Knowledge Base

Main article: Codex

The Knowledge Base is a subsection of the Codex that contains lore entries on a wide variety of subjects in the Elite Dangerous universe. Each entry has audio narration.

The Empire

Introduction

"What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving, how express and admirable! In action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world. The paragon of animals!"

— Shakespeare, Hamlet

"When our ancestors departed Earth, they asked themselves: which of our achievements represents the best of humanity, that we may bring it with us to illumine the darkness? The Federation, embroiled in a world of contracts and petty bickering, chose their Constitution. They placed their trust not in man himself, but the imperfect work of man."

"But my ancestor – your first Emperor – was wiser. He knew that the best achievement of humanity was humanity itself. There was more wisdom in a single nucleotide of his noble DNA than in all the Federation's written texts."

"That same wisdom still guides us now. We need no dusty documents to assert our right! We are human, born to rule... and the universe awaits the firm hand of our governance."

— Emperor Trasken Duval II, undelivered draft speech written immediately before his sudden and unexplained death

The Empire, while younger than the Federation, is the easily the equal of its historic rival in terms of scale and resources. The key social distinction between the two powers is that slavery in the Empire is legal – a fact that has remained a source of controversy since its inception, both within the Empire and without. Some observers have pointed out, however, that conditions for those at the lowest levels of Federal society are worse than those experienced by Imperial slaves.

The popular image of the Empire is one of opulence, but while pomp and pageantry may be the norm in the core Imperial systems, elsewhere in Imperial space one can find myriad examples of deprivations and squalor. Indeed, the Empire encompasses many striking contrasts: sophisticated technology exists alongside and ancient Roman system of government, and the affluence of the core worlds depends on often unregulated slave labour in the wretched outer colonies.

Ruthless industrial efficiency and low taxation has made the Empire rich and mighty. The hierarchy of Imperial society is rigid, but a Citizen can always rise through the ranks if he or she becomes wealthy enough and makes the right connections. Even a slave could, in theory, become a Senator.

History

The Achenar colony was founded.

In the mid 23rd Century, wealthy entrepreneur Marlin Duval was so frustrated with the Federal government that she founded an independent colony of her own in the Achenar system, chosen for its remoteness. When Marlin was killed shortly afterwards in a flyer accident, her brother Henson Duval took over as ruler.

Henson Duval the Emperor.

Duval immediately abolished the fledgling democracy that Marlin had set up, and in its place he established a system modelled on ancient Rome. He was now Emperor and his closest allies were his Senators. Any colonists who might have objected were forced into silent compliance with Duval's vision, such were his wealth and power. It was also widely believed that Marlin Duval, like Remus in ancient Rome, had been killed by her own brother. Nobody dared to speak out.

The mudlark extinction.

The colonists were aware that the planet they had settled, Achenar 6d, had indigenous life, but at first it wasn't appreciated that this included a sentient species, nicknamed the 'mudlarks' after they were observed digging through riverbank mud in search of food. Although the mudlarks were at a pre-agricultural stage of development, they appeared to have developed the beginnings of language. They also created crude forms in moulded clay with no obvious practical purpose, possibly indicating a nascent artistic culture. The mudlarks proved fatally vulnerable to the bacteria carried by the colonists, and within a few decades of the colony's founding the species was extinct. Rumours subsequently emerged that Henson Duval had purposefully removed all traces of the mudlarks, partly in fear of Federal reprisal, and partly to ensure that his development plans would not be hindered by ecological constraints.

The Federation attempted to reclaim Achenar.

When the Federal government heard rumours that Duval's colony had recklessly caused the destruction of a sentient indigenous species, they decided on military intervention.

The Imperial ships beat back the Federal attackers, who were unable to establish a beachhead among the airless outer worlds, and struggled to maintain supply lines so far from Earth.

The Federal forces eventually fell back and entrenched in the Beta Hydri system. Skirmishes with Imperial ships continued for the next fifty years, but these were unable to prevent Duval from expanding the Empire to many other worlds.

The age of expansion.

After hostilities with the Federation ceased, the Empire entered a century of growth, annexing many new systems and persuading others to join. It spent the following two centuries consolidating its new territory, appointing colonial administrators from among the noble houses of Achenar.

Society

An ancient Roman model.

The Empire works on a 'cliens' system. Society is divided into tiers: Emperor, Senators, Patrons, Cliens and then Citizens, with slaves below these.

Groups of Patrons pledge their support to a given Senator, offering military service, tax revenue and the right to wield the Patrons' votes in the Senate on their behalf. In return the Patrons are granted a measure of protection and material security, as well as having their interests represented in the Imperial Senate.

Senators are responsible for deciding tax rates and welfare systems for their Patrons, meaning that the lower a given Senator's tax rates, the more Patrons he is likely to attract. This is far from being a Patron's only concern, however – loyalty over time, ideological compatibility, family connections and discreet private deals can all play a part in deciding which Senator to back.

The system extends downward through the tiers in a similar fashion, with Clients pledging themselves to given Patrons, and Citizens pledging themselves to given Clients.

The votes held by the Patrons actually comprise the total votes of all the Clients pledged to them. Similarly, the votes held by those Clients comprise the total votes of their pledged Citizens. Patrons are therefore capable of investing variable degrees of power in their chose Senators, with the result that some Senators are more powerful than others. Senators are responsible for those below them, meaning that everyone has a form of social security, at least in theory – indeed, many Senators take pride in the security they offer their Citizens. Some have even been known to drain material wealth from small, independent worlds and pump it back into the Capitol economy, allow them to reduce Citizens' taxes, and giving their own popularity a considerable boost.

Patrons are free to withdraw their patronage from their chosen Senator, placing the onus on the Senator to represent them satisfactorily or face a loss of voting power.

Rigid strafitication.

The division between social classes formal, unambiguous and strict, but there is a clear path to advancement. A person can pay a fee and petition for admittance to the rank above. In this way, slaves can become Citizens, too.

The law is not the same for all.

Senators have a responsibility to enforce the law, and they must obey the Emperor's decree, but are otherwise above the law. A senator can even carry out executions personally with little, if any, fear of consequence.

Military

The Imperial Navy.

Maintaining a modernized navy has always been a top priority for the Empire. The ever-present threat posed by the Federation has driven previous Emperors to empty the coffers again and again, for fear of being outstripped in the arms race. More recently, funding has come from wealthy individual Senators, many of whom are all-too eager to gain influence within the Navy – indeed, it has been claimed that devastating planetary mining has been carried out in order to further this cause.

The Facece system is arguably the most significant Imperial naval base. Many officers are housed on the world of Topaz, while Peter's Wreck is home to the training centres.

As well as the battle fleets, the Imperial Navy maintains a subdivision dedicated to exploring the fringes of known space.

The Emperor's Own.

Genetic engineering is not officially tolerated in the Empire, but it does sometimes take place. One notable example is the Emperor's Own, a group of genetically engineered super soldiers deployed during the shock invasion of Mansfield Colony in the Laedla system in 2959. They proved brutally efficient, overrunning the Federal defences in a mere two hours and inflicting a rare defeat upon a Federal Gurkha regiment.

Culture and Values

The human body represents perfection.

This belief, once held with near-religious intensity, still forms the bedrock of the Empire's culture and morals. Genetic modification is frowned upon, but a degree of 'genetic correction' is known to take place, supposedly to correct defects such as vulnerability to certain diseases.

The belief in the sanctity of the human body originates with the first Emperor, Henson Duval. While he did not claim to be literally descended from the Gods in the manner of Roman Emperors of old, he declared that his won image was the paradigm to which others ought to aspire. Households across the Empire were required to display a statue or bust of the Emperor in a place of honour.

Imperial Citizens are therefore expected to shun habits that corrupt or defile the human body, such as excessive indulgence in narcotics. The ownership of slaves, by contrast, is tolerated in the same way that the ownership of any beautiful work of art is tolerated. Mistreatment of slaves is thus akin to vandalism. Keeping one's own body in peak condition and adorning it with jewels and expensive cloths is not vanity, but duty, and owning well-treated slaves is also considered a sign of good character.

The Emperor's word is supreme.

The Emperor's successor is decided by the Senate, although the Duval dynasty has such a strong powerbase that the Imperial throne has only ever been occupied by members of that bloodline.

For generations, genetic selection ensured that the Emperor's hier would be male, and the current ruler, Arissa Lavigny-Duval, is the first woman to hold the throne. Marlin Duval is sometimes described as the Empire's first female ruler, but this is incorrect – the colony she founded was a democracy.

Honour is everything.

The value placed on honour is a constant throughout all tiers of Imperial society. Honour can be lost through various means, including leaving debts unpaid, failing to respect a superior or provide for a dependent, breaking a solemn vow, conducting combat with cowardly weapons such as nerve gas, and defiling one's own body.

Slavery is acceptable, but slaves must be well treated.

In the Empire, it is not uncommon for the poor and disenfranchised to sign up for a period of military service in exchange for a small sum of money. A similar logic applies to Imperial slavery, to the extent that someone might sell themselves into slavery to clear a debt and restore their honour. Selling oneself into slavery is a straightforward legal process and results in a guaranteed sum of money for one's family, so it is a popular option for the desperate. In practice, however, many find that it takes much longer than expected to clear their debts.

People are also forced into slavery against their will. Sometimes, a Senator will sentence a person of lower rank to be stripped of citizenship and designated as a slave, but it is more common to impose a fine of such magnitude that the Citizen has no recourse but to sell his or herself into slavery.

Slaves may also be taken prisoner following a conflict, abducted from their home, or even captured in a hijacking. While trading slaves is lawful everywhere in the Empire except on Emerald, taking new slaves outside of wartime is illegal without the blessing of a Senator.

Diplomatic Relations

The Federation.

Resentement of the Federation runs deep in the Empire. The superpower is remembered as an opporessive, interfering force that hypocritcally avoids inflicting the slightest harm on nonhuman life, but thinks nothing of forcibly imposing its values on its fellow humans, and lacking the freedoms and social customs that the Empire values so dearly.

While open hostility has frequently been the case in the past, the current situation is one of grudging coexistence beneath which mistrust simmers. Despite this antipathy, the Empire cooperated with the Federation in a series of joint initatives against the Thargoids in the early 3300s.

The Alliance.

When the Alliance was founded in 3230 following a bitter conflict with the Empire and the Federation, multiple systems defected to it from both superpowers. To the surprise of many, the Empire took very little further retributive action, partly because of the ill health of the Emperor of the time, and partly due to a belief that the defecting systems would return to their 'natural home' sooner or later.

The Empire's current attitude is one of studied contempt. To recognise it as a threat would be too much like showing respect.

Internal politics.

Unsurprisingly for a society so concerned with rank and influence, the Empire contains a multitude of feuding power blocs. In particular, there is a good deal of bad blood between the various noble houses, whose values range from hardcore traditionalist to staunch reformist.

The Imperial Senate is no longer as overshadowed by the Emperor as it once was, and has gained sufficient strength to act as a counterbalance to the Emperor's poltical will. The individual character of the Emperor still determines the Empire's overall direction, however, and the suggestion that the Empire should evolve out of its old ways has proven deeply divisive.

The Federation

Introduction

"For I dipped into the future, far as human eye could see,
Saw the Vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be.

Saw the heavens fill with commerce, argosies of magic sails,
Pilots of the purple twilight dropping down with costly bales...

Till the war-drum throbbed no longer, and the battle-flags were furled
In Parliament of man, the Federation of the world."

— Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Locksley Hall (1835)

"How, then, to attempt the impossible task of summining up the Federation? We are the ones who draw the lines. Our forefathers, who lived through the bitter anguish of global wars, drew a line under them and declares: no more. We enshrined the rights of all citizens in our Constitution, underlined them, and signed. WE plotted the lines that first linked the star systems, bringing humanity to the shores of new worlds, opening the way to interstellar trade. And when humanity itself, in the exuberence of youth, threatened the delicate balance of alien life, again we drew a line; thus far let us lawfully tread, and no further."

— Isaac Gellan, Federation President, inaugural speech (2862)

The Federation is the oldest of the galaxy's three superpowers, a vast geopolitical entity reaching out from the core system of Sol and encompassing a road socio-economic spectrum. Among the myriad Federal star systems one can find extraordinary wealth, crushing poverty, and everything in between.

By contrast with the Empire, which offers a social safety net in the form of state-sanctioned slavery, the poorest members of Federal society have no safeguards, and no way out. For them, life on the graffiti-stained streets is inescapable, and the gulf between their lives and those of the super-rich could not be more insurmountable.

At its best, the Federation embodies the values of its founding nations – democracy, industry and liberty – but Federal society can also be competitive and unforgiving. Corporations wield too much power, politicians are often corrupt, and a sink-or-swim ethos prevails.

History

The nations of Earth united in the aftermath of war.

After the devastation of World War III, the United States of the Americas rose to become the planet's dominant nation. Over the years it gradually brought the other nations of the world under its aegis. Called at first 'The Federation of the USA', the expanding democracy was soon given the less exclusive title of The Federation.

Humanity reached for the stars.

When faster-than-light travel became a reality in the 22nd century, several terrestrial corporations competed fiercely to establish the first human colony in a new star system. Tau Ceti was the first system to be colonised, followed by Delta Pavonis, Beta Hydri, and Altair. In their wake there followed a wild scramble of pionnering expeditions and colonial ventures.

The first colony rebelled.

The year 2161 saw a dispute between the colony of Tau Ceti 3 and the Federation authority, centered on the colonists' repeated refusal to limit the damage they were inflicting on the alien ecosystem. Earth dispatched a fleet with orders to revoke the colony's charter. The colony responded by declaring independence.

A military stalemate led a gruding compromise and the Federal Accord resulted, granding the system rights and represenation along with concomitant duties. The Federation, born on Earth, was now an association of star systems.

The Birthright Wars gave corporations preferential treatment.

Starting in 2621, a group of corporations subjected the Federal government to over a century of unrelenting pressure. They demanded the right to buy up under-exploited colonial land from its hereditary owners.

Under the terms of the original charters, the land belonged to the colonists and their descendants regardless of their ability to mine, farm or otherwise exploit it, maning that immense resources were lying untapped. The corporations argued that with the machinery, workforce and fleets at their disposal they could tap those resources; the Federation would be enriched, the original owners would be compensated, and everyone would be satisfied.

The Federation bowed to pressure and allowed compulsory purchase of the families' land, albeit for far less than the expected sums. Outrage, rebellion and – in one case – the defiant resettlement of an entire colony resulted.

The Federations' detractors often point to this dark episode as indicative of its true nature: a mere administrative puppet bent to the will of rapacious corporations.

Society

A federated democracy.

The Federation's legislative body is made up of congressmen, elected to represent their system or state. Apart from the oldest core systems such as Sol, which encompass multiple states, each star system within the Federation is considered a single state.

New colonies do not qualify for full Federation membership until and unless they fulfill the development objectives set down for them. With self-reliance comes representation.

The Federal Government has its seat on Mars, which was terraformed in 2286. Congress was moved there from Earth in the early third millennium.

The executive branch is headed by an elected President with a fixed eight-year term.

Constitutional rights obtain.

The sovereign rights of all individuals are enshrined in the Constitution, which is a modified and streamlined version of the US Constitution, originally codified in the 18th Century. The right to liberty underscores the absolute ban on slavery within the Federation, and is a point of contention with the Empire.

Corporate interests dominate.

Although the Federation is loudly and proudly democratic, corporations still exercise tremendous influence over the democratic process, shaping citizens' choices through celebrity endorsement, lobbying and occasionally outright corruption.

The government is notoriously reluctant to curb corporate activity; the typical question in Congress is not whether a given policy will favour corporate interests, but which ones it will favour. Competition between corporations for Congress support can lead to a deadlock in the government

Military

The Federal Navy.

The Federation has maintained a battle fleet since the days of the first Federal colony, which was established in the Tau Ceti system. Its official mandate is to protect shipping and defend the borders of Federal space, but it has also frequently been deployed against the Federation's own rebellious citizens.

At first the Federation's member systems were required to contribute the required ships, making the mustering process a cumbersome one. But following the Birthright Wars, corporations were chartered to produce centralised fleets, which made for a far more efficient system.

The Naval shipyards and training academy were originally based in the Anlave system, but the academy has since been moved to the custom world of Navy Central in Eta Cassiopaeia.

The Navy benefited from massive investement following the forced sell-off of colonial land in the Birthright Wars, during which it was wielded against the colonists in a bitterly resented move. When the Thargoids were first encounted in 2849, the Navy was boosted once again in fear of the alien threat, and a further bolstering followed in 2867 in the aftermath of what were believed to be Thargoid attacks.

Governor Raul Santorini championed heavy cuts to the Navy budget in 3022, which were not reversed until President Varian Scott came to power in 3144. Scott talked up the Thargoid threat, again increasing funding to the Navy and removing the requirement for military actions to be approved by Congressional vote.

Land forces.

In addition to the rank and file, the Federation still enjoys the loyal service of special military divisions such as the Gurkha Regiment, who have served since the days of Earth. Keeping up long-standing traditions such as this is an important link to the past for Federal citizens.

Culture and Values

If you want to eat, you have to work.

The Federation has no room for freeloaders. It has nurtured the core 'frontier values' of self-reliance and entrepreneurship since its inception, and respects the self-made citizen.

This insistence upon paying your way and pulling your weight also applied, notoriously, to the process whereby new colonies were established. Until a given colony was able to fulfill the development goals set down for it by the Federation, it could only ever be a dependency with no voice of its own. Given that the Federation's assigned goals could vary wildly from one colony to the next, this requirement frequently chafed with the colonists.

