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<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Overview</p></h1>

The Galactic Federation is a representative
democratic government made up largely
of former members of four distinct, previously
existing political states and their various
protectorates, colonies, and subjects, as well
as several dozen more recent members recruited
since its formation. *Formed in the Human year
1721, as of 2020 the Federation now consists of
over three hundred distinct members (most a
single self-governing species or smaller political
state) and several dozen protectorates (typically
single planets with member species still in the
process of being “uplifted” to technological parity
with the rest of the Federation).

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">How it all functions</p></h1>

The Galactic Federation is a representative
democracy which primarily oversees the complex
matters of treaty and interstellar law as they apply
to its member states. In theory, each member state
remains responsible for at least some of its own
internal affairs; in practice, most members (particularly
those of long standing) rework most of
their own laws and practices to match those of the
Federation as a whole. Thus, in effect the Federation
is a true interstellar government, like the [[:Category:Varanyi|Varanyi
Empire]] or [[:Category:Thorgon|Thorgon Hegemony]].
The Federation has two primary working
bodies: the General Council Assembly (GCA) and
the Federation Security Council (FSC).

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">The General Council Assembly</p></h1>

The General Council Assembly (GCA) consists
of representatives of each member state or constituency.
The over three hundred full voting members
of the Council receive two votes each, while associate
members receive only one. Associate members
(who are usually either cadet states in the process
of technological uplift, or former colonies recently
granted independence) are expected to vote with
their sponsoring full member. There are also several
Observing Delegations from non-members with
interests in the Federation, including trade guilds
and religious groups. Each of these defined constituencies
chooses its own representative, almost
always by direct election.<br>
The Council elects a leader from among its
full members. Known as the Prime Minister, he’s
assisted by a Cabinet consisting of appointed or
elected members who each have responsibility for a
particular subject or sphere of authority (the economy,
the arts, agriculture, science and technology,
and so forth). The Cabinet also includes a Special
Representative from each of the four major powers
of the Federation (the Terran Republic, the CCR,
the [[:Category:Mon'dabi|Mon’dabi Federation]], and the [[:Category:Dorvalan|Perseid Empire]]).<br>
Special Representatives are nominated by their
respective governments and approved by Council
vote (failure to approve an “SR” is extraordinarily
rare). The current Prime Minister, a [[:Category:Mon'dabi|Mon’dabi]] named
Zornwil, is a shrewd politician known as a consensus-
builder and tireless behind-the-scenes worker.
The GCA handles most issues of broad
importance to the entire Federation, usually by the
creation of Committees, some of whom effectively
have permanent status since the issues they address
never completely go away. The members of a Committee
present proposals to the entire Assembly
for approval and ratification. Full meetings of the
Assembly are widely believed to be notoriously
fractious and noisy, but that’s a reputation only partially
deserved.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">The Federation Security Council</p></h1>

The Federation Security Council (FSC), technically
a permanent Assembly Committee, oversees
two military bodies: the Federation Defense Fleet,
an immense space navy supplied by member states;
and the Federation Army, which it recruits from
member species. It also coordinates member militaries
if the Council “calls them up,” which has not
occurred since the war against the [[:Category:Nibu Gemani|Nibu Gemani]]
ended in 2855. (Though there were plans in
motion to activate the Military Compact Protocols
against the forces of Istvatha V’han, her invasion
was thwarted by [[The Champions]] before the Prime
Minister could even call the vote.) The FSC also
studies and monitors military and security issues in
general; its standing subcommittees include ones
devoted to keeping a careful eye on the [[:Category:Thorgon|Thorgons]],
the [[:Category:Varanyi|Varanyi]], the [[:Category:Roin'esh|Roin’esh]], the [[Tirithian Empire]] and various supervillains.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">The Federation Judiciary and Three Legal Committees</p></h1>

The Federation has its own judiciary system
for enforcing and interpreting the laws and treaties
that bind its members (most members also permit
an appeal from their courts into the Federation
courts in at least some situations). There are several
Low Courts, each specializing in a particular
area of law, and a single High Court which handles
appeals from the Low Courts as well as matters of
the highest urgency between members.
In addition to the courts, the Federation
maintains three separate permanent Committees
on laws and treaties. The first, the Proposal Group,
creates laws based on the wishes and advice of the
various constituencies. These proposed bills are
sent to the second Committee, the Approval Group,
whose members are appointees from the General
Assembly; it decides whether to approve the law
itself or pass it on to the full Assembly for further
consideration. A third Committee, the Removal
Group, only convenes when a Federation member
makes a proposal in the Assembly to remove an
existing law.
Although its member states have given the Federation
a great deal of authority, and many member
states have mirrored its jurisprudence in their own
laws, individual member states retain many of their
basic legal systems. The Federation concerns itself
first and foremost with matters of treaty, interplanetary
commerce, and policing the spaceways between
stars. Villains who rob a bank on Earth will be prosecuted
according to Terran Republic law, which may
treat the offenders differently than authorities on,
say, Mon’da. (The main exception would be crimes
against Federation personnel, facilities, institutions, or
resources, which automatically fall under Federation
law instead of local law.)

