Post by iskander on Feb 12, 2006 7:35:08 GMT -7
If you're going to make your way in the 'Verse, best to understand a bit about its planets and moons. Don't expect to learn everything here—just enough to keep flyin'. For now. The black holds its secrets close. 'Fore you go out, take a little knowledge with you.
The Year 2518
Life in the 'Verse depends a lot on where you live and into what circumstances you were born. The central planets, those as formed the Alliance, are flush with the newest technologies. Folk live in large cities and travel in style on highways of air. Advanced medical care is free to all. There are no slums in those huge cities, but there are many who don't live quite as comfortable as other folk. There are some dark parts to those cities of light, too.
On the Core, those born suckin' on the proverbial silver sthingy lead lives of comparative luxury. They are well educated in good schools. They live in a world full of technological marvels. Their lives are safe and secure. Least for the most part. The biggest threats folk face in the Core cities is that business and dealings are more socially oriented than physical, though there is the occasional duel (despite the laws against dueling). Men and women and children are expected to behave with dignity and grace at all times. Honor and position are just as important as the credits in the family account. Losing face can be as hurtful as a bullet to the belly.
There are some wealthy folk who dwell on the outer planets—often called "the Rim." These folk do their best to copy the lives of the rich on the Core, though truth be told, their Core cousins look down their noses at them. The ordinary folk on the Rim don't much worry about social sparring or high-and-mighty matters of honor. They tend to concern themselves with basic notions, such as where they're going to find their next meal. Survival is at the forefront of their lives. The newly terraformed planets don't have the infrastructure to support many of the luxuries that Core folk take for granted—supermarkets, telephonic communications, and advanced medical care are just a few of the many things in short supply outside the Core. Hard work and the kind of smarts that don't come from books make life work on the Rim.
Some folk tend to lump the worlds in the 'Verse into two categories: civilized and primitive. You've either got the diamond sky elevators of Londinum or the sod huts of Whitefall. Truth is, things just ain't that simple. Most worlds fall somewhere in between. On certain planets and moons, you may fly over miles and miles of desolate landscape, then suddenly see the glittering lights of an enormous city rise up before you.
'Course, life in the 'Verse extends far beyond the planets and moons. Space stations, such as skyplexes and refueling stations, are strung about the system. Such stations offer a wide variety of goods and services and play host to a wide variety of folk, from honest business people to wanted criminals.
When you're flyin' the black, just keep this in mind: not all Core people are good-for-nothing snobs and not all those who dwell on the Rim are good-old-boys. Don't matter where you travel. Folks is folk. Might be a good idea to watch your back no matter where you are.
History is Programmed by the Victors
The history of the 'Verse, as far as most folk are concerned, begins with the terraforming of the central planets. People don't have a real sense of the history of Earth-That-Was, nor do they much care. Not with the pressing concerns of the present weighing them down.
Some cynical folk don't believe much of what is written about the past, thinking it to be the propaganda of an oppressive government. Others are moon-brained enough to swallow every campfire tale. The wise know that if you don't learn from history, you're doomed to repeat it, which it seems we keep doin' again and again and again…
The following text comes courtesy of Andrew Falcon, Professor of History and Planetary Studies, now living on Persephone, retired.
Exodus
The original cradle of humanity, Earth, has long since faded into legend. Dreamers and tale spinners glamorize Earth-That-Was. It's become a sort of Garden of Eden, where mankind was always happy. Its relics are now priceless. Truth is, mankind sucked Earth dry.
The story goes that depleted resources, overpopulation, and a compromised ecosystem forced mankind to abandon Earth-That-Was. Some do speculate, however, that the planet wasn't completely abandoned, that folk still survive on mankind's original home, though there is no proof to back the notion and no easy way to conjure the truth. It is possible that Earth is not quite as drained as the old legends suggest and has been quietly regenerating ever since man left. One day, mankind may find the lost keys to Eden and return to their old home once again. That day is a long way off, though. If it even comes at all.
The wise searched the heavens and found a star system with planets and moons that could, with a little help, support human life. Mankind began the great exodus. They set out in enormous ships they called "arks," after the tale of Noah and his crew. Lacking "faster-than-light" drives, folk found the journey to their new home long and taxing. At least one full generation was born, lived, and died without ever leaving the huge, contained ships that crawled through the black. The initial excitement of the voyage quickly faded into the monotony of keeping the ships moving, keeping the life-support systems intact, and perfecting the technologies that would give future generations good lives on new worlds. Naturally, some folk expected to encounter alien life, but the only signals on the scanner were the natural static of the stars. So far as we know, mankind is alone in the 'Verse.
With so many different folk of all nationalities and races packed inside small ships, the old ethnic and political barriers began to blur. People learned the native tongues of their fellow ship dwellers. Subsequent generations would come to speak fluently the two dominant languages, English and Chinese, and phrases from other cultures.
