PACT NOTES 6

ERRATA

Batteries: That's -1 hs per weapon in the battery.

Bureaucracy: Originally modeled after the efficient Mqdrekkor bureaucracy, the Pact version of government soon became immobilized by politics. Unlike the military, the civil service became quickly became corrupted by political patronage and, to a lesser extent, graft. Part of this was due to typical interstellar conditions: low civil service salaries. Worst of all, the bureaucracy became obstructionist and self-serving. Nationalist and socialist attitudes encouraged growth in the bureaucracy as a means of exerting better control over the economy which had the result of crippling the economy with reams of red tape. Even bureaucrats with good intentions were hobbled by huge amounts of  regulation and administration. In the late 9,000s, the harmful effects of this civil service finally were widely recognized. Efforts to reverse the ill effects of the bureaucracy have a not been strikingly successful: one ten million-civil servants are a political, economic, and social force to be recognized. The-Pact bureaucracy has become a force to be reckoned with.

Claytonism: A grand philosophy that takes parts from communism, Buddhism, and techno literacy, Claytonism was first created by Laquita Clayton, a eGuru from the planet Urbanos who quickly gained a vast following on her home world and via the Interlink. She was supposedly assassinated by the KT after she gained significant notoriety within the Pact, but her legacy lives on, in the form of a symbiosis of philosophy and economic theory. Many worlds within the Pact subscribe to Claytonism, and its pro-environment format, as well as the technological aspects of the philosophy, including eism and cyber-relativity.

Gaea world: A world lush with life, a Gaea world is a very rare world indeed within the Pact. Due to some unknown factor, any life that grows on this planet does so at an increased rate, and is healthier and happier than normal. Could it be some emission from the planet? Maybe something filters down with the light through the atmosphere. Nobody is sure. But what they do know is that all population growth on this planet is doubled the normal rate, and the maximum PU is 4,500(due to the abundant food sources and such).  

Interlink: The broadband computer connection that connects most of the Pact of Humanity, created a virtual reality in cyberspace that has to be seen to be believed. The Interlink is also used by military and government officials and all aliens have been permanently banned after the Interlink Collapse of 10,210.

New govt types: Plutocracies, military hierarchies, military corporations, and theocratic monarchies have begun to sprout up all over the Pact after the collapse of federal authority. Normally the Kona Tatsu would be responsible for holding down these government types because of their anti-Pact attitudes, but even the KT has suffered from the Pact collapse.          

PACT POLITICAL PARTIES

   Many political parties have cropped up after the failure of the federal government on Terra to re-constitute itself and elect a High Secretary. Most Cluster Senators and Governors have taken complete control of their territories, but many enlightened leaders have allowed forms of self-government to form. All these political parties are new except Socialists and the Popular Party. As you can see the Socialists traditionally held 45% of the political seats in the Senate, with the Dolist controlling another 39%. The Maronites, a large religious group, held nearly 10% percent of Senate seats at the time of the High Secretary's assassination.

Claytonist: A grand philosophy that takes parts from communism, Buddhism, and techno literacy. Many worlds within the Pact subscribe to Claytonism, and its pro-environment format, as well as the technological aspects of the philosophy, including eism and cyber-relativity.

Conservative: Many different types of ‘conservative’ parties have sprung up in the Pact, most having an aversion to change. Many moral and faith based organizations are conservative in nature, as are many economic groups find their political home here.

Democratic: There are several parties in this grouping, the most important being the Democratic Dolist League, a group with billions of adherents. The Democratic Socialist Party also has widespread support.

Ecological: Varying groups vie for this title, from tree huggers to dyed-in-the-wool terrorists to strait ‘green’ parties. Most are radical groups.

Followers of God: Several different groups claim this name, including Islamic, Christian, and Jewish organizations.

Guardians: The political party of Lu Singh Quaid, this party is in Hokkaido only.

Independent: Thousands of so-called ‘independent’ parties have sprouted up, most of them being anti-government zealots.

Interationists: The arrogant ‘rationalist movement’, these politicians are primarily based in the core worlds of the Pact.

