Gadpathur
| REGION - WEEPING STARS | ||
|---|---|---|
| This location is centered in the Weeping Stars region. | ||
| Not only a large memorial to the Interstellar War, the region known grimly as the Weeping Stars is perhaps the sole place the war occurred. Before the modern Coalition came to be, the war was fought over several lightyears of territory as the conflict raged on. Nearly 800 square lightyears saw the worst of the battles, leading the region to be later referred to after the tears caused by the bloodshed. | ||
Located within the Shpanberg System, the Weeping Stars world of Gadpathur is a living testament to the nearly-apocalyptic nature of the Interstellar War between the Sol Alliance and Coalition of Colonies centuries ago. The surface of the planet has been scorched and gouged by years of orbital bombardment, and much of it remains uninhabitable to this very day. The remaining residents of the planet retreated underground as the planet was bombarded, and what has emerged as the dominant force on Gadpathur since the Interstellar War is the United Planetary Defense Council of Gadpathur, a government dedicated to ensuring, above all other things, that the planet will never again fall to the Sol Alliance, even if all its inhabitants must give their lives in its defense.
Because of Gadpathur's insular nature that is unwelcome to outsiders and its origins of being settled by Indian colonists, characters born on the planet must have names and physical characteristics typical of people from the modern-day Indian Subcontinent. Only native Gadpathurians may take the Gadpathuri accent. This is enforceable by server moderators and admins.
History
Initial Colonization
Gadpathur was colonized by Earther colonists from the Indian Subcontinent at roughly the same time as many colonies that would come to form the future Coalition of Colonies such as Xanu Prime, Himeo, and Vysoka. Due to its location closer to the Sol System, in what would eventually become the Weeping Stars, the system was colonized several years before many Coalition systems and was intended to serve as a refueling point for vessels heading to Xanu Prime. The planet was fairly unspectacular: Earthlike and inhabitable, but possessing nothing noteworthy beyond its convenient location. The fauna and flora were docile enough, though most died off due to invasive species brought by the settlers. The planet prospered as a trading port positioned between Xanu and Sol. Partially, this success was due to its significant naval presence which discouraged most pirate attacks on the system or vessels that flew its flag. The naval presence was a great boon for the system, at least until the Interstellar War began.
The War
By the mid 2260s Gadpathur was in the worst position that it had been in for its entire existence. The devastating economic collapse brought on by the Second Great Depression had destroyed much of its trade-based economy. Profits declined, unemployment became rampant, and many major trading companies went bankrupt. The problem only became worse in 2265 with the addition of steep taxes on all forms of trade by the Sol Alliance in order to prevent a total bankruptcy of the Alliance itself. The steep taxation upon the colonies and their trade, destroyed what little remained of Gadpathur’s once-thriving economy and turned the planetary opinion strongly against the Alliance. The last public opinion poll taken before the outbreak of violence in 2275 listed the Sol Alliance’s approval rating at less than 5%. The planet devolved into widespread civil unrest in late 2275 before escalating into full-scale revolt in early 2278.
The Interstellar War would only touch Gadpathur briefly, but it would impact the planet for centuries to come. The Sol Alliance’s control of the planetary surface was gradually lost as 2278 progressed, and was completely gone by September of that year. In orbit, Admiral Terrence Hopper - commander of the Gadpathur Fleet - seemingly stood alone. But Admiral Hopper - a hardline loyalist to the Sol Alliance - was not yet prepared to relinquish control of a valuable trading port to what he viewed as traitors and rebels to the true government of humanity. On the eighth of October, 2278, the Admiral gave the most fateful order ever to impact Gadpathur: fire all ordinance at the planet’s surface to deny the newly-formed Coalition of Colonies control of its valuable trade. Billions would assuredly die in the bombardment, but these were traitors in the eyes of Admiral Hopper in his fleet. The firing orders were carried out with little hesitation from the fleet’s captains, and the surface of Gadpathur was turned into a wasteland in the course of mere hours.
In the years following the Interstellar War, the bombing of Gadpathur would be swept under the proverbial rug by the Sol Alliance. Admiral Hopper was never punished and eventually retired to his home on Luna before passing away in the early 2300s in his sleep. Gadpathur itself went silent for many decades and was believed to be all but irrelevant by the Sol Alliance’s admiralty. The Coalition - unable to provide aid due to the damages sustained by itself during the Interstellar War - believed the planet and its population to be almost completely wiped out following the bombing and utilized it as anti-Solarian propaganda throughout the nearly decade-long Interstellar War.
But, against all odds, Gadpathur endured. However, it would never be the same again after the bombardment.
