[[File:Federal Technocracy of Galatea.png|The government flag of the Federal Technocracy of Galatea.|thumb]]
Nestled in the Weeping Stars region near the All-Xanu Republic lies the Yggdrasill System, home to the '''Federal Technocracy of Galatea'''. One of the only successes of the misfortune-addled Galatea Project, the [[Sol Alliance|Alliance’s]] ambitious effort to transform the modern [[The Orion Spur#Weeping Stars|Weeping Stars]] into a cradle for humanity, the Federation is a renowned center of scientific advancement and still possesses practical large-scale terraforming equipment from the pre-Interstellar War era. '''Galateans''', the citizens of the Federation, prize academic achievements above all other things and possess a unique technocratic government where one’s political power as a citizen is directly tied to their level of education. The most famous field of research in the Federation is undoubtedly its biotechnology sector, which heavily cooperates with [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]] and is so prevalent in Galatean society that almost all citizens of the Federation have some degree of biological augmentation.
But the Federation itself sits at an awkward juncture. Due to its position near both Xanu and the historical Solarian border it as long as a society had hands in both nations, much to the irritation of many Coalitioners. But with the [[Sol Alliance|Alliance]] dramatically contracted and the Federation far inside the [[Coalition of Colonies|Coalition’s borders]] will this model remain practical, or must it innovate upon even this?
= Cloning =
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Created initially in 1344 CE by the [[Skrell]], it was an incredibly rare and expensive procedure that only revolved around embryonic reproductive cloning. It was almost three centuries later, in 1639 that the Skrell unlocked the ability to begin growing organs, as well as limbs, for those that managed to fall into the “Primary” category of the [[Skrell Culture| Skrellian Social Credit System]]. It became a popular trend among the highest of the Primaries to grow organs and limbs ahead of actually requiring them.
==History==
<center><i>“The Galatea Project, Prime Minister, is the next bold step forwards for our great Alliance! With these new worlds for humanity, we shall create a legacy for centuries!”</i> - Gerhard Hassel (2175 - 2289), Secretary for Alliance Colonial Affairs, at a meeting concerning the Galatea Project (2237).</center>
The [[Skrell Synthetic Age| Era of Synthetic Oppression]] reigned over by Glorsh-Omega brought with it significant advances into the field of cloning, mostly confined to the archologies across Aliose. Glorsh-Omega had managed to propel the field of cloning and genetics exceptionally during their reign, managing to unlock the secret that prevented the flash growth of organs and limbs. Upon contact with humanity in 2332, [[Skrell]] began sharing their research in the field of cloning with [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]] — specifically its subsidiary, Yomi Genetics Innovation and Research.
===Pre-Interstellar War (2255-2274)===
In the mid-23rd century the Solarian Alliance stood as the premiere power of the known Orion Spur and claimed dominion over all of humanity, with its control reaching from the Sol System to the furthest reaches of charted space. The ambition of the hegemonic-era Alliance, however, were restrained by a logistical problem: the Inner Solarian Frontier — now known as the Weeping Stars — suffered from a lack of habitable worlds aside from the trading hub of Gadpathur, which served as a vital transit hub for trade closing from the Solarian Frontier to the Solarian Core and vice-versa. With Gadpathurian port facilities essentially at their maximum reasonable capacity, and the [[Sol Alliance#Department of Colonization|Solarian Department of Colonization]] planning a massive colonization effort in the Riphean Frontier Sector — modern-day Arusha — the Alliance was faced with a severe logistical shortage which could not be easily addressed through only orbital facilities.
Continued efforts from both races eventually yielded more efficient processes, making cloning organs and limbs easier than before, as well as cutting unnecessary costs that pushed for [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]] to franchise on the new lucrative market developing as a result of the cooperation. Today, while other megacorporations have invested in the field, [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]] continues to dominate the cloning market. Most if not all cloning operations are performed on corporate assets with branches of its subsidiary - Yomi Genetics. [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]] has also managed to advertise the “revival” of the dead through embryonic cloning, where a biological copy of an individual can exist. However, it follows the lifespan of their respective species beginning at infancy.
The Department of Colonization, never one to be constrained by the limits of budget, designed an ambitious project to overcome this challenge: the creation of habitable worlds throughout the Inner Solarian Frontier. This Galatea Project was to be the greatest accomplishment of the Department of Colonization. By the mid-2240s a practical prototype was achieved via the government cooperation with Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, Einstein Engine, and Hephaestus Industries, and in 2255 the first Galatea Terraforming platform — complete with an assortment of vessels intended to assist it — was dispatched to the unpopulated Inner Solarian Frontier system of Yggdrasill to much fanfare in the Alliance, with more following the Yggdrasill Expedition over the coming years.
== Operations ==
=== Limb and Organ Cloning ===
The ability of humanity to “clone” limbs and organs dates back to the mid-21st century and originates at roughly the same time as [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], which would go on to be the main provider of cloned limbs and organs. These early techniques were slow and could be prohibitively expensive, depending on the organ. Limb cloning only became common in the early 23rd century with the advent of new techniques developed by Jeonshi Biotech Incorporated but— due to its cost— initially existed as an alternative for prosthetics only available to the very wealthy. This changed following first contact with the [[Skrell]] in 2332 due to [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]]'s willingness to cooperate with the more advanced species.
The Yggdrasil Expedition itself was not meant for long-term colonization and primarily consisted of the skilled engineers and scientists required to run, operate, and maintain the large-scale terraforming equipment utilized in the era’s terraforming projects. Over the 2250s they set about the arduous process of transforming Yggdrasil II from an uninhabitable world into a fully habitable one, and renamed it to Galatea after the project itself, as it was to be the first planet ever terraformed by it. Massive amounts of resources were pulled from the gas giants of the system to create Galatea, and progress proceeded faster than expected due to plentiful supplies from the broader Alliance. More and more workers arrived to aid the Expedition’s efforts as progress on Galatea continued and the Expedition’s scientific staff set their eyes upon planets further in the system, such at the planet of Svarog, — located slightly outside of the Goldilocks Zone further from Galatea’s twin stars — Empyrean on the system’s edge, where intense Helium-3 mining operations were underway, and Galatea’s moon, Tsukuyomi. Svarog’s terraforming began in 2259, a mere year before economic disaster struck the Galatea Project.
Cooperation between [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]] and [[Skrell]] helped lower costs and enhance the effectiveness of existing limb and organ cloning techniques. While genetic material from the recipient is still required to clone an organ or limb, modern techniques first developed in this era have made it much more affordable and practical for an average human resident of the Orion Spur - however, in still considerably more expensive than their mechanical counterparts. Despite these improvements and advances, limb and organ cloning remains mostly limited to more developed systems such as Sol, New Ankara, Biesel, and Xanu Prime with few cloning facilities existing outside of these areas. With the most remote facilities existing in the Al-Maqdisi System due to its heavy Zeng-Hu presence.
In 2260 the Galatea Project’s ambitions met reality as the Second Great Depression saw the Department of Colonization’s budget contract as markets crashed across the Spur and the government desperately attempted to control a spiraling budget deficit which worsen as the decade continued. In the Yggdrasil System the Department of Colonization’s budget cuts were felt as regular supply convoys began to reduce in frequency and contained less supplies when they did arrive. Supplies acquired from the Alliance’s frontier regions and colonies, such as Xanu, did not resolve what had become an increasingly dire situation for the Expedition, which had to continue its terraforming process on Galatea and Svarog or risk potential ecological catastrophes as the terraforming technologies spiraled out of control.
=== Embryo Cloning ===
While much of [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]]'s research focuses upon the cloning of limbs and organs, the prospect of cloning an entire human being has long fascinated the keiretsu. Although Jeonshi Biotech focused primarily on the more conventional form of cloning, Yomi Genetics I&R, already well-known for being on the bleeding edge of genetic research, opted to pursue a different field: that of embryonic cloning. Long a staple of the [[Nralakk Federation]] due to long-standing fertility issues, Yomi Genetics researchers were able to create the first practical method for human embryonic cloning in the early 2410s. Prohibitively expensive and only common in the richest of humanity's systems— particularly Sol— Yomi Genetics' techniques allow those parents that can afford it to make a child that has been genetically altered to be a cut above their peers. Despite many human rights groups decrying this as simply a modern form of eugenics, its popularity has not slowed among the rich of [[Sol]], and Yomi Genetics has quickly become one of the keiretsu's wealthiest members as a result.
Faced with the prospect of losing all progress they had made forever, the Expedition made a difficult choice. To sustain both operations the choice was made to begin drawing materials from Yggrisil’s two gas giants, Nüwa and Ymir, and their moons. Planetary-scale mining technology such as the legendary Brahma platform was utilized to crack the surface of the gas giant’s moons and massive amounts of resources were siphoned from the giants themselves, all in the name of sustaining a project which they had sworn to see to its end. More resources and more workers migrated from the Solarian Frontier in order to sustain the Expedition’s massive mining and extraction operation, and the formerly small scientific expedition now found itself in charge of a large number of non-degree-holding workers who had become increasingly vital as autonomous industrial equipment, which had to be imported from the Solarian Core, became harder to acquire at the required rate.
Regardless of its immense profits, the corporation has not opted to pursue flash cloning of humans, citing “moral and ethical concerns" alongside the immense investment required to make such a thing practical and the lack of a viable market for adult clones. In spite of this, there have been extranet rumours for decades that the keiretsu uses cloned soldiers as its heavy-duty biohazard response teams. These are, however, simply rumours, and the keiretsu has long denied them as “baseless conspiracies,” with no foundation in reality.
As the 2270s dawned the Expedition had effectively drained Ymir and its moons of materials, turning the gas giant into a floating mass of rocks and debris, and nearly drained Nüwa to the same extent, but they had almost reached their goal by 2275. Galatea itself was, as of 19 November 2272, declared officially fit for habitation to much celebration in both the Expedition and the Department of Colonization, which had had to scrap several less successful Galatea Project ventures due to budget constraints and was thrilled to have any success. Terraforming Tsukuyomi, its moon, was initiated later in the same year due to the vast amounts of resources left over from Ymir’s destruction and promises of further resupply efforts by the Alliance as the economy improved. Svarog, though not nearly as far along in the process as many in the Expedition had hoped, was habitable by late 2274 and, assuming supplies from the Core and Frontier were sustained, both it and Tsukuyomi would be brought to the same standard as Galatea by 2285 at the latest.
=== Geneboosting ===
[[File:Old Sol.png||thumb|The flag of the pre-Interstellar War Solarian Alliance, the single largest state in the Spur's history. The three stars represent the Northern, Central, and Southern Solarian Frontiers.]]
While the vast majority of the Orion Spur relies on genetic manipulation and cloning techniques developed by [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]] and their [[Skrell|Skrellian]] business partners, there is one notable exception: the [[Empire of Dominia]] and it's “geneboosting” techniques. The exact details of these techniques are a closely-guarded secret of the [[Empire of Dominia]] and [[Empire_of_Dominia_Great_Houses| House Volvalaad]], which is responsible for much of geneboosting's development and research. There have been no confirmed leaks of the Empire's geneboosting techniques, despite rumored attempts by [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]] to purchase information on them, and this secrecy has kept geneboosting firmly within the Empire's borders. On-and-off talks between Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals and the Empire regarding the sale of Dominian techniques to the keiretsu have not yet produced results.
But as 2275 dawned, events outside of the Expedition’s control that would throw its entire existence into jeopardy began to unfold.
===The Interstellar War and Treaty of Galatea (2275 - 2299)===
The history and origins of geneboosting are more well-known: the modern technique dates back to genetic manipulation of crops and fauna brought by [[Empire_of_Dominia#Initial_Colonization| Moroz's original settlers]], and this foundation was used by [[Empire_of_Dominia_Great_Houses| House Volvalaad]] to create modern geneboosting of humans. It is known to be prohibitively expensive and only limited to Imperial Primaries. The effects lead to enhanced attributes and appearances: those geneboosted are stronger, faster, more able, and much longer-lived than their non-geneboosted counterparts. Geneboosted playable species tend to be a foot or so taller than average (upwards of seven to seven and a half feet for humans) and find it very easy to maintain peak fitness. A geneboosted person is obvious at a glance, and geneboosted humans are often held as paragons of Imperial society. Geneboosting carried out after birth, known as gene therapy, is very rare and generally dangerous in addition to also being prohibitively expensive.
The secession of the Coalition of Colonies on 18 January 2275 threw the Yggdrasil Expedition into chaos. Supplies from the Solarian Frontier stopped entirely and the Department of Colonization’s supplies end as well. As the Navy scrambled to control the flow of goods to the Frontier, the Solarian Frontier’s supplies stopped too. The Expedition suddenly found itself short of the materials it needed to terraform Svarog and Tsukuyomi into fully-habitable worlds. A difficult decision had to be made. At the orders of Expedition Director Sachiko Amaya the Expedition performed a series of analyses on the potential outcomes of terraforming Tsukuyomi and of terraforming Svarog and was decided, after days of debate between the highest-ranking staff of the Expedition, to terraform Tsukuyomi instead of Svarog. Without further supplies, the experts concluded, it would be impossible to bring Svarog to the expected standard of the Galatea Project but was possible to bring Tsukuyomi to this standard. This decision,made by a handful of individuals who the Expedition deemed most capable of making it without public consultation, is viewed by some as the first step by the Expedition towards becoming the Federal Technocracy of Galatea.
== Dangers ==
Some believe that the “revival” of an individual can occur through embryonic cloning, however, that could not be further from the truth. While they are a biological copy of a deceased individual, memories and personality will not carry over. Despite embryonic cloning of a deceased individual being cheaper than creating “designer children”, the process is still considered rather expensive, even for the wealthy.
As the terraforming of Tsukuyomi continued and the Inner Solarian Frontier collapsed into anarchy around them, many in the Expedition grew worried. The Sovereign Solarian Nation of Xanu was in revolt, as were many of the worlds of the Inner and Outer Solarian Frontier. By early spring 2278 many in the Expedition were concerned they would never be in a stable area again, and voices within the Yggdrasil Expedition began to call for a reassessment of their policy of deferring to the Department of Colonization for matters of self-governance. However the majority of the Expedition supported remaining loyal to the Alliance, believing the Solarian Navy would come to their rescue and reestablish the flow of material and resources to the Galatea Project. Despite reports other Galatea Project systems had fallen into ruin, or been abandoned, the Expedition remained confident in rescue by the Navy.
While most of the kinks have been worked out with limb and organ cloning, there are complications. Delayed onset muscle degeneration, or DOMD for short, is a painful process where a limb can begin to necrose and can happen even years after being cloned. It is generally regarded as being rare, and impossible to detect until it is too late. The only treatment is amputation. Despite the genetic material of a recipient being used, there have been cases of acute cellular rejection with cloned organs. While dangerous if untreated, most of the time the problematic organ is removed and simply replaced with a different clone - a straightforward procedure that comes with little risk.
</div></div>
This belief the Navy would save the Expedition lasted until late March 2278, when news reached them from the nearby Solarian world of Gadpathur through refugees arriving from the same world. The news of Gadpathur’s bombing by Admiral Terrence Hopper on 08 March, 2278, shattered the confidence the Expedition had in their rescue by the Alliance’s Navy, which now seemed a greater threat to them than the prospect of having their equipment looted by secessionists or it falling into disrepair due to supply issues. Expedition Director Amaya and her senior researchers met once again to determine the best course of action. Many in the Expedition called for supporting Xanu and its rebels against what they saw as an unforgivable crime by the Navy, while others called for remaining aligned to the Solarian Alliance out of practicality rather than morality. Some called for the Expedition to declare itself as a neutral state, or to form its own nation in the hopes it would be able to chart a course independently. It was another point where making the wrong decision, even if it was the decision supported by the majority, could be fatal and destroy what they had created so far. Expedition Director Amaya, trusted experts from the Expedition, and advisors conveyed an emergency council, again ignoring the prospect of achieving a majority decision, and concluded the most logical course of action was to remain neutral in the conflict.
= Automobiles =
Ever since the introduction of the first car, Humanity has always striven to traverse the ground with ever more speed, safety and efficiency. Although spacecraft have and are being considered the primary focus for interstellar and interplanetary and even intercontinental travel, the 25th century bears witness to the bustling car industry. From Mendell City to the empty plains of Vysoka, the endless variety of cars, bikes and other vehicles can only be described as dazzling, with countless more designs, innovations and prototypes being constantly developed.
In late April 2278, shortly after this decision was made by the Expedition, a group of vessels arrived in the Yggdrasil System. They were a group of battered civilian vessels, escorted by a small number of Solarian Navy corvettes, all flying the flag of Gadpathur. These vessels revealed they were a group of Gadpathurians, escorted by the remains of Gadpathur’s naval defense force, who had managed to escape Admiral Hopper’s destruction of the system. They were low on supplies and fuel, and requested to take refuge with the Expedition in the Yggdrasil System. Expedition Director Amaya, seeing the Yggdrasil Expedition’s need for personnel and armed ships to defend itself, accepted after conferring with her council. In time the Gadpathurii, as they are now known, would go on to form a significant group in Galatea.
The beating heart of the galaxy's automotive industry lies undoubtedly in the core worlds of the Solarian Alliance, the place the oldest and most prestigious brands call home. Imported Solarian vehicles of all calibres can be found in virtually every system and world; an authentic (and operational) car from a solarian marque is held in very high regard and as a token of class on a far away Coalition planet. An upcoming Bieselite industry consists mainly of Solarian factories and infrastructure being rapidly taken over and merged by Nanotrasen post-independence, while burgeoning Elyran marques increase their influence and status by the year.
More crises would emerge before 2287, though none as great as these two, and all would be decided through this technocratic-council model in which Expedition Director Amaya and her chosen experts determined the best course of action. Refugees continued to arrive in the system, seeing it as a beacon of stability in the former Inner Solarian Frontier, and limited numbers of Solarian – and Coalition – Navy deserters sought refuge in it. By 2287 what had started as a scientific expedition with a limited number of personnel had shifted into an odd combination of scientific expedition, terraforming project, and technocratic oligarchy where a small handful of individuals the best and most qualified in their given field were chosen to make decisions on the behalf of a voiceless majority. The foundations of the later Technocracy had, by this point, already been laid. Now they would be built upon.
== Engines ==
*'''Petroleum''' - Once the main means of powering engines, fuel oil has by now fallen into disuse. With rapidly dwindling supplies on Earth, early attempts were made to develop and accommodate for alternative, cheaper and more plentiful fuel options, leading to the wide use of electric cars, followed by the hydrogen engine. Nowadays, only a handful of designs run on diesel, almost always in technologically backwards and distant worlds.
Unlike Xanu, Himeo, and other future Coalition member-states the Yggdrasil System was not represented at the peace talks on Earth which resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Xansan in 2287. The Treaty saw Yggdrasil fall out of direct Solarian control and into the Alliance Neutral Zone (ANZ) between the Alliance and Coalition. Gadpathur, which was assumed by most to have been simply bombed into oblivion aside from the Gadpathurii, was similarly not present. The Yggdrasil System was now placed de jure under Solarian control while being de facto independent, if not aligned with the Coalition. Expedition Director Amaya was now faced with a decision: to remain with the Alliance or to align itself with the new Coalition as a nominally independent state, and to determine what this new state would be if it were to be declared. Calling her council of experts together once again Expedition Director Amaya sought the best course of action for the Expedition.
*'''Electricity''' - The wide availability of battery-electric cars to the greater human population came in the mid-2000s, virtually and fully replacing the diesel engine by the early 2100s. Cheaper and friendlier to the environment, their use was mandated as part of the Alliance's efforts to avert the upcoming climate catastrophe on Earth. Since then, electric vehicles have received the full attention of designers and engineers, catapulting their performance stats into a new age of faster and safer commotion. The field is still being explored, with miniaturised tesla reactors posing serious promise for self-charging functions.
The result of this meeting was the foundational document of the Federation: the 16 October 2288 Treaty of Galatea. This document, which is been on Galatea itself, declared the four planets of the Yggdrasil System would form together into a federal state ruled in a technocratic manner which would benefit all and favor none. The name of this state, the Federal Technocracy of Galatea, was taken from the project which had created its worlds. Furthermore, the Treaty founded the Galatean Federal Navy — made up of formerly Gadpathurian vessels — and Army to defend itself. The Treaty declared the Federation was not part of the Alliance as it was in a neutral zone, but would willingly work with its former masters to a reasonable extent. It also declared the Federation would work with the Coalition but was likewise not a technical member of its roll of member-states. The Technocracy sent messengers to both Xanu and Earth, where both were received with some confusion but ultimately acknowledged. The Federation was now its own nation and would succeed or fail on its own, without the Department of Colonization to cushion its fall.
*'''Hydrogen''' - Once considered a lost cause, hydrogen combustion engines have by now come a long way into being accepted as a viable vehicle powering method. A relatively recent breakthrough pioneered by Einstein Engines in partnership with Langenfeld Motors has seen the development of an internal combustion engine, able to accommodate a daring new 1:100 phoron-hydrogen mix. This new "Super Hydrogen" fuel brand, authorised for use after exhaustive testing to guarantee safety and acceptable emissions, proved more powerful than anything before, allowing the vehicle to reach velocities previously unthought-of for commercial, land-based locomotion. That said, the tremendously high price, engine wear and recent phoron scarcity have confined the use of this technology to a select few.
===The Early Federation (2300-2359)===
*'''Others''' - The vastness of the Orion Spur provides for vast possibilities, individuals from all over the cosmos coming up with new innovations on how to power their automobiles. Biofuels, natural gas, steam, local minerals and many more options exist that can and have at some point been used, often to an explosive and sometimes disastrous conclusion. While the mainstream industry continues to explore new avenues, it is very rare that any such engines achieve any important consumer following.
Assuming the newly created position of Chief Director, Amaya and her experts set about establishing a state focused on one thing above all: scientific excellence. The reason for this was simple: maintaining this edge, in the eyes of the Chief Director, was the best way to ensure the Federation’s continued success and survival. Diplomatically they would have to balance the interests of the Alliance and the Coalition. In the years after the treaty was signed and the Federation began to find its footing this meant favoring the Coalition over the Alliance, then recovering from the Navy’s coup attempt and the Martian terraforming disaster. As Galatean institutions began to take shape it drew closer to the Coalition, eventually ensuring Federation citizenship would be recognized by the broader Coalition as equivalent to possessing Coalition citizenship.
== Locomotion ==
*'''Wheels''' - Most cars and motorbikes in human space still utilise wheels. Embedded firmly into everyday life since ancient times, the wheel still remains one of the greatest inventions, serving billions of people every given hour. While there have been multiple innovations and attempts at change, the four and two-wheel standard for cars and bikes respectively, remains the primary and most used setup. New technologies in elastics have resulted in significant breakthroughs in tyre manufacturing, offering consumers a more secure and efficient experience than ever before.
Life for the Federation was secure as it plunged further into the 2300s and its academic society grew further, coalescing into three major research fields: biotechnology, interstellar avionics, and planetary engineering. All three fields worked closely with the nearby [[Xanu Prime|All-Xanu Republic]] and profited from events such as the Second Astonishment and Xanan Renaissance, with Galatean technical expertise in demand across Xanu and workers from across the Coalition flocking to the sprawling factories and mines of Svarog and Empyrean. New technologies were created in laboratories on Galatea and Tsukuyomi for use across the entire Coalition and beyond, and the success of the Federation seemed all but guaranteed for many in the Technocracy’s upper education ranks, particularly as it began to appease the Alliance by opening inroads to the newly-colonized Solarian world of [[Konyang]].
*'''Hoverthrusters''' - The concept of “flying cars” has been fantasised and ingrained in the minds of the public for centuries as the staple mark of a technologically advanced future. It was not until the early 2200s that such an invention would be properly applied to the first prototype, essentially creating the first hovercar, utilising gravity generation technology. Owing to the general instability and turmoil of the time, however, no attempts at an actual commercial release were undertaken, the invention was largely forgotten until as far as the 2400s. While nowhere near the idea of airborne personal vehicles hover thrusters are now rapidly being added to both cars and motorcycles, replacing some or all wheels. They have proven highly moddable, the latest and most expensive thruster models able to project holographic images, lights and particles of all sorts while stationary or on the road.
Two events would shake the Federation’s faith in its continued success. The first, and more important for many in the Federation, was the '''2338 Empyrean Unrest'''. Mine workers across the member-planet, motivated by Himean syndicalist thought which had made its way to the planet’s mining facilities through regular interactions with [[Himeo|Himeans]] – and thus their syndicalist ideologist – and by distaste at a lack of voice in the Technocracy’s government, went on strike and brought operations across Empyrean to a halt. The Federation’s Chief Director Willelm Allard, a dedicated researcher from the biotechnology sector, called an emergency session of the Federation’s top scientists to resolve the issue. They debated for two weeks but before making a decision which broke the strike: they would dedicate themselves to finding a way to improve the workers scientifically but, for the meantime, would ensure the housing, food, and basic necessities of every non-degreed worker were cared for. While this was not what the strike leaders wanted many strikers accepted and its strength was broken, with most leaders of it deported to the United Syndicates. This solemn promise to improve the lives of Federation workers through science was the start of what has become Galatea’s thriving human bioaugmentation industry. The Technocracy claims the United Syndicates sponsored the Empyrean Unrest and teaches this in its history classes. The United Syndicates deny they were involved in the events.
While never published to the broader Federal public Chief Director Allard’s special committee came to another conclusion: the Federation was unprepared to combat internal issues such as the Empyrean Unrest, and its top-down system of ruling made it vulnerable to these threats. The committee advised taking harsh actions against the United Syndicates of Himeo and to build an internal security service to combat these threats. As Allard condemned Himeo he created the '''Ministry of Academic Security (MfAS)''' — an internal security agency which would become one of the Federation’s largest and most critical institutions. The relationship between the United Syndicates and Federal Technocracy remains poor to this day.
An EU-directed amalgamation of the various major European automobile marques following the collapse of the economy during the second depression of 2260, Langenfeld has since solidified its position as a world-class producer and supplier of high-quality cars and bikes all over human and known space. A staple in the Solarian vehicle industry, the brand's focus on electric engines has kept them in the lead in their research and design, enabling them to branch out into the more general field of consumer appliances.
The Empyrean Unrest marks the start of the Federation’s history of intense censorship and internal propaganda, as the event was devastating to its economy in the short term. This damage resulted in a brief economic downturn during the late 2330s and early 2340s known as the “Heaven Slump.” A desire to ensure this event never happened again led to massive investments by the Federation into ensuring its non-degrees population remained both loyal and content. To do this it instituted extensive state aid programs for its workers while immersing them into pro-Federation propaganda and banning, “potentially harmful material,” from the Federation. Over time this form of state welfare-propaganda would become a hallmark of the Federation, and a reason for its continued success.
===== Notable Releases =====
*'''Langenfeld EVO''' - Langenfeld's Electric Vehicle, nicknamed and marketed as EVO in a play on the word “evolution”, is the most widely sold city car series in Alliance space. Running on a standard electric engine, the EVO has dominated the market as a cheap, effective car for use in urban day to day environments. Famed for its relatively small size, its design accommodates busy 25th-century traffic in both planetary cities and Unity Station. Complaints of a cramped interior and reduced luggage capacity have led to the EVO-Compact, sacrificing the two passenger seats for a more comfortable and spacy experience while also cutting down on the size. While both the EVO and the EVO-Compact have been praised for the conveniences they offer in parking and manoeuvring inside tight spaces, it is a clear urban design, unable to match more powerful vehicles on the open road. Nevertheless, the by now decade-old design remains hugely popular in both Sol and Tau Ceti space.
The second event was the '''2347 Gadpathurian Skirmish'''. The Skirmish grew out of what [[Gadpathur]] viewed as a grave insult and the Federation viewed as a natural continuation of its policies: a refusal in 2344 by the Federation to officially condemn the Alliance for the bombing of Gadpathur, citing its policy of neutrality towards the Alliance as its reason why. Instead, the Federation condemned Admiral Terrence Hopper himself, who was by that time deceased. As a Coalition observer rather than a full member the Federation’s refusal had no impact upon the resolution, which passed. Gadpathur, however, was infuriated by Galatea’s refusal and began antagonizing the Federation’s expeditions into the Weeping Stars. This escalated until 2347, when a Federal Navy patrol group encountered a Gadpathurian patrol group in the Weeping Stars. Details of the engagement are unclear, but both patrols had their weapons activated and ready to fire at the time a Xansan patrol intervened and defused the situation. Galatea and Gadpathur have had no formal relations since this point.