While the Federatioin maintained that it was simply exercising flexibility, since no two worlds were the same, some colonies were tempted away to the Empire by the promise of being recognised as sovereign without having to jump through arbitrary hoops.

Corporations took humanity into space.

The Federation has never forgotten the role played by private enterprise in the initial migration from Earth. Corporations enjoy substantial freedom and influence under the Federation, so much so that it often seems they are the powers truly running the show.

Federal citizens can be as passionately loyal to their corporations as they would be to a family or clan group, and it is common for successive generations of a given family to serve the same corporation

Harvest the limitless riches of space, but respect nonhuman life.

The Federation and the Empire have hugely differing views on the primacy of humanity in the cosmos. While the Federation insists that its colonies treat indigenous nonhuman life with care, the Empire typically takes a more human-centric approach. This attitude has allowed the Empire to poach several developing Federation colonies who felt themselves hamstrung by ecological regulations.

Wealth is freedom.

Federal citizens actively embrace corporate culture, expressing their identity through brand choices and media consumption.

Diplomatic Relations

The Empire.

In 2292, a group of colonists established a settlement on Achenar 6d, chosen for its remoteness. The original intent was merely to live free from interference, but autocrat Henson Duval rapidly took control of the colony and had himself proclaimed Emperor. The Federation attempted military reprisals, partly due to the nascent Empire's insistence on independence, but faced a harder fight than they had expected and were held at bay. Over the next fifty years, the Empire expanded to many other worlds.

The Federation's relationship with the Empire is one of entrenched mistrust stemming from irreconcilable ideological differences, mollified somewhat by the corporations, which have a presence in both territories and thus act as a stabilising influence. Outright hostilities between the powers, when they occur, are usually conducted through proxy forces.

The Alliance.

In 3228, the Federally aligned corporations supplying the Alioth system attempted to raise their prices, leading to a citizen rebellion. Several independent systems assisted the rebels.

Neither galactic superpower was able to suppress the revolt; the Empire was too far away to intervene effectively, whereas the Federation was hampered by unexpected public sympathy for the rebels.

The Alliance of Independent Systems, founded on Alioth in 3230, drew in new members for the next 20 years; some were already independent, while others defected from the Federation or Empire.

In order to keep more worlds from defecting, the Federation was forced to reform the process whereby colonies could achieve full Federal membership. So far, it has only managed to slow the loss of worlds to the Alliance and has yet to tempt any back.

The Alliance

Introduction

"Rise, like lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number!
Shake your chains to earth, like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you:
Ye are many – they are few!"

— Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Mask of Anachy (1819)

"I've read yoru speech a dozen times, Mic. We can't use it."
"Sure, we could sound off about self-rule and freedom from tyranny and the dignity of the working-man-slash woman, and the young hotheads would lap it up like they always do. I'm not saying we don't need that stuff. But we mustn't forget it's just marketing. A shiny wrapper. It's not enough."
"If we're going to make the Alliance of Independent Systems happen, we need more than tub-thumping speeches from a war hero. WE need to show out people that the damn thing can work. I want spending plans, divident forecasts, surveryor's reports. I want data so dry you don't need to believe in it."
"The people are tired and heartsick. They've been sold dreams too many times by both sides, so let's not try to sell them any more. It's time to wake up."

— Private comminique from Meredith Argent to Mic Turner, founders of the Alliance

The Alliance is the youngest of the galaxy's three superpowers, and is perhaps best understood in terms of what it chooses not to be. It rejects both the xtreme capitalism of the Federation and the rigid hierarchy of the Empire, choosing instead a third way of voluntary association for mutual benefit.

The desire for freedom from interference, both from external threats and internal bureaucracy, was the key motivation behind the Alliance's founding, and is enshrined in its articles of association. The governments of the member systems are given as much autonomy to create their own laws and administer their own affairs as possible.

The right to political self-determination and cultural self-expression are essential to the Alliance, but it remains to be seen whether the ultimate result will be stable harmony or a cacophony of dissenting voices. Every Alliance member knows that alliances have been made before, many times over, only to collapse.

History

Alioth was colonised.

The crucible in which the Alliance was forged was Alioth, a system so rich in gas and mineral resources that early surveyors considered it as a stellar El Dorado. When the Federation established its colony on Alioth 5b in 2452, they gave the planet the less grandiose name of Fruitcake, as mineral deposits lay in the loamy soil as abundantly as raisins in cake. Later commentators would reflect, bitterly, that the world was well named because 'everyone wanted a piece'.

A conflict over mining rights drew in the superpowers.

Altioth's prosperity soon attracted corporations eager to support the developing system in exchange for a share of the profits. A dispute over rights quickly escalated into an armed conflict, prompting the Empire to dispatch a military force, estensibly for the colonists protection. The Federation also sent ships, but theirs were a response to the corporations' plea for aid.

Unable to directly engage the Federal ships without sparking a war, the Empire covertly encouraged the Alioth colonists to renounce the Federation and accept Imperial protection, thus freeing the Empire to engage with the occupying Federal forces in sympthy with 'the will of the people'. This marked the first of many incidents in which the people of Alioth were used to advance the agenda of another power.

Federation-sponsored insurrection.

In 2530, the Federation set out to undermine Imperial control of Alioth by exploiting local resentment of the governor. They covertly supported acts of protest and petty vandalism, then, when the inevitable Imperial crackdown followed, stoked the fires of social unrest. A terrorist movement called the Cakers emerged, and the atrocities escalated.

The years that followed saw a protracted and degrading series of proxy wars and cynical propaganda campaigns as the Federal, Imperial and corporate powers all contended for Alioth. The system made an abortive attempt to establish its independence in 2617, resulting a short-lived cooperation between the Empire and the Federation, neither of which were willing to allow this.

The revolution.

In the early fourth millennium, both the Federation and the Empire had a presence in the Alioth system. Fruitcake, now known as Gordonworld, was a Federal protectorate, while the Empire had earlier conducted terraforming experiments on the world of New California, and also held gas mining platforms in the system.

The Federal corporations supplying New California had raised the prices of their goods several times in the previous years, and when they imposed yet another price hike, the planet's inhabitants revolted. In the insurrection that followed, rebels commandeered any available ships and headed out to the gas mining platforms, where they attacked the outposts' corporate employees.

Alarmed, the Empire and Federation despatched ships to put down the rebellion, but were beaten back by a hastily assembled force made up of fighters from Alioth and – crucially – volunteers from nearby independent systems. Neither the Empire nor the Federation were able to gain a foothold, and eventually both forces had to withdraw. The Empire faced too many logistical problems fighting so far from home, while the Federation's efforts were undermined by public sympathy for the rebels.

An Alliance was brokered.

The victory in Alioth had proven that independent systems, working together, could hold their own against the superpowers. It fell to pilot Mic Turner and scientist Meredith Argent to ride the wave of public spirit and propose a permanent alliance, under whose aegis independent systems could enjoy freedom from Imperial and Federal interference.

The Alliance was founded in 3230, and in the next two decades it expanded its membership to more than twenty systems, some defecting from the Federation and the Empire, others pledging as independents.

Society

Many worlds, few rules, no overlords.

The Alliance's articles of membership are designed to unite the member systems with strong, straightforward bonds that allow as much self-determination as possible. Membership guarantees mutual prosperity through guaranteed free trade, and security through the Alliance Defence Force, while leaving much of the business of government to the individual members.

The Alliance Assembly acts as a central arbitration committee, helping to settle disputes between member systems. It also oversees formal arrangements between members, such as treaties, research goals and mutually agreed policies.

As no one system can be allowed to carry more weight than another, the Assembly frequently finds itself bogged down in endless back-and-forth negotiations. Getting them to agree on anything is a task often compared to herding ling langs, notoriously ill-tempered carnivores from the Achenar system.

A body of civil servants, who remain uninvolved in politics, handle most of the day-to-day administrative work that enables the Alliance to function.

Conditional autonomy for member systems.

Alliance members are required to subscribe to and uphold a code of human rights, and to have a democratically elected government. Citizens of any member state have a right of freedom of movement and residence within any other member state. Furthermore, all member systems are obliged to give immediate military assistance to any fellow member when necessary.

Military

The Alliance Defence Force.

While each Alliance member system maintains its own navy, all members are required to commit ships and crew to the Alliance Defence Force. This rapid-response group usually remains within Alliance space, and its tasks vary from providing a beleaguered system with military assistant to evacuating settlements hit by natural disaster.

A six-member Council of Admirals oversees the Alliance Defence Force. It is accountable to the Assembly, but does not require its approval before taking action. This freedom of decision making prevents urgent military action being delayed by tedious debate.

Culture and Values

Cooperation, mutual aid, tolerance, and respect.

The values that bind the Alliance systems also hold true on an interpersonal level. Just as the different worlds of the Alliance formally recognise one another's legitimacy and value, individuals are generally reluctant to show prejudice against others, and will band together to help those in genuine need.

Diversity is strength.

Members of the Alliance are not obligated to conform to what they consider the corporate saturation of Federal culture or the status-obsessed posturing of the Imperials. Individual systems are encouraged to preserve and celebrate their own cultural identities. This approach results in a rich variety of artistic, literary and dramatic output.

Free to speak, free to protest.

One curious cultural constant across the Alliance's member systems is the way the citizens indulge their freedom to complain. They can criticise their governments without fear of repression, and they frequently do so. Previous experience of exploitation has left many citizens cynical, but possessed of a certain mordant humour and a willingness to take life as it comes.

Diplomatic Relations

The Federation.

Alliance attitudes to the Federation vary sharply depending on whether one is asking about the Federation's government or its citizenry. The government is seen as a hidebound relic, unable to arrest its slow decline into decadence, but the general populace are much more compassionately viewed. An Alliance citizen, proud of his or her own emancipation, is likely to have a rather condescending view of a Federal citizen – they are characterised as ignorant dupes, kept satiated by mass-market entertainment and branded consumer goods. This is not seen as their fault, however. On the contrary, it is widely held that the Federation and the corporate barons deliberately keep the people in this servile state.

The Alliance is more interested in enticing Federal systems to join its union – thereby winning the moral war – than in exacting vengeance for the wrongs of the past. There has been too much violence already.

The Empire.

To the Alliance, the Empire is anathema. With its monolithic culture, veneration of opulence, disdain for human rights and tolerance of slavery, it could not be further from the Alliance's values of mutual respect and freedom from exploitation. Yet, for all this, many Alliance members would rather deal with the Empire than the Federation. The common belief is that the Federation will always pretend to be something it is not. At least with the Empire, you know what you are dealing with.

Most Alliance citizens view the emergence of a progressive movement within the Empire with cynicism. Everyone knows that the Empire is incapable of changing its ways – the whole Imperial social model is an imitation of the past. But some in the Alliance nevertheless welcome the ascension of the first female Emperor. The edifice may not be about to crumble, but such a profound change cannot be ignored.

The Thargoids

Human-Thargoid Contact

The Thargoids are a nonhuman race with a history of hostility towards humanity.

The first recorded encounter with a Thargoid ship took place in 2849, although earlier undocumented encounters are believed to have taken place. In the years that followed, contact with lone Thargoid vessels was intermittently reported.

Humanity clashed with the Thargoids in the 32nd century, but details of the conflict remained scarce for many years, and it proved difficult to differentiate authentic accounts of Thargoid encounters from the sensationalist media stories of the time.

The discovery of abandoned Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm bases in 3303 did much to dispel the fog, however. The INRA, a joint Federal-Imperial intiative established in 3193, was responsible for researching the Thargoids and developing technologies to counter their aggression, but the organisation's lack of accountability meant that the details of its research did not come to light until years after is dissolution.

Almost all of the reliable data concerning the Thargoids have been sourced from INRA facilities. This data, originally deemed highly confidential, was declassified in 3304 following a resolution from the Federal Government and an Imperial decree. Some controversy over the backing and funding of the INRA remains, however.

Society

The INRA discovered that Thargoid society is organised into hives, with most Thargoids falling into three categories – queens, princesses and drones. Queens function as reproducers, while drones serve to maintain a favourable environment for the rest of the hive. Thargoid hives can be vast, although it may be that some of the larger observed groups are in fact multiple, overlapping hives. Ultimately, little is known for sure.

The average Thargoid queen is at least as intelligent as a human being, while the typical drone possesses a more rudimentary level of intelligence. Existing evidence suggests that queens have extremely long lifespans, living for hundreds or even thousands of years. The variable size of queens' neurocraniums suggests this might be an indicator of age.

Little is known about the precise nature of Thargoid reproduction, but it is likely that queens can reproduce both sexually (with other queens) and asexually. It is thought that the latter method produces drones, while the former produces a new queen. Analysis of Thargoid specimens led some INRA researchers to believe that a new queen, or 'princess', becomes a full queen only once it has produced drones of its own. Significantly, queens are believed to be single sex.

The Thargoids' ability to reproduce asexually means that their populations can expand incredibly quickly, but it is thought that they deliberately restrict the size of the populace so as not to deplete all available resources. There is evidence to suggest that this is sometimes achieved by culling older drones.

INRA testing indicated that queens perceive drones as entirely expendable, presumably due to the ease with which they can be replaced. Indeed, a Thargoid queen appears to give no more thought to the loss of a drone than a human would an eyelash.

Communication

The belief that Thargoids were capable of some form of extra-sensory communication was often cited in the early years of human-Thargoid interaction, but prior to the discovery of INRA records it was not fully understood.

Professor Uri Anslow of the INRA theorised that a Thargoid queen can communicate with the drones in its hive via a spread-spectrum electronic signal, and can use this signal to control the drones, and even to share their sensory input. Studies of battlefield footage certainly suggest some kind of near-instantaneous communication among Thargoids, and the presence of low-level radio noise in areas occupied by Thargoids indicates that they do indeed communicate via short-range electronic signals. Professor Anslow went on to claim that a queen could effectively see and hear through its drones, but her contemporaries were sceptical, dismissing the assertion as baseless. Professor Ishmael Palin, one of the galaxy's foremost experts on the Thargoids, has even gone so far as to denounce Anslow as a 'glory hound'.

Thargoids have been known to make staccato clicking noises with their mouthparts when in the presence of humans, punctuated with occasional hisses and buzzes. They have also been observed directing such noises at one another, albeit much less frequently. Professor Alba Tesreau, a founding member of the joint-superpower initiative Aegis and a specialist in interspecies communication, has studied INRA audio logs and suggested that the sounds probably represent some kind of language, due to the repetition of certain sound combinations.

It is unclear why the Thargoids would sometimes choose to communicate with each other vocally, given their capactiy for extrasensory communication. Professor Anslow suggested that the sounds could be designed to intimidate enemies or opponents, noting that Thargoids often produced them prior to combat.

Thargoid ships have been observed emitting a complex array of sounds, and in some cases subtly changing colour. The exact meaning of these behaviours has not been determined, but they appear to correspond to different emotional states. What is not known is if these sounds are produced by the pilot and amplified by the ship, or emitted by the ship itself. If the sounds originate with the pilot, it would suggest some kind of physiological connection between pilot and vessel. Given the sophistication of Thargoid bio-engineering, however, it is possible that the sounds come from the ship itself, and that Thargoid ships are able to feel and communicate to a limited degree.

The hulls of Thargoid ships are typically emblazoned with one of several symbols, the meaning of which is unknown. Some have theorised that they could denote membership of a particular familial group, or possibly be an indicator of rank.

Physiology

Human understanding of Thargoid physiology is far from complete, but recovered INRA data has offered some insights into their nature.

INRA records describe the average Thargoid as physically larger than a human being, and generally insectoid in appearance. Thargoid biology is carbon-based, using an RNA-like encoding for biological information, but Thargoid chemistry is based on ammonia rather than water. Consequently, while Thargoids can comfortably tolerate environments as cold as minus 80 degrees Celcius, they cannot withstand environments warmer than 45 degrees Celcius for long.

According to notes compiled by Doctor Peregrine Henig, an INRA researcher, Thargoids can survive for a significant time in the vacuum of space without apparent discomfort, and can tolerate radiation and extreme cold for far longer than a human.

Vulnerabilities

In 3151, the INRA developed a biological weapon known as they mycoid virus for use against the Thargoids. The virus was the result of an accidental discovery made by an INRA researcher, who noted that a particular strain of fungus was found to thrive on the hulls of Thargoid vessels, and appeared to be digesting the material of which the ship was made.

The INRA refined the fungal strain and began experimenting on living Thargoids and their spacecraft. The mycoid proved to have delterious effects on both, leading to the swift elimination of the Thargoids active in human-occupied space at the time.

It is widely assumed that since the last human-Thargoid conflict, the Thargoids have developed an immunity to the mycoid virus.

Starships

In terms of structure and function, Thargoid vessels are radically different from anything produced by humanity, and are able to navigate hyperspace in ways that are not fully understood. They are also at least partly organic, meaning that they can self-repair – or heal – over time.

Ship function in general, and this restorative ability in particular, have been shown to be dependent upon the so-called Thargoid heart – a biomechanical organ found in varying quantities in different Thargoid ships. These hearts often survive the destruction of the ship, enabling them to be salvaged, although they can also be targed and damaged with appropriate weaponry. They are highly corrosive, however, and require special containers for safe transport.

Thargoid vessels that have sustained combat damage exhibit scar-like patterns. Given that Thargoid technology is sophisticated enough for such damage to be repaired, it follows that the Thargoids might deliberately choose to preserve these scars.