Reunification
In the wasteland that had been Gadpathur, the civilian government - already strained and worn down by three years of constant civil unrest - collapsed within days, perhaps within hours, of the bombing. The military of the planet, similarly strained and divided between those loyal to the Sol Alliance and those loyal to the planet, followed the civilian government in collapsing. Within a week of the bombing’s conclusion a period referred to in the planet’s history as the “Gadpathurian Anarchy” had begun. Hundreds - perhaps thousands - of petty statelets and warlords emerged, ranging from former military units turned into bandits, mayors that were desperately holding onto the remains of their former cities, religious zealots that had organized doomsday cults, the remains of former political organizations that had formed political experiments ranging from radical Gadpathurian nationalism to Solarian revivalism, and many more. But one stood above all in terms of its organization, its goals, and its dedication: the Gadpathurian Reunification League, a military government founded from the remains of three army groups shortly after the bombs fell.
When the bombs fell, one army group was spared from much of the devastation thanks to the remote location in which it had opted to conduct training maneuvers. The Fifteenth Gadpathurian Planetary Command Region - consisting of three armies - under the command of Field Marshal Ashia Patvardhan retained upwards of ninety percent of its pre-bombing strength while sequestered in their remote - and mostly underground - facilities, making it the largest military force essentially overnight. Field Marshal Patvardhan and her generals, after overcoming the initial shock of experiencing global thermonuclear warfare committed by those they had been serving mere months ago, came to a grim realization: they were the best, and perhaps the last, hope for their home. The task of reunifying Gadpathur and allowing it to once again reach the galactic stage had been laid upon their shoulders. Taking the simple title of Commander and renaming the Fifteenth Planetary Command Region to the Gadpathurian Reunification League, Patvardhan set the League upon their ultimate duty: ending the period of anarchy and creating a unified Gadpathur once again.
The League quickly secured its immediate surrounding area - primarily villages and towns that had been left without greater leadership following the collapse of the planetary government - and established a military government over the region. The resounding defeat of the nearby bandit warlord, a former military unit now calling themselves the “Disciples of Murugan,” and the subsequent absorption of the bandits into the League as a unit established further confidence in the League’s ability to save the planet. A system of organization promoted by Commander Patvardhan in which factories, civilians, and military units were all organized along the same line: quasi-military groups referred to as “cadres” that helped encourage cooperation and unity between members of the Reunification League. It seemed that planetary reunification by the League was not a matter of if, but a matter of when.
In 2308, thirty years after the bombs were dropped onto Gadpathur’s surface, the black-and-brown flag of the Reunification League was at last hoisted over the former planetary capital of Ambedkar. Commander Patvardhan, now in her late seventies, had at last accomplished the dream of reunification and ended the Gadpathurian Anarchy. Already in her twilight years, Commander Patvardhan was now left with the task of determining which direction to take the Reunification League. She and her most senior officials and commanders conferred for days, then weeks, then after eighteen days a decision was reached. As the most important duty for the government of the planet was to ensure it would not bow again to the Sol Alliance, there would be no handover to a traditional civilian government. Instead, the Reunification League would rule the planet to ensure that it would not be humiliated by the Sol Alliance. Not ever.
When the Solarians returned, Gadpathur would stand ready. And it would never again fall to the Solarians - even if all of its citizens died in the defense of their planet.
Aftermath
The United Planetary Defense Council of Gadpathur, successor to the previous Reunification League, has ruled the planet since its reunification over a hundred and fifty years ago and has lasted far past the death of its original Commander. The cadres of the planet, working in military precision to ensure that their homeland stands ready, work tirelessly to ensure the planet will not be found wanting again. Gadpathur is militarized to such an extent that it is often regarded as a fortress world, and it provides a great amount of soldiers, sailors and vessels to the rest of the Coalition despite its position in the Weeping Stars.
The modern Gadpathur is a planet still scarred by the trauma of its orbital bombardment, and one that is absolutely determined to withstand another invasion by the Sol Alliance when it inevitably comes. As time has gone on, however, a growing number of Gadpathurians have quietly begun to question if an invasion will ever come, and if not, why the planet is still so tightly controlled. This has been exacerbated both by the diminishing of Solarian power and the current strife between the planet and wider Coalition of Colonies resulting in the system remaining cut off from the Coalition warp network.
Environment
The environment of Gadpathur still bears the scars of widespread bombardment by the Sol Alliance. Gigantic crates scar the surface, and many areas are at best hazardous and otherwise unsuited to human inhabitation. While air has remained breathable on the planet’s surface, it is often toxic in more damaged areas and most residents of the planet commonly carry a gas mask with them during their daily lives. The surface of the planet is fairly cool and features a very atypical weather type: radioactive ash storms. These storms often scour the more bombarded areas, and are a result of the immense amount of ash that settled following the detonation of orbital ordinance on the planet’s surface.
