[OOC] The Last Laugh

[Archetype Zero]

@Sierra Told him to check with Oz about the Blink Drive (he was rather adamant about not using FTL in gravity wells), otherwise good job.

[Archetype Zero]

He is currently asleep as well, we'll see his response in several hours.

[Ozerath]

More sheets to look at >.< I'm still catching up on the ones I let Siggy approve so I know what's actually going on around here.

Alright I'll poke my nose into this Blink Drive thingy.

[Sierra]

If we take the gravity well definition to its absolute conclusion then you'd never be able to use FTL if you're within 100AU of any star.

I've been operating under the loose assumptions that:

• orbital space gets increasingly cluttered stretching from geostationary all the way down to the karman line and relativistic collisions become increasingly likely ...
• subspace becomes increasingly turbulent as you get closer to a large mass object, becoming dangerous to traverse ...
• The Ashtar fortress a Agdemnar is throwing off heavier subspace disturbances than usual, increasing the hazard zone on that hemisphere.

It thus becomes a bad idea to jump inside of geostationary for any developed world (without going through space traffic control), and basically impossible to jump in closer than ~4-5 planetary radii (unless the goal is to smack into the planet and be annihilated, or be uncontrollably slingshotted halfway across the star system).

I'm also playing a bit fast & loose with it because in-system warp is technically slower than light, due to the primary FTL system I wrote being hard stopped all the way out at termination shock.

[Archetype Zero]

@Sierra All solid assumptions and conclusions, but we have to play the game that Oz wants us to play: he stated quite clearly that in-system warps and especially in-combat warps are a no-go. Unless Oz feels like making an exception (like he did with my wormhole travel gates, to some degree), then we can only assume that in-system FTL drives and more commonly referred "jump drives" that can allow scenarios like aforementioned "in-combat warps" and "in-system FTL" is a negatory to delve on.

We can naturally take these statements and logically conclude why that would happen, and how it can be mitigated, but that would also mean that we're willingly jumping through loopholes in the original desired scenario (thusly ignoring the specifics of the rules that Oz crafted).

Then naturally, we can also extrapolate from there, that should others acquire the same technology, the rule itself can be easily ignored given enough time development and technological sharing/scavenging and retro-engineering.

[Archetype Zero]

It seems Ozerath feels like he was a bit vague with the rules, he should be making a statement in the following so I'll let him tell us what he is okay with.

[Ozerath]

Blink drive is pretty much fine, just will also need to respect the newly specified 1 light-minute interdiction zone around all planets and stars.

[Archetype Zero]

For clarity, that interdiction zone does not discriminate between FTL (he said this in the discord in a discussion with myself about the topic).

[null123]

.

[KaiserElectric]

So before I get started on making a CS, what's the state of the story thus far? Any issues or events I should be caught up on?

[Archetype Zero]

@KaiserElectric So far, the biggest incidents are a summit that is about to occur within Rolvius-space. In addition, warfare abound on Agdemnar, as well as a mysterious signal and object (mine) in the process of entering and (crash)landing within Ashtari (worshipers of the Ashtar) territory.

In addition, there're numerous movements all over Agdemnar, as well as political discourse and interaction between the more prominent political entities on the galactic scene.

So, basically, political movements left and right, all about the disappearance of the Ashtar and the attempts to acquire their mandate and technology.

[DX3214]

Also, a lot of people are just ditching the Detente Treaty

[Sierra]

[recinded]

[KaiserElectric]

@Archetype Zero@DX3214 Thank you, I'll make sure to bring that up when writing out my aliens. :D

[Archetype Zero]

@KaiserElectric No problem.

[DX3214]

@KaiserElectric You're welcome

[Predawnia]

@Sierra

Thanks for the feedback, I'll see what parts of it I can adapt into my nation sheet.

I'd also like to ask: Is some sort of standardised galactic calendar to track the passage of time in the RP or does everyone just sort of use the disappearance of the Ashtar/end of the Great War as a reference point? (Handwaving the fact that y'know, every planet takes a different amount of time to circle around their star leading to a large variance in what constitutes a 'year')

[Sierra]

I'll just contextualize the "1 light-minute" distance for everyone: ~18 million km. The extent of the gravity well for 1 Earth gravity: 1.5 million km ... or about 1/12th of that. Carrying that through to its logical conclusion has some pretty disastrous consequences for narrative & gameplay.

That number seems just a few orders of magnitude more severe than intended (which is why I used planetary radii earlier).

[Predawnia]

NS is practically finished. Pending a few more pictures of ships.

Imperial Union

Imperial Union of Kadath

Imperial Kadath/Union/Kadath/Imperial Union/The Patchwork Union (Derisively)

Minor Belligerent

General Information

Overview

A federal union encompassing the fragmented nation states of the planet Kadath and the various colonial territories of those aforementioned nation states. The Union is dominated by its founding species, the Saralai species who comprise some 95% of the population, although a variety of migrant alien species do exist. The Imperial Union is ostensibly a parliamentary democracy, but riddled with practically un-amendable constitutional clauses that concentrate the majority of power into the hands of an unelected, upper house as well as the reigning Imperial Monarch.
Relatively new to the galactic stage, having only achieved FTL technology nearly three and a half centuries ago, but has already proven itself as a regional power in the aftermath of the Great War.

History

The origins of the Imperial Union (1555 ASF to 1613 ASF, 400 to 342 years ago)
Entering the Space Age was not an act of luxury for the Saralain species, but a necessity. Pushed towards the stars by rampant, unrestrained industrialisation that saw the Saralai deplete nearly the entirety of Kadath's mineral wealth, in addition to the beginnings of an ecological collapse, the establishment of the first mining outposts in the asteroid belt came with relief to every man, woman and child on the planet. Followed by the establishment of primitive colonies on Kadath's moon, Iria and then terraforming operations on the nearby planet of Matros, the stage was set for a new era in Kadathi history.

Within the next century, further developments would go on to aid the process of colonization within the solar system; the emergence of sustainable fusion energy brought an end to the rather primitive method of nuclear propulsion (read: literally detonating nuclear bombs behind the craft to propel it forward), sparking a second wave of colonization.
Disputes soon emerged over construction rights, militarization rights, sovereignty rights and other limitless legal minutiae that stemmed from the implications of viable space travel. Surprisingly, it was not the nations of Kadath that came with the solution to this crisis, but a sidelined political and humanitarian body established nearly two centuries ago in the aftermath of the planet's first and only global conflict; The Global Congress.