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Malagar IV, The Federation Capitol</p></h1>

The GCA meets every year for a deliberative
session that lasts approximately nine Human
months on the planet Malagar IV. Located about
25,000 light years from Earth near the coreward
border of the Terran Republic, Malagar IV is
approximately equidistant from the former boundaries
of both Mon’dabi and CCR space. It’s a very
Earthlike world mostly known as the home of
Terran Rebellion patriot Allen Traynor and one of
the primary centers of organized dissent against
the Terran Empire. Most other important Federation
offices and bodies have their headquarters on
Malagar IV as well; it’s estimated that over 55% of
the population of the planet works directly for the
Federation.
Of course, the Federation maintains countless
millions of other facilities and offices throughout
its space. The best-known of these are:<br>
■ Harmony Station, a space station in geosynchronous
orbit around [[Antares]]. With a permanent population
of over fifty thousand sentients and offices
and halls for many thousands more, Harmony Station
is a shining symbol of the Federation’s success
in promoting peace, prosperity, and interspecies
goodwill. Trillions of Federation Credits (FCs) pass
through its banks and trading halls every day, and
its museums and Cultural Exchange Centers are the
best in the Galaxy.<br>
■ the Federation Military Academy. Located primarily
on the planet [[Centra II]], but with numerous
facilities elsewhere, the FMA trains officers for service
in the Federation’s army and navy.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">The Early Republic</p></h1>

Meanwhile, the Republic was growing quickly.
Between 1704 and 1710, nearly all of the former
subjects of the Empire joined the Republic as equal
partners — full voting members in a representative
democracy. [[Atares]], the spiritual (if not physical)
home of many of the Republic’s citizens and its
most economically powerful planet, was chosen as
the capital. The Republic built a new Hall of Government
in the megacity of Boswash.
At the same time, the Republic sought to
strengthen its bonds with states that had supported
it. In 1721, the Republic joined the CCR and the
[[Mon’dabi]] Federation in a new over-arching regulatory,
free trade, and mutual defense organization
called the Galactic Federation. As Federation members,
each state retained some of its fundamental
autonomy but agreed to certain common forms of
government — and, more importantly, to cooperate
in pursuing peace and higher standards of living for
all. All Federation members signed both the Federation
Constitution, a document establishing the basic
structures and powers of the Federation government,
and the accompanying Articles of Federation, a series
of treaties governing interstellar law, trade, scientific
and technological exchange, education, and the
promotion of peace through strength. Malagar IV, a
world near the center of the three original governments
and the site of one of the key rebellions against
the [[Terran Empire]], was chosen through compromise
as the Federation’s capital.
Almost immediately, the citizens of the Federation
began to experience the benefits of belonging to
the new government. The most concrete example of
this was technological advancement; with the help of
the [[Se’ecra]], both the Terran Republic and [[Mon’dabi]]
Federation had achieved ATRI 12 technology
throughout their societies by the early 1730s.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Enemies at the gates</p></h1>

Many other governments viewed the Federation’s
declaration that it was dedicated to promoting
peace and prosperity with skepticism, to say
the least. Once they recovered from their defensive
stance, the [[Thorgons]] began acting as pirates along
their border, preying on Federation ships and stealing
as much ATRI 12 technology as they could. The
[[Ackálians]] remained cautiously neutral, occasionally
provoking the Federation with overt or covert
attempts to seize territory in [[Mon’dabi]] or Terran
space. Restraint on the part of Federation naval
officers kept any of these incidents from turning
into a full-blown war.
But the worst threat of all was the [[Varanyi]].
Realizing that the Federation would soon catch
up to their own level of technology, the psionic,
acquisitive [[Varanyi]] decided to strike while they still
had the advantage. In 1763, they forcibly annexed
several systems in [[Se’ecra]] space. This unprovoked
act of aggression started the bitter [[Varanyi]]-Federation
War, which lasted until 1769 and was terribly
destructive and draining on both sides. But through
determination, skill, and faith in the righteousness
of its cause, the young Federation passed its baptism
of fire, forcing the [[Varanyi]] to retreat back to
their own territory to lick their wounds and brood.
By 1790, captured [[Varanyi]] technology combined
with advances forced by the necessities of war
brought the Federation as a whole to early ATRI 13.
In 1812, the [[Perseid]] Empire, studiously neutral
during the Terran Rebellion and the succeeding
wars, recognized the handwriting on the wall and
threw its lot in with the ever-expanding Federation.
After satisfying the Federation’s existing members
that they would abide by Federation principles in
all respects, the [[Perseids]] were allowed to sign the
Constitution and Articles. The addition of [[Perseid]]
territory meant the Federation covered an area
nearly eighty thousand light-years across — almost
a third of the entire Galaxy, far more territory than
any other government at that time (or today).
By the early Nineteenth century, the Galactic
Federation had become the foremost power
on this side of the Galactic Core. It had a thriving
economy, powerful combined military force, and
extensive cultural influence over even its rivals
— the [[Ackálians]], [[Varanyi]], and [[Thorgons]]. Many
scholars declared this period a Golden Age of peace
and prosperity, and for all intents and purposes,
they were correct.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">The Mandaarian's return</p></h1>