The flora and fauna of Gadpathur are extremely hardy, having survived a near extinction-level event in the form of the Solarian bombardment. Flora is typical shrublike, and most trees are relatively small. What fauna remains is generally small and warmblooded, due to the bombardment creating a quasi-nuclear winter and subsequent dying off of species that followed it. Most crops on the planet are grown in the massive hydroponics bays of the United Planetary Defense Council, to ensure that the planet will have ample food supplies in the event of another struggle with the Sol Alliance. Indoor pastures also exist to ensure that animal-based products will similarly be available, even in the most dire of situations. Even the animals and plants of Gadpathur have been made to work, in their own ways, towards ensuring that the planet will withstand the Solarians, should they return.
Weather
The weather of Gadpathur has been described as "uniquely horrible" by those rare individuals that choose to visit the planet. Due to the amount of regions that have yet to recover from the Interstellar War's bombardment dust storms made up of ash and particulate blown in from these destroyed regions has become a frighteningly common occurrence on the planet. Often the dust that makes up these storms, due to its origins in heavily-bombarded areas, will be radioactive. The massive dust storms of Gadpathur are visible from orbit, and often feature dust tornadoes due to their large size. These tornadoes are often also radioactive. Aside from dust storms acidic rainstorms are very common on the planet, and most - if not all - crops are grown underground as a result.
Restoration Efforts
Since reunification, various efforts have been established to attempt to restore, or at least stabilize, the planetary surface. The efforts have had varying levels of success, and all share one common obstacle - the hazardous surface conditions. Initial restoration efforts were attempted by the Reunification League in the twilight of their campaign and were localized efforts to clear radiation and other hazards in rear areas to ease logistical issues. Following reunification, Commander Patvardhan desired to begin a painstaking process of cleanup. However the lack of advanced supplies for such an undertaking severely limited it, and despite decades of experience in this environment, the effort failed to make significant headway in cleaning up anything beyond the immediate surroundings of bunkers, towns, and facilities - surroundings that were constantly having more hazardous dust blown into them. After her death, there were no significant efforts made towards restoration for decades, as the succeeding Commanders and Defense Council opted to instead use the hazardous environments as something of a defense to bog down Solarian forces in a future attack, arguing that this course of action was less costly and that the planet would recover on its own. In the early 2400s, the policy changed again, as it was clear the planet was not recovering at any real pace, and the livable space for residents on the surface was running out. The Defense Council initiated a large-scale cleanup effort, focusing on regions of the planet that had not been hit as heavily by the orbital bombardment, then slowly working into the more heavily hit regions. The effort was met with limited success, managing to mostly clean up the areas with the least amount of damage over the course of 15 years, but still hampered by the hazardous storms and toxic air blown in from the most damaged regions. More recently, efforts have sent teams into the worst regions to clean up “at the source,” with limited success. The majority of ongoing efforts are focused on maintaining the relatively cleaned regions and slowly expanding these zones where possible, though there is little hope for a rapid improvement.
Life on Gadpathur
The culture and society of Gadpathur still bear the scars and traumas of the planet’s bombardment and reunification war. Gadpathurian society is wholly dedicated to ensuring that those traumas will never be endured again by the planet, no matter what the cost. Its society is organized into paramilitary units referred to as “cadres,” on the planet that are responsible for ensuring that when (and in the minds of most Gadpathurians, war is a when rather than an if) war comes they will not be found unprepared for even the most apocalyptic of conflicts. Children from the age of four are placed into an educational cadre that they will ultimately graduate from at age eighteen and be placed into the cadre they are most suited for. This structure, along with an overwhelming planetary desire to resist the Sol Alliance, has helped contribute to Gadpathurian society’s current status as a highly militarized, very disciplined society structured more like a massive army than a true planetary society.
This society based upon the eventuality - some would say the inevitability - of total war has created an unusual culture in which every individual is quite like their fellows. While cadres will often have their own individual traits with some even having histories stretching back into the unification period, there is no deviation from the overarching goal of ensuring that the planet will not collapse as it did when it was orbitally bombarded. All cadres wear a similar uniform designed by the planet’s central government which has helped further contribute to the highly-collective nature of the planet’s inhabitants. This has created a perhaps appropriate stereotype of Gadpathurians commonly found throughout the Coalition in which they are regarded as dour and insular people with a grim outlook on the Orion Spur and a fatalistic view of the prospect of a Second Interstellar War. To most Gadpathurians, the Sol Alliance attempting to conquer the Weeping Stars and the Coalition is an inevitability and all will be required in the defense of the planet for this second war.
