The Initiative

The PeaceKeeper Initiative
Political Information
Organization:	Representative Stratocratic/Democratic Republic
Head of State:	Protector of the Initiative
Military:	Central Command
Societal Information
Capital:	Sanctuary, Arc System, Milky Way Galaxy
Language:	Common
Currency:	Credit
Technological Level(s):	Advanced
Religion(s):	Complete Religious Freedom No State Religion
Historical Information
Established:	2017 CE

“	I am a Peacekeeper, a servant of the people.	”
	— PeaceKeeper Initiative Creed

The Initiative was created in 2017 CE (Common Era) as an ideological movement focused around avoiding many of the corruptions and pitfalls that it's founders saw or imagined plaguing society. Feeling an impending war, they made every effort to channel their resources into achieving a way off of Earth, to settle a new world where they could ensure the survival of the human race.

Technology

The Initiative's technology is made up primarily of their own designs, but many designed have a common ancestry from technology on Earth. Much of the society on the planet is highly computerized, using sub-dermal implants and finger/retinal prints for bank accounts or other sensitive things. Finger and footprints are take at birth, or induction, as well as a sample of the person's DNA, which is placed into a database, allowing for a complete chart of a persons ancestry.

Genetic Manipulation

Genetic Engineer (GE) or Genetic Manipulation (GM) is common within the Initiative. It is used for medical purposes, such as to correct for poor eyesight, or more serious problems. In addition to this, it is used as well in other practical scenarios, such as to give someone better senses, or a stronger physique, allowing them to attain greater levels of physical endurance than a regular human would be physically capable of.

In addition to this, genetic manipulation is also used in more cosmetic fashions, such as to add in different eye colors, hair colors, or in more extreme cases, to splice in animal DNA to provide someone with, for example, a cat's tail, or a dog snout, or any number of things. Before, and immediately after, someone undergoes genetic manipulation, a sample of their DNA is taken, in order to update their records (the old DNA kept on file for emergencies and comparison purposes). However, it is illegal to perform GM on children under a certain age, or pre-birth, unless absolutely necessary (say, to cure a genetic condition) or the like.

Military-grade Genetic Manipulation

The military makes use of genetic engineering in order to heighten combat and survival capabilities. It is used in order to heighten eyesight, reflexes, strength, flexibility, and physical durability/resilience. Additionally, attempts are made to decrease the amount of oxygen a person needs in order to expand the survival time of an EVA suit, and stamina recovery rates.

Implants

For more information on the mandatory identification chip, see Identification Chip.

Due to the lower population rate, and the high technological level, the Initiative and it's citizens make use of physical implants within the body. They range from drug dispensers, computer interfaces, to artificial organs and limbs, allowing a single person to be more efficient, or at least aware and capable, than a regular, unaltered, human. Many citizens are given sub-dermal chips at or shortly after reaching maturity, with these chips containing medical records (for emergencies), as well as serving in place of say, a debit card, merely interfacing with the reader at a store to pay the bill.

Military-Grade Implants

For more information on military command interfaces, see Neural Interface.

The military makes use of implants in order to maximize effectiveness of it's personnel, allowing for smaller crews (allowing for more ships for fewer crew). Some of these implants allow for better integration with combat armor, or the ship, allowing for faster responses, and other similar bonuses.

Ground forces make use of the implants to heighten combat capabilities, as well as command & control capacities.

Civilians are limited in the types and numbers of military-grade implants they may get, by licence and by sheer numbers. People convicted of certain types of crimes are forbidden a military-grade implant. If they already have one, and they then commit such a crime, the implant is removed (or, if that is not a viable option, disabled).

Infrastructure

Much of the infrastructure of The Initiative is built to be as practical but as technologically advanced as possible, to offset the low numbers of some colonies.

Civilian (or primarily civilian) infrastructure includes magnetic rail trains (magrails for short), that utilize magnetic levitation to decrease friction between the train and the track to achieve faster speeds. These magrail trains span many of the worlds, connecting spaceports, remote locations, and major hubs. It is not uncommon to see a train carry both passenger and freight cars, often carrying trucks and jeeps that merely roll onto the train, and roll off as needed, and are tied down during transit. Much of the ground traffic is conducted via hovercraft, to allow for heavier vehicles.