Back in the year 1574, virtually the entire
[[Mandaarian]] species packed up its possessions
and left the Galaxy aboard a fleet of FTL ships. At
the time their destination and reason for leaving
were unknown — all anyone could tell was that
they were aimed in the direction of the Magellanic
Clouds. For centuries, the reason for the [[Mandaarian]]
Exodus remained an impenetrable mystery, and
countless theories were put forth. In the meantime,
both the Humans and [[Ackálians]] had swiftly moved
in and taken over abandoned, technologically
stripped planets and colonies of the former [[Mandaarian]]
Union.
Late in the year 1843, reports began to make
their way back to the Federation that the outermost
colonies of the [[Velarian]] Confederation, a political
entity on the other side of the Galactic Core and
an occasional trading partner, were under attack by
a voracious and frightening alien invader known
only as the [[Nibu Gemani]]. Fungoid telepaths, the
[[Nibu Gemani]] attacked systems by the billions,
swarming over defenders with no regard for their
own safety and consuming everything in their path.
Though it could not confirm these stories, the Federation
military began planning for the defense of
its own systems.
Before the Federation had much time to begin
its preparations, the [[Mandaarians]] returned to
the galaxy after a nearly three hundred year-long
absence. A shockingly-small number of survivors
explained the situation in a presentation to a hastily-
convened meeting of Federation representatives
and other diplomats. The [[Mandaarians]] had
detected the existence of the [[Nibu Gemani]] psychically
while the fungoid hordes were ravaging
the worlds of nearby galaxies, and determined to
destroy them before they could attack the Milky
Way. However, the Gemani menace proved too
powerful for even the [[Mandaarians]] to vanquish
and had done an “end run” around the [[Mandaarian]]
forces to attack the Galaxy. Now the [[Mandaarians]]
had pursued their surviving enemies back home for
a final battle.
With the aid of the [[Mandaarian]] delegation, the
Federation and [[Ackálian]] Empire formed a shaky
alliance and sent a sizable portion of their combined
fleet to the aid of the [[Velarians]].(The [[Varanyi]],
thanks perhaps to their own immense psionic
powers, seemed untroubled by the [[Nibu Gemani]].)
The war lasted for twelve years before the allies
finally drove the remnants of the [[Nibu Gemani]]
from the Milky Way in 1855. In the aftermath of
the war, the [[Velarian]] Confederation collapsed, with
its various members devoting their attentions to
rebuilding after the devastation.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">After the Fire</p></h1>

Though the Federation paid dearly in manpower
and ships for its victory over the [[Nibu
Gemani]], its infrastructure remained largely intact.
Relations with the [[Ackálians]] remained relatively
stable in the aftermath of wartime cooperation, and
the [[Thorgons]] seemed unwilling to risk an attack, so
the Federation military returned to previous levels
fairly quickly. The second half of the Nineteenth
century was peaceful and prosperous.
In the early twentieth century, it became clear to
the [[Varanyi]] that despite having acquired much territory
in the former [[Velarian]] Confederation space,
they were slowly being pushed out of prominence
in galactic affairs. Preferring not to risk their military
strength, they chose a tactic the Federation had
long feared: infiltration and psychic subversion of
the Federation government. A chance occurrence
allowed a young Federation naval officer to stumble
onto the plot. After he convinced his superiors
that the threat was real, the Federation exposed
the conspiracy, killing several powerful [[Varanyi]] in
the process. Only a humiliating apology from the
Sh’garothayn (the [[Varanyi]] emperor) averted an all out
war.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">The Roin'esh War</p></h1>

During the 1900s, the [[Roin’esh]] Union began
pressing the [[Ackálian]] Empire hard, defeating it
on several occasions and taking some territory.
In 1931, the [[Roin’esh]] attempted to capture several
[[Mon’dabi]] systems in an effort to flank their [[Ackálian]]
nemeses. The Federation responded immediately,
sending an entire navy to assist the [[Mon’dabi]],
and thoroughly defeated the [[Roin’esh]] in less than
six months.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Life in the Federation</p></h1>

The Galactic Federation is a wondrous place,
home to hundreds of sentient species, millions of
vibrant cultures, and technology that rivals that of many superhumans.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Daily Life</p></h1>