Not surprising, some folk lost hope along the way. There were accidents, malfunctions. If an ark lost life support, thousands died. The arks became their coffins, forever drifting in the cold. But for every person that lost hope, hundreds were there to keep it alive. Each day brought mankind closer to home.
And then, one day, there it was.
The Age of the Terraformers
Even after continued refinement, the process of terraforming a moon or a planet takes decades. Terraforming requires atmospheric processing plants, the regulation of gravity, environmental adaptation and the introduction of creatures great and small brought from Earth-That-Was—everything from algae and bacteria to insects, birds, and mammals. The power to make such jing chai [brilliant] changes is astonishing, but is not without its limits. While most all terraformed worlds are suitable for human life, each has its own quirks.
The first two planets terraformed and settled were Londinum and Sihnon, and they became the center of culture and business throughout the system. The governments of these two planets took an enlightened view of civilization. They worked to maintain order, but also encouraged diversity of language, ethnicity, religion, and expression of thought.
Despite all the best efforts and intentions of the original founders, the problems of the common folk did not go away with the formation of new worlds. Mankind is restless, always looking to find greener pastures somewhere else. Pioneers left the crowded cities and traveled out to the most newly terraformed worlds, hoping to build a better life for themselves.
As mankind spread out, he brought with him his usual miseries: greed, corruption, crime. Disagreement over resources, trade, and political influence led to general unrest among the planets. A movement began in the oldest, most stable planets to form a unified parliamentary system of government that would work to regulate such matters and keep the peace. The popular idea was quickly ratified and the Alliance was formed.
The Alliance was started out of an idealistic belief that a strong central government that controlled every aspect of a person's life, from cradle to grave, could provide that person a better, safer, and more secure life. Some folk in the Alliance truly believed this and they dedicated their lives to bringing this about. Other folk saw this as a chance to grab power for themselves.
The Parliament formed a military council that acted quickly to quell any unrest among the Core planets and their neighbors. Maintaining order meant keeping tight control over the populace, and that led to the creation of many secret programs. Their hope was to make people obedient, complacent, compliant—"better" by the government's definition.
The Alliance was the protective parent. The Core worlds were model children. But the Alliance had another problem. They feared their "good children" were going to be corrupted by the bad seeds who lived on the wrong side of the 'Verse. The worlds on the Border and the Rim were self-governing, outside the limits of Alliance control. Each world had its own set of laws and rules that suited its own particular needs. Folk living on these frontier planets had been forced to be self-reliant in order to survive, and they had come to be free-thinkers who saw no need for a lot of government meddling. The Alliance considered such independence a threat to civilization. (They also considered that a lot of valuable resources and real estate were outside their control!) For the benefit of all people in the 'Verse, the Alliance decided that every planet in the system should come under Alliance rule, whether its people wanted it or not.
Idealistic folk of the Core planets thought this was a great idea. Doesn't everyone would want to live on a safe, civilized world where folk are cared for by their betters? The movement for Unification spread like wildfire through dry brush. The leaders on the Core thought they had only to open their arms in a wide embrace and those poor benighted souls on the Rim would come running home to their mothers.
Those on the Border did come running. Only problem—they carried guns.
Unification War
The War for Unification was the most devastating war in human history. All those who lived through it are marked, like a scar left behind by an old wound. (Just that some happen to have big scars traced all 'cross their faces while others have tiny ones hidden away.) Outer planets, including Shadow, Persephone, and Hera, mustered forces and formed an alliance of their own—the Independent Faction (known as "Browncoats," thanks to the brown dusters their soldiers took to wearing). The Parliament of the Alliance instituted a draft to build its forces. They were considerably astonished to learn that more than half of the Independent forces were composed of volunteers. The Alliance (known as the "Purple Bellies" for their style of dress) had the manpower, the ships, and technology to make the result of the war a forgone conclusion—but no one anticipated that freedom would be something so many folk would be willing to die to protect.
The war raged for just over five years, taking place on land, sea, and in the dark of space. The largest space battle in terms of scale and human cost was the Battle of Sturges, one in which countless ships were destroyed, creating a massive graveyard preserved in the vacuum of the black. The largest land battle, the one that brought about the end of the war, was fought on the planet Hera in Serenity Valley. This battle raged on for seven weeks before the Independent High Command surrendered. Even then, some of the Browncoats continued to fight on for two weeks after that. Those soldiers who continued to fight even after being ordered to lay down arms were captured and tried for war crimes. Ultimately, the Alliance released the soldiers and officers as a peaceful gesture to those outer planets now under its rule. Some look upon those who fought in the Battle of Serenity as criminals. Others see them as big, d**n heroes.