*'''Langenfeld Surveyor''' - A popular SUV, the Surveyor is widely appreciated for its endurance and powerful electric engine. Predominantly found in more rural locations, its robust four-wheel-drive system renders it ideal for family vacations, trips and long-range daily commuting. A comfortable and safe interior, combined with advanced suspension systems, has gained its reputation for being one of the smoothest cars in Sol. The Surveyor has also been selected for experimentation on self-charging engine batteries, Langenfeld's R&D division managing to release a stable model, modifying the engine to great extents. While it is available to the general public, its price and availability place this iteration of the SUV out of reach for all but a select few.
Following the Gadpathurian Skirmish Chief Director Kamilla Yamaguchi assembled a council of military experts to assess the condition of the Galatean Federal Navy. The result of this survey, published in 2349 and known commonly as the Navy Report, was found the Navy as too small and too dated to be a serious defensive or offensive force for the Federation, and recommended major investments be made into the Federal military to make the it capable of fighting and defeating the most likely enemy of the Federation: Gadpathur. These recommendations and Chief Director Yamaguchi’s subsequent investments into the Federal military led to the founding of the '''Ministry of the Federal Military (MfWF)''', the most recently-created Galatean ministry. The expansion of the Federal military proved successful for both the military and two research fields: biotechnology, which had to supply the military’s genetic modifications, and interstellar avionics, which supplies the majority of its equipment.
*'''Langenfeld Vulcan''' - The hybrid Vulcan coupé is by all accounts, the spearhead of Langenfeld's entry into hydrogen fuel, combining both the certainty of their electric motors with the innovative design of a hydrogen combustion engine. An all in all good quality automobile, the Langenfeld Vulcan is suited for high speeds and is commonly found on the highways across Sol and Tau Ceti space.
===The Federation Realized (2360 - 2399)===
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By the 2360s the Federation was effectively a member of the Coalition of Colonies despite its insistence on neutrality, and some Solarian actors — particularly those in the Solarian Navy — were leery of the well-armed military forces possessed by the Federation. While the Solarian Alliance was still recovering from the secession of Elyra earlier in the century the 2360s were the height of the Warp Gate Project — a massive endeavor intended to again make the Alliance the Spur’s dominant economic power of it was successful. At the same time Galatea’s close ally Xanu, under the leadership of President Ameliye Flohimont, moved to strengthen relations with individual Solarian planets despite protestation from the United Syndicates of Himeo and Gadpathur, the Technocracy’s traditional rivals in the Coalition. Following the 2364 Xanu-Konyang trade settlement the Federation saw an opportunity to bring itself closer to the Alliance and assure its neighbor that it, despite its growing military, posed no danger to the Alliance.
A newly established branch of the Shibata shipping conglomerate, the Solarian company has dynamically established itself in the world of motorsports, especially motorcycles. While initially created as a bid for the shipping tycoon's participation in the prestigious Harmony City Grand Prix, it soon developed into a fully-fledged company aimed primarily at commercial sports vehicles. Renowned for its high speeds, sleek designs, but mostly its impressive hoverthruster technology, Shibata Sport is a brand found throughout Sol, Tau Ceti and Elyran space, being a top choice amongst motorcyclists and enthusiasts.
The 2365 Galatea-Konyang Mutual Trade Agreement formally opened the Solarian market for Galatean exports and brought the Federation more wealth as its available trade partners grew from Xanu, Assunzione, and Vysoka to the vast majority of the Solarian Northern Reaches and modern Corporate Reconstruction. While [[Himeo]] criticized Galatea for threatening to bring the Coalition’s economy into the Alliance’s dominion once again and Gadpathur claimed these trade deals were, “typical snakelike Galatean behavior,” the Federation continued to trade. Deals were signed with San Colette (2366), [[Solarian Reconstruction Mandates#Northern Solarian Reconstruction Mandate|New Peoria and Novo Igman (2367), Lhokgon (2367), and Lycoris (2368)]]. Then came [[Mictlan]] (2370), [[Biesel]] (2371), and [[Port Antillia]] (2373). Profits soared as Galatean products began to enter the Solarian market and many of these profits were folded into the unique Technocracy propaganda-welfare system. By the mid-2370s the typical Galatean lived in luxury the Yggdrasil Expedition could have only dreamed of, even in majority non-voting areas on Svarog and Empyrean.
===== Notable Releases =====
*'''Shibata X-406''' - The widely known X-406 (or simply 406) electric sports motorcycle offered Shibata the key to the market, becoming their first large commercial success. Found mainly across Sol and Tau Ceti, the 406 is the brand's flagship product, achieving high speeds with great cost-efficiency. Supporting a driver and a passenger, the sporty design and flexible support for hover thrusters in place of the posterior wheel has made it popular with the younger clientele, spawning an enormous variation in paint jobs, attachments, lights and system modifications. This association with youth and experimentation has also resulted in unwanted notoriety, the motorbike regularly also finding itself in the hands of more fringe groups such as bikers and gang members across many worlds.
Increased trade brought increased diplomacy with the Alliance and, unlike President Flohimont’s government, the Technocracy was able to pursue more normalized relations with the Alliance in exchange for more access to the coveted technological relics in the [[The Orion Spur#Weeping Stars|Weeping Stars]] and the former [[Sol Alliance History#Historical Solarian Sectors and Regions|Solarian frontier]] beyond. The Alliance-Federation relationship only became stronger after the assassination of Flohimont in 2374 by a Gadpathurian, which the Federation officially condemned Gadpathur for — an action which gained it the approval of the Solarian embassy in the Coalition and the condemnation of Himeo and Gadpathur. During this era the Federation increased its foreign investments in the Coalition to continue its balanced diplomacy, with much of its efforts focused on sharing its terraforming techniques with [[Vysoka]] in exchange for favorable trade conditions regarding foodstuffs from Vysoka and industrial exports from the Federation.
*'''Shibata Jie''' - The Shibata Jie, was the early venture into the luxury sports car market, featuring one of the first hydrogen-powered, over thruster propulsion systems on a commercial car and a driver assistance computer to help control it. Hugely promising, its early release would nonetheless go on to be regarded as a product with mixed results. Initially designed as a four-doored wheeled coupe for VIP passengers, the decision was made to convert it to a hovercar in order to beat competitors. While the car was lauded for its slender look and comfortable ride, the early and experimental propulsion system proved to be prone to overheating, leaving the car stuck, or in some cases, dangerously volatile in a crash. Changes were promptly applied however, new thrusters and more refined electronics having greatly reduced the risks of malfunction or jamming, pushing the Shibata Jie into the forefront as the fastest commercially available vehicle in Sol and Biesel.
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While the Federation’s economy grew massively during the latter half of the 24th century this growth was not without its faults. A demand for more industrial production led to a sizable increase in industry on Svarog and larger mining operations upon Empyrean. The rapid growth of heavy industry on Svarog led to the '''Svarogite Rejuvenation of 2365''' which repurposed the surface of the planet into the “Sector Plan” — a centrally-planned project which organized the entire planet into a series of industrial cities connected by high-speed rail lines designed to allow for the rapid transfer of personnel, resources, and products. While the Rejuvenation was successful and vastly empowered the planetary engineering sector it led to the current extremely polluted environment of Svarog’s surface. The massive factories of Svarog were constructed for the most efficient output generation possible and little thought was given by the Technocracy to the environment of the frozen, half-terraformed planet. Even now residents of Svarog receive federally-mandated bioaugmentations for their throats which allow them to better endure the polluted environment of the planet, and wearing a respirator outside is recommended.
As Biesel gained independence, the nationalisation of Solarian automotive factories on the planet became inevitable after Langenfeld Tau Ceti surrendered its facilities in a large buyout. The result, a new brand managed by NanoTrasen, brought Tau Ceti into the world market as an independent designer and producer. Though shrouded by controversies and budget deficits, Poplar remains a large supplier of cars and motorcycles on the planet, backed by the Conglomerate's much needed monetary investment as more and more shares end up in their hands each year.
===The Federation and the Doldrums (2400 - 2451)===
===== Notable Releases =====
*'''Poplar Excursion''' - With a price tag that is relatively affordable, the Excursion has become a common sight within the Republic of Biesel. It was originally designed as a four-door hatchback, and it has made rapid strides in its target market - going even further to encourage sales partly through a unique amortization program that previously benefited NanoTrasen and now extends to other organizations within the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate. Despite its compact size, it comes with a unique engine design that pushes additional firepower through the buildup of kinetic energy from its wheels.
The Federal Technocracy, like much of the [[Coalition of Colonies|Coalition]], experienced a period of economic downturn during the 2390s and early 2400s due to having no more trade partners to expand to. The Doldrums, as they are known in the All-Xanu Republic, were felt less severely in the Technocracy due to its greater amount of centralization and its ability to discard public opinion for expert analysis. To combat the economic downturn felt across the Federation its experts decided upon two courses of action which were unlike Xanu’s strategy of injecting phoronics into its economy, which the Technocracy disregarded due to a belief that the fuel would make them more dependent on foreign powers and throw their diplomatic balance in the Alliance’s favor permanently. While this measure resulted in poor relations with [[Republic of Biesel|Biesel]] to this day, it insulated the Federation from the Phoron Shortage.
*'''Poplar Inferno''' - One of the most expensive locally assembled motorcycles on the market, the Poplar Inferno has become somewhat popular in certain groups across the Orion Spur. Advertised as a sleek sports cruiser, it finds the majority of its brawn originating within its hydrogen-based engine that powers its hover thrusters, said to be the first of its kind. NanoTrasen is largely accredited as being the innovator of such a design, with Nathan Trasen as the face of the chopper. It comes in only one colour; maroon red.
The first effort by the Federation was the '''2404 Galatean Trade Initiative''', which was intended to open further markets for the Technocracy to sell its products in. The first nation they approached was the Alliance, where the Galateans had not yet managed to secure trade agreements with Solarian worlds closer to Earth. It is a testament to Galatean diplomacy that this effort was successful in 2406, when the [[Callisto|Commonwealth of Callisto]] granted Galatean merchants special access to its ports. The [[Republic of Elyra]] rejected similar overtures by the Federal Technocracy and its trade deal with Callisto — the first of its kind between a Coalition affiliate and a Solarian Core world, though independent Coalition vessels have long traded in Callisto — drew condemnation from its rivals in [[Himeo]] and [[Gadpathur]], and from more anti-Solarian elements of Xanu’s political parties. The Federation, however, viewed the Callisto-Galatea trace agreement as a critical victory for their economy. With the influx of more Solarian trade and the presence of new markets the immediate concern of economic downturn had been averted.
*'''Poplar Classic''' - Inspired by an era long past, the Poplar Classic aims to commit some necromancy by bringing back an automobile model that has long since gone extinct. Despite its petroleum-based design similar to those of 20th-century designs, the two-door sports coupé houses a miniaturized tesla reactor. It is categorized as being a mix of both Adhomian and Biesellite innovations. A great deal of the interior instrumentation is made of wood.
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With new markets the Federal economy grew, particularly on Svarog. In an effort to ensure Svarog attracted more investments the Federation initiated the Second Svarogite Rejuvenation in 2422. It built upon the basis of the first — the Sectors were expanded, the population was augmented further, and the planet’s industry became more dirty and productive than it had ever been before. Unlike the original rejuvenation project the second opened Svarog for investment by foreign corporations — a unique opportunity in the protective Federation — if the corporation could prove itself to be aligned with Galatean interests and able to provide aid to Svarog’s half-complete terraforming project. Xansan corporations and [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]] quickly formed a new sector of the Svarogite economy.
Started as a minor subsidiary venture by Hephaestus Industries in 2442, Tarrar Automotive Limited (Abbreviated as TAL) is a company that initially handled maintenance or repair of Tajara designed vehicles for the immigrant community of Tau Ceti. By 2450, it grew to also provide importation services, customization, or retrofitting for any and all automobiles from Adhomai. Buyers can purchase any vehicle from its catalogue as long as they can foot the heavy price or pay for its mechanics to modify their prized possessions in whatever way they see fit. Thanks to TAL, Tajara in [[Little Adhomai]] are able to gain and drive the same luxury vehicles or workhorse trucks that they had access to back home. Monowheels and motorbikes have become popular purchases thanks to the growth of the Greaser subculture. TAL has also found a niche in providing its products and services to exotic car collectors from around the spur. Rich buyers on planets such as Luna or Moroz sometimes see the sleek TAL-Volgydoh or antique Pryzark-19 as an excellent showpiece. Contrary to a popular extranet rumour, TAL does not produce technicals.
As the decades progressed the Federation continued to prosper, although under a system of extensive surveillance and censorship it — and many of its residents — viewed it as necessary for its survival and success as a nation-state caught between the Alliance and Coalition. As on Xanu the early to mid 2400s were a time of great cultural works in the Federation, though they were always subjected to review by the Technocracy’s various state censorship ministries to determine what in them could constitute an unacceptable risk if published to a broader population. Scientifically it continued to make broad advances in the biotechnology and interstellar engineering fields, though most discarded phoron as a field of research due to its limited accessibility in the Federation and a perception phoron would, at some point in the 25th century, run out unless further deposits were discovered and exploited. Galatean historians have, in the following decades, debated if this was a well-thought-out move by the Federation which saved its economy in the 2460s or an unacceptable limit upon the scope of its research which caused it to lag behind in phoronics-related fields.
===== Notable Releases =====
*'''Nav'twir M-59''' - Based on the Adhomian version, the Nav'twir M-59 is Tarrar Automotive's most successful monowheel model. Known for its reliability and cheap price, the vehicle was widely adopted by the Greaser population in D6. However, Adhomai-made monowheels remain as a symbol of status in Little Adhomai.
Dominia's largest automotive company by a significant margin, JAC was established in 2189 in the city that bears its name, making it one of the oldest non-Solarian automotive manufacturers in the Orion Spur. The Conglomerate is primarily controlled by House Zhao, as it has been for most of its history, though independent investors hold a minority stake. The JAC produces a wide range of vehicles both for commercial purposes and use by the Dominian government, and its products, while somewhat uncommon outside of the Empire, is said to follow Dominians wherever they go.
===The Modern Federation (2452 - Present)===
===== Notable Releases =====
*'''JAC Sunburst''' - A hybrid four-by-four, the Sunburst is a near-ubiquitous sight on the worlds of the Empire. Capable of handling both the built-up roads of Moroz just as well as the backwaters of Sun Reach, the Sunburst has gained a reputation for reliability and can run in nearly any condition it is likely to find itself in.
The secession of [[Republic of Biesel|Biesel]] from the [[Sol Alliance|Solarian Alliance]] in 2452 placed the Federation into an awkward position due to its longstanding diplomatic policy toward Sol. The [[Sol Alliance History#2452: The Secession of Biesel|Tau Ceti Accords]] were viewed as a humiliation by the Alliance and Galatea, seeking not to irritate one of its main trade partners, refused to recognize Biesel as an independent state after its secession. The Technocracy instead officially referred to Biesel as the “Solarian Republic of Tau Ceti (de jure)” until 2462, when the Second Solarian Incursion created an environment where the Federation’s needed to recognize Biesel as the broader Coalition intervened directly in the Solarian Navy’s invasion. Galatea maintained its trade relations with Tau Ceti in the interest of making money off of the ongoing phoron boom, even if it itself did not utilize the “wonder fuel” of phoron out of fears existing deposits would eventually run dry.
*'''JAC Hansom''' - Equipped with an electric engine, the Hansom is noted for its luxury, with each vehicle being a bespoke construction built to the specification of its frequently noble clientele. Although marketed in a sleek black colour, it is not uncommon to see Hansoms painted in the colour of the noble houses, often as a way to show support.
Over the rest of the 2450s as the Alliance drifted further to the right the Federation attempted to continue business as usual, but found itself increasingly at odds with some of its trade partners in the Alliance. As ATLAS’ influence increased, Galatean ships found themselves more and more often harassed by the Solarian Navy in both the DMZ and on trade routes. In 2458 a long-standing trade partner, Lycoris, broke its longstanding trade agreement with Galatea, declaring it anti-Solarian. This authoritarian turn by Sol only escalated in the 2460s with the dawn of Prime Minister Michael Frost’s regime, which took a hardline anti-Coalition stance and forever the two rivers policy even further towards the Coalition. Konyang however remained friendly to Galatea throughout the 2450s and became its gateway to San Colette’s warp network, which was itself now the gateway to the broader markets of the Solarian Core. Part of this friendliness is certainly due to the Technocracy’s willingness to contribute to [[Konyang|Konyang’s]] culture of institutional corruption through its willingness to pay bribes to get its way.
The Serene Republic of Elyra's primary producer of automobiles, the New Suez Auto Group found itself established on the “Persepolian Sapphire” shortly after the officiation of the New Suez Protocol and the creation of the New Suez Free Trade Zone. Considered a subsidiary of Elco, a state-owned enterprise responsible for the extraction and refinement of phoron, much of its success comes from its parent company's investments in phoronic technology. The New Suez Auto Group dominiates the automobile market, and while there does exist competitors, it is by far considered a staple of Elyran life - with most having purchased a car from the company.
Elsewhere in the [[The Orion Spur|Spur]] as the Alliance seemed to further destabilize the Federation found itself involved in more joint Coalition efforts to ensure its continued stability. Throughout the 2450s the Galatean Federal Navy participated in joint Coalition anti-piracy sorties designed to combat [[Human Piracy# Empire of Dominia-Affiliated Privateers|Dominian privateering]], Solarian bandits in the Alliance Neutral Zone, the [[Human Piracy#Unified Sadar Fleet|Sadar Fleet]], and other unaffiliated groups which were emboldened by the shrinking authority of the Solarian Navy over the 2450s. The force contributed by Galatea was only a fraction of its total naval strength but proved to be an effective part of the Coalition’s anti-piracy efforts, even if they were forced to operate separately from Gadpathurian forces. Like [[Xanu Prime]] the Technocracy contributed greatly to [[Republic of Elyra|Elyran]] relief efforts following the Lii’dra incursion of 2457 and aided greatly in land reclamation efforts on Bursa.
===== Notable Releases =====
*'''Sahab Brezza''' - Driven mostly by the most wealthy of Elyrans, the sports-model Sahab Brezza utilizes advanced technology such as the MagPulse Hovertech present within the Republic, as well as hydrogen engines with tweaked schematics to allow enhanced conservation of its primary fuel source - a combination of phoron and hydrogen. It found itself a popular topic of conversation following the Prime Minister having been photographed in an obviously newly-purchased Sahab Brezza attending state business.
The 2460s have been a difficult period for the Federation. The Second Solarian Incursion of 2462 made it recognize Biesel as an independent state even if the Federal Navy refused, despite Gadpathur’s protestations, to participate in the Coalition’s intervention. The Solarian Collapse which followed was nearly disastrous for Galatea as its trade route to the northern and central Alliance were cut off entirely beyond [[Konyang]], which it moved to support as the former Solarian world entered into the Coalition. It was only through a quick pivot to trading with the worlds of the CRZ — and Empyrean’s significant Helium-3 industry — that a total economic meltdown was avoided as the Technocracy’s economy buckled under the strain of the opening months of the Solarian Civil War.
*'''Harab''' - Economic by design, the Harab is a four-door coupe that has become a common-sight across the civilized planets of the Serene Republic. Similarly to that of the Sahab Brezza, the Harab utilizes MagPulse Hovertech to sour through the skies, however, a noticeable difference is its engine and the Sahab Brezza; it has an electric engine. With charging booths usually integrated in most buildings, the Harab has certainly had a significant impact on the development of the infrastructure within Elyra.
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Galatea had found itself now, like its neighbor and rival [[Gadpathur]], a full member of the modern [[Coalition of Colonies|Coalition]]. Its flexible diplomacy, long a cornerstone of Galatean policy, seems to have run its course by 2363. However, the dawn of the [[Sol Alliance History# 2462: The Solarian Civil War|War in the Northern Wildlands in early 2465]] and the later [[Solarian Armed Forces#The Solarian Navy|Solarian Navy]] intervention demonstrated the Technocracy may still need a relationship with the Alliance. Its lack of involvement in the Coalition meetings regarding the Wildlands Crisis can be attributed to both this policy and its belief Xanu, its long-standing ally in the Coalition, is able to handle Gadpathur.
Qerr'Zolvq Motors (QZM), a branch of [[Nralakk_Federation#State-Owned_Enterprises|Qerr'Zolvq Industries]], is solely responsible for the production, sale, and maintenance of private vehicles within the Nralakk Federation. QZM is known within the Federation to provide reliable vehicles, but since it's the sole manufacturer within the Federation, they are not known for much else; most of their popular makes do not come with amenities outside of what is considered necessary, and the manufacturer is not known for its aesthetic outside of its catalogue of vehicles intended for Primary Numericals.
As conflict in the Northern Reaches winds down and the Alliance seems ascendant, the Federation finds itself safe but somewhat nervous. Its welfare-propaganda system is intact and more functional than ever, and standards of living remain very high. But many in its upper echelons — the ranks of the Technocracy which make its decisions — are anxious and look towards the future with some apprehension, fearing a potential re-establishment of Solarian control in the Weeping Stars. Only time will tell if their concerns are appropriate.
=====Notable Releases=====
*'''Xarnaq''' - A Submersible Utility Vehicle (SUV) combining road-going passenger cars with the ability to submerge underwater. The Xarnaq uses a dual electric engine system, with one engine enabling land travel and the other allowing both above and underwater travel. The Xarnaq is popular amongst all Skrell on planets such as [[Qerrbalak]] and [[Aweiji]] since many population centres are located underwater. A variant known as the QZ-X was released in collaboration with Qel'Zvol Hospitality to provide Primary Numericals with a more aesthetic personal vehicle, which comes with a dual hydrogen engine system instead of the regular Xarnaq's electric engines. Both variants can seat between 5 and 8 passengers.
==The Yggdrasil System==
*'''Sqraanda''' - The Sqraanda is a wheeled automobile with a closed trunk separate from the part in which the driver and passengers sit, and is designed solely for above-water driving. The Sqraanda is considered a worker's vehicle because of its spacious trunk and ability to drive off-road. Its characteristics have also made it a common sight on planets such as [[Aliose]] where the terrain is rough, as well as on less-developed planets within the [[Notable_Skrell_Systems_and_Locations#The_Tetramerous_Systems:_The_Traverse|Traverse]]. Because of the association of the Sqraanda with the Traverse, it is mostly driven by Secondary or Tertiary Numericals as a personal vehicle, with Primaries mostly avoiding the vehicle unless their job requires it. To ensure reliability even on newly-founded colonies, the Sqraanda has many models that have different engines depending on what would be readily available. Petroleum or biofuel engines are a common sight within the Traverse, while the core systems utilise electric-fuel hybrid systems that can be manually switched to if more or less power is needed. All variants of the Sqraanda can only seat 2 passengers.
<center><i>“What we have created here, in this system, is a true miracle of modern science. The Federation is the most significant accomplishment of the Galatea Program, and the heir to its legacy,”</i> - Doctor Shizuko Nishioka (2389 - ) in an interview with the Xanu News Service regarding Galatean terraforming (22 August, 2448).</center>
Located near the edge of the Weeping Stars and relatively close to Xanu Prime, the Yggdrasil System was originally chosen for terraforming due to its potential as a future hub for transportation between the [[The Orion Spur# Jewel Worlds|Solarian Core]] and the [[Sol Alliance History# Historical Solarian Sectors and Regions|Solarian Frontier]]. The presence of binary stars Mariel, the larger star, and Fornax, the smaller star, was another reason for its status as an early terraforming site due to the immense power drain of the massive Brahma Planetary-Scale Mining Platform requiring stars to fuel it. This, and its two gas giants of Ymir and Nüwa, proved to be a major reason for the ultimate success of the Galatea Project in this system.
The Yggdrasil System has six major stellar bodies, three of which are home to permanent human habitation, in addition to numerous smaller celestial bodies such as moons, comets, and asteroids. Holographic or mechanical orreries of the System are a common sight in many Federation buildings and are often found in Galatean residences. Some Galateans are known to carry miniaturized orreries on their person, or in their houses, as a reminder of home.
*'''Qruupq''' - A submersible-only vehicle, the Qruupq has a streamlined hull intended for constant submerged use. It is considered the sister vehicle of the Xarnaq, being a common sight in regions that are almost entirely covered by ocean. Similarly to the Xarnaq, the Qruupq can seat 5 to 8 passengers and has a variant also designed in conjunction with Qel'Zvol Hospitality called the QZ-Qru, intended for Primary Numericals only. The Qruupq comes with a single electric engine, and just like the QZ-X, the QZ-Qru utilises a hydrogen engine.
===Mixcoatl===
*'''Traqq''' - Designed to be used mainly by the military and Nralakk Logistics, the Traqq is a large, heavy motor vehicle used for bulk transport of goods, materials, and troops. Both the military and the civilian variant use a heavy-duty electric engine, but the military variant also has a backup biofuel engine for long-distance travel where recharging poses a logistical issue.
Mixcoatl is the nearest planet to Yggdrasil’s twin stars. A barren and lifeless world which was extensively mined for resources during the terraforming era, its surface is covered in massive scars originating from “planetary scalping” operations carried out by the Brahma platform during terraforming. While most of the valuable resources of Mixcoatl have long since been mined by the Federation, various scientific projects can be found on its surface or within the massive canyons created by the Brahma’s laser. Mixcoatl has no permanent Federation settlements but is home to several power generation facilities which feature rotating crews of non-degreed workers supervised by a smaller number of academics. Workers on Mixcoatl often utilize biological augmentation to better endure the scorching temperatures of the planet, which has no atmosphere to protect it from the heat of Mariel and Fornax.
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In Federation iconography Mixcoatl is represented by a diamond.
= Prosthetics, Augments, and Implants =
From military-exclusive combat enhancements to crude limb replacement, the field of prosthesis and implants is as wide and varied as the cultures and species who utilize them. There are various ways to acquire, utilize, and perform these mechanical replacements and upgrades, yet they are not without their drawbacks.
===Galatea===
== Cost and Accessibility ==
From the depths of the Eridanian underworld to the peak of Lunarian high society, prostheses are found in virtually every echelon of occupied space. There are many ways the average person could acquire their prosthesis, from corporate insurance plans, state-subsidized healthcare, purchasing them from a retailer, or under-the-table methods out of the national eye. A limb or organ replacement roughly equivalent to its organic counterpart is reasonably affordable for the average person: anything costing more than this often involves rent-to-own payment plans. Prosthetic limbs and organs are a common item on corporate insurance plans, but the quality of the prosthetic varies greatly from plan to plan. An expensive premium plan may entitle the worker to a top-of-the-line new Hephaestus model while cheaper plans could see someone forced to use long out of date prosthetics. Some corporations offer exciting sign-on bonuses or rewards for good performance in the form of high-grade modifications that are otherwise unobtainable by legal means. These offers, while seemingly benevolent, hide inherent risk that leads many to refuse them altogether. This form of contract is especially popular in the Eridani Corporate Federation and with Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals where poor job performance could mean forcible reclamation of one's augments.
The single most important planet in the Federation, Galatea is a triumphant example of the hegemonic-era Solarian Alliance’s mastery of terraforming and a representation of what could have been if not for the Interstellar War. Terraforming Galatea took an incredible amount of time and resources but is stunning to behold: what was once a barely habitable planet devoid of all but the most basic forms of life is now a verdant planet where extensive Technocracy-mandated regulations ensure the Cities of the Future — centrally planned futuristic cities of the Technocracy — on Galatea live alongside nature rather than in it. Most Galateans who call Galatea itself home are degreed Galateans and the non-degreed Galateans which reside here are often involved in industries which support the planet’s large population of researchers.
External modifications are rarely a clean affair, and a prosthetic will require constant upkeep and maintenance. Some prosthetic owners seek to avoid costly technician visits by learning how to perform their own maintenance and repairs within reason, much to the frustration of their corporate producers. It is common practice that corporations will employ methods of restricting the ease of repair through avenues such as DRM-locked proprietary software, specialized tools, and electronic access codes. The market for second-hand prostheses is profitable with many people opting to pick older model prosthetics without advanced anti-repair measures for the sake of easy maintenance.
Due to its strict environmental regulations the list of industries which can be present upon Galatea is short and mostly restricted to the biotechnology sector, which has long been powerful in the Federation and is responsible for many of its widely-known innovations such as biological augmentation. The laboratories and research facilities dedicated to biotechnology on Galatea are impressive facilities which contribute directly to the Federation’s continued dominance in the field. Most Galateans live in Technocracy-planned, “cities of the future,” which are connected to research facilities and other cities by magnetic rail lines. These cities, which are held up by the Federation as examples of their technological prowess, have been painstakingly designed to have minimal impacts on the environment of Galatea while maximizing their efficiency.