In the Galactic Federation, individuals enjoy
a level of freedom and comfort unequaled in history.
Robots and computers handle almost every
unpleasant or dull task. Though some imbalances
of wealth still exist, many goods are available free
to anyone who wants them, so the average citizen
on most member worlds enjoys an extremely high
standard of living. Though it’s obviously difficult to
generalize about a society consisting of thousands
of inhabited worlds and home to trillions of sentient
beings, there are a few constants across the
starways.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Money</p></h1>

Although the Galactic Federation is in many
respects a post-economic entity, when it needs
money it uses the Federation Credit (FC). The FC is
an electronic currency accepted not only on every
member planet, but virtually everywhere throughout
the Galaxy. Barter remains popular in some
parts of the Galaxy, including among the Mon’dabi
(the idea that Mon’dabi can’t or won’t understand
the concept of money is exaggerated in popular
culture, where it’s a common source of humor).
The FC trades at relatively stable rates with
the Varanyi she’mra and the Catavalan scra. It’s the
standard unit of currency in the Thorgon black
market (since the centralized Thorgon government
officially has no need for currency, as it owns everything
within its borders and parcels out supplies as
needed with perfect efficiency, or so it claims).

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">The Datanets</p></h1>

The datanets of the Galactic Federation provide
citizens with the same sort of ability to retrieve
information as the Internet does for the peoples of Earth, but for a much broader range
of subjects and with far greater speed and accuracy.
An intricate system of unmanned beacons that
transmit messages from system to system through
Hyperspace, called Hyperspace Relay Networks
(HRNs), allows people to broadcast messages. As
of 2020, a civilian commercial message can travel
by HRN as far as 20,000 light-years in a single day
(military signals, which use both public HRNs and
their own private nodes, travel faster than that).
Datanet use costs nothing throughout the
Federation for basic use (which covers virtually
anything an everyday person would need to use it
for). Advanced queries, or queries to distant worlds,
may incur trivial charges.
With access to a planetary datanet, a citizen
can tap into nearly the sum total of knowledge
possessed by all Federation species. Accessing new
items (such as any book or video less than a year
old) may entail a small fee. Anyone using the datanet
can answer a simple question in 1-3 Segments;
more complex questions take longer (up to several
hours, not including any delay caused by contacting
other datanets.)

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Minifac's</p></h1>

A minifac (short for “miniature factory”) is
one of the most common household appliances of
the Federation. Minifac's use techno-nanites
to build common, legal, comparatively simple
objects from the molecular level up, based on the
programs they’ve been supplied with — most
common household items like basic tools and
replacement parts, furniture, or pretty much any
object smaller than a refrigerator and without too
many moving parts. Creating an item usually takes
from about 2 minutes to a day, depending on
complexity, the minifac’s power supply and efficiency,
and other factors. Minifac's can also create
food items out of basic building blocks, but while
safe to eat they’re notoriously “not quite right” if the
user tries to create complex meals. Minifac “recipes”
for unusual or interesting items are popularly
traded on datanets. (Corporations, the government,
and the military have access to minifac's much
larger and/or more powerful than those available to
most civilians.)
Since minifac's can create so many basic staples
of daily life for nothing (or virtually nothing), Federation
society has come to revere the creative work
of artisans considerably more than Humans do. Anyone can have a minifac make
a violin according to a recipe, but serious musicians
still prefer (and pay top dollar for) an instrument
made by a talented craftsman, who can create one
with a unique and more attractive tone than the
minifac could possibly emulate. Likewise, a piece of
art created by hand costs considerably more on the
open market than one generated by minifac.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Transportation</p></h1>

Antigravity technology is commonplace in
the Galactic Federation, and though it’s possible to
encounter earlier forms of transportation, especially
in out-of-the-way places and on lower-tech colony
worlds, gravplanes and gravsleds are by far the most
common vehicles on most planets. Gravplanes,
which are easily capable of both surface-to-orbit
travel and in-system travel between nearby worlds,
handle most freight and business traffic, while
gravsleds are the most common vehicles seen within
the massive cities on most Federation worlds.
The Spacewarp drive was developed by a joint
project between Terran, Mon’dabi, and Se’ecra
scientists in 1790. Once it became the standard
method of propulsion for starships in the nineteenth
century, the Galaxy was suddenly a drastically
smaller place — Federation citizens could now
travel from one side of the known Galaxy to the other in
less than four months. In 2020, the most advanced
Spacewarp drives are capable of completing the
journey in eight weeks. However, there is still a great deal of undiscovered territory in the galaxy.
The Hyperdrives and Displacer drives used
predominantly during the reign of the Terran
Empire and in the early decades of Federation rule
are still found on spacefaring vessels all over the
Galaxy — not everyone in the Federation needs
to travel tens of thousands of light-years quickly.
While all Federation military vessels and commercial
couriers have Spacewarp drive, planetary/
system defense forces still use security and military
vessels with Hyperdrives.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Displacer Beams</p></h1>