Spaceports

Spaceports tend to be built, primarily, in semi-remote locations, connected to the nearest city/town via magnetic rail lines. This is to prevent as many accidents as possible from causing catastrophic damage to nearby cities. A number of spaceports are built with subterranean hangars, opening out onto the world with massive blast doors, large enough that (when retracted) a spaceship can fit through. The other end of the hangar, inwards, usually points to a tunnel where large cargo carts pass through to carry cargo and/or passengers/crew to the ships. Additionally, they are located below ground in order to make them a harder target in the event of an orbital siege.

The only spaceports exempt from build beneath the ground tend to be those at important sites in order to allow for the shortest liftoff of things such as shuttles. Additionally, spaceports housing fighters assigned to the planetary defense wings have smaller hangars located nearer the runway (or the subterranean ones are left open) in order to allow the fighters faster response times.

Farming

Many of the cities and towns on colony worlds utilize vertical farms, with rain and pipe-fed planters, using sun lamps for plants in lower levels that might not, naturally, be touched by sunlight. Some of these solar farms extend multiple stories both under and above ground.
Farming is conducted through open-air vertical farms and rooftop gardens in many of the cities. Vertical farming is limited solely to native crops in order to decrease the chances of non-native flora managing to get out into the wilderness and cause an ecological disaster.

Non-native (that is to say, not from that world originally) flora (and fauna) are limited to subterranean bio-domes in order to prevent their escape into the wilderness. These bio-domes are carefully sealed in order to prevent leakage of non-native materials, and do their best to replicate natural conditions.

Industrial

The Initiative places an emphasis on harmony with the planet, mandating that waste heat and energy from industrial sectors be reused or recycled as much as possible. For this, many of the industrial sectors throughout the Initiative's worlds are based beneath or near the colony, with the waste heat being transferred to power plants or other facilities that might be able to make use of it. Almost any effort is undertaken to promote recycling or proper disposal of waste materials, in an effort to minimize the industrial footprint on new worlds, and minimize destruction of local ecosystems.

Society

“	There is nothing either good or bad, yet thinking makes it so.	”
	— William Shakespeare

Due to the large number of converging cultures located within the Initiative, there are a large number of odd mixtures arising, with many cities, and even districts within cities, having distinctly different cultures from neighboring towns and cities. These range from minor things, such as odd or exotic body-art, to distinct philosophical differences.

Social Freedoms

The Initiative allows social freedoms such as freedom of the press, the right to assembly, religion, petition, and free speech, but within limitations. Many of these limitations are obvious, such as that the do not become disruptive, or interfere with another persons rights. There are, of course, areas that are completely off-limits to civilian protests, such as on the edges of military bases, on the logic that in an emergency, the military personnel need to have their minds free to worry about the emergency, rather than a large number of civilians on their doorstep.

Civilian Firearms

Civilians are not permitted to own military-grade firearms, and are limited solely to powder-based (ie: true firearms), with magnetic accelerator-style weapons being largely forbidden. However, the type and level of weapon is not as carefully controlled, and automatic weapons are permitted under law. However, people with crimes that fall into certain categories are forbidden from owning a firearm. Additionally, all firearms must be locked with a bio-metric lock, that can be modified to allow multiple people (ie: spouses, children, et cetera) to make use of the weapon should an emergency arise. People with certain military-implants are capable of overriding these locks for emergency use.

Civilian Powered Armor

Main article: Armored Exo-Suit

Civilians are not permitted to purchase powered armor without a licence, unless issued for legitimate purposes, such as mining, search and rescue, or other hazardous jobs that may require powered armor. Civilians engaged in space travel may be permitted a handicapped civilian variant for survival purposes. However, civilian models have many of the systems disabled or removed entirely, such as many of the sensor suites, and have a governor on their physical capacities in terms of how strong the muscles of the suit can be.

However, civilian auxiliaries to the military may be issued civilian variants that are lacking the inhibitors, allowing them to serve in military functions as needed.