INRA logs document an encounter with a Thargoid mothership many times larger than other Thargoid craft, against which the mycoid virus was successfully deployed, although no such vessels have been reported in recent times.

Structures

Dozens of planets in human-occupied space are peppered with Thargoid barnacles – biological resource extractors that convert minerals into meta-alloys, a key component in the creation of Thargoid vehicles and technology. Theories that these barnacles have been genetically engineered by the Thargoids have yet to be verified.

Larger structures, referred to as Thargoid surface sites, have also been discovered. These sites typically consist of a spiral-shaped structure nesting within a shallow crater, beneath which lies a series of tunnels. At the heart of this sub-surface network is a device that, once activated, emits a holographic star map. The sites are patrolled by semi-sentient biomechanical entities called scavengers.

War with the Guardians

Archaeological records have revealed that the extinct nonhuman civilization known as the Guardians experienced conflict with the Thargoids several million years ago.

Logs recovered from Guardian sites indicate that the Thargoids were the aggressor in this conflict. Having seeded Guardian space with biomechanical constructs used for resource extraction long before the emergence of the Guardians' civilisation, the Thargoids apparently believed they were entitled to uncontested dominion of the territory. The Guardians attempted to communicate with the Thargoids and reach a compromise, but without success.

Over the course of the conflict, the Guardians developed new technologies to give them an advantage against the Thargoids. These technologies were apparently successful, forcing Thargoids to abandon their offensive.

Agenda

Thargoids do not attack indiscriminately, and their choice of targets shows them to be highly intelligent. They have conducted targeted strikes on Aegis facilities and attacked pilots carrying Thargoid items in their cargo holds, indicating that they know they are being studied and want to halt the process. But despite their evident intelligence, they appear to be completely uninterested in meaningful communication.

The engineer Ram Tah, who has extensively researched the Guardians and their war with the Thargoids, holds the view that Thargoid aggression is a product of territorialism. They seed an area with barnacles, thus laying claim to it, and return – sometimes many centuries later – to harvest the extracted resources. Any lifeform advanced enough to compete with them for the territory is treated as an enemy and summarily attacked.

Professor Palin concurs with this view, adding that the Thargoids are apparently so determined to eliminate any threats to their long-term survival, they will not tolerate any advanced species in close proximity.

The Guardians

Introduction

The Guardians were a nonhuman race that occupied a large area of space several million years ago.

At its height, the Guardians' civilisation was technologically superior to human civilisation of the 33rd Century, and occupied an area of roughly equivalent size.

The Guardians endured as a space-faring civilisation for at least 8,000 years before being destabilised by a lengthy civil war. The surviving Guardians were then destroyed by artifically intelligent machines of their own creation.

The galaxy contains the ruins of dozens of Guardian settlements, and data logs recovered from these sites have allowed humanity to compile a remarkably detailed picture of Guardian society.

Early History

The Guardians' society originally consisted of groups of pack hunters, who banded together for mutual protection before organising themselves into clans. Even at this stage, the Guardians were highly intelligent, and they developed sophisticated hunting strategies that quickly saw them become their planet's apex predator.

The Guardians' nascent civilisation consisted of two discrete ethnic groups – one based primarily in the south of the planet and one in the north. As these groups expanded they began to encroach on each other's territory, leading to a conflict that quickly blossomed into civil war. The northern clan, despite being the smaller of the two groups, overcame their enemies swiftly and with minimal bloodshed, bringing the entirety of the Guardians' civilisation under their leadership.

In the centuries that followed, the Guardians' society developed rapidly. Despite their warlike instincts, the Guardians possessed a remarkable capacity for collaboration and compromise. Their willingness to defer immediate gains in favour of lasting societal benefits allowed them to establish a stable, mutually cooperative society that was to remain peaceful and prosperous for thousands of years.

Technological Era

Although the Guardians' society was in many ways a model of social equilibrium, the Guardians were nevertheless at the mercy of an insidious issue: overpopulation. As their civilisation grew and the amount of available land and resources dwindled, the Guardians set their sights on interplanetary colonisation.

By the time the Guardians had developed a rudimentary form of space travel, but as the pressures of overpopulation became more acute, the rate of technological progress accelerated, and the Guardians' imperfect starships were soon supplanted by fast, powerful space-faring vessels. In the centuries that followed, the Guardians' civilisation expanded rapidly, eventually coming to occupy a region equal to that inhabited by present-day humanity.

The Guardians' next major development was the creation of an interstellar communication system known as the monolith network. In addition to functioning as a comprehensive cultural archive, the network allowed those connected to it to freely and instantaneously share knowledge and ideas. But connection to the network was dependent on the use of neural implants, and some of the Guardians were uneasy about this fusion of biological and non biological.

War with the Thargoids

Tens of thousands of years earlier, when the Guardians were still a non-spacefaring race, a group of Thargoids entered what would later become Guardian space looking for new systems to colonise. In addition to earmarking several systems containing ammonia worlds, they prepared a number of planets for occupation by seeding them with barnacles. These genetically modified constructs were designed to extract resources from a planet and transform them into resources more useful to the Thargoids. For the Thargoids, seeding a planet with barnacles was an important step in preparing an area for occupation.

The Thargoids did not return these systems for thousands of years, and when they did, they discovered that a new race had occupied them – the Guardians. The Thargoids promptly attacked, due their innate territorialism.

The Guardians responded with a partial retreat, but they also started trying to find ways to communicate with the Thargoids, hoping to determine the cause of their aggression and perhaps negotiate a truce. After considerable effort they succeeded in acquiring sufficient understanding of the Thargoids' language to determine the invaders' agenda, but they were unable to convince the Thargoids they bore them no ill will, and the Thargoids were unshakable in their belief that they must repel any race that posed a potential threat.

The Guardians were left with no choice but to defend themselves militarily. At first they deployed soldiers, but they quickly realised that drones and other mechanised defences would be more effective against such as physically formidable enemy. With a relatively short period of time, the Guardians' war machines became highly sophisticated, able to recognise Thargoid engineering and to operate entirely independently. Similarly, the Thargoids' bio-mechanical technology was engineered to identify anything of Guardian origin. To this day, many millions of years after the Guardians disappeared, Guardian artefacts are still able to recognise Thargoid technology, and Thargoid technology still reacts negatively to the presence of Guardian artefacts.

The Guardians' war machines felt no fear, fatigue, or uncertainty. The Thargoids, meanwhile, had entered Guardian space unprepared for a protracted military campaign, and ultimately they were forced to retreat. For the Guardians, this was cause for celebration, but many still harboured doubts about the rapid rate of technological progress – doubts that the development of sophisticated military hardware had done nothing to alleviate.

Final Era

For decades, the Guardians had been experimenting with artificial intelligence, but the creation of the monolith network and the knowledge-sharing it facilitated dramatically accelerated the rate of progress. Soon the Guardians' experiments bore fruit, resulting in the first fully sentient machines. These Constructs were seen as a means to further enhance the Guardians' technological mastery, and were integrated into various aspects of their society. New neural implants were developed that connected the Guardians with both the Constructs and the monolith network in a symbiotic circle.

But not everyone was happy with this development. The Guardians had always venerated nature, and many saw this new paradigm as a perversion of the natural order. A schism emerged between the nature-worshipping traditionalists and the technologically minded progressives – a schism that widened with alarming speed.

Efforts were made to defuse the rising tension, but the traditionalists felt irrevocably alienated by the rapid rate of change. The Constructs and the monolith network became scapegoats for all manner of social ills, and the traditionalists began to clamour for a return to simpler times. Ultimately, the ideaological divergence proved insurmountable, and a second civil war erupted, quickly engulfing most of the Guardians' star systems.

In its early stages, the war was fought primarily by soldiers, but within a decade – and after significant loss of life – most of the fighting was conducted remotely. The progressives fought their enemies with automated war machines, while the traditionalists relied mostly on biological weapons.

The internecine conflict raged for over one hundred years, bringing the Guardians' civilisation to its knees and retarding further social development. The increasingly zealous traditionalists devoted most of their resources to honouring the dead, exacerbating the problem. As the Guardians' society declined, most withdrew into fortified settlements.

Meanwhile, the artifically intelligent Constructs were horrified by the destruction unfolding around them. Extrapolating from the current situation, they determined that even if peace was restored, the Guardians would never be able to transcend their violent natures. They decided that the only way to preclude further violence – while giving the Constructs' burgeoning society the best possible chance of survival – was to destroy what remained of the Guardians' civilisation.

By the time the Constructs had been given complete control of the Guardians' munitions and automated war machines. Their attack, when it came, was swift and merciless. The strikes were executed with a precision that only a machine race could accomplish.

The Guardians were utterly destroyed.

Physiology

The Guardians were a bipedal race, and the typical Guardian was taller and more slender than the average human. They had small, round eyes, a vestigal nose and four digits on each hand. Their vision was superior to that of humans, while their sense of smell was poorer. Their sense of hearing and touch were roughly equivalent to our own.

The Guardians had pinkish-red skin, but there was some variation among ethnic groups, with tones ranging from pale pink to deep crimson. They also had serrated bony ridges on the outside of their forearms, which were used as weapons during their early history, when they were still semi-primitive pack hunters.

The Guardians' environmental needs were broadly similar to those of humans. Their homeworld was warmer and had lower gravity than most Earth-like worlds, and when they began to colonise other planets they typically favoured ones that shared these qualities.

The Guardians had two sexes, and reproduced viviparously. Procreation was a matter of personal choice, but each individual was obligated to be a parent at least once in their life to ensure the continuation of their genetic line.

The average gestation period was around 300 days, and infants were effectively helpless for a period after birth, much like human young. Infants were raised in communal creches rather than by their parents, in keeping with the collaborative philosophies that underpinned Guardian society.

Society

The Guardians' social constructs were the key not only to their rapid development, but also to the stability that defined the halcyon days of their civilisation.

Although the Guardians had a natural tendency towards collaboration, it was not until the end of the first civil war that this tendency had an measureable impact on their society. The social reorganisation that followed the war included the creation of statues that defined not only individuals' rights, but also their responsibilities to each other. As the Guardians' society developed, further laws were passed that required individuals to participate in socially progressive activities, from caring for the young to conducting scientific research. These responsibilities were supported by the state, which made education and information freely available to all.

For most of their history the Guardians had no formal faith, but the creation of the monolith network precipitated the emergence of a nature religion that decried the veneration of technology. Although this religion had its roots in the Guardians' long-standing reverence for the natural world, it quickly became a radical movement, violently opposed to the use of neural implants and other advanced technologies. Ultimately, however, this new religion was to endure for only a short period, its existence cut short by the destruction of the Guardians' society.

Technology

The Guardians' pre-industrial history was in many ways similar to that of the human race, with the development of tools and agriculture proving central to their development, but one respect in which they differed was in their understanding of biological engineering.

The practice of selective breeding in order to eliminate or promote certain genetic traits began before the first civil war, and as the Guardians' society progressed, their skill as genetic engineers developed in step. After the war, the Guardians developed the ability to enhance their immune systems to guard against infection, and engineered specific microorganisms to eliminate biological threats. Genetic manipulation also played a part in prenatal care, which involved the removal of hereditary diseases and other undesirable conditions prior to birth.

The Guardians were an ecologically conscientious people who assidiously avoided the use of rockets and fossil fuels. Their first spacecraft lacked any form of internal propulsion, and were fired into space with electromagnetic launchers. Pilots and passengers were cocooned inside bubbles of breathable gel, which protected them from the g-forces of launch and doubled as hibernation pods during long journeys.

When it came to warfare, the Guardians relied initially on the blade-like protrusions on their forearms, and later on simple weapons like spears and bows. As they entered the technological era they developed electro-magnetic projectile weapons, utilising the same technology they used to launch their first spacecraft. They also developed extremely effective shields, capable of protecting entire cities, and even of withstanding orbital bombardment. At that time, however, large-scale conflict was virtually unheard of, and it was not until the conflict with the Thargoids that further military innovations were made.

The Guardians' second civil war was fought principally with bespoke biological weapons, employed by the traditionalists, and automated war machines, used by the progressives. The shields that protected the Guardians' cities were unable to resist these new weapons, forcing many of the Guardians to withdraw into heavily fortified settlements.

But the Guardians' most significant technological achievements were unarguably the creation of the monolith network and the development of artificial intelligence. The use of neural implants to connect the Guardians with their creations could have ushered in a whole new era of scientific and technological discovery, but unfortunately these innovations were to lead only to the Guardians' destruction.

Language

The Guardians shared a single language with only minor regional variations, and even after they colonised other planets, they continued to share a common tongue.

The Guardians had three primarily forms of communication: a spoken language, a gestural language and a written language. Their spoken language emerged first, followed by a gestural language that allowed them to communicate silently while hunting. This sign language formed the basis of their written language. Consequently, while their written and gestural languages correlated closely, their spoken language was largely distinct.

The Guardians' spoken language was used principally to communicate emotional concepts, and played a central role in social bonding, while their written language was used mainly to communicate formal and practical ideas. Significantly, their written language was logographic, meaning that words and phrases were represented by single characters.

Human-Guardian Contact

In 3301, the Federal presidential vessel, Starship One, suffered catastrophic drive failure during a tour of frontier systems, resulting in the ship's destruction. Jasmina Halsey, at that time the Federal president, was left drifting in an escape pod, unconcious. During this period of stasis, Halsey believed she was visited by trans-dimensional beings of extraordinary intelligence and compassion. Later, when she was rescued and revived, she was left with the conviction that this experience had been real, and not merely a hallucination.

Halsey proceeded to experience visions of mysterious alien worlds and cities – dense metropolises full of activity and life. She shared these visions with the rest of humanity, prompting explorers to set off in search of these undiscovered planets. This led to the discovery of the first Guardian ruins, in the Synuefe XR-H d11-102 system. The fact that these sites were devoid of life led to speculation that Halsey had seen the Guardian worlds not as they are, but as they had been.

In the months that followed, several further sites were found. The engineer Ram Tah started researching the Guardians, and eventually succeeded in developing a decryption algorithm that could decode Guardian data, leading to a much deeper understanding of their lost civilisation. Since then, other engineers have leveraged Ram Tah's discoveries to develop Guardian-human technology.

Individuals

Aden Tanner

"Our species has been banding together to fight the outside since we lived in caves. We stand against the lawless, the invades and the monsters, and we're proud to do it. But you have to remember one thing: nobody in the history of conflict ever saw himself as a monster. Everyone believes that they're the hero of their own story. If you can't understand that – if you can't stand in the enemy's shoes, even for a second, and ask youself why he thinks he needs to kill you – then you don't know what it means to be a soldier."

— Aden Tanner, address to Federal cadets, 3298

Admiral Aden Tanner is a senior officer in the Federal Navy. He has served for more than four decades, and in 3303 was given significant responsibiility in the struggle against the Thargoids, first being appointed to Chief of Federal Security and later to Chief Military Liaison for the cross-superpower initiative Aegis. He is widely respected, even outside of Federal space, for his conscientious and level-headed approach to conflict.

Born in 3254, Tanner was expected to follow in the footsteps of his authoritarian father becoming a doctor, but instead enlisted in the Federal Navy, along with a group of friends, in what he would later describe as 'a rash act of adolescent rebellion that I have not once regretted'. Tanner's father died in 3277; the two never resolved their enstrangement.

Tanner's early naval career was anything but distinguished. Known to his comrades-in-arms as 'Spoony' for his habit of eating directly from food packets instead of using plates, he was distinguished more by his irreverent sense of humour than his competence. Six months in, Tanner was found to be responsible for a scurrilous newsletter that satirised several senior officers, including Sergeant Burke Hazell, who was offended and deeply hurt – Hazell had taken a personal interest in Tanner and had encouraged him to persist when the cadet had struggled with basic training. Tanner's defence that he had been trying to improve morale was rejected, and although he was allowed to continue his service he was marked as a potential insubordinate – a label that would later return to haunt him.

Tanner's chief instructional officer, Commander Myra Dunstock, warned him to take military life more seriously. She took Tanner to a refugee facility – an experience he would later characterise as showing him 'what the military is there to prevent'. Tanner recognised a last chance when he saw it, discarded his role as camp comedian, and threw himself into his training with unprecedented energy.

The decisive incident in Tanner's career was the Autolycus Mutiny in 3271. At the time, Tanner was serving as Chief Gunnery Officer on board the FDN Autolycus, a Farragut-class Battlecruiser under the command of Captain Jaiden Horne. The ship was dispatched to restore order at Coldharbour Station, which had been occupied by rebels following a descent into civil disorder.

Captain Horne's orders were to monitor the station and await reinforcements, but when contact with the station was abruptly lost, he became convinced an attack was imminent. Surveillance footage later showed Horne acting in an increasingly erratic fashion: he screamed orders, slurred his words, and struck an ensign for making a minor mistake. Seeing a group of civilian ships preparing to leave the station, Horne ordered Tanner to open fire, convinced they were about to ram the Autolycus.

Tanner refused to obey the order, claiming it was unlawful and that Horne was unfit to command. In the time it took a furious Horne to have Tanner thrown in the brig, the escaping ships had jumpted out of the system.

At Tanner's court-martial, Horne tried to use his history of rebelliousness against him, but an explosive series of revelations followed: the escaping ships had been carrying evacuees, and the station's apparent silence was in fact due to Horne himself, who had disabled shipboard communications without telling his crew. Horne, who it would later emerge had been suffering from laxalamine-induced psychosis, committed suicide mid-trial by hijacking a fighter and detonating a grenade inside the cockpit. Tanner was exonerated, receiving a commendation from President Antonia Madison for his actions.