Whilst regarded globally as nothing more than a talk-shop and 'club' for the victors of the Great Northern War, its reputation began to change as a triumvirate of Kadathi superpowers, the Valusian Empire, Provincial Union of Tyrrhia and Northern Alliance, alongside the rising powers of the Republic of Sona, Igna and the Free Cities of Skaga agreed after months of heated negotiations to grant the Congress full control of all non-economic affairs in the great expanse of space. This included everything from colonial spheres of influence down to specific asteroids, the formation of a joint anti-piracy and police force to the application of Valusian Common Law.

Under the banner of the Global Congress, order was maintained in the offworld colonies.
Under the banner of the Global Congress, the ancient disputes of the Kadathi nation states were (mostly) settled.
Yet it was not under the Global Congress' banner that the planet was unified.

The Founding of the Imperial Union and Outward Expansion (1613 ASF to 1804 ASF, 342 to 150 years ago)
Whilst the Global Congress was without doubt an effective governing body, it was oligarchic at best, dictatorial at worse. Its fundamental core structure was that of a diplomatic assembly jury-rigged into a byzantine intrasolar administration, with the Congress' Director directly appointed by and accountable only to the governments of Valusia, Tyrrhia and the Alliance. The Congress was in essence, subverted to do the dirty work of the Triumvirate, from suppressing protests in the mining colonies to the institution of what effectively amounted to military rule on the colony worlds of Iria and Matros. This was of course, a recipe for future disaster.

After a heavily publicised massacre of an unarmed miners' protest on Matros against what was perceived to be unfair working conditions, public opinion on Kadath began to turn heavily against the Congress. Under an emergency Imperial Edict from the contemporary Empress Cerula II, the Valusian Director was recalled back to the Imperial Capital of Rijkstad and forced to stand trial for what amounted to gross violations of Saralain Rights, found guilty and summarily sentenced to life imprisonment. Yet despite this, the damage was done and the reputation of the Congress was irreparably damaged. Thus in the year 1613 ASF the nation states of Kadath assembled at the city of Rijkstad to promulgate the formation of the Imperial Union of Kadath, a federal union that inherited much of the governing apparatus of the old Congress, but was at long last, accountable to the people of not only the homeworld, but the colonies as well.

The development of a functional FTL drive a decade later would spur a new wave of colonization from Kadath, with the Union at its head. Survey teams dispatched into the great beyond returned with tales of bountiful worlds to settle, and of exotic materials and strange lifeforms on their surface. Colonization rights to these worlds were doled out slowly and methodically by creatively titled 'Federal Charters', distributing regions of surveyed space to the nation states of Kadath to administer, colonize and exploit at their leisure. Whilst by no means distributed evenly, the various planetbound states of Kadath were not particularly interested in voicing complaint, since in the end, there was plenty of space to go around.

That line of thinking would prove true for almost two centuries.

The Union and the Ashtar (1804 ASF to 1924 ASF, 150 to 30 years ago)
It was around 20 years before the appearance of the Ashtar that the Saralai made first contact with another spacefaring alien race known as the Calacostran Primacy, and soon found themselves on the doorsteps of a galactic power far mightier than theirs. The Saralai took note of the imperialistic expansion of the Commonwealth as it subjugated and incorporated every nation unfortunate to stand in its way. The Union, knowing the Calacostrans were next on the chopping block began to prepare itself for an eventual fight. Attempting to save the Primacy from annexation was a foolish prospect and would likely result in the Saralai being subjugated alongside them. The Saralai had arrived too late to change the Primacy's fate, but still had enough time to change theirs.

Under an emergency naval bill, the Imperial Union rapidly militarized, bolstering the Federal Navy with the addition of a 2nd, 3rd and 4th Fleet, all the while instituting a system of limited conscription to ensure an adequate supply of manpower for the Navy, as well as ground forces and colonial garrisons. By the time the Ashtar appeared, the Federal Navy had expanded to over triple its original size, fielded numerous vessels and was prepared for the possibility of total war with the Commonwealth.

Originally met with skepticism and outright ridicule, the doubts of the Saralai were first weakened by the Ashtar display of overwhelming power against the fleets of the Commonwealth. These doubts then rebounded after the rather lacklustre response of the Ashtar towards the attempts of the Commonwealth to foster instability in the Primacy, before finally being dispelled with the deployment of Prevailing Tranquility over Praetoria.

The century of peace brought about by the Ashtar was one of the greatest eras of the Imperial Union. With the Commonwealth's future expansion essentially neutered, the Union was free to invest funds into less destructive affairs, namely the provision of development funds to many colonized worlds neglected during the two decades of militarization, as well as an opportunity to open up ties of trade and diplomacy with the rest of the galaxy through the use of the Ashtar-administered PsiNet. By the time the Ashtar up and vanished, the Saralai had developed into a regional economic and military power able to hold its own in the galaxy.

The Great War and Detente Era (1924 ASF to 1955 ASF, 30 years ago to the present day)
When the Great War finally broke out, the Saralai heartily threw themselves into the conflict to fight against the renewed expansionism of the Commonwealth and secure their independence once more. As the conflict dragged on however, the once-high morale of Federal Forces began to plummet as the war forced rationing of essential goods, economic stagnation and even capital flight as Saralai and foreign investors headed for the more optimistic economies of the neutral states. Losses began to mount in various battles as the fleets of the Kadathi Federal Navy flew from one conflict zone to the next with little time in between for any real repair and maintenance work to be done. It soon became abundantly clear that despite the optimistic projections of military planners when the Imperial Union first entered the war, sustaining a long term conflict was impossible without harsh, and perhaps near-catastrophic strains on every facet of the nation.

Though not the first to request for a ceasefire (after all, they didn't want to look like they were going to give up against the Commonwealth so easily), the Imperial Union joined the calls for peace after the 10th or so nation to do so. At the Conference of Madrigasa, the Saralai were the most vocal in calling for an indefinite ban on the construction of all dreadnought class vessels, as well as being the most adamant in demanding that a uniform hard limit be set for the number of battleships and battlecruisers able to be constructed by each nation. Of course, given the current terms of the Treaty of Detente, you can see that they weren't very successful with the latter.