For short-range trips — typically nothing
longer than the distance from the Earth to its Moon
— people can use a technology developed in the
mid-1900s: the Displacer beam. A “DB” transports
a person instantly through Hyperspace to his destination,
much in the same way a Displacer drive
moves a ship, but since the distance is so short the
trip seems almost instantaneous. For maximum
safety, Displacer beams require special booths both
to send and to receive, but if necessary it’s possible
to “Displace” a person or object to a location without
a booth, or use a booth to “pick him up” from
an ordinary location.
The DB has changed society in many beneficial
ways. It’s made transporting cargo from
ship to planetside, or sometimes from one world
to another, ridiculously easy compared to old
methods. It also allows people to travel easily
and instantly from one city (or even world!)
to another, or to live in remote locations while
effectively retaining all the benefits of living in a
big city. Federation military and security forces
have had to develop a wide range of new tactics
and technologies to take advantage of, or protect
against, the use of DB.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Spacewarp Speeds</p></h1>

The highest-end Spacewarp
drives available in
the Galactic Federation
travel at approximately
1 light-years per minute,
allowing them to cross
the entire Federation
(which is nearly half the
length of the Milky
Way, though less than
half as wide) in about
eight weeks, or travel
from Earth to Proxima
Centauri in a little more
than four minutes. More
common Spacewarps
move at either one-half
or one-quarter that
maximum speed.
In comparison, the best
Hyperdrives (which are
considerably cheaper to
operate and require less
skill, equipment, and
crew to maintain) move
at about 500 light-years
per day (about as fast as
the slowest Spacewarp),
meaning it takes a bit
more than seven months
to cross the Federation
using one. Displacer
drives are similar to
Hyperdrives in overall
effectiveness, but require
considerably less maintenance.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Technology</p></h1>

The Galactic Federation ranks at 13 on its
Available Technical Resources Index (ATRI) scale.
The other major powers in the Galaxy — the Ackálians,
Varanyi, Thorgons, and Roin’esh — are all
ATRI 13 as well, though at varying stages of development
within that ranking (the Varanyi tend to
have the most advanced technology in most areas).
One species, the Malvans, has high ATRI 14 technology,
making it powerful enough to fend off any
of the others despite their greater numbers.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Automata</p></h1>

The rights of AIs and
other automata remains
a bit of a sticky situation
in the Federation.
The Se’ecra and other
CCR races have a long
tradition of granting
civil rights to automata
who agree to follow
specific laws regarding
reproduction and
behavior. Both the
Terran Republic and the
Perseids traditionally
have treated automata
as second-class citizens
at best, with strict laws
against the intentional
creation of fully-sentient
AIs. The Mon’dabi culturally
have had a great
resistance to the idea
of artificial intelligence,
and their laws forbid the
creation of or trafficking
in AIs (though not necessarily
the ownership
of AIs legally purchased
elsewhere).
Under the Federation
Constitution, artificially
sentient beings such as
automata have basically
the same civil rights as
living sentient beings.
But unfortunately it’s
not uncommon to find
them treated poorly, and
their rights ignored or
denied them, in some
parts of the Federation.
Federation officials are
working to eliminate
this injustice, but changing
attitudes will take
time.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Energy Production</p></h1>

The most recent advancement in the field of
energy production brings to the Galaxy an almost
unlimited source of power. Zero point technology,
which involves drawing out the energy inherent in
space itself (and perhaps, some scientists theorize,
from adjacent, uninhabitable dimensions), was first
theorized in the eighteenth century but not actually
achieved until the twentieth and not made
efficient until very recently. Thanks to
the invention of the compact, ultra-efficient Casimir
Power System (“CPS”) in 1933, starships can
travel faster and further, and people can establish
homes, bases, and colonies almost anywhere without
having to figure out how to power the new
facilities.
Although developing a local CPS may take
longer than using a standard antimatter power
plant, the amount of power produced on a consistent
basis by zero point energy technology in comparison
to its predecessors makes it the number
one choice of engineers in almost every field. (And
what’s better, it’s much safer and easier to use than
antimatter tech.) But people throughout the Galaxy
still use antimatter power plants for many different
purposes. Because antimatter originally powered
the majority of the Federation fleet, one is more
likely to encounter vessels powered by antimatter
than by a CPS.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Information transmission and storage</p></h1>

Biocomputers have revolutionized data processing
on a galactic and personal level in the
twenty-first century, thanks to the development of
technology that makes it possible to reliably store
information in organic matter. Conversion modules
transform standard energy into biochemical energy
to power these “living computers,” making it possible
for the cells to survive off the energy provided
by a standard battery.
Processor cell farming is a rapidly growing
scientific industry. The farms consist of enormous
vats of synthesized and genetically modified
organic material. Scientists engineer the cells to
retain and relay information in the form of electronic
impulses. Because the efficiency of these cells
differs from manufacturer to manufacturer, some
personal hand-held computers found in the twenty first
century may contain as little as 500 cells, while
supercomputers used by the militaries and governments
throughout the Galaxy may utilize over 5
billion processor cells.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Medicine</p></h1>