Since the battles were mostly fought on the Border and the Rim, the Core planets escaped unscathed. To this day, many outer planets still bear terrible scars. Shadow was effectively destroyed, and it remains uninhabitable seven years later. Major cities on Athens were bombed. Several key land battles were fought on Persephone. Moons that had no strategic value, such as Whitefall and Jiangyin, were untouched, but they still suffered as a result of the disruption of trade. Supplies had been hard to get as it was, and the war made it harder. Almost every person living on those planets saw their homes leveled, their businesses fall into ruin, their loved ones killed or maimed—all in the name of making their lives better.
Small wonder folk are still bitter.
The here and now
Life in the 'Verse has returned to normal—leastways on the surface. In truth, no one has forgotten and few have forgiven. The Alliance now has jurisdiction over every inhabited planet in the system. The Alliances does not fully control everything within its farflung territory. In reality, the Alliance only has full control over the Core planets. On these worlds, the eyes of the Alliance are everywhere. Federal police can be called at a moment's notice, and cameras record every citizen's every move. The Core worlds have the best comforts that money can buy. 'Course, every citizen pays for such security and comfort with more than a bit of his freedom.
The outer planets were meant to be kept under the same level of strict control, but the Alliance is short on manpower and ships. They just don't have enough folk to keep a proper eye on things. Yes, it's true that they hire security firms to help enforce their laws and maintain order. And they send their hulking patrol ships out into the black to remind everyone who is in charge. Still, the cracks in the system are large enough for folk to fly a Firefly through.
Take slavery, for example. Slavery is outlawed by the Alliance government, but it's an open secret that terraforming companies, mine owners and the wealthy on the Rim regularly use slave labor in their operations, and pay big sums for human cargo. Every so often, the Alliance will bust one of these owners and free the slaves—always looks good on the nightly news. But then it's back to business as usual. Same with indentured servants. That's not legal, either, but most folk on the Border planets accept indentured servitude as a way of life. If you're desperate for the credits and you got nothing to offer up as collateral except yourself, then that's what you do. Dohn ma? [understand?]
Goverments
These days, there is only one central government in the 'Verse. Leastways, that's what the Alliance wants you to believe. It's hard work to rule over a whole star system of bazillions of people and hundreds of worlds, especially when so many of those worlds are so very far away from the Core. Some in the Alliance might be starting to wonder if maybe they bit off more protein than they can chew by trying to extend their control over the outer planets. Some might be thinking they made a mistake. If they do, they're keeping mighty quiet about it. These days, the Alliance is all about keeping things quiet.
There are local governments on the Border and Rim planets. Cities have mayors. Planets have governors. Moons have magistrates. All these answer to the Alliance. At least, that's the way it's supposed to work. Local officials on the outer worlds tend to wield heaps more power then their counterparts on the Core, just because no one’s close enough by to tell them they can’t.
The Independent Faction is gone, but that isn't to say there are no more Independents. Some are still fighting the war, though now they do it more by being an annoyance than a major threat. But over the last few years, some of these folk have left off fighting guerrilla actions and are now fighting on the political front. Be right interesting to see what happens when someone from the inside starts prying open secret doors.
Then of course, there are the corporations. Large corporations control powerful lobbies that have considerable influence inside the government. Favors are traded and eyes stay blind and the wheels of commerce and politics keep turning. We're going take a brief look at all this, just so you know where you stand.
The Anglo-Sino Alliance
The Anglo-Sino Alliance is the governing body for the entire system. Originally formed between the two first-settled planets, Londinum and Sihnon (where the "Anglo" and "Sino" come from), the Alliance is rich and powerful, with resources that most folk can't begin to imagine—manpower, intelligence-gathering, military might, and technological innovation. And, like an overprotective parent, it thinks it knows what's best for its "children"—all those who live and work under its rule. The Alliance government believes that by controlling information, technologies and even people's lives, they can forge a better 'Verse, one where people live in peace and no one ever goes hungry. Some call this Utopia. Others call it hell.
Londinum is the formal seat of government, home to Parliament and the Prime Minister. While every planet (at least within the Core) is allowed to organize its own affairs on a planetary level, system-wide policy is set by legislation. The planet of Sihnon is home to the headquarters of the trade associations and guilds in the system. The most powerful of these have their academies here. Trade tariffs for all manner of goods are established in Sihnon's bureaucratic halls.
Most people of the Alliance are allowed a say in their government. Anyone can stand for a seat in the Parliament and be voted in by the home folk. But the money required to run a campaign generally prevents the common man from ever winning a governmental position. To raise the necessary funds, one must make deals with businesses, guilds, and private interest groups. As to voting, only those who are "full citizens of the Alliance" actually get a vote. Folk who fought in or supported the Independents are not considered "full citizens." (After all, if they couldn't be trusted to fight for the right side, how could they be trusted to vote for the right candidate?) Thus only candidates who support the Alliance are ever elected. That law is due to expire after ten years, though there are some on the Core worlds who are pushing for it to be extended.