Islamic: Various, including the Party of God, Hasrada Movement, and the Arab Red Knights(small party with a great name).

Liberal: Primarily a ‘spend spend’ party intent on greater and greater benefits for their votes, the Liberals are the antithesis of the Conservatives. A large centrist party, some members of which still favor some kind of large-scale federation.

Liberationist: A anti-technology party, this group has grassroots support from eco-terrorist throughout the Pact of Humanity.

Loyalists: Pro-Pact, most are militant about it, many sub-parties banned by pro-secessionist Cluster governments. Dominates many Cluster governments.

L-Republican: An ancient political party that supports limited government, the L-Republicans are steeped in the history of Terra. Center-right party.

Maronite(eCatholic): A huge organization of politically aware religionists, the Maronites have followers in the trillions, all receiving direction by the ePope on Terra.

New Congress: A unabashedly pro-Indian political party, it is the spiritual home of biratism. This group, originally formed by Bijapur nationalists, was largely dismantled by the KT, but after the Civil War began, returned in force.

New Tories: A pro-democratic party, this group is located in Cleveland only. Actively opposes the Unity Party of Cleveland. Radical whiting sect, also known as gifted terrorists.

Patriarch Party: Coalition group of anti-woman forces that have gained in popularity in the Reformation Cluster. Led by ex-Senator Nofti Hoff.

Popular Front: Ultra-leftwing organization led by Hadda Madawhat, the rogue Islamicist. Suspected by many of being a front for the total annihilation of all Christians. 

Popular Military Front: The political alliance backing High Admiral Nemasov in El Hobra Cluster; a single-party state.

Popular(Dolist): Widely discredited party whose failure to elect a new High Secretary because of partisan fighting with the Socialists has led to the Civil War, and their fall from power.

Socialists: The traditional party in power within the Pact, this was the High Secretary’s political home. Infighting and assassinations between the Dolists and Socialists have paralyzed the federal government.

Traditionalists: Pro-Pact party founded by Senator Illia Kno that at one time boasted of intimate KT connections.

Unity: Located in Cleveland Cluster, the Unity party is a center-right party that supports independence for Clusters. This group remained neutral during the beginning of the Civil War and it is a coalition of opposition parties who favor an independent Cleveland with its own currency and military force.

Warlord: Located in Munster Cluster(so-far), this political group supports Warlord Toyohama Koga, ruthlessly supressing all other political parties.

THE PACT NAVY

   One of the oldest institutions in the Pact of Humanity, the Pact Navy has been the vanguard of the Pact, guarding its borders and policing its members from within. A venerable institute, it's mottos are "Duty, Honor, Tradition" and every officer of the Pact Navy swears an allegiance to these ideals. There are two distinct military formations within the Pact of Humanity; one is the far larger Pact Navy, which wears gray and gold and Skywatch Command, which wears gray and green uniforms. Skywatch Command has no warships under its command, just orbital bases, asteroid fortresses, and an occasional space station. The Pact Navy currently has over 600 dreadnoughts and superdreadnoughts in service, excluding lighter forces such as battlecruisers, destroyers, and frigates. This large concentration of heavy metal is the result of decades of active combat with Dionii forces and the potentially catastrophic conflict with the high tech Holot Empire. The Pact Navy has only recently begun adding superdreadnoughts to its inventory, in just the last seven years. These vessels have been predominately Glorious and Furious-class missile ships and over one hundred  Implacable, Avenger, and Formidable beam superdreadnoughts built as well. However, as the Pact Civil War has ground on, the Navy has now come to realize it needs double that amount of capital ships.