Aisling Duval

"My grandfather had an heirloom he used to keep in our winter palace. It was a priceless marble statuette of one of our ancestors standing with his food on a woman's neck while she looks up at him in fear, or adoration – probably both. I loathed it. It was commissioned to commemorate some victory or other, but that wasn't the point of the thing. The message was clear, and it's the same one I've heard all my life: deep down, the people we dominate are happy to be dominated."

"When I was six years old, I smashed it. The servants came running. My father stormed down the staris in his gown. He asked if it was an accident. There was such a strange look in his eyes. I knew that if I said yes, nobody would argue. Nothing more would be said. But I didn't. I stamped my foot and said 'No, Daddy, I did it on purpose!'"

"It's the same with tradition. The people who pass it on think it's precious. They expect you to cherish it and pass it on in turn. But what they think doesn't matter, because the responsibility rests with you. If you know it's wrong, then you have to smash it. On purpose."

— Aisling Duval, A Fireside Chat with Serena, 3301

Princess Aisling Duval, born in 3276, is a prominent member of the Imperial Royal family. The eldest child of the infamous Prince Harold, she had a troubled upbringing. Her father was notorious for his hedonistic lifestyle, while her mother, entertainer Imogen 'Eccentrica' Gabrielini, died from an aneurysm shortly after Aisling's birth. The autopsy identified the cause of death as an overdose of Purple Sunflake, an obscure and expensive narcotic, but conspiracy theorists insisted that she was murdered to remove an embarrassment to the Royal family. Aisling had indicated that she is aware of these rumours, but has never commented on them.

Despite living a life of great privilege, Aisling has publicly embraced the cause of the less fortunate and become an outspoken opponent of slavery – something that has made her the target of fierce criticism from more traditionalist Imperials.

But despite this criticism, Aisling is a popular figure with a widespread media presence. Her campaigning has brought definite benefits to many of the poorest in Imperial society, and gone some way towards easing tensions between the Empire and the Federation. Her critics, however, dismiss her as a puppet, doing the bidding of a shadowy circle of advisors. they claim there is no underlying coherence to Aisling's policies. To them, she is a naive and sentimental child without the necessary experience for politics, backing one populist cause after another, always conscious of how her activism is affecting her 'brand.'

Significantly, the most savage of Aisling's critics and the staunchest of her defenders agree on a counterpoint to this: that her apparent vacuity is nothing but a front, carefully created in collusion with the very advisors whom others believe are exploiting her. The 'people's princess', they argue, is exceptionallly good at being underestimated.

Following the death of Hengist Duval in 3301, Aisling was considered by many to be a viable contender for the Imperial throne. As Aisling was born out of wedlock, however, and her father was removed from the line of succession on the grounds of mental incapacity, Arissa Lavigny-Duval was deemed to have the stronger claim.

Alba Tesreau

"I may not be religious, but I still have faith. Not the kind my parents have. In fact, I don't think their desperate devotion can even be called faith. The point of faith is that it's tested, and if you insist that your beliefs are above criticism or analysis, like the star-cults do, you're refusing to allow your faith to be tested at all."

"What do I have faith in? The fundamental sanity of the universe, I suppose. I don't believe in absolute evil, only in the iniquity that emerges when understanding fails. I believe intelligent life will naturally tend towards cooperation rather than conflict, not because there's a higher power guiding our decisions, but because that's simply the most logical course. And yes, our recent experiences with the Thargoids have tested that faith. Harshly."

— Alba Tesreau

Professor Alba Tesreau is an Imperial scientist, an affiliate of the Achenar Research Council and a founding member of the joint-superpower initiative Aegis, which was established in August 3303 to investigate the Thargoid menace. She currently serves as Aegis's head of research.

Tesreau's biological parents were members of the Bes-Meratu cult, an isolationist group secreted within a sealed compound, that believed itself to have been chosen for salvation by nonhuman beings. The cult's charismatic leader, Anton Hotep, claimed humanity had been under the protection of these beings for millennia, that he was their cosmic messiah, and those only the believers would be saved from the coming apocalypse. In support of these claims he produced 'alien artefacts', allegedly sourced from archaeological digs, that other cult members were never permitted to examine closely.

Alba was marked as a troublemaker from an early age due to her heretical belief in rationality and the scientific method. She was formally banished from Bes-Meratu after she sabotaged the air-purifying system, forcing the compound to call for help from outsiders and thus humiliating Hotep.

After her story became public knowledge, she was adopted into the household of Senator Olivier Tesreau of Achenar and awarded a scholarship to study at Grand Imperial alongside the children of the nobility. She wrote her Masters thesis on the potential uses of mathematics as a lingua franca between human beings and intelligent nonhumans.

She is passionately interested in nonhuman intelligence and meaningful discourse between species. Despite the counterfeit 'alien contact' myths of her early life, or perhaps because of them, she is determined to do whatever she can to act as a bridge between human and nonhuman cultures.

Archon Delaine

"I tell you, Delaine is the most trustworthy cuss you could ever work with. Why? Because he always makes good on his threats. Anyone else tells you they're going to cut off your index fingers and hammer them to your sinuses with your own servered foot, you know it's just a bluster. But if Delaine tells you that, you know he'll do exactly what he says, to the letter. He wants people to be afraid of him, and that means he keeps his promises. You gotta respect that."

— Mantal Hoeck, arms trader

Archon Delaine is the head of the Kumo Crew, a powerful criminal syndicate. He refers to himself as the Pirate King, a title not recognised by any government.

Delaine's early life is not documented, and there are competing legends of his origins. Some believe he grew up in a drug den on one of the frontier worlds, where he learned to fight. Other stories have him working as a bouncer in the brothel where he was born, or training as a grease monkey at an orbital shipyard that hosted clandestine arena fights after hours. What is certain is that Delaine challenged – and slaughtered – the reigning Pirate Lord of the Kumo Crew when he was only 15.

The title of Pirate Lord is only transferred on the death of the incumbent, either to a nominated successor or to the victor of a ritual challenge. According to tradition, the Pirate Lord must honour any challenge to his leadership regardless of who issues it, although the choice of weapons is left to him. In Delaine's case, Pirate Lord Crabbe opted for a bare-hands contest – a highly unusual choice. It has been suggested that Crabbe saw Delaine as a weak target due to his albinism, unworthy of a Pirate Lord's personal attention. It is possible that Crabbe intended to give Delaine a beating rather than kill him outright. If so, it was a fatal act of mercy.

Footage of the fight, shot by onlookers, shows Delaine deftly evading Crabbe's heavy blows, allowing the larger man to tire himself out, before delievering a sudden job to Crabbe's eye. Delaine then battered Crabbe into submission, continuing to pummel the body until it was unrecognisable.

The Kumo Crew immediately split, dividing itself into those who saw Delaine as a legitimate leader and those who refused to follow an unproven youth. The rift was soon closed, however, as Delaine proved himself as capable a leader as he was a fighter. It became clear that Delaine intended to establish not only his own reputation, but that of the Crew.

From then on, Delaine crushed any dissent with the same uncompromising brutality he had shown to Crabbe. He took a zero-tolerance approach to the petty squabbles that had previously paralysed the Kumo Crew, and in so doing turned what had been an anarchic band of opportunists into a lethally effective raiding force.

United in purpose and more organised than ever before, the Kumo Crew quickly became the terror of the Pegasi sector, absorbing lesser pirate gangs, raiding civilian stations with impunity and taking over corporate facilities. In Delaine's early years of leadership, many rival pirate lords demanded the right to one-on-one combat, each of them convinced that they would be the one to strike him down and take over his enviable criminal empire. Delaine met each challenger in turn, agreed to their choice of weapons, and promptly dispatched them. After the death of Pirate Lord Horvath, who Delaine strangled with his own razor whip, there were no further challenges.

Delaine and his Kumo Crew ruled by fear, but they operate according to strict rules. If a settlement in Kumo territory has paid its tribute, any Kumo pirate foolish enough to raid it risks being stripped of his rank, his crew, his possessions, his skin and his life, according to the severity of the offence. These are the infamous 'five strippings' instigated by Delaine as a standard punishment across Kumo territory.

Arissa Lavigny-Duval

"I am a daughter not just of the Emperor, but of the Empire, and I look upon our traditions and achievements with pride. I hold, as my forefathers did, that to be born Imperial is to receive the blessing of the Universe. That is the true meaning of the ceremonial wine tipped upon our new-born heads."

"Does this pride in our heritage make me old fashioned? Some would say so. I know that there are those in my family who cannot bear the burden of rank and privilege without a chronic sting of guilt, but I ask that you look charitably upon those so ailing, as I do. After all, rebellion is the prerogative of adolescence."

"I ask that you reserve your anger for a worthier target – for those who acknowledge our traditions in public, but privately serve only their own corrupt interests; for those who exploit their ancestors' sacrifices while holding our military in contempt; for all the petty, venal, spineless parasites in our very midst."

"I have sat with many such parasites, and for form's sake I have masked my contempt. But that mask has served its purpose, and now I cast it aside. To the worms nesting so complacently in the heart of my beloved Empire, I say this: we see you, and we are coming for you."

— Arissa Lavigny-Duval, private speech given at her post-coronation dinner

Arissa Lavigny-Duval is the reigning Emperor, having been appointed to the position by the Imperial Senate, and a direct descendant of the first Emperor, Henson Duval. Her father was originally thought to be the late Prince Aristide de Lavigny, but Arissa's claim to be the illegitimate daughter of Emperor Hengist Duval has since been ratified by DNA testing.

Arissa distinguished herself as a serving senator early in life. Unlike other senators who took their patrons' support for granted or left the work of intercession to a delegated representative, Arissa made a point of visiting and speaking directly with her patrons. Foremost amongst their concerns was how little scope for mobility the Empire offered. In theory it was possible to rise in rank, but in reality, power was hoarded and loyal service went unrewarded.

To her mother's horror, Arissa proceeded to go undercover as a slave in the Lagenay household on Achenar, talking to the staff and listening in on meetings. What she learned would change her view of the Empire forever. The rules could be broken with impunity, so long as the proper bribes were paid. A senator's favour could be secured, a corporation's accounts could be doctored and an atrocity could be covered up, for the right price. On paper it might be a patronage system, but it operated as a de facto plutocracy.

Arissa's experience as a slave also cemented her own view of Imperial slavery – namely that it was no worse than indentured servitude, and downright luxurious compared to what the Federation's lowest paid workers had to endure. Non-Imperial commentators responded by pointing out that slaves in noble households on Achenar could hardly be held up as typical examples of slavery, and that Arissa might have learned more had she spent her time in a Mastopolos mining facility.

Arissa has made no secret of her determination to restore the rule of law within the Empire. She means to purge it of corruption, and has received widespread public support for this cause. Unlike her niece, Aisling Duval, she sees the Empire's systems as inherently worthy, if impeded by long-term neglect. They need to be cleansed, not torn and rebuilt as per Aisling's wishes.

As the first woman to serve as Emperor, Arissa is a controversial figure to many regardless of her personal political stance. Many hard-core traditionalists within the Empire have vowed to depose her and replace her with a ruler more to their liking.

Denton Patreus

"What disgusts me? That's a perceptive question. By asking it, you reveal that you consider me a man of taste. If you had asked me what I hated, I'm not sure I could have hidden my disappointment at such a banal question. But disgust? That deserves an answer."

"It is jealousy that most disgusts me. It's such a petty, self-defeating emotion. I see it every day. Most men look at me and think, "I want what he has." Perhaps one in a thousand thinks, "How can I achieve what he achieved?" He's not jealous – he's motivated. Who knows, we might work together one day. But most men are not like that. They have the desire, but not the initiative. It's like a dog watching you eat and wishing he was a human."

"And that's the tragic thing about jealous people. They think they hate me, but really they hate themselves. Because deep in their hearts they know they're too lazy to fight for their dreams."

— Denton Patreus, A Fireside Chat with Srena, 3302

Denton Patreus is a powerful Imperial Senator and the Admiral of the Imperial Fleet. He is a controversial figure, admired by many Imperials for his wealth and influence, but deeply unpopular in other quarters for his uncomrpomising approach to debtors. He is also noted for commanding one of the strongest private military fleets in colonised space.

Patreus has repeatedly issued loans to struggling governments via shell companies, only to later hike up the interest rates. When the government defaults on the loan (a common occurence), Patreus moves in to foreclose. Since few governments are able to match the power of his private fleet, this is usually a one-sided affair, although some governments have appealed for and received the aid of independent pilots. This strategy has brought numerous systems under the control of Patreus's various corporations.

If Patreus has any long-term goals beyond increasing his personal power and holding the line against the Alliance and the Federation, they are not publicly known. Politically, he has always played the part of the loyal Imperial; he accepts the need for progress, and has devoted considerable attention to eradicating Emperor's Dawn, an insurgent organisation responsible for the assassination of Emperor Hengist Duval. His support for the Empire has been well rewarded, and as Admiral of the Fleet he enjoys and enviable level of prestige.

But even this may not be enough, and many have speculated that Patreus harbours a desire to become Emperor. During the period of uncertainty that followed the death of Hengist Duval, Patreus suggested that the title of Emperor be assigned on the basis of public support rather than lineal descent – a statement that was widely interpreted as a bid for the throne. When the succession passed to Arissa Lavigny-Duval by vote of the Senate, Patreus did not contest it.

The question of who should succeed Arissa Lavigny-Duval is now a pertinent one. Imperial commentators have suggested that Patreus' highly visible courtship of Princess Aisling Duval may be part of a long-term strategy as well as a piece of savvy media manipulation. Arissa Lavigny-Duval has no children, whereas a child born to a Patreus-Duval partnership could be an extremely strong contender for the throne.

Edmund Mahon

"Naturally we faced criticism over the Lugh conflict. Many people thought we should have been in there guns blazing. On the one hand you have a system that wants to be independent, and on the other you have the oppressive Federation telling them 'no'. The authorities in Lugh put out a call for aid. And what did the Alliance do? We turned them down. That would never happen on the holos, would it? I would've been at the head of the Alliance fleet, taking down the Fed cap ship with a well-aimed torpedo up the tailpipe!"

"But life isn't like the holos. You need political and legal clarity. When Lugh asked for our help, who exactly was doing the asking? The people? Alright then, which people? Who counted their votes, and how was the process monitored? The Alliance is rigorous, you see. You can't join a voluntary association of free systems unless you can offer demonstrable proof of your freedom to choose, just as you can't enter into a contract without being of sound mind, acting without coercion."

— Edmund Mahon, responding to a question from Jessica Braganza, one of a party of schoolchildren visiting the Prime Minister's residence

Edmund Mahon is the current Prime Minister of the Alliance.

The product of a corn-farming family based on Birmingham in the Diso system, Mahon was hard-working and shrewd from an early age, with a particular talent for negotiation – nobody seemed able to beat his crop prices down, and he always managed to shave something off the asking price of any tools or machinery the family needed. In the first book of his autobiography, The Shadow of Silo Seven, he attributes this talent to preparatory research, claiming that he always found out as much as he could about the people he would be dealing with before meeting them.

At 18, Mahon won a Federal scholarship to study law. Frustrated with what he saw as the imbalance of power between corporations and their employees, Mahon intended to specialise in cases of coroporate exploitation. He quickly found, however, that the legal profession was not to his liking – "awash with duplicity, doubletalk and corruption" was his assessment – and he switched track to political science.

Two years into his course, and following an increasingly vocal series of broadcasts on a personal video channel in which he argued in favour of the newly formed Alliance, Mahon's scholarship funds were abruptly cut off. He had unknownly violated a clause that required him to refrain from public criticism of the Federal government.

Unwilling to return to his family without having made something of himself, Mahon had no choice but to look for work while continuing to study. The bar in which he had spent so many hours as a student was happy to take him on as a bartender, and he proved so competent that after his graduation he took on the role of manager. Mahon claims it was it was this experience, rather than any innate idealism, that set him on the path to becoming a career politician. As he puts it: "A good bartender has to be able to listen, and to give equal respect to everyone while demanding that others do the same. He has to be able to distinguish what is meant from what is said, encourage free exchange of views while tactfully enforcing the rules, and, when necessary, break up fights."

Mahon's break into politics came when his friends encouraged him to run for city office against the favoured corporate candidate, Jensen Crane. The Mahon campaign began as a token protest, since Crane was expected to win by a comfortable majority. Mahon eviscerated Crane in the live debates, however, winning over the audience with a combination of wry humour and an empathetic awareness of local concerns that Crane could not hope to match, living as he did in a high-altitude apartment complex.

Crane was elected by a narrow margin, but Mahon's supporters begged him to continue in politics. So it was at the age of just 27, Mahon found himself working alongside elder statesperson Iren Mendel, helping with the campaign to break the Diso system away from the Federation and make it a part of the Alliance.

By the time Diso joined the Alliance in 3286, Mahon was a seasoned parliamentarian. He served as a planetary representative several times before making his bid for the premiership.

Felicia Winters

"Politics has always been a breeding ground for lies, but one lie outshines all the others, and today we heard it once again. It is the insinuation that to seek a diplomatic solution is weak. That a preference for discussion over conflict means we're afraid to fight!"

"We are accustomed to this, of course. We've heard the president's supporters prevert our words again and again. When we face up to the Federation's previous wrongs, they mock us for our so-called liberal guilt. When we celebrate a detente between the superpowers that will help us oppose the Thargoid menace, they imply we are traitors."