In the Detente period that followed, the Imperial Union remained distrustful of whether the other signatories of the Treaty would actually bother to adhere to the stipulations. Consequently, R&D efforts were stepped up to begin the development and construction of the Union's own domestic dreadnought design, to be carried out in secret, as well as theoretical conception of advanced battleship and battlecruiser designs that could be deployed on the eve of another galactic war. Economic recovery efforts proved extremely successful in the past two decades, making up for much of the potential growth that was lost during the years of warfare. Nevertheless, many rim worlds still feel the pinch from the so-called 'Lost Decade' and many still hold doubts if Kadath could afford to fight another Great War.

Major Holdings

Kadath - The cradle of Saralain civilization and the administrative and financial hub of the Imperial Union. The seat of the Imperial Crown, and technically still the de-jure capital world of the Valusian Empire (despite the Empire having no jurisdiction over the planet), one of the constituent states of the Imperial Union. Rapid enginisation (see society section) brought about by an industrial revolution lasting three centuries, combined with increased levels of urbanisation and population growth have caused great ecological damage to this world. To even glimpse sunlight through the grey, smog-ridden clouds is considered a miracle. The ancient urban metropolises on the surface are contrasted by drab gray of automated industrial complexes established over the course of several centuries. With the majority of the population either being well-to-do capitalists, old nobility or bureaucrats in such close proximity to the Imperial Court, Kadath remains a hub of political intrigue, and according to some, the place where the real decisions are made in the Union.

Matros - Federal territory of the Imperial Union, and seat of the Federal Assembly and Senate. An urban metropolis of planned cities and clear, blue skies, great care has been taken by the Union Government to avoid Matros sharing the same fate as the Saralain homeworld. Located only about 1.25 Astronomical Units away from Kadath and occupying the same solar system, Matros was chosen as the political heart of the Union solely for its proximity to the homeworld, and thus the Imperial Crown, allowing for quick consultation between the legislature and the executive.

Asmann - De-facto Capital of the Valusian Empire, from which the Imperial Crown originates. A relatively quaint and rustic colony that has purposely eschewed urbanisation in favour of agrarian development. Once described as "reminiscent of an old feudal estate back on Kadath", structures on this world are constructed with a pre-space age aesthetic in mind, despite containing within advanced technology. No buildings are allowed to exceed five floors on this world with the exception of any administrative and financial buildings. As a result, much of the agriculture on this world occurs underground in subterranean tower-farms, the top levels of which are occasionally visible on the planet's surface.

Khulda Point - Referring to both the planet of Khulda Prime, and the nearby drydocks of "Emperor's Point", the Federally-administered system of Khulda alone is home to over half of the Union's naval production capabilities in addition to the High Command of the Federal Armed Forces. Located only 4.01 light years from Kadath, and thus the remainder of the Federal Governmental Apparatus, the research and development of naval designs as well as training and construction occurs here under the watchful eye of the Union's civilian government.

Far Port - An ocean world comprised mostly of archipelagos and atolls and the first port of call when entering the Union's core worlds. Whilst unfit for dense habitation, it serves as the gathering point for traders and ships seeking to move goods further into the Union and as a result, has a reputation for being both a cosmopolitan melting pot of different species. Arguably the most multicultural section of the rather homogeneous Union. Due to a combination of low taxes and almost non existent tariffs on shipping, many corporations in this region of the galaxy have chosen to make their headquarters on the planet, filling its limited landmass with gleaming corporate spires and a variety of trade centres and stock exchanges.

Demographics

Population

The vast majority (95%) of the Imperial Union's population consists of its founding species, the Saralai.

The Saralai are a humanoid race of mammalians ranging from 5ft to 6ft in height on average. As mammalian life forms, the Saralainn reproduce through the uterine birth of singular live offspring with a gestation period of 12 months. They exhibit very little body hair except on the head region, and have ears that are pointed upwards. Being mammals, their body regulates internal conditions through the process of homeostasis and operate best in temperate environments. Owing to the relatively mild temperature range of Kadath, from 253K in the winter months to 296K in the worst summers, the skin of the Saralai is relatively pale, though variations have started to emerge with the colonization of less temperate worlds.

At a distance, they could perhaps be mistaken for a fair-skinned human at a distance, though upon closer inspection, the trademark facial patterns and lack of rounded ears would certainly expel any doubts that they are in fact Saralain.

Latent psionic abilities are present within the Saralain species, although it manifests in less than 0.1% of the population. Users with psionic potential can be recognised by their characteristic golden eyes, with pupils that more closely resemble a household feline than that of their own species.

Society

In the Imperial Union, life varies greatly from planet to planet, and even between the constituent states which form the local administrations for many of these worlds. Colonial development was not uniformly spread during the age of expansion, and despite attempts in recent years to accelerate development of backwater rimworlds into properly Enginised planets, many still lag behind in development.
As an aside, the use of the term 'enginisation' is an inherited term from Kadath's industrial revolution era. In the modern day Imperial Union, the use of the word 'Enginisation' is roughly synonymous to the word 'Industrialisation', and likewise for 'Enginised' and other variations of the word 'Engine' and 'Industrial'. This has led to a particular change in the Saralai lexicon where 'Engine' has become a blanket term for an advanced computing system or piece of machinery, and what would normally be referred to as 'Engines' in the conventional sense of say, a car engine, would instead be referred to as a 'Drive' (as they provide the drive needed to propel a vehicle forward.

Nevertheless, the Federal Government does attempt to make life as pleasant as possible for its citizens, even those unfortunate enough to be residing on the fringes of Union space. Universal healthcare, free education to the secondary level, university grants, unemployment benefits as well various other services and benefits are provided to Union citizens from the core worlds all the way to the very edges of Imperial territory. Whilst these services may of course vary in quality and even implementation, the fact that they exist throughout the Union is a relief to every citizen and a key factor in dispelling any social unrest. Citizenship within the Union is granted on the basis of Jus Sanguinis; the right of blood. Of course, this proves somewhat problematic given that it effectively limits Union citizenship to the Saralain species, locking out any alien species from benefiting from the Union's social policies . To remedy this, reforms during the time of the Ashtar were hastily pushed through via Imperial Edict, granting automatic citizenship to the children of all second-generation migrants at the time of implementation, as well as granting all non-Saralai born within the Union the opportunity to apply for citizenship upon reaching the age of adulthood.