   With a six thousand year history of interstellar combat, the Pact Navy has a lot of experience to draw upon, including some famous individuals who have changed the naval service in ways no one thought possible. One of  these leaders was High Admiral Cassius Clay, one of the most important and progressive men the Pact of Humanity has ever seen. Huge, powerful, and fearless, Clay became one who preached change within the Pact Navy for years while serving in that infamously static organization. Clay was quite intelligent, a "thinker" so to speak. And a distinguished knife fighter, which definitely helped in him in his career, defying his enemies to silence him. While just a Captain of the List, he participated in the 13^th Dionii Wave in which he greatly distinguished himself while commanding the rear guard during the Grandee Prime Operation. Thereafter he held a variety of commands in the Pact Navy and he later commanded all naval forces in the Leyte Combat Region, overseeing the occupation of the following Dionii systems:  Bronigami, Sistux III, and Killinger Station. He personally commanded in three of the five major battles of the 13th Dionii Wave, a distinction no other officer in Pact history could claim. In the final battles of the Wave, Admiral Clay suffered from several handicaps, including operating on limited resources, against an enemy who had far superior numbers of warships, with subordinates who were often contentious, and in a type of battle that had never been fought before; a large-scale battleship operation. Clay's post-war career was equally impressive, concluding with an unprecedented six-year term as Chief of Naval Operations(now the High Admiralship) for which post he was jumped over 100 more senior officers.

   Another such individual was Skymarshal Iandahar Gomez and dreadnoughts were his brainchild and introducing them in the 7th Regional War in 10,791,  helped to stave off total collapse of the Pact Navy under the onslaught of the superior Holot warships. During the war he specialized in naval construction, and at age 49 he first proposed a new class of warship for the Pact Navy: the dreadnought. Gomez thereafter became closely identified with dreadnought operations. Fighting in the 15th Dionii Wave, Gomez' role in the war was indispensable. He not only oversaw the expansion of the Navy, but he was involved in plotting military strategy, directing the dreadnought construction effort, and helped coordinate the Pact's strategy and operations with the alien Mqdrekkor. Proving and able and energetic officer, Gomez sought to reorganize the fleet along the obviously more efficient Mqdrekkor lines. He died at age 129 and was interned on Calixtus.

   One of the few high level leaders to involve himself in military affairs, High Secretary Domitus Metaxas was a rabid military histortech who came into power in 10,810 and served as High Secretary until 10,828. His contribution to the Pact Navy revolutionized it forever by introducing fighters, which at the time the Fleet didn’t want. A forward-thinking man, Domitus also provided critical funding for the Navy to support and develop  non-standard warfare techniques as well. Unfortunately, he also let his personal likes and dislikes, and particularly his love of publicity, interfering with his management of the 16th Dionii Wave.

   Finally, there was High Admiral Victor Nemasov, Head of the Armed Forces under High Secretary MacDonald who’s brutal power grab instigated the Pact Civil War. When he made has move against Secretary MacDonald the organs of the Pact Navy for weeks experienced shock at Admiral Nemasov's treachery and were virtually paralyzed. A well known and widely despised figure, Nemasov was infamous for his bad behavior, including his bizarre sexual attraction to young boys. Appointed by Secretary MacDonald just a few years ago, Nemasov now appears to be the bane of stable government. A personal friend of the High Secretary, Victor Nemasov was appointed to the post of Head of the Armed Forces primarily on the basis of his considerable administrative skills, despite being tactless, often rude, and very self-aggrandizing. Although Nemasov was constantly defeated in naval battles against the Dionii, he was not relieved. This was fairly typical in the Pact Navy, where your social connections often counted for more than battlefield performance.

   After the Nineteenth Dionii Wave he held a variety of increasingly important administrative and command assignments, culminating in his appointment as Grand Admiral of the Fleet. Renowned for his extraordinary hostility towards Skywatch personnel and Marines, he made sure neither got any credit for operations in "his" theater. He had no friends, and few allies, and his idea for holding power after he eliminated Secretary MacDonald seems in hindsight unrealistic, without any serious support. Nemasov had served well in the post of Grand Admiral, becoming an outspoken advocate of fighter craft and sheparded the Pact's genetic engineered pilot program to fruition.

