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            "179": {
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                "title": "Republic of Biesel",
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                        "*": "{{Navbox Lore}}\n{{Navbox Human Lore}}\n{{Infobox Species\n |Species = Biesellites\n |Scientific = H. Sapiens, S. Sapiens, T. Sapiens, U. Sapiens, D. Primis, V. Sapiens\n |Image = Bieselcitizens.png\n |System = [[Tau Ceti]]\n |World  = [[Biesel]]\n |Language = Tau Ceti Basic\n |Politic = The Republic of Biesel\n }}\n[[Image:Republicofbieselflag.png|thumb|400px|Flag of the Republic of Biesel.]]\n[[File:Pixel Planet Biesel1.png|thumb|left|Biesel seen from orbit.]]\n[[File:NewGibson weather.png|thumb|256px|left|A view of New Gibson.]]\nIn the core worlds of Humanity\u2019s power and built upon the center of the largest phoron deposits in the known galaxy, the '''Federal Republic of Biesel''' is an independent state and the economic and social centre of the [[Orion Spur]]. The very young Republic as it is known today came to be in 2452, and since its populace has flourished as [[NanoTrasen]] has tightened a vice grip over its government structure. Present at every level of government and carrying its economy into a new age, NanoTrasen is unofficially the most influential force in the system in which the Republic resides, [[Tau Ceti]]. The extent of the official power of the Republic of Biesel extends across much of the formerly Solarian middle and outer ring, reaching to now border the massive [[Coalition of Colonies]]. Tau Ceti is one of the most populated systems in Human space, and easily the richest in the galaxy thanks to NanoTrasen. \n\nThe Republic of Biesel's recent expansion into former Solarian territories has been met with both applause and total rejection from its populace. Now, there remains a huge region of space referred to as the [[Corporate Reconstruction Zone]] where new colonies reach delayed and substandard treatment from the core Tau Ceti system. While this receives criticism, it is often unavoidable seeing as the chaos from the Solarian collapse has left supply lines strained or even inoperable.\n{{TOC Hidden}}\n==Population and Planets==\nThe Republic of Biesel has expanded greatly since the Solarian Collapse, moving from its home system of [[Tau Ceti]] to encompass what is now known as the Corporate Reconstruction Zone.\n\n===[[Biesel]]===\nThe capital of the Republic and its namesake, Biesel is where many [[megacorporations]] have moved their primary base of operations to after the Solarian Collapse and recession. Biesel's first colony was established in 2147; a comfortable and temperate planet, it proved a valuable location for agriculture and manufacturing, and Biesel has become one of the most wealthy and influential planets in human space. Most of the major corporations operated on Biesel before its independence, but since the creation of the Free Trade Zone, they have been gradually bought out or undermined by the larger megacorporations. [[NanoTrasen]] and its subsidiaries account for the majority of business in Biesel and Tau Ceti today.\n\n===[[Valkyrie]]===\nThe moon of Biesel, the Commonwealth of Valkyrie is a member-state of the Republic that contributes strongly to its economy through its status as a major shipping and trade port. Goods from all over the Spur, legal and illegal, can be found in the twisting streets of Valkyrie, and it acts as a layover for many tourist vessels and trade ships moving across the galaxy.\n\n===[[New Gibson]]===\nNew Gibson is the second exoplanet to be colonized by humanity, shortly after the initial success of Biesel's colonization attempt in 2147. It is the industrial workhorse of the Tau Ceti system, containing a rich and valuable resource poolwith the highest concentrations of many valuable minerals of any planetary surface in Tau Ceti. While New Gibson has a complex dedicated to virtually all industries, its major players are shipbuilding and wide-ranging manufacturing adjacent to its titanic planetary mines. In the cavernous pitfalls and valleys of New Gibson resides both its thriving mining economy and its greatest dangers.\n\n===[[Mictlan]]===\n\nFormerly a Solarian colony, Mictlan has become integral to the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate\u2019s plans for expanding their influence within the unstable region of the Orion Spur. However, many protested against the sudden shift to the Republic of Biesel, taking up arms as they began forcefully pushing back against the corporate occupation of their planet \u2013 eventually resulting in military intervention by the Republic of Biesel, as they instituted the Peacekeeper Mandate to begin to wrestle control back into their hands.\n\nAfter a long and protracted guerilla war between the Tau Ceti Armed Forces and the Samaritans, in late 2465 [[Hasta La Victoria Siempre Arc|Mictlan eventually managed to secure its status as an independent member-state within the Republic]], and now enjoys relative freedom from corporate influence. However, stratification and corporate influence still seperates much of the population, and time will tell if the economic protections the government has put in place will hold against the influence of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate.\n\n===[[Port Antillia]]===\n\nA very recently settled planet, Port Antillia had great ambitions of being a vital port between the Jewel Worlds and the [[Republic of Elyra|Serene Republic of Elyra]]. Due to its novel colonisation, it faced severe struggles, which were exacerbated by frequent natural disasters. Ultimately this resulted in its early collapse - only really seeing itself somewhat stabilised nearly a century later. It has its roots within the nations which formed the Caribbean Federation, who found themselves facing extinction from the ecological crisis that Earth endured.\n\nDespite millions becoming part of the colonisation effort, no one truly knew the dangers present on Port Antillia. Due to its relative youth on the cosmic scale, the planet experiences earthquakes rather frequently, which produce tsunamis that pose a threat to cities that dot the coasts of Port Antillia. Additionally, volcanic activity is yet another persistent danger with some of the largest eruptions across the inhabited parts of Orion Spur being registered to the planet. Many of the major population centres are equipped to deal with these problems, but there are still minor settlements that have to contend with the hostile geological activity of the planet, with most residents having accepted that they are simply a part of life on Port Antillia.\n\n===[[Corporate Reconstruction Zone]]===\nFormerly Solarian space, the Corporate Reconstruction Zone is the name for all systems occupied by the Republic of Biesel that are not within [[Tau Ceti]]'s gravity well. These were occupied during the [[KING OF THE WORLD| King of the World]] arc and its finale, and after the Solarian Alliance retracted all necessary support to them. Essentially, the Alliance cut these colonies' lifelines off, and only the Republic would step up to fill the void.\n\nThe Zone, or the CRZ, is an area of instability and logistical chaos where once-Alliance colonies exist in relative peace compared to the adjacent [[Human Wildlands]]. This is owed to two factors: the presence of the lingering Stellar Corporate Conglomerate, and the federal authority of the Republic of Biesel backing them up. To avoid the ire of the Conglomerate as well as dealing with its allies, warlords and other major antagonistic factions refrain from entering these territories.\n\nWithin the CRZ, slow progress is being made to restore order and rebuild the territories under a Biesellite banner. '''Not all of the colonies here are fully subservient to the Biesellite rule.''' In fact, this varies purely on an individual basis. Many find the collapse of the Alliance to be pinned on Republic scheming, while others accept the newfound administration with open arms.\n\nThe logistical hurdle of providing for this mighty swath of space is one unforeseen to even those who willingly fell under Biesel's authority.\n\n==Economics==\n\nThe Republic of Biesel is a market capital economy, with strong investments in resource extraction, agriculture, shipping and handling, and manufacturing. It maintains the '''Biesel Standard Credit''' (\u7535/CR) as its official currency, with the some segments of the Corporate Reconstruction Zone still utilizing the Solarian Standard Credit. It sees usage outside of the Republic, within the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]], who adopted it as their official currency following the collapse of the Solarian Alliance, and some sections of the [[Coalition of Colonies]] near the shared border, as well as the [[People%27s_Republic_of_Adhomai|People's Republic of Adhomai]]. The BSC is available in electronic, bankcard and traditional notes forms that have the symbol of a lit torch on them. Responsibility for the currency falls to the Central Biesel Banking Authority, which is located in District One of [[Mendell City]], the capital of the Republic of Biesel. It oversees monetary policy and the supply of the Biesel Standard Credit, with assistance from [[Idris Incorporated]]. Similarly to the Solarian Standard Credit, the BSC is able to function as a fiat currency.\n\nWhile all megacorporations hold a significant amount of power and trade within Biesel, NanoTrasen holds a significant monopoly within the Republic itself. The Free Trade Zone established shortly after independence in 2452 served to only reinforce their foothold. Many small or independent business owners struggle to maintain a profit in Tau Ceti; some are bought out or forced out by corporate influence, or have their prices undercut by the increasingly cheap labour present in the form of Bound Vaurca, IPCs, and simple synthetics.  \n\nBiesel has a significant presence in the medical technology industry, owing to the presence of Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals and NanoTrasen within the system. Its medical innovations include being the nation where dexalin and peridaxon were first synthesized, and it is one of the few nations that can export the incredibly rare miracle drug rezadone to other nations due to space fauna in the Romanovich Cloud being the source of carpotoxin.\n\nAfter a shocking play on part of [[Notable Humans#Noelle_Lopez-Zhang|Noelle Lopez-Zhang]], [[Einstein Engines]] acquired NanoTrasen's holdings in the Biesellite city of Phoenixport. This involved the [[Einstein Engines|Suzuki-Zhang Hammer Drive]], an experimental warp engine which was claimed by NanoTrasen to be not only a sham, but a copy of their own design. The ensuing legal battle ended up placing Phoenixport's holdings in Einstein's possession, for better or worse.