Daily Life
The day-to-day life of a cadre member (for there is essentially no other kind of Gadpathurian) is defined by which cadre they have been placed into. Industrial cadres build, medical cadres treat, and security cadres constantly train. All cadres train, as it is the only way the Defense Council believes the planet will be ready for the final apocalyptic struggle with the forces of their hated enemy, the Sol Alliance. Ensuring preparedness for the eventual war through training dominates much of the day-to-day activities of cadre members as a result.
The average Gadpathurian has little real control over their day-to-day lives on Gadpathur due to the cadre system and a fatalistic belief in another war with the Sol Alliance. At the start of most days orders will come from the government to cadre leaders, and these orders proceed down the chain to normal cadre members. While this lack of agency can be a kind of comfort for many, those that go abroad are given the leisure of deciding how to use their time without the supervision of a cadre leader - often resulting in choice paralysis while they adapt.
The centralized and order-based nature of the day-to-day life of the cadres can be both a blessing and a curse. While orders are carried out without question, they are not typically set in advance, meaning cadres are left in limbo until their orders come through. Given the lack of individual decision making that is permitted, most section leaders will not act on their own, instead awaiting orders from their department leaders, and so on. At times this leads to wasted hours of the day, especially so if the orders are based around a rather contentious issue.
Culture
The culture of Gadpathur is a quite unusual one in the Orion Spur, due to the traumatic history of the planet and its very centralized military government. When the barrage hit the planet’s surface, the cultures that had made up Gadpathur unraveled and shattered into pieces during the struggle to survive an exceedingly hostile environment and the anarchy that had come with the collapse of the planetary government. In the violence and deprivation of the years between the bombardment and eventual reunification, cultural products fell by the wayside. They continued to fall during the reunification and its aftermath, until they were ultimately superseded by the highly-militant culture of the Reunification League.
The culture of contemporary Gadpathur is atypical in the rest of human space: due to the exceptionally powerful government in control of the planet, and the unique organization of the planet itself, have led to a culture created from the top down by the central government that has been distributed throughout the planet by the cadre system. This so-called “Gadpathurian Superculture” has helped enshrine many of the government’s values in the mind of the typical Gadpathurian. Duty, loyalty, self-sacrifice, cooperation, and a hatred for the Solarians are among some of the values enshrined in this government-designed superculture. Those that show particular dedication to these core Gadpathurian values are often those selected to go abroad, which has further encouraged an eager adoption of this superculture.
Cadres
The primary method through which Gadpathur is organized is through the cadre system, which can trace its roots back to the original military units that formed the Reunification League. These cadres can be found throughout the planet and, thanks to the tight control exercised by the government of Gadpathur, it is impossible to find a Gadpathurian resident not involved in a cadre. Gadpathurians are in a cadre essentially from the cradle to the grave. The government uses the cadre system to create a highly organized society while furthering the ideology that the planet will never again fall to the Sol Alliance, no matter how steep the cost that must be endured by the planet may be.
Cadres are organized internally along a deliberately simple, essentially universal, structure that resembles a military unit. At the top of the command structure is the cadre's leader, the director. This individual answers directly to the planet's central command organization and expects loyalty from their subordinates even during peace, and has the final voice in much of a cadre's internal policy. Below the director are specialists that lead significant parts of the cadre referred to as department leaders. With years of experience in their given fields and extensive ideological training, these senior cadre members are responsible for ensuring much of a given cadre's day-to-day work is carried out. Department leaders are often those that recommend Gadpathurians for off-world travel, and a good relationship with one's is regarded as key to success in a cadre. A step below the department leaders are section leaders, qualified individuals that have shown the ability to lead and proper dedication to the planet. Section leaders can be compared to a departmental leader of a NanoTrasen facility, and are generally earmarked for promotion to departmental leader if their service is dedicated enough. Below section leaders are full cadre members, and below them are trainees - sometimes referred to as students - that are in the process of becoming a full member. The highest cadre rank available for on-station characters is section leader, as all positions above that are senior administrative ones.
Due to the rigid and highly organized structure of individual cadres, there is no room for deviation from orders. While in theory this would be an efficient method of operation, in practice this occasionally leads to internal strife, as suggestions or other ideas are not always welcome, but rather suppressed as a deviation from orders. Ideas are typically dropped if suppressed - otherwise the member who made the suggestion may find themselves increasingly ostracized from the cadre or on the receiving end of disdain and even abuse from fellow members as someone who is working against the cadre. In the worst cases this has led to exile, both willing and unwilling.