Child Rights

Children, in the Initiative, are allowed the rights of an adult provided that they can prove, in a carefully monitored series of tests, that they understand those rights, and the responsibilities that come with them. These rights extend from anything as mundane as operating a motor vehicle prior to the age of 16, to owning a firearm, voting, owning property, holding a job, et cetera.

However, a child who has passed a test, and then commits a crime (deliberately), that relates to that particular field or series of rights, will be tried in the same capacity as an adult in the legal system, with the same potential penalties.

Marriage

Marriage is allowed between two (or more) consenting people who are either of age, or have shown sufficient understanding of the ramifications of what they are doing. No institution is allowed to deny a couple (or more) the right to marry based on any bias.

Marriage Contracts

Additionally, "contract marriages" are allowed, more or less a person is legally (and socially) considered the others spouse for the duration of the marriage, after which time it can be renewed. If it is not renewed, they cease to be married. This is often picked by couples who, despite differences, wish to remain together to raise a child or fulfill some obligation without the tediousness of a full marriage and subsequent divorce.

Education

“	The first duty of a man is to think for himself.	”
	— José Martí

Education is handled in an interesting fashion. Education is mandatory. However, tests can be taken to allow a person to skip a 'grade' in a class (naturally these tests are heavily monitored to prevent cheating). There are no limits to the number of tests taken, so a person could theoretically skip to college, right out of the equivalent of grade school. There is a heavy emphasis on science, technology, and history, though there are specialized schools for various types of training, such as technical training, artistic, military training, et cetera. College-equivalent education levels are optional, as they are on Earth, and, like earlier levels, can be skipped with a high enough performance.

All of the major military branches have their own schools and training camps, though many 'colleges' across Sanctuary also offer military-based courses, that allow for preparation. Particular guilds/services/jobs also, in some cases, will not accept people who haven't taken courses in some fields.

Government

The Initiative's government is filled primarily by military personnel, usually officers who have proven their ability to handle emergencies calmly and collectedly. However, some positions are filled by elected officials. Many of the elected officials are allowed to put in their names, but are not allowed to campaign for the position, instead being elected with merely their record to be viewed.

Central Authority

Most of the authority for day-to-day matters is handled by local government, except for in situations when the central authority on the planet which is often just referred to as "Central", decides to intervene or state a rule. Central is comprised of one central leader, who is nominated by his predecessor, and must pass approval of the people and of the "council" which acts as a checks & balance system against this singular leader. The council is comprised of representatives from each city & town over a certain population limit. Generally the councils and central leaders are elected from the military (though a civilian can get elected). These elections, as stated earlier, are not allowed to be influenced by such things as campaigns.

Colonial Authority

Main article: Colonial Authority

The Colonial Authority (CA) is a governmental branch dedicated to overseeing the more distant, or less-developed colonies as required. It is able to draw upon the military to call up units to assist with the Colonial Authority's own security forces in policing the colonies, as well as assisting in civil works projects.

Civil Voting

Civil voting is an on-going system of various issues, amendments, and thoughts presented by the politicians for general voting. The things up for general voting are usually things in the mundane, such as amendments to laws, or petitions for a park or service, et cetera. However, during election times, this service is commandeered for voting for representatives and other elected officials. This system is designed to be full-proof as, like many other things, it relies on bio-metrics to prevent voter fraud (ie: palm print, & retinal scan). Once it registers a vote, it will lock out that particular bio-metric signature from the polls until they reopen on a new issue. However, people are allowed up to 12 hours to change their vote.

Civil Services

Many of the civil services are handled by military officers, such as combat engineers, military police, and so forth. They are supported by non-military assistants in emergencies.

Legal System

“	Never mistake law for justice. Justice is an ideal, and law is a tool.	”
	— L.E. Modesitt, Jr

Many things are considered legal, or in gray areas. Many things that are illegal on Earth are considered legal, if one can find a willing "victim", requiring careful documentation. Drugs, alcohol, et cetera, are allowed, on the provision of careful consumption (ie: no drunk driving).

People convicted of minor crimes are usually sentenced to a minor punishment, or a brief imprisonment. More serious crimes, however, can carry the death penalty, banishment to an off-planet mine, or, in cases of a non-violent crime, enslavement.