As for the Saralai themselves, their culture is quite individualistic, with a heavy emphasis placed on allowing the individual to pursue any path they wish in life. Every facet of Union society as a result, is geared towards facilitating this. The social safety net provides a fallback line for individuals who may face difficulties on the path they choose to tread whilst in education, a specialized system separates students at a young age into broad disciplinary 'streams' before increasing in specificity.

Whilst the Union has no official state religion, a variety of indigenous faiths do exist within the territory of the Union, alongside religions brought in by alien migrants. Of these indigenous beliefs, the title of "most widespread" is jointly held by the Universal Pantheon, an amalgamation of various ancient Saralai pagan faiths which share common deities, and are led by a chief deity known only by the moniker of the Tempest Queen. Contrasting the Pantheon is the Four-Tipped Faith, a monotheistic religion that extolls belief in a God with four aspects, namely the Patriarch, justice and bravery, the Matriarch, representing life and mercy, the Sage, representing knowledge and wisdom, and the Reaper, representing death, the unknown and pretty much everything else perceived as 'negative' in life.

Psionics and any so called 'psintegrae' are referred to within Saralai society as 'Llygaid', named after the Pantheon Deity Llyga who was reputed to have irises in the shade of gold. Whilst treated with some fear and superstition by the general populace, there is no active discrimination against psionic users within Union society. Most psionics are directed into government employment whether it be within the intelligence or military services, or as well compensated participants in state-sponsored experiments to study psychic phenomena.

Lastly, after several cases of accidental destruction of pre-FTL species during the age of expansion, the Saralai maintain extremely strict protocols for the handling of primitive civilizations within its space. Colloquially referred to as the "Four Commandments" in more derisive political circles, they can roughly be summed up as follows:

1) Do not contaminate pre-industrial civilizations:
Simply put, the landing of research teams for stealthed ground operations is strictly prohibited to avoid the risk of introducing foreign pathogens to the native biosphere of a planet when native technological development is too primitive to produce a vaccine. All research operations for pre-industrial civilizations are mandated to be conducted passively, from orbit in a specially constructed observation post.

2) Do not attempt to 'indoctrinate' pre-industrial civilizations:
Indoctrination in this context refers to subtle social engineering over the course of decades so as to shift societal and cultural norms of the primitive species in question towards a specific outcome. This mostly occurs in an attempt to prevent excessively militaristic or fundamentalist civilizations from emerging and posing a threat towards the Union. More specifically however, the rationale of prohibiting indoctrination of pre-industrial civilizations stems less from moral reasons and more from financial ones. Limited funding is available for researchers studying primitive civilizations and to prevent frivolous allocation of resources (especially on costly and inefficient indoctrination efforts on feudal civilizations) and reduce administrative costs, the second rule was put into place.

3) Do not initiate contact with any civilization that has yet to achieve primitive spaceflight:
By the time a primitive civilization has managed to send the first members of their species into space, the Union considers it the appropriate time to formally introduce the civilization to the rest of the galaxy, as well as begin the initiation of diplomatic and economic relations to the mutual benefit of both the Union and primitive civilization in question. Oftentimes, this exchange involves the sale of raw materials in return for technology several decades ahead of what would normally be producible by the pre-FTL civilization in question, allowing them to speed up their advancement whilst providing the Union with resources found on their world. Critics of the Union's pre-FTL policy often cite this rule as an example of economic imperialism, given that most pre-FTL civilizations who sign these economic treaties found themselves signing unequal annexation treaties, ceding away sovereignty to join one of the already existing Kadathi constituent states as a new colony.

4) Do not attempt to protect primitive civilizations from anything that does not violate any of the above:
This rule probably doesn't need much explanation. The Union will not bother to dispatch forces to intervene in any events that may affect a primitive civilization that isn't a band of illegal slavers, smugglers or rogue mad scientists. If an asteroid is about to collide into the planet, then so be it. Obviously, this rule is the one which is least strictly enforced, and extremely creative interpretations are often taken of the previous rules to make the case for intervention if say, a pre-FTL civilization which has signed an economic treaty with the Union is under threat of nuclear war or an asteroid capable of an extinction level event is en-route to the planet.

Economy

The Union's economy is based off an eclectic mix of private corporations and state owned monopolies, varying heavily from system to system and planet to planet. Whilst not behemoth in scale like the major galactic powers, raw productivity and efficiency is a highly valued element, and resource shortages during the Great War have taught Imperial industrialists how to make more with less, without sacrificing much in quality.

Significant portions of the economy are based off the refining of raw materials into usable industrial components, metals, alloys etc. The raw mineral output of tens of mining colonies and hundreds of stations are directed towards the core worlds, where foundries belch black smoke into the skies and convert these metals into industrial goods ready for export through Far Port, or for domestic purchase by military contractors and indigenous industries.

On other fronts, the Imperial Union has also seen a boom in tourism in the aftermath of the Great War, following the colonization and development of several resort worlds on the fringes of its territory. Whilst not as great of a net contributor to the Federal Government's annual bottom line as the lucrative metallurgic and electronic manufacturing industries, prospects are bright for the tourist industry, so long as there isn't another Great War to muddle things up.

The system of Tempest contains within it the three most developed, and oldest worlds of the Imperial Union, Kadath itself, Matros and Iria. No other system in the Union can compete with the industrial output of the foundries of Iria, nor the financial hubs and banks of Kadath. Despite the existence of the corporate paradise that is Far Port, none of its stock exchanges could rival the Provincial Union of Tyrrhia's Republican Stock Exchange housed in the appropriately named Republican State Building. Likewise, few civilian systems possess intrasolar infrastructure to the same extent as Tempest, cementing the primacy of the system, its people and likewise, the Federal Government over the rest of the Union. Of course, this state of affairs may change soon as Far Port continues to grow in relevance following a series of economic and legal reforms that have made the planet much, much more conducive to facilitating the flow of both trade and cash in and out of the Union.

Government

The government of the Imperial Union of Kadath follows a model roughly equivalent to the Human Westminster system (in Kadath, known as Valusian Constitutionalism) with a few modifications, allowing it to be broadly explained as follows:

The lower house of the Union is referred to as the Federal Assembly. Seats within the Assembly are divvied up following the rule of proportional representation, that is, the percentage of the population that a member state of the Union holds out of the total population of the Union is identical to the percentage of seats they are entitled to in the Assembly, rounded up. As of the Agdenmar conflict, there are 1200 seats within the Federal Assembly associated with a wide variety of political parties and the occasional independent politician.

