Federation

The Federation is also known as the Alliance of Free Worlds. Representatives of this faction bow to no one, but have paid for their freedom with centuries of bloody wars against the Empire.

Past

Alliance of Free Worlds - explorers, traders, adventurers and colonists, who have paid for their freedom with centuries of bloody wars against the Empire.

There is no rigid power structure or clear hierarchy in the Alliance. This faction doesn't pursue a policy of aggressive expansion (except the expansion of the mind), but from time to time accept free men into their ranks when one star system or another decides to throw off the yoke of the Empire. Trade is the Federation’s power and there no place in the known universe that was occupied by another faction without a Federation representative getting there first—whether to mine, sell, or explore the potential market.

The Federation cares about the development of technology. Its high quality ships are well equipped, speedy, and convenient for travel and transporting goods. Men of the Federation use weapons primarily for self-protection, which is why the Federation keeps developing portable and stationary devices to generate solid force fields.

As for their appearance, members of the Federation are known as rather democratic personalities. Expensive fabrics of superior design, exceptional comfort, and some extravagance distinguish their favorite apparel. However, in striving for the perfect appearance, members of the Alliance don’t neglect defense, hiding portable generators and power fields in their belts, or venom locators and virtual maps in their rings …

Their desire for security, taste for moderate adventure, love of luxury, and exceptional nose for profit are the main features that characterize representatives of the Federation faction.

Nowadays

Strangely enough, the war with the Aliens did not unite the Federation, but only aggravated the internal competition between megacorporations, which, where secretly, and where it is already quite open, govern the former free republics. The corporate leadership, endlessly cut off from ordinary citizens in terms of power, finances, and pursued goals, sees in the war with Aliens not a threat, but only new opportunities. However, there was no open confrontation among the subjects of the Federation. Formally, power still belongs to the Council of the Alliance. Visibility of the order is beneficial to all, because anxious consumer does not work well and does not buy well. And if some organizations have a conflict of interests that leads to accidents and redistribution of spheres of influence, then all participants understand that these are the rules of the game - nothing personal, just business.

Despite the fact that the war with the Aliens within the Federation is practically not felt, the content of the expanded Armada led to a rapidly impoverished population, rising prices, crime and the uncontrolled use of prohibited technologies.

The past portal storm showed to many Federation systems unexpected advantages of life without corporations and governments. And although clearly no one has disconnected from the Federation, protest sentiments are growing, and corporate profits have slowed their growth for the first time in a long time.

The factions of the Federation are not as territorial as the new empires of the Legion or the Jericho families. Despite the formal boundaries, hundreds of cultures and organizations are chaotically mixed in this Babylon.

Sectors of former Federation

The Federation factions

Old

Armada

Condition: Deep crisis

Past

The Army and Navy are subject to the Government of the Federation and are intended to reflect the external threat to the free worlds. One of the largest naval associations is the Great Armada, which is in constant combat readiness and is in full force patrolling the Federation's territory. When individual ships are sent to the shipyard for repairs, their place in the line is immediately replaced by another without fail... the Armada never decays. Such a large force, ready to strike with the "fist of retribution", can even challenge the Empire, who's fleet is much larger. This causes both the Empire and Jericho to respect the sovereignty of the Federation.

After war

Currently, actively protects the external and internal space of the Federation, quickly suppressing any attempts by Aliens to invade the Federation systems. But in order to meet these new challenges, Armada, like the rest of the world, had to change. The tactics of crystallids with their chaotic punctures of space, forced the Armada to be distributed throughout the territory of the Federation. And if before Armada was a huge fist, now it has become a sprint, enveloping the Federation with its tentacles. However, at any moment the head of this sprint can draw in its tentacles and again become the fist of retribution that the Armada had before the war with the Aliens.

It was thanks to Armada, its increased population and distribution in the Federation systems that the civilian population almost did not feel the war with the Aliens. Even during the portal storm. But the heavy tax burden that allows to contain the Armada, for many average people turned out to be exorbitant. The population is rapidly impoverished, crime is increasing. And the constant clashes of Armada and criminal gangs do much more harm to citizens than the war with Aliens.

Many corporations are unhappy with this situation, but no one wants to shift the financial burden of keeping Armada alone on their own shoulders. The collective decision also failed to work out. Increasing taxes only for corporations is ultimately still projected onto consumers. Shy attempts to reduce the number of Armada led to dissatisfaction with the latest and exemplary departure from Eridan's Free Worlds, where subsequently the most powerful breakthrough of the Crystallides occurred.