Penal System

Persons convicted of a crime are imprisoned for a brief time, while their case is reviewed. After their case, depending on the severity of their crime, they fact a number of potential punishments, ranging from the simple (and obvious) such as suspension of a licence (if related to the crime), death, exile to one of the other colonies, or hard labor in a government facility or an asteroid mine. Generally, hard labor on an asteroid mine is set aside only for murderers and other violent criminals. However, under certain circumstances, other punishments will be set forth, such as execution, or enslavement. The manner of execution can be left to the criminal, to decide the manner of their death.

Crimes of passion, however, within certain parameters, are given a certain amount of leniency (provided a government-approved psychologist gives the 'okay') and face a reduced punishment.

Enslavement

Slavery, within the Initiative, is legal within certain parameters. It is an acceptable punishment for some, and they are allowed reasonable limits on what they and cannot be forced into. People in extreme debt can also go into "slavery" in order to pay off their debt, being put to work at a wage comparable to that of anyone else in that field, though 2/3rds of their "wages" are garnished towards repaying their debt, and the other 1/3rd of their wages set aside for living expenses.

There can be voluntary slaves, however, who are allowed to sign their freedom away, and put the proceeds from their sale (if they are sold), towards anything they so wish. Or a voluntary slave can sign their freedom away to a specific person or group. People born into slavery are allowed complete and total freedom and are raised as normally as possible, either by their parents, or, if the situation calls for it, by a foster family.

Military

Main article: Central Command

The Initiative maintains a volunteer military, comprised of both a national guard-esque force, and a space-based coastguard, in addition to a regular, standing military.
The military uses one standard uniform for all of its branches, using special color-coding along the trimming to denote specialty, and patches to denote branch.

Space Forces Command

Main article: Space Forces Command

Space Forces Command, or "SFC", is the primary naval force of the Initiative. It provides the crews for the Initiative's vessels, as well as ship-to-ship boarding parties. Additionally, it maintains the military atmospheric craft in use, as well as various outposts scattered throughout the Initiative's territories.

In times of emergencies, the SFC is capable of commandeering civilian and SDF vessels.

Spaceborne Infantry

The Spaceborne Infantry (SBI) is the primary naval infantry of the Initiative. More commonly referred to as 'Marines'. They're responsible for security aboard military vessels and orbital facilities, and form the majority of boarding parties and orbit-to-surface strike teams.

System Defense Force

Main article: System Defense Force

The System Defense Force (SDF) is comprised primarily of escort-level craft, and is comprised of a sizeable chunk of their military craft. It defends The Initiative's systems, as well as providing assistance for freighters and other civilian craft handling industrial operations (ie: asteroid mining, space-based construction). In addition to these duties, it also maintains the orbital platforms over many of the colonies, as well as the orbital-based weapons systems that defend them.

Civilian System Patrol

Main article: Civilian System Patrol

The Civilian System Patrol (CSP) is made up of lightly armed civilian ships that helps enforce rules and regulations. Primarily made up of freighters and other vessels, during an invasion into the system, it would be counted as an auxiliary. From time to time, CSP vessels carry Assault Forces contingents for emergencies.

Ground Forces Command

Main article: Ground Forces Command

Ground Forces Command (GFC) is the primary land-based arm of the Initiative's military. Utilizing everything from powered armor, to hovercraft, and heavy weapons, it is a well-armed, and well-trained fighting force. It provides, primarily, planetary assault forces, though it assists in the daily on-goings of the Initiative.

Civil Defense Force

Main article: Civil Defense Force

The Civil Defense Forces is the ground-based irregular arm of The Initiative's military forces. It comprises solely of volunteers, who work regular jobs when not called up for service. It is intended as "home guard" force.

Ranger Exploration Corps

Main article: Ranger Exploration Corps

The Ranger Exploration Corps is a para-military branch of the government, comprised of primarily of stealth space craft, and exploration teams, tasked with exploration of other systems. It almost solely operates Imager-class Prowlers for it's exploration. The REC engages in combat only in self-defense during recon missions, and during emergencies where their special training may come in handy.