Elections are held for seats within the Federal Assembly every 10 years, with candidates being able to stand for a seat in the Assembly assigned to their member state of origin, following the payment of a 'nomination fee' and the signing of some bureaucratic paperwork. Upon the conclusion of an election, the leader of the largest party within a coalition that holds a majority in the Assembly is appointed by the Emperor (as of present day, Kerxec XV) as the Right Honourable First Minister of His Imperial Majesty's government. The First Minister then turns to the parties within his coalition, appointing members of the cabinet and distributing ministerial portfolios to qualified candidates. At the same time, the leader of the second largest coalition within the Assembly will be appointed by the Emperor as the Leader of the Opposition, and given the right to appoint members of their own coalition as Shadow Ministers, forming His Imperial Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition. The job of the Shadow Cabinet is to, in extremely simple terms, pretend they were appointed to the actual cabinet and scrutinize every action of their counterpart in the actual cabinet, providing a sort of check and balance to the ruling government. The Federal Assembly is responsible for drafting legislation and debating issues pertaining to the Imperial Union as a whole. In the case of regional affairs, authority is delegated to the various national assemblies of the constituent states of the Imperial Union. Laws and bills are drafted by the Federal Assembly and debated upon, and upon passing a majority vote in the Assembly, is sent to the Upper House, known as the Federal Senate for debate.

The Federal Senate, or colloquially, the Aristocrat's Assembly due to the fact that 55% of seats within the Senate are hereditary peerages. Another 25% are lifetime appointments made on recommendation by the Right Honourable First Minister with the approval of the Emperor, while an additional 10% are selected from nominees who earn enough to qualify for the Union's three highest tax brackets to serve for 12 years. The last tenth of the Senate is elected by simple runoff voting throughout the whole Union from a list of nominated candidates, who serve for terms of 7 years. The main intended aim of the Federal Senate is to act as a counterweight to the political maneuvering and factional politics of the Lower House, allowing for the politicians here to focus on their job of actually running the Union. Ultimately, getting a bill into the Federal Senate is only one of two major hurdles before it can actually be implemented by the state. Whilst the Senate does not actually have the ability to outright reject a bill, the Senate can, after a period of scrutiny and debate, decide not to approve a bill and actually send it back to the Assembly for further debate and amendments. This is a process that can be repeated tens, if not hundreds or thousands of times ad infinitum until the Senate is satisfied. Nevertheless, clearing the hurdle that is the Senate does not guarantee that a bill will actually pass, as the Senate is only the first of two obstacles.

The next obstacle in the path of any bill being passed is the Imperial Crown itself. Upon approval by a majority in the Senate, the bill is passed directly to the desk of His Imperial Majesty, Kerxec XV. The constitution of the Imperial Union is a carbon copy of the Constitution of the Valusian Empire promulgated in 1132 ASF, barring a few textual edits and clarifications. As a result, the Imperial Crown theoretically has the power to simply veto any bill that passes through the Senate on a whim. In reality, it is a common understanding between the Houses and Crown that a bill passed with at least 60% in favour in both houses is immune to Imperial Veto. In addition to the veto powers of the Crown, the Crown also retains the right to disband the current government and call for an election at any time, though much like the right of Imperial Veto, it is usually only done upon the request of the First Minister. Lastly, the Imperial Crown also reserves the right to push through an Imperial Edict at any time, either instantly signing the contents of the Edict into law or implementing their contents immediately, thus bypassing the deadlock-prone political machinations between the Assembly and Senate. Ordinarily, an Imperial Edict is used to approve bills that have been repeatedly passed between the two Houses with no end in sight, but at the same time, can also be used in other circumstances, such as to grant emergency powers to the First Minister and Imperial Crown in times of crisis (one such example being during the Great War). As a result of this state of affairs, decision-making in the Imperial Union can range from a spectrum of devastatingly slow, taking years to pass a single bill, to decisions being made in a matter of days.

Aside from the Federal Government, the various constituent governments (of which there are 18) take up the task of administering the vast majority of the Empire. Aside from a common military (with exceptions, elaborated upon in the military section), foreign policy and legal system, the vast majority of government functions are instead delegated to the eighteen constituents from the collection of taxes, education, economic policy etc. The Constituent Governments are allowed to maintain their own police forces, though they are in the end subservient to federalised police forces and can only operate within their own territory. The constituent governments often do not form one contiguous stretch of space as a result of the Federal Charters issued permitting the colonization of space during the Age of Expansion, causing there to be hundreds of enclaves and exclaves of isolated star systems belonging to one constituent government within the territory of another. As a result, it has given the Imperial Union the derisive title of "Patchwork Union."

Technological Information

The technology of the Imperial Union is largely equivalent to the other galactic powers in their region of space. Whilst they may be behind in certain fields of technology, they make up for the deficiency with practical implementation of novel and creative technologies theorized during their lack of contact with other spacefaring species during their age of expansion. Like in their industrial endeavours, the adage of doing more with less; achieving the same effect with less investment, is a key tenet of Kadathi military technology.

Major Techs

Magnetohydrodynamic Cannons
Originally designed as a weapon to enhance the firepower of frigates and destroyers before the Great War, MHD Cannons have been increasingly upscaled in recent years despite limitations placed on the destructive power of capital ships as part of the Treaty of Detente. Utilizing a liquid core of ferrous-tungsten alloy suspended in a field generated by hundreds of electromagnets, MHD cannons emit a semi-molten stream of metal stretched into a long, thin rod at near-light speeds which solidifies en-route to the target.

Gas Armour
Utilising the gravitational properties of dark matter, gas armour relies on the compression of nitrogen gas into a dense configuration surrounding the user through manipulation of dark matter particles to exert forces on each molecule of gas. Deployed in a 360 degree radius around a user, air pressure is used to negate the forward momentum of a kinetic projectile. When a projectile hits this configuration, the pressure of the gas effectively cancels out or severely reduces the projectile's forward momentum, granting effective shielding against kinetic weaponry. Granted, the system needed to actually manipulate dark matter particles is extremely energy intensive, thus limiting the infantry shielding system to small periods of activity.