Since the Alliance can't be everywhere at once (not for lack of trying!), it has to trust the local governors to do the right thing. Each Core world under Alliance control has a governor who holds a vast amount of power. The Alliance has given guidelines on how such a person is elected, but out of respect for the sovereignty of each world policies vary from place to place. Some Core worlds are fairly ruled by honest folk. On others, local political machines or long-standing family dynasties rule.
The Independent Planets
The confederacy of planets and moons that formed the Independent Faction was doomed from the start. Each of the outer worlds had its own form of government. They'd never really worked together except to do one thing—deliver the mail. Out on the frontier, folk liked to keep themselves to themselves, dealing with their own trouble in their own way. On the Border planets, it could be dangerous to stick a gun in someone’s face because often as not three more could be pointing back at you.
While leaders among the scattered outer worlds expressed concern over the formation of the Sino-Anglo Alliance, most folk didn't much care, figuring it wouldn't affect them. They were concerned with far more mundane troubles: food shortages, low medical supplies, and the "quirks" of recently terraformed planets. It wasn't until the Alliance's proclamation that it intended to extend control over the entire system that the folk on the outer worlds woke up and smelled the tea leaves. They came together to present a unified front of resistance. And resist they did—far more than the Alliance had anticipated. Folk fightin' for their homes, freedom, and way of life fight a hell of a lot harder than those drafted into the army or who carry arms in exchange for credits. What the Independents lacked in training and equipment, they made up for in spirit.
Sad to say, spirit wasn't enough. The Independents couldn't combat the massive Alliance forces. Outgunned, outmanned, and outmaneuvered, they were forced to surrender. The Independent governments of every planet that had resisted Alliance control were removed and replaced with an Alliance Governor. Very little actually changed for the people who lived on these planets, as the new Governors usually kept much of the political infrastructure intact. The people still paid their taxes to the local tax collector. Except now the money went to the Alliance, not to those who needed it at home.
The Alliance promised they would send the manpower, money, and supplies needed to rebuild the bombed and burned-out cities. To give them credit, they did send some. Just not near enough. You see, some folk on the Core think the former Independent supporters should be punished for their rebellion. So when government folk start bringing up measures to help those on the outer worlds, such measures usually find themselves voted down.
Each planet outside the Core is ruled by an Alliance-appointed Governor (or Magistrate, in the case of a moon). These individuals wield tremendous power, and though some wield it with an iron fist, others take a more hands-off approach and allow the smaller communities to deal with their own problems.
When a Border planet or moon requires the assistance of the Alliance government, the governor has to wade through an immense amount of bureaucratic red tape. Instead of going through the hassle, they'll hand over problems to Alliancecontracted private security firms. While these firms are tightly regulated in theory, in practice they are generally poorly managed, if not downright corrupt. The cure is worse than the ailment.
Tough times for some mean good times for others. The unrest has been a boon to the mercenary trade. Former soldiers from both sides now hire out their guns to communities, security firms and businesses who pay them to clean up their towns, fight range wars, or put down slave revolts.
The Military
The strength of the Alliance military ensures that the Alliance stays in control. Though currently stretched quite thin, the military is still impressive. Massive cruisers the size of small cities patrol space, keeping a watch for smugglers, illegal salvage operations and pirates. No one in the system is willing to take on an Alliance cruiser, which has enough firepower to atomize most other spacecraft.
The men and women who serve in the military are well-trained, disciplined, and carry state-ofthe-art firearms and body armor. On the upside, like any other immense organization, the military has its share of blackguards, idiots, and scoundrels who can be bribed, bluffed, or fooled. And, yes, the occasional soldier might fall asleep on guard duty. But don't count on it. Most troopers in the Alliance military are dedicated, smart, and know every trick in the book.
The Law
The Alliance military tends to ride to the rescue only when the big guns are needed. For the more mundane crimes, the local sheriffs, Interpol, and the Feds are the folk to call.
Just about every town on every planet and moon has some form of local law. In many cases, the law is a man with a tin star looking to keep everyone in town honest. In others, the law is a bunch of brigands who go around breaking kneecaps on orders from the local governor or magistrate. Whatever form the local law takes, they tend to deal with petty theft and hooligans. When something major comes along—such as the assassination of a governor or the kidnapping of a powerful Guild leader—the locals call in either Interpol or the Federal Marshals.
Interpol (Interplanetary Police) deals with criminals who have fled the jurisdiction of local law enforcement, as well as crimes committed in areas that are outside local control, though still under Alliance control. (In other words, just about everywhere.) Interpol generally deals more with tracking suspects and investigating interplanetary crime than direct enforcement. The enforcement of federal law and the pursuit of criminals across interplanetary borders falls under the jurisdiction of Federal Marshals.
Federal Marshals (or simply, "Feds") track down wanted criminals and/or bring to trial those who fail to answer a summons. Some Feds are righteous enforcers of the peace, but there are a few who are more bounty hunter than law enforcer and will go after anyone if the money's good enough. Since they have to travel a far piece to do their jobs, the Feds have a great deal of autonomy. Feds work alone or in teams. They are provided with excellent ships and equipment, though some choose to work undercover if they are on the trail of particularly dangerous (or lucrative) fugitives.