Armada, corporations and the authorities of the Federation and its citizens have become hostages of a situation from which only corporations have real strength to get out. On the sidelines, they are increasingly talking about the need to start another small victorious war, which will naturally reduce the number of Armada and bring new rich territories. The Federation is beginning to look more and more like its longtime enemy - the Empire.

Vanguard

Condition: Frozen

Past

Vanguard squadrons formed the specialized fighter squadrons of the Federation fleet. The Vanguard conducted high-risk operations and exploration of distant planets and sectors. Prominent operations included the disruption of Jericho forces in the Sector of Bartle and the interception of a Jericho message warning of dangerous activity in sector 1337. Being the best of the Federation pilots, they used improved ships and systems.

After war

At present, almost all the forces of Vanguard are concentrated in sector 6636, in the space of the Free Worlds of Eridan. Significantly left unattended by the Armada - the regular army of the Federation, this sector experienced the largest crystallid breakthrough into the human worlds, led by a new unknown ship of colossal proportions, which people dubbed the Planet Eater.

An unknown weapon was also used here, stopping time and “freezing” the sector with everyone who was there. Presumably, Vanguard itself used the weapon, since it was the only way to stop the Eater. But it remains unclear why Vanguard did not leave the sector before using weapons.

The few known Vanguard objects on the territory of the Federation have been transferred to a deep conservation mode. Assumptions are built the most different. The most popular is that Vanguard has conserved its bases at the same time as the space-time anomaly is in effect so that after its collapse it does not remain without infrastructure. How long the anomaly will last is unknown.

Sympathetic mercenaries and pilots of warships, those who have nothing to lose, go to sector 6636, or as they call it the Eternal Vanguard sector, to take part in the eternal battle. Hoping that during the validity of the anomaly such brave souls will be enough to help the Vanguard defeat the Planet Eater.

New

Ellydium

It is believed that the Ellydium organization was created by Cartel as one of its legal businesses. Geographically, being in sectors that before the war with Aliens were called controversial, the organization was engaged in the study of newcomers technology. Subsequently, the headquarters of Ellydium moved to the sectors of the Federation, and the corporation loudly broke off ties with the Cartel and began to take care of its face in the market. However, no one knows who is in charge of Ellydium. It is possible that the old owner just updated the sign at a promising company.

At the moment, Ellydium has launched a series of revolutionary ships, weapons and modules based on Alien technologies.

Judging by the performance of Ellydium, the corporation has many bases, laboratories and production facilities, most of which are probably outside the jurisdiction of the Federation. Ellydium can keep his secrets and many of them are certainly illegal.

Atlantic Alliance

Or simply Alliance. The political center of the Federation. Its history began here and here the Council of the Alliance historically meets, whose name is a tribute to those times when the Federation still had a different name.

The systems of the Atlantic Alliance are full of historical sites narrating the events of the civil war with the Empire. Here lives the elite of the Federation.

This faction has practically no expressed ambitions of its own, as it takes care of the interests of the other representatives of the Federation. In recent years, the Atlantic Alliance has lost lot of its former strength in favor of corporations. Nevertheless, it is the Atlantic Alliance that the Armada submits to, since the main flow of money for the maintenance of the army passes through the Council of the Alliance.

United Trade Union

If the Atlantic Alliance is the head of the Federation, the United Trade Union is the heart. In these systems the largest transactions in the universe are concluded, the most profitable trade routes are determined and laid out every day and, in the opinion of some, many local conflicts begin to benefit their instigators. In UTU you can meet the sales office of even the most seedy planet and find out the actual prices of goods in every corner of the universe.

Republic of Separate Worlds

More recently, the Republic of Separate Worlds was part of the Empire, its eastern wedge. The Federation needed a buffer state with an aggressive Empire, and the Sargas Fund “worked” in these marginal systems for decades, cultivating in their inhabitants a desire to cast off the power of the Emperor. Therefore, when the Solar System fell, and with it the central power of the Empire, the systems of the Eastern wedge immediately declared independence and joined the Federation.

In the universe there are few such states, whose national idea is not any good, but the desire to not be part of a particular state at any cost. But in the case of the Republic of Separate Worlds, this irrational desire was reflected even in the name. Specialists of the Sargas Fund consider this project to be a pearl in their collection.

Yesterday's Imperials dwellings here are unpretentious and are satisfied with even a small part of the blessings and freedoms that the Federation brings down to this Republic.

Former legionaries of the Empire, busy in creating their own small Empires, do not pay attention to the breakaway piece of the former Empire, but it is only a matter of time. And the Federation, it seems, is just waiting for a reason to unleash a full-scale war for the first time in its history.