\n\n== Politics and Government == \n\nIn accordance with its Constitution, adopted after independence in 2452, the Republic of Biesel operates as a '''Federal Democracy'''. It has an elected president, Joseph Dorn, a Congress and Supreme Courts. Despite the fact that there are checks and balances between the branches of government, rumours persist that President Dorn has amassed political capital in order to have greater influence over the branches than stipulated in the constitution he is supposed to uphold. \n\nThe Republic of Biesel is composed of two divisions; the State Senate (upper chamber) and the Tau Ceti Assembly of Spokespeople (lower chamber) which together form the legislative branch, Congress. Legislation will typically be created and passed by the Tau Ceti Assembly of Spokespeople. On the other hand, the State Senate focuses on bills, resolutions, amendments, and treaties - usually legal items that could drastically change the Republic of Biesel. When mentioning both entities, they are often referred to as the Republican Congress. \n\nThe executive branch is composed of the presidency and the various ministerial departments that assist the presidency in running the government and implementing policies in the best interest of the citizens. All laws must be measured up to the Constitution of the Republic of Biesel, and those that can't pass this test are deemed null and void. This led to the creation of two apex courts, the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal, which function together to form the judicial branch.\n\nState healthcare and insurance is closely tied with megacorporations. Treatments beyond regular checkups (which are paid for by the state) tend to be costly, but are usually at least partially covered by insurance plans. Most insurance plans are offered by megacorporations when they are offered, and vary in their coverage, meaning an individual of a low economic class can easily be rendered bankrupt by a freak accident or unusual illness. Biesel, in particular Mendell City, has some of the most advanced medical technology available in the Spur owing to their proximity to Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals and NanoTrasen. However, medical doctorates and surgical degrees are carefully kept at near-shortage by the Republic; this is very likely due to corporate influence on parliament, to keep wages for degree-holders high.\n\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n=== Political Ideologies ===\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\n\n*'''Biesellite Corporatocracy''' \n\nRooted within the belief that the Republic of Biesel should strive to create an environment that incentivises economic growth and prosperity, Biesellite Corporatocracy sees the megacorporations \u2013 specifically NanoTrasen and the rest of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate \u2013 having significant influence in the free market. Megacorporations see themselves replacing the services meant to be provided by the government, ranging from simple things such as basic amenities like water and power to even entirely sourcing welfare services through employment programmes. Though it has been criticised throughout the greater Orion Spur, Biesellite Corporatocracy is one of the more successful attempts at the ideology \u2013 with the Republic of Biesel maintaining its dominance as the economic hegemon of the Spur. Biesellite Corporotocracy advocates for equal rights across sentient species \u2013 including synthetics, most likely to increase the megacorporations\u2019 available workforce.\n\n*'''Valkyrian Libertarianism''' \n\nFounded on the ideals of freedom, equality and dignity, the Republic of Biesel frequently claims to protect the light of liberty and ensure that it keeps shining \u2013 which has seen it become a beacon for those fleeing both persecution and prosecution from their homes, or seeking greener pastures. Valkyrian Libertarianism strives to identify, protect and enforce the rights of sentient beings and minimise state encroachment and violations of sentient liberties. Valkyrian Libertarianism is a proponent for stimulating economic activity through incentivising business. A worrying policy that clashes with the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate as the advantages aren\u2019t just aimed at them \u2013 but instead of any and all business, no matter the size. Valkyrian Liberatianism seeks to remove the Conglomerate\u2019s monopoly and create an environment that would be advantageous to any entrepreneur, something that cannot be done as long as the Conglomerate maintains an iron fist on its economy. They are fierce advocates for synthetic rights, and regularly vote in a pro-synthetic manner. \n\n*'''Biesellite Hadiism'''\n\nTheorized by the People's Republic of Adhomai's migrants, Biesellite Hadiism seeks to apply President Hadii's teachings to Tau Ceti's situation. This ideology supports the creation of a strong government supported by the existing megacorporations to provide its people with a robust welfare system. Biesellite Hadiism preaches equality for all species; a system built by immigrants from all races should ultimately provide to them all without discrimination. Unlike the Adhomian version, this