The market for augmentation is a wide one, and nearly every prominent megacorporation deals in them in one way or another. A major player in the industry is Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, who are responsible for the majority of medical-grade prosthetics through themselves and their subsidiaries. Zeng-Hu prosthetics are popular among medical workers for their stability and precision. Hephaestus Industries is responsible for most industrial prosthetics, and many blue-collar workers swear by the prosthetics' strength and durability. Zavodskoi Interstellar, along with Zeng-Hu subsidiary Jeonshi Biotech, accounts for a majority of combat or otherwise military-affiliated augments. However, corporation-produced prosthetics can be more expensive than others and are often loaded down with prohibitively-restrictive software.
Due to the emphasis the Technocracy places on retaining its cutting edge technology, particularly in regards to its biotechnologies, no foreign companies have obtained a foothold on Galatea proper, though supervised — and tightly controlled — visits are relatively common. Galateans represent the peak of the Technocracy’s commitment to furthering its scientific progress and are, as such, held to a rigorous standard of academic excellence, and most of the Federation’s Chief Directors have come from either Galatea or its moon, Tsukuyomi.
Augments come in many varied shapes, sizes, and installations; from nearly transparent eye lenses from the Eridani Corporate Federation, to robotic exodigits that are worn like a glove by some surgeons, to cyberweave that changes color and length and cyberink that are permanently fluctuating tattoos, there are augments for every person in mind. They can typically be split up into three distinct categories, despite their range of differences. The first one is internal, sometimes called installed augments. These are ones that must be permanently affixed to the body until a similar procedure removes them. Removal is not guaranteed and is often much more costly, so it can be considered to be a big decision by anyone that isn't a high-ranking corporate shill. These can be eye lenses that are installed over the pupil and iris to create displays and holo-info, such as ads, analysis, and other useful tools, to mere joint replacements. The second category is known as external or worn augments. These are ones that can be slipped in and out of, either with the ease of putting on a glove or the difficulty of slipping into a tight jumpsuit. They are not permanent, but typically much more expensive as a result. They might be items that can be worn to increase hand-eye coordination, glasses or contacts that eliminate color blindness and other seeing impairments or an exoskeleton that increases speed and stamina. Finally, last but not least, there are decorative augments. These augments are rarely expensive, commercialized for the average worker to buy into, and remain a fun alternative to traditional tattoos, hair dye, and other things. They are similarly installed like internal augments, but their key difference is that they can become inert or inactive and cause no inconvenience if so. Their installations are often more painful than their traditional counterparts, but otherwise provide a level of glam and style that can be swapped with the seasons, ensuring you never regret spending your money on Idris ElectrInk™ products.
In Federation iconography Galatea is represented by an inverted triangle.
Many poorer citizens opt to produce their own haphazard prosthetics, and there are plenty of underground workshops that manufacture their own work to select from. Often called augmenters or ‘augurs,' these shops typically shy clear of legal routes in order to avoid the monopolies megacorporations have on these markets. People purchasing from these stores avoid legal ramifications due to the sheer variety of augments and prosthetics available on the market— this does not even include all the decalization, decoration, and modifications that people do to their own prosthetics to make them their own. As a result, unless someone is caught in the act of getting these illegal installations or is otherwise ratted out by someone else and reported, these crimes are considered about as harmless as jaywalking.
===Tsukuyomi===
Military augments and prosthetics that enhance combat ability are closely guarded by their respective corporations or governments and are almost always out of reach for the average worker. There are often civilian models of these augments produced, and corporate security may receive augments like heads-up displays or threat analyzers.
The only natural satellite of Galatea, Tsukuyomi is one or two bodies in the Yggdrasil System to be fully terraformed from an uninhabitable world into a habitable one. This decision, which left the industrial world of Svarog in its current state, is seen by most as a necessary sacrifice as gains on Svarog would have been nominal at best while on Tsukuyomi they transformed the moon completely. Slightly larger than [[Luna]], Tsukuyomi is heldby the Federation as one of its two crown jewels alongside Galatea itself. Its biosphere is similar to 22nd-century Earth, and great effort has been made to ensure it remains this way. Access to Tsukuyomi is difficult to gain for a non-Galatea due to the nature of its research facilities and its status as the Galatean Federal Navy’s main port.
Mechanized implants, as a whole, provide a unique way to treat or assuage challenges that come with illness, disease, and disability. If someone is born with a joint in their leg that does not bend correctly and causes pain, an augment or mechanical implant can be installed to ensure the limb is working as intended. Similarly, with the studies conducted on the human brain, sometimes personality AI chips are added that can help someone overcome the challenges of certain mental illnesses. These types of minor augments and prostheses are very common, and as a result, replacing minor body parts like fingers and repairing specific portions of the body is hardly an expensive endeavour.
Tsukuyomi is home to a multitude of Federation cities of the future and research facilities, with most dedicated to projects which require a greater degree of secrecy than the typical Federation research initiative. Cutting-edge military biotechnology and interstellar avionics breakthroughs are achieved at these facilities, and much of the Federation’s ongoing technological edge can be attributed to Tsukuyomi’s facilities. Despite efforts to gain access to Tsukuyomi’s facilities, no foreign business — megacorporate or otherwise — has been granted a charter to work on the moon, and most are redirected to Svarog if they are not rejected outright.
== Vat-Grown Prostheses and Organs ==
Something of an oddity in the realm of prosthetics, vat-grown organs have captivated scientists for decades. These prosthetics are entirely identical to regular cellular limbs and organs, and indistinguishable except for a faint scarred seam around external prosthetics where the limb was attached. In a feat of simultaneous discovery, two groups are known for their production of vat-grown organs. House Volvalaad of the Empire of Dominia, and Zeng-Hu subsidiary Yomi Genetics in association with Nralakk Federation scientists. However, these prostheses are prohibitively expensive for the normal person due to the skill needed to attach one, and the lab work required to grow a limb that is compatible and with the same skin tone as its recipient. Of the former, only the wealthy nobility can access these prosthetics, along with very favoured secondaries. The Nralakk Federation often subsidizes vat-grown prosthetics for their citizens of primary and upper secondary numerical social credit score.
Tsukuyomi is the home of the Federal military’s Navy and Army. While it is laid out in much the same way as a typical Federation city of the future on Galatea, featuring extensive green spaces and seemingly being part of the landscape rather than a city built into it, the naval facility and city of the future of Cantref Gwaelod serves as the main base of operations for the Technocracy’s military. From it, the Federation projects power throughout its system and into the Weeping Stars, where it often dispatches scientific expeditions. Most non-degrees Galateans found on Tsukuyomi are involved in the Technocracy’s military, while degreed Galateans are often found within its research facilities.
Vat-grown prostheses can be found elsewhere in human space, but they are often at a high cost. Only people that climb the corporate ladder of various megacorporations can afford them due to the costs associated with making and attaching them.
In Federation iconography Tsukuyomi is represented by a non-inverted triangle.
== Effects on Health ==
When it comes to mental health, the power of mental implants is almost entirely unmatched. While they remain unable to cure any mental illness, especially common ones like anxiety and depression, they are often an empowering tool for those that receive them in overcoming them. Personality AIs provide someone to talk to, often able to keep someone grounded in reality amidst flashbacks, delusions, and hallucinations. They do this by giving direct thoughts to someone's head, sounding as if the person could hear this AI talking aloud. With somewhat pricier models hooked up to augmented eyes, a person can even see these AIs manifest nearby in the real world. These implants are typically found in those suffering from PTSD and schizophrenia but are not unheard of outside of that. Implants such as these typically are affected in the same way as the host is, resulting in temporary impairment in the face of drugs, trauma, and other situations. They have roughly the same electrical signals as the human brain does in order to interface with them properly, and as a result, they do not malfunction when under the effects of an EMP. While they remain commonplace, a diagnosis and “prescription” of one from a doctor is almost always required before someone can receive one.
===Svarog===
For nearly as long as prostheses have been around, sentient-kind has been attempting to press the boundaries of technological and ethical safety. There is a physical and mental limit to which an individual can be safely augmented, which varies from person to person. ‘Augmentation Dysfunction Syndrome', or simply ‘augment sickness,' refers to the wide variety of illnesses and conditions that can arise from excessive modification. ADS is not a violent illness, and not everyone with augments grows ill with it. Symptoms can include sensory issues and phantom limb pain in milder cases, with particularly severe examples including psychotic and dissociative disorders that require regular visits with a mental health expert. The rate of psychological illness of augmented individuals is often higher than their mundane counterparts, and those who can afford it often receive therapy for a short time when acquiring a new augment to ensure a healthy transition. It is encouraged by mental health professionals for patients with more than a few augments to visit a doctor every so often for a mental health check-up, but many people live happy and normal lives without this.
A cold yet habitable world located slightly outside the Goldilocks Zone of the Yggdrasil System, Svarog is the center of the Federation’s heavy industry and manufacturing sectors. It is the only of the four inhabited worlds in the Federation where such industries are both permitted and practical as Empyrean is far too frigid to allow for extensive activities on its surface. Svarog was partially terraformed but was ultimately left in a half-finished, though habitable, state due to a resource deficiency following the draining of Ymir and its moons. The planet’s surface is cold, though not enough to prevent activity outside, and the weather is often either snowy or overcast, with the twin stars of Yggdrasil rarely visible most from Svarog’s surface.
A more severe and rare form of augmenting sickness in recent years has been identified with some care. With the full name being ‘Malignant Mechanized Paralysis Disorder,' it is shortened to ‘pulsing out' due to the movements and behaviour of prostheses to behave abnormally. MMPD is defined as the characteristic of temporarily losing the functionality of mechanical limbs, augments, brain implants, and similar body modifications. after a majority of a person's body has been replaced by these parts. Due to chemical imbalances in the brain, theorized as originating from the heavy altercations to the nervous system, some typical late-stage symptoms include physical and mental fatigue, extreme apathy, narcolepsy, narcissism, shifts in personality, and other traits. One thing is for certain, and that pulsing out is a broad shift in behaviour. It is paired with symptoms that can vary extremely between those afflicted, such as migraines and shortness of breath, so it can often be difficult to identify at earlier stages (outside of the occasional discriminatory guess from an attending doctor). The main symptom that outs this disorder among others is the trait where all of the prostheses begin behaving irrationally, sporadically, and stop obeying the patient's commands via the nervous system. While this can be relatively harmless for many, the flailing limbs of someone pulsing out can cause injury to bystanders or the wearer. Some episodes of pulsing out may also interrupt critical functions in a workplace, like affixing down plating, operating machinery, and so forth. Although it is much more common during waking hours, there is still a slight chance of this occurring while asleep. More disturbingly yet is the fact that these appendages may act of their own accord for a few minutes— this has not been verified by Zeng-Hu or any other accredited medical science source outside of rumors and news bites. It is not a simple transition like flicking a switch, thankfully; getting to a point of fully pulsing out is as slow as the transition to becoming mechanized is.
Compounding the planet’s climate issues is the amount of heavy industry on it which employs much of its population. Svarog’s heavy industry is remarkably dirty and produces significant levels of pollution, which has resulted in smog blanketing much of the world when snow does not. Air conditions on much of the planet outside of its mountains are often dismal and Svarogite Galateans have biological augmentations which allow them to better endure the planet’s pollution. Those who do not often find themselves afflicted by respiratory illnesses. Travel on the planet’s surface between its sectors is most typically done by magnetic rail lines elevated far above its snowbanks. Most Galateans on Svarog are non-degreed and are exposed to large amounts of Federation propaganda which glorifies their work as without Svarog the Federation’s economy would rapidly collapse due to having very little manufacturing. The limited number of degreed Galateans often work in mountain facilities above the smog of Svarog.
Pulsing out is treatable with regular therapy and sometimes even with uninstalling augments or replacing prosthetics with vat-grown alternatives. One clinical trial in particular, done through the work of Zeng-Hu, is testing out personality AI implants in the brain to combat the symptoms of this affliction. Not everyone who has a majority of their body comes under the effect of pulsing out; however, for some unlucky few, they are permanently condemned when they collected these mechanical upgrades or were unlucky enough to receive from a tragic accident.
Svarog is the only Technocracy planet which permits foreign corporations to purchase land for development and exploitation. However, they must demonstrate why their development would benefit Svarog’s partially complete terraforming project and are often given inferior land when compared to their Galatean counterparts, which are favored by the Technocracy as part of their effort to retain a competitive edge. The largest owner of land from outside the Coalition is [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], which has long enjoyed a good relationship with the Federation.
Regardless of one's ability to adapt to augmentation or the presence of a robust health network, the absolute limit of augmentation work seems to have been found with ‘Full Body Prosthetics', or FBPs. FBPs were once a project of Zeng-Hu that attempted to convert a human into a fully synthetic individual. A ridiculous sum had been invested into the project, only for each test subject to wind up in a catatonic state that they would never recover from. Yet, Zeng-Hu's resolve was unbroken, and they publicly vowed their intent on successfully creating the impossible. This effort culminated in the very early 2400s with Sven Karlsson. Karlsson, a wildly-famous trillionaire from Earth, publicly announced his intent to partner with Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals. His goal? Unprecedented scientific advancement. He vowed to become Zeng-Hu's next subject, and that by partnering their collective intelligence and resources, he would be the first successful FBP in an act of peerless technological superiority. Human society as a whole waited with bated breath to see the fate of Sven Karlsson, the man who could usher in an era of scientific greatness. Unfortunately, this was not to be. Despite the incredible amount of resources spent upon the project and the presence of some of Earth's greatest minds, Karlsson sadly died in the attempt. The public relations disaster that followed ensured that no corporation would ever dare to attempt to create an FBP again, and the practice is near-universally regarded as both ethically and scientifically ridiculous, even by the standards of megacorporations.
In Federation iconography Svarog is represented by an inverted pentagon.
== Prosthetics Outside Human Space ==
An innovation by the [[People's Republic of Adhomai]]'s [[Tajaran_Educational_Institutions#Hadii_Institute_of_Orbital_Research|Hadii Institute]] has created a new kind of prosthesis specifically suited to Tajaran anatomy. These prostheses use proprietary tesla technology in the form of a [[People's_Republic_of_Adhomai#Medical|Tesla Spine]] grafted to the back of the wearer to power the wearer's prosthetics. While previously only for the military, these prosthetics were soon distributed to all of the PRA's in-need citizens at no cost, and are popular among People's Republic veterans. Only Tajara from the People's Republic of Adhomai may use this kind of prosthetic.
===Nüwa===
On Moghes, the [[Aut'akh]] religious movement has led to the creation of various decentralized communes across the Unathi homeland and abroad. Aut'akh adherents seek self-actualization through ritualistic implementation of various self-produced prosthetics, often made with stolen or repurposed parts from Hephaestus. Aut'akh exist at the fringes of Unathi society and face heavy discrimination from the mainstream populace. Almost to the shock of many outsiders, Aut'akh on occasion revere some episodes of pulsing out, especially when prosthetics seem to act with a mind of their own. Besides this, they universally loathe when prosthetics flail about, citing that demons are inhabiting the host and trying to kill their spirit before it can be liberated. Regardless of their beliefs, pulsing out remains one reason of skepticism against this religion and trans-speciesism as a whole, despite the claim from the communes that pulsing out remains rare among their number.
The first of the Yggdrasil System’s two gas giants and the only one to survive the terraforming of the system, Nüwa is an orange gas giant which has several uninhabited moons. Nüwa is significantly smaller in the 25th century than it was when the Yggdrasil Expedition first arrived due to the massive amount of resources which were siphoned from it by the Expedition and early Federation, and the decaying remains of these facilities can be seen near the surface of the gas giant.
[[Ouerea]] houses one of the biggest underground markets for augurs in the Spur. Largely due to the criminal and off-the-books shops and industries there, it is one of the trending places to collect and receive augmentation, prosthetic installation, and implant implementation. Military-grade equipment, typically ad hoc, expensive, and used to dangerous ends, can be found in the darkest corners of city underbellies. Ostensibly, though, these upgrades will forever bar someone from joining a megacorp for as long as they have them. Various neon art styles are utilized to decorate otherwise lifeless metal parts, giving them a sense of uniqueness and self-expression that remains common to every sentient creature in the galaxy. This form of art is popularized on Ouerea, but different styles and takes on it can be found among the underbellies of the Eridani Corporate Federation, Konyang, and other places abroad.
Nüwa’s moons are home to a large network of research facilities known as the Thalamus Research Station Network (TFSR) which are mostly operated by research concerns related to the interstellar avionics research sector. Most TFSR staff are native degree-holding Galateans who are supported by a smaller network of non-degreed Galatean or immigrant maintenance staff, though megacorporations such as [[Hephaestus Industries]] and [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]] are known to occasionally dispatch observers to TFSR facilities.
A true oddity among most denizens of the spur, [[Dionae_Forms#Nymph_Limbs|some Unathi and Skrell have been seen using Diona nymphs as replacements for missing limbs]]. Forming a symbiotic relationship by allowing the nymph to attach themselves at the stump of the missing body part, the nymph shifts their biomass to replace the limb while receiving blood, memories, and a host in exchange.
In Federation iconography Nüwa is represented by a hexagon.
The Nralakk Federation utilizes [[Nralakk_Federation#Technology|Loyalty Implants]] to ensure someone acts in the best interests of the Federation. The most common form the implant takes is as a ‘tag' that can be seen attached to the end of a Skrell's head-tail, or if worn by a non-Skrell, it can be attached to the earlobe or tail. The use of these loyalty implants on non-Federation citizens has been made illegal by all other nations in the Orion Spur, with many such as the Republic of Biesel going further and denouncing them as unethical. Recently, these implants have been utilized by the Federation's Nlomkala and Qukala, attaching them to Vaurca warriors that have been assigned to the respective organizations.
===Ymir===
[[Vaurca_Biology#Augments|Vaurca]] prostheses were developed long before their Orion Spur counterparts. Due to their open circulatory system and ergonomic, insect-like design, Vaurcae are more prone to lose limbs, and rudimentary prosthetics were already commonplace since before the Agricultural revolution. The modern prosthesis predates the Era of Augments, with the introduction of the neural socket only revolutionizing their control and link to the rest of their system. While some prostheses exist that include tools and weaponry, most of the common prosthesis are utilitarian and sometimes the very same limb has been used for over centuries, inherited by different generations of Vaurcae. As their other biomechanical augments, prostheses are removed and recycled after death. Although limbs are most common, metal plates and mechanical thoraxes are also a reality, especially within the Bound that remain close to the Hive. The so-called ‘maintenance' Vaurcae undergo in the later stages of their lives refers to the replacement of the flesh with metallic limbs. For a Vaurcae, there is little difference between the two, and many of the Zo'ra Hive had and still have a hard time understanding why IPCs and other human robots are not considered human.
A dead world surrounded by broken moons, Ymir is a stark reminder of the cost required to create the modern Federation. To fuel the terraforming of Svarog, Galatea, and Tsukuyomi, Ymir was drained of resources until the gas giant itself was nothing but a dead core surrounded by moons cracked open by the massive laser of the Brahma Platform. Every idyllic landscape on Galatea or snowbank on Svarog owes its existence to the death of Ymir, and the Federation has not forgotten the loss of Yggdrasil’s second gas giant. Ymir now stands as a memorial to sacrifices made by the Federation and all Galateans to sustain their technological edge and better humanity as a whole. No permanent settlements or research facilities are present upon Ymir or its moons.
= Communications =
== Portable Communications Devices ==
Communication devices are prolific in the 25th century, with innumerable types, brands, and models on offer to the average person. Smartphones, PDAs, laptop and desktop computers, and even certain augments are available if you are able to afford them. The most common portable device available is the Personal Digital Assistant, or PDA, an information management device that sees extensive use by megacorporations; they are robust, inexpensive to make, and due to how limited these devices are in terms of applications and connectivity, not considered a major security risk compared to smartphones or laptops. Most people living in [[Tau Ceti]] will at least own a simple PDA for work purposes, provided by their employer as part of their job. Corporate PDAs typically allow for intranet access within assigned corporate facilities, internal messaging services, file transfer systems, and applications designed to assist with the user's role.
In Federation iconography Ymir is represented by a circle.
== Interstellar Communication ==
The extranet is a galactic collection of satellite relays and server farms that allows users to share information and communicate over long distances. While most planets will have their own intranet, the extranet allows users to access most online services within the Orion Spur. The extranet has evolved into a critical infrastructure of modern society, with almost all online traffic going through it, to the point that the distinction between the intranet and extranet is rarely made. The main distinction between the two is that websites and other online platforms that provide their services Spur-wide are hosted directly on extranet servers, while planetary intranet networks are mostly used for local services such as government or business websites.
===Empyrean===
There are a variety of factors that impact the speed of interstellar transmissions. Infrastructure plays a significant role with more isolated areas of the Orion Spur able to expect their communications to take significantly longer than if they were in a heavily populated region such as those surrounding [[Sol]] or [[Tau Ceti]]. Distance also impacts the speed of communication, the greater the distance between the sender and receiver results in a delay of several hours or even days.
The furthest major planetary body in the Yggdrasil System, Empyrean is a frozen yet habitable planet which features a naturally-formed breathable atmosphere. It is the only planet in the system which was habitable without terraforming, and was initially utilized as a hub for the terraforming project which transformed the Yggdrasil System into its modern state. Empyrean’s incredibly cold weather, which naturally rests at temperatures similar to the Arctic Circle of Earth, and lack of native flora and fauna aside from microbial life makes inhabiting the planet difficult without extensive support infrastructure such as hydroponics centers. The planet has Earth-like gravity and is roughly the same size as Earth despite its position on the very edge of the Yggdrasil System.
Megacorporations are mostly responsible for hosting the satellite relays and server farms that allow for extranet access, except within the [[Empire of Dominia]], [[Nralakk Federation]], and the [[Republic of Elyra|Serene Republic of Elyra]] due to their more autocratic tendencies regarding information oversight and economic management. [[Einstein Engines]] has long dominated the interstellar communications market with their subsidiary Taipei Engineering Industrial and is the sole provider of extranet services within the [[Sol Alliance| Solarian Alliance]]. While the megacorporations that make the [[Stellar Corporate Conglomerate]] don't have as much influence within the sector, they have recently begun undertaking opportunities to expand through working alongside government contractors within both Dominia and Elyra.
Empyrean served as the system’s major Helium-3 mining and processing hub both during the terraforming era and Federation era due to its position near the Outer Yggdrasil Belt, a frozen ring of asteroids and comets on the edge of the Yggdrasil System which is exceptionally rich in Helium-3 deposits. While the Department of Colonization’s facilities have long since been upgraded or replaced the industry’s importance to the Federation has not faded, and the Technocracy places a great deal of importance on ensuring the continued efficient operation of Empyrean’s refining and processing facilities. Empyrean’s largest settlement, Opona, is dedicated to the production of Helium-3 fuel and features large port facilities which allow easy transit between Opona and Empyrean’s orbital processing facilities.
= Currencies =
== Solarian Standard Credit ==
The Solarian Standard Credit (民/SSC) is essentially the Orion Spur's standard currency due to the prevalence of the [[Sol Alliance|Solarian Alliance]] prior to its collapse in 2462. Outside of the Alliance, use of the SSC is common throughout certain parts of the [[Coalition of Colonies]], the [[Empire of Dominia]], and the [[Corporate Reconstruction Zone]] of the [[Republic of Biesel]]. Within Sol's collapsed warlord states, it has lost much of its value due to the lack of central authority. The SSC is available in electronic, bankcard and traditional notes forms. Responsibility for the currency falls to the Solarian Central Bank, which is located on Unity Station in the Sol System. The Central Bank manages monetary policy and the supply of the Solarian Standard Credit for the Alliance and greater Spur, and this management of supply and interest rates ensures that the Solarian Credit is able to function as a fiat currency. The SSC is worth less than the Biesel Standard Credit.
In the distant past Empyrean was heavily bombarded by asteroids and extra-solar bodies such as comets which have provided it with a very mineral-rich environment. Many of these resources dwell far under its surface and must be extracted via deep mining facilities which can plunge miles into the surface. Residents of Empyrean who are not employed within its research facilities or the Helium-3 refining industry are often workers in these facilities. The largest and deepest mine, Nav (officially Federal Mining Facility E-32), plunges kilometers into Empyrean’s surface and is known for its sparse, utilitarian central facility from which all mining efforts are coordinated. Curiously, Nav sits almost exactly opposite of Opona if one were to draw a line through the planet between the two.
== Biesel Standard Credit ==
Biesel Standard Credit (电/CR) is one of the dominating currencies that exist within the Orion Spur and was created shortly after the [[Republic of Biesel]]'s declaration of independence in 2452. It sees usage outside of the Republic, within the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]], who adopted it as their official currency following the collapse of the Solarian Alliance, and some sections of the [[Coalition of Colonies]] near the shared border, as well as the [[People%27s_Republic_of_Adhomai|People's Republic of Adhomai]]. The BSC is available in electronic, bankcard and traditional notes forms that have the symbol of a lit torch on them. Responsibility for the currency falls to the Central Biesel Banking Authority, which is located in District One of [[Mendell City]], the capital of the Republic of Biesel. It oversees monetary policy and the supply of the Biesel Standard Credit, with assistance from [[Idris Incorporated]]. Similarly to the Solarian Standard Credit, the BSC is able to function as a fiat currency.
In Federation iconography Empyrean is represented by an octagon.
== Imperial Pound ==
The Imperial Pound (Ф) is the standard currency of the [[Empire of Dominia]], and predates the modern Empire by several decades – it was originally the primary currency of the Imperial Alliance, the nations that would go on to found the Empire by force. The Imperial Pound does not see much use outside of the borders of the Empire but is occasionally sought after by collectors due to the intricate design of its coins and bills, which generally depict historical figures such as Emperor Godwin Keeser I or religious symbols such as the Moroz Holy Tribunal's iconography. Like most currencies, in the Spur, the Imperial Pound is available in physical and electronic formats, with electronic currency being more popular in the Imperial Core and physical currency being more popular in the Imperial Frontier. Responsibility for the currency falls to the Imperial Central Bank, which is located in Nova Luxembourg on Moroz. The Imperial Pound is a fiat currency, and control over it via the Imperial Central Bank has long been dominated by House Caladius. The Imperial Pound is worth less than the Biesel Standard Credit.
==Government==
== Elyran Pound ==
<center><i>“Innovation Without Fear,”</i> - Official motto of the Federal Technocracy of Galatea (first used c. 2289).</center>
Dating back to the early 2300s, the Elyran Pound (پوند) was created by the [[Republic of Elyra|Serene Republic of Elyra]] as a domestic replacement for the Solarian Standard Credit following the Republic's secession from the Alliance. The Elyran Pound does not see much use outside of the Republic, but is occasionally used in the [[Coalition of Colonies]] due to its value. It is available in both electronic and physical formats, but physical currency has become increasingly rare in Elyra due to the growth of the Republic's economy and the rapid pace of technological progress fueled by its phoron boom. Physical Elyran Pounds are most commonly seen in the hands of Elyran Non-Citizen Persons, which lack access to many of the luxuries and services that their citizen counterparts enjoy. The fiat currency is managed by the [[Elyran_Government_and_Politics|Ministry of Economics, Revenue, and Commerce]], which has worked to ensure that the Elyran Pound is one of the Spur's more valuable currencies and it is worth more than the Biesel Standard Credit.
The Federal Technocracy of Galatea is a federation of planets under a technocratic government consisting of four member-planets: Galatea, Tsukuyomi, Svarog, and Empyrean. This unique form of government is rooted in the Federation’s origins as a scientific expedition and the use of terraforming — which requires significant education to utilize properly — in the creation of the modern Yggdrasil System. It is ruled by the '''Chief Director''', who is elected by a popular vote of all eligible citizens for a singular five-year term. The Federation has long held that its single-term policy is a method for ensuring its ideas do not become complacent and stale.