Association '5th Fleet'

The heirs of those distant times, when the Empire mastered worlds that were not the most habitable, which, however, were rich in other resources. The project “5th Fleet” - the failed attempt of the Empire to do in a short time what Jericho managed during the centuries of wandering. Orbital cities and biospheres were to be sent to promising, but uninhabitable worlds, and then to organize the extraction, processing, and transportation of resources there.

But, if the nomadic cities of Jericho evolved over the centuries, then stations of the 5th Fleet entered into operation under the typical for the Empire slogan “to be on time at any cost”. This price was a high percentage of defects and poorly thought-out engineering solutions. Constant leakage of oxygen, the death of hydroponic gardens, errors in the work of navigation equipment and other disasters accompanied the mission of 5th Fleet. The stations split in half, fell to the planets, or burned in the plasma of stars.

Staff of 5th Fleet was ready for labor feats, but not to senseless sacrifice.

The distant Empire with its bureaucracy almost never came to the rescue on time. Only quickly found and punished the "perpetrators." After all, everything had to work on paper. Necessity forced residents of 5th Fleet to trade secretly with the Federation. Over time, these connections grew and strengthened, and the inevitable moment came when 5th Fleet became part of the free planets.

Now technologies of 5th Fleet are almost as good as Jericho in terms of maintaining life and production in outer space. And if anyone understands what the followers of Bartle went through before becoming one of the three space powers, these are citizens of the 5th Fleet.

Blackwood

Former imperial corporation, long ago became more than only state. Objects of Blackwood can be found on the territory of the Empire, the Federation and Jericho. Passed under the jurisdiction of the Federation after the collapse of the Empire, together with the Republic of the Separate Worlds.

In the past, focused on shipbuilding. Its shipyards and the dreadnoughts that descend from them are known in all inhabited worlds. Later became famous for developments in the field of Artificial Intelligence. Its most successful product and secret failure is the AI of Ariadne, who has gone out of control and now actually controls the corporation. Despite the fact that Ariadne’s rebellion did not go without bloody incidents, it did not dispose of her creators, but offered them cooperation. But on its own terms.

The board of directors first tried to locate the problem quietly, by mercenary forces, so as not to risk the company's reputation. But this was only partially achieved. There were already going to involve the government and the Armada to strip the entire project, but Ariadne, who seized control of the company's assets, showed unprecedented profit growth to the former owners. And the death of several particularly intractable leaders.

At the moment “Blackwood” is one of the fastest growing corporations of the Federation. For the public, Artificial Advisor Ariadne is exposed as the main achievement and cause of the corporation’s great success. Which, of course, is not far from the truth. The application “Ariadne” for personal communicators and control systems is in great demand among consumers.

Sargas Fund

Fund founded by billionaire George Sargas. This eminent representative of the Federation, who recently celebrated his bicentennial, has not yet lost his hold.

The purpose of the Sargas Fund is the spread of democratic values and the formation of democratic institutions on the territory of the Empire.

The Fund works with both separate systems of the Empire, which fall into the zone of interests of the authorities or corporations of the Federation, and with large clusters.

Fund methods are as old as the world — minorities and organizations are sponsored in the territory of interest, raising protest sentiments and creating the appearance of a majority mood. After that, riots and coups take place, taking the territory of interest from the orbit of the Empire.

The last and the most successful project of the Sargas Fund is the Republic of Separate Worlds.

Suncorp

Agrarian corporation, which has risen on its own revolutionary technology of nano-machine terraforming. Suncorp bought the Federation's Northwest Cluster, owned by the Commonwealth of Mining Systems and containing mostly developed planets and asteroid belts.

Suncorp provides products to more than half of all the worlds of the Federation, so the authorities turn a blind eye to the rumors that the growth of these nanomachines did not stop on some planets terraformed by Suncorp nanomachines and the planets became dangerous to visit.

In addition to food and terraforming, Suncorp is engaged in pharmaceuticals, household chemicals, military orders and charity.

Commonwealth of Mining Systems

The former mining colonies of the Empire, which joined the Federation during the civil war. Centuries of operation of the CMS systems, first by the Empire, and then by the Federation, have exhausted almost all the significant planets and asteroid belts in the region.

This situation forced the CMS to evolve and shift the focus of its activities from mining to the development of technologies for the extraction and processing of minerals in unpromising, extreme or hard-to-reach places. CMS technology is in demand even outside the Federation.

Limited interest in alien technology.