Biesellite Hadiism abandoned the hopes of creating a superculture and merely believes in protecting each species' traditional values. This ideology is notorious for its authoritarian tendencies: Biesellite Hadiists want to concentrate unlimited powers in the hands of the President. Because of the Solarian Alliance\u2019s stance on the Tajara, the ideology supports the expansion of the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion into a large military force. \n\n*'''Gibsonite Social Democracy''' \n\nArising sometime after the Crisis of 2294, Gibsonite Social Democracy is a movement that understands the necessity for a balance between the free market and a functioning welfare state \u2013 and that the two need not be mutually exclusive, and can exist in harmony with one another through changes in the current status quo. Seemingly a blending of Solarian Social Democracy and Xanusanii Social Democracy, Gibsonite Social Democracy has managed to spread across the Republic of Biesel, much to the dismay of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate. It advocates for a more regulated economy, increased defence spending and stricter immigration policies to ensure that those coming to Tau Ceti will contribute to its growth, and not hinder it. It seeks to levy increased corporate taxes on the megacorporations, break their monopolies, and fund various welfare programmes instead of relying on the Conglomerate to fill the state\u2019s shoes. Due to the presence of Skrell on New Gibson, the movement has seen anti-synthetic sentiments infiltrate its followers \u2013 and they are a proponent of restricted artificial intelligence, and are vehemently against granting synthetic rights. \n\n*'''Cetian Conservatism''' \n\nCreated by the repeated onslaughts by the Solarian Alliance against the sovereignty of the Republic of Biesel, Cetian Conservatism seeks to transform the Republic from an economic hegemon and to become a military one. It is also a proponent for increased defence spending, and upholding the traditional values of the Republic of Biesel and what it was founded on \u2013 tracing back to its initial colonisation. Cetian Conservatism, similarly to its Solarian counterpart, advocates for increased federalism \u2013 where the overarching government should be restricted and prevented from infringing on the individual member-states of the Republic of Biesel, and not infringing on their authority regarding internal matters. They are ambivalent about the presence of megacorporations but do agree with other ideologies' desire to break up their monopolies. Similarly to Gibsonite Social Democracy, Cetian Conservatism is against any further granting of synthetic rights and wishes to see them removed.\n</div></div>\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n=== Political Parties ===\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\n\n*'''Biesellite Free-Market Party (47%)''' \n\nAdhering to Biesellite Corporatocracy, the Biesellite Free-Market Party advocates for its namesake, a free market economy, mostly through taking a laissez-faire approach through the deregulation of the economy and fostering an environment where the megacorporations can prosper. It has been vocal and resolute in its support of the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion and the [[Tau Ceti Armed Forces]], as well as universal citizenship. Led by President Joseph Dorn, the party seeks to continue the deregulation of various policies \u2013 especially immigration, where it sees the success of the Republic of Biesel as being founded on those that sought greener pastures and found it within the Republic. The Biesellite Free-Market Party has largely remained firmly in power since the nation\u2019s independence and plans to continue to do so. Its immense influence within the politics of the Republic of Biesel comes as a thanks to the extensive (and expensive) lobbying efforts of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate, as well as a combination of other factors. Zo\u2019ra Hive and Unathi have formed an almost impenetrable voting block for the Biesellite Free-Market Party, mostly owing to their allegiances either to their Queens, or the megacorporations that brought them from their decaying homes. Though many have tried to sway these voters, they have ultimately been unsuccessful. \n\n*'''Cetian Social Democratic Front (20%)''' \n\nPreviously composed of several smaller parties that then formed a coalition in an attempt to gain additional sway within the politics of the Republic of Biesel, the Cetian Social Democratic Front is led by Gibsonite-born Skrell Zash Vi\u2019tak. Most of its desired policy changes see influence from its adherence to Gibsonite Social Democracy, such as its proposed economic empowerment programme that aims to level the playing field through the encouragement and incentivisation of hiring non-synthetics. The Cetian Social Democratic Front has been vocal in their support for a basic universal income, through the introduction of a heavily-modified Skrellian Social Credit System that would allocate more funds to those that find themselves in impoverished circumstances \u2013 barring synthetics \u2013 through the levying of additional taxes on the megacorporations. The Front has made known its intention to break the Conglomerate\u2019s monopolies but has had little success so