Gravitic Shear Barriers
A dark matter quantum core is used to produce a gravitional distortion effect around a warship that is harnessed by shield generators to project a gravity shear around the surface of the vessel. Followed just beneath by a barrier of conventional ionised gas, objects passing through the shear suffers extreme forces that pull it in all directions and rip it apart. Afterwards, the remaining shrapnel is deflected harmlessly off the plasma barrier, having lost most of its forward velocity. Directed energy weapons contacting the shear undergo a redshift, causing their wavelength to shorten and as a result, robbing them of most of their energy that is then absorbed by the plasma barriers beneath the shear. One major disadvantage of the Gravitic Shear System is the significant energy demand it places on the reactors of all but the largest warships, making it unable to operate for long periods against continuous firepower. Additionally, the shear barrier itself offers little to no protection against massive, close proximity detonations.

Blink Drives
A stripped-down version of the Union's standard FTL Engine, the Hybris Drive, the Blink Drive operates as a secondary warp drive intended for combat use within the confines of a solar system. Known as the Blink Drive for the tendency of ships using it to "blink" forward in an instant, the drive utilizes a subspace tunneling device in conjunction warp field propulsion to launch the vessel at near-light speeds. To keep energy demands manageable on ships equipped with standard Hybris drives, the range of the Blink Drive is extremely limited, making it unfeasible for interstellar travel, but far-reaching enough to allow Union vessels to quickly close the gap between them and an opposing fleet. In combat, jumping multiple vessels simultaneously requires careful synchronization to avoid unintentional collisions, as course cannot be altered once the tunneling route is locked in and prepared.

MagLev Gimbal Turrets
Rather than waste time and valuable resources developing both axial and broadside/starboard turrets for their ships, warship cannons are fitted into spherical maglev gimbals that eliminate conventional axis limitations. As a result, Kadathi ships are given greater flexibility with regards to their angles of engagement, being able to effectively fire at targets in a 360 degree radius around a particular vessel. On more advanced warships, particularly those built towards the end of the Great War, magnetic rails on the hull allow for the relocation of turrets between multiple potential firing positions at the push of a button. This is particularly useful as Detente-era Union Fleet Doctrine relies on what are effectively drive-by tactics, calling for ships to close to knife-fight distances, fire, and then speed behind the enemy formation in an attempt to sow chaos and destroy as many capital ships as possible from their blind spot. The increased versatility of this system allows greater effectiveness in engagements with hostile forces without sacrificing forward momentum of both individual warships and the allied formation as a whole, thus minimizing time in knife-fight distances where allied forces are subjected to the most punishment.

Military Information

Military Overview

The Federal Armed Forces can be effectively split into three distinct branches; The Kadathi Federal Army, Kadathi Federal Navy and the Imperial Knights. All three branches have their own command structure, internal hierarchy and chiefs of staff, and are ultimately beholden to the Supreme General Staff in the case of the KFA and KFN, or the Heads of State of the Union's constituents (a vast oversimplification), in the case of the Imperial Knights.

Whilst not technically a branch of the military, the Imperial Union's Ministry of State Security effectively operates like another branch of the military in everything but name. Operating several independent military formations outside the jurisdiction of the Supreme General Staff and beholden only to the Imperial Crown and his Imperial Majesty's Minister of Security, the Ministry is charged with covert operations both in foreign and Union space, as well as a recent secret deployment to the Ashtar world of Agdemnar.

In terms of overall military doctrine, Kadath firmly believes that the best way to dispatch an enemy is not through a contest of raw firepower as was the case with planetbound navies, but through superior maneuverability to surround and annihilate an opposing fleet. The formation of a Union fleet best reflects this, with slow but highly durable capital ships absorbing the initial salvos of an enemy fleet, before faster but less heavily armoured warships rush forward with calculated Blink Drive jumps to engage at knife-fight ranges using Gravitic Shear Barriers as well as support from Strike Craft and Flak Batteries to provide defense from subsequent retaliation. Upon entering knife-fight distance, the KFN's light ships will attempt to weave in and out of the enemy formation, disrupting their cohesion and attempting to inflict as much damage as possible at close range before pushing through the rear and sides of the opposing formation. Once surrounded on all sides by KFN warships, the fleet will unleash their full array of firepower, creating a kill zone from which escape is difficult.

On the surface, the same tactic is employed by the Army, though with an emphasis on combined arms assaults on the frontlines of an enemy, followed by fresh, uncommitted mobile reserves to exploit any strategic breakthroughs within an enemy frontline. The goal was not only to break the front line of an enemy, but deal as much damage to their rear-line logistical and operational infrastructure, thus rendering the defence of their frontline more difficult. To accomplish this, the KFA employs a variety of hovertanks, as well as Walker Engines; mechanical walkers equipped with heavy weaponry as the main force for their attacks, supported by infantry carried in IFVs.

The Federal Army

The second largest branch of the Kadathi Armed Forces, the Federal Army serves as the unifying command for various army groups raised from the populace of its constituent states. With standardized equipment, doctrine and training no matter where its soldiers originate from in the Union, the KFA is a well-oiled, disciplined fighting machine ready to serve valiantly in the defense of the Union's worlds, or abroad. The once independent Air Force of the Kadathi Armed Forces has largely been subsumed into either the Federal Army or the Ministry of State Security's independent assets, thus leaving the Kadathi Federal Army with the following sub-branches:

Army Air Service
Operating the various planet-bound aircraft of the KFA, the Army Air Service would have been disbanded long ago were it not for the continued integration of the Mobile Flying Fortress into the aerial supremacy doctrines of the military. The vast majority of AAS assets are in fact, these aforementioned Fortresses, a planet-bound sub-corvette craft ranging in length from 200m-300m and capable of delivering tremendous firepower from the skies, or seizing aerial superiority with an array of anti-fighter weapons.

Federal Engine Corps
A semi-independent command composing the various armored and mechanized units of the Federal Army. Granted an additional level of autonomy so as to allow for greater strategic and tactical flexibility, the Engine Corps often forms the brunt of any offensive action by the KFA, and on the defensive, plays a key support role.

Military Police
The Military Police (MP for short) are quite simply put, Federal Police units assigned to serve with the armed forces rather than local law enforcement. Better equipped than their civilian counterparts but not as well trained as a true soldier, the Military Police take up a role as an auxiliary branch intended to serve as peacekeepers, be it on occupied worlds or humanitarian missions across the galaxy, as well as local militias that can hold out until the real army arrives.