== Sqiip ==
Created after the formation of the First [[Nralakk Federation]], the Sqiip (℘) has existed for thousands of years, beginning shortly after the Skrell discovered the ability to traverse the stars. It sees practically zero use outside the [[Nralakk Federation]] besides being paid to those in the '''Work Initiative Programme''' and is available in both electronic and physical formats. Its physical format are minted coins and paper bills, with the minted coins capable of being stacked and locked due to special magnetic properties for easy transportation, while the higher-valued paper bills are printed on different types of water-safe seaweed. Symbols on the physical formats are often aquatic life such as shells, molluscans, Buurgis and Vro'qos. It is managed by the Grand Council, more specifically, the Grand Advisor of Economic Development - currently, [[Notable Skrell|Ormish Jrolk]]. Through careful planning, with further advisement from educated citizens of the Federation, the Grand Advisor of Economic Development is responsible for managing the monetary policy for the Sqiip - and enjoys operation as a fiat currency due to this oversight. Despite its relative isolative nature, The Sqiip is worth significantly more than the Biesel Standard Credit. It is unknown whether the Sqiip will continue to remain the most valuable currency within the Spur.
Immediately below the Chief Director are the '''Research Triumvirate''', who represents the three major research fields of the Technocracy, and the '''Planetary Representatives''', who represent its member-state planets. The Triumvirate is made up of three representatives, one from each field, elected by eligible members of the field to represent their interests to the Chief Director. The Planetary Representatives are likewise elected by eligible citizens of their respective planets and form a council of four which advises the Chief Director. Galateans of all social classes have long held a high level of confidence in their technocratic government due to a persistent cultural belief that the most qualified are the most fit to rule. There has never been a Chief Director, Triumvirate member, or Planetary Representative who has not held at least one doctoral degree.
== Adhomian Knuckle ==
The Adhomian Knuckle (თ), also known as the Sharnyr, is the currency used by all Tajaran nations. Prior to first contact, it was a piece of fur framed with precious metals decorated with the coat of arms of whatever kingdom made them. After the First Revolution, the Adhomian Knuckle is only issued in banknote format. Since the Second Revolution, there is a great variety of designs on the notes between the factions. The Knuckle is only accepted in [[Adhomai]], the Tajaran colonies, and [[Little Adhomai]]; traders and smugglers will usually carry a supply of Biesel Standard Credits to deal with non-Tajara customers. All versions of the Adhomian Knuckle are worth significantly less than the Biesel Standard Credit. The PRA version is the most valuable, followed by the NKA one and with the DPRA's being the least valuable.
===Voting===
= Fusion =
== Nuclear Fusion Energy ==
Discovered by Skrell in 1561 CE, and humanity in 2027 CE, fusion energy utilizes isotopes of deuterium, helium-3, or tritium to generate nuclear energy via fusion reaction. Safe, fuel-efficient, and nearly emission-free, it is a staple of developed interstellar civilizations across the spur.
Until recent years, however, improvements in fusion energy had plateaued. Research into increasing efficiency, reducing cost, and miniaturization has been slow with little to no major breakthroughs. Fusion reactors require advanced, rare mineral alloy compositions, and many of the parts are so large and difficult to transport that they must be lathed onsite. Fusion reactors become less common the further one moves away from highly developed space, due to the high initial start-up costs and maintenance.
Due to its technocratic nature the Federation has long possessed a voting system which is unique amongst the major human worlds of the Orion Spur: to be eligible to vote in an election as a Galatean, a citizen of the Federation must hold at least a bachelor’s degree. Holders of associates’ degrees are eligible for a “half-vote” under Galatean regulations while those who hold no degree are unable to vote in any election and must rely on their degree-holding counterparts to keep their best interests in mind. A pervasive structure of state propaganda, and history of success by the Technocracy, ensures non-degreed Galateans have a high level of confidence in their government.
Ships under a certain tonnage generally have limitations when it comes to the speed or availability of their jump drives and the output of their subsystems, due to them being unable to mount fusion reactors. It is typically impractical to mount ships under a destroyer weight class with a fusion reactor, as the size of it would disproportionately overtake and dwarf the rest of the vessel. [[Nanotrasen Corporation|Nanotransen]], and by association, the [[Stellar Corporate Conglomerate]], has compensated for this through the development of the Tesla and Supermatter engines: these are much more compact than fusion reactors, but they allow smaller vessels and installations to punch far above their weight class in terms of power generation with virtually no fuel cost. Perfect for remote installations or exploratory vessels. The [[SCCV Horizon]] would not be possible without these engines, and the bulk of the energy they generate is used to charge her bluespace drive's capacitors between jumps.
A Galatean’s voting power increases with their level of education. While a bachelor’s degree is worth a singular vote, a master's degree is worth five votes, and a doctoral degree is worth ten votes. Though criticized by foreign governments — particularly the [[Himeo|United Syndicates of Himeo]] — as being undemocratic, the Galatean method of education-based weighted voting is considered vital to ensuring the Federation remains technocratic and retains its technological edge. Most Galateans are supportive of the weighted voting system due to a long cultural history of valuing expertise which is rooted in the needs of the early Federation’s terraforming efforts.
=== Phoron Fusion ===
Phoron fusion serves as a potent alternative to conventional fusion. By substituting phoron for tritium, it generates a fusion reaction that is much more energy-dense and easier to sustain than what's typical for fusion reactors. There are tradeoffs for this, however. Phoron fusion reactors consume fuel at a rate twice as fast as their tritium counterparts. Unlike other fusion reactions, Phoron is much more volatile and harder to stop. As a consequence, containment chambers that run phoron require additional reinforcement to handle the strain of the reaction, and additional fail-safes or subsystems must be built in to prevent meltdowns. The fuel cost and expense of building and maintaining these reactors are immense, it is normally only practical for them to be mounted in important infrastructure projects such as bluespace gates, cities, or naval capital ships.
Galateans holding foreign degrees can be awarded Galatean voting rights assuming they are able to pass a proctored exam covering the knowledge their degree is related to. These examinations are administered by the Ministry of Academic Affairs and are regarded by some scholars as crushingly difficult even by Galatean standards, and this is regarded by many as an effort to ensure Galateans use the Technocracy’s education system rather than foreign ones. Those that do pass their Ministry examinations are granted the corresponding weighted voting privileges their education level dictates.
=== Cold Fusion ===
Unique to the [[Nralakk Federation]], a workable model of cold fusion was discovered. Using a rare species of electrokinetic, bioluminescent plankton, cold fusion reactors are capable of generating power far above what a regular fusion reactor can achieve in a similar size class. Cold fusion reactors using this model, however, are much more volatile. The first and largest of its kind, The Weilshi Cold Fusion Plant, was activated in 1890 CE. More can be read about it [[Skrell Synthetic Age|here]]. Due to its dark past with the Weilshi Sea Crisis, cold fusion in the Federation only sees limited use on small-scale planetary installations.
===Ministries===
== Fusion technology across the Spur ==
Prior to their collapse, and even after, the [[Sol Alliance|Solarian Alliance]] had the most fusion reactors per capita of any interstellar nation. This comes from an original pledge made by the nascent [[Sol Alliance|Solarian Alliance]] in 2128, to make every colony energy independent and "put a reactor in every settlement." As one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects ever undertaken by humanity, The Alliance had achieved this goal in all of their major systems and 65% throughout the entire alliance by the time of the collapse. Fusion reactors remain the pride of the alliance, often touted as a symbol of its might and universalism. Phoron fusion, however, is a different matter. Between reliance on foreign exports to operate them and the outcome of the Red Dawn, these reactors are shunned by the public for their perceived volatility and are frugally constructed by officials due to their fuel demands.
While executive power rests in the hands of the Chief Director, the daily operations of the Federation are managed by Galatean ministries staffed by technocrats. The origins of these ministries are rooted in the scientific expedition which originally founded Galatea, and the history of the Federation. They and their management are responsible for much of the Federation’s continued success. To become a ministerial technocrat in the Federation is not easy as one must pass the Galatean Ministerial Examination, a yearly examination held upon Galatea itself which is regarded as very difficult. Many non-degreed Galateans seek employment in these ministries due to the prestige associated with service in one, and the ease with which a low-level technocrat can seek out further education if they desire it.
In the [[Coalition of Colonies]], however, fusion technology and planetary energy dependence are sporadic and variable throughout the nation. All of the major population and economic hubs in the Coalition have regular access to fusion technology, but it grows extremely infrequent the further one travels from these locations. How energy needs are met in the greater coalition are highly variable, from more conventional solar panels and battery reserves to obscure or archaic methods such as fossil fuel burning. Phoron fusion reactors are almost non-existent in the coalition, with two exceptions: thanks to their proximity to [[Tau Ceti]] via jump-gate, [[Konyang]] is beginning to dabble more into this technology, as well as Xanu Prime who has engaged in its very own phoron fusion projects.
====Ministry of Academic Security (MfAS)====
The [[Republic of Elyra]] and [[Republic of Biesel]] are in similar circumstances, having received much of their fusion infrastructure when they were still part of the Solarian Alliance, and continued to expand as they advanced as independent nations. Everything changed with phoron, however. In 2420, Nanotransen scientists in Tau Ceti substituted phoron for tritium in what would become the first Phoron fusion source, triggering an energy technology race between [[Republic of Elyra|Elyra]], [[Republic of Biesel|Biesel]], later on, the [[Stellar Corporate Conglomerate]]. Five years after the creation of this fusion source, Elyra created a functional reactor. Nanotransen produced its first commercially viable phoron fusion reactor designs in 2425, and [[Republic of Elyra|Elyra]] began to create its own infrastructurally viable designs just one year after. Today, the race continues, as these powers surge forwards trying to outdo each other in pushing past the obstacles of fusion technology, alongside the [[Coalition of Colonies]] which has dipped a proverbial toe in the water that is phoron fusion.
The internal and external security agency of the Federation, the MfAS is a large ministry as responsible for protecting Galatean academics secrets as it is for ensuring dissent does spread amongst the population. The MfAS has broad powers which let it act with immense authority, limited transparency, and almost no oversight. The Federation views the MfAS as a vital part of ensuring continued Galatean technological innovation, which the Technocracy values above all things, and MfAS operatives are often sent abroad with Galatean dignitaries to serve as their security attaché. Despite its importance the MfAS is often a subject of popular criticism abroad as it is regarded to be the “face” of the Galatean security and surveillance system.
MfAS ministerial technocrats are drawn from both the degreed and non-degreed population of the Federation. Due to their role as security personnel and, at times, spies, they are typically heavily bioaugmented to perform their duties at the highest level possible. A common augment utilized by many MfAS technocrats is an adjustment to their facial and throat muscles which allows them total control over their expressions and vocal tone, as it is easier to lie when one is expressionless. A common foreign rumor is that MfAS agents have an augmented form of speech similar to a [[Vaurca|vaurcesean Hivenet]], but these rumors have been denied by the MfAS itself.
====Ministry of Exploration and Exploitation (MfEA)====
A powerful Ministry responsible for managing and organizing Federation survey expeditions into the Weeping Stars and non-Coalition frontier, including uncharted space, the MfEA has little regulation or oversight in regards to its activities outside of the Coalition due to the Federation’s long-standing policy of viewing itself as more capable of researching and maintaining any Solarian Hegemonic-era relics found in uncontrolled regions of space. The MfEA’s research expeditions are performed in conjunction with the Galatean Federal Navy and are viewed by the Federation’s interstellar avionics sector as an opportunity to test new innovations and technologies against frontier systems and pirates. Galateans expeditions, particularly into the Weeping Stars, have long been criticized by [[Gadpathur]] as intrusions into an area which should be left untouched in order to ensure any Solarian journey across it is as unsafe as possible. The Federation has long ignored this criticism.
Ministerial technocrats of the MfEA are most typically degreed Galateans but are drawn from all three major research fields of the Federation, both due to the MfEA not wishing to favor any of the factions and due to all three desiring to pick part Solarian relics. The MfEA and its technocrats have prospered following the Collapse and its expeditions are now more frequent and research further into the Weeping Stars and frontier, much to the displeasure of Gadpathur. While much of the research and technology recovered by the MfEA is exclusively sent to the Technocracy it is known to assist foreign expeditions in their forays into the Weeping Stars assuming the Federation’s interests are kept in mind.
====Ministry of Academic Affairs (MfSA)====
Arguably the single most important ministry in the modern Federation, the MfSA manages its academies and educational institutions. From the most prestigious doctoral program to the smallest classroom on Empyrean is managed by the MfSA, which employs more ministerial technocrats than any other ministry in the Federation. The high standards set by the MfSA for educational institutions within the Federation are seen as the foundation of the Technocracy’s technological edge and these regulations are themselves subject to a punishing biannual review by the MfSA which ensures they are always in the absolute cutting edge of education. The MfSA regularly works with the MfAS and MfGC to ensure their education supports the Federation’s ideals.
The ministerial technocrats of the MfSA are exclusively drawn from the Federation’s degreed population and non-degreed Galateans are never found within its ranks. Many foreign governments seek out the MfSA for advice on their systems of education, and ambitious technocrats of the MfSA can easily request “ambassadorial positions” as observers in foreign institutions. The MfSA does not extend the same rights to foreign academics and has long prohibited individuals without Galatean citizenship from attending its prestigious academic institutions.
====Ministry of Galatean Culture (MfGC)====
The second-largest ministry after the MfSA, the MfGC’s explicit purpose is to preserve and maintain Galatean culture for the common good of the Federation’s citizens. In reality the MfGC functions as the propaganda and censorship arm of the Federation while carrying out more mundane duties such as promoting Galatean holidays, the Galatean dialect of Solarian Common, and maintaining records of significant achievements made by Galatean citizens. Non-degreed and degreed Galatean citizens alike are targeted by the MfGC’s propaganda efforts and the Federation posters which decorate Svarog and Empyrean are its creations. The MfGC regularly works with the MfSA and MfAS to ensure the Federation’s propaganda works to ensure its continued academic success and security.
MfGC ministerial technocrats are drawn from all walks of Galatean life and it is perhaps the most diverse ministry of the Federation. The Technocracy views the MfGC as a vital part of Galatean society and a central pillar of its continued success. The MfGC rarely censors academic work as the Federation believes this would impede its ability to maintain a cutting edge.
====Ministry of the Federal Military (MfWF)====
The MfWF’s is as an oversight and supervisory for the two branches of the Federation’s military: the Galatean Federal Navy and Galatean Federal Army. It is responsible for coordinating equipment supply efforts and is the main connection between the Federation’s military and its research and development sector. It is ultimately a civilian organization and has been praised by some foreign observers for its ability to prevent military corruption while remaining independent of the military, in contrast to the Solarian Armed Forces and its Department of Defense.
Ministerial technocrats of the MfWF are largely drawn from both degreed and non-degreed Galateans. Many often have some form of military experience prior to joining the ministry due to a longstanding Galatean cultural belief that the most educated and experienced should lead. Relations between the Federal Military and the MfWF are generally positive, and have improved since the [[Sol Alliance History#2462: The Solarian Civil War|Solarian Collapse of 2462]] starkly revealed the dangers of a military without oversight.
====Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MfAA)====
The MfAA is a small and important ministry which maintains and establishes relations with foreign powers such as the Solarian Alliance and other Coalition member states. It, along with the rest of the Federation, has long walked a delicate path between the Alliance and the Coalition where it has balanced the Coalition’s concerns while keeping the Alliance content enough to allow the Federation access to the former [[The Orion Spur#Alliance Neutral Zone|Alliance Neutral Zone]] and current [[The Orion Spur#Weeping Stars|Weeping Stars region]]. Now, with the Alliance having retreated from the region, the MfAA has found itself performing a delicate balancing act between the Federation and the Coalition’s other planets. Whether or not it manages to maintain the Federation’s unique level of access to the Weeping Stars and the uncharted frontier remains to be seen.
The ministerial technocrats of the MfAA are drawn from the degreed population of the Federation and securing a position in the ministry carries a significant amount of prestige. Prospective MfAA technocrats are subjected to a rigorous examination process which takes almost an entire year and has a failure rate of roughly 70%, but those who do succeed are regarded as some of the best and brightest of the Federation outside of its scientific leaders.
===Citizenship===
Acquiring Federation citizenship is a more unique process than simply acquiring Coalition citizenship, despite the Federation’s status as a member-state of the Coalition. It has consistently refused to compromise on this principle and has, in recent years, supported [[Konyang#Konyang and the Coalition|Konyang’s efforts to maintain its own citizenship standards]]. The primary form of Federation citizenship is granted to individuals with at least one Galatean parent, but can be acquired if the following conditions are met by the applicant:
* Have lived in the Federation for at least five years.
* Have no criminal record.
* Able to pass a five-phase MfAS examination to prove they are loyal to the Federation.
* Able to pass a standardized MfGC examination on Galatean culture with at least a 90%.
* Able to prove fiscal independence and their status as a productive member of the Federation.
Acquiring this form of citizenship is infamously difficult and most applicants fail. Fortunately, there are other routes for citizenship. The first — and most common — is to enlist in the Federation’s military for five years and serve without demerit or punishment, then take simplified versions of the cultural and loyalty examinations which are far easier to pass. These veteran-citizens form the majority of successful applicants for Galatean citizenship.
The other option is to simply not pursue full citizenship at all, and to simply continue one’s existence as a “'''Resident-Worker'''” — a Federation resident who does not have Galatean citizenship, but is a resident of the Federation and entitled to most benefits outside of voting rights. Many residents of Svarog and Empyrean are Resident-Workers, though full Federation citizens outnumber them.
While they are entitled to most benefits full Galatean citizens are, resident-workers are not treated equally by the Technocracy. Due to lacking citizenship they are objects of inherent suspicion for the Federation’s extensive system of state surveillance and can easily be deported to another Coalition member-state, or their nation of origin, if they are suspected of anti-Federation activity, or harboring anti-Galatean ideals. Both categories of offense are deliberately broad and poorly defined, and intended to grant the Federation broad powers to control and propagandize its Resident-workers. They are under constant surveillance and many of their Federation-provided apartments are rumored to have hidden cameras and microphones within them that allow for the Federation to maintain surveillance over them even during moments of privacy. On a more mundane level Resident-Workers are often passed over for more desirable work positions and promotions in favor of Galatean citizens, and often are found within the least glamorous and lowest-income jobs in the Technocracy’s borders.
===Personification of the Federation===
Technocracy propaganda published by the MfGC places a great emphasis upon the national personification of the Federal Technocracy to make its lofty ideals of progress for the good of humanity more personable to the common resident or citizen of the Federation. The federally mandated depiction of the Federal Technocracy of Galatea is a silver-haired woman named Galatea who is depicted as wearing a white-and-gold Galatean researcher’s uniform and often holding some form of scientific instrument. Galatea, not to be confused with the planet, is a common feature of Federation propaganda as she represents the timeless ideal of seeking technological advancement which drives the entire Federation forward and has consistently brought it success. She is often depicted with the mostly-black eyes associated with the members of the Federation’s scientific expeditions, and many pieces of propaganda depict Galatea in a voidsuit in an effort to emphasize the importance of the MfEA’s expeditions into the Weeping Stars and uncharted territories of the frontier. Galatea is often depicted accompanied by a silver-feathered owl which symbolically represents the collective knowledge of the Federation.
===Foreign Relations===
Galatean foreign policy has long been defined by what it refers to as the “hill between two rivers” doctrine, which references its position between the Solarian Alliance’s Alliance Neutral Zone and the [[Xanu Prime|All-Xanu Republic]]. The Two Rivers Doctrine has historically seen the Federation broadly align itself with Xanu while maintaining a neutral, if not amicable, stance towards the [[Sol Alliance|Solarian Alliance]] in order to allow its scientific expeditions free access into the Weeping Stars. This position has naturally brought it into conflict with the nearby Coalition member state of [[Gadpathur]], widely known for its hardline anti-Solarian stance.
The Two Rivers Doctrine dates to nearly 2300 and has been cited by many in its technocratic government as a reason for its continued success as a regional power and Coalition member. But with the Alliance having retreated from the Neutral Zone as of 2462, some in the Technocracy are now calling for a change in the doctrine due to concerns over their regional rival of Gadpathur. Others, however, believe it can continue with minor adjustments and a total paradigm shift on foreign policy could be harmful.
Below is a brief summary of the Federation’s relations to other Coalition members and non-Coalition nations, in addition to some non-state actors.
The '''[[Xanu Prime|All-Xanu Republic]]''' and Technocracy have long coexisted as trading partners and allies, with both Coalition members closely aligned on a variety of issues and willing to cooperate with the Alliance to a reasonable degree. The Federation assisted Xanu’s rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of the Interstellar War and the All-Xanu Republic has worked to defuse tensions between the Technocracy and Gadpathur. While the two have not always agreed upon the best course of action for the Coalition as a whole they are always ready to assist one another in moments of crisis.
The '''[[Sol Alliance|Solarian Alliance]]''' and Technocracy have long had what the Federation refers to as a “special relationship” due to the Alliance’s historical dominance of the Weeping Stars, where much of the Technocracy’s research interests are concentrated. The Federation has long held a policy of official neutrality towards the Alliance and refuses to to vote on provisions against it which are tabled by other Coalition member states. The Alliance, perhaps in gratitude or perhaps as a bribe, has long been happy to trade with the Federation and has granted its expeditions free access to the Weeping Stars. With the Alliance’s retreat from the Neutral Zone in 2462 and Konyang’s entry into the Coalition in the same year some in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs now seek a different approach to the Alliance and the special relationship.
'''[[Gadpathur]]''' and the Technocracy have an infamously poor relationship. The Federation initially came into conflict with Gadpathur over its dealings with the Alliance to secure access to the Weeping Stars, which Gadpathur viewed as a betrayal of the Coalition’s interests and a violation of its security. A conflict between the two was mediated by Xanu but flared up in the mid-2300s when the Federation declined to vote on a resolution recognizing the bombing of Gadpathur as a crime against humanity and condemned the Alliance, citing its policy of neutrality towards the Alliance as justification. Gadpathurian forces proceeded to almost attack a Federal Navy patrol until Xansan space forces intervened. Neither has had relations since this point aside from mutual attempts to undermine one another and now, with Gadpathur increasingly isolated due to its hardline stance in response to the Wildlands, some in the Federation have suggested their old rival can be further weakened.
The '''[[Himeo|United Syndicates of Himeo]]''' and Technocracy have a poor relationship which is rooted in ideological and governmental differences. The Federation’s top-down and oligarchic approach to its society has drawn extensive criticism from the United Syndicates, with a particular focus upon its extensive system of state censorship and propaganda. This criticism has only resulted in the Federation creating more and more extensive systems of censorship and propaganda, much to the disdain of Himeo. Little formal trade exists between the two member-states, which has long been cited as a reason behind the Federation’s extensive industrial developments on Svarog and Empyrean.
The '''[[Vysoka|Free System of Vysoka]]''' and its various city-states have a positive relationship with the Federation due to Galatea’s long-standing policy of agrarian assistance towards Vysoka via the Technocracy’s terraforming technology. Galateans are often more welcome than other foreigners on Vysoka and researchers from the Federation’s biotechnology sector are known to often visit the agrarian planet for research projects and simple tourism alike. Federal efforts on Vysoka are focused primarily upon the planet’s urban centers, and much of its development has been concentrated on the cities of Vedamor and Sevaschaiv. The Federation’s permanent diplomatic mission to Vysoka is based in Czsari. Despite not being a focus of Technocracy efforts, enterprising researchers have been known to distribute “control samples” of weaponry to Hosts in order to field-test prospective Galatean Federal Army equipment.
The '''[[Assunzione|Republic of Assunzione]]''' and Technocracy have a stable and friendly relationship founded upon scientific collaboration and trade related to both member states’ shipbuilding sectors. Federation expeditions into Light’s Edge and the Lemurian Sea are rare due to a perceived lack of technological relics, or other valuable information, within the sparsely-populated region. Both the Republic and Technocracy have a friendly relationship with Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, and Federation personnel seconded to Zeng-Hu are often stationed in facilities on Assunzione in order to observe the Republic’s exploration-related technology.
'''[[Konyang]]''' and Technocracy have a friendly relationship which dates back to before independence. Before 2462 Konyang was the primary passage through which Galatean-Solarian trade flowed prior to its arrival in San Colette’s warp gate networks. Konyanger customs checkpoints were, due to both the valuable resources they provided and willingness of Galateans to pay bribes, much easier for Galatean-flagged vessels to pass through. Following its independence the Federation eagerly welcomed Konyang into the Coalition as an equal partner in an effort to promote its interests over Gadpathur’s and gain more access to Konyang’s robotics industries. The Federation staunchly supported Konyang during the crisis of the Solarian Civil War by sending a large Federal Navy detachment to its system. With the Alliance once again at the Coalition’s borders Konyang may, according to some observers, once again become Galatea’s gateway into Sol — despite Gadpathur’s protests.
The '''[[Scarabs|Scarab Fleets]]''' and the Federation have a relationship which has seen much cooperation. They have much in common as both are, in their own ways, the result of the Alliance’s efforts during the hegemonic era to expand further into uncolonized space. Both were impacted by the Interstellar War and have a focus upon research and discovery. However, they have diverged significantly from one another over the nearly two centuries since the end of the Interstellar War. This divergence, however, has not been enough to turn them against one another, and the scientific expeditions of both groups are known to cooperate with one another when they have run-ins in the free frontier or elsewhere.
The '''[[Empire of Dominia]]''' and Technocracy, despite or perhaps due to sharing an interest in biotechnology, have poor relations. Unlike the rest of the Coalition, which worries itself more with Dominian privateering, its conquest of unaffiliated frontier worlds, or its authoritarian religious government, Galatean animosity towards the Empire is rooted in another source: contempt for the Empire’s less advanced biotechnology sector, and its seeming inability or willingness to apply this sector beyond its noble classes. Technocracy citizens hold their Imperial counterparts in an unusual form of patronizing contempt wherein they regard the Empire as simply not good enough to be involved in biotechnology. The Federation and Empire occasionally encounter one another in the Weeping Stars, though these Imperials are often acting upon the will of House Volvalaad instead of the Empire itself. While not actively hostile, these encounters are far from friendly.
The '''[[Republic of Biesel]]''' and Technocracy have little in the way of formal relations due to the Federation’s avoidance of phoronics as a field due to most phoron being concentrated in Elyra and Biesel. The Federation’s long-standing desire to remain between two rivers — the Alliance and Xanu — delayed its recognition of Biesel as an independent nation until shortly after the Solarian Incursion of 2462 and Biesel’s rapid expansion. Even now little practical relations exist between the Federation and Republic. Galatean researchers have begun to travel to the Republic more frequently following 2462, though typically on behalf of Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals rather than the Technocracy itself.
The '''[[Republic of Elyra]]''' and Technocracy have limited formal relations and Galatean researchers are known to often visit its borders — often to learn more regarding its antigravity technology. The Serene Republic and Federation are both opposed to the Empire of Dominia, but the Federation places less emphasis upon the Empire and its expansionism than the Serene Republic does. Many Elyran Non-Citizen Persons who opt to leave its borders eventually find themselves in the Federation, where they are quickly given a place to work in the industrial sectors of Svarog and Empyrean.
The '''[[Nralakk Federation]]''' and Technocracy have little in the way of formal relations, both due to distance and longstanding Galatean policies against working with any species capable of psionic abilities out of concerns they will use their abilities to steal research secrets from the facilities of the Federation. The MfAS has long banned skrell from travel to the Technocracy’s borders due to these concerns, and has refused to consider any arguments in opposition. Galatians who do interact with skrell often have bioaugmentations which make their thoughts difficult for psionic species to read, and some – such as members of the MfAS – are rumored to have bioaugmentations which cause a lethal feedback loop if one attempts to read their mind. Most Galatean citizens and residents are wary of skrell, and will attempt to avoid them.
The Federal Technocracy’s contributions to the '''[[Coalition of Colonies#The Frontier Protection Bureau (FPB)|Frontier Protection Bureau (FPB)]]''' and the associated Frontier Rangers are poor compared to the economic impact the Federation has upon the broader Coalition and wider Spur. Citizens of the Federal Technocracy are barred by the government from becoming members of the FPB out of a desire to not antagonize the Solarian Alliance, and the Federation has long refused to provide anything aside from non-lethal aid, and has never provided bioaugmentations, to the Bureau. The Galatean Federal Navy cooperates with the FPB when they encounter one another but does not hold its rangers in high esteem, viewing them as an undisciplined force direly in need of central control and discipline. The Rangers in return typically view the Federal Navy, and Galateans more broadly, as self-absorbed opportunists unwilling to give their all to the Coalition.
'''[[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]]''' is the megacorporate entity most readily interacted with by the Federal Technocracy. When Galateans go abroad they often find themselves employed by it, and Zeng-Hu has long courted the Technocracy in pursuit of access to its advanced technologies. Despite these efforts Zeng-Hu has only limited access to the modern Technocracy and its facilities can only be found upon Svarog, the solitary member-planet which allows foreign megacorporations to have a presence upon its surface. The fierce economic protectiveness of the Technocracy has endured the creation of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate, and Zeng-Hu’s foothold remains relatively small.