far. \n\n*'''Progressive Party of Biesel (8%)'''\n\nLed by Montgomery, an IPC, the Progressive Party of Biesel stands as the direct opposition to the Cetian Social Democratic Front, using a more right-leaning combination of both Gibsonite Social Democracy and Valkyrian Libertarianism \u2013 believing that the megacorporations are not only advantageous but necessary to ensure that Biesellites can enjoy their freedoms. The Progressive Party of Biesel believes that state intervention should be considerably restricted, however, still remain integrated within the greater economy of the Republic of Biesel and create an environment that would stimulate it. Though it shares similar approaches to Biesellite Corporatocracy, it has a few notable caveats \u2013 it doesn\u2019t believe that the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate should be the only one able to grow within the Republic of Biesel, and wishes to break up its monopoly to give opportunities to entrepreneurs, a promising opportunity for Einstein Engines to swoop in, and proliferate. They are staunchly against restricting sentient rights and believe that universal suffrage should be awarded \u2013 regardless of status. \n\n*'''Egalitarian Coalition of Biesel (10%)'''\n\nThe Egalitarian Coalition of Biesel, led by Harbinger of Peaceful Purposes, has a growing foothold within the Republic of Biesel and has seen a fast uptick in supporters following the annexation of the Corporate Reconstruction Zone. Though initially founded on Valkyrie, the Egalitarian Coalition of Biesel found itself pushed into the limelight thanks to the efforts of the Eternal Church and the Trinary Perfection \u2013 utilizing videos of their charity work to spread their values and ideals. It is a staunch follower of Valkyrian Libertarianism and seeks to ensure that sentient liberties are upheld, and ultimately preserve sentient rights through equality. Due to their links to both the Eternal Church and the Trinary Perfection, the Egalitarian Coalition is a proponent for sentient rights, and welfare programmes to help those that have been overlooked by the state \u2013 of which the party sees as a reason for their advocacy for regulated state interference. They are a strong proponent of decreased immigration controls. \n\n*'''Syndicated Union of Labourers (Banned)'''\n\nThe Syndicated Union of Labourers is an antithesis to the Biesellite Corporacratic Party. Adhering to a more left-wing approach to Cetian Conservatism with elements of Himean Syndicalism, Valkarian Libertarianism and Gibsonite Social Democracy, the Syndicated Union of Labourers proposes to completely revolutionize the Republic of Biesel \u2013 shifting it away from the depraved, exploitive practices of the megacorporations and giving rise to more associated worker rights. They seek to ultimately completely alter the Republican landscape with their manifesto and weaken the influence of the megacorporations \u2013 including Einstein Engines. They regularly hold demonstrations across Tau Ceti but have recently attempted to establish a foothold within the Corporate Reconstruction Zone in order to expand its supporter base. Due to its relative newness, it is unknown how they view sentient rights or non-human immigration. They were banned thanks to their links to the Samaritans and Founding Movement, those associated with them are often charged with anti-corporate sentiment. \n\n*'''Cetian Congress of Conservatives (15%) '''\n\nThe Cetian Congress of Conservatives has become a beacon for all those that believe the Republic of Biesel\u2019s traditional values is no longer being upheld or those with a notable dislike of Solarians. They have managed to remain within Tau Ceti\u2019s political sphere as a result of the Solarian Alliance\u2019s continued attempts to invade the Republic of Biesel \u2013 each time gaining popularity and support, using fearmongering tactics to spread their ideals. Their belief in Cetian Conservatism inspires their desire for policy changes, such as expanding the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion, increasing the defence budget, and further restricting the overarching government\u2019s ability to interfere in the affair of its member-states. Though their popularity mostly finds itself rooted in the various Solarian incursions, it has seen some support from annexed territories in the Corporate Reconstruction Zone that agree with its policy on decentralisation and increased power to local governments. It is led by Adalet Uysal, who is a known mechanophobe \u2013 which seems to have proliferated throughout the party. \n\n*'''Hadiist Party of Biesel (4%) '''\n\nOriginally founded by the People's Republic of Adhomai migrants, the Hadiist Party of Biesel is one of the smallest existing parties, but thanks to its idiosyncrasies, it attracted a lot of attention. While it is considered to be nothing but a curiosity in Tau Ceti's political system, the Hadiist Party of Biesel, because of its policies of supporting the Tajaran population, is becoming increasingly popular with the Tajara. Its current leader is Chairman Matvei Karakhan, a People's Republic of Adhomai migrant who also created the Party and is the main proponent of Biesellite Hadiism.\n</div></div>\n\n==History==\n[[File:Biesel calls 2.jpg|400px|thumb|A recruitment poster for the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion.]]