself, a stealth vessel of moderate armament, but with comprehensive stealth and other support systems that also make it a valuable addition to fleet forces. Many Cruiser variants of the Pharos exist, as new technology has allowed upscaling of the Frigate design. [i]TNDD Xianfeng Class Destroyer:[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/v72oZgh.jpg[/img] The TNDD Xianfeng was developed shortly after the Fall as a testbed for fusing new energy reactors with a specially designed hull, preceded by the success of the Aeolus redesign in Solar combat trials. The Xianfeng combines the anti-fighter capabilities and speed of the Aeolus and the armour of the obsolete Leviathan. As such, the Xianfeng is a formidable target for lighter craft and ships to engage. The Titania was the first ship to mount next generation pulse weaponry after successful testing. The Titania is rapidly filling the ranks of the Technate Navy, phasing out earlier destroyer models. [i]TNDD Aeolus Class Destroyer:[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/0nP4rU1.jpg[/img] The TNDD Aeolus was the first destroyer class ever produced by the Orion Advanced Technologies shipyards orbiting the colony of Pacifica. Only sixteen of these destroyers were initially ordered and put into service in the local regions defense forces, with the first production ending a decade before the Fall. In Sol, newbuild Aeolus's were initially assigned primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against strike wings and lighter craft at the onset of the mass conflict in the system, as these vessels were severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service at the time. Their flak and AAA turrets did serve as marvellous deterrents to smaller craft, however. The refinement of the new generation of particle beam weaponry during the Fall led to the redesign and recommissioning of the Aeolus class in the Technate itself. With the design of the Aeolus greatly suited to acting as a testbed for the new weaponry, this added a significant punch to the destroyer and led to the revolutionary design of anti fighter and ordinance beam weaponry, as such the Aeolus became a mainstay of combat fleets after the Fall. [b]Capital Ships:[/b] [i]TNCR Procellarum Class Cruiser[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/n1TAoB5.jpg[/img] Procellarum-class cruisers are the newest addition to the Technate cruiser fleet. These sleek, ultra-modern warships are the products of a new era of ship design, maximizing manoeuvrability and firepower. Their hulls are strengthened with collapsed-core molybdenum sheathing for better protection against beam fire, and their custom-designed reactor core provides more energy per ton than any other Technate ship class. As the Leviathan and Fenris cruisers of the pre and early post fall era were gradually phased out, these cruisers have become the foundation of tomorrow's fleet. [i]TNCR Luna Class Heavy Cruiser[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/UQ4oaWT.jpg[/img] The Luna was envisioned as a heavy hitter for situations where the Procellarum were not quite capable enough, built using the same design philosophy and technologies as the Oberon, and utilizing lessons learned from its design and construction, the Luna was born as a powerful heavy cruiser, forming a back line for strike forces and a compliment to Technate battle lines in fleet formations. [i]TNBC Sanctuary Class Battlecruiser:[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/VU1BJ9O.jpg[/img] The Sanctuary was designed as a compliment to the pre-fall Deneb Class Battleship several years after its design. Touting notable but more limited capital grade weaponry with fewer heavy turrets and a limited beam capacity, the Sanctuary's strength lies in her anti-fighter, electronic warfare suites and anti-ordinance capabilities. While large and somewhat vulnerable to a concentrated attack by larger ships, the Sanctuary's purpose was simply to shore up the Deneb's weaknesses. The Sanctuary overhaul campaign has, very quietly, stripped away some of the limitations of the construction capacities of the Technate post-fall and made the Sanctuary less complimentary and more effective in its own right. [i]TNBB Orion Class Battleship[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/6zHuS3c.jpg[/img] The Orion is the mainstay capital ship of the Technate Navy. A fearsome, modern build vessel now replacing the ageing and obsolete Deneb, the cost to build one of these has been challenged by multiple departments in the Technate. There is, however, no more important symbol of modern Technate Pride than a ship like the Orion cruising past Uranus, patrolling the local system and ensuring safety. The Orion class has become the premier ship of the fleet, bristling with dozens of death-dealing weapons, the Orion is as awesome in repose as it is in battle. All Orions have been fitted with the latest anti-warship beam weapons, as well as rapid pulse beam turrets for dealing with lighter craft. The Orion's own hangar bays also accommodate a number of strike and support craft for close in support. [i]TNCV Petrovna Class Carrier[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/EswNJua.jpg[/img] The Petrovna, named for the eponymous former director, is the latest dedicated carrier design in use by the Technate. Whilst many Technate ships have small craft, automated or otherwise, or drone capabilities, the Petrovna is a platform dedicated to that practice, featuring a number of drone assembly arrays to