While not a state in of itself the Technocracy has officially banned practitioners of the '''[[The Trinary Perfection|Trinary Perfection]]''' within its borders, viewing the religion as dangerously contrarian to the Federation’s focus upon improving humanity through the mastery of biotechnology. Following events on [[Orepit]] in 2464 the Federation renewed its commitment to this ban, a move which brought it praise from an unusual source: the Empire of Dominia. The MfAS has broad powers which permit it to track down and eliminate any suspected Trinarist presence within the Federation’s borders. The Technocracy holds no relations with Orepit and views the planet as a “Sponsor of Anti-Galatean Ideals.”
==Society==
<center><i>“Galateans claim they are a society of equals. Bah! They’re the Empire, but with degrees instead of noble titles!”</i> - [[Himeo#Political Parties|National Himean Worker's Vanguard leader Oskar Ljungberg]] (2436 - ) in an interview with Himean media regarding other members of the Coalition (15 July, 2462).</center>
Galatean society holds, as a near-universal constant, that innovation and technological progress is the most important goal in the lives of the typical citizen or resident of the Federation. This belief informs how nearly every resident of the Federation goes about their daily lives, what they prioritize, and how they behave. Galateans believe they must excel in all things they do to ensure the Federation’s continued success, and Galatean society is obsessed with the idea of perfection and innovation. To the typical Galatean there is nothing they cannot overcome through innovation and technology. If a Galatean cannot innovate, they are not worthy of being called a Galatean.
Galateans as a whole are often stereotyped abroad as perfectionists who must have everything done in the manner they dictate as they know how to best handle a situation relevant to their academic interests. Despite this stereotype Galateans with and without degrees are fully capable of working alongside, or even under, non-Galatean staff. However, they often find themselves frustrated with the perceived slowness or willingness of non-Galateans to accept what they view as less than satisfactory work as, for a Galatean, anything less than perfection is often unacceptable. Galateans abroad are often employed by [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], where their culture of perfectionism and obsessiveness has allowed them to excel within Zeng-Hu’s highly competitive culture.
===Degreed Academia===
<center><i>“Do not speak to me as if I, a Galatean researcher, are your equal! Your ignorance of the true potential of biotechnological innovations is plainly written in every plodding step your massive frame takes!”</i> - Doctor Shihong Li (2398 - ) speaking to a [[Empire of Dominia Great Houses#House Volvalaad|House Volvalaad]] geneticist at a research conference on Galatea (28 March, 2422).</center>
The term ''academia'' defines much of the Federal Technocracy, from its society and norms to its government and economics. Since the dawn of the early Federation it has been dominated by those in it who have degrees granted from its institutions of higher learning. Below these institutions are preparatory schools which aim to prepare the students of the Technocracy for a life in its academia where excellence is expected to be the baseline. The Federation’s academic fields can be broadly divided into three categories which roughly correspond to its three major industries: biotechnology, interstellar avionics, and planetary engineering.
Higher education in the Federation is an incredibly serious issue for the members of its existing academia and no expenses are spared in ensuring children rise to the same level, or beyond the level, of their parents. For these academics and their children achieving success in education is a matter of vital importance critical to ensuring a family keeps its position in Galatean society and works to maintain the Federation’s position upon the cutting edge of research in the human Orion Spur. No less than excellence is expected in the Federation and the children of academics are placed into a grueling process of education to ensure they will be ready to enter into the Technocracy’s academic ranks by gaining entry into some of its most prestigious institutions of higher education. Those who cannot handle the pressure of this educational system are considered disgraced and are ostracized by their peers and often disowned by their family, as '''a degreed Galatean who cannot excel in academic pursuits is unworthy of being called a Galatean at all'''.
The education of a Galatean child who wishes to enter academia starts, in the best circumstances, at the age of three when the child is enrolled into a Galatean elementary preparation school. These schools, which can occupy their young students for as many as 60 to 80 hours a week, are designed to ensure a young Galatean who hopes to join the ranks of its academia is sufficiently prepared to enter its primary academic education system at the age of eight. At graduation from these preparatory schools, generally at age seven to eight, students are expected to have gained a mastery of Ministerial Common in reading and writing, an understanding of mathematics, the sciences, Galatean history and ethics, and fluency in [[Languages|Tau Ceti Basic]]. Elementary preparatory schools vary slightly based upon if they are generalist or specialized into one of the “big three” research fields in the Federation. Though their lessons are often taught using games designed for children they are serious matters and considered a vital building block for a student’s future development.
After graduating from an elementary preparatory school a Galatean student will enter into their first tier of education, which they will remain in from age seven to 13. Here students will begin to master their chosen field, and will be involved in their chosen school for roughly 80 to 100 hours per week. Having ideally acquired a basic mastery of common fields primary school students bound for the Federation’s academic classes are expected to begin specializing into their chosen field of research and will often be seconded to chosen “learning facilities” to work alongside full Galatean researchers developing new innovations in the Federation. Primary school students in the Federation are expected to continue to master the subjects they began learning about in their preparatory school and are expected to gain a complete understanding of Tau Ceti Basic if they have not already done so.
Between the ages of 14 and 18 Galatean students are enrolled in high school, their second tier of education, and are expected to further their studies to prepare themselves for the infamous test of the Ministry of Academic Affairs (MfSA) known as the '''Federal Standardized Academic Examination Test''', or simply as '''the Examination''', through rigorous preparation which can include up to 120 hour weeks of instruction and preparation where students live in barracks-like academic dormitories to better prepare for the Examination. The Examination is a pivotal moment for the prospective academic as it will determine which of the Federation’s institutions they are able to be reasonably accepted to, and parents often push their children to work beyond the expected 80 to 100 hours of the average Galatean high school student. Some hopefuls who intend to gain acceptance to one of the Federation’s most prestigious universities — such as the Sachiko Amaya Institute of Biotechnology — are known to biologically augment themselves to require only three hours of sleep per night, and spend almost all of their waking hours studying or in class. Prospective Galatean academics will often form into study groups that become lifelong friendships as they make their way through high school and bond together in their struggles to overcome the challenges of entering the Technocracy’s academic fields.
Once a Galatean student has passed into the university system they are expected to maintain the work ethic they have established during their pre-university career by studying their own field and assisting other, more senior students in their research. Once the student has acquired a bachelor’s degree they are considered to be a voting Galatean citizen but most are expected to carry on to further levels of education such as a master’s degree or doctorate, both requiring additional work and further commitment by the student. The status of doctor is viewed by many as the highest level a Galatean can aspire to and simply possessing the title, regardless of one’s field, is viewed as a mark of excellence.
===Prominent Universities===
Which institute of higher education one attends determines one’s position within the academic society of the Technocracy, and which university one attends depends upon how one scores upon the Examination. Only those who have scored exceptionally well are able to attend one of the three most prestigious universities in the Federation, with one for each major research field. These students are the best of the Technocracy’s educational system and are destined to hold high positions within it or abroad, such as in Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals. The reputation of these institutions often precedes them abroad, and to have a degree from one is viewed as a badge of honor throughout the Federation. These institutions are commonly referred to as the “Big Three” among the Technocracy’s populace.
Perhaps the single most prestigious academic institution in the entire Federation is the '''Sachiko Amaya Institute of Biotechnology'''. Located in Lintukoto on Galatea proper, it derives its name from its founder: Sachiko Amaya, the first Chief Director of the Federation. Often simply referred to as the Amaya Institute, its graduates have greatly influenced – and arguably created – the field of bioaugmentation in the Federation. Graduates from the Amaya Institute are often destined for leadership roles in a biotechnology research firm. If these graduates travel abroad they often find employment in Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, which shares their intense focus upon perfection and interest in the field of biotechnology.
The only of the big three located on Tsukuyomi, the '''Tsukuyomian Institute of Interstellar Avionics Research''', or '''TIMAR''', is located in the lakeside city of Ketumati on the moon’s only continent, Mu. Originally established in 2350 to train the Galatean Federal Navy’s new generation of naval pilots, TIMAR has since expanded to train the engineers and scientists who design the vessels utilized by the Federal Navy. It is divided into two halves: the Federal Naval Academy and the more academic aspect, which is directly associated with the interstellar avionics research concern. Academic graduates from TIMAR sign a contract which states they will not leave the Federation for the first ten years after they graduate, and those who do depart after this time are often eagerly scouted by foreign naval firms such as d.N.A. on [[Xanu Prime]] for service as consultants and researchers.
Located in Jeolla on Galatea, the '''Gojoseon Engineering Research Institution''', or '''GMBI''', is the most prestigious of the Federation’s planetary engineering institutions of higher learning. Originally established in 2280 to assist in training engineers for the creation of Jeolla’s atypical city design, the GMBI now trains the best and brightest engineers in the Federation. Its graduates have gone on to greatly influence planetary construction throughout the modern Federation, and are responsible for both the Sector Plan of Svarog and the Cities of the Future of Galatea proper and its moon, Tsuyukomi. Those that go abroad are often employed as experts or consultants for a variety of large-scale engineering projects or urban planning.
===The Quest for Innovation===
The daily lives of most degreed Galateans are devoted to a concept the Technocracy regards as important above all other things: maintaining its technological edge over other human nations of the Spur through continuous development and innovation in the three major fields of biotechnology, interstellar avionics, and planetary engineering. If the Federation loses this edge most Galateans in it believe they begin to slowly waste away and eventually collapse as a society as its welfare-propaganda state implodes on itself and its citizens flee the Yggdrasil System for its more innovative counterparts. No loyalist to the Federation, from the Chief Director to the least experienced resident-worker, wishes for such to happen and all constantly strive to ensure the Technocracy’s steady march towards a better future for humanity does not slow, let alone halt.
This concept is referred to as the Quest for Innovation in Galatean propaganda, and by Galateans themselves. It is a cornerstone of the Federation’s society and a constant feature of its propaganda which is known to every resident or citizen of the Technocracy. To ignore or inhibit the Quest for Innovation is to risk being declared an anti-Galatean element and the subsequent wrath of the Federation’s internal security apparatus, the Ministry of Academic Security (MfAS). Those pursued by the MfAS do not often escape it and individuals convicted of being an anti-Galatean element will soon find themselves deported from the Federation and their citizenship, if applicable, permanently revoked. These exiled individuals are shunned and rebuked as failures by their fellow citizens and residents, and are often utilized by teachers and propagandists alike as examples of how to not behave.
===The Welfare-Propaganda State===
A critical structure of the Federation is what is commonly known abroad as its welfare-propaganda state, though within the Federation it is simply known as the MfGC’s federal welfare program. The Galatean welfare-propaganda state is an expensive but powerful system which ensures its citizens, and residents, do not want for basic necessities. Food, shelter, entertainment, and education are all provided for by the Federation’s government via the MfGC, which bundles these resources with pro-Federation propaganda in an effort to promote the Technocracy’s image as a benevolent entity for the citizens and residents of the Yggdrasil System.
The welfare-propaganda state was created shortly after the 2338 Empyrean Unrest, which almost collapsed the economy of the young Federation. It is intended to prevent such an incident from ever occurring again by providing a reasonably comfortable life to every citizen or resident of the Federation and has thus far been extremely successful in doing so. No protests on the scale of the Empyrean Unest have occurred since its implementation and MfGC polls show support for the Technocracy as high across all sectors of society even as much of the Spur anxiously watches the Alliance re-exerts its authority over territory it had previously lost control over in late 2462. Any who do go against the welfare-propaganda state, and thus the entire Galatean state, are regarded as anti-Galatean elements.
===Anti-Galatean Elements===
Relentlessly pursued in Federation space by the MfAS and used by the MfGC and MfSA as examples of failures, those who have been declared anti-Galatean elements are regarded by the Technocracy as hazardous to the continued stability of the Federation and its ability to remain on the bleeding edge of technological progress. These individuals are typically imprisoned and released once they have been freed from their anti-Galatean beliefs, either through therapy or through other means known only to the MfAS. Those who recant and return to being anti-Galatean are quickly removed from the Federation through any means deemed necessary or appropriate before they can become a true hazard or an exile.
To become an immediately deported anti-Galatean element one must be judged a danger to the Technocracy so severe their wrongness of thought cannot be reasonably rectified. The followers of the [[The Trinary Perfection|Trinary Perfection]], a faith officially viewed as a sponsor of Anti-Galatean Ideals by the Federation and regarded by the overwhelming majority of citizens and residents as a dangerous cult, are the only group to be treated with such from the start. When one is found they are quickly removed from the Technocracy through any means deemed reasonable and necessary. Any exiled for anti-Galatean ideals will quickly find their degrees stripped away from them along with their property, citizenship, and any wealth they may have in a Galatean institution. Condemned to wander through the [[The Orion Spur|Orion Spur]] and never return to Galatea, these individuals are scorned and mistrusted by many.
===Contraband===
Commonly associated with the MfAS and MfGC the Federal Table of Culturally Damaging or Socially Dangerous Concepts, Products, Practices, or Methods Officially Deemed Contraband in Galatean-Controlled Space, or more simply the '''Federal Contraband Table''' (formally abbreviated as ''FTSoSGKPPLMGEMEGGnKsRKD'' in Ministerial Common), is the Technocracy’s official, lengthy, and exhaustive list of items it considers to be dangerous to the continued health of both the Federation and its civil society. Officially maintained by the MfGC and enforced by the MfAS with the assistance of Federation citizens and residents, the Contraband Table was created shortly after the Empyrean Unrest of the 24th century in response to the perceived danger posed by Himean syndicalist thought. Over time it has expanded to include a multitude of entities deemed anti-Galatean in nature, and being found with one — or more — of the Table’s items is an effective method of being declared an anti-Galatean actor. Researchers who have acquired permission from the MfSA may study entities on the Table with a reasonable justification, but can expect to be closely watched by the MfAS for the duration of their experiments and for some time following them. There is no black market for Contraband Table goods in the contemporary Federation due to the extensive efforts of the welfare-propaganda state and MfAS.
Some of the items found upon the Contraband Table are divided into several categories which include but are not limited to:
====Hazardous Products====
* Himean-produced goods, which are viewed as hazardous to the industrial member-planets of the Federation.
* Gadpathurian-produced goods, which are viewed as substandard and ineffective.
* Any technology associated with the Empire of Dominia’s geneboosting programs, as they are considered to be health risks.
====Hazardous Concepts====
* Ideological concepts associated with Himean syndicalism.
* Ideological concepts associated with Gadpathur and its anti-Galatean stances.
* Any material which depicts the Trinary Perfection in a positive light.
* Material which is deemed critical of the Federation’s institutional structures.
===Non-Degreed Education===
<center><i>“Remember to do your part for the Federation whenever you work, for the future of the Spur rests upon our shoulders!”</i> - Federation motivational poster commonly seen in the Svarog metro system.</center>
The Galateans who do not opt to become involved in its academia are instead sent through a more typical educational program which prepares them for a life in the Federation’s non-degreed sectors such as mining, heavy industries, or service. Non-degreed education generally stops at 18 — assuming the non-degreed does not seek a two-year degree, which is often the highest they can rise and is viewed as a stepping stone towards their children joining the academia — and retains the traditional Galatean focus upon perfectionism and academic excellence in all things. Non-degreed Galateans are expected to excel from an early age and to achieve a mastery of their job even before they have worked a day of it. Most non-degreed Galateans attend school within the same apartment block where their family resides, though some must take a train to another apartment block where their school is located.
The most qualified non-degreed Galateans often seek two-year, or “half,” degrees from institutions which specialize in granting them. While they are not subjected to the same levels of academic rigor as their degreed counterparts are to pursue these half-degrees, named so as they give half of a vote in the Federation, those who do successfully acquire such a degree are viewed as the best and most talented of the non-degreed population, and often serve in administrative positions or supervisory roles where they direct and oversee the myriad industries of the Technocracy while themselves being subordinate to degreed Galateans. The children of half-degree holders are often pushed by their parents to pursue a full degree, and many succeed.
===The Gadpathurii===
<center><b>NOTE: The Gadpathurri are subject to the same ethnicity rules as typical Gadpathurians. Non-Gadpathurii Galateans, however, have no restrictions.</center></b>
A distinctive population of the Federation, the Gadpathurii are descended from Gadpathurian refugees which settled in the Yggdrasil System shortly after the bombing of [[Gadpathur]]. Over the intervening centuries these Gadpathurians have diverged significantly from those who remained on the planet and eventually created the modern, ultra-militarized Gadpathurian state. Known as the Gadpathurii, these Galateans of Gadpathurian descent are concentrated upon Tsyukomi and have retained much of the pre-Interstellar War culture of Gadpathur, which the planet’s current population has discarded in favor of a militaristic and anti-Solarian culture. Gadpathurians and Gadpathurii do not have good relations with one another, with Gadpathurii viewing Gadpathurians as unable to recognize the futility of their militarism and Gadpathurians viewing Gadpathurii as traitors who have associated with the Alliance.
In the Federation Gadpathurii often occupy positions within the Galatean Federal Navy’s officer ranks as many of the original refugees were members of the small naval force pre-war Gadpathur maintained. Many view a career in the Federal Navy as the best way to protect their new home from the potential aggression of old Gadpathur, which they view as having been lost in the fires of the Interstellar War. While it is not an official holiday within the Federation, many Gadpathurii mark the eighth of October, the anniversary of Gadpathur’s bombing, as a day of mourning, they are typically released from their duties for the day.
===Architecture===
The Technocracy’s architecture is, like its broader society, always attempting to remain upon the cutting edge of innovation. Referred to as Cities of the Future inside the Federation, these settlements are carefully designed and planned by degreed Galateans to meet a specific purpose with the smallest amount of inefficiencies reasonably possible. Technocracy city planners view themselves as both innovators and artists, and their cities resemble such — particularly upon Galatea proper and its moon, Tsuyukomi. Upon Svarog and Empyrean cities must often prioritize practicality over aesthetic designs and the Galatean cultural trend of building alongside nature rather than through it. The architectural style of Galatean cities of the future is known as “'''Technominimalism'''” abroad due to its combination of minimalist designs and frequent green spaces.
Upon Galatea proper and its moon, Tsuyukomi, the Technocracy has spared no expense in designing the cities of the future in which the vast majority of its degreed population resides. They are painstakingly designed to maximize the comfort and efficiency while minimizing their environmental footprints. These cities are built as a part of nature rather than over nature and can be strikingly beautiful, with frequent parks and green spaces throughout them which have been eagerly studied by foreign city planners from across the human Orion Spur. To further reduce their environmental impacts the cities of the future have fully banned personal automotive use and instead feature vast and interconnected rail networks which allow transport both within a given city and to other cities across Galatea proper and Tsuyukomi, in addition to important destinations such as more rural research stations. The cities of Galatea proper and Tsuyukomi have no true urban sprawl and instead transition directly into the natural environment at the predetermined limit of the city’s urban zone.
On Svarog and Empyrean, the Federation’s industrial worlds, architecture is markedly different from the cities of the future. Upon Svarog the Sector Plan, created during the Svarogite Rejuvenation, has resulted in a surface dominated by brutalist industrial cities which are connected by elevated magnetic rails designed to withstand the frigid temperatures of the planet, its frequent blizzards, and the omnipresent industrial pollution which is barely ameliorated by the presence of massive turbines in most cities intended to reduce air pollution by processing and filtering massive amounts of air. Svarogite skylines are dominated by row upon row of Galatean apartment blocks which can stretch dozens of stories into the air and are connected by an extensive network of underground rail lines referred to as the SWRH, or the Sector Internal Rail Network, which allows for easy transport between blocks without exposing oneself to the hazardous weather conditions of the surface. These blocks are not simply apartment buildings as their lower levels are home to a variety of small, often family-owned, businesses and establishments ranging from restaurants to photo studios to bookstores and more where Svarogites gather to socialize, shop, and relax. Beyond the apartment cities dwell massive centrally organized industrial parks which belch clouds of black smoke into the atmosphere as they fuel the Federation’s engines of progress while they pollute Svarog’s air.
Empyrean’s architecture bears resemblance to Svarog’s, with the same style of apartment blocks connected by underground rails linked to other communities, but its industrial zones feature markedly different structures due to Empyrean’s economy focusing on fuel and mining instead of the large-scale industrial production of Svarog. Where there are rows upon rows of smokestacks belching black smoke upon Svarog, on Empyrean there are vast chemical refineries where Helium-3 fuel is produced and great holes dug into its surface from where its mineral wealth is extracted for use in the industries of Svarog. Empyrean’s mines are massive structures which tunnel kilometers into the planet’s surface and provide the raw materials of the Galatean quest for innovation. The architects of these mines are, unlike the designers of other facilities, often half-degree holders who work as foremen or managers in these massive structures. The Federation, after all, places a strong emphasis on ensuring those who have the best knowledge of a situation are those who manage it, and who better knows a mine than the workers?
===Biological Augmentation===
Perhaps what the Technocracy is most known for in the 25th century, biological augmentation is common throughout Galatean society and almost all citizens of the Federation – and many resident-workers – feature a degree of augmentation, whether it is as simple as vision correction or as complicated as the extensive biological modifications provided to Galatean Federal Navy pilots which allow them to outperform their counterparts in other forces. Galatean bioaugmentations can be found outside of the Technocracy but are most prominent within its borders. For many Federation citizens, to receive and benefit from the Technocracy’s mastery of biological augmentation is seen as an act of patriotism, and non-augmented Galateans are often looked down upon by their counterparts as oddities at best and potential anti-Galatean elements at worst.
Bioaugmentation for a Galatean often begins before they are born, as many of the Federation’s native-born citizens are “born” in Technocracy facilities intended to replace more traditional methods. In these facilities researchers and staff affiliated with the biotechnology sector are able to monitor development and address genetic issues as they arise, and give a developing child any augmentations their parents or guardians may request – assuming one is able to pay for such. Once “born” genetic editing and tweaking often continues for these children well into their adulthoods, particularly for those children of researchers and other higher-ranking Galatean academics. Non-degreed Galateans, and its Worker-Residents, often seek out more utilitarian biological augmentations such as filters which allow them to breathe more easily upon Svarog or eye modifications which allow them to see more clearly in the often dim environment of Empyrean’s mineshafts. Those in the Federal military have their own class of augmentations which are rated military-grade and not permitted for exportation throughout the Spur.
As Galateans augment themselves further they acquire an unusual or otherwise atypical appearance which, though considered normal or even desirable in the Technocracy, makes them appear uncanny to many individuals from outside of the Federation. They will often have unusually pallid skin tones, sometimes appearing to be waxlike, and atypical eyes. Some Galatean eye-based biological augmentations, such as those used by the Federal Navy, turn eyes into a solid black designed to assist in acquiring more light. Some Galateans have unusual patterns in their skin as a result of their augmentations, or feature visible external ports which are utilized in cheaper and often more dated genetic editing techniques. Others rarely blink or breathe, having edited their eyes or reduced their necessary oxygen intake. The most visibly biologically augmented individuals in the Technocracy are arguably the pilots of the Galatean Federal Navy, particularly those of the small Hydrangea-class Multi-Role Attack Craft the Federal Navy relies upon in most engagements. Hydrangea pilots have standardized military augmentations which give them entirely black eyes – aside from a small, white pupil – designed to react faster than a typical human in any condition, skin criss-crossed with patterns designed to reinforce their skin against g-forces and low pressure, never blink as their eyes instead passively water themselves through the creation of a saline-like substance, and rarely breathe. Pilots generally have white, black, or gray hair – sometimes a mix of all three – as a result of these augmentations, and are entirely hairless aside from that on their head. These augmentations, due to their extensive nature, cannot be reversed. However, Hydrangea pilots are viewed as an elite within the military and are often lavished with benefits and rewards, with many having become major figures in the Technocracy’s interstellar avionics research fields.
===Dreams===
Galatean culture, across all levels of education, places a strong emphasis upon the subconscious or unconscious mind and its actions, believing that innovation can often strike when one is asleep. This presents itself as an emphasis upon dreams and what happens within them. Researchers in the field of biotechnology have observed that biologically augmented individuals often experience more vivid dreams, and that these dreams become more vivid as one is augmented further. While a Svarogite worker with throat bioaugmentations may only experience these occasionally, a Hydrangea pilot may experience vivid dreams in her sleeping hours and these can often be lucid enough for the dreamer to manipulate.
While none in the Federation currently understand the link between bioaugmentation and more vivid dreams, the citizens and residents of the Technocracy have long been interested in the analysis of their dreams and their potential meanings. Galateans commonly keep dream diaries and some innovations have allegedly come to Federation researchers in their dreams. Some researchers have attempted to reconstruct particularly notable dreams in virtual — or physical — reality, to varying degrees of accuracy and success.
===Language===
The Federal Technocracy, due to its status as a multi-planetary entity, is home to several major languages. The first and most common is a MfGC-regulated dialect known as '''Galatean Ministerial Common'''. An unusual dialect of Solarian Common, Ministerial Common was first standardized under the early Technocracy in the early 2300s. Efforts by the MfGC to eliminate “foreign” loanwords from Ministerial Common, such as those from Freespeak or Tau Ceti Basic, have resulted in it being a close linguistic equivalent to pre-Interstellar War Solarian Common, and many who hear the dialogue note it utilizes terms which have fallen out of common Solarian parlance. Out of contemporary dialects Ministerial Common perhaps most closely resembles Gadpathurian Common but possesses more regional sub-dialects due to the Federation’s less authoritarian government. Ministerial Common is further subdivided into Galatean Standard, the more common dialect which is found upon Galatea itself, and Tsukuyomian Standard, a more rare dialect found upon Galatea’s moon and typically associated with the Federal Navy.
On Svarog and Empyrean languages are less managed and more diversified due to the flow of immigrants into the industrial hubs of the Federation from the Coalition in the decades following the end of the Interstellar War. The resulting creole of Interstellar War-era Solarian Common and Freespeak from other areas of the Coalition is known as '''Federal Freespeak''', which is regarded by the MfGC as a second-tier language in the Federation: it is taught in schools, but it is not actively promoted in the way Ministerial Common is. Federation documents on Svarog and Empyrean such as propaganda posters are typically written in both Ministerial Common and Federal Freespeak. This dialect of Freespeak, due to its looser regulations, does have many Solarian Common loan words and varies between Svarog and Empyrean.
===Holidays===
'''New Year’s Day (January 1)''': The official start of the new year throughout human space, this holiday is generally a time of reflection for Galateans as they look back on the previous year while looking forward to the next.
'''Galatean New Year (Varies)''': The first day of the new lunisolar year, this holiday is a time of family celebrations and reunions. While the first day of the conventional new year is often a time of reflection, the first day of the lunisolar new year is instead a time of celebration and enjoyment where Galateans often celebrate the year’s accomplishments with their families.
'''Federation Workers’ Day (1 May)''': A celebration of the non-degreed residents and citizens of the Federation, Workers’ Day is roughly equivalent to May Day in the wider Spur. However, the Federation goes to great lengths to ensure Workers’ Day is a celebration of the fact that all Galateans work for a common goal, rather than a celebration of organized labor. To do so would be dangerously Himean, and encourage anti-Galatean ideals.
'''Graduation Day (14 May)''': A celebration of recent graduates from academies across the Federation, Graduation Day has long been a popular holiday in the Technocracy. It is often on this day that new degreed Galateans will enter their field of choice, having been previously selected by a research firm during their last semester of studying.
'''Federation Day (16 October)''': Perhaps the most important Galatean holiday, Federation Day celebrates the founding of the Federal Technocracy of Galatea. It is marked by celebrations across all four member-planets of the Federation and is considered a symbol of its continued unity.
'''Interstellar Peace Day (28 November)''': Another impotent holiday, Interstellar Peace Day celebrates the signing of the Treaty of Xansan and the end of the Interstellar War.
==Economics and Industries==
<center><i>“Our biotechnology surpasses anything else in the Orion Spur, President Sneijders, and it shall only grow stronger as the Federation continues to prosper!”</i> - Doctor Teofila Vecoli (2238 - 2358), Federation Representative to Xanu, during a discussion with All-Xanu Republic President Nicolaas Sneijders (15 January, 2311).</center>
The Federal Technocracy’s economy is one of the largest within the [[Coalition of Colonies|Coalition]], though it is not as large or diverse as [[Xanu Prime]]’s, and sits on the same industrial level as its rival, the [[Himeo|United Syndicates of Himeo]]. While Xanu Prime dominates in the shipping industry and Himeo dominates in mass industrial goods, the Federation’s niche is in exporting high-end technological goods and equipment across the Coalition and beyond. Its economy is dominated by three major sectors – biotechnology, interstellar avionics, and planetary engineering – which answer to the Research Triumvirate, and thus to the Chief Director. Researchers in the Federation tirelessly work to maintain a technological edge which allows the Galatean economy to excel and maintain an innovative edge over its competition, and the Technocracy prides itself on applying its motto – Innovation Without Fear – to all corners of its economy. From the mines of Empyrean to the research facilities of the Galatean countryside, all loyal workers in the Federation strive to continue the quest for innovation and retain its competitive edge.