Advanced cloning techniques and nanotechnology
have combined to provide the average
citizen of the Federation with an unprecedented
level of medical care. Before the invention of nanocloning,
lost limbs and failing organs were either
replaced by cybernetic implants or not replaced
at all, resulting in disability or even death. Nanocloning
treatments allow physicians to decode
a patient’s DNA and recreate any group of cells,
organs, or limbs. With proper programming, the
nanobots can even make the re-grown body part
healthier than it was before. Whereas in the past
physical enhancements were made with drugs and
cybernetics, twenty-first century people looking
for an all-natural edge can simply have new and
improved body parts grown for them.
Cybernetics remains a popular and less expensive
option for personal augmentation on many
worlds, in part because it offers enhancements not
available with nano-cloning. Multi-spectrum visual
detection as well as sub and super-sonic audio perception
are just a few of the improvements available
only from cybernetic implants.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Personal Weaponry</p></h1>

Inevitably, the advancement of technology has
led to more powerful and deadly weaponry. As of
2020, the weaponry of the major galactic powers
falls into three categories: laser, plasma
and disintegrator weapons
Disintegrators fire an accelerated energy particle
that breaks down the molecular cohesiveness
of anything it comes in contact with. Ineffective
against targets with energy force fields, disintegrators
are deadly against regular field armor and
living flesh. They were initially developed in 1955
by Federation scientists but because of their devastating
power have been produced in a limited
quantity. Generally speaking, they’re only available
to special operations military units and security
forces tasked with protecting high-ranking government
officials. But of course, the Federation hasn’t
been entirely successful in keeping the weapons out
of the wrong hands — in fact, it’s not uncommon to
find members of galactic crime syndicates in possession
of disintegrators.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Federation Subcultures</p></h1>

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Business and Finance</p></h1>

Although most of what people need for their
everyday lives they can create with minifacs, there
are still many goods that they can’t create, or which
it’s cheaper to manufacture and distribute by other
means. Therefore businesses of many different
types still thrive within the Federation.
Allowing for technological changes such as
the invention of the minifac, the actual mechanics
of business and interstellar trade have changed
very little over the last millennium. Countless small
businesses still try to make enough money to stay
alive, and a few ultra-successful ones have grown
into enormous corporations. The only difference
in the era of the Galactic Federation is scale; the
largest corporations of the twenty-first century have
profits that dwarf the gross product of planets.
Major corporations in the Federation must
abide by local planetary laws where applicable, as
well as any relevant Federation laws. In interplanetary
space Federation law regulates all business
activity directly.
Corporations of the Galactic Federation
There are billions of active corporations and
small businesses registered in the Federation. Some
of interest include;
ProtoCorp: this corporation
maintains an enormously wide range of interests.
Its most profitable ventures are in colonization and
off-world mining operations, starbase construction,
mass market restaurants and food services, and
three-D entertainment production. It also maintains
strong but less publicly well-known holdings
in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. Its CEO,
Shawn Beatty, is a handsome (and famously eligible)
bachelor in his early forties well known for his
business acumen and cutthroat, emotionless style.
Emeraude: Still active and based in
Vertica City region on Antares after more than a
thousand years, Emeraude manufactures
robots, “mechanical enhancement” suits (both
combat and industrial models), mechanical parts
for heavy equipment and transportation, starships,
and many other products. Currently run by Deverra Vesch and administered by several other family
members and close friends, Emeraude has a number of
lucrative government contracts. It’s one of the most
influential businesses on Antares, and has facilities on
most of the Heartworlds (the core worlds within
5,000 light-years of Malagar IV) and in many other places.
Intergalactic Planetary Forms: IPF is one of the Galaxy’s
leading terraforming firms. Once it renders a
planet habitable, it takes a small percentage of all of
the business and trade done there for up to a century.
The “royalty fees” it receives more than cover
its enormous expenses, making it one of the most
profitable business in the Galaxy and its owners, the
Gallo-Gerci family, among the wealthiest Terrans.
PhalanX: Based on Centra II and dating back to the
mid-fourteenth century, PhalanX remains the largest
manufacturer and supplier of personal sidearms
and other energy weapons to the Federation and
many other governments.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Espionage</p></h1>

Officially, with so much of the Galaxy currently
at peace, there’s considerably less need for
governmental espionage than during the days of
the Terran Empire. But with the Thorgons, Ackálians,
Varanyi, Roin’esh, Tirithians and various lesser threats
(such as Hzeel organized crime) posing potential
threats to the Federation, intelligence activities are
alive and well. While technically each member of
the Federation may maintain its own intelligence
service, the Federation has established the Federation
Intelligence Committee, and most members
simply subordinate their espionage activities to
those of the FIC. The FIC also maintains a massive
database of information for use by member states.
Given the freedom of trade between the various
member states of the Federation, not to mention
trade agreements with outside entities, corporate
espionage is a thriving business. “Professional adventurers”
and mercenaries can find plenty of shadowy
but gainful employment uncovering the trade secrets
of rival megacorporations. As long as violence
remains minimal and the general trade climate
doesn’t suffer, the Federation expects and tolerates a
certain amount of “corporate roughhousing.”