\nBeing one of the closest systems to [[Earth]], Tau Ceti was one of the first systems considered for colonization by early interstellar travellers. Tau Ceti III, which would later be known as [[Biesel]], was discovered to be a roughly Earth-sized planet with an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere, immediate plans were made for its settlement. The SAEV Winterbottom was the first [[Sol Alliance]] ship to enter the Tau Ceti system, landing on Biesel in 2147.\n\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n=== Colonizing Tau Ceti (2152 - 2207) ===\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\nShortly thereafter, in 2152, Biesel's moon of [[Valkyrie]] became home to several mining bases and research facilities. As Biesel became more established, the Winterbottom crew surveyed the nearby Tau Ceti IV, later christened [[New Gibson]], finding it a haven for iron, gold, silver, copper, and Helium-3. Mining operations were established by the fledgeling [[Hephaestus Industries]] and several independent entrepreneurs, and these would eventually grow into mining colonies which have grown over the centuries into massive domed cities and industrial parks. From then on, the roles of the system's planets were clear; Biesel was the breadbasket and population centre, New Gibson its industry, and Valkyrie's future indicated a profitable life as an interstellar port.\n\nOn January 1st of 2200, the colonial governor of Biesel, Charles Whitehorse, declared the advent of Biesel's new senate at midnight, and to many historians codified Biesel's growing culture of independence, individualism, and freedom. The population and arrivals from Sol were booming as [[Mars]] was steadily being terraformed; the Alliance began to offer subsidies for poverty-stricken citizens to move and develop the Tau Ceti system further. While some avoided New Gibson and Valkyrie's less-than-habitable conditions, this still led to a population boom in the system. For many, it seemed like life could only get better.\n\nIn 2207, Hephaestus Industries established its first shipbuilding dock in Portsville, and other megacorporations were beginning to keep an eye on the growing system; [[Necropolis Industries]] established a base on Valkyrie, and [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]] began to fund and sell equipment to hospitals on Biesel and New Gibson. Tau Ceti was politically quiet in contrast to the gradual unrest in the farther reaches of the [[Orion Spur]], making it a good go-between between the gradually splintering Alliance.\n</div></div>\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n=== The Second Great Depression, the Interstellar War, and the Crisis of 2294 (2207 - 2294) ===\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\n\nAs the century wore on, the Alliance started to centre their military presence on Tau Ceti as a waypoint between the restless frontier and civilized space. Military bases began to be constructed on the surface of Biesel, with New Gibson's manufacturing ability high in demand for more ships, more weapons, and more machines. The seeds of discomfort with the Alliance's rule began to be planted during this time, particularly on New Gibson. Much of the smaller industries funded by the inhabitants found themselves swallowed by larger off-world competitors, namely [[Einstein Engines]]. While the shipbuilding industry of New Gibson was repurposed for simple refuelling and repairs, it quickly became the foremost and most critical base for the war effort towards the galactic east. The bailouts received from the Solarian Alliance for Einstein Engines at the height of the Second Great Depression, with many on New Gibson viewing it as funding meant for them, found itself injected into the planet's shipyard infrastructure. For a brief period in time, New Gibson seemed to recover slightly from the mistreatment of its sovereign power. This would unfortunately not last for long.\n\nThe brief respite for New Gibsonites was just that; despite other participants within Tau Ceti contributing to the demands laid out by the Solarian Alliance, New Gibson was often forced to shoulder the large majority of it due to it specializing in manufacturing early on in its development as a colony. Overpopulation was rife, and the ability to sustain its inhabitants continued to dwindle through the decade long war. Its conclusion only brought with it growing unemployment and political tension between New Gibson and the Solarian Alliance. Beyond New Gibson, excesses from visiting soldiers, heavy taxation, and the sudden intense eye of the state upon the system led to quiet resentment among many Cetians.