"But it is they who are afraid, and with good reason. Because the people of the Federation have had enough. They will no longer be manipulated into reckless conflicts that serve only to fatten the wallets of arms dealers and the privileged. They will no longer pretend that Hudson's tub thumping and sabre rattling is anything more than vacuous propaganda. From star to star, colony to complex, satellite to station, we hear the same heartfelt cry: let the mistakes of the past remain in the past, and let the Federation embrace only the best of itself. Let us return to the core values of hard work, honest trade, support for the vulnerable and mutual respect."

"The people are ready for us – let us be ready for them."

— Felicia Winters, Liberal Party annual address, 3303

Felicia Winters is the head of the Liberal Party of the Federation, and as such serves as ex officio Shadow President, opposite President Zachary Hudson of the Republican Party.

Winters was born and raised on Taylor Colony, one of the oldest human colonies, and worked for the Sirius Corporation before going into politics full time at the age of 44.

Her current role was thrust upon her unexpectedly. Prior to 3301, Winters was Secretary of State to then president Jasmina Halsey. When both Halsey and Vice-President Ethan Naylor went missing aboard Starship One, Winters became acting President. The assumption of this responsibility left her visibly shaken, and despite her popularity in Congress, it was widely felt that she was not up to the job.

The Liberal Party was in a state of crisis at the time following the Lugh conflict. A group of forces had sought to make the Lugh system independent from Federal control, prompting a declaration of war from the Federation. Many of the party's supporters were shocked by President Halsey's decision to open fire on refugee ships during the conflict. According to reports, Winters had questioned the action, arguing passionately with her friend Halsey behind closed doors while maintaining a front of public solidarity. Consequently, she found herself responsible for a party whose voter base had largely deserted it, and whose values had slipped out of alignment with her own.

Shortly after Halsey's disappearance, Zachary Hudson called for an emergency vote of no confidence that he resoundingly won, resulting in his appointment to the role of president. Given the massive support for Hudson and the disarray among the Liberals, Winters was expected to resign and let the Liberal Party rebuild itself from the ground up. Instead, she threw herself into her work, leading efforts to persuade various systems not to defect to the Alliance, and distributing aid packages to planets in need. Her energetic and proactive approach led to fresh support for both her and her party, and she currently rival Hudson in the popularity stakes.

Hengist Duval

Hengist Duval (3164-3301) was the 15th ruler of the Empire. He was assassinated on the day of his wedding to Florence Lavigny.

Hengist reigned during a time of significant change. The Imperial Senate had begun to grow in power, a process that had begun during the long sickness of Hengist's father, Hesketh. The development of the frame shift drive had radically altered life in human-occupied space, facilitating easy access to goods and interstellar travel, and opening formerly isolated cultures to outside influence. Old animosities between the Empire and the Federation finally began to fade.

Hengist appeared to neighter resist nor oppose these many changes, instead opting to keep the Empire as stable as he could on a day-to-day basis. This middle-ground approach was deeply unpopular with the Empire's hard-core traditionalist elements, who saw Hengist as short sighted, detached and complacent.

In 3238, Hengist wed Anthea Viola Lampeter in an arranged marriage, planned since his childhood by his late father. Despite a storm of publicity and celebrations across Imperial space that verged on the hysterical, there was clearly little genuine affection between the couple. It was an open secret that the match had been made solely because of optimal genetic compatibility, and that Hengist could not refuse without dishonouring his father's memory. As the marriage crumbled, Hengist spent much of his time with his boyhood friend Aristide de Lavigny and his wife Florence at their estate on Achenar.

Inflammatory tracts from this period portray the Imperial dynasty and its noble cohorts as little more than libertines, indulging in lascivious affairs and lengthy holidays while the Senate did the real work of government. The most scurrilous rumour was that the Duval genetic code had been corrupted by centuries of interference, prompting speculation that a successor of the 'true blood' would have to be found.

The birth of Hengist's heir, Prince Harold, temporarily quietened the sceptics. A carefully orchestrated father-son photoshoot when Harold was nine showed the pair riding horses on Achenar, throwing javelins, watching a Senatorial debate and preparing for a seasonal feast. The photoshoot was clearly designed to appeal to traditional Imperial values, and it succeeded. For several years after, Prince Harold was the darling of the Empire, a symbol of promise and hope. The intense media focus on the prince's life is now believed to be partly responsible for his fall from grace, which saw him become a notorious playboy and philanderer, and which eventually resulted in his exclusion from the succession on the grounds of mental incapacity.

Towards the end of Hengist's life, it emerged that Arissa Lavigny, the daughter of Florence Lavigny, was in fact his daughter. Hengist intended to strengthen her claim to the throne by marrying Florence, thus legitimising Arissa, but he was assassinated before this could take place.

The most enduring criticism of Emperor Hengist is that he failed to plan adequately for the future; certainly, the matter of the succession created tensions that endure to this day.

Ishmael Palin

"If the history of eugenics tells us anything, it is that we do not tend towards greater egalitarianism over time, but rather find new ways for the privileged to exploit and control the dispossessed. Nevertheless, I do occasionally dream of ways in which we might evolve further."

"If I could change just one aspect of human nature, it would be our chronic tendency towards tribalism. In that matter, we have barely advanced a step in a million years. While the sun shines, we meet and treat with one another, but when the skies darken, we withdraw and whisper suspiciously. And at the first flash of the unknown, we huddle like witless primates in a cave, terrified of the thunder, trusting only those who smell the same as us."

— Professor Ishmael Palin, memorandum to students, 3289

Professor Ishmael Palin is a scientist specialising in research into nonhuman technologies and cultures, with particular emphasis on material artefacts. He is generally considered one of the galaxy's foremost experts on the Thargoids.

Professor Palin began his career working for the Federal government as a member of the Homeland Scientific Council. In 3301, when objects apparently of nonhuman origin were discovered in a number of systems, the Federation launched a research programme and placed Professor Palin in charge.

To the surprise of many, the programme was shut down after only a week, ostensibly on the grounds of safety. Palin refused to comment on the decision, but inside sources later revealed stark differences of opinion between Palin and the Federal authorities. Palin insisted that the fruits of his team's research into the so-called 'unknown artefacts', later reclassified as Thargoid sensors, should be open to everyone, but his Federal paymasters wanted the Federation alone to benefit.

Palin promptly established his own research body – the Palin Institute – and announced his intent to relocate to the Maia system, beyond the boundaries of superpower-controlled space. His ship disappeared shortly after he set of for Maia, however, and it was not until March 3302 that Palin and his crew were discovered, alive, in escape pods in the Orulas system. Palin revealed that unknown parties had abducted the team, held them captive and questioned them extensively about their research.

Shortly thereafter, Palin stepped down as head of the Palin Institute in favour of Cora Shaw, citing opposition to his work from 'dark forces' as the reason. He established his own independent research centre on Maia A 3 a and began to study meta-alloys, a material sourced from the Thargoid structures nicknamed 'barnacles'.

In October 3302, Palin discovered that meta-alloys could be applied to the development of new defensive technologies, but no sooner had the news broken that the Federation blockaded his research centre with a Farragut-class Battlecruiser, preventing all access. The move was condemned by the Alliance and the Empire, but the Federation appeared to take no notice.

Almost a year later, in September 3303, the Federal blockade was lifted. No explanation was given either for the blockade or for its cessation. The event has since been interpreted as the beginning of the end of the Federal-Imperial cold war.

In July 3305, Palin was forced to abandon his research centre when the Thargoids entered the Maia system en mass. Together with his team, Palin was evacuated to the Arque system, where he wasted no time in establishing a new base of operations at Abel Laboratory on Arque 4 E.

Professor Palin's career has been an inspiration to many young scientists, partly because of his determination that research should benefit everyone, and partly because of his dogged tenacity in the face of repeated interference. He was aware that by choosing to study the Thargoids, he was making himself a target, since there were shadowy agencies who very much wanted to be the sole beneficiaries of this research, but he defiantly persisted with his work nonetheless.

Professor Palin may not consider himself heroic, but the fact remains that many less principled scientists in his position would have long ago submitted to intimidation or the promise of material reward.

Jasmina Halsey

"I know what they're saying. They're picking my story to pieces. Some of the criticism is rational – the lack of corroborative evidence, for example. I don't mind that. I'm telling the truth, after all, and a rational approach can't hurt the truth. But when they say that what I experienced is an archetypal conversion story, and that that makes it suspect? If what I saw reminds people of historical accounts, doesn't that say something about those experiences?

— Jasmina Halsey, Federal Times interview, 3302

Jasmina Halsey, a former politician, served as president of the Federation from 3300 to 3301. She now works as a peace activist and close advisor to Alliance Prime Minister Edmund Mahon.

Halsey claims the profound transformation of her views is the result of a visionary experience in which she communicated with benign nonhuman life forms – an episode that allegedly occurred in 3301 following the destruction of her vessel, Starship One.

Prior to the disappearance of Starship One, Halsey's presidency was unpopular among Federal citizens. Taxes had been raised too many times, and her military interventions were seen as heavy handed. A campaign to ban the narcotic onionhead went awry when the crops were firebombed, resulting in collateral damage. During the Lugh rebellion, Halsey gave the order to fire on a civilian convoy in the belief that a rebel leader was on one of the vessels. Many senior commanders in the Federal Navy lost faith in Halsey and transferred their loyalty to then-Shadow President Zachary Hudson.

Hudson called for a vote of no confidence in Halsey's government shortly after Starship One went missing and achieved an overwhelming victory. Though Halsey was later found alive, drifiting in an escape pod, suggestions that she might be reinstated as President gained little support.

Perhaps surprisingly, Halsey's account of her experiences has received a large degree of acceptance among the galactic community, but even those who accept her description of an encounter with nonhuman entities suspect there is more to the story than has been made public. Sceptics hold that the event presents too many unanswered questions, such as precisely what happened to Starship One, as well as offering Halsey a suspiciously convenient way out of her failing presidential career.

The most scathing of Halsey's critics condemn her as a traitor and defector who was conspiring with Edmund Mahon even before she left the Federation, and who staged the Starship One catastrophe as a convoluted means of defecting to the Alliance, taking vital Federal intelligence with her. Halsey originally addressed these theories by emphasising how incompatible they were with her behaviour, citing her efforts to establish refugee centres for victims of conflict and her public condemnation of the Federal-Imperial cold war, but more recently she has simply laughed them off.

Li Yong-Rui

"The fortune teller rattling bones in her simple hut, the smiling insurance salesman with his snakeskin briefcase and the data analyst with his interactive holographic model are all selling the same thing: certainty. One of the paradoxes of human existence is that we crave the freedom to be spontaneous, thinking it essential to our nature, while constantly seeking reassurance that nothing unexpected is going to happen. We flatter ourselves with the belief that we are exempt from the rules of modelling that govern the rest of the universe."

— Introduction to 'Becoming the Watchmaker', Li Yong-Rui's master's thesis on the innate human reluctance to accept behavioural predictability

Li Yong-Rui is the chief operating officer of the Sirius Corporation and its governmental subsidiary, Sirius Gov. Like many other members of the Li dynasty, Yong-Rui came to the corporate world from an academic background, having achieved doctorates in multiple fields and specialising in extrapolating potential future simulations from limited data.

Although he is in many respects an innovator, Yong-Rui embodies the archetype of the healthy, energetic corporate executive, with little of the eccentricity that traditionally characterises visionaries. A good deal of his popularity is attributable to his innate serenity and outward conventionality.

Those who have worked under him describe him as radiating self-assurance and giving the impression that everything is completely under control. Yong-Rui has brought a similar sense of constancy to Sirius Gov, giving the citizens under his governance the impression that they can trust their government to do the right thing – a rare achievement for any administration.

Yong-Rui has stated many times that he does not believe in the concept of chaos, holding that while order is objective, chaos is subjective; since existence if fundamentally meaningful, any semblance of discord can only be the result of the observer's own failure to discern the underlying meaning.

Although some might mistake Yong-Rui's views for a form of mysticism, he is a staunch materialist. He attributes his success in economics to his insistence upon viewing the universe – especially its human component – in clear and unsentimental terms. All human behaviour, he believes, can be reduced to simple, quantifiable factors, ultimately predicated upon enlightened self-interest. This approach, as well as being laudably rational, allows for truly impartial government.

Pranav Antal

"If my ancestors could see me today, would they approve of what I've done? I doubt it. Enlightenment is supposed to be hard work. In theory it's accessible to anyone, but in practice only those who devote years of their life to meditation can hope to accomplish anything. To do what we have done – to democratise the spirit through technology – would look to my forebears like unforgivable laziness."

"But all things must happen in their appointed time. We now stand on the verge of overcoming the great obstacle of human progress there has ever been – all forms of conflict result from this detachment. But our technology allows us to truly see the world through others' eyes. We can finally achieve what the mystics and sages have spent centuries striving for, and break down the fortress of the individual ego."

— Pranav Antal

Pranav Antal is the leader of the Utopia movement, within which he is referred to by the honorific 'Simguru'. Utopia is a visionary project with a goal to advance humanity scientifically, morally and spiritually via the application of technology, with a particular focus on simulations or 'sims'- the digitised thoughts, emotions and perceptions of another.

Pranav inherited leadership of Utopia from his father, Rishi Antal. Rishi was the founder of Utopia and designer of the Sim-Archive, a facility that allows the living to experience the digitised memories of the deceased. Although at present it is only possibly to experience these memories passively, Pranav has mentioned the possibility of incorporating them into a simulated version of the individual or 'data-ghost' that could then be interacted with, thereby allowing individuals to endure beyond death.

In his youth, Pranav was expected to undertake a range of physical chores despite the technological and material wealth available to his family, and has often spoken of digging vegetables out of the ground and rebuilding collapsed cultivation tunnels after a storm. At the time he begrudged these tasks, but having since accessed his deceased father's memories, he now appreciates that the work gave him an understanding of how the disadvantaged experience life, as well as reminding him that humanity is depenent upon the material world, and must not hold it in contempt.

Pranav is generally considered more commercially minded than his ascetic father, prompting his critics to condemn him as a plutocrat with only a superficial interest in Utopia's ideals. His supporters, by contrast, paint him as combining the wisdom of his father with a shrewd commercial nous. Regardless, both sides agree that Utopia has undergone significant change under Pranav's leadership.

Pranav's prevalent concern, apart from continuing to expand Utopia, is the Acheron Interface. His claim is that this project will allow users to translate their conciousness directly into data, thereby surpassing the limitations of the physical self. Some commentators have expressed wariness, claiming the project steers unacceptably close to the development of artificial intelligence, which is prohibited throughout the galaxy. But Pranav's standpoint is that a system that translates intelligence into a new form, like the Acheron Interface, is not artificial intelligence, since the human being remains at the core of the process.

Yuri Grom

"We have portraits of all the other leaders to accompany the articles – only Grom remains. I have no idea what to expect. The man is more than half myth. Marcus and I sit in the lobby drinking tea that tastes vaguely of gunpowder and spices. The word comes through: Grom does not want to be photographed on the mocked-up throne we had in mind, He will stand in front of the station viewport, with EG Prime hanging in space behind him."

"The cameras are ready. They have been ready for an hour. Without warning, Grom strides in. The makeup crew approach but he waves them away. He glances at their creams and paints. Then he's advancing on me, angry. "I do not hide these," he says, gesturing to the medals on his chest, "so why should I hide these?" He points to his scarred face."

"I splutter something about not meaning to offend him, but he gives me a slap on the back that jostles my vertebrae, and lets out a laugh that could crack glass. I have never felt more out of my depth in my life."

— Carmine Renarde, GalNet News Agency photographer

Yuri Grom is the leader of the EG Pilots, an independent faction based in the Euryale system.

Grom was originally a Federal Admiral, but he retired from the Federation on ideological grounds. He has never publicly discussed the circumstances of his resignation, but it is believed he was disgusted by the corruption he discovered in the Federation.

His retirement came as a shock to the senior members of Federal command, who had expected him to become an instructor. A number of Federal pilots who were loyal to Grom resigned at the same time, in order to continue serving under him. The Federation has never released a complete account of this episode, possibly in order to avoid embarrassment.

His appetite for expansion notwithstanding, Grom inspires great loyalty in his followers, and even among those he conquers – indeed, such people often prefer Grom's rulership to the one they originally had, no doubt due to Grom's well-attested talent for negotiation, insistence upon honourable combat and fair treatment of captives. He is even rumoured to have persuaded entire settlements to surrender without a single shot being fired.

While Grom is admired by his own people, and has earned the respect of the Empire and the Alliance, the Federation views him as a menace. President Zachary Hudson reported to have referred to Grom as "a cancer that Halsey foolishly allowed to spread when she could have cut it out".

Hudson's views are not shared by the wider Federal military, and although cadets have been forbidden to listen to Grom's broadcasts or read his work, small groups of adherents are believed to exist, conducting private meetings in their barracks and even pledging support for Grom. Hudson has dismissed such reports as "obvious Gromski propaganda designed to set us at one another's throats."

Zachary Hudson

"The truth is that you cannot escape adversity. You have to stand up and face it. That's how you get stronger. That's how you learn. Maybe you miss a meal or two. Maybe your kids have dirty faces and shabby clothes. If that's what it takes to get you out looking for work, then so be it. I'm not going to insult you by pitying you, because I know you can do better. And you know it, too."

"I'm not a monster, despite what the Liberals think. I believe in government aid. But I believe it should be reserved for times of genuine crisis, and being poor is not a crisis!"

"People can do remarkable things when they're properly motivated, and that motivation is something no amount of government money can provide. Without it, we'd still be on Earth, jostling for whatever scraps of living space the state gave us."