The Year 2518
Life in the 'Verse depends a lot on where you live and into what circumstances you were born. The central planets, those as formed the Alliance, are flush with the newest technologies. Folk live in large cities and travel in style on highways of air. Advanced medical care is free to all. There are no slums in those huge cities, but there are many who don't live quite as comfortable as other folk. There are some dark parts to those cities of light, too.
On the Core, those born suckin' on the proverbial silver sthingy lead lives of comparative luxury. They are well educated in good schools. They live in a world full of technological marvels. Their lives are safe and secure. Least for the most part. The biggest threats folk face in the Core cities is that business and dealings are more socially oriented than physical, though there is the occasional duel (despite the laws against dueling). Men and women and children are expected to behave with dignity and grace at all times. Honor and position are just as important as the credits in the family account. Losing face can be as hurtful as a bullet to the belly.
There are some wealthy folk who dwell on the outer planets—often called "the Rim." These folk do their best to copy the lives of the rich on the Core, though truth be told, their Core cousins look down their noses at them. The ordinary folk on the Rim don't much worry about social sparring or high-and-mighty matters of honor. They tend to concern themselves with basic notions, such as where they're going to find their next meal. Survival is at the forefront of their lives. The newly terraformed planets don't have the infrastructure to support many of the luxuries that Core folk take for granted—supermarkets, telephonic communications, and advanced medical care are just a few of the many things in short supply outside the Core. Hard work and the kind of smarts that don't come from books make life work on the Rim.
Some folk tend to lump the worlds in the 'Verse into two categories: civilized and primitive. You've either got the diamond sky elevators of Londinum or the sod huts of Whitefall. Truth is, things just ain't that simple. Most worlds fall somewhere in between. On certain planets and moons, you may fly over miles and miles of desolate landscape, then suddenly see the glittering lights of an enormous city rise up before you.
'Course, life in the 'Verse extends far beyond the planets and moons. Space stations, such as skyplexes and refueling stations, are strung about the system. Such stations offer a wide variety of goods and services and play host to a wide variety of folk, from honest business people to wanted criminals.
When you're flyin' the black, just keep this in mind: not all Core people are good-for-nothing snobs and not all those who dwell on the Rim are good-old-boys. Don't matter where you travel. Folks is folk. Might be a good idea to watch your back no matter where you are.
History is Programmed by the Victors
The history of the 'Verse, as far as most folk are concerned, begins with the terraforming of the central planets. People don't have a real sense of the history of Earth-That-Was, nor do they much care. Not with the pressing concerns of the present weighing them down.
Some cynical folk don't believe much of what is written about the past, thinking it to be the propaganda of an oppressive government. Others are moon-brained enough to swallow every campfire tale. The wise know that if you don't learn from history, you're doomed to repeat it, which it seems we keep doin' again and again and again…
The following text comes courtesy of Andrew Falcon, Professor of History and Planetary Studies, now living on Persephone, retired.
Exodus
The original cradle of humanity, Earth, has long since faded into legend. Dreamers and tale spinners glamorize Earth-That-Was. It's become a sort of Garden of Eden, where mankind was always happy. Its relics are now priceless. Truth is, mankind sucked Earth dry.
The story goes that depleted resources, overpopulation, and a compromised ecosystem forced mankind to abandon Earth-That-Was. Some do speculate, however, that the planet wasn't completely abandoned, that folk still survive on mankind's original home, though there is no proof to back the notion and no easy way to conjure the truth. It is possible that Earth is not quite as drained as the old legends suggest and has been quietly regenerating ever since man left. One day, mankind may find the lost keys to Eden and return to their old home once again. That day is a long way off, though. If it even comes at all.
The wise searched the heavens and found a star system with planets and moons that could, with a little help, support human life. Mankind began the great exodus. They set out in enormous ships they called "arks," after the tale of Noah and his crew. Lacking "faster-than-light" drives, folk found the journey to their new home long and taxing. At least one full generation was born, lived, and died without ever leaving the huge, contained ships that crawled through the black. The initial excitement of the voyage quickly faded into the monotony of keeping the ships moving, keeping the life-support systems intact, and perfecting the technologies that would give future generations good lives on new worlds. Naturally, some folk expected to encounter alien life, but the only signals on the scanner were the natural static of the stars. So far as we know, mankind is alone in the 'Verse.
With so many different folk of all nationalities and races packed inside small ships, the old ethnic and political barriers began to blur. People learned the native tongues of their fellow ship dwellers. Subsequent generations would come to speak fluently the two dominant languages, English and Chinese, and phrases from other cultures.
Not surprising, some folk lost hope along the way. There were accidents, malfunctions. If an ark lost life support, thousands died. The arks became their coffins, forever drifting in the cold. But for every person that lost hope, hundreds were there to keep it alive. Each day brought mankind closer to home.