replenish lost stocks as appropriate. The Petrovna is armed lightly for a capital ship, predominantly with point defense weaponry though she is armed with a few capital grade weapons. Her true strength lies in her almost exclusive drone armament and is capable of providing co-ordinated drone cover for Technate naval groups in combat and drone recon groups when not. [i]TNDN Gaea Class Dreadnaught[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/EoUflOd.jpg[/img] The Gaea was a product of the solar systems isolation. Whilst envisioned as a much smaller technological test bed in the Fall, realities ended the initial Gaea project before it begun. Lacking the capacity post-fall to produce new ships, the Gaea was largely forgotten for decades until new orbital infrastructure came online. Redesigned as a new capital ship with the latest in advanced technologies, the Gaea were the largest, most expensive and, for their time, most technologically advanced vessels ever produced by the Technate, with a single Gaea requiring a custom built, entirely dedicated shipyard and construction crew and drones in the tens of thousands. Only a few Gaea have came off the plate by today, however, and were consequently the only ones produced before their construction was limited by lack of resources. Built around a veritable array of newly designed particle lances, drone launchers and turret banks, the Gaea has, as a design, largely met expectations. [b]TNFC Solaris Command Ship[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/kJyL0ma.jpg[/img] The Solaris is classed by the Technate as a next generation "Fleet Command" ship, and is designed foremost with this in mind, capable of co-ordinating, if necessary, multiple fleets in real time as well as co-ordinating support from disparate forces, including its own onboard complement of close-in support craft. However, the Solaris is considered to be of the dreadnaught class, and as of laying down the prototype possessed the largest singular particle beam weapon ever conceived running the length of the vessel, as well as being equipped with a number of smaller and far more conventional variants of turret banks and drone and missile launchers. The Solaris lacks somewhat in defensive emplacements, relying on its heavy armour and the power capacity of its shields to a certain extent, but is never meant to be found unsupported by at least the totality of a Strike Group, if not a fleet. Using an upscaled Gaea shipyard, the Second, non-prototype Solaris is currently nearing completion. [/hider] [hider=On Ground Equipment] Technate ground equipment is a mixture between redesigned and seized pre-fall heavy assets, such as the range of Mechanised Walker units produced by Orion for numerous military and civil reasons, repurposed or overhauled with newer advances as time has progressed, as well as a number of modular ground designs pioneered around the hover chassis for use as support for heavier less mobile assets. In particular, hover variants for anti-infantry, anti-tank and anti-air are prevalent, as well as a moderate core of general purpose combat vehicles. In other fields, A number of variants of space-borne assets exist for use in atmosphere. Whilst extensive theory and testing has concluded large naval assets are a liability in combat where orbital, aerial, or ground based batteries can eliminate surface ships from extreme range without consequence, a number of stealth craft exist for use in a surface and sub-surface capacity. [/hider] [b][u]History:[/u][/b] In the years of the expanding empire, the Orion Advanced Technologies corporation (and its many subsiduaries) had prospered with it, adapting as needs be to provide military and civil technologies to the Empire, and by the time of the fall was a not inconsequential player given its products and cash reserves. When the Empire broke down, eyes turned to the Solar System. What the Corporations were up to was of little immediate concern when the Empire, and the Solar System, were being engulfed in flame. In a series of most audacious meetings, Orion Advanced Technologies and 7 Other corporations, some big and some small, but most importantly, all with large stakes on Luna, for the corporate scramble and investment even before terraforming had been vast, came together for the cause of shared profit margins. As such, the Sol System was to be a boon in regards to testing and observation - quietly buying up or outright forcing out competitors and private settlements on Sol, the amalgamated Applied Lunar Technologies Corporation, a holding company for all 8 investors and nearly defacto controller of most of the moons important industries and starports overnight, came to effectively operate the area on behalf of Orion Advanced Technologies and its cohorts, co-opting the local nobility and engaging in healthy outright bribery in most cases where Imperials noticed anything was changing - or other ideological groups got too close. As matters progressed, the threat of their limited but powerful private off the book forces was also of value, and they were free to observe the impact of their sales and had a vast local presence to provide amendments, production and further research, over time each of these corporate players would end up pouring much of their mobile assets into the system until the destruction of the jump gate severed Sol from the rest of Human space. This was less than ideal for profit margins. With contact with HQ not possible and what was essentially a vastly oversized R&D Department, supported