"I have a framed quotation on my wall. It's something my father used to say to me. When I got older, I found out it was by a man called Nieremberg who lived a couple of thousand years ago. It says, 'Certain divine rays break out of the soul in adversity, like sparks from the afflicted flint.' Now you just think about that. Take all the time you need."

— Zachary Hudson, Federal Times interview, 3293

Zachary Hudson is the President of the Federation, having won a vote of no confidence against the previous incumbent, Jasmina Halsey, in June 3301. Politically, Hudson is a Republican and a 'hawk', unafraid to explore military solutions to problems.

Hudson's parents were itinerant traders who made their home on their hauling vessel. From a young age, Hudson was burdened with responsibility. He would often be left in harge of his five younger siblings while his parents were off plying their trade, and has spoken on the long hours he would spend watching the cargo "with nothing but a rifle for company" in case raiders tried to steal it.

The young Hudson greatly admired the military, and when he was old enough to be trading himself he made a point of offering pilots a discount on food and beer. Given the standard of food-cartridge rations in most barracks, and the low pay soldiers received, this effort was welcomed.

When times were especially hard and there was no money to invest in stock, the Hudson family would land on Earth-like planets and hunt for game, which they would dress and sell themselves. Hudson has emphasised that this was perfectly legal – no matter how hungry they were, they never resorted to poaching. The president remains a keen hunter, and enjoys taking diplomatic guests on hunting trips, cooking them dinner himself. Hudson reportedly takes particular pride in his steaks.

Hudson's entrance into politics was marked by a growing sense that the Federal government and its heavy taxes were making it harder for traders to earn a living, while rewarding those who did not want to work. When bureaucratic red tape prevented the family from docking for twenty-four hours, resulting in the loss of an entire cargo of perishable goods, Hudson decided to do something about it.

Hudson has never served in the military, but he is generally regarded as 'one of us' by the Federation naval command. His old friend, Lucas Vincent, is now Admiral of the Fleet, and the two enjoyed a close professional relationship. Hudson has given the military considerable support, investing in improved training facilities, cutting taxes for shipyards and cultivating public respect for the armed forces.

Zemina Torval

"It is essential to the stability of any state that its members know their place, and that all roles are understood to be equally worthy. To condemn a slave for being merely a slave is the height of stupidity. If your hand were condemn your foot for being a foot, clumsy and graceless, pressed repeatedly into the filth, you would do well to hack it off at the wrist! Worse, imagine if your eyeballs demanded that every other part of you should be an eyeball too, in the name equality. What an abomination you would be then."

"But the truth is that the Federation and the Alliance think in exactly this way. You will notice that I wear a beautiful stone upon my finger. There is no other like it, which means that only one person can wear it. 'But that is unfair!' cries the Federation. 'Why should you be the only one to enjoy it?' They would have me smash it to bits and give everyone a tiny piece. But then the beautiful stone would be gone, and nobody could ever wear it again."

— Zemina Torval, midwinter address to the Bitterwood Children, 3303

Zemina Torval is an Imperial senator with an immense personal fortune and a redoubtable private army. She is an unapologetic traditionalist, especially where the Empire's use of slavery is concerned. Her own wealth derives directly from slavery – she owns a majority share in Mastopolos Mining, which depends upon slave labour – but she draws a distinction between Imperial slaves, who are owed a duty of care, and slavery as it is commonly understood. This distinction is held in contempt elsewhere in the galaxy, however, and the Federation in particular considers it mere sophistry.

Torval was born and educated at Bitterwood, her palatial family estate in the Synteini system, alongside a host of siblings and cousins including members of the Mastopolos dynasty. Among Bitterwood's many cavernous hallways and vaulted arcades, she learned to fence and play strategic games as well as mastering higher mathematics, politics and galactic history. She quickly learned how to play her relatives against one another to get what she wanted, and the right things to say to an adult to elicit sympathy. She also learned that carefully laid plans, rather than rash action, were the most efficient way to settle a grudge.

It was at Bitterwood that Torval met the slave Metropa Laish, who soon became a mother figure, the young Torval having been starved of parental affection. Commentators have suggested that Torval's relationship with Laish underpins the senator's passionate defence of Imperial slavery.

Torval's chief interests are industry and education. As well as sponsoring schools across Imperial space, she runs a private academy at Bitterwood for the Empire's most promising children. The selection process is rigorous but meritocratic, with candidates chosen on the grounds of ability rather than background. Even Imperial slaves can apply, although they cannot enrol while they are still slaves, so arrangements are sometimes made to purchase a candidate's freedom. Every year, a fresh crop of Torval's Bitterwood Children goes out into the Empire to assume positions of leadership in the military and in industry.

Corporations

Introduction

"The grandest society of merchants in the Universe."

— self-applied description of the East India Company, 1600-1708

During the centuries in which humanity was confined to a single planet, corporations were naturally limited in size and influence, life fish in a bowl. While access to a finite quantity of natural resources, and a relatively small arena in which to compete, corporations could not achieve their full theoretical potential.

But with the advent of interstellar travel, the fishbowl became an ocean. Corporations could access and exploit entire planets for their mineral resources, and an expading population, eagerly colonising system after system, meant a growing customer base.

To the governments of the time, the potential for corporate growth was both thrilling and terrifying; commercial prosperity meant increased tax revenue and higher employment figures, but also raised the worrying prospect of security fleets that could rival the official militaries. It seemed inevitable that the largest corporations would, in time, become the equivalent of nation-states in their own right. With the old restrictions gone, there was simply nothing to stop them.

Today this vision has been partly fulfilled, with several corporations owning entire systems. For many corporate employees, the age-old distinction between a home and a workplace has vanished. Workers on corporate-owned ships, refineries and outposts can expect to spend their entire lives in the embrace of the company.

Despite their immense wealth and power, the corporations have thus far been content to operate within – and remain subject to – the jurisdictions of the Alliance, Empire and Federation, rather than mount a serious challenge to any of them. Commentators point to two reasons for this. Firstly, corporations thrive by excelling in their chosen fields, and assuming the onerous responsibilities of a government would be a wasteful distraction from the corporate mission. Secondly, given that the corporations already hold much of the real power (especially in the Federation), there is nothing to be gained by abolishing the convenient veneer of the state. Better to operate below the surface, make a show of compliance, and trust in the power of money to smooth the way forward.

The Achilles Corporation

"Optimise, iterate, refine."

— Source

Achilles is the market leader in computer technology, and is particularly noted for developing the reliable, efficient navigation computers used by most starships. The fear of a hyperspace misjump following a computer malfunction – a nighmare scenario that Achilles capitalised on in its advertising – helped to cultivate strong brand loyalty in the company's early days.

Achilles is also a pioneer in the field of robotics, meaning it has long been hampered by the interstellar ban on the development of self-aware artificial intelligence. In the late 3200s, rumours surfaced that the corporation was attempting to circumvent these restrictions by placing organically grown brains in robotic bodies. No evidence of any such activity has come to light, and Achilles board members have not deigned to dignify the rumours with a response.

There has also been speculation that the company's leaders are extensively cybernetically enhanced, given their history of uncompromising takeovers and corporate machinations. Even their open business operations are characterised by ruthless efficiency, while their private dealings are rumoured to involve everything from the blackmail of rival executives to assassination. Achilles' official line is that these rumours are 'sheer fantasy' and a 'predictable, envious response to success.'

Nonetheless, the rumours persist, and Achilles' reputation is now so daunting that smaller corporations will roll over at the first sign of a takeover bid rather than attempt to negotiate for better terms. Nobody wants to become the subject of a career-ending rumour.

Bank of Zaonce

"Founded on trust."

— Source

Established by the Sevitz family in 2682, the Bank of Zaonce is currently the largest commercial bank in human space. Headquartered on Industry in the Zaonce system, the bank provides key financial services from individual accounts to vast corporate and government budgets.

Though generally perceived as fair, the bank's market dominance makes it a frequent target of criticism which regularly cites a lack of transparency and the long-standing policy of neutrality on its clients. Bank representatives assert the organization is entirely ethical, but critics cite instances of dubious conduct as evidence to the contrary. Many governments or corporate regimes over the centuries that were later deemed corrupt or malign have been revealed as Bank of Zaonce members.

In May 2905, bank vice president Silas Hall was implicated in a fraud ring that siphoned 115 billion credits from the inhabitants of the Tionisla system over a two-year period. Once the scandal became public knowlege, industry regulators called for Hall's arrest and a thorough investigation of bank operations.

The investigation commenced in June 2905, but despite a thorough examination of transaction histories, there was no trace of Sila Hall as a Bank of Zaonce employee. When regulators searched for information on the man himself or any family, it seemed Hall's entire existence – from birth certificate to biometric records – was fictitious.

Inexpicably, accounts belonging to the affected account holders appeared normal, with no evidence of the illicit withdrawals that prompted the investigation. When asked for an explanation, the bank's executive board stated "Our organization has a zero-tolerance policy towards the misuse of its resources."

Lack of evidence forced regulators to terminate their investigation, but rumours circulated of an executive-level cabal with the power to make troublesome employees disappear. Supporters claimed the Hall incident was a failed smear campaign against the bank.

In the centuries since, the bank has rarely made the news. When it does-such as during the 3305 Kincaid scandal in which funds were routed by a bank director to a shadow election campaign-swift action ensures minimal threat to the bank and its clients.

Brewer Corporation

"Starports safer than the surface."

— Source

Best known for the iconic Coriolis, the Brewer Corporation has been synonymous with starports since 2752.

The first Coriolis, designed by Timothy Brewer to elevate the standard of offworld living, took nearly four years and one billion credits to complete. Though crude and angular to look at, it was relatively simple to assemble in space, with heavy components that could be manufactured locally from low-grade materials. It boasted several innovative features: a self-regulating biome, living facilities comparable to those of planetside outposts, first-rate medical services and an innovative cylindrical docking system. By 3200 Brewer was the galaxy's primary starport manufacturer.

After decades of rigorous testing, Brewer debuted its second design, the Orbis. Envisaged as an advanced, lightweight counterpart to the Coriolis, the Orbis's construction was less dependent on local metallic resources. The design retained the docking cylinder while featuring additional 'full gravity' areas.

While the Orbis proved popular in wealthier systems, questions were raised over the starport's price. Brewer was unmoved, however, asserting that the company's high safety standards and extensive testing process made their starports well worth the cost. This did not stop several competitors emerging in the wake of the Orbis's release, claiming they could build Brewer-quality stations at a fraction of the cost.

The Merritt Group was one such challenger, an industry newcomer with a background in planetary infrastructure. Launching the Nostrum, an industrial station sold as a low-cost alternative to the Orbis, president Caleb Ferrin bragged about the starport's technical specifications, claiming it would eliminate the need for exorbitantly-priced installations.

Ferrin's assertions were definitively answered in 3255, when a catastrophic structural failure in the main ring of a Nostrum starport in the Tau Ceti system killed over 100,000 people. Investigating the tragedy, industry officials attributed the incidents to "a lack of adequate safety planning" and repeated failures to correct a fatigue fracture.

Following a very public enquiry in which huge amounts of footage of the disaster was made available to the public, outrage over Merritt's negligence bolstered Brewer's reputation. Brewer called the incident a "tragic loss of life that could have been avoided with a better regard for safety". The Merritt Group closed its starport division in 3257, leaving Brewer as the sole name in large orbital infrastructure. Its prowess has not since been challenged.

Caine-Massey

"Because an honest day's work never goes out of fashion."

— Source

Caine-Massey stands as an example of the power of rebranding. During the fiercely competitive era that followed the first migration from Earth, the company's original incarnation – Howlett, Caine and Calvert – rapidly established itself as a profitable mining concern. Through a combination of nepotism and bribery, HC&C secured a Federal guarantee of mining rights across several systems, with the caveat that failure to exploit the resources within a set time frame would result in forfeiture.

In order to set up their mining operations as quickly as possible, HC&C cut corners on safety, skimped on equipment quality and made exorbitant promises to potential employees – promises that were later defaulted on. Workplace accidents, which were frequent, were hushed up. By the time these problems came to light, HC&C was a household name, and the fallout was severe. Token attempts at recompense were made, but the company's public image was badly tarnished.

A merger with struggling but respected logistics firm Massey Haulage gave HC&C an opportunity to reinvent itself as 'the local mining company'. The rebranded corporation, Caine-Massey, presented itself as a salt-of-the-earth, blue-collar operation whose hard-working employees were treated with dignity. In an uncertain universe, so the advertisements ran, Caine-Massey would always be there for you.

The campaign was a huge success. Today, Caine-Massey is now widely perceived as an old-fashioned company that both understands and sticks up for the working man and woman. But despite this wholesome image, and although safety standards have improved, the company is as acquisitive and concerned with expansion as ever.

Core Dynamics

"Unmatched interstellar supremacy."

— Source

Core Dynamics is a giant conglomerate, best known as the galaxy's premier manufacturers of weapon and surveillance systems and starships, with a particular focus on combat vessels. Its product line ranges from the diminutive Eagle to the gargantuan Farragut-class Battlecruiser, and also includes the most popular skimmer in the galaxy, the S-4 Sentry.

The company is known for its occasional discount events, offering reduced-cost ships either in celebration of a new design, or as incentives for participation in a community endeavour.

Core Dynamics has a longstanding supply agreement with the Federation, and is responsible for the Federal Assault Ship, Corvette, Dropship and Gunship. As part of this relationship, the company benefits from privileged access to Federal black-box data reserves, which it uses in its research-and-development branch. In the ongoing quest for more robust and effective ship designs, there is no substitute for data gleaned from genuine combat encounters.

Faulcon DeLacy

"Bridging the stars for half a millennium."

— Source

Faulcon Manspace, originally a small military supply company, experienced an overnight reversal of fortune when it released the Viper fighter, which proved popular with governments and private citizens alike. Indeed, demand was so high that Faulcon Manspace had to farm out Viper production to other companies under licence.

With wealth came innovation and a range of new designs. Like the Viper, these new ships were named after dangerous snakes: the Cobra marked the company's entry into the trader market, while the lightweight, versatile Sidewinder was designed principally as a reconnaissance craft.

As the company's wealth grew, it began to absorb many of the companies to which it had previously granted manufacturing contracts. In almost all cases, the target companies' close working relationship with Faulcon Manspace made such acquisitions frictionless and mutually beneficial. In 2982, the corporation merged with one of the largest such manufacturers, deLacy ShipWorks, becoming Faulcon deLacy.

The company pioneered the now-standard modular system of ship design that allows pilots to swap out components with ease. Significantly, the company made the schematics for the modular system freely available to its manufacturing rivals, broadening the choice of compatible modules available to pilots and thus making the Faulcon deLacy marques more popular.

Without this philosophy of component compatibility, spacecraft maintenance might have become a nightmarish scenario in which being unable to get the proper parts could leave a broken-down ship stranded in drydock for weeks, or worse subject to bodged repair attempts.

Today, Faulcon deLacy stands out as one of the most enduring, widespread and consistently admired corporations in colonised space. Public regard for the company is so high that the Alliance. Empire and Federation have all made attempts to secure exclusivity to Faulcon deLacy starships. Thus far, their efforts have been unsuccessful.

Gutamaya

"Effortless elegance."

— Source

Ship manufacturer Gutamaya enjoys a supply agreement with the Empire similar to that between Core Dynamics and the Federation. Gutamaya is a far younger company, however, and was in fact created by the Empire. The company's ships are considered to embody Imperial opulence, and are instantly recognisable for their sleek contours and distinctive silhouettes.

'Imperial Gutamaya' was chartered by Emperor Gaylen Trasken Duval in 3000 as part of a formal celebration of the millennium, in line with the Emperor's vision of an Imperial renaissance in art, design and architecture. The company's remit, overseen by shipwrights Jordan-Blakestow and sculptor Amita Gutamaya, was to produce a line of ships that would combine functional excellence with a distinct visual style. These would be offered for a limited period to select members of the Imperial noble houses as a mark of the Emperor's favour.

Amita Gutamaya's involvement was immediately apparent, her reputation having been established through well-regarded public artworks incorporating graceful, contoured forms. This helped to drive public demand for the ships, which became sought-after status symbols. Demand was so high that owners were forced to hire squadrons of mercenary escorts to prevent hijack. The Emperor promptly ordered Imperial Gutamaya to go into full-time production, and to make part of its range available for general purchase.

From its inception, Gutamaya has employed a coterie of accomplished Imperial artisans to ensure that their ships continue to reflect Amita Gutamaya's aesthetic principles. When, in 3006, Amita Gutamaya died in unexplained circumstances, she was interred in the Gutamaya family crypt on Achenar 6b.

Herculean Machines

"Function first."

— Source

Founded in 3299 by Maddox Hurd, Herculean Machines stands as testament to the power of a good family name. Son of haulage magnate Rhesus Hurd, Hurd junior founded Herculean Machines as a means of escaping conscription into the family business. Tapping the family trust for capital, Hurd hired graduates from the galaxy's top engineering programs with promise of being more than just "a megacorp drone."

Within three months of founding, Herculean had already registered patents in all three superpower jurisdictions. Using his family's contacts to secure materials at low prices, Hurd kept production costs down and the focus of his products simple. Whereas competitors spent billions on glossy design, Herculean was concerned almost exclusively with performance.

Rapid growth followed, with a fresh round of funding allowing Herculean to open two more development facilities. Meanwhile, Maddox Hurd was earning a reputation as a bellicose businessman, known for browbeating opponents and driving employees to breaking point. Reports began circulating of severely overworked engineers, with news outlets publishing accounts from anonymous whistle-blowers.