And then, one day, there it was.
The Age of the Terraformers
Even after continued refinement, the process of terraforming a moon or a planet takes decades. Terraforming requires atmospheric processing plants, the regulation of gravity, environmental adaptation and the introduction of creatures great and small brought from Earth-That-Was—everything from algae and bacteria to insects, birds, and mammals. The power to make such jing chai [brilliant] changes is astonishing, but is not without its limits. While most all terraformed worlds are suitable for human life, each has its own quirks.
The first two planets terraformed and settled were Londinum and Sihnon, and they became the center of culture and business throughout the system. The governments of these two planets took an enlightened view of civilization. They worked to maintain order, but also encouraged diversity of language, ethnicity, religion, and expression of thought.
Despite all the best efforts and intentions of the original founders, the problems of the common folk did not go away with the formation of new worlds. Mankind is restless, always looking to find greener pastures somewhere else. Pioneers left the crowded cities and traveled out to the most newly terraformed worlds, hoping to build a better life for themselves.
As mankind spread out, he brought with him his usual miseries: greed, corruption, crime. Disagreement over resources, trade, and political influence led to general unrest among the planets. A movement began in the oldest, most stable planets to form a unified parliamentary system of government that would work to regulate such matters and keep the peace. The popular idea was quickly ratified and the Alliance was formed.
The Alliance was started out of an idealistic belief that a strong central government that controlled every aspect of a person's life, from cradle to grave, could provide that person a better, safer, and more secure life. Some folk in the Alliance truly believed this and they dedicated their lives to bringing this about. Other folk saw this as a chance to grab power for themselves.
The Parliament formed a military council that acted quickly to quell any unrest among the Core planets and their neighbors. Maintaining order meant keeping tight control over the populace, and that led to the creation of many secret programs. Their hope was to make people obedient, complacent, compliant—"better" by the government's definition.
The Alliance was the protective parent. The Core worlds were model children. But the Alliance had another problem. They feared their "good children" were going to be corrupted by the bad seeds who lived on the wrong side of the 'Verse. The worlds on the Border and the Rim were self-governing, outside the limits of Alliance control. Each world had its own set of laws and rules that suited its own particular needs. Folk living on these frontier planets had been forced to be self-reliant in order to survive, and they had come to be free-thinkers who saw no need for a lot of government meddling. The Alliance considered such independence a threat to civilization. (They also considered that a lot of valuable resources and real estate were outside their control!) For the benefit of all people in the 'Verse, the Alliance decided that every planet in the system should come under Alliance rule, whether its people wanted it or not.
Idealistic folk of the Core planets thought this was a great idea. Doesn't everyone would want to live on a safe, civilized world where folk are cared for by their betters? The movement for Unification spread like wildfire through dry brush. The leaders on the Core thought they had only to open their arms in a wide embrace and those poor benighted souls on the Rim would come running home to their mothers.
Those on the Border did come running. Only problem—they carried guns.
Unification War
The War for Unification was the most devastating war in human history. All those who lived through it are marked, like a scar left behind by an old wound. (Just that some happen to have big scars traced all 'cross their faces while others have tiny ones hidden away.) Outer planets, including Shadow, Persephone, and Hera, mustered forces and formed an alliance of their own—the Independent Faction (known as "Browncoats," thanks to the brown dusters their soldiers took to wearing). The Parliament of the Alliance instituted a draft to build its forces. They were considerably astonished to learn that more than half of the Independent forces were composed of volunteers. The Alliance (known as the "Purple Bellies" for their style of dress) had the manpower, the ships, and technology to make the result of the war a forgone conclusion—but no one anticipated that freedom would be something so many folk would be willing to die to protect.
The war raged for just over five years, taking place on land, sea, and in the dark of space. The largest space battle in terms of scale and human cost was the Battle of Sturges, one in which countless ships were destroyed, creating a massive graveyard preserved in the vacuum of the black. The largest land battle, the one that brought about the end of the war, was fought on the planet Hera in Serenity Valley. This battle raged on for seven weeks before the Independent High Command surrendered. Even then, some of the Browncoats continued to fight on for two weeks after that. Those soldiers who continued to fight even after being ordered to lay down arms were captured and tried for war crimes. Ultimately, the Alliance released the soldiers and officers as a peaceful gesture to those outer planets now under its rule. Some look upon those who fought in the Battle of Serenity as criminals. Others see them as big, d**n heroes.
Since the battles were mostly fought on the Border and the Rim, the Core planets escaped unscathed. To this day, many outer planets still bear terrible scars. Shadow was effectively destroyed, and it remains uninhabitable seven years later. Major cities on Athens were bombed. Several key land battles were fought on Persephone. Moons that had no strategic value, such as Whitefall and Jiangyin, were untouched, but they still suffered as a result of the disruption of trade. Supplies had been hard to get as it was, and the war made it harder. Almost every person living on those planets saw their homes leveled, their businesses fall into ruin, their loved ones killed or maimed—all in the name of making their lives better.