The largest of the Federation’s three primary research and production sectors is its sprawling biotechnology concern. Established shortly after the start of the Interstellar War and responsible for many of the terraforming and bioaugmentation innovations which have allowed the Federation to grow and prosper in the modern Orion Spur, the biotechnology sector is prized above all others by the Chief Director and many in the Federation, and to work in it is a point of pride for many Galetean citizens and residents. The largest research firm in the biotechnology sector is the Biological Innovation Bureau, or BNG, which manages human bioaugmentation and developments associated with bioaugmentation. Similarly important is the Biological Diversification and Adaptation Bureau, or BDJeG, which is responsible for the management of the Federation’s practical terraforming technology. Biotechnology firms are most commonly located upon Galatea itself but can be found across the Federation, including upon its industrial worlds, and its researchers maintain several missions abroad to the Free System of Vysoka, where they both assist and research the native biosphere. Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals most commonly works with the biotechnology sector as their research areas are similar in nature to those of the keiretsu.
The second-largest of the sectors is its interstellar avionics concern. Though it dates to roughly the same era as the biotechnology sector the interstellar avionics industry only truly came into its own following the 2347 Gadpathurian Skirmish and the subsequent rapid expansion of the Galatean Federal Navy in response to findings by the Federation. This rapid armament created vast opportunities for growth in the then-small sector, which was at the time only involved in the production of research vessels and research stations in addition to the maintenance of the Federation’s surviving terraforming equipment, such as the Brahma mining laser and its Galatea platform. The largest firm within the interstellar avionics sector is the Interstellar Avionics Research Bureau, or IARG, which manages the Federation’s naval developments. The second-largest is the older Interstellar Engineering Bureau, or IIG, which manages the existing terraforming infrastructure of the Yggdrasil System and most stations in Federation space. The engineering researchers of the interstellar avionics sector occasionally find themselves employed or contracted to foreign entities to assist in research, or to learn what they can from foreign actors such as megacorporations. Interstellar avionics research facilities are most commonly found upon Tsuyukomi, where the Federation’s naval forces are based, but are often found in the Thalamus Research Station Network near Nüwa.
The smallest of the three sectors is the planetary engineering concern. The oldest of the three major sectors, it primarily relates to terrestrial engineering and production techniques. They are responsible for most of the industry upon Svarog and Empyrean and employ many non-degreed Technocracy citizens and residents to assist them in this work. By sheer number the planetary engineering sector is the second-largest and nearly as large as the biotechnology sector, but it lacks influence and voting power as many of its staff are non-degreed Galateans who do not have voting rights within the Federation. The largest research firm of this sector is the Planetary Reclamation and Development Bureau, or PRRG, which is responsible for the majority of the Federation’s engineering and production facilities on Svarog and Empyrean. The PRRG often works alongside the smaller Planetary Weapons Development Bureau, or PBCG, which manages equipment development for the Federation’s army and security services. Planetary engineering facilities are most commonly found upon Svarog and Empyrean, where they manage much of the mundane day-to-day operations of the Technocracy’s industries.
===Major Research Firms===
The Federal Technocracy’s research firms are massive, powerful entities essentially equivalent to major local corporations elsewhere in the Spur such as [[Xanu Prime]] or [[San Colette]]. Most have their roots in the desperate years of the Interstellar War, or in the early Federation era, and have grown as the Technocracy has prospered and spread its technology across the human Orion Spur. The age of these research firms, the Federation’s top-down control structure, and regulatory troubles with megacorporation involvement in the Alliance Neutral Zone have resulted in the Technocracy’s research firms holding more economic power in Galatean space than foreign corporations and megacorporations, the majority of which barely have footholds. While some deal with megacorporations the research firms of the Federal Technocracy most readily trade with the corporations of nearby Xanu Prime and often rely on Xansan-flagged vessels for shipping. They have significant power in the Yggdrasil System, but the influence of Galatean research firms often sharply drops outside of the Federation’s space due Xanu’s greater economic power.
Galatean research firms are led by Executive Researchers who in turn answer to the Research Triumvirate. Federation executive researchers are powerful and influential individuals who decide much of their firm’s day-to-day activities and have the power to stop projects they deem ineffective and reassign staff as necessary. They are responsible for ensuring the Federation retains its competitive edge and are often extensively biologically augmented to require less rest time than a baseline human, and some research executives have been known to work for weeks without resting to ensure the Federation maintains the best course towards the quest for progress. They typically have at least two degrees and are regarded as nearly infallible experts in their field, though they are always advised by other qualified experts.
====Biological Innovation Bureau (BNG) – ''"For the Future of Humanity."''====
The Biological Innovation Bureau, or BNG, is the single largest research firm in the modern Technocracy and dates to the Interstellar War-era Yggdrasil System, where it formed in 2285 as a research collective of the Yggdrasil Expedition. The BNG’s mission is to improve upon the natural capabilities of the human form and they are pioneering developers in the field of biotechnology, easily surpassing their rivals in House Vovlalaad in the Empire of Dominia. The BNG’s current objective is to continue innovating in the field of biotechnology and it is, within the Federation, the sole provider of the highest-quality bioaugmentations. It works with every entity within the Federation, from the mines of Empyrean to the Office of the Chief Director, and has dealings with Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals which have resulted in BNG employees being hired into the keiretsu as staff.
The BNG works alongside the Boelens & Vaeghts Chemical Corporation (B&V) to distribute its medical products throughout the Tuliprose Healthcare medical system, and it maintains a small research wing in Pataliputra on Xanu Prime where its researchers work alongside B&V staff, though most BNG research remains within the Technocracy itself and is concentrated upon Galatea proper. The BND is led by Research Executive Isold Mangjeol, a pioneering bioaugmentation researcher who contributed greatly to the augmentations utilized by modern Hydrangea-class pilots. Doctor Mangjeol is regarded by many as the fourth member of the Research Triumvirate due to the influence the BNG holds over the Federation.
====Biological Diversification and Adaptation Bureau (BDJeG) — ''“For the Future of Galatea."''====
The Biological Diversification and Adaptation Bureau, or BDJeG, is the second-largest research firm in the modern Technocracy and dates to the pre-Interstellar War era, having formed in 2272 to manage the terraforming of Galatea’s moon Tsukuyomi. The BDJeG is responsible for the terraforming which has made modern the modern Federation able to maintain its technological edge and is still involved in extensive ecological efforts across the modern Federation, where it is responsible for ensuring the continued ecological stability of the Federation’s fully terraformed member-planets: Galatea and its moon, Tsuyukomi. While terraforming technology is not readily exported by the Federation its management is critical within the Federation itself, and the BDJeG’s daily operations often relate to discovering methods through which the biospheres of the Federation’s member-planets can be further improved.
The BDJeG performed land reclamation work upon Xanu Prime in the years following the Interstellar War and had a relationship with CESAR-X even before it was privatized. It is the research firm most commonly associated with the Federation’s efforts on Vysoka, where BDJeG researchers are involved in agricultural and climate-related work. Due to the closely-guarded nature of the Galatea Platform, where much of the BDJeG is located, it has no permanent foreign branches. The BDJeG is led by Research Executive Reinald Fu, who is responsible for the design of pollution filtering stations utilized across Svarog.
====Interstellar Avionics Research Bureau (IARG) — ''“We Follow in Daedalus’ Footsteps.”''====
The Interstellar Avionics Research Bureau, IARG, is a large research firm which is responsible for the modern vessels and weaponry of the Galatean Federal Navy. It was founded in 2349, making it a fairly young research firm, through the conglomeration of several smaller naval research firms in response to the events of the 2347 Gadpathurian Skirmish and the 2349 Federation report which noted the Federal Navy would have likely lost the resulting engagement. Over the following century the IARG has worked to create and develop cutting-edge equipment for the Federal Galatean Navy such as the Hydrangea-class strike craft and the large Owl-class battlecarrier. Due to its work being considered sensitive to the Federation’s continued security the IARG is expressly forbidden from performing its research in facilities located outside of Galatean-controlled space.
While it is concentrated within the Yggdrasil System the IARG has a working relationship with the Xanu-based d.N.A. Defense & Aerospace but has refused to encourage the use of the d.N.A.-designed Shrike-class corvette over the IARG-designed Amaryillis-class corvette currently used by the Galatean Federal Navy. The IARG is led by Research Executive Ludwika Araki, a veteran of the Federal Navy and famous Hydrangea-class pilot prior to transitioning into her position at IARG.
====Interstellar Engineering Bureau (IIG) — ''“To Maintain Galatea’s Future.”''====
The Interstellar Engineering Bureau, or IIG, is a large firm which predates the IARG and is responsible for the construction and maintenance of stationary spaceborne and orbital facilities within the Yggdrasil system such as the orbital Helium-3 facilities of Empyrean, the Thalamus Research Station Network near Nüwa, and – most importantly – the Galatea platform above Galatea itself. Founded in 2268 by the chiefs of staff of the Brahma and Galatea platforms, the IIG has since expanded into its current role as the main constructor and maintainer of orbital platforms in the Yggdrasil System. Unlike its terraforming counterpart, the BDJeG, the IIG works outside of Galatean space and has built spaceborne facilities throughout the modern Coalition.
The IIG most often works alongside Xanu-based corporate entities such as the Markhor Interstellar Logistics Group, which it utilizes to move much of the construction materials built for its use upon Svarog to where they are needed in the wider Spur. It has been known to work with both Hephaestus Industries and Einstein Engines while abroad as both are more widespread than the IIG itself is. The current Research Executive of the IIG is Masayuki Cousineau, a resurveyed engineer from Tsukuyomi who has spent much of his career building facilities for the Federation’s scientific expeditions.
====Planetary Reclamation and Development Bureau (PRRG) — ''“Forging the Federation’s Future.”''====
The Planetary Reclamation and Development Bureau, PRRG, is the largest research firm in terms of total employment. However, a large amount of its staff are non-degreed Galateans and it employs a smaller number of degreed Galateans than the BND or BDJeG. Though the PRRG was originally founded in 2270 to manage construction efforts on Galatea it is most known in the modern Federation for its role in the Svarogite Rejuvenations and the associated Sector Plans, which saw the half-terraformed planet transformed into the major industrial hub it is today. The PRRG is also active on Empyrean, where it manages much of the planet’s Helium-3 industry. Due to its influence on Empyrean and Svarog the PRRG employs more non-degreed Galateans citizens and residents than any other research firm and often works alongside the MfGC to spread Galatean cultural ideals and propaganda to its staff.
The PRRG exports much of what it produces abroad to the broader Coalition and foreign nations such as the Solarian Alliance and Republic of Biesel, and is often seen as the public face of the Technocracy’s research firms in the broader Spur. Due to the massive amounts of goods it ships the PRRG frequently works with the Xanu-based Markhor Interstellar Logistics Group to ensure its finished goods are sent to where they will readily sell. It also works with Polaris Holdings to deliver goods to Xanu Prime itself which are sold in Polaris-owned retail establishments. The Research Executive of the PRRG is Wilfried Seonu, a Galatea-born researcher who has pioneered much of the PRRG’s post-Solarian Collapse trade policy.
====Planetary Weapons Development Bureau (PBCG) — ''“To Defend Galatea.”''====
The Planetary Weapons Development Bureau, or PBCG, is the smallest of the Federation’s major firms and was founded in 2349 shortly after the Gadpathurian Skirmish. It is considered a sister firm of the larger IARG due to its focus on ensuring the Galatean Federal Army has the best equipment available to it while the IARG focuses upon the Federal Navy. It is primarily based upon Svarog and Empyrean, where it has a ready environment to stress-test equipment in harsh circumstances, and is widely regarded as a pioneering force in the field of personal laser weaponry. Its most widely-known creation is the Mark 61 Infantry Laser Rifle, or O61 ILG, the current standard-issue rifle of the Federal Army.
Unlike the IARG the PBCG maintains a limited presence abroad, mostly upon Xanu Prime. It is a frequent collaborator with the Xanu-based d.N.A. Defense & Aerospace and is behind some of the laser weapons used by Chevauchée Asset Protection, d.N.A.’s private security contractor wing. Its current Research Executive is Wiktor Durant, a native of Svarog and a veteran of the Federal Army who is well-regarded by the Federal Army due to his veteran status and work with the BNG to create new combat bioaugmentations for the Army.
===Scientific Expeditions===
Managed by the Ministry of Exploration and Exploitation (MfEA), Galatea’s scientific expeditions into the [[The Orion Spur#Weeping Stars|Weeping Stars]] and the non-Coalition frontier regions once controlled by the Solarian Alliance are both a concern for many of its neighbors and a source of important technological relics for the Federation. The MfEA conducts these expeditions alongside the Federation’s research firms and its military, and they are utilized as both an opportunity by the IARG to “stress test” many of their latest innovations by pitting them against any who dare to oppose the Federation’s interest in what it officially describes as “decivilized space” beyond the borders of any major power in the Orion Spur. These scientific expeditions are primarily concerned with gathering information and relics from the pre-Interstellar War era of [[Sol Alliance History#2259: Apotheosis of Solarian Hegemony|Solarian hegemony]], when the Alliance controlled far more space than any contemporary human power and had the power to launch massive engineering programs such as the Galatea Project which created the foundation for the modern Technocracy.
These expeditions are led by an Expedition Director of the MfEA, who handles research matters, and a flag officer of the Federal Navy, who handles security matters. The Expedition Director, who is always a degreed Galatean of the MfEA, is given broad powers and a set of official documents which mark them as a representative of the Federation abroad who is able to make diplomatic decisions regarding individual free frontier planets as necessary to ensure the success of their expedition and the continued technological edge of the Federation in its research concerns. Expedition Directors are vetted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MfAA) to ensure they will attempt to minimize any political fallout from their actions during an expedition. The MfEA’s scientific expeditions have a reputation abroad for their willingness to go to any length to ensure their expeditions are successful, and many Expedition Directors view the welfare of a single planet of the free frontier as irrelevant when compared to the continuous Galatean quest for innovation. Gadpathur has repeatedly protested the extensive powers given to MfEA Expedition Directors but the Federation has refused to curtail the power of its expeditions to act independently. Some Expedition Directors are known to become quite flamboyant and their escapades often appear in Galatean mass media within the Federal Technocracy.
MfEA scientific expeditions are key to ensuring the Federation has the ability to utilize and maintain its antiquated terraforming equipment which dates back to the prewar era, such as its Galatea Platform. Perhaps the last of its kind in the Orion Spur which remains functional, the Federation places a great emphasis upon maintaining its continued operational state and ensuring the Brahma mining platform which fuels it when it is operational – another relic of the pre-Interstellar War Alliance – can be utilized when it is needed. The fragile state of the Technocracy’s pre-Interstellar War terraforming equipment and the massive amounts of resources which must be expended to properly utilize them ensure the Federation’s still-functional Galatea Platform is, in reality, rarely used and was last utilized on a large scale to terraform Tsukuyomi during the Interstellar War.
The Federation’s scientific expeditions are large ventures which can be away from the Yggdrasil System for multiple years at a time and consist of a multitude of vessels ranging from unarmed scientific craft to the intimidating Owl-class battlecarrier – the largest warship utilized by the modern Federal Navy. These research flotillas can be found throughout the Weeping Stars and the non-Coalition frontier regions near the modern Coalition, and are large enough that most do not interfere with them. Those who do will quickly find themselves at the mercy of the Federal Navy as they are swarmed by Hydrangea-class fighters, one of the enduring symbols of Galatean naval power in the non-Coalition frontier.
==Federation Member States==
<center><i>“WARNING! Do NOT exit this door without wearing protective equipment! Temperature conditions outside are below acceptable hazard levels for unmodified humans! '''BEING UNPREPARED CAN COST YOU YOUR LIFE!'''”</i> - Galatean hazard warning poster seen on the exterior doors of many Svarog facilities.</center>
Per its foundational documents the Federal Technocracy of Galatea is a federation of four member-planets — Galatea, Tsukuyomi, Svarog, and Empyrean — under one technocratic government. The planets of the Federation are not independent states and are essentially administrative subdivisions of the broader Technocracy, which is primarily based upon Galatea proper. Due to the Federation’s unusual system of determining votes some member-planets have much more sway than others, but a massive amount of what the Federation refers to as welfare-propaganda ensures all four member-planets work together towards the common goal of scientific excellence in all things. If one member-planet fell out of lockstep the Federation would be greatly endangered and weakened, and much of its propaganda efforts are aimed at preventing such.
===Galatea===
[[File:Galatea.png|The planetary flag of Galatea.|thumb]]
The most populated of the Federation’s two fully terraformed member-planets, Galatea is the Technocracy’s crown jewel. It is the only known true planet to be successfully fully terraformed during the course of the Galatea Project from which it derives its name. It is a verdant world which is covered in carefully planned cities of the future which have been engineered to have the minimum impact upon its pristine environment – a dedication which has resulted in the current state of Svarog. Galatea’s environment is earthlike by design and divided between three major continents: the verdant Arkadien, its largest, and Gojoseon, its second largest, and the frigid Kvenland in its far north. The majority of its surface, roughly 73%, is covered in water
Arkadien is home to several major cities of the future including its planetary capital of '''Lintukoto''', located along Akadien’s eastern coast in a temperate forest region. Lintukoto is home to many of the ministerial facilities which ensure the Federation’s continued success and is the location of the prestigious Sachiko Amaya Institute of Biotechnology, the most elite higher education institution within the biotechnology sector. Arkadien’s north is home to tundra and boreal forests which gradually transition into temperate forests and grasslands where the majority of its population can be found. As one proceeds southwards through Arkadien they will eventually reach the savannah regions of the continent which are home to many research facilities and smaller cities of the future which are not nearly as large as Lintukoto. The continent is bisected by Galatea’s single longest river, the Okeanos River, which stretches from Lintukoto in the east to Gyeongsang in the west. Gyeongsang, Arkadien’s second-largest city of the future, is home to the continent’s only space elevator and is the location from which much of Arkadien’s off-world travel is performed.
Across the Hvergelmir Ocean from Arkadien is the smaller continent of Gojoseon, which features a similarly temperate climate to Arkadien though its interior is notably dry and mountainous. The largest city of the future on Gojoseon is the settlement of '''Jeolla''' along its western coastline. Jeolla is an atypical city of the future due to being built in a large river delta known as the Gjöll Delta, the terminus of the Gjöll River which runs from Gojoseon’s mountainous interior to its coast. A great amount of Jeolla is built on elevated platforms above the delta which are connected by rail lines and can be raised or lowered to avoid the seasonal floods of the Gjöll. Jeolla is home to the Gojoseon Engineering Research Institution, the most prestigious planetary engineering higher education institution within the Federation. Much of Gojoseon is unpopulated and the continent is instead reserved for research purposes or the work of the Federation’s multitude of research firms. Many tourists who come to Galatea come to see the environment of Gojoseon, which is regarded by many biologists in the Spur as the nearest living equivalent to pre-industrial Earth.
Unpopulated aside from research facilities, the northern continent of Kvenland is dominated by arctic deserts and vast ice sheets which are hostile to human habitation due to the lack of easily-consumable water, freezing temperatures, and harsh winds which will quickly turn exposed limbs frostbitten unless one is properly prepared. Regions of Kvenland are utilized by Galatean researchers to prepare equipment for use upon Empyrean, which is similarly frigid, or on planets with harsh atmospheric conditions. Kvenland is the only continent on Galatea where automotive vehicles are widely used as the environment is too harsh and too underpopulated to reasonably justify
Private automobiles are essentially unheard of upon Galatea aside from on Kvenland and travel between its cities of the future, and to its research facilities, is done via extensive rail networks which criss-cross the interior of its continents while minimizing the environmental impact of travel by Galateans. The Federation symbol associated with Galatea is an inverted triangle which is most often colored forest green. This symbol is commonly seen on Galatean facilities and equipment, such as the collar tabs of Technocracy researchers from the planet.
===Tsukuyomi===
[[File:Tsukuyomi.png|The planetary flag of Tsukuyomi.|thumb]]
Galatea’s only natural satellite, Tsukuyomi is roughly one-third of the size of Galatea proper, making it larger than [[Luna]], and is home to cities of the future similar to those present upon Galatea proper. Tsukuyomi is the heart of the Federation’s modern military and is home to the Federal Navy and Federal Army’s headquarters and much of the research facilities and educational institutions associated with the continued functional operation of the Federation’s military. Tsukuyomi is home to only one continent, Mu, which is surrounded by the Ryūgū-jō Sea. Roughly 80% of the moon’s surface is covered by water. Mu is home to a generally temperate climate which is comparable to that of Arkadien on Galatea but is more densely populated than its counterpart, with much of its coastline occupied by cities of the future and its interior dotted by research facilities which ensure the Federal military maintains its cutting edge. Access to Tsukuyomi is heavily restricted by the Federation due to security concerns regarding its military assets, and few non-native Galateans will ever set foot upon its surface for more than a few hours. Residents of Tsukuyomi are known as Tsukuyomian Galateans or simply as Tsukuyomians.
The planetary capital of Tsukuyomi is the combined city of the future and naval facility of Cantref Gwaelod, where the Federation’s contemporary military is based. Though similar in design to Galatean cities of the future such as Jeolla much of '''Cantref Gwaelod''' is restricted by the Federation’s security services, which have a significant presence across Tsukuyomi. The natural environment of Mu outside of its cities of the future is similar in nature to 22nd-century Earth and the continent is well regarded for its natural beauty, with its coastal regions transitioning gently into rolling hills which eventually open into vast interior grasslands home to a multitude of research facilities. The center of the continent is dominated by a large inland body of water known as Lake Parime. Along the lake’s shores is '''Ketumati''', a city of the future home to the Tsukuyomian Institute of Interstellar Avionics Research, the most prestigious institution of higher learning in the interstellar avionics sector. Ketumati is connected to Cantref Gwaelod by a long rail line which runs along the Vaitarna River and opens into the Ryūgū-jō Sea.
While Galatea proper is represented by an inverted triangle, Tsukuyomi is represented by a non-inverted triangle which is generally a dull gold color. This symbol is commonly associated with the Federal military and appears on the collar tabs of both researchers from Tsukuyomi and Galatean military personnel. Across the Federation a red version of the Tsukuyomian triangle with the text “NO ACCESS” written across it in Ministerial Common is utilized to note that entrance into an area is restricted for security purposes.
===Svarog===
[[File:Svarog.png|The planetary flag of Svarog.|thumb]]
Svarog, the third planet terraformed by the Federation and the only not fully terraformed, is not known for its striking natural beauty. The partially-terraformed surface of Svarog is cold and barren of most natural life aside from a native biosphere consisting of hardy, small mammals and small scrublike brush, and is heavily polluted due to decades of heavy industrialization. The air on Svarog is hazardous to breathe for non-bioaugmented humans and even bioaugmented humans wear gas masks or respirators when working outside in its cold environments. Instead of cities of the future the settlements upon Svarog are organized into what the Federation refers to as the Sector Plan: a centrally-planned technocratic design dating to 2365 which is intended to ensure Svarog’s economy is as efficient as possible regardless of the cost to the planet’s environment. When compared to Galatea proper Svarog is slightly larger but a smaller portion of its surface is covered in water, and this water is often frozen over during most of the year.
The frozen nature of Svarog’s surface and the Sector Plan have resulted in the planet having no true continents and it is instead divided into two regions, Svarog North and Svarog South, which are divided by the planet’s equator. These regions are further divided into 26 Sectors each, one for each non-accented letter of the Ministerial Common alphabet, to encourage further efficiency and allow for easy identification. Residents of these sectors give them nicknames, but the Federation refers to them with names such as Svarog North Sector R or Svarog South Sector K.
While the cities of the future are designed to be works of art which best represent the Federation’s desire to improve humanity through knowledge, the Svarogite sectors are the best representation of the Galatean obsession with maximizing efficiency and productivity. They are often ugly to the eye and their air is choked with industrial pollution which one must receive bioaugmentations to endure, but the Sector Plan ensures Svarog is one of the most productive industrial worlds in the Coalition of Colonies and is able to rival the output of the Federation’s nearby rival, the United Syndicates of Himeo. Svarogite sectors are further divided into industrial and residential zones which are connected by magnetic rail lines perched high elevated high enough to avoid the snowdrifts which define the unpopulated areas of the planet. While Svarog is often barren and ugly the massive apartment blocks in which its residents, the vast majority non-degreed citizens or residents of the Federation, reside are full of life and centers of activity at all times of the day and night as workers leave and return, heading to and from work in nearby factories. These apartment blocks are further connected by a massive network of underground rail lines known as the Sector Internal Rail Network, or SWRH, which further encourages Svarogite commerce and social life.
Despite its oppressive climate Svarog is the only location in the Yggdrasil System where foreign corporations are permitted to purchase land for development, with the condition that the development will benefit Svarog and its climate. The largest non-Coalition owner of land on Svarog is Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, though its staff are often not eager to be assigned to one of its Svarogite facilities due to the living conditions of the planet. Aside from Zeng-Hu, corporations from Xanu Prime such as the Boelens & Vaeghts Chemical Corporation and Markhor Interstellar Logistics Group operate branch offices on Svarog. Svarog is officially represented by an inverted pentagon which is often colored red to represent the planet’s industrial nature. The Svarogite pentagon is stamped onto all products made on the planet and features the text “FEDERATION QUALITY CERTIFIED” in the pentagon itself to indicate it has passed a quality inspection check by the Federation. The symbol, like others, appears on the collar tabs of researchers associated with the planet.
===Empyrean===
[[File:Empyrean.png|The planetary flag of Empyrean.|thumb]]
The most distant Member-Planet, Empyrean was the only world in the Yggdrasil System naturally habitable when the Yggdrasil Expedition arrived. It is a difficult planet to live upon despite the Federation’s best efforts and is the least populated Member-Planet of the modern Federation, but serves a vital economic role as the center of its mining and Helium-3 processing industry. While roughly the same size as Galatea it has no true bodies of water to speak of due to frigid surface temperatures which are roughly equivalent to Earth’s Arctic Circle. Empyrean has no native life beyond a microbial scale and activities on its surface are practically impossible without safety equipment such as EVA suits or extreme cold weather clothing. While the planet’s atmosphere is breathable it is often uncomfortable to breathe Empyrean’s air without a filter due to the planet’s extreme temperatures.
Settlements on Empyrean are similar to Svarogite structures as constructing settlements in the style of the cities of the future is impractical upon its frigid surface. Efficiently-constructed apartment blocks and industrial facilities connected by underground rail lines are the most common structures on Empyrean and almost no rail lines are built aboveground due to the hazardous nature of surface travel on the planet even while inside of a railcar – a situation similar to Himeo, though any Empyrean would be insulted to be compared to the syndicalist planet. Empyrean’s cities have grown and expanded in a more natural manner when compared to Svarog as the planet has had no equivalent to the Svarogite Sector Plan due to its major industry, mining, being based upon where minerals are located rather than in a manner designed to ensure the maximum level of efficiency. The largest city on Empyrean, '''Opona''', is the center of its Helium-3 refining industry and a common first destination for merchant vessels entering into the Yggdrasil System due to its large port facilities. Much of the raw Helium-3 which comes to Opona for processing is originally mined in the Outer Yggdrasil Belt by Federation-affiliated miners before being brought to one of Empyrean’s orbital facilities for initial processing and then sent to Opona for final refining. Opona itself is an unusual city which is partially underground, as building aboveground is often dangerous on Empyrean, and linked together by a complicated underground rail network.
Empyrean’s other major industry is mining, and it provides the majority of the raw materials utilized on Svarog from its mineral-rich crust. These mining facilities can be massive and stretch kilometers into the surface, sometimes requiring a day or more to traverse to the bottom of the deepest mines safely. The mining industry employs the majority of Empyrean’s non-degreed population and operates around the clock to ensure the Federation receives the materials it requires to keep the engines of progress fueled and operational. The largest of these mines, '''Federal Mining Facility E-32''', is nicknamed '''Nav''' and is located almost exactly opposite of Opona if one were to draw a line through the planet. Built around a massive central facility, Nav stretches several kilometers into the surface and has been mined almost continuously since the arrival of the Yggdrasil Expedition. The upper levels of the mine are effectively a small city which exists to support the mines lower levels and are home to architecture similar to Opona, and some residents of Nav joke that they will eventually mine a straight path through the planet to Opona. Nav was the center of the Empyrean Unrest of the 2330s which resulted in the creation of the modern welfare-propaganda state.