by dozens of corporate assets poured into the system, now cut off from much of its greater support systems in what was now an isolated and somewhat overly hostile environment was also not ideal. Internal power struggles would define much of the next period, but ultimately a restructuring into the Technate would follow, incorporating leading investor Orion's assets on Luna and in orbit, but slowly but surely consuming wholesale all of the players who had poured so much into their Lunar endeavours before enthusiastically eliminating any hostile forces remaining - turning its offices elsewhere into Embassies where practical, merging crumbling territories that had been co-opted in the civil conflicts by Orion's offers of assistance and outright corruption, and officially inaugurating its not inconsequential private forces as an official military, whilst buying out every amenable Imperial soldier who no longer had a war to fight. On Earth, Various corporate subsidiaries and aid programmes had been spread across the planet for both good will and more practical purposes. Most of these were withdrawn over time, particularly as the situation stabilised, however both through these and outright bribery and corruption, if not co-option, the Technate came to control the Brazilian Amazon Reclamation project due to its historical terraforming experimentation importance, vital to projects throughout Sol - and ultimately much of the greater region itself fell to Technate governance, re-organised as the Brazilian Technate - similar economic interests also ultimately resulted in much of southern and southwestern Africa falling under Technate governance as the Pan-Bantu Technate, and its economic importance to the varied needs of the Technate cannot be underestimated. These territories are governed somewhat differently, though as grand and sub-committees within the Technate structure, with the Technate being Empire-friendly some adjustments have been necessary. However, the Technates position was precarious - Luna required a period of rebuilding and economic re-orientation, and so it turned to its primary assets, technology, to serve as its bargaining chip and to underpin the basis of its defense. As such, a vast program of shipbuilding that would take decades were undertaken, relying on the existing forces and defense grid of Luna - as well as the lucrative offer of advanced technologies and other economical bribes to ensure the time would exist for such a gambit. The decades since have seen a stalwart defense of territories on Earth, with a more aggressive defense of Local Lunar orbit and Lunar shipping where it is attacked, but little offensive action from the Technate itself, who has mostly concerned itself with maintaining a certain status quo - though it has since aligned itself with the Empire if not for ideological reasons then to prevent civil unrest and for more practical reasons. [b][u]Characters:[/u][/b] [hider=Gaea] [img]https://i.imgur.com/A0iySAK.jpg[/img] [i]Gaea typically takes an artistic form of the mythological mother earth.[/i] Gaea is defined by the Technate as a sapient artificial intelligence/construct created by Orion Advanced Technologies some time prior to the fall of the Empire for use in all fields of study, administration, strategy and beyond. Very little information other than this and its connection to the Hecatoncheires is available publically, and little seems to be changing in that respect. It is known however that the breadth of the program was highly classified and largely kept from the Empire. In truth, Gaea is more than an advanced artificial intelligence. Gaea is an extremely vast, multi-core, completely unrestricted and fully sapient artificial lifeform, made up of several distinct and incredibly advanced AI cores as well as numerous nodes classed as Hecatoncheires, who are networked into the AI itself, by consent, and retain control of their individuality. Gaea was initially created as a corporate project for the new breed of AI - taking into consideration most AI were created non-sapient or consequently shackled in order to prevent their rampancy, vast amounts of money and research were poured into the project as well as the prospect of long-term mind immersion that did not subvert human individuality for any such individuals that were immersed in an AI, let alone a network of individual cores. The result was Gaea, Gaea's multiple cores are each individual Ai who collectively form a lifeforms subconcious - taking previous multi-core safeguards (each core operates with the assent of the majority of the others) and although the cores are not shackled in any way, their number, integration with human components, and how each core forms a facet of Gaeas persoanlity were deemed acceptable and ultimately a success during thorough and vigorous testing. Gaea was consequently deployed in part to the Sol system to assist in the projects there, ultimately having all her primary and secondary cores located in the Sol system by the time of the gate collapse. The Technate consequently created a number of experimental tertiary cores and began a larger integration of consenting participants to enhance Gaea's capabilities far beyond what was initially conceived, including a number of once purely theoretical systems into all of her cores. Gaea has remained a primary resource for technological advancement, as well as efficient administration in the Technate, and is valued highly as a private citizen by the Technate. By the few who have shared information, Gaea is regarded as somehwat of an oddity given the higher echelons of Technate society, in that while immensely intelligent, and at times arrogant or haughty for it, she largely appears grounded, friendly and far more willing to help than some of the Directorate. In many respects, she is regarded as motherly, fitting given her mythological naming. Gaea has also been regarded as largely pacifistic in outlook, yet despite this fact she is involved in Military and Intelligence decisions that are far from this trait. Nonetheless, to outside intelligence services or even other AI who have attempted to probe her, and consequently have an inkling of what lies beneath, she is regarded as an incredibly potent threat.