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Law Enforcement</p></h1>

The Federation maintains the Federation Security
Patrol (known as “FSP” or simply “Security”) to
perform its law enforcement duties. These primarily
include dealing with matters like smuggling,
piracy, crimes committed in high space, crimes
against the Federation itself, and criminal activity
beyond the scope of any one world or member
state. Members have their own local police agencies,
such as the high-profile, highly-acclaimed
Terran Bureau of Investigation (TBI) of the Terran
Republic. The FSP often works closely with local
agencies, extending the full scope of its manpower
and enormous resources to help keep crime to a
minimum. How all of these agencies will adapt to
handling superpowered criminals, or interact with
the costumed heroes who have recently emerged,
remains to be seen.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Military</p></h1>

As mentioned above, the Federation Security
Council oversees the various branches of the Federation
military, which primarily include the Federation
Defense Fleet and the Federation Army (the
former is much larger and more important than
the latter, but some problems can be solved only by
“putting personnel planetside”). The main purpose
of the Federation military is to deter aggression by
the Thorgons, Ackálians, Tirithians and other potential enemies,
and in this it has succeeded admirably. Given
the size, tactical and strategic sophistication, and
technology of the FDF and FA, few powers in the
Galaxy could hope to stand against the Federation
in an all-out war.
In addition to its more traditional military
roles, the Federation military also conducts missions
of exploration, guards trade convoys, assists
with (or sponsors) scientific research and investigation,
and so forth. Federation popular culture of
2020 tends to consider blatant militarism garish
and uncouth, so FDF and FA officers and recruiters
tend to emphasize the exploration and “job
preparation” aspects of military service over the
need to defend the Federation against its enemies.
Nevertheless, military service remains an honored
profession, and nearly a prerequisite for any sort of
major political career.
The Federation military’s slow and awkward
response to the [[Tirithian Empire]]'s invasion has caused some
experts to question the readiness and training of
Federation forces. It may be that significant change
is about to come upon the Federation military...
which would no doubt cause great concern among
the Federation’s rivals and enemies.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">The Mystic World</p></h1>

As of 2020, there are very few true practitioners
of magic in the Galaxy, since TRUE magic’s only
just returned to the Galaxy-at-large. Most who claim mystic power are
fakers, scam artists, or crackpots. A few mystics
understand the arcane ramifications of the Kolvel
Event, but as yet they have not formed any sort of
mystical organizations or cults like DEMON or the
Circle Of The Scarlet Moon of ages past.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Religion</p></h1>

Within the Galactic Federation, religious freedom
prevails. There are literally thousands of religions
followed by sentients across the stars, and for
the most part faith is considered a private matter
free from governmental interference. Most Federation
cultures consider aggressive proscelytizing
the height of ill manners, though healthy religious
debate is acceptable (and on some worlds, thought
of as entertaining).
Most Terran religions have survived the passage
out to the stars. Versions of Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism,
Shintoism, and Buddhism all still have billions
of followers spread across half the Galaxy, though
most are still centered on the Heartworlds. Among
more recently-created religions, the Galactic
Church of the Cosmic Light remains while others have
died out or diminished to tiny sects on one or
two worlds. 
The other religion that has had the greatest
effect within the Federation over the last two
hundred years is the Se’ecra belief system Chet’rar.
In many ways more a philosophy than an actual
religion, Chet’rar has been expanded by various followers
into half-a-dozen major variations and hundreds
more minor ones, some of which blend with
existing religions like Buddhism or Confucianism.
As of yet, no major religion has officially
addressed the sudden appearance of superhuman
beings, though rumors suggest a relation to the Cosmic Light. But it’s certainly a common topic of discussion
and may lead to some schisms and religious
crises as more people come into direct contact with
the superpowered.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Notes / Links</p></h1>