==Military==
<center><i>“Serve the Federation! See the Stars! Fight for humanity’s future!”</i> - Common Galatean Federal Navy recruitment poster typically seen on Svarog and Empyrean.</center>
The primary defensive force of the Federal Technocracy is the '''Federal Galatean Military'''. It consists of two branches: the Federal Galatean Navy, or Federal Navy, and the Federal Galatean Army, or Federal Army, with both branches having a reputation for professionalism abroad. They trace their origins to the early Federation and are smaller than most Coalition forces, but maintain a high degree of professionalism and utilize the best weapons the Federation can develop. Galatean troops are always fitted with some degree of bioaugmentation and this, their advanced equipment, and extensive training give them an edge over more numerous opponents. These combat bioagumentations are restricted to use by the Federal military and mostly classified by the Technocracy. Stories of Galatean soldiers with self-healing wounds, the ability to see in the dark, and the ability to react faster than any normal human are common across the Coalition and throughout the non-Coalition frontier. All Galatean troops are professional soldiers, as the Federation operates no reserve branch, and many of them are hopeful applicants for its citizenship process. The Federation has no draft and relies entirely upon volunteers from its population. It is the only human military in the Orion Spur which uses mostly energy weaponry rather than ballistics in both branches, citing its mastery of biotechnology and weapons science more generally as enough to overcome the logistical challenges posed by such a choice.
In the modern era the primary role of the Federal military, particularly its Navy, is to defend the numerous MfEA expeditions organized into the less-charted regions of the Orion Spur such as the former Solarian frontier sectors and the more remote regions of the modern Weeping Stars, which remain littered with abandoned relics from the Alliance’s golden age. The unstated objective of the Federal military is to engage and solidly defeat the Federation’s most likely opponent in conflict: [[Gadpathur]]. Long regarded by the Technocracy as both a nuisance and a potential threat, Gadpathur’s anti-Solarian inclinations and militarism have long been a major concern for the Technocracy — particularly with its recent behavior towards [[Konyang]] and the [[The Orion Spur#Northern Reaches|Northern Reaches]].
All Technocracy military forces are ultimately overseen by the Ministry of the Federal Military (MfWF) and are expected, as all Galateans are, to be unfailingly loyal to the Federation.
===The Federal Navy===
The Federal Navy is the larger of the two branches and receives more of the MfWF’s budget as a result of a Galatean doctrinal belief that a conflict not won in space combat will simply never be won at all. Based upon Galatea’s moon of Tsukuyomi and primarily operating out of the naval facility at Cantref Gwaelod, the Federal Navy is a vehicle through which the Technocracy projects its influence across the Weeping Stars as part of its ongoing efforts to secure technological artifacts from across the region once valued highly by the Alliance. To do so the Navy will almost always accompany MfEA expeditions sent to secure the Weeping Stars, and beyond, to ensure the Federation’s scientists are not threatened. The Federal Navy’s most recent engagement was the Coalition’s joint anti-piracy efforts throughout the 2450s, where the Fleet conducted itself quite well — if in a manner antagonistic towards Gadpathur.
Though primarily an anti-piracy force the Federal Navy’s intended if unstated objective in the eyes of the Technocracy is to engage and resoundingly defeat its primary rival in the Coalition: Gadpathur. The Federation and Technocracy have, since the 2200s, been at odds with one another and rhetoric nearly devolved to open warfare in the mid 2300s. The Technocracy’s experts reviewed the situation and determined the Federal Navy would have, at the time of the Gadpathurian Skirmish, lost. In the following years it rapidly modernized and has now established a reputation as the most cutting-edge naval force in the Coalition, even if one of the smallest.
Many Federal Navy officers are drawn from the Federation’s Gadpathurii population, which is concentrated upon Tsukuyomi. Viewed as exiles and traitors who fled Gadpathur during its hour of greatest need by the current government of Gadpathur, many Gadpathurii are descended from Gadpathur system defense force personnel who survived Terrence Hopper’s bombardment and made their way to Galatea. These descendants view themselves as carrying on the legacy of their precursors through service in the Federal Navy. Many of its enlisted sailors are drawn from the populations of Svarog and Empyrean, and are often hopeful applicants for Galatean citizenship. However, many full Federation citizens from both of its industrial worlds enlist in the Federal Navy for a variety of reasons — some out of a desire for adventure, others out of discontent with their lives and careers in the Federation’s heavy industries. Federal Navy officers are known throughout the Coalition for their distinctive uniforms — green with gold highlights and their rank upon a high collar — and their often nearly entirely black eyes which are intended to allow them to see more readily in low-light conditions.
The Federal Navy is the only human fighting force in the modern Orion Spur which utilizes energy weaponry as its main armament. Its sailors are often biologically augmented to endure g-force, depressurization, and to react more quickly than baseline humans. Doctrinally the Federal Navy places a heavy emphasis upon the use of its famous fighter aircraft, the agile Hydrangea-class Multi-Role Attack Craft. All Federal Navy craft, from the Owl-class battlecarrier to the Amaryllis-class corvette, can launch some amount of Hydrangeas. The use of these craft — whose pilots must be extensively biologically augmented to withstand the force it can place upon its pilots through its rapid maneuvers — gives the Federal Navy the ability to strike far above its weight in naval engagements. Hydrangea pilots are viewed as the elite of the Federal Navy and often retire to prestigious positions within the interstellar avionics sector. The Federal Navy’s warship-strike craft coordination has been used to great success in its scientific expeditions and is how it intends to combat ships larger than its Owl-class battlecarrier, the Federal Navy’s largest warship.
===The Federal Army===
The smaller of the military’s two branches, the Galatean Federal Army receives less MfWF funding due to a doctrinal belief that any serious engagement will be fought and won — or lost — by the Navy. The Army is based upon Galatea’s moon of Tsukuyomi and operates out of facilities in Cantref Gwaelod which are situated close to their Navy counterparts. While the Navy serves to maintain and promote Galatean interests across the Weeping Stars, the Army’s purpose is to provide security for its research expeditions and facilities within the Yggdrasil System. They also possess specialized units which serve as boarding personnel for the Federal Navy. Where the Navy goes, the Army typically accompanies it to serve as an on-the-ground element for either expeditions or anti-piracy operations.
The Army is not intended for a large-scale ground operation against the Federation’s rival, Gadpathur, as the hazardous environment of the planet and its fanatical militarized population makes any theoretical operation there dangerously impractical at best and impossible at worst. However, the Army is intended to reliably engage and defeat Gadpathurian troops encountered abroad attempting to harass or otherwise disrupt Galatean expeditions or scientific ventures. Most Army personnel are recruited from the non-degreed or non-citizen populations of the Technocracy, but many of its officers are drawn from the degreed population — particularly those involved in the planetary engineering field.
To ensure the Federal Army retains its competitive edge the Technocracy has spared no expense in arming and equipping it with the most modern weapons, armor, and biological augmentations. Galatean soldiers, while not numerous, are augmented to react faster, endure more, and fight more efficiently than their baseline human counterparts. Soldiers of the Federal Army are typically armed with energy weaponry — a rarity in the Orion Spur — and utilize the Mark 61 Infantry Laser Rifle, or O61 ILG, as their standard-issue rifle. A creation of the Planetary Weapons Development Bureau, the O61 is a cutting-edge laser rifle which draws power from a small pack on the user’s lower back which is roughly the size of a common satchel. This pack draws its charge from the wearer’s latent electrical charge — which Federal Army troops are augmented to produce more of — to supply power to the O61. Using an O61 without the proper electricity-production bioaugmentation will result in the user being painfully shocked and likely placed into a state of torpor as the rifle draws more electricity from their system than they can reasonably produce.
Created initially in 1344 CE by the Skrell, it was an incredibly rare and expensive procedure that only revolved around embryonic reproductive cloning. It was almost three centuries later, in 1639 that the Skrell unlocked the ability to begin growing organs, as well as limbs, for those that managed to fall into the “Primary” category of the Skrellian Social Credit System. It became a popular trend among the highest of the Primaries to grow organs and limbs ahead of actually requiring them.
The Era of Synthetic Oppression reigned over by Glorsh-Omega brought with it significant advances into the field of cloning, mostly confined to the archologies across Aliose. Glorsh-Omega had managed to propel the field of cloning and genetics exceptionally during their reign, managing to unlock the secret that prevented the flash growth of organs and limbs. Upon contact with humanity in 2332, Skrell began sharing their research in the field of cloning with Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals — specifically its subsidiary, Yomi Genetics Innovation and Research.
Continued efforts from both races eventually yielded more efficient processes, making cloning organs and limbs easier than before, as well as cutting unnecessary costs that pushed for Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals to franchise on the new lucrative market developing as a result of the cooperation. Today, while other megacorporations have invested in the field, Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals continues to dominate the cloning market. Most if not all cloning operations are performed on corporate assets with branches of its subsidiary - Yomi Genetics. Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals has also managed to advertise the “revival” of the dead through embryonic cloning, where a biological copy of an individual can exist. However, it follows the lifespan of their respective species beginning at infancy.
Operations
Limb and Organ Cloning
The ability of humanity to “clone” limbs and organs dates back to the mid-21st century and originates at roughly the same time as Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, which would go on to be the main provider of cloned limbs and organs. These early techniques were slow and could be prohibitively expensive, depending on the organ. Limb cloning only became common in the early 23rd century with the advent of new techniques developed by Jeonshi Biotech Incorporated but— due to its cost— initially existed as an alternative for prosthetics only available to the very wealthy. This changed following first contact with the Skrell in 2332 due to Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals's willingness to cooperate with the more advanced species.
Cooperation between Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals and Skrell helped lower costs and enhance the effectiveness of existing limb and organ cloning techniques. While genetic material from the recipient is still required to clone an organ or limb, modern techniques first developed in this era have made it much more affordable and practical for an average human resident of the Orion Spur - however, in still considerably more expensive than their mechanical counterparts. Despite these improvements and advances, limb and organ cloning remains mostly limited to more developed systems such as Sol, New Ankara, Biesel, and Xanu Prime with few cloning facilities existing outside of these areas. With the most remote facilities existing in the Al-Maqdisi System due to its heavy Zeng-Hu presence.
Embryo Cloning
While much of Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals's research focuses upon the cloning of limbs and organs, the prospect of cloning an entire human being has long fascinated the keiretsu. Although Jeonshi Biotech focused primarily on the more conventional form of cloning, Yomi Genetics I&R, already well-known for being on the bleeding edge of genetic research, opted to pursue a different field: that of embryonic cloning. Long a staple of the Nralakk Federation due to long-standing fertility issues, Yomi Genetics researchers were able to create the first practical method for human embryonic cloning in the early 2410s. Prohibitively expensive and only common in the richest of humanity's systems— particularly Sol— Yomi Genetics' techniques allow those parents that can afford it to make a child that has been genetically altered to be a cut above their peers. Despite many human rights groups decrying this as simply a modern form of eugenics, its popularity has not slowed among the rich of Sol, and Yomi Genetics has quickly become one of the keiretsu's wealthiest members as a result.
Regardless of its immense profits, the corporation has not opted to pursue flash cloning of humans, citing “moral and ethical concerns" alongside the immense investment required to make such a thing practical and the lack of a viable market for adult clones. In spite of this, there have been extranet rumours for decades that the keiretsu uses cloned soldiers as its heavy-duty biohazard response teams. These are, however, simply rumours, and the keiretsu has long denied them as “baseless conspiracies,” with no foundation in reality.
Geneboosting
While the vast majority of the Orion Spur relies on genetic manipulation and cloning techniques developed by Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals and their Skrellian business partners, there is one notable exception: the Empire of Dominia and it's “geneboosting” techniques. The exact details of these techniques are a closely-guarded secret of the Empire of Dominia and House Volvalaad, which is responsible for much of geneboosting's development and research. There have been no confirmed leaks of the Empire's geneboosting techniques, despite rumored attempts by Zavodskoi Interstellar to purchase information on them, and this secrecy has kept geneboosting firmly within the Empire's borders. On-and-off talks between Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals and the Empire regarding the sale of Dominian techniques to the keiretsu have not yet produced results.
The history and origins of geneboosting are more well-known: the modern technique dates back to genetic manipulation of crops and fauna brought by Moroz's original settlers, and this foundation was used by House Volvalaad to create modern geneboosting of humans. It is known to be prohibitively expensive and only limited to Imperial Primaries. The effects lead to enhanced attributes and appearances: those geneboosted are stronger, faster, more able, and much longer-lived than their non-geneboosted counterparts. Geneboosted playable species tend to be a foot or so taller than average (upwards of seven to seven and a half feet for humans) and find it very easy to maintain peak fitness. A geneboosted person is obvious at a glance, and geneboosted humans are often held as paragons of Imperial society. Geneboosting carried out after birth, known as gene therapy, is very rare and generally dangerous in addition to also being prohibitively expensive.
Dangers
Some believe that the “revival” of an individual can occur through embryonic cloning, however, that could not be further from the truth. While they are a biological copy of a deceased individual, memories and personality will not carry over. Despite embryonic cloning of a deceased individual being cheaper than creating “designer children”, the process is still considered rather expensive, even for the wealthy.
While most of the kinks have been worked out with limb and organ cloning, there are complications. Delayed onset muscle degeneration, or DOMD for short, is a painful process where a limb can begin to necrose and can happen even years after being cloned. It is generally regarded as being rare, and impossible to detect until it is too late. The only treatment is amputation. Despite the genetic material of a recipient being used, there have been cases of acute cellular rejection with cloned organs. While dangerous if untreated, most of the time the problematic organ is removed and simply replaced with a different clone - a straightforward procedure that comes with little risk.
Automobiles
Ever since the introduction of the first car, Humanity has always striven to traverse the ground with ever more speed, safety and efficiency. Although spacecraft have and are being considered the primary focus for interstellar and interplanetary and even intercontinental travel, the 25th century bears witness to the bustling car industry. From Mendell City to the empty plains of Vysoka, the endless variety of cars, bikes and other vehicles can only be described as dazzling, with countless more designs, innovations and prototypes being constantly developed.
The beating heart of the galaxy's automotive industry lies undoubtedly in the core worlds of the Solarian Alliance, the place the oldest and most prestigious brands call home. Imported Solarian vehicles of all calibres can be found in virtually every system and world; an authentic (and operational) car from a solarian marque is held in very high regard and as a token of class on a far away Coalition planet. An upcoming Bieselite industry consists mainly of Solarian factories and infrastructure being rapidly taken over and merged by Nanotrasen post-independence, while burgeoning Elyran marques increase their influence and status by the year.
Engines
Petroleum - Once the main means of powering engines, fuel oil has by now fallen into disuse. With rapidly dwindling supplies on Earth, early attempts were made to develop and accommodate for alternative, cheaper and more plentiful fuel options, leading to the wide use of electric cars, followed by the hydrogen engine. Nowadays, only a handful of designs run on diesel, almost always in technologically backwards and distant worlds.
Electricity - The wide availability of battery-electric cars to the greater human population came in the mid-2000s, virtually and fully replacing the diesel engine by the early 2100s. Cheaper and friendlier to the environment, their use was mandated as part of the Alliance's efforts to avert the upcoming climate catastrophe on Earth. Since then, electric vehicles have received the full attention of designers and engineers, catapulting their performance stats into a new age of faster and safer commotion. The field is still being explored, with miniaturised tesla reactors posing serious promise for self-charging functions.
Hydrogen - Once considered a lost cause, hydrogen combustion engines have by now come a long way into being accepted as a viable vehicle powering method. A relatively recent breakthrough pioneered by Einstein Engines in partnership with Langenfeld Motors has seen the development of an internal combustion engine, able to accommodate a daring new 1:100 phoron-hydrogen mix. This new "Super Hydrogen" fuel brand, authorised for use after exhaustive testing to guarantee safety and acceptable emissions, proved more powerful than anything before, allowing the vehicle to reach velocities previously unthought-of for commercial, land-based locomotion. That said, the tremendously high price, engine wear and recent phoron scarcity have confined the use of this technology to a select few.
Others - The vastness of the Orion Spur provides for vast possibilities, individuals from all over the cosmos coming up with new innovations on how to power their automobiles. Biofuels, natural gas, steam, local minerals and many more options exist that can and have at some point been used, often to an explosive and sometimes disastrous conclusion. While the mainstream industry continues to explore new avenues, it is very rare that any such engines achieve any important consumer following.
Locomotion
Wheels - Most cars and motorbikes in human space still utilise wheels. Embedded firmly into everyday life since ancient times, the wheel still remains one of the greatest inventions, serving billions of people every given hour. While there have been multiple innovations and attempts at change, the four and two-wheel standard for cars and bikes respectively, remains the primary and most used setup. New technologies in elastics have resulted in significant breakthroughs in tyre manufacturing, offering consumers a more secure and efficient experience than ever before.
Hoverthrusters - The concept of “flying cars” has been fantasised and ingrained in the minds of the public for centuries as the staple mark of a technologically advanced future. It was not until the early 2200s that such an invention would be properly applied to the first prototype, essentially creating the first hovercar, utilising gravity generation technology. Owing to the general instability and turmoil of the time, however, no attempts at an actual commercial release were undertaken, the invention was largely forgotten until as far as the 2400s. While nowhere near the idea of airborne personal vehicles hover thrusters are now rapidly being added to both cars and motorcycles, replacing some or all wheels. They have proven highly moddable, the latest and most expensive thruster models able to project holographic images, lights and particles of all sorts while stationary or on the road.
Brands
Sol Alliance
Langenfeld Motors
An EU-directed amalgamation of the various major European automobile marques following the collapse of the economy during the second depression of 2260, Langenfeld has since solidified its position as a world-class producer and supplier of high-quality cars and bikes all over human and known space. A staple in the Solarian vehicle industry, the brand's focus on electric engines has kept them in the lead in their research and design, enabling them to branch out into the more general field of consumer appliances.
Notable Releases
Langenfeld EVO - Langenfeld's Electric Vehicle, nicknamed and marketed as EVO in a play on the word “evolution”, is the most widely sold city car series in Alliance space. Running on a standard electric engine, the EVO has dominated the market as a cheap, effective car for use in urban day to day environments. Famed for its relatively small size, its design accommodates busy 25th-century traffic in both planetary cities and Unity Station. Complaints of a cramped interior and reduced luggage capacity have led to the EVO-Compact, sacrificing the two passenger seats for a more comfortable and spacy experience while also cutting down on the size. While both the EVO and the EVO-Compact have been praised for the conveniences they offer in parking and manoeuvring inside tight spaces, it is a clear urban design, unable to match more powerful vehicles on the open road. Nevertheless, the by now decade-old design remains hugely popular in both Sol and Tau Ceti space.
Langenfeld Surveyor - A popular SUV, the Surveyor is widely appreciated for its endurance and powerful electric engine. Predominantly found in more rural locations, its robust four-wheel-drive system renders it ideal for family vacations, trips and long-range daily commuting. A comfortable and safe interior, combined with advanced suspension systems, has gained its reputation for being one of the smoothest cars in Sol. The Surveyor has also been selected for experimentation on self-charging engine batteries, Langenfeld's R&D division managing to release a stable model, modifying the engine to great extents. While it is available to the general public, its price and availability place this iteration of the SUV out of reach for all but a select few.
Langenfeld Vulcan - The hybrid Vulcan coupé is by all accounts, the spearhead of Langenfeld's entry into hydrogen fuel, combining both the certainty of their electric motors with the innovative design of a hydrogen combustion engine. An all in all good quality automobile, the Langenfeld Vulcan is suited for high speeds and is commonly found on the highways across Sol and Tau Ceti space.
Shibata Sport
A newly established branch of the Shibata shipping conglomerate, the Solarian company has dynamically established itself in the world of motorsports, especially motorcycles. While initially created as a bid for the shipping tycoon's participation in the prestigious Harmony City Grand Prix, it soon developed into a fully-fledged company aimed primarily at commercial sports vehicles. Renowned for its high speeds, sleek designs, but mostly its impressive hoverthruster technology, Shibata Sport is a brand found throughout Sol, Tau Ceti and Elyran space, being a top choice amongst motorcyclists and enthusiasts.
Notable Releases
Shibata X-406 - The widely known X-406 (or simply 406) electric sports motorcycle offered Shibata the key to the market, becoming their first large commercial success. Found mainly across Sol and Tau Ceti, the 406 is the brand's flagship product, achieving high speeds with great cost-efficiency. Supporting a driver and a passenger, the sporty design and flexible support for hover thrusters in place of the posterior wheel has made it popular with the younger clientele, spawning an enormous variation in paint jobs, attachments, lights and system modifications. This association with youth and experimentation has also resulted in unwanted notoriety, the motorbike regularly also finding itself in the hands of more fringe groups such as bikers and gang members across many worlds.
Shibata Jie - The Shibata Jie, was the early venture into the luxury sports car market, featuring one of the first hydrogen-powered, over thruster propulsion systems on a commercial car and a driver assistance computer to help control it. Hugely promising, its early release would nonetheless go on to be regarded as a product with mixed results. Initially designed as a four-doored wheeled coupe for VIP passengers, the decision was made to convert it to a hovercar in order to beat competitors. While the car was lauded for its slender look and comfortable ride, the early and experimental propulsion system proved to be prone to overheating, leaving the car stuck, or in some cases, dangerously volatile in a crash. Changes were promptly applied however, new thrusters and more refined electronics having greatly reduced the risks of malfunction or jamming, pushing the Shibata Jie into the forefront as the fastest commercially available vehicle in Sol and Biesel.
Republic of Biesel
Poplar Auto Group
As Biesel gained independence, the nationalisation of Solarian automotive factories on the planet became inevitable after Langenfeld Tau Ceti surrendered its facilities in a large buyout. The result, a new brand managed by NanoTrasen, brought Tau Ceti into the world market as an independent designer and producer. Though shrouded by controversies and budget deficits, Poplar remains a large supplier of cars and motorcycles on the planet, backed by the Conglomerate's much needed monetary investment as more and more shares end up in their hands each year.
Notable Releases
Poplar Excursion - With a price tag that is relatively affordable, the Excursion has become a common sight within the Republic of Biesel. It was originally designed as a four-door hatchback, and it has made rapid strides in its target market - going even further to encourage sales partly through a unique amortization program that previously benefited NanoTrasen and now extends to other organizations within the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate. Despite its compact size, it comes with a unique engine design that pushes additional firepower through the buildup of kinetic energy from its wheels.
Poplar Inferno - One of the most expensive locally assembled motorcycles on the market, the Poplar Inferno has become somewhat popular in certain groups across the Orion Spur. Advertised as a sleek sports cruiser, it finds the majority of its brawn originating within its hydrogen-based engine that powers its hover thrusters, said to be the first of its kind. NanoTrasen is largely accredited as being the innovator of such a design, with Nathan Trasen as the face of the chopper. It comes in only one colour; maroon red.
Poplar Classic - Inspired by an era long past, the Poplar Classic aims to commit some necromancy by bringing back an automobile model that has long since gone extinct. Despite its petroleum-based design similar to those of 20th-century designs, the two-door sports coupé houses a miniaturized tesla reactor. It is categorized as being a mix of both Adhomian and Biesellite innovations. A great deal of the interior instrumentation is made of wood.
Tarrar Automotive
Started as a minor subsidiary venture by Hephaestus Industries in 2442, Tarrar Automotive Limited (Abbreviated as TAL) is a company that initially handled maintenance or repair of Tajara designed vehicles for the immigrant community of Tau Ceti. By 2450, it grew to also provide importation services, customization, or retrofitting for any and all automobiles from Adhomai. Buyers can purchase any vehicle from its catalogue as long as they can foot the heavy price or pay for its mechanics to modify their prized possessions in whatever way they see fit. Thanks to TAL, Tajara in Little Adhomai are able to gain and drive the same luxury vehicles or workhorse trucks that they had access to back home. Monowheels and motorbikes have become popular purchases thanks to the growth of the Greaser subculture. TAL has also found a niche in providing its products and services to exotic car collectors from around the spur. Rich buyers on planets such as Luna or Moroz sometimes see the sleek TAL-Volgydoh or antique Pryzark-19 as an excellent showpiece. Contrary to a popular extranet rumour, TAL does not produce technicals.
Notable Releases
Nav'twir M-59 - Based on the Adhomian version, the Nav'twir M-59 is Tarrar Automotive's most successful monowheel model. Known for its reliability and cheap price, the vehicle was widely adopted by the Greaser population in D6. However, Adhomai-made monowheels remain as a symbol of status in Little Adhomai.
Empire of Dominia
Jinxiang Automotive Conglomerate
Dominia's largest automotive company by a significant margin, JAC was established in 2189 in the city that bears its name, making it one of the oldest non-Solarian automotive manufacturers in the Orion Spur. The Conglomerate is primarily controlled by House Zhao, as it has been for most of its history, though independent investors hold a minority stake. The JAC produces a wide range of vehicles both for commercial purposes and use by the Dominian government, and its products, while somewhat uncommon outside of the Empire, is said to follow Dominians wherever they go.
Notable Releases
JAC Sunburst - A hybrid four-by-four, the Sunburst is a near-ubiquitous sight on the worlds of the Empire. Capable of handling both the built-up roads of Moroz just as well as the backwaters of Sun Reach, the Sunburst has gained a reputation for reliability and can run in nearly any condition it is likely to find itself in.
JAC Hansom - Equipped with an electric engine, the Hansom is noted for its luxury, with each vehicle being a bespoke construction built to the specification of its frequently noble clientele. Although marketed in a sleek black colour, it is not uncommon to see Hansoms painted in the colour of the noble houses, often as a way to show support.
Serene Republic of Elyra
New Suez Auto Group
The Serene Republic of Elyra's primary producer of automobiles, the New Suez Auto Group found itself established on the “Persepolian Sapphire” shortly after the officiation of the New Suez Protocol and the creation of the New Suez Free Trade Zone. Considered a subsidiary of Elco, a state-owned enterprise responsible for the extraction and refinement of phoron, much of its success comes from its parent company's investments in phoronic technology. The New Suez Auto Group dominiates the automobile market, and while there does exist competitors, it is by far considered a staple of Elyran life - with most having purchased a car from the company.
Notable Releases
Sahab Brezza - Driven mostly by the most wealthy of Elyrans, the sports-model Sahab Brezza utilizes advanced technology such as the MagPulse Hovertech present within the Republic, as well as hydrogen engines with tweaked schematics to allow enhanced conservation of its primary fuel source - a combination of phoron and hydrogen. It found itself a popular topic of conversation following the Prime Minister having been photographed in an obviously newly-purchased Sahab Brezza attending state business.
Harab - Economic by design, the Harab is a four-door coupe that has become a common-sight across the civilized planets of the Serene Republic. Similarly to that of the Sahab Brezza, the Harab utilizes MagPulse Hovertech to sour through the skies, however, a noticeable difference is its engine and the Sahab Brezza; it has an electric engine. With charging booths usually integrated in most buildings, the Harab has certainly had a significant impact on the development of the infrastructure within Elyra.
Nralakk Federation
Qerr'Zolvq Motors
Qerr'Zolvq Motors (QZM), a branch of Qerr'Zolvq Industries, is solely responsible for the production, sale, and maintenance of private vehicles within the Nralakk Federation. QZM is known within the Federation to provide reliable vehicles, but since it's the sole manufacturer within the Federation, they are not known for much else; most of their popular makes do not come with amenities outside of what is considered necessary, and the manufacturer is not known for its aesthetic outside of its catalogue of vehicles intended for Primary Numericals.
Notable Releases
Xarnaq - A Submersible Utility Vehicle (SUV) combining road-going passenger cars with the ability to submerge underwater. The Xarnaq uses a dual electric engine system, with one engine enabling land travel and the other allowing both above and underwater travel. The Xarnaq is popular amongst all Skrell on planets such as Qerrbalak and Aweiji since many population centres are located underwater. A variant known as the QZ-X was released in collaboration with Qel'Zvol Hospitality to provide Primary Numericals with a more aesthetic personal vehicle, which comes with a dual hydrogen engine system instead of the regular Xarnaq's electric engines. Both variants can seat between 5 and 8 passengers.