Small wonder folk are still bitter.
The here and now
Life in the 'Verse has returned to normal—leastways on the surface. In truth, no one has forgotten and few have forgiven. The Alliance now has jurisdiction over every inhabited planet in the system. The Alliances does not fully control everything within its farflung territory. In reality, the Alliance only has full control over the Core planets. On these worlds, the eyes of the Alliance are everywhere. Federal police can be called at a moment's notice, and cameras record every citizen's every move. The Core worlds have the best comforts that money can buy. 'Course, every citizen pays for such security and comfort with more than a bit of his freedom.
The outer planets were meant to be kept under the same level of strict control, but the Alliance is short on manpower and ships. They just don't have enough folk to keep a proper eye on things. Yes, it's true that they hire security firms to help enforce their laws and maintain order. And they send their hulking patrol ships out into the black to remind everyone who is in charge. Still, the cracks in the system are large enough for folk to fly a Firefly through.
Take slavery, for example. Slavery is outlawed by the Alliance government, but it's an open secret that terraforming companies, mine owners and the wealthy on the Rim regularly use slave labor in their operations, and pay big sums for human cargo. Every so often, the Alliance will bust one of these owners and free the slaves—always looks good on the nightly news. But then it's back to business as usual. Same with indentured servants. That's not legal, either, but most folk on the Border planets accept indentured servitude as a way of life. If you're desperate for the credits and you got nothing to offer up as collateral except yourself, then that's what you do. Dohn ma? [understand?]
Goverments
These days, there is only one central government in the 'Verse. Leastways, that's what the Alliance wants you to believe. It's hard work to rule over a whole star system of bazillions of people and hundreds of worlds, especially when so many of those worlds are so very far away from the Core. Some in the Alliance might be starting to wonder if maybe they bit off more protein than they can chew by trying to extend their control over the outer planets. Some might be thinking they made a mistake. If they do, they're keeping mighty quiet about it. These days, the Alliance is all about keeping things quiet.
There are local governments on the Border and Rim planets. Cities have mayors. Planets have governors. Moons have magistrates. All these answer to the Alliance. At least, that's the way it's supposed to work. Local officials on the outer worlds tend to wield heaps more power then their counterparts on the Core, just because no one’s close enough by to tell them they can’t.
The Independent Faction is gone, but that isn't to say there are no more Independents. Some are still fighting the war, though now they do it more by being an annoyance than a major threat. But over the last few years, some of these folk have left off fighting guerrilla actions and are now fighting on the political front. Be right interesting to see what happens when someone from the inside starts prying open secret doors.
Then of course, there are the corporations. Large corporations control powerful lobbies that have considerable influence inside the government. Favors are traded and eyes stay blind and the wheels of commerce and politics keep turning. We're going take a brief look at all this, just so you know where you stand.
The Anglo-Sino Alliance
The Anglo-Sino Alliance is the governing body for the entire system. Originally formed between the two first-settled planets, Londinum and Sihnon (where the "Anglo" and "Sino" come from), the Alliance is rich and powerful, with resources that most folk can't begin to imagine—manpower, intelligence-gathering, military might, and technological innovation. And, like an overprotective parent, it thinks it knows what's best for its "children"—all those who live and work under its rule. The Alliance government believes that by controlling information, technologies and even people's lives, they can forge a better 'Verse, one where people live in peace and no one ever goes hungry. Some call this Utopia. Others call it hell.
Londinum is the formal seat of government, home to Parliament and the Prime Minister. While every planet (at least within the Core) is allowed to organize its own affairs on a planetary level, system-wide policy is set by legislation. The planet of Sihnon is home to the headquarters of the trade associations and guilds in the system. The most powerful of these have their academies here. Trade tariffs for all manner of goods are established in Sihnon's bureaucratic halls.
Most people of the Alliance are allowed a say in their government. Anyone can stand for a seat in the Parliament and be voted in by the home folk. But the money required to run a campaign generally prevents the common man from ever winning a governmental position. To raise the necessary funds, one must make deals with businesses, guilds, and private interest groups. As to voting, only those who are "full citizens of the Alliance" actually get a vote. Folk who fought in or supported the Independents are not considered "full citizens." (After all, if they couldn't be trusted to fight for the right side, how could they be trusted to vote for the right candidate?) Thus only candidates who support the Alliance are ever elected. That law is due to expire after ten years, though there are some on the Core worlds who are pushing for it to be extended.
Since the Alliance can't be everywhere at once (not for lack of trying!), it has to trust the local governors to do the right thing. Each Core world under Alliance control has a governor who holds a vast amount of power. The Alliance has given guidelines on how such a person is elected, but out of respect for the sovereignty of each world policies vary from place to place. Some Core worlds are fairly ruled by honest folk. On others, local political machines or long-standing family dynasties rule.