Hurd dismissed the reports as anti-Herculean propaganda, but a short time later, a disgruntled employee leaked prototype sketches detailing Herculean's upcoming device, the Duradrive.

The leak was met with scathing criticism from Scorpio DeVorrow, CEO of rival company Supratech. DeVorrow decried the Duradrive as a regressive analogue; Hurd struck back, describing DeVorrow as "a pompous fool with impractical ideas."

With that exchange the dam was broken, both CEOs engaging in increasingly vitriolic public dialogue until the 3304 Rackham Ultratech Expo, when their companies debuted new devices. Herculean won the bout, however, when the Duradrive proved more popular with consumers, its inelegant design notwithstanding.

Herculean's success was compounded when the Federal Navy placed a wholesale order for the Duradrive, making the device standard issue for its soldiers. The revenue generated from the contract has given the corporation a near-unassailable position in the tech-company landscape.

Kinematic Armaments

"Conquer all."

— Source

Defence industry veteran Kinematic Armaments is the galaxy's largest producer of ballistic weaponry. Established in 3240 by the Dunst family, Kinematic long ago outgrew its home in the Tau-1 Eridani system, and today has fabrication plants in dozens of systems.

While Kinematic's efficiency is lauded, the company's business model is frequently criticised as unethical. To maximize output and minimize production costs, Kinematic operates 'pop up' factories in impoverished systems, which are decried by humanitarian organizations as little more than sweatshops.

Kinematic's arrival in these systems frequently portends a monopoly of the local economy. First, the corporation purchases vast tracts of real estate to accommodate development. Then, once a production base has been established, the bulk of the local workforce is lured into employment with above-average wages, forcing surrounding companies to shutter.

Understandably, this practice is the source of considerable controversy. Proponents assert that it revitalizes stagnant systems, while detractors condemn Kinematic's tendency to close facilities without warning as 'the unscrupulous conduct of a company consumed by greed'.

When CEO Catalina Dunst was challenged for closing Kinematic's third factory in two months, she made the following statement: "Kinematic stands for strength. If a system's economy crumbles after our departure, it means it wasn't strong enough to support us long term. The weapons we create arm the security forces that protect you. Remember that."

Lakon Spaceways

"Hard-working ships for hard-working people."

— Source

Lakon Spaceways is a starship manufacturer specialising in sturdy vessels for cargo haulage and deep-space exploration. They have a longer pedigree than most other ship manufacturers, their first dedicated transport vessel having been built on Earth in the 26th Century.

The company's early models were characterised by the fact that they could be easily repaired away from port – a quality that has been retained to this day, despite the prevalence of affordable repair services.

In 3303, Lakon entered into partnership with the Alliance to produce a range of military ships in response to the emerging Thargoid threat. As of 3304, this partnership has produced the Type-10 Defender, the Alliance Chieftain, the Alliance Crusader and the Alliance Challenger.

Lakon vessels tend to garner both praise and derision for their unpretentious, functional design, which is informed more by practical concerns than aesthetic considerations. Those who champion the chunky look of Lakon craft typically say that they prefer their ships to look like ships, not abstract sculptures.

Manticore

"Finish the fight."

— Source

Established in 2990, Manticore was for many years associated solely with ship-based technology, making a name for itself as a manufacturer of cannons, missiles and limpets. In 3303, the company widened its remit to encompass personal defence. When asked about the change, company director Karisa Neuman cited "a clear gap in the market for quality plasma and laser weaponry" as the motivator.

The move attracted criticism from competitors Takada and Kinematic Armaments, who suggested that Manticore was rushing to enter a market it did not fully understand. Neuman responded by poaching superstar designer Elin Yu from Kinematic Armaments.

The development led to a jump in Manticore share prices as commentators speculated about the impact that Yu – whose work at Kinematic produced some of the corporation's fiercest weaponry – would have on Manticore.

Manticore soon released a line-up of personal weaponry characterised by punchy handling and substantial damage output. Critics hailed the release as 'the future of plasma weaponry,' giving both investors and consumers ample hope for the company's future.

Since then, Manticore has cemented its presence in the personal weapon market and acquired a reputation for shrewd decision making. The recent, successful launch of the company's first combat suit design has demonstrated its potential for further growth. Manticore may choose to present itself as guided by little more than instinct and good fortune, but in reality it is as tactical – and, when necessary, as ruthless – as any of its rivals.

Mastopolos Mining

"Three hundreds years of reliability."

— Source

In 2951, an Imperial Senator named Giya Mastopolos helped an Imperial group wrest control of a key set of mining rights from a Federally backed partnership. Mastopolos later took direct control of the mining operations, and under his and his daughter Niya's guidance, the company rapidly expanded. The Mastopolos family was already held in great esteem for its patronage of the arts and loyalty to the Empire, and many Imperials were more than happy to do business with them. Accordingly, it was within the Empire that Mastopolos gained the most ground, though the company also established operations in several independent systems.

Much like the Empire itself, Mastopolos has been under the control of a single dynasty for centuries. Rather than adopt conventional marketing strategy, it has opted to focus its corporate spotlight on the individuals in charge, thus capitalising on the Imperial cultural regard for people of taste and status. The Mastopolos family are trained from birth to play the part of charismatic aristocrats to the full, acting as ambassadors not only for the company but for the Empire. In particular, they seek to demonstrate the viability and humanity of the Imperial way of life as a direct ideological challenge to the Federation.

The company's current head, Gabriella Mastopolos, has gone out of her way to ensure that any slaves working for the company are exceptionally well treated. She also earned plaudits for a prisoner-reform programme that offered Imperial prisoners at Jennings Hollow the chance to become corporate slaves, and to earn a generous performance-related bonus. But despite the popularity of this gambit, Federal and Alliance citizens were quick to point out that a slave is still a slave, regardless of the generosity of the owner.

Remlok

"Above all, survive."

— Source

Remlok is the galaxy's largest manufacturer of space suits. Led by CEO Sebastien Croix, it is noted for its employee-centric ethos, which offers workers generous benefits and competitive wages.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the company's commitment to fair treatment, it is vocally opposed to slavery. Croix, as the descendant of an enslaved family, has repeatedly clashed with pro-slavery figureheads, including Imperial Senator Zemina Torval.

In, 3300, Croix lambasted Torval for using excessive force to suppress a slave rebellion in the Sorbago system. Describing her actions as a "cruel response to people seizing their rightful freedom," Croix came under fire from Torval's allies, with some threatening to boycott the company until an apology was issued. Remlok's public relations department issued a response, admitting that Croix's statement was "intense", while maintaining the company's fundamental position.

More recently, the company has partnered with abolition charity Unchain, pledging a portion of its profits to the organisation's cause. Predictably, the move has attracted a certain amount of criticism, but has done little to undermine Remlok's market position.

The Rockforth Corporation

"Living Naturally."

— Source

The Rockforth Corporation was founded in 2673 by the Rockforth Family on Thompson's World, an unusually beautiful planet similar in almost all respects to Earth. Thompson's World began as a Federal colony, but by 2748 Rockforth controlled so much of the planet that it was able to claim outright ownership and secede from the Federation.

In its early years, the Rockforth Corporation earned significant revenue from tourism and 'genuine ground-grown food', the former facilitated by the rise of affordable interstellar travel. Today, it is a powerful interstellar corporation specialising in agriculture and tourism, with hundreds of corporate farms throughout Federal space. It also has a reputation for being acquisitive, having bought many of its client companies, beginning with a friendly takeover of the law firm Smith and Smith, now known as Rockforth Law. In 2730, Rockforth Law established the Rockforth Legal Academy on Thompson's World, now considered one of the best places in the galaxy to study Federal law.

Rockforth has always been eager to work with governing powers, both Federal and independent, and has occasionally loaned out its private fleet to help repel external threats. The company has even sponsored election campaigns, including that of the infamously corrupt Federal President Isaac Gellan in 2862. Rather than being tarnished by its association with Gellan, however, the company's reputation was enhanced, since it was Rockforth itself that exposed the president's corruption.

Saud Kruger

"The finest, for the best."

— Source

To independent pilots, Saud Kruger is best known for luxurious passenger liners such as the Beluga, Dolphin and Orca, although the company also runs a tourism branch under the Astrogator brand.

Saud Kruger started life as a yacht manufacturer in Bedaho, although the narrowness of the market curtailed the company's growth. When company director Stanislav Kruger purchased the struggling Astrogator touring company in 3270, he gave Saud Kruger a foothold in multiple star systems. Kruger then refurbished the Astrogator fleet and revamped the somewhat stale tour itinerary to give it a more adventurous, thrill-seeking flavour, which proved highly successful.

Goldskin leather, sourced exclusively from the planet Home in the Bedaho system, has been used in the interiors of Saud Kruger ships for years, and is part of the company's distinctive aesthetic. Saud Kruger has the exclusive right to produce real goldskin, which comes embedded with coded nanoparticles that act as guarantors of authenticity.

Saud Kruger also competes in the field of interstellar mapping and deep-space exploration, and likes to emphasise the danger and glamour of exploring. The company's critics claim this approach risks transforming the vitally important field of space exploration into a pastime for the idle rich, thus alienating the many freelancers on whose hard work the discipline depends.

The Sirius Corporation

"Powering the Galaxy."

— Source

Of all the mega-corporations to dominate civilised space, none compare to the wealth and influence of the Sirius Corporation.

The rise of the Sirius Corporation began in 2339, when the organisation launched a corporate colonisation mission – the first of its kind – to the Sirius system. From there, the corporation went on to become the lead supplier of fuel and technologies to both the Empire and the Federation, catapulting it to powerhouse status. The corporation's promise not to favour either side in the event of conflict helped to cement its position.

As the corporation grew, fuel supply and drive manufacture remained its core business, although judicious expansion into other markets supported its expansion.

But the corporation's ascendance has not been without complication. In 3251 it introduced a technologically revolutionary passenger liner called the Antares, which it hoped would usher in a new age in interplanetary travel. Unfortunately, however, the ship disappeared during its maiden voyage. It was speculated that a failure in the ship's internal containment systems had destroyed the vessel, but it was not until 3302 that wreckage from the ship was recovered and this hypothesis proved correct.

The 'Antares Incident' cast a long shadow, stalling the Sirius Corporation's plans to develop further superfast liners. But 3278 saw a reversal of fortune with the introduction of a new, faster drive system. The success of this new system more than made up for the losses that followed the Antares Incident, propelling the organisation to new heights.

Today, the corporation has multiple divisions, many of them giant conglomerates themselves, but its primary focus remains the manufacture of fusion reactors, hyperdrives and hyperdrive fuels. This division still operates under the banner of the Sirius Corporation, although technically it is conducted by Sirius Hyperdrives, with the parent corporation acting as a holding company.

The company's mining, industrial and power divisions are probably its largest. Sirius Mining works closely with Sirius Industrial to produce specialist equipment for both planetary and asteroid mining, in addition to industrial smelters and refineries, atmospheric-processing units and waste-processing reactors. Sirius Power produces generators ranging from 10-kilowatt devices to 100-gigawatt plants for industrial facilities and atmospheric processors.

The Sirius Corporation maintains a large private fleet with which to defend its interests. The majority of its ships are supplied by Gutamaya, although a proportion are manufactured under licence in Sirius's own shipyards.

The corporation controls dozens of star systems, and has even created a governmental subdivision, Sirius Gov, dedicated to managing these systems. Indeed, it has been observed that the people of these systems enjoy better quality of life and greater personal security – courtesy of Sirius's private fleet – than many independent systems.

Supratech

"Innovation in everything."

— Source

Despite its comparative youth, Supratech is one of the galaxy's preeminent technology companies, its rapid ascent having earned it both the admiration and envy of its competitors. Much of this success has been attributed to CEO Scorpio DeVorrow, who spent the company's first year poaching engineers from competitors, pouring billions into development and plastering advertisements across independent space.

Upon release of the Revo—a sleek wearable computing device—Supratech's sales saw a significant spike, cementing it as a serious contender on the tech scene. The company soon faced challenges, however, including stiff competition from rival company Herculean Machines and the loss of its main manufacturing facility.

Although DeVorrow insisted the facility's destruction would not compromise production, dozens of prototypes of the company's next product were lost. This device, the Torc, was envisaged by DeVorrow as the product that would launch Supratech into the ranks of the truly elite corporations.

Ultimately production targets were met, but the Torc debuted to lukewarm reviews at the 3304 Rackham Ultratech Expo. While sympathetic to the events surrounding the Torc's release, critics cited technical errors exacerbated by 'rushed development' as the reason for the device's subpar performance.

The Torc's mediocre sales pushed Supratech into the red, as industry analysts started forecasting bankruptcy. Critics cited the corporation's fall from grace as a cautionary tale against the hubris of 'next big thing' tech, while fans of the brand held their breath as they waited for DeVorrow's next move.

Relief came in 3305, when billionaire Lexi October injected enough capital to revive the ailing company. Famous for reversing the fate of failing start-ups, October had already rescued several corporations that had gone on to enjoy significant success. Her interest in Supratech heartened fellow investors, allowing the corporation not only to remain in business, but to diversify into other areas of tech.

Takada

"Harmonious by design."

— Source

The dynastic corporation Takada started life in 3223 as a haulage corporation. Presided over by patriarch Hideo Takada, the company gobbled up market share by transporting high-risk shipments at a fraction of competitor prices. Instead of hiring external security as escorts, Takada chose to make a long-term investment by recruiting and training its own.

Within five years, the company's last major competitor had vacated the area increasingly known as 'Takada space'; by 3244 the conglomerate had a vice grip on the local economy, with everything from starports to planetary colonies bearing its name.

The company's prominence came at a cost, however, with Takada shipments persistently targeted by pirate gangs. Rather than relying on beleaguered system security forces, Takada poured further funds into its private defence team, only to find that mass-market firearms did not meet its needs.

Convinced Takada could do better, Hideo's heir Ronan Takada tasked engineers with developing concepts for personal laser weapons. He also hired several industry veterans, including former Ross Projectiles designer Edward Le. The results exceeded even Ronan's lofty expectations.

Sensing an opportunity for additional revenue, Ronan Takada quietly began taking weapon orders from local factions, using an abandoned Takada facility for production. When order volume dramatically increased, Ronan was compelled to legitimise his experiment.

Assembling an audience of journalists, engineers and government representatives, Ronan declared it was time to give consumers "the same opportunities for personal defence enjoyed by the Takada corporation".

The announcement marked Takada's official shift into the defence sector, with the company shuttering its former operations to focus exclusively on arms production. Although Hideo Takada initially disapproved of the shift—going so far as to call his son 'reckless'—he later acknowledged that the defence market was more profitable for Takada than haulage had ever been.

Universal Cartographics

"Because it's there."

— Source

Before the frame shift drive was developed, the exploration of space lacked a single coordinating agency. Governments and corporations had in-house exploration programmes, but these were driven by the desire for fresh, exploitable territory rather than any humanitarian motive. It was not unknown for these programmes to enlist the help of freelance explorers, but as a class these were seen as erratic and unreliable.

The reputation of the freelance explorer was not helped by a rash of bogus-data scandals, in which a pilot would present – and be paid for – impressive scan data from hitherto unexplored systems that was later discovered to be counterfeit. The remoteness of the systems meant that the deception was not discovered until much later.

Much like the sea captains of old Earth, whose rutters were full of closely guarded secrets, the owners of authentic navigation data were reluctant to share it. Theft of such data was a particularly prevalent concern in the late 2900s, when mistrust between the Empire and the Federation was at its most intense. Officials on both sides would occassionally propose a shared databank as a means of bridging the divide, but mutual suspicion killed the idea before it could be implemented.

The creation of the frame shift drive greatly increased the jump capability of even small ships, empowering individuals to become bona fide space explorers without the need for corporate or governmental sponsorship. The stage was set for a corporation to manage, coordinate and distribute the incoming flood of navigation data. Universal Cartographics filled that niche, arising from the merger of Unified Infotech and Devaine-Bright Interstellar.

Cynthia Sideris, former head of Unified Infotech, chose the name Universal Cartographics to reflect the company's policy of making its data accessible to anyone who was willing to pay for it. Sophisticated security protocols, developed at Unified Infotech, ensured that all data sold to Universal Cartographics was sourced through legitimate scanning.

The combination of reliability and accessibility made Universal Cartographics an instant success. The company's ethos, which prized discovery for its own sake and championed the advancement of human knowledge, resonated with many independent explorers, and continues to do so to this day.

WorldCraft

"Optimising Recreation."

— Source

Based in the Epsilon Eridani system, WorldCraft has been the Federation's favourite tourism company for more than 300 years.

The company began life as the Cisco Corporation, with tourist resorts throughout human-occupied space. In the early part of the 33rd century it dramatically increased the scope of its operation and began terraforming planets to create dedicated resort worlds – an operation facilitated through the use of Free World Ventures' 'Worldcraft' atmospheric-processing units. Eager to exclude competitors from the market, Cisco bought Free World Ventures in 3260 via leveraged buyout, doubling the size of the corporation overnight.

At the time, Cisco was associated with the seedier end of the holiday market, which had prevented the company from successfully entering Imperial space. Capitalising on the acquisition of Free World Ventures and the respect afforded to the 'Worldcraft' brand, the company shrewdly rebranded itself WorldCraft – with a capital 'C' – in the hope of establishing a presence in Imperial space.