A Gadpathurian will enter their initial cadre, often referred to as “youth cadres,” in order to receive the education and preparation necessary for them to enter into a full cadre when they are eighteen years old. In these they are educated (some would say indoctrinated) in both practical and ideological matters, such as the importance of resisting the Sol Alliance. These youth cadres are highly patriotic and typically very closely-knit, with many members retaining their bonds even after departing for their permanent cadres. When a youth cadre member is eighteen they are given a qualification exam that will determine the rest of their life, as it decides which type of cadre they will be placed in.
The cadres that these graduates are placed into are where they will be molded into efficient and productive Gadpathurians, fully committed to the defense of their world no matter what their actual duty may be. All professions are organized into cadres and there are dozens - if not hundreds - of distinct types. However the three largest and most prominent, cadres are the industrial, medical, and security cadres. These are some of the cadres most likely to be seen off of Gadpathur as well, as the planet’s government will often send exceptional cadre members abroad - sometimes as far afield as the Republic of Biesel - to improve the interstellar image of the planet encourage support of what the planet perceives as its inevitable life or death struggle against the forces of the Sol Alliance.
Gadpathurians receive two identification tabs as soon as they are inducted into a youth cadre and are expected to carry them throughout their life. Upon their death, the tabs will be torn apart: one will remain with the dead body, and another will be returned to the cadre to which the now deceased individual belonged. Individuals exiled or otherwise banished from their cadre (in essence, the same as being banished from the planet itself) are expected to hand over both of their identification tabs - a gesture regarded as extremely shameful for any Gadpathurian.
The process of naming a cadre is somewhat complicated. While youth cadres, which are only expected to last for roughly fifteen years, are simply named after their year of future dissolution and their geographical area they are from, more permanent cadres often have names passed down through the centuries, with some even tracing the origins of their names back to the Interstellar War. These names are considered to be a key part of the cadres and are regarded as a symbol of pride for the members of a given cadre. Newly-formed cadres will be issued a generic identifier consisting of their duties, year of formation, and area of formation until they prove themselves as effective. Only then will the cadre members be allowed to choose a name, generally chosen by pure majority voting amongst members.
Medical cadres are one of the key parts of the state-run society of Gadpathur and are responsible for everything from battlefield medicine to surgeries to routine health checkups. A medical cadre’s rough equivalent outside of the planet would be a hospital combined with a medical school. Practitioners of all types are trained within these cadres and it is impossible to become a licensed medical professional on Gadpathur without being a member of one. Cadre members from this sector of Gadpathurian society tend to be quite experienced with the treatment of wounds related to the highly-toxic environment of the planet. Often whole medical cadres will be sent abroad as gestures of goodwill, one being permanently stationed on Xanu Prime to assist in the treatment of those exposed to the often-hazardous environmental conditions of the planet. While their presence is often appreciated by those they assist, these cadres are still dedicated to the ultimate goal of ensuring Gadpathur will resist the Solarians above all other concerns. Medical cadre members are issued a patch featuring a golden medical cross on a white background to mark their positions. The cadre member’s specialization is written inside of the medical cross, typically in a shorthand form (i.e. “SURG” for surgeon, “PARAM” for paramedic).
If medical cadres are one pillar that holds up society (and the government) on Gadpathur, then its industrial cadres are the other. Consisting of everything from construction workers to highly-educated engineers responsible for maintaining automated industrial networks, industrial cadres are by far the largest grouping of cadres on Gadpathur. A lack of IPCs on the planet (the ruling government believes that their prosperity towards self-preservation is unfitting for the goal of ensuring the planet withstands an invasion by the Sol Alliance, no matter the cost) and a desire to ensure that systems work even under the most extreme of circumstances, combined with the immense needs of the planet’s native armaments industry has helped fuel the need for new industrial cadres as well as their great diversity. Industrial cadre members can be distinguished by their patches: a golden hammer and shovel crossed over a white background. A black circle in the middle of this patch will contain another tool marking a further specialization, such as a lightbulb for an electrical specialist.
The unassuming name of security cadres disguises the true purpose of these particular cadres, which is to serve as the primary military force at home and abroad for the United Planetary Defense Council of Gadpathur. Highly indoctrinated and highly trained, these cadres are often the most fanatical loyalists of Gadpathur and are wholeheartedly dedicated to their duty of ensuring the planet never again falls to the Sol Alliance. While outside observers have accused the Gadpathurian government of essentially brainwashing their security cadres by training them from childhood to defend the planet, the United Planetary Defense Council has defended their training system as a necessary measure to ensure that Gadpathur will never be defeated in any future conflicts. Detachments of security cadres are often “exported,” or otherwise liaised to member states of the Coalition of Colonies to serve as auxiliary troops, and to encourage further relations between Gadpathur and the Coalition in the face of Solarian imperialism.
To deviate from the cadre system is to condemn oneself to exile from Gadpathur.