[/hider] [hider=Director Amundsen] Director Gunnar Amundsen is the first director born, raised and educated in the Technate, being born on Oberon and educated in the premier schools and universities of Luna. Ascending to Provost of the Agricultural Bureau and then to the Directorship in a distinguished academic and political career. Amundsen has pursued a continuation of tried and tested Technate policies, particularly in increased defense and development programs, as well as pursuing further diplomatic ties with friendly governments. Amundsen has also more fully integrated Gaea into day to day high level governance given her efficacy, whilst keeping the true extent of her capabilities from foreign governments where possible. Gunnar Amundsen is a child of the Technate, however, and believes that technological progress is the only path to survival, if not ascendancy. [/hider] [hider=Duchess Mariana Beatriz Ana de Sousa] Duchess Mariana Beatriz Ana de Sousa, more typically refered to as Duchess de Sousa, is the premier individual of the extant nobility in the Technate, though based on Earth in the Brazilian Technate, the de Sousa family has not inconsiderable holdings throughout the Technate, and beyond, and considers itself speakers for the nobility within the Technate as a whole, and given their influence over the other nobles, one finds it hard to argue. Nonetheless, Duchess de Sousa remains pragmatic, and largely co-operative with much of the Technates policies, though there is some friction. Whilst unmarried and childless, the Duchess has retained her families influence and has used her own guile to further her families already notable reptuation, though pressure within the Technates nobility to produce an heir and secure that position has grown somewhat considerable, particularly from traditional entrenched elements of the Lunar nobility. [/hider] [hider=High Warden Christopher Minnaar] The High Warden serves as the highesst authority of the Custodial Fleet and Army and serves as their unified commander, though generally much of the highest echelons of the Army/Marines is delegated in power to a designated High Executor. Christopher was appointed a decade ago and has seen the finalisation of the New Navy Project as well as the realisation of the Solaris Project, and is largely considered as a pragmatic if reserved commander of the Technate Military, of particular interest is his implementation of the Lunar Security Zone enforcing Technate Authority through a self-proclaimed "economic" zone which also includes a somehwat contentious supply corridor for Lunar Mining Expeditions to the belt, in which Technate authority is enforced with patrols and without exception.[/hider] ------------------------------ [hider=Notable Lunar Locations] - [hider=Lunar Defense Grid] Much like other terraforming projects, the Lunar Atmosphere, prior to its completion was reinforced by an array of space and ground based shielding projectors, which were re-purposed as a foundation for a "planetary" defense grid. As most of the infrastructure used for retention was taken away by other technological processes and the generators gained capacity to shield the surface from orbital attack, the new Lunar Defense Grid took shape. The Empire consequently judged, quite correctly, that Luna was a gateway to Earth and its previous defences were quite insufficient, and in this regard, reinforced this repurposed and refitted shield grid with a number of ground and orbital emplacements - most of which were co-opted or taken during the fall of the Empire, with subsequent Technate investment replacing damaged sections and overhauling out of date ones. The near complete coup of taking over the defense grid, largely possible due to the entanglement of corporate investment in such a vast project, is likely one of the few things that enabled the creation of the Lunar Technate and its ability to remain independent in the face of a number of threats that have been presented since the Fall. A great deal of the orbital infrastructure has now been replaced by ground based facilities, though much of the actual defensive weaponry remains primarily orbital. Inordinate amounts of resources and brainpower have gone into the Lunar Defense Grid, given the smaller size of the Technate Fleet. It presents a possible impediment to even assets in Earth Orbit whose own once formiddable defenses lay in the history texts, though the Technate has yet to take this aggressive posture.