The Federal Navy

Consisting of a large number of fleets, warships, stations, installations and various other facilities throughout the length and breadth of Union space, the Kadathi Federal Navy. The headquarters of the Federal Navy, alongside with the rest of the official military of Kadath is housed at Khulda Prime. In times of peace, command of the Federal Navy is left to the jurisdiction of regional admiralities who are responsible for maintenance and administration of naval assets stationed in their region of jurisdiction. In times of war, command is centralised under the High Admiralty of the Federal Navy and the fleets are brought together in a unified force known as the Imperial Armada. As with the Federal Army, the Navy is also home to two sub-branches:

Naval Air Service
The navy's version of the Army Air Service. Mainly responsible for the provision, maintenance and operation of strike craft assigned to various carriers and other assorted capital ships in the Federal Navy.

Kadathi Marine Corps
The Vanguard of any planetary invasion, the Kadathi Marines are the surface operations branch of the Federal Navy, and assist the Federal Army in their attempts to invade a planet. The role of the Marine Corps is to secure a beachhead and capture suitable landing site or spaceport, allowing for the army's transport vessels to ferry the KFA to the surface below. The Marine Corps, as stated in the name, is organised into Corps that are small enough to be redeployed at a moment's notice, but large enough to help sway the course of any conflict. The Marine Corps also engages in boarding actions against disabled vessels and stations, particularly against pirate vessels in times of peace.

The Imperial Knights

Whilst the name would suggest a sort of elite ground force, the Imperial Knights fulfill that role and much more. Originally a military unit under the joint control of the government heads of the Union's constituencies, the Imperial Knights have evolved into something more of a veteran ground force under the jurisdiction of the Valusian Empire (and by extension, the Imperial Crown as the monarch of Valusia is also the monarch of the Union), Union of Tyrrhia and Northern Alliance, the three largest constituencies within the Imperial Union. The Imperial Knights operate their own fleets and army units, though not on a scale that could compete with either primary branch of the Armed Forces. Their role can be likened to more of a rapid response force to any crisis or conflict.

Fleet/Navy

Fleet/Navy

Cerula-class Dreadnought

A design developed in absolute secrecy in the aftermath of the Great War, the Cerula-class Dreadnought is a clear violation of the Treaty of Detente, and as a result, the existence of the ship is a heavily guarded state secret. As of the time of the Message, only two Cerula-class Dreadnoughts are in actual commission, stationed in a remote drydock in an even more remote region of Union space, and shielded from sight by the interference of a local nebula. Equipped with a vast array of MHD Cannons (including an enlarged spinal mount variant), missile banks and laser emitters, protected by the latest in Shear Barriers and armour tech, and escorted by a respectable amount of strike craft, the Cerula-class represents the pinnacle of Union engineering.

Unity-class Battleship (Great War)

The symbol of Kadath's newfound strength at the end of the Ashtar Era. The Unity-class battleship is an antiquated design that has seen only marginal upgrades in recent years. The vast majority of Unitys' are currently being phased out in favour of the newly minted Tempest class, but a few are being retrofitted with advanced computing systems and command software, allowing them to take up the role as command vessels within a Kadathi fleet. As a testament to the age of the design, the Unity is not even equipped with a spinal-mounted MHD cannon that is the standard in modern Kadathi battleship designs. Instead, it relies on a spinal particle beam that draws power directly from the ship's reactor core.

Tempest-class Battleship (Modern)

A theoretical Battleship design developed during the Detente Era but only recently put into production. The Tempest-class amounts to what is effectively a miniaturised version of the Cerula-class Dreadnought. Fitted with state of the art military-grade Engine Dolls, a sort of sentient but non-sapient robotic humanoid, the Tempest-class cuts down on modules dedicated to housing and entertaining crew members, allowing more of its hull to be dedicated towards the provision of maglev MHD and laser turrets. As a result, the Tempest-class Battleship carries enough firepower to punch far above its weight, as well as sufficient strike craft and light weaponry to deal with smaller craft.

Valusia-class Battlecruiser (Detente)

A cripplingly overspecialized mass shielding vessel commissioned during the Detente years. Lightly armed and armoured, the only thing the Valusia-class has going for it is an extremely energy efficient wide-radius shear barrier system. As a result, Valusias are often interspersed throughout the formation of a Kadathi fleet, aiming to create as many overlapping barriers as is possible to mitigate the effects of enemy salvos. With the funny business going down on Agdemnar, Kadathi naval authorities have begun quietly stripping away some of the Detente-era limits placed on the Valusia-class, with the intent on bringing it up to spec with the rest of the fleet as a shielding vessel with somewhat more significant firepower.

Khaldim-class Battlecruiser (Modern)

Designed and commissioned scarcely a year ago, the Khaldim-class Battlecruiser is a jack of all trades forming the front line of any modernised Kadathi fleet. Armed to the teeth with an array of treaty-violating firepower and generous hangar bays, the Khaldim is able to hold its own an engagement, and serves as the anvil to the hammer that is its sister ship the Celenaria-class.
Generous maglev emplacements, the standard spinal-mounted MHD cannon and an array of dense flak emplacements gives the Khaldim a method of putting up some resistance against every ship type thrown its way.

Celenaria-class Assault Carrier (Modern)

Combining battleship-grade firepower with the speed of a cruiser and strike craft capacity of a light carrier, the Celenaria-class Assault Carrier serves as the poster child of the Kadathi Navy's military doctrine, and the most successful attempt at combining its most advanced technologies to create a new generation of warships. The Celenaria-class is equipped with a spine-mounted MHD lance and numerous other maglev turrets, several squadrons of both fighters and bombers, and is intended to complement the capabilities of the Matros-class cruiser in both long and short range combat engagements.

Khulda-class Heavy Cruiser

Originally an antiquated design from the Great War, the Khulda-class Heavy Cruiser has seen numerous redesigns over the past two decades, converting it into the mainstay of the Kadathi Navy. The modern Khulda-class is equipped with a much more balanced arsenal of defenses and weapons than the Matros-class, featuring advanced reactor systems that can power the energy-intensive shear barriers for longer periods than any other ship in the navy. In combination with modernised missile banks and laser emitters, the Khulda is granted the versatility needed to succeed in combat engagements with various contemporary ship designs.