Notable Cadres
While there are thousands upon thousands of cadres on Gadpathur, some are more famous than others. Here are a few notable cadres that can be found on the planet.
The Black Jackets are one of Gadpathur’s most storied security cadres, with a history that stretches back to the Unification League and the wars it waged to reestablish planetary control. The Black Jackets were originally a reconnaissance detachment under the leadership of Commander Patvardhan before the bombs fell and have since become one of the oldest continuously activated security cadres currently serving. Their emblem, a pair of binoculars over crossed rifles, is instantly recognizable on the uniforms of all cadre members. Many members of this cadre are sent abroad to serve as an example of the high quality of Gadpathur’s training. However, this does come at a cost: many hopeful members of this cadre cannot meet the extremely high standards expected of them and wash out, ultimately being exiled from the planet for their failure.
The Brothers of Charity are a major medical cadre of Gadpathur. Another quite old cadre, the Brothers can trace their lineage back to a pre-bombardment religious hospital that managed to, through blind luck or the favor of the divine (depending upon whom you ask), avoid much of the destruction dealt to Gadpathur on that fateful day. Brought into the Reunification League shortly after its formation, the Brothers were often instrumental in ensuring the League was in fighting shape. In the years since reunification, the religious fervor of the Brothers has given way to a feverous dedication to ensuring the planet will be able to resist the hated Sol Alliance. Due to their ferocious dedication to the Gadpathurian cause, members tend to have offensively-minded views of taking the fight to the Solarians, and the founding members of the Weeping Stars Reunification League were from the cadre. Its members have retained their dedication to charity, and are often deployed abroad by Gadpathur to further legitimize itself to other political entities in the Orion Spur.
The Directorate of the Mechanical Sciences is one of the only cadres on Gadpathur that actively maintains and builds robotics equipment. A very recent industrial cadre, only thirty years old in fact, the DMS still has much to prove in the eyes of many of its compatriots. Cadre members from it are often regarded as some of the best and brightest of Gadpathur, which as led to an unexpected problem: brain drain. Young and talented roboticists from the DMS, underappreciated and often overworked, sometimes find themselves self-exiling from the planet for better career prospects elsewhere. The government of the planet is quite alarmed by this, and has started giving this new cadre more chances to travel abroad as a result - despite complaining from other industrial cadres. The cadre is generally seen as a more reform-minded cadre as a result of having some of the brightest minds on Gadpathur, and the founding member of the Restoration Committee was a former cadre member.
The Kshatriya are, in their own words, the premier armored vehicle-based security/industrial cadre on Gadpathur - and they do not take kindly to anyone saying otherwise. An unusual mix of an industrial and security cadre due to the need to both maintain and operate vehicles, the Kshatriya are often seen as one of the more flamboyant cadres on Gadpathur. This has earned them both respect from some and ire from many others, such as the Black Jackets. The “fast and loose” reputation of this cadre disguises the immense amount of effort required to keep the cadre functional and combat ready, and fights between security and industrial specialists are not unheard of.
The Legacy of the Commander
When Commander Ashia Patvardhan, the reunifier of Gadpathur and first leader of the United Planetary Defense Council, passed away in her sleep at the age of ninety-two after over a decade spent in retirement, she lived on as an ideal of what a member of the Council should strive to be. Commander Patvardhan was a workaholic that never married and was, by all accounts, completely dedicated to the task of reunifying her broken planet into a singular entity that could once again take to the stars and, above all, endure another fight with the Sol Alliance. Children, when they are first placed into their cadres, are taught the story of Patvardhan’s selflessness and instructed to aspire to her heights - no matter the cost to the person themselves. The lesson, and lionization, of Commander Patvardhan is a key part in constructing Gadpathurians as loyal subjects of its government willing to give their lives in the defense of their homeland.
Augmentation and Prosthetics
The science of mechanical augmentation has achieved some purchase on Gadpathur, despite the relative isolation of the planet during its reunification period. However, like almost everything on the planet, the central government has come to direct much of how the planet utilizes and views augmentation. Internal prosthetics, such as the sensor suites favoured by Eridanians or internal tool suites common in the Republic of Biesel, are looked down upon as overly-complicated and likely to place unneeded stress on the supply chains of the planet. In the minds of many Gadpathurians there is no reason to do a job with an integrated tool built into your arm when a hand tool does the same job while having less failure risks. Mechanical organs are generally only installed by Gadpathurians when absolutely needed, due to concerns that they may fail when the moment is most critical. After all, how can one defend their home if their mechanical lungs begin malfunctioning?