Sqraanda - The Sqraanda is a wheeled automobile with a closed trunk separate from the part in which the driver and passengers sit, and is designed solely for above-water driving. The Sqraanda is considered a worker's vehicle because of its spacious trunk and ability to drive off-road. Its characteristics have also made it a common sight on planets such as Aliose where the terrain is rough, as well as on less-developed planets within the Traverse. Because of the association of the Sqraanda with the Traverse, it is mostly driven by Secondary or Tertiary Numericals as a personal vehicle, with Primaries mostly avoiding the vehicle unless their job requires it. To ensure reliability even on newly-founded colonies, the Sqraanda has many models that have different engines depending on what would be readily available. Petroleum or biofuel engines are a common sight within the Traverse, while the core systems utilise electric-fuel hybrid systems that can be manually switched to if more or less power is needed. All variants of the Sqraanda can only seat 2 passengers.
Qruupq - A submersible-only vehicle, the Qruupq has a streamlined hull intended for constant submerged use. It is considered the sister vehicle of the Xarnaq, being a common sight in regions that are almost entirely covered by ocean. Similarly to the Xarnaq, the Qruupq can seat 5 to 8 passengers and has a variant also designed in conjunction with Qel'Zvol Hospitality called the QZ-Qru, intended for Primary Numericals only. The Qruupq comes with a single electric engine, and just like the QZ-X, the QZ-Qru utilises a hydrogen engine.
Traqq - Designed to be used mainly by the military and Nralakk Logistics, the Traqq is a large, heavy motor vehicle used for bulk transport of goods, materials, and troops. Both the military and the civilian variant use a heavy-duty electric engine, but the military variant also has a backup biofuel engine for long-distance travel where recharging poses a logistical issue.
Prosthetics, Augments, and Implants
From military-exclusive combat enhancements to crude limb replacement, the field of prosthesis and implants is as wide and varied as the cultures and species who utilize them. There are various ways to acquire, utilize, and perform these mechanical replacements and upgrades, yet they are not without their drawbacks.
Cost and Accessibility
From the depths of the Eridanian underworld to the peak of Lunarian high society, prostheses are found in virtually every echelon of occupied space. There are many ways the average person could acquire their prosthesis, from corporate insurance plans, state-subsidized healthcare, purchasing them from a retailer, or under-the-table methods out of the national eye. A limb or organ replacement roughly equivalent to its organic counterpart is reasonably affordable for the average person: anything costing more than this often involves rent-to-own payment plans. Prosthetic limbs and organs are a common item on corporate insurance plans, but the quality of the prosthetic varies greatly from plan to plan. An expensive premium plan may entitle the worker to a top-of-the-line new Hephaestus model while cheaper plans could see someone forced to use long out of date prosthetics. Some corporations offer exciting sign-on bonuses or rewards for good performance in the form of high-grade modifications that are otherwise unobtainable by legal means. These offers, while seemingly benevolent, hide inherent risk that leads many to refuse them altogether. This form of contract is especially popular in the Eridani Corporate Federation and with Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals where poor job performance could mean forcible reclamation of one's augments.
External modifications are rarely a clean affair, and a prosthetic will require constant upkeep and maintenance. Some prosthetic owners seek to avoid costly technician visits by learning how to perform their own maintenance and repairs within reason, much to the frustration of their corporate producers. It is common practice that corporations will employ methods of restricting the ease of repair through avenues such as DRM-locked proprietary software, specialized tools, and electronic access codes. The market for second-hand prostheses is profitable with many people opting to pick older model prosthetics without advanced anti-repair measures for the sake of easy maintenance.
The market for augmentation is a wide one, and nearly every prominent megacorporation deals in them in one way or another. A major player in the industry is Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, who are responsible for the majority of medical-grade prosthetics through themselves and their subsidiaries. Zeng-Hu prosthetics are popular among medical workers for their stability and precision. Hephaestus Industries is responsible for most industrial prosthetics, and many blue-collar workers swear by the prosthetics' strength and durability. Zavodskoi Interstellar, along with Zeng-Hu subsidiary Jeonshi Biotech, accounts for a majority of combat or otherwise military-affiliated augments. However, corporation-produced prosthetics can be more expensive than others and are often loaded down with prohibitively-restrictive software.
Augments come in many varied shapes, sizes, and installations; from nearly transparent eye lenses from the Eridani Corporate Federation, to robotic exodigits that are worn like a glove by some surgeons, to cyberweave that changes color and length and cyberink that are permanently fluctuating tattoos, there are augments for every person in mind. They can typically be split up into three distinct categories, despite their range of differences. The first one is internal, sometimes called installed augments. These are ones that must be permanently affixed to the body until a similar procedure removes them. Removal is not guaranteed and is often much more costly, so it can be considered to be a big decision by anyone that isn't a high-ranking corporate shill. These can be eye lenses that are installed over the pupil and iris to create displays and holo-info, such as ads, analysis, and other useful tools, to mere joint replacements. The second category is known as external or worn augments. These are ones that can be slipped in and out of, either with the ease of putting on a glove or the difficulty of slipping into a tight jumpsuit. They are not permanent, but typically much more expensive as a result. They might be items that can be worn to increase hand-eye coordination, glasses or contacts that eliminate color blindness and other seeing impairments or an exoskeleton that increases speed and stamina. Finally, last but not least, there are decorative augments. These augments are rarely expensive, commercialized for the average worker to buy into, and remain a fun alternative to traditional tattoos, hair dye, and other things. They are similarly installed like internal augments, but their key difference is that they can become inert or inactive and cause no inconvenience if so. Their installations are often more painful than their traditional counterparts, but otherwise provide a level of glam and style that can be swapped with the seasons, ensuring you never regret spending your money on Idris ElectrInk™ products.
Many poorer citizens opt to produce their own haphazard prosthetics, and there are plenty of underground workshops that manufacture their own work to select from. Often called augmenters or ‘augurs,' these shops typically shy clear of legal routes in order to avoid the monopolies megacorporations have on these markets. People purchasing from these stores avoid legal ramifications due to the sheer variety of augments and prosthetics available on the market— this does not even include all the decalization, decoration, and modifications that people do to their own prosthetics to make them their own. As a result, unless someone is caught in the act of getting these illegal installations or is otherwise ratted out by someone else and reported, these crimes are considered about as harmless as jaywalking.
Military augments and prosthetics that enhance combat ability are closely guarded by their respective corporations or governments and are almost always out of reach for the average worker. There are often civilian models of these augments produced, and corporate security may receive augments like heads-up displays or threat analyzers.
Mechanized implants, as a whole, provide a unique way to treat or assuage challenges that come with illness, disease, and disability. If someone is born with a joint in their leg that does not bend correctly and causes pain, an augment or mechanical implant can be installed to ensure the limb is working as intended. Similarly, with the studies conducted on the human brain, sometimes personality AI chips are added that can help someone overcome the challenges of certain mental illnesses. These types of minor augments and prostheses are very common, and as a result, replacing minor body parts like fingers and repairing specific portions of the body is hardly an expensive endeavour.
Vat-Grown Prostheses and Organs
Something of an oddity in the realm of prosthetics, vat-grown organs have captivated scientists for decades. These prosthetics are entirely identical to regular cellular limbs and organs, and indistinguishable except for a faint scarred seam around external prosthetics where the limb was attached. In a feat of simultaneous discovery, two groups are known for their production of vat-grown organs. House Volvalaad of the Empire of Dominia, and Zeng-Hu subsidiary Yomi Genetics in association with Nralakk Federation scientists. However, these prostheses are prohibitively expensive for the normal person due to the skill needed to attach one, and the lab work required to grow a limb that is compatible and with the same skin tone as its recipient. Of the former, only the wealthy nobility can access these prosthetics, along with very favoured secondaries. The Nralakk Federation often subsidizes vat-grown prosthetics for their citizens of primary and upper secondary numerical social credit score.
Vat-grown prostheses can be found elsewhere in human space, but they are often at a high cost. Only people that climb the corporate ladder of various megacorporations can afford them due to the costs associated with making and attaching them.
Effects on Health
When it comes to mental health, the power of mental implants is almost entirely unmatched. While they remain unable to cure any mental illness, especially common ones like anxiety and depression, they are often an empowering tool for those that receive them in overcoming them. Personality AIs provide someone to talk to, often able to keep someone grounded in reality amidst flashbacks, delusions, and hallucinations. They do this by giving direct thoughts to someone's head, sounding as if the person could hear this AI talking aloud. With somewhat pricier models hooked up to augmented eyes, a person can even see these AIs manifest nearby in the real world. These implants are typically found in those suffering from PTSD and schizophrenia but are not unheard of outside of that. Implants such as these typically are affected in the same way as the host is, resulting in temporary impairment in the face of drugs, trauma, and other situations. They have roughly the same electrical signals as the human brain does in order to interface with them properly, and as a result, they do not malfunction when under the effects of an EMP. While they remain commonplace, a diagnosis and “prescription” of one from a doctor is almost always required before someone can receive one.
For nearly as long as prostheses have been around, sentient-kind has been attempting to press the boundaries of technological and ethical safety. There is a physical and mental limit to which an individual can be safely augmented, which varies from person to person. ‘Augmentation Dysfunction Syndrome', or simply ‘augment sickness,' refers to the wide variety of illnesses and conditions that can arise from excessive modification. ADS is not a violent illness, and not everyone with augments grows ill with it. Symptoms can include sensory issues and phantom limb pain in milder cases, with particularly severe examples including psychotic and dissociative disorders that require regular visits with a mental health expert. The rate of psychological illness of augmented individuals is often higher than their mundane counterparts, and those who can afford it often receive therapy for a short time when acquiring a new augment to ensure a healthy transition. It is encouraged by mental health professionals for patients with more than a few augments to visit a doctor every so often for a mental health check-up, but many people live happy and normal lives without this.
A more severe and rare form of augmenting sickness in recent years has been identified with some care. With the full name being ‘Malignant Mechanized Paralysis Disorder,' it is shortened to ‘pulsing out' due to the movements and behaviour of prostheses to behave abnormally. MMPD is defined as the characteristic of temporarily losing the functionality of mechanical limbs, augments, brain implants, and similar body modifications. after a majority of a person's body has been replaced by these parts. Due to chemical imbalances in the brain, theorized as originating from the heavy altercations to the nervous system, some typical late-stage symptoms include physical and mental fatigue, extreme apathy, narcolepsy, narcissism, shifts in personality, and other traits. One thing is for certain, and that pulsing out is a broad shift in behaviour. It is paired with symptoms that can vary extremely between those afflicted, such as migraines and shortness of breath, so it can often be difficult to identify at earlier stages (outside of the occasional discriminatory guess from an attending doctor). The main symptom that outs this disorder among others is the trait where all of the prostheses begin behaving irrationally, sporadically, and stop obeying the patient's commands via the nervous system. While this can be relatively harmless for many, the flailing limbs of someone pulsing out can cause injury to bystanders or the wearer. Some episodes of pulsing out may also interrupt critical functions in a workplace, like affixing down plating, operating machinery, and so forth. Although it is much more common during waking hours, there is still a slight chance of this occurring while asleep. More disturbingly yet is the fact that these appendages may act of their own accord for a few minutes— this has not been verified by Zeng-Hu or any other accredited medical science source outside of rumors and news bites. It is not a simple transition like flicking a switch, thankfully; getting to a point of fully pulsing out is as slow as the transition to becoming mechanized is.
Pulsing out is treatable with regular therapy and sometimes even with uninstalling augments or replacing prosthetics with vat-grown alternatives. One clinical trial in particular, done through the work of Zeng-Hu, is testing out personality AI implants in the brain to combat the symptoms of this affliction. Not everyone who has a majority of their body comes under the effect of pulsing out; however, for some unlucky few, they are permanently condemned when they collected these mechanical upgrades or were unlucky enough to receive from a tragic accident.
Regardless of one's ability to adapt to augmentation or the presence of a robust health network, the absolute limit of augmentation work seems to have been found with ‘Full Body Prosthetics', or FBPs. FBPs were once a project of Zeng-Hu that attempted to convert a human into a fully synthetic individual. A ridiculous sum had been invested into the project, only for each test subject to wind up in a catatonic state that they would never recover from. Yet, Zeng-Hu's resolve was unbroken, and they publicly vowed their intent on successfully creating the impossible. This effort culminated in the very early 2400s with Sven Karlsson. Karlsson, a wildly-famous trillionaire from Earth, publicly announced his intent to partner with Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals. His goal? Unprecedented scientific advancement. He vowed to become Zeng-Hu's next subject, and that by partnering their collective intelligence and resources, he would be the first successful FBP in an act of peerless technological superiority. Human society as a whole waited with bated breath to see the fate of Sven Karlsson, the man who could usher in an era of scientific greatness. Unfortunately, this was not to be. Despite the incredible amount of resources spent upon the project and the presence of some of Earth's greatest minds, Karlsson sadly died in the attempt. The public relations disaster that followed ensured that no corporation would ever dare to attempt to create an FBP again, and the practice is near-universally regarded as both ethically and scientifically ridiculous, even by the standards of megacorporations.
Prosthetics Outside Human Space
An innovation by the People's Republic of Adhomai's Hadii Institute has created a new kind of prosthesis specifically suited to Tajaran anatomy. These prostheses use proprietary tesla technology in the form of a Tesla Spine grafted to the back of the wearer to power the wearer's prosthetics. While previously only for the military, these prosthetics were soon distributed to all of the PRA's in-need citizens at no cost, and are popular among People's Republic veterans. Only Tajara from the People's Republic of Adhomai may use this kind of prosthetic.
On Moghes, the Aut'akh religious movement has led to the creation of various decentralized communes across the Unathi homeland and abroad. Aut'akh adherents seek self-actualization through ritualistic implementation of various self-produced prosthetics, often made with stolen or repurposed parts from Hephaestus. Aut'akh exist at the fringes of Unathi society and face heavy discrimination from the mainstream populace. Almost to the shock of many outsiders, Aut'akh on occasion revere some episodes of pulsing out, especially when prosthetics seem to act with a mind of their own. Besides this, they universally loathe when prosthetics flail about, citing that demons are inhabiting the host and trying to kill their spirit before it can be liberated. Regardless of their beliefs, pulsing out remains one reason of skepticism against this religion and trans-speciesism as a whole, despite the claim from the communes that pulsing out remains rare among their number.
Ouerea houses one of the biggest underground markets for augurs in the Spur. Largely due to the criminal and off-the-books shops and industries there, it is one of the trending places to collect and receive augmentation, prosthetic installation, and implant implementation. Military-grade equipment, typically ad hoc, expensive, and used to dangerous ends, can be found in the darkest corners of city underbellies. Ostensibly, though, these upgrades will forever bar someone from joining a megacorp for as long as they have them. Various neon art styles are utilized to decorate otherwise lifeless metal parts, giving them a sense of uniqueness and self-expression that remains common to every sentient creature in the galaxy. This form of art is popularized on Ouerea, but different styles and takes on it can be found among the underbellies of the Eridani Corporate Federation, Konyang, and other places abroad.
A true oddity among most denizens of the spur, some Unathi and Skrell have been seen using Diona nymphs as replacements for missing limbs. Forming a symbiotic relationship by allowing the nymph to attach themselves at the stump of the missing body part, the nymph shifts their biomass to replace the limb while receiving blood, memories, and a host in exchange.
The Nralakk Federation utilizes Loyalty Implants to ensure someone acts in the best interests of the Federation. The most common form the implant takes is as a ‘tag' that can be seen attached to the end of a Skrell's head-tail, or if worn by a non-Skrell, it can be attached to the earlobe or tail. The use of these loyalty implants on non-Federation citizens has been made illegal by all other nations in the Orion Spur, with many such as the Republic of Biesel going further and denouncing them as unethical. Recently, these implants have been utilized by the Federation's Nlomkala and Qukala, attaching them to Vaurca warriors that have been assigned to the respective organizations.
Vaurca prostheses were developed long before their Orion Spur counterparts. Due to their open circulatory system and ergonomic, insect-like design, Vaurcae are more prone to lose limbs, and rudimentary prosthetics were already commonplace since before the Agricultural revolution. The modern prosthesis predates the Era of Augments, with the introduction of the neural socket only revolutionizing their control and link to the rest of their system. While some prostheses exist that include tools and weaponry, most of the common prosthesis are utilitarian and sometimes the very same limb has been used for over centuries, inherited by different generations of Vaurcae. As their other biomechanical augments, prostheses are removed and recycled after death. Although limbs are most common, metal plates and mechanical thoraxes are also a reality, especially within the Bound that remain close to the Hive. The so-called ‘maintenance' Vaurcae undergo in the later stages of their lives refers to the replacement of the flesh with metallic limbs. For a Vaurcae, there is little difference between the two, and many of the Zo'ra Hive had and still have a hard time understanding why IPCs and other human robots are not considered human.
Communications
Portable Communications Devices
Communication devices are prolific in the 25th century, with innumerable types, brands, and models on offer to the average person. Smartphones, PDAs, laptop and desktop computers, and even certain augments are available if you are able to afford them. The most common portable device available is the Personal Digital Assistant, or PDA, an information management device that sees extensive use by megacorporations; they are robust, inexpensive to make, and due to how limited these devices are in terms of applications and connectivity, not considered a major security risk compared to smartphones or laptops. Most people living in Tau Ceti will at least own a simple PDA for work purposes, provided by their employer as part of their job. Corporate PDAs typically allow for intranet access within assigned corporate facilities, internal messaging services, file transfer systems, and applications designed to assist with the user's role.
Interstellar Communication
The extranet is a galactic collection of satellite relays and server farms that allows users to share information and communicate over long distances. While most planets will have their own intranet, the extranet allows users to access most online services within the Orion Spur. The extranet has evolved into a critical infrastructure of modern society, with almost all online traffic going through it, to the point that the distinction between the intranet and extranet is rarely made. The main distinction between the two is that websites and other online platforms that provide their services Spur-wide are hosted directly on extranet servers, while planetary intranet networks are mostly used for local services such as government or business websites.
There are a variety of factors that impact the speed of interstellar transmissions. Infrastructure plays a significant role with more isolated areas of the Orion Spur able to expect their communications to take significantly longer than if they were in a heavily populated region such as those surrounding Sol or Tau Ceti. Distance also impacts the speed of communication, the greater the distance between the sender and receiver results in a delay of several hours or even days.
Megacorporations are mostly responsible for hosting the satellite relays and server farms that allow for extranet access, except within the Empire of Dominia, Nralakk Federation, and the Serene Republic of Elyra due to their more autocratic tendencies regarding information oversight and economic management. Einstein Engines has long dominated the interstellar communications market with their subsidiary Taipei Engineering Industrial and is the sole provider of extranet services within the Solarian Alliance. While the megacorporations that make the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate don't have as much influence within the sector, they have recently begun undertaking opportunities to expand through working alongside government contractors within both Dominia and Elyra.
Currencies
Solarian Standard Credit
The Solarian Standard Credit (民/SSC) is essentially the Orion Spur's standard currency due to the prevalence of the Solarian Alliance prior to its collapse in 2462. Outside of the Alliance, use of the SSC is common throughout certain parts of the Coalition of Colonies, the Empire of Dominia, and the Corporate Reconstruction Zone of the Republic of Biesel. Within Sol's collapsed warlord states, it has lost much of its value due to the lack of central authority. The SSC is available in electronic, bankcard and traditional notes forms. Responsibility for the currency falls to the Solarian Central Bank, which is located on Unity Station in the Sol System. The Central Bank manages monetary policy and the supply of the Solarian Standard Credit for the Alliance and greater Spur, and this management of supply and interest rates ensures that the Solarian Credit is able to function as a fiat currency. The SSC is worth less than the Biesel Standard Credit.
Biesel Standard Credit
Biesel Standard Credit (电/CR) is one of the dominating currencies that exist within the Orion Spur and was created shortly after the Republic of Biesel's declaration of independence in 2452. It sees usage outside of the Republic, within the Izweski Hegemony, who adopted it as their official currency following the collapse of the Solarian Alliance, and some sections of the Coalition of Colonies near the shared border, as well as the People's Republic of Adhomai. The BSC is available in electronic, bankcard and traditional notes forms that have the symbol of a lit torch on them. Responsibility for the currency falls to the Central Biesel Banking Authority, which is located in District One of Mendell City, the capital of the Republic of Biesel. It oversees monetary policy and the supply of the Biesel Standard Credit, with assistance from Idris Incorporated. Similarly to the Solarian Standard Credit, the BSC is able to function as a fiat currency.
Imperial Pound
The Imperial Pound (Ф) is the standard currency of the Empire of Dominia, and predates the modern Empire by several decades – it was originally the primary currency of the Imperial Alliance, the nations that would go on to found the Empire by force. The Imperial Pound does not see much use outside of the borders of the Empire but is occasionally sought after by collectors due to the intricate design of its coins and bills, which generally depict historical figures such as Emperor Godwin Keeser I or religious symbols such as the Moroz Holy Tribunal's iconography. Like most currencies, in the Spur, the Imperial Pound is available in physical and electronic formats, with electronic currency being more popular in the Imperial Core and physical currency being more popular in the Imperial Frontier. Responsibility for the currency falls to the Imperial Central Bank, which is located in Nova Luxembourg on Moroz. The Imperial Pound is a fiat currency, and control over it via the Imperial Central Bank has long been dominated by House Caladius. The Imperial Pound is worth less than the Biesel Standard Credit.
Elyran Pound
Dating back to the early 2300s, the Elyran Pound (پوند) was created by the Serene Republic of Elyra as a domestic replacement for the Solarian Standard Credit following the Republic's secession from the Alliance. The Elyran Pound does not see much use outside of the Republic, but is occasionally used in the Coalition of Colonies due to its value. It is available in both electronic and physical formats, but physical currency has become increasingly rare in Elyra due to the growth of the Republic's economy and the rapid pace of technological progress fueled by its phoron boom. Physical Elyran Pounds are most commonly seen in the hands of Elyran Non-Citizen Persons, which lack access to many of the luxuries and services that their citizen counterparts enjoy. The fiat currency is managed by the Ministry of Economics, Revenue, and Commerce, which has worked to ensure that the Elyran Pound is one of the Spur's more valuable currencies and it is worth more than the Biesel Standard Credit.
Sqiip
Created after the formation of the First Nralakk Federation, the Sqiip (℘) has existed for thousands of years, beginning shortly after the Skrell discovered the ability to traverse the stars. It sees practically zero use outside the Nralakk Federation besides being paid to those in the Work Initiative Programme and is available in both electronic and physical formats. Its physical format are minted coins and paper bills, with the minted coins capable of being stacked and locked due to special magnetic properties for easy transportation, while the higher-valued paper bills are printed on different types of water-safe seaweed. Symbols on the physical formats are often aquatic life such as shells, molluscans, Buurgis and Vro'qos. It is managed by the Grand Council, more specifically, the Grand Advisor of Economic Development - currently, Ormish Jrolk. Through careful planning, with further advisement from educated citizens of the Federation, the Grand Advisor of Economic Development is responsible for managing the monetary policy for the Sqiip - and enjoys operation as a fiat currency due to this oversight. Despite its relative isolative nature, The Sqiip is worth significantly more than the Biesel Standard Credit. It is unknown whether the Sqiip will continue to remain the most valuable currency within the Spur.
Adhomian Knuckle
The Adhomian Knuckle (თ), also known as the Sharnyr, is the currency used by all Tajaran nations. Prior to first contact, it was a piece of fur framed with precious metals decorated with the coat of arms of whatever kingdom made them. After the First Revolution, the Adhomian Knuckle is only issued in banknote format. Since the Second Revolution, there is a great variety of designs on the notes between the factions. The Knuckle is only accepted in Adhomai, the Tajaran colonies, and Little Adhomai; traders and smugglers will usually carry a supply of Biesel Standard Credits to deal with non-Tajara customers. All versions of the Adhomian Knuckle are worth significantly less than the Biesel Standard Credit. The PRA version is the most valuable, followed by the NKA one and with the DPRA's being the least valuable.
Fusion
Nuclear Fusion Energy
Discovered by Skrell in 1561 CE, and humanity in 2027 CE, fusion energy utilizes isotopes of deuterium, helium-3, or tritium to generate nuclear energy via fusion reaction. Safe, fuel-efficient, and nearly emission-free, it is a staple of developed interstellar civilizations across the spur.
Until recent years, however, improvements in fusion energy had plateaued. Research into increasing efficiency, reducing cost, and miniaturization has been slow with little to no major breakthroughs. Fusion reactors require advanced, rare mineral alloy compositions, and many of the parts are so large and difficult to transport that they must be lathed onsite. Fusion reactors become less common the further one moves away from highly developed space, due to the high initial start-up costs and maintenance.
Ships under a certain tonnage generally have limitations when it comes to the speed or availability of their jump drives and the output of their subsystems, due to them being unable to mount fusion reactors. It is typically impractical to mount ships under a destroyer weight class with a fusion reactor, as the size of it would disproportionately overtake and dwarf the rest of the vessel. Nanotransen, and by association, the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate, has compensated for this through the development of the Tesla and Supermatter engines: these are much more compact than fusion reactors, but they allow smaller vessels and installations to punch far above their weight class in terms of power generation with virtually no fuel cost. Perfect for remote installations or exploratory vessels. The SCCV Horizon would not be possible without these engines, and the bulk of the energy they generate is used to charge her bluespace drive's capacitors between jumps.
Phoron Fusion
Phoron fusion serves as a potent alternative to conventional fusion. By substituting phoron for tritium, it generates a fusion reaction that is much more energy-dense and easier to sustain than what's typical for fusion reactors. There are tradeoffs for this, however. Phoron fusion reactors consume fuel at a rate twice as fast as their tritium counterparts. Unlike other fusion reactions, Phoron is much more volatile and harder to stop. As a consequence, containment chambers that run phoron require additional reinforcement to handle the strain of the reaction, and additional fail-safes or subsystems must be built in to prevent meltdowns. The fuel cost and expense of building and maintaining these reactors are immense, it is normally only practical for them to be mounted in important infrastructure projects such as bluespace gates, cities, or naval capital ships.
Cold Fusion
Unique to the Nralakk Federation, a workable model of cold fusion was discovered. Using a rare species of electrokinetic, bioluminescent plankton, cold fusion reactors are capable of generating power far above what a regular fusion reactor can achieve in a similar size class. Cold fusion reactors using this model, however, are much more volatile. The first and largest of its kind, The Weilshi Cold Fusion Plant, was activated in 1890 CE. More can be read about it here. Due to its dark past with the Weilshi Sea Crisis, cold fusion in the Federation only sees limited use on small-scale planetary installations.
Fusion technology across the Spur
Prior to their collapse, and even after, the Solarian Alliance had the most fusion reactors per capita of any interstellar nation. This comes from an original pledge made by the nascent Solarian Alliance in 2128, to make every colony energy independent and "put a reactor in every settlement." As one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects ever undertaken by humanity, The Alliance had achieved this goal in all of their major systems and 65% throughout the entire alliance by the time of the collapse. Fusion reactors remain the pride of the alliance, often touted as a symbol of its might and universalism. Phoron fusion, however, is a different matter. Between reliance on foreign exports to operate them and the outcome of the Red Dawn, these reactors are shunned by the public for their perceived volatility and are frugally constructed by officials due to their fuel demands.
In the Coalition of Colonies, however, fusion technology and planetary energy dependence are sporadic and variable throughout the nation. All of the major population and economic hubs in the Coalition have regular access to fusion technology, but it grows extremely infrequent the further one travels from these locations. How energy needs are met in the greater coalition are highly variable, from more conventional solar panels and battery reserves to obscure or archaic methods such as fossil fuel burning. Phoron fusion reactors are almost non-existent in the coalition, with two exceptions: thanks to their proximity to Tau Ceti via jump-gate, Konyang is beginning to dabble more into this technology, as well as Xanu Prime who has engaged in its very own phoron fusion projects.
The Republic of Elyra and Republic of Biesel are in similar circumstances, having received much of their fusion infrastructure when they were still part of the Solarian Alliance, and continued to expand as they advanced as independent nations. Everything changed with phoron, however. In 2420, Nanotransen scientists in Tau Ceti substituted phoron for tritium in what would become the first Phoron fusion source, triggering an energy technology race between Elyra, Biesel, later on, the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate. Five years after the creation of this fusion source, Elyra created a functional reactor. Nanotransen produced its first commercially viable phoron fusion reactor designs in 2425, and Elyra began to create its own infrastructurally viable designs just one year after. Today, the race continues, as these powers surge forwards trying to outdo each other in pushing past the obstacles of fusion technology, alongside the Coalition of Colonies which has dipped a proverbial toe in the water that is phoron fusion.