CLUSTER CAPITALS

Calagua: A large omega world and capital of the Calagua Cluster, this planet has experienced extraordinary stability under the iron hand of Senator Michael San Roque. A famed descendant of High Secretary Ulliam MacBannock, Senator San Roque realized the Pact of Humanity's crisis would continue indefinitely and fled to his home cluster immediately after the assassination of High Secretary MacDonald. Political parties are currently forming with elections scheduled for next year.

Chandrasekhar: Suffering catastrophic infighting between naval arms and the bureaucracy, Senator Yitzak Ortegza's cluster has been literally ripped apart, with four different spheres of worlds battling for supremacy. All areas of the Cluster have endured sustained naval strikes with nuclear and antimatter weapons, resulting in billions of casualties. The Onesiders, Liberationists, the Pact Navy, and Ortegza's forces are all fighting for power within the embattled Cluster.

Chesapeake: Senator Aramis Rostelli runs this important world which is located near Terra Cluster. The unilateral declaration of independence by Urbanos Cluster has shocked and angered many Chesapeakans, including Senator Rostelli, who is currently negotiating with Terra and other adjacent Clusters in subduing the rebellious Urbanos System.

El Gharaq: A vital Cluster suffering both political and military instability, El Gharaq is also lacking leadership as Senator Seth Cairo is on Terra, with no new governor yet named. Radical Muslims and die-hard socialists have both begun a grab for power in the Cluster, resulting in factional fighting.

Formichev: An ancient and heavily populated Cluster, Senator Suneta Ali runs this area of the Pact with great wisdom and commercial savvy. One of the few women to ever gain power within the Pact, Senator Ali also has vital support from her immensely wealthy family shipping connections. The New Congress has begun forming on Formichev, with eventual elections for the governorship taking place within six months.

Golden: An independent Cluster, Golden is one of the Pact's most heavily populated areas, with a recorded population of 700 billion inhabitants. Widespread support for democracy in this area is forcing Senator Taggant Elem from power, and the military is facilitating that transition. Fleet Admiral Ghree Khil on Terra Sola is supporting the democracy movement wholeheartedly, with the backing of the 88th Battle Squadron.

Grendel: An ancient area highly populated with Nordic humans, Grendel's capital was recently subjected to orbital bombardment by rogue elements of the Cluster navy, with nearly two billion casualties. The Cluster capital is also home of the Whalesingers of Grendeesh and is centrally located to run the entire area. Initially the capital was located at Powerline but the strategic liability of maintaining the capital at a large warp nexus necessitated moving it to Grendel. Democratic government.

Guinea System: Suffering from intense fighting between various rebellious alien worlds and the central government has virtually paralyzed military within Guinea proper. The Cluster Depot is located near the Guinea System and the governor is rapidly mobilizing as many warships as possibly to meet the alien threat.

Hainault: Located next to the religiously-dominated New Jerusalem Cluster, Hainault secular government is anathema to the Jerusalem government, but is treading lightly after the take-over by Admiral Adwan White, the Cluster's Fleet Admiral. Located on Terra Haute, Admiral White has begun the slow transition to more democratic ideas, including supporting the fledgling democratic caucus that is now forming on Hainault.

Novaya Krasnodar: Governor Noya Razmuzov is widely known for her odd sexual behavior and since the collapse of the central government of the Pact, she has made grab for power unseen since Admiral Shenshak's Rebellion. Fighting has broken out between Razmuzov loyalists and pro-Pact forces, including the Marines on New Pendleton. Serious fighting was also reported on Novaya Krasnodar itself, including kinetic and nuclear strikes in the capital city of Novaya Urghsk.

Rommel: Senator Anthony Buron has retained control of this Cluster, but at the cost of political accommodation. Also, Fleet Admiral Braxton Bragg has three Horrible-class superdreadnoughts and four Bombard-class battlecruisers located in the capital system, fully supporting Senator Buron's activities. A physically secure system, the planet Rommel is guarded by the Third Sector Fleet commanded by Bragg, an extreme human supremacist.