External prosthetics have seen much greater success on Gadpathur due to risks present on the planet. Industrial accidents, as with everywhere else in the Orion Spur, are always a threat that can result in the loss of a limb. Another risk is unexploded munitions, which are often infrequently scattered on the crater-filled surface of the planet and serve as a painful reminder of the Interstellar War in the mind of many Gadpathurians. The planet has a relatively well-developed local prosthetics industry, with many high-quality locally-made prosthetics tracing their origins back to the Directorate of the Mechanical Sciences, as a result of both a need and the planet's belief that everybody must contribute to the fight in whatever ways they can. One cannot stand against the Solarians if they have only one leg to stand on, so prosthetics are provided to those cadre members that require them to ensure that they can do their part to ensure the planet never again falls.
Government
The government of Gadpathur is a highly-authoritarian, militarily-minded organization referred to as the United Planetary Defense Council of Gadpathur. The government itself is directly descended from the military forces that reunified the planet after its devastating bombardment by the Sol Alliance during the Interstellar War. The government of the planet is essentially a military dictatorship in which power is held by the Defense Council in order to ensure the planet is always ready to repulse a potential invasion by the Solarian Alliance, regardless of the costs that would be incurred.
The Defense Council is made up of individuals who have proven their loyalty and abilities within their cadre. All voices on the Council are equal, save for the Commander’s. The Council has a set number of members, with prospective new members being nominated by their cadre director. Once seated on the Council, a member is entitled to a life term, though they may step down on their own accord or be removed in extreme cases. Such removals would typically accompany exile, as misconduct at the level of the Defense Council is seen as sabotaging the fighting ability of the planet.
The Commander is the head of the junta that makes up the Defense Council and is appointed by a vote of Council members. Like normal members, once they are appointed, the only way for their removal is by stepping down, or removal. No Commander has ever been removed by the Council, as Commanders have always stepped aside when their support within the Council sours. The Commander sets general policy, orders to cadres, and long term objectives for the planet. Despite their position as the head of state for Gadpathur, the Commander is still accountable to the Defense Council, and their power is not as absolute as an outsider may think. Their power comes from the Defense Council’s continued approval, and Commanders must engage themselves in politicking behind the scenes to ensure that their support does not falter.
The current dominant faction in the government is the Planetary Preservation League, a defensively-minded junta that has been in power since the planet’s reunification centuries ago. While often criticized throughout the Coalition (and in Sol) for their domineering and authoritarian system of government, the PPL has - for decades - assured the greater Orion Spur that it will stand down and transfer power to a civilian government when the Solarians no longer threaten the Weeping Stars. Whether or not this will prove to be true remains to be seen.
A minority faction in the United Planetary Defense Council is the more offensively-minded Weeping Stars Reunification League (WSRL), a radically nationalist clique that calls for the reunification of the Weeping Stars and the eventual invasion of the Solarian Alliance to punish them for their crimes against Gadpathur. These goals, along with earlier conflicts between Gadpathur and Galatea, are one of the many sources of friction between the two planets. The WSRL’s members are descended from an eclectic mix of groups, ranging from disillusioned security cadres to the descendants of bandits such as the Disciples of Murugan that were integrated into the Reunification League during its reconquest of the planet. A number of supporters come from the Brothers of Charity as a result of the fervor with which the cadre displays towards the mission of the Defense Council. There are rumored, though unconfirmed, reports that the WSRL sends personnel on clandestine anti-Solarian ventures throughout the Orion Spur, though the League itself fervently denies this. They have not been at power at any point during Gadpathur’s history, but their calls to take the fight to Sol itself gained traction during the Solarian Collapse. In the aftermath of the war in the Northern Wildlands, however, the faction’s influence has again waned as a result of the sanctions placed on Gadpathur by the wider Coalition for providing support to Solarian rebels.
A third faction within the Defense Council is the Restoration Committee, a minority group that desires for the reinstallation of civilian government. Having only formed within the last decade, the Restoration Committee is committed to seeing the Defense Council transfer power to a civilian government, arguing that with the wider Coalition at its back, and the now reduced power of the Alliance, the threat of another war with the Alliance has passed - and with it, the need for total control and militarization. The majority of Restoration Committee supporters come from cadres that are highly educated and specialized, most notably the Directorate of Mechanical Sciences. While the Committee is the smallest faction within the Defense Council for now (and derided as cowards by the WSRL), it has quickly grown into more than just a fringe idea.