Matros-class Fast Attack Cruiser

A relatively new cruiser design put into service following the Treaty of Detente. The Matros-class Fast Attack Cruiser was designed with the sole intention of maximizing speed and firepower to the expense of everything else. Equipped with comparatively weak shear barriers and armour, the selling point of the Matros is in its powerful MHD cannons and assault guns. As a result, the primary focus of the ship is in quickly getting close to the enemy, before shredding them with superior firepower.

Emris-class Cruiser

Striking a balance between the Khulda and Matros cruisers, the Emris-class cruiser was designed first and foremost with independence in mind. Equipped with the capabilities to operate alone on deep space patrols, as well as quick and efficient engines for rapid response, the Emris is often the first ship on the scene when responding to a pirate raid or hostile incursion, and the harbinger of the Federal Navy's arrival. Recent retrofitted models have been equipped with a suite of command software allowing Emris captains to effectively coordinate a strike force of smaller vessels on the battlefield.

Destroyers:

Hailstorm-class Destroyer

The only class of Destroyer that hasn't been decommissioned in the Federal Navy, the Hailstorm-class Destroyer could more accurately be described as a picket ship. Armed with minimal offensive weaponry but an abundance of flak turrets, assault guns and point defense, the Hailstorm occupies the niche of an anti-corvette, anti-fighter configuration within the ranks of a Kadathi battle line. Often assigned on patrols alongside the Emris-class cruiser, the Hailstorm provides much needed fire support against smaller pirate raider vessels.

Frigates:

Devastator-class Frigate

The Devastator-class Frigate is best described by its unofficial nickname, the "Little Khulda". Being one of the latest designs put into service by the Kadathi Federal Navy, the Devastator features several axial-mounted MHD cannons alongside an array of maglev turrets on the ship's underbelly. Power-hungry and powered by a comically oversized reactor, the Devastator moves slightly faster than a cruiser, but compensates for it with firepower punching far above its weight and potent defense systems.

Stinger-class Frigate

The older cousin of the Fast Attack Cruiser, the Stinger-class is arguably the most numerous vessel in the Federal Navy. Shielded and armoured just enough to not disintegrate when sneezed on by enemy kinetics or lasers, the Stinger makes up for this with an obscene amount of missile arrays. This allows the Stinger to stay away from the main line of combat, providing fire support for Kadathi capital ships at a distance, or in the case of more creative tacticians, engage in flanking maneuvers to pin the enemy and target elements weakened by the initial salvos of the capital ships.

Shadow-class Frigate

A stealth frigate derived from the design of the Devastator, the Shadow-class Frigate cuts back on some of the excesses of the Devastator's weapon configurations, instead diverting the excess power towards powering a stealth system and additional electronic warfare modules that allow it to operate independently or in small strike groups behind enemy lines. Coincidentally, they also form the bulk of the Ministry of State Security's naval forces.
Corvettes:

Vanguard-class Corvette

A mainstay of Federal and local police forces, the Vanguard-class corvette is a small, fast, decently armed vessel that is easy to crew, build and maintain. Vanguard Corvettes often are tasked as patrol ships under the command of an Emris Cruiser or Devastator Frigate, and engage in a number of odd jobs from reconaissance, picketing and patrol of remote areas.

Fury-class Bomber

A sluggish bomber that requires heavy escort to even stand a chance of surviving the approach towards the enemy lines, the Fury-class bomber compensates for its speed by carrying a massive payload of conventional bombs in addition to newly developed energy torpedos and a miniaturised kinetic 'lance'. A squadron of Furies can reduce a battleship to scrap in minutes, but will themselves be reduced to scrap by enemy starfighters if not appropriately supported.

Stormrider-class Starfighter

Equipped with assault cannons and energy efficient laser banks, the Stormrider-class Starfighter strikes a great balance between speed, armour and firepower, resulting in an overall greater combat survival rate. Stormrider-class Starfighters are mostly deployed as escorts to Fury-class Bombers, though they also play a defensive role in intercepting bombers that may threaten allied capital ships.

Shryke-class "Barely qualifies as a Strike Craft" Strike Craft
Probably the most ridiculous, yet at the same time, most ingenious way of getting around the Treaty of Detente. As the Treaty severely limited the amount of firepower that a capital ship could carry, a Kadathi naval engineer whose name is now lost to history (though he/she is probably still in service somewhere) came up with a brilliant idea: "If we can't put more turrets on the ship itself, then why don't we just convert the ship's strike craft into flying turrets?"

Thus the Shryke-class was born. Barely qualifying as a ship, the majority of the Shryke's hull is dedicated to an engine, reactor and most importantly, a railgun that accounts for over 40% of the ship's mass. Utterly undefended, the Shryke's sole purpose is to deliver as many shots towards the enemy lines as possible before the enemy's first wave of fighters arrive, upon which the Shryke will promptly flee towards the nearest friendly hangar bay and wait out the storm.

Hyperdread

Triumphant-class Hyperdreadnought

The flagship and pride of the Kadathi Federal Navy. The Triumphant-class Hyperdreadnought is testament to the sheer destructive potential of modern weapon systems, and a worthy vessel with which to lead the Kadathi fleets to victory. Equipped with sophisticated command software that allows the real-time coordinate of several fleets, the Triumphant-class also takes the concept of the Magnetohydrodynamic Cannon to its ultimate conclusion. Possessing the largest MHD cannon conceivable running through the entire length of the vessel, the Triumphant-class Hyperdreadnought possesses enough firepower to vaporize several battleships with a single shot of its main gun. Combined with effective armour and shear barrier systems capable of enduring firepower the sum of a dozen battleships, the Triumphant-class is a certified killing machine. It's only drawbacks are a deficiency of hangar bays, as well as relatively weak flak defenses, making support from the rest of the fleet a necessity to its survival on the battlefield.

[Ozerath]

I'll just contextualize the "1 light-minute" distance for everyone: ~18 million km. The extent of the gravity well for 1 Earth gravity: 1.5 million km ... or about 1/12th of that. Carrying that through to its logical conclusion has some pretty disastrous consequences for narrative & gameplay.

That number seems just a few orders of magnitude more severe than intended (which is why I used planetary radii earlier).

@Sierra

Meh, there's no specific numbers on anybody's sublight speed or weapon ranges so it doesn't particularly matter in my mind. It's a completely arbitrary number and it makes no sense for it to be the same size for every celestial body, but I don't especially care.

For narrative purposes, everyone needs 'a good chunk of minutes' to approach or depart a planet. No jump in, deploy drop pods, jump out.