In addition to the extraction and development of extractive technologies, CMS sells unpromising and developed planets and even entire systems to corporations. Mostly as a testing ground for all sorts of tests. Among the clients and partners of CMS there are such well-known corporations as Suncorp, Sci-Tech Universal, Ellydium, Undock Unlimited and many smaller organizations.

In the CMS sector, there is a large number of closed and dangerous to visit systems.

Sci-Tech Universal

Sci-Tech Universal is a relatively young corporation, showing rapid growth. The main interest of Sci-Tech is the development and production of all kinds of technology. From home appliances to hopping engines. In addition to output to the consumer market, Sci-Tech often fulfills the orders of such giants as the “5th Squadron”, CMS, Undock Unlimited and Ellydium.

Sci-tech is based on several systems bought out from the CMS, on the border with former disputed territories. Like Ellydium, Sci-Tech Universal is interested in Alien technologies, but not so successfully.

There are unconfirmed rumors that Sci-Tech is helping pirates to remove jump-arrest blockers so that they can visit closed systems.

Helion Inc

Private military company, founded by retired commanders of Armada. In addition to a small fleet has the ability to conduct ground operations.

The Federation sends the mercenaries of Helion to do the dirtiest work, when it is impossible for the link with the Federation or Armada to become known.

On the territory of Helion, and throughout the Federation there are many secret prisons and laboratories, where the enemies of the Federation disappear without a trial and investigation, as well as those suspected of it. There are rumors of inhuman treatment, torture, and human testing. Helion has its own production facilities. Although not as colossal as those of Armada.

Unlike the Armada, which submits only to the Federation Government, Helion Inc. cooperates with any customers.

Independent Democratic Republic

A small republic, perhaps remarkable only by the size of its hatred for all imperial, and the fact that it recently introduced an artificial government - the Network. Running OS Ariadne.

Before the Federation appeared and entered into its structure, this group of former colonies of the Empire four times revolted. And each time the Empire severely suppressed rebellious systems, introducing more and more difficult conditions for life. Over the years of operation, the Empire squeezed these Systems to the drop and nothing valuable remained. Neither production, nor significant productions. Now people who want a quiet and measured life settle in the IDR. Young and hot heads, on the contrary, try to leave these systems in search of a more interesting life in the central systems of the Federation or on the periphery.

The decision to introduce an artificial government offered the Republic the corporation Blackwood - making it the main condition for the provision of financial assistance. The decision was approved by EnterNet referendum by 94% of citizens.

Independent Ceti Systems

The only republic of the Federation, which plans to officially withdraw from its composition, despite the war with the Aliens and what happened with the Free Worlds of Eridan. The reason for such intentions was the same crisis caused by the hypertrophied Armada, because of which the entire Federation was in a fever.

The confidence of this republic is given by its own sufficiently strong fleet, which is able to take care of the security of the ICS even in the conditions of war with Aliens. As well as a strong economy, which currently suffers from the fact that the ICS is part of the Federation.

Undock Unlimited

The main civil shipyard of Federation. Undock Unlimited has turned several systems in the center of the Federation into a real conveyor for the repair and production of passenger and cargo ships.

The Great Star Republic

The national idea of this republic is to explore deep space. Nowhere in the Federation can one find such a concentration of white crows — romantics and adventurers, who sincerely believe that the fate of humanity is not connected with trade and wars but with endless movement to the stars.

The citizens of this republic miraculously preserved the spirit of the stellar expansion of mankind. Here, not only continue to experiment with the means of interstellar travel, but also show genuine interest in artifacts from the era of stellar expansion. Historical, collectible and practical.

Hermes Block

Federation trade union with softer rules than in the UTU. Located on the border of the Federation and the former disputed systems, the Hermes Block is a huge black market. Here everything that can be bought and sold is bought and sold. Here you can easily meet a Jericho who trades with a former Imperial or a representative of a Federation buying slaves.

Free Worlds of Eridan

The only republic of the Federation that was significantly affected during the war with Aliens. It happened when the government of the Federation, under pressure from subjects and corporations, decided to reduce the number of Armada in order to reduce the tax burden. The Armada revealingly left the Eridan Free Worlds, after which they immediately underwent a large-scale invasion of the crystallids. Only the Vanguard forces managed to stop this invasion.

Part of the worlds of Eridan are closed to the public and “frozen” in a time anomaly along with the forces of Vanguard and the invading crystallides. The remaining worlds are in extremely distress and are considering the Blackwood Corporation’s proposal to join the Network under the control of the OS Ariadne.