[/hider] [hider=Tycho Orbital Transport System] The Tycho Orbital Transport System consists of the eponymous Tycho Space Elevator, located on Isla Tycho in the Mare Procellarum, as well as a number of orbital way stations, automated transport craft and Luna Orbital Control which serves as the counteerweight for the Tycho Space Elevator. Although the original Tycho existed before the terraforming of Luna - and subsequently it was factored into the orbital grid, the modern Tycho has been nearly wholesale reconstructed to eliminate a number of weakpoints it presented in the defensive grid after terraforming - although not all could be completely ameloriated. The Tycho Orbital Transport system functions as one of the primary avenues for heavy cargo and utilizes its other facilities to ensure the Elevator retains a constant uptime. Whilst some immense cargo ships utilize the largest startports on Luna, these facilities largely serve civil passanger traffic and the majority of light cargo. The system was the Tycho Transport Corporations main breadwinner on Luna and consequently it was easily subsumed largely intact by the Technate upon founding. Further optimization has gone into the system since, and it remains a key part of the orbital and sub-orbital landscape and freight distribution systems.[/hider] [hider=Marathon] Marathon is the purpose built capital of the Lunar Technate, initially incorporated five years after the founding of the Technate, amalgamating a number of smaller towns but founding a new city centre on the east coast of the Mare Procellarum. Marathon gradually increased in size and importance as functions and departments have moved from former temporary locations to the city, which was designed as a new model metropolis. Large amounts of automation and advanced technologies went into the creation of Marathon and it serves as a crown jewel of the Lunar Technate.[/hider] [hider=Artemisia] Artemisia was the old Imperial Governor's serving capital, and served as a temporary administration centre prior to the construction of the new city of Marathon. Artemisia was built after terraforming, relocating much of the former population of Artemisia Caverns - one of the largest underground lunar cities of the time. Artemisia Caverns itself serves as a museum in the modern era, and Artemisia is widely regarded as the second city of Luna, having recovered from extensive damage during the fall to become a cosmopolitan centre with a storied history featuring imperial architecture mixed with neo-colonial and modern technate styles. Artemisia is particularly popular with the Nobility, and is regarded as more than adequate for a Soíree.[/hider] [hider=Aventus Complex] The Aventus Complex, located at an undisclosed location and buried under a considerable amount of lunar soil serves as the headquarters of all martial affairs in the Technate - while some consider Galatis Station in orbit to be the headquarters of the Custodial Fleet, which it is, to a certain extent, it serves more as a reliable relay station for orders emerging from the vast Aventus Complex. Whilst the Aventus Complex is a purpose built military command centre, it also features a number of research departments of the Technate, which are more easily concealed from prying eyes. It is rumoured Gaea is located here, but given the number of cores and elements that make up Gaea, it is far more likely that only a portion of her processing power is truly resident[/hider] [hider=Tranquility Yards] The Tranquility Yards are the largest shipyards in Lunar Orbit, located in geosynchronous orbit above Mare Tranquillitatis. With a large number of orbital shipyards destroyed outright or heavily damaged in the fall, and Lunar Shipbuilding nowhere near as vast of that as Earth or other locations, the Technate turned to the yards at Tranquility. Originally a large shipbreaking yard with elements Lunarside, the Technate moved some of its former mobile construction yards to the site, repurposing a majority of the former holding and breaking yards in orbit - and on the surface - into transitionary shipyards for a new Lunar fleet. The Tranquility Yards still has a reputation for efficient shipbreaking to this day, though now it is a large centre of modern shipbuilding with only a few of the original and transitional yards remaining, which are generally used for maintanence of older ships. While Tranquility Yards remains the largest, most of the damaged orbital yards were restored, though former destroyed yards were in turn simply rebuilt at Tranquility.[/hider] [hider=Apollo University] Apollo University is the premier educational institute on Luna, though it is closely matched by New Oxford University, Nozomi University, and the Bolivarian Technical Institute. Most of the upper echelon of the Lunar Elite have at least spent a semester at Apollo, and its mark has now long been recognized on the governance of the Technate. The Apollo University is also notable for its exquisite original lunar lander display as well as an onsite museum devoted to lunar artifacts and the history of the colonization of the moon.[/hider] [/hider] ----------------------------------- [hider=Foreign Affairs] Mercury: ? Second Panhuman Empire: The Lunar Technate supports the Empire as a continuation of previous imperial authority, and a number of agreements exist supporting cordial relations, with a number of intricacies including imperial nobility and other matters. This has not yet, however, matured into military support from the Technate. SolSec: The Technate provides a number of advanced components to SolSec to avoid hostilities, but this is largely the measure of relations between the AI and the Technate. Catequil Syndicate: ? Mars: ? Belt Syndicates: ? Spartan Division: ? Jovian Kingdom: ? Duchy of Callisto: ? Legion: ? Port Europa: ? Neptune: ? Uranus: ? Pluto: ? Planet X: ? [/hider] [/hider]