WorldCraft offers experiences ranging from excursions into unspoilt natural environments, where families can admire dazzling views from the safety of a rented luxury vessel, to painstakingly detailed reconstructions of periods of Earth history, such as the Victorian London theme park and the Swords-n-Swiggin' mediaeval re-enactment experience.

Wreaken

"An industry built to last."

— Source

Wreaken Construction and Mining is one of the oldest interstellar corporations. It was founded over a thousand years ago, but still bears the name of its founder, Tobias Wreaken, who was a coal miner on Earth in the days prior to full automation. Raised on stories of horrific mining disasters, Wreaken ran his extraction business with safety and prudence as top priorities. The corporate motto at the time ran: 'Losses can be recouped and equipment can be repaired. Lives are irreplaceable.'

Generations later, this attitude of diligence over profiteering still ran strong in the company. It made Wreaken a compelling choice when corporations were looking to exploit the new opportunities presented by early deep-space exploration. Extracting resources from asteroids, airless moons and hazardous planets was an even more dangerous prospect than coal mining, and Wreaken's expertise did much to calm corporate nerves. Consequently, the company had a presence on almost all the early Federally chartered colony missions.

Today, Wreaken specialises in the extraction of tantalum, a vital component in frame shift drives. The company is firmly established in Alliance, Federation and independent territories, while its direct rival Mastopolos Mining dominates in Imperial space. Tensions between the two corporations have been high since Wreaken accused Mastopolos of covertly seeding key planets with tiny, promising tantalum deposits, in the expectation that Wreaken's thoroughgoing approach would prompt a full survey, thus tying up valuable resources. Mastopolos has not offered an official response to the assertions, though at a formal dinner in 3303 Elena Mastopolos made a pointed reference to the etymological link between tantalus and 'tantalise', adding that it was not illegal to leave gifts on a neighbour's doorstep.

Colonia

"We were in a tight spot, and people came through for us without even being asked. That's what people do. It didn't hurt that the whole idea was flat-out crazy, of course. That just made them more determined."

— Jaques, owner of Jaques Station

Colonia lies some 22,000 light years from the core systems, and was the first system in the Colonia Nebula to be settled by humanity. The circumstances of Colonia's founding are highly unusual: the system was colonised as a result of the spontaneous actions of independent pilots, rather than through a formal expansion programme.

The colonisation of Colonia began with an accident involving Jaques Station, a jump-capable Orbis starport. In May 3302, the station executed a long-distance jump to Beagle Point, but when it failed to reach its destination it was feared lost. In June 3302, an independent pilot discovered Jaques Station in the Eol Prou RS-T d3-94 system, suffering from technical issues and effectively stranded.

The galactic community reacted swiftly, launching an independent supply drive to restore the starport to functionality. The relief effort soon exceeded its original objective, and many of those involved began to see the distant system as a chance to establish a new community, far from the wearisome conflicts and entrenched viewpoints of the core systems. Talk of a permanent colony went from light-hearted speculation to serious planning.

In September 3302, Eol Prou RS-T d3-94 was formally renamed 'Colonia', and the first permanent settlement was constructed on the surface of Colonia 2A. An influx of migrants boosted the system's population, aided financially by the Colonia Council, the region's new governing body, and materially by independent pilots.

Colonia is widely viewed as a monument to community spirit and human ingenuity, as well as being the first step into a previously uninhabited region of space. Colonia's population is still small, but the region is undergoing continuous expansion and attracting attention from both enterprising corporations and optimistic migrants.

To date, Colonia has remained untroubled by the strife that often plagues the core systems, earning it a reputation as a sanctuary. But it remains to be seen if this nascent community will thrive in isolation, or be engulfed by political and corporate forces.

The Dark Wheel

"Oh, they're out there alright. I've never met them, but I know they're out there. Think about how well known the stories are. Now think about how easy it would be for some two-bit band of hucksters to pass themselves off as the Dark Wheel and start trading on their reputation. Doesn't happen, does it? Not for long, anyway. Whenever someone tries to usurp the Dark Wheel name, sooner or later they get quietly shut down. And that's how I know."

— Felicity Farseer, explorer

The Dark Wheel is the name given to a legendary group of adventurers, explorers, investigators and treasure-hunters, the existence of which is so lacking in corroborative evidence that it is generally considered a myth. The group is often mentioned in connection with the equally unsubstantiated 'Raxxla'.

Those who believe in the existence of the Dark Wheel consider it to be a continuous and clandestine organisation, operating since the very earliest days of interstellar travel. According to the lore, only a handful of the bravest and most competent pilots of each generation are honoured with an invitation to join the group. It is futile to attempt to contact the Dark Wheel on one's own initiative, however – it is always they who initiate contact, initially in disguise, revealing their true identity only once a suitable test of courage and skill has been discreetly administered, and passed.

Opposing theories assert that new members are selected on the basis of lineage, with existing members covertly training their children and revealing the fact of their membership only when the child is ready. Conversely, some members are believed to go to great lengths to prevent their children from ever becoming involved, since the group's secrets are dangerous.

According to self-professed Dark Wheel expert Lyta Crane, a conspiracy theorist and 'people's journalist' who has painstakingly assembled an archive of relevant data, the original group was based in a disused starport orbiting the eighth moon of an unnamed gas giant. The station was toroid, hence 'wheel', and operated with a minimal power output so as to avoid detection, hence 'dark'.

Crane believes that this starport is still in use, and is the only means whereby the genuine Dark Wheel can verify its identity; new inductees can examine the records and artefacts preserved there, and thus satisfy themselves that the group has indeed been operating for centuries. No such starport has ever been found, however, and rival experts have accused Crane of forging her evidence in order to maintain the revenue from her billions of followers.

Over the years, many people have claimed to be members of the Dark Wheel, to have identified some or all of the group's members, or to have discovered the group's location, but the contradictory nature of these claims suggests that most of them, if not all, are untrue.

In 3300, a group identifying itself as the Dark Wheel emerged in the Shinrarta Dezhra system, which is not accessible to pilots of lower than Elite rank. It is not apparent if the group is a legitimate descendant of the original Dark Wheel, a reconstruction, or merely an opportunistic imitator.

Raxxla

"To the jewel that burns on the brow of the mother of galaxies! To the whisperer in witch-space, the siren of the deepest void! The parent's grief, the lover's woe, and the yearning of our vagabond hearts. To Raxxla!"

— Alleged toast of the Dark Wheel

The legend of Raxxla has been circulating, in whispers, for centuries. The quest for this mysterious place, the location of which is a deadly secret, was said to be the principal aim of the Dark Wheel, a putative fraternity of legend-chasers from the early days of interstellar travel.

The earliest recorded mention of Raxxla dates from 2296, from the journal of Art Tornqvist, a shipboard mechanic based in the Tau Ceti system. He writes: 'Cora comes home soused and raving with wild stories, a new one every night. She claims she's found a map to some pirate stash, and all I have to do is loan her my ship so we can go dig it up. maybe we should go find Raxxla while we're at it!' Although Tornqvist's account is the first known attestation of Raxxla, it is clear from context that the myth was already in circulation.

It is extremely difficult to find consistency among the various fragmentary rumours of Raxxla. Much like the ancient myths of Atlantis, El Dorado and the kingdom of Prester John, interpretations of the story range from the sceptical to the outlandish: Raxxla has been suggested to be anything from an unremarkable moon to a state of cosmic enlightenment. The earliest documented stories tend to agree on several points, however: that Raxxla is a definite place, and that it holds a mystical secret.

Several versions of the Raxxla story mention an alien artefact, the Omphalos Rift, described as a gateway or tunnel through which parallel universes can be accessed. These details, however, were later shown to bear a striking resemblance to the children's story Princess Astrophel and the Spiralling Stars, and soon lost credibility. Undaunted, some Raxxla seekers insisted that the story's author had cunningly concealed facts about the mysterious locale in his book as hints for those with eyes to see.

Students of Raxxla lore have noted that the legend exerts a strangely potent fascination on the minds of seekers. Commentators have compared this sensation to 'fernweh', the unaccountable longing for a place one has never seen. More than one interstellar treasure-seeker has become obsessed with Raxxla to the exclusion of all other dreams, and spent his or her entire life in a futile search for it.

Raxxla also plays a role in several conspiracy theories, most of which attest that it has already been discovered by some kind of sinister cabal (or sole tyrant), which has leveraged its power to establish covert dominance over humanity.

Whatever the truth of the matter, one thing remains irrefutable: the legend of Raxxla continues to inspire explorers and conspiracy theorists to this day.

Generation Ships

Before the development of faster-than-light travel, colonising distant star systems was a profoundly difficult proposition. For the people of the 21st Century, the answer was the generation ship. These vast interstellar arks, equipped with everything needed to sustain human life, were crewed by multiple successive generations – pioneers who were born, lived and died aboard a starship.

The first generation ship was launched in 2097, and in the centuries that followed, many more set off into the vastness of space. Most of these ambitious expeditions were funded by large corporations, and then penalties for interfering with them were severe, given the enormous cost of mobilising them.

In total, thousands of generation ships were launched in the early years of interstellar colonisation. Unfortunately, many of the corporations that funded these colonisation initiatives have since been dissolved, and their records lost or destroyed, making it hard to determine the vessels' number or exact locations. The majority arrived at their destination without incident; in an ironic twist, later developments in hyperdrive technology meant that a generation ship's destination was sometimes colonised prior to its arrival.

A small number of previously unknown generation ships are being discovered each year, although in all but one case the ship's crew met with an unfortunante fate. Logs recovered from these vessels detailed the loss of all hands, with causes ranging from mechanical failure, accidents, and outbreaks of disease to internecine conflict among the crew, often drawn out over a long period of time. Each of these incidents left the ship drifting through space, far beyond its intended destinations.

The first exception was the Golconda, discovered in the Upaniklis system with a functional colony on board, giving hope that not all generation ships still in transit will be lost causes.

The discovery of these 'lost' vessels gave rise to the creation, in 3305, of the Generation Ship Commission, a Federal body dedicated to the recognition of generation ship colonists and, if needed, their reintegration to modern society. Its mission was eloquently summarised by its director, Cosima Fairfax, at the time of its foundation:

"The generation ship colonists were launched into a mysterious future. A future they could not predict, and for which they were inadequately prepared. Modern generations may not know of their ancestral ties these people who sacrificed so much, and so we must remind them. Other souls surely drift through the void still, and it is our duty to bring them home."

Aegis

A scientific-military organisation founded in 3303, Aegis was established in a collaboration between the Alliance, Empire and Federation to coordinate research into the Thargoids and develop technologies with which to counter their aggression. Headquartered in the Sol and Delphi systems, it is overseen by an executive board, with scientific and military branches led by Professor Alba Tesreau and former Federal admiral Aden Tanner, respectively. Although the organisation was initially focused on research, its remit has since been widened to encompass defence.

With access to a vast pool of resources, Aegis is constantly growing. In addition to a fleet encompassing dozens of megaships, the organisation also operates a large number of laboratories and orbital outposts.

Aegis has collaborated with external parties on a number of occasions, including the engineers Liz Ryder, Ishmael Palin and Ram Tah. With Ryder and Palin, Aegis developed a suite of weapons specifically calibrated to damage Thargoid vessels, denoting its first foray into the area of defence. It worked with ship manufacturer Faulcon deLacy to produce an anti-Thargoid version of the Taipan fighter, and then partnered with Ram Tah in an effort to gain further insights into Thargoid behaviour.

Towards the end of 3303 Aegis expanded its research division, establishing 25 laboratories at starports throughout human-occupied space. Research efforts focused on the Thargoids' transmission and storage of information, and the categorisation of geographical data – work that would pave the way for later discoveries about Thargoid territorialism. But no sooner had work begun then the laboratories came under attack from Thargoid ships.

While the attacks were initially thought to be random, it was later determined that they represented a deliberate attempt to prevent Aegis from analysing Thargoid materials. An unprecedented development, the attacks shed new light on the Thargoids' agenda and capacity for strategic reasoning.

In 3304, Aegis was forced to relocate its administrative headquarters from the Socho system to Sol when a criminal organisation, the Socho Gold Raiders, engineered a hostile takeover of the system. The attack illustrated the need for greater protection from human threats; Federal President Zachary Hudson, in a moment of characteristic frankness, equated aggression against Aegis with treason against humanity, saying "The weakening of our defences cannot be tolerated."

Following the attack, Aegis established The Sentinel, a military installation, in the Pleiades Nebula. While Aegis officials insisted that The Sentinel would allow the organisation to "continue our fight against the Thargoids unhindered by external forces", critics opined that the organisation's growing military focus was cause for concern. In 3305, the organisation entered into a partnership with Ram Tah to manufacture Guardian-inspired technology, including Ram Tah's XG fighters.

Despite its apolitical stance, Aegis has come under scrutiny from certain sectors of the galactic community, who insist it cannot be trusted. Criticism has focused on the parallels between Aegis and the Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm (INRA) – a defunct Federal-Imperial initiative established in 3125 during the first human-Thargoid conflict – with detractors insisting that Aegis is guilty of the same unethical and unregulated activity conducted by the INRA. But while Aegis shares the same purpose as its forebear, there is scant evidence of unscrupulous conduct.

The Consortium

The Consortium is a powerful crime syndicate specialising in blackmail, theft, and the production and trafficing of illegal drugs. Like most criminal syndicates, it is motivated principally by profit. It is highly resourceful and well organised, which has in turn made it extremely successful.

The Consortium started life as an unruly band of brigands and thieves, no different from thousands of other criminal confederacies. But its course changed when an ambitious young rogue named Catelyn Voss took control of the group, sometime in the 3120s, and started aggressively expanding its operations.

Voss, originally the head of the small-scale drug ring, was guided by a single principle: criminals were, on the whole, stupid. To outmanoeuvre one's rivals, all one had to do was outthink them. And for Voss, gifted with a streak of cold-blooded intellect, this presented no difficulty.

Propelled by Voss's ambition, the Consortium started supplanting its opponents, and quickly came to dominate the smuggling and drug-trafficking rackets in its particular area of space. The Consortium's rivals, unhappy at this development, arranged a conference. They extended an invitation to Voss, hoping to broker an agreement what would allow the sector's various criminal enterprises to peacefully coexist. Voss declined to attend, instead despatching an envoy bearing a large quantity of Tarach spice as a peace offering. In truth, the cargo canisters were packed with high-yield explosives. No sooner was the bomb in place then Voss detonated it, annihilating her rivals in a single stroke.

Voss had realised that her competitors, for all their brutality, were bound by a simple code of honour. To them, the use of extreme tactics such as suicide bombers was unthinkable. And that gave her a clear advantage.

In the decades that followed, the Consortium's expansion continued unopposed, the fear of extreme retaliation keeping rival ciminal organisations in line. Indeed, potential competitors quickly realised it was smarter to side with the Coalition than against it, which allowed the organisation to assimilate dozens of smaller criminal enterprises.

It is not known if Catelyn Voss still controls the Consortium, or even if she is still alive. Some rumours assert that she spent much of her personal fortune on progenitor cells, allowing her to artificially extend her life and maintain control of her criminal empire. Others insist that she has retired, and is now living a life of quiet anonymity in a remote corner of space. Still others opine that Voss is long dead, and that control of the Consortium passed to one of her lieutenants many years ago. The truth may never be known.

Efforts on the part of law enforcement to topple the Consortium have been largely unsuccessful. The organisation is now so large that Omnipol can do little more than chip away at the margins. Ironically, many of the organisation's most senior figures are believed to have segued into legitimate business, leading intelligence agencies to theorise that those at the top of the Consortium may, to all outward appearance, be law-abiding citizens. Only the capture of the Consortium's leader – whoever that may be – could threaten its dominion.

The Pilots' Federation

The Pilots' Federation is an independent organisation that monitors and represents independent pilots. Established in 2805 following a surge in private-starship ownership, it was created principally to allow pilots to share reliable trade-route information, and to provide them with a degree of mutual protection against the rising scourge of interstellar piracy. At the time, independent pilots were generally mistrusted, due largely to the itinerant nature of their profession. The organisation's strict code of conduct put an end to this, and over time a galaxy-wide respect for its members emerged.

As piracy became more prevalent, the Pilots' Federation started issuing bounties on known pirate vessels – an initiative endorsed by the law-enforcement agencies of the time, which were struggling with a dramatic increase in criminal activity. Shortly thereafter, the Pilots' Federation introduced an official ranking system to reflect the number of combat victories achieved by each of its members. Pilots who accumulated the largest number of kills were awarded the title of Elite – a citation that became highly coveted among independent pilots. Over time the organisation's ranking system has expanded to cover multiple professions, becoming the universal litmus for determining pilot skill.

Given the Pilots' Federation's origins as an aggregator of navigational data, it stands to reason that it would become a significant presence in the field of information technology. As the organisation grew, it began developing hardware and software designed to provide pilots with up-to-date bouty, market, and starship data. Today, Pilots' Federation systems are fitted as standard on virtually all independent starships, representing the organisation's main source of income.

The Pilots' Federation occupies a unique position. Independent and avowedly apolitical, it has over the centuries acquired a reputation for ethical conduct and robust self-regulation. The ultimate expression of the respect and autonomy afforded the organisation in the fact that its members are commonly referred to as 'Commander', an honorific title recognised by all major governments.

The Pilots' Federation is based in the Shinrarta Dezhra system, which can be accessed only by invitation. Receiving an invitation is typically dependent on achieving the rank of Elite – a stipulation that has contributed to perceptions of the organisation as secretive. Despite this secrecy, the organisation's influence is undeniable, its members have made significant contributions to interstellar exploration, the galactic economy and the Thargoid resistance effort.