*[[Interplanetary Defense Fleet]] A defense fleet of starships who's primary mission is to police Consortium space and aid its peoples.
*[[Expansionary Defense Fleet]] A expansionary fleet who's primary mission is to explore the fringes of known space and chart hospitable new worlds or identify new races.
*[[Consortium Academy of Sciences]] A highly prestigious institute of higher learning of galactic scientific principles and theorums.
*[[Antares]] Homeworld to a Terran (human-like) race of space-farers, and Origin of the term "Terran"
*[[Skareth]] Dismal system of war-torn worlds, overrun by monstrous space-faring 'Xeno' life forms.
*[[Star Sentry Corps]] A powered organization of space faring lawbringers, dedicated to the preservation of life and freedoms.
*[[Star Guard]] An ancient group of space faring protectors who wield star staves to give them wonderous abilities.
*[[:Category:Az'Arc'A|Az'Arc'A]] A large space bound energy species that are masters of mathematics and space phenomena.
*[[:Category:Hzeel|Hzeel]] A dimunitive race of scavengers who once commanded a large Empire.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Species of the Federation</p></h1>
*[[:Category:Belaxian|Belaxians]] Short (3-4ft) reptilian species with bony scales, known for their great strength and competitive nature.
*[[:Category:Catavalan|Catavalans]] Large, four-armed humanoids who helped solidify the Federation.
*[[Dendrians]] Purple skinned Terran-like Humanoids who are renowned Engineers and promote peace.
*[[:Category:Denubian|Denubians]] This species vaguely resemble shell-less Turtles.
*[[:Category:Fassai|Fassai]] A Terran-like humanoid race, that emphasizes personal honor.
*[[Ixendrian]] A tall mammalian humanoid race, who are prone to superpowers.
*[[:Category:Jakkari|Jakkari]]
*[[:Category:Kalishari|Kalishari]] Nocturnal humanoids with short tails and color changing skin that matches their emotional moods.
*[[:Category:Kuzane|Kuzane]]
*[[:Category:Malvan|Malvan Empire]] A super advanced race of humanoids who are magically cursed into decadence and rely on their advanced technology.
*[[:Category:Mandaarian|Mandaarians]] Terran species of explorer's and scientists.
*[[:Category:Mon'dabi|Mon'dabi]] Tall Reptilian species that are vegetarian.
*[[:Category:Ondrugaran|Ondrugarans]] Tall, slendor, human-like species, that are the benefactor's to the [[Star Guard]].
*[[:Category:Orthu|Orthu]] Avian species with hawk-like beaks and deep green skin with large feathers covering most of their body.
*[[:Category:Osathri|Osathri]] An aquatic cat-fish-like species that require watersuits and hover platforms when out of water.
*[[:Category:Dorvalan|Dorvalan / Perseid]] Large, dark skinned species with knobby growths on their foreheads and shoulders.
*[[:Category:Pograkian|Pograckians]]
*[[:Category:Rigellion|Rigellions]] A humanoid race with blue-green, blue-black skin.
*[[:Category:Se'ecra|Se'ecra]] Insectoid species resembling enormous humanoid beetles, known as philosophers which strive to "lift up" lesser technological races.
*[[:Category:Se-lag|Se-lag]] Roughly humanoid species resembling overgrown otters with six limbs, often encountered as interpreters and merchants.
*[[:Category:Susethrin|Susethrin]] A Primitive Ophidian Species, currently being "lifted up" by the Se'ecra.
*[[Terran Empire| Terran Republic]] The largest union of Terran species across the Federation.
*[[:Category:Tirithian|Tirithians]] Refugee Terran species of explorer's and mystical scientists.
*[[Vayathuran]] A Golden-skinned Terran-like race of hedonistic pleasure seekers, who have only began to explore the stars.
*[[:Category:Velarian|Velarians]] The Primary Terran species that set the founding for the Federation, and who's belief system stresses Unity.

<h1><p style="font-family:times;color:Blue">Galactic Threats</p></h1>
*The [[Elder Worms]] An ancient slug-like species who's technology involves magic.
*The [[Gadroon]] A batrachioid race who utilize gravitonic technology to enslave and terraform new worlds.
*The [[:Category:Hzeel|Hzeel]] A Blue skinned Terran-like Humanoid race of space-faring gangsters, who's empire operates much like organized crime syndicates.
*The [[Tirithian Empire]] A conquest driven race of god-like terrans, who subjugate lesser races into their empire.
*The [[:Category:Thorgon|Thorgons]] Emotionless warrior race bred by the Ergons, that overthrew their masters.
*The [[:Category:Varanyi|Varanyi]] A immensly Psionic race of humanoids who's caste system is ruled by the most powerful psychics.
*The [[Qularr]] A insectoid-crustaceoid species of aliens who rely on biological technology.
*The [[:Category:Roin'esh|Roin'esh]] A shape-shifting humanoid species that are natural deceivers and invaders.
*The [[:Category:Nibu Gemani|Nibu Gemani]] A fungoid telepathic species near the galactic core
*The [[:Category:Ackalian|Ackalians]] An Ogre-esque species that are large and powerful, and talented natural hunters.
*The [[:Category:MQro|MQro]]
*The [[:Category:Sirians|Sirians]]
*The [[:Category:Xenovore|Xenovore]] An enigmatic insectoid species that are highly ruthless and devour other races.<br><br>

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