Notable Council Members
Pallav Pandey is the current Commander of the United Planetary Defense Council of Gadpathur, having been appointed to the position in 2451. Born January 11th, 2392, Pandey eventually found himself assigned to the famed Black Jackets, where he quickly made a name for himself with his leadership abilities and work ethic, resulting in a rapid promotion to Section Leader by the age of 25. He was known for his innovative approach to training, which led to his Section winning several competitions within the cadre. At the age of 41, Pandey was nominated for appointment to the Defense Council which was swiftly approved. Having positioned himself as an influential member of the PPL by 2451, Pandey was appointed Commander with overwhelming approval on the Defense Council. Commander Pandey has done well to navigate the internal politics of the Council since his appointment, and while his tenure is well-regarded by most, the recent failures with the Northern Wildlands and Coalition have left him in an awkward position with his own faction, which wonder if he may have gone too far. With Pandey getting older, time will tell if he can right his ship, or be forced out in favor of a new Commander.
Sanja Kala is the leader of the Weeping Stars Unification League, her appointment to the Defense Council having come in 2452. Born June 20th, 2410, Sanja’s dedication and medical aptitude scores saw her assigned to the Brothers of Charity as a doctor. She quickly rose through the ranks of the cadre, eventually becoming a department leader prior to her Defense Council appointment. While one would think her work as a doctor would result in a heightened sense of compassion, Sanja’s ferocity and dedication to the Gadpathurian cause is unrivaled within the Council. She is known as a firebrand, typically engaging in heated discussion on all matters, regardless of how trivial they may be. It is rumored that she succeeded in swaying Commander Pandey to aid the Anti-Corporate League with her fervor, and while it did not work out in her favor, it has certainly raised her profile within the Council.
Apurva Chaudhry is the leader of the Restoration Committee. Born October 7th, 2421, Chaudhry was appointed to the Defense Council in 2458, the youngest-ever appointee. Apurva distinguished herself within her cadre, the Directorate of Mechanical Sciences, by developing a more efficient and less resource-intensive process by which to repair robotics devices. Rather than take her skills abroad, like some in her cadre, Apurva instead wished to remain at home and see her home shake the, as she sees it, overbearing way. Following her appointment to the Defense Council at the age of 37, Apurva quickly founded the reformist Restoration Committee, and has worked tirelessly since to try and promote the benefits of standing down to her fellow Council members. While they initially fell on deaf ears, her views have slowly begun to gain traction among more reform-minded Council members.
Architecture
The architecture of Gadpathur is unusual, as the entire planet has been constructed in a manner akin to a giant military facility, thanks to the strong control the United Planetary Defense Council of Gadpathur holds over the planet. As a result many vital structures have been built underground, though most residences remain above the ground. Bunkers stretch for miles under the surface in order to allow the planet to endure an orbital bombardment even more devastating than the one it experienced during the Interstellar War. Much of the planet’s industry is located underground, as are the launch bays of many of its surface-to-space weapons. The true extent of these facilities is unknown, and is regarded as a state secret of the United Planetary Defense Council of Gadpathur. Buildings on the surface are typically built in a sturdy, utilitarian style often referred to as “Gadpathurian Brutalism” by Elyran critics. This unique style, like so many other things on the planet, is designed with one thing in mind: defense. Groups of buildings, such as large facilities, are built in compounds, featuring defensive structures on the outskirts, gates that can hastily be turned into pillboxes, and multiple armories. Towns feature a defensive perimeter of some sort, typically with multiple lines of defense. Even residential buildings within towns are designed to have multiple fields of fire and act as something of a light bunker for residents to fight in.
Leaving Gadpathur
There are two primary methods of leaving Gadpathur: with honour, or with shame.
Leaving with honour is the most common method through which Gadpathurians are able to experience the greater Orion Spur. Exceptional cadre members will receive the chance to go abroad (though some say that they are essentially ordered abroad) in order to promote the goals and interests of the planet. This is seen as an extremely high honour to receive by many on the planet, as only the best and brightest are sent abroad as a result of rigorous selection standards. Though the majority of these elite few are sent to other planets in the Coalition of Colonies in order to promote further positive relations between the Coalition and Gadpathur, a significant portion of them are sent to the Republic of Biesel or The Republic of Elyra. The reason for this is simple: the government of Gadpathur views the Republics as fellow victims of Solarian imperialism, and wishes for them to know that there is some solidarity between it and the former-Solarian republics.
Leaving with shame is an unfortunately common fate for many cadre members, particularly those in high-demand professions. The stresses and demands - both material and ideological - of service in a cadre will often cause individuals to wash out of their cadre or otherwise fall by the wayside. Being found unfitting for the cadre one has been placed into by the state is, in the eyes of the cadres and government of Gadpathur, a sign that an individual is unfit for the defense of the planet. An individual unable to resist the Sol Alliance is essentially useless to Gadpathur and, as such, washouts are unceremoniously stripped of their ranks in their cadre and exiled from the planet for life, often being sent to Xanu Prime. Most on Gadpathur regard this fate as the ultimate humiliation, and it is often seen as a stain upon the collective reputation of a cadre to have a member exiled in such a manner.