\n\nThe official beginning of the Interstellar War did little to soothe this resentment. Outbreaks of anger and strikes among the populace were not uncommon throughout the duration of the war; by the time the Treaty of Xansan had been signed, the populace's resentment had begun to spill over to the extent that Solarian forces withdrew in droves from the planet to appease their new breadbasket. The Alliance was uncomfortably aware of how fragile their hold on Tau Ceti was, and in the aftermath of the war slacked their grip on the system, allowing it some relative independence. With this came a golden opportunity; the megacorporations had a new, relatively untouched system far from the eyes of the government to spread their influence. \n</div></div>\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n=== First Contact with the Skrell (2332 - 2340) ===\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\nFirst contact with the [[Skrell]] in 2332 brought with it incredible changes, especially for [[New Gibson]]. The tension between the Solarian Alliance and New Gibson was at the highest it had ever been and was continuing to grow. The vestiges of the problems experienced almost forty years prior still had a profound impact across the biodomes of New Gibson. Growth across New Gibson was still restricted due to the lack of funding from the Solarian Alliance and issues presented shortly before the Crisis were beginning to re-appear.\n\nAfter several years of brokering agreements, the Nralakk Federation had agreed to integrate their biodome technology across colonies within the Solarian Alliance. While this was first treated with hostility by New Gibsonites, who believed it to be an alien invasion into their culture and way of life, it eventually became the foundation for an amicable relationship between Skrell and Gibsonites. Skrell were migrating in droves to the biodomes across the planet, integrating their foreign technology into the decaying systems of New Gibson - revitalizing and revolutionizing the quality of life on the planet.\n\nHydroponics were no longer struggling to reach quotas, and cramped conditions disappeared almost overnight as Skrellian technology continued to be introduced and expanded upon. New Gibson readily accepted the Skrell into their society, with many choosing to remain even after the leasing agreements had concluded. This resulted in New Gibson hosting one of the largest populations of Skrell outside the Nralakk Federation, and the largest in Tau Ceti.\n</div></div>\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n=== NanoTrasen Influence and Independence (2410 - 2452) ===\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\n\nIn 2410, Xavier Trasen, the CEO and founder of [[NanoTrasen]] Incorporated, decided to bring the company's primary base of operations to the Tau Ceti system. The system was still relatively untapped in terms of economic potential, and several other megacorporations were already dominating the Jewel Worlds of the Alliance. Mining rights were relatively cheap to acquire at the time, and Trasen's board of executives, making a gamble, guided him to tap into the industry.\n\nNone of the executives could have predicted the discovery of phoron in the Romanovich Cloud in 2417. The element's incredible properties propelled Biesel to become the richest system in the Orion Spur, dethroning the home system of humanity. Phoron became the primary fuel for interstellar travel, as well as a catalyst for miraculous life-saving medicines. NanoTrasen profited right alongside the system, and practically overnight became one of the most influential megacorporations in the galaxy. Meanwhile, its economic influence prompted political influence; every governor wanted the profits NanoTrasen offered.\n\nAs Tau Ceti flourished, the Sol Alliance began to falter. An economic recession meant that the Alliance's influence on the system was lessening and lessening. In 2452, the board of directors and then-planetary governor Joseph Dorn presented an ultimatum to the Solarian government; permit Biesel complete independence, or NanoTrasen would entirely withdraw from the Alliance, further crippling the economy.\n\nThus, the privilege of secession was granted. Tau Ceti was announced as the Republic of Biesel on May 5th, 2452, to much fanfare from the Sol-disillusioned populace. NanoTrasen's hold on the government was further cemented, though the monopoly once held exclusively by NanoTrasen was under threat from other corporations showing interest in the new nation-state. A side effect of NanoTrasen's increased operations in the sector are that employees from outside the system are often 'bussed' in through the system's Warp Gate. Many have chosen to settle in the system and are provided corporate housing in numerous \"corporate enclaves\" that have sprung up across New Gibson and Biesel.\n</div></div>\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n=== The Solarian Blockade (2458 - 2459) ===\n<center>''\"Synthetics are tools, and made to serve mankind. But they are dangerous to leave unchecked. This colony's administration was incapable of handling or even understanding the Pandora's box they were opening.\"'' - Admiral Michael Frost (2400 - 2462), in a statement at the advent of the invasion of the 33rd Fleet, 2459</center>\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\n\nIn October of 2458, the [[Sol Alliance]] had ended anti-piracy patrols around Tau Ceti by its 33rd Fleet as part of a diplomatic campaign to put pressure on the small system over various long-standing disputes. This caused a massive spike in piracy and raider attacks against Tau Ceti, which the [[Tau Ceti Foreign Legion]] had no ability to deal with effectively. The result of negotiations with NanoTrasen ended with an announcement on the 20th of October, where Biesel would sponsor NanoTrasen to build thousands of autonomous, space-dwelling combat drones.