The Independent Planets
The confederacy of planets and moons that formed the Independent Faction was doomed from the start. Each of the outer worlds had its own form of government. They'd never really worked together except to do one thing—deliver the mail. Out on the frontier, folk liked to keep themselves to themselves, dealing with their own trouble in their own way. On the Border planets, it could be dangerous to stick a gun in someone’s face because often as not three more could be pointing back at you.
While leaders among the scattered outer worlds expressed concern over the formation of the Sino-Anglo Alliance, most folk didn't much care, figuring it wouldn't affect them. They were concerned with far more mundane troubles: food shortages, low medical supplies, and the "quirks" of recently terraformed planets. It wasn't until the Alliance's proclamation that it intended to extend control over the entire system that the folk on the outer worlds woke up and smelled the tea leaves. They came together to present a unified front of resistance. And resist they did—far more than the Alliance had anticipated. Folk fightin' for their homes, freedom, and way of life fight a hell of a lot harder than those drafted into the army or who carry arms in exchange for credits. What the Independents lacked in training and equipment, they made up for in spirit.
Sad to say, spirit wasn't enough. The Independents couldn't combat the massive Alliance forces. Outgunned, outmanned, and outmaneuvered, they were forced to surrender. The Independent governments of every planet that had resisted Alliance control were removed and replaced with an Alliance Governor. Very little actually changed for the people who lived on these planets, as the new Governors usually kept much of the political infrastructure intact. The people still paid their taxes to the local tax collector. Except now the money went to the Alliance, not to those who needed it at home.
The Alliance promised they would send the manpower, money, and supplies needed to rebuild the bombed and burned-out cities. To give them credit, they did send some. Just not near enough. You see, some folk on the Core think the former Independent supporters should be punished for their rebellion. So when government folk start bringing up measures to help those on the outer worlds, such measures usually find themselves voted down.
Each planet outside the Core is ruled by an Alliance-appointed Governor (or Magistrate, in the case of a moon). These individuals wield tremendous power, and though some wield it with an iron fist, others take a more hands-off approach and allow the smaller communities to deal with their own problems.
When a Border planet or moon requires the assistance of the Alliance government, the governor has to wade through an immense amount of bureaucratic red tape. Instead of going through the hassle, they'll hand over problems to Alliancecontracted private security firms. While these firms are tightly regulated in theory, in practice they are generally poorly managed, if not downright corrupt. The cure is worse than the ailment.
Tough times for some mean good times for others. The unrest has been a boon to the mercenary trade. Former soldiers from both sides now hire out their guns to communities, security firms and businesses who pay them to clean up their towns, fight range wars, or put down slave revolts.
The Military
The strength of the Alliance military ensures that the Alliance stays in control. Though currently stretched quite thin, the military is still impressive. Massive cruisers the size of small cities patrol space, keeping a watch for smugglers, illegal salvage operations and pirates. No one in the system is willing to take on an Alliance cruiser, which has enough firepower to atomize most other spacecraft.
The men and women who serve in the military are well-trained, disciplined, and carry state-ofthe-art firearms and body armor. On the upside, like any other immense organization, the military has its share of blackguards, idiots, and scoundrels who can be bribed, bluffed, or fooled. And, yes, the occasional soldier might fall asleep on guard duty. But don't count on it. Most troopers in the Alliance military are dedicated, smart, and know every trick in the book.
The Law
The Alliance military tends to ride to the rescue only when the big guns are needed. For the more mundane crimes, the local sheriffs, Interpol, and the Feds are the folk to call.
Just about every town on every planet and moon has some form of local law. In many cases, the law is a man with a tin star looking to keep everyone in town honest. In others, the law is a bunch of brigands who go around breaking kneecaps on orders from the local governor or magistrate. Whatever form the local law takes, they tend to deal with petty theft and hooligans. When something major comes along—such as the assassination of a governor or the kidnapping of a powerful Guild leader—the locals call in either Interpol or the Federal Marshals.
Interpol (Interplanetary Police) deals with criminals who have fled the jurisdiction of local law enforcement, as well as crimes committed in areas that are outside local control, though still under Alliance control. (In other words, just about everywhere.) Interpol generally deals more with tracking suspects and investigating interplanetary crime than direct enforcement. The enforcement of federal law and the pursuit of criminals across interplanetary borders falls under the jurisdiction of Federal Marshals.
Federal Marshals (or simply, "Feds") track down wanted criminals and/or bring to trial those who fail to answer a summons. Some Feds are righteous enforcers of the peace, but there are a few who are more bounty hunter than law enforcer and will go after anyone if the money's good enough. Since they have to travel a far piece to do their jobs, the Feds have a great deal of autonomy. Feds work alone or in teams. They are provided with excellent ships and equipment, though some choose to work undercover if they are on the trail of particularly dangerous (or lucrative) fugitives.