Samont System: Led by Senator Ihoja Rudhumiya, a small group of  'independents' have begun the political process of transferring power to several powerful conglomerates within Samont Cluster. Although several Clusters have been governed by corporations, most have ended in dismal failure since these types of governments have little concern for their constituents, being more interested in the bottom line. Serious revolts have broken out on several worlds, including the high-population world Terra Palma and military moon Tora Bora.

Shindo System: Located adjacent to Islands Cluster, Shido has an ancient military tradition, with millions of marines and naval personnel coming from this region of the Pact. Also the location of the former Bushi Federation, a human polity from the Ascension Wars, Shindo has many martial and Asian qualities.

Somerset System: Commodore Tyrel Nelson is deployed here with one Bombard-class battlecruiser and three Alert-class destroyers. He is brother of Lance Nelson, famed officer of the Resolution Campaign. He has several dozen heavy-G Athosian marines on his ships and is urging the Cluster government to recruit more heavily from Athos, despite its same-sex culture. He hails from Everest and is an anti-alien fanatic.

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

Antimatter Weapons: Developed first by scientist Anna Karpova of Saraguro who has studied Holot imagery during the Pact’s last conflict with that species decades ago, this project was quickly classified and was eventually put into full production. Faced with overwhelming numbers of Dionii vessels, the Pact Navy then crash developed this program, fielding it in record time. Larger and larger amounts of weapons-grade antimatter were produced and eventually deployed on board all Pact Navy ships. Crewmen to this day call missiles loaded with antimatter “Anna’s”.

Dis Technology: Secret researchers have possibly developed and fielded this newest type of mass destruction weapons, but due to their deadly nature they are being held in reserve, quite probably by the Pact Navy in Terra Cluster. Confirmation of their existence has never been confirmed, but before his assassination High Secretary MacDonald was asked questions about the security of the Pact in the light of aggressive movements of Holot warships, and he only pointed to the dis program with a smile.

Gigaton Warheads: Researcher Niko Abganerovo first developed this weapon at the Pact Navy Station on Palma Sola, unfortunately the containment field in his lab wasn’t strong enough and poor Niko vaporized himself and half of Beta Continent, killing 210 million people.  Telemetry and visual accounts later produced enough information(plus many of Niko’s notes to naval supervisors) to continue research and finally field this devastating system.

Nova Bombs: Developed by Aidan Finkh and his Team Athena, his work was primarily done on Julaca III, with initial testing done at Julaca’s local gas giant. The initial nova bomb worked, but with poor results, vaporizing only 2/3rd of Gradient’s Alpha Moon . After being fully funded by the Pact Navy, Professor Finkh finalized design has been incorporated into the Pact military, and used hundreds of times in combat against the Dionii. Favorite tactics for using this weapon include high-speed passes by battlecruisers deploying the weapon on high-population Dionii worlds.

EVENTS TO WATCH

Destruction of Margaret's World

   The guerilla conflict in Capozzi Cluster continues to be a focus of government concern after the depopulation of Margaret's World by Onesider extremists, who shut off the planet's life-support system, resulting in the deaths of over one hundred million civilians. The guerilla conflict is also a concern to other states in the region, particularly those that border Capozzi: Magana, El Gharaq, Formichev, and the Mission Stars District.

Arms Trafficking Takes a New Twist

   A major supplier and transshipment center of arms to several adjacent Clusters, Trantor officials recently discovered weapons, ammunition, and explosives were being transported in large numbers from Maui Cluster to Trantor itself. These weapons were disguised as returned shipments of "rescue" equipment--a deception that would have required the cooperation of supposedly 'loyal' Trantoran customs personnel. The reason behind these shipments to Trantor has not been ascertained.

Trantor Concerned About IO Threat

   A threat posed by renewed "cyber terrorism" has become a major concern for senior Trantor leaders, and the newly forming Trantoran military. Specialists are particularly concerned about the number of guerilla groups that have turned to the Interlink as a means or communicating, planning operations, and directly attacking sites on Trantor from distant planetary systems. While hackers are located abroad and their identity is uncertain, Trantoran military officers have created a new anti-cyber squad to halt these attacks. These include "mail bombs", various forms of hacking, and the dissemination of viruses.