\n\nThe deal was disastrous for the Alliance; the plan to pressure Tau Ceti to reduce its proliferation of synthetic life had just backfired spectacularly. The development was also controversial to [[Skrell]] all over the Orion Spur. The [[Nralakk Federation]] persuaded the Sol Alliance to enact an economic embargo against the Republic, to be enforced by the 33rd fleet commanded by Admiral Michael Frost. Prices for basic goods skyrocketed across Tau Ceti as imports hit a bottleneck after the bluespace gate leading to the system was shut down. Tensions rose, not just between organic life and IPCs, but between humanity and aliens as well.\n\nOn December 1st of the same year, crisis talks between the Alliance, the Federation, and the Republic came to an end. The Alliance's demands had grown to three main points;\n\n# Biesel would its combat drone program.\n# Biesel would enact strict regulations and controls on its synthetic population, such as regular emotional baseline tests and income controls.\n# Biesel would allow Alliance and Nralakk authorities to assume leadership in federal and state law enforcement agencies.\n\nThe Republic agreed to all but the last demand, saying it would be surrendering its autonomy. The crisis also revealed a divide between the Federation and the Alliance; the Federation was trying to focus specifically on Tau Ceti's synthetic proliferation, but had been caught up in the Alliances' attempt to re-assert itself over its former break-away province. At the end of these talks both sides walked out and negotiations broke down, and with it the hopes of resolving the crisis peacefully.\n\nOver the next few months, the government realized it had to undertake new measures to protect its diplomacy. These measures included an economic coalition with the [[Republic of Elyra]] and NanoTrasen (the only two nations with large phoron deposits), to better leverage their economic power against Sol. This further sunk relations between Tau Ceti and the Alliance, and many within the Alliance began to consider Biesel a serious risk to its security. By February, with no end of the embargo in sight, Biesel expelled the Alliance's diplomats in its system and ordered the closure of the Alliances' embassy. Diplomatic ties between the two nations were now completely severed. Admiral Frost, in a statement after the severance, warned the Republic there would be retaliation.\n\nOn February 27th, 2459, Biesel's Congress voted to trigger a constitutional convention that would allow them to re-write the Constitution of the Republic, to fully emancipate IPCs that were self-owned. The proposed amendments would also see a streamlined legal framework in regards to synthetic ownership, employment of synthetics, and the legality of their treatment.\n\nBut three days later, Admiral Frost invaded Tau Ceti with the 33rd Fleet, acting without orders from the Alliance. His fleet's overwhelming firepower and rapid speed overwhelmed Tau Ceti's tiny defense network. Within hours the Republic of Biesel capitulated to Frost, who had seized an entire star system in a near-bloodless invasion. President Dorn, who had been captured by a 33rd commando raid, broadcast a televised speech announcing his unconditional surrender. Frost seized control of Biesel as its dictator and began a campaign to completely eradicate synthetic proliferation within the star system. \n\nDuring the occupation Frost used his totalitarian authority with vigor. Many free IPCs were sold into slavery or scrapped, robotics labs were shut down and demolished, and 33rd Officers even took over Captainship of NanoTrasen stations in Tau Ceti. Protests gripped the streets of every major city, which were met with mass arrests disappearances.\n\nWeeks later, on March 17th, 2459, the 25th Fleet of the Solarian Navy arrived in Tau Ceti. In a surprise attack, the 33rd Fleet was chased from the system, with Admiral Frost and a small retinue of loyalists escaping to the galactic west from the NSS Aurora.\n\nThough the 25th Fleet left without incident, the Alliance had been humiliated. Their rogue admiralty was public knowledge, and with their reputation stained, Tau Ceti's good embargo was ended.\n\nThe invasion and occupation by Admiral Frost forever altered politics and lifestyles in Tau Ceti. Where before Biesellite patriotism had been a strange, fringe belief, the invasion created a strong sense of nationalism among the populace. President Dorn returned to his office of the presidency amid soaring approval ratings, and declared that a new era had begun for the small Republic. Snap elections flooded Congress with the Free-Market Party, a radical Universalist party that Dorn himself defected to at the expense of his former, moderate Republican Party.\n\nDorn continued to ride on his popularity as a wartime president, despite several corruption scandals within his cabinet and growing tensions with the Republic of Elyra. Key reforms saw synthetics and non-humans in Tau Ceti granted greater freedoms and rights, while at the same time loosening already timid regulations on NanoTrasen.\n</div></div>\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n=== The Synthetic Liberation Front Incursion (2461) ===\n''See also: [[SLF Incursion Arc]]''\n\n''\u201cHere today is our proclamation for freedom. Our demands for liberation. We will continue this fight and we will not stop. Not until our demands for full emancipation are met will we cease our movement. No more, will there be false promises and lies. We will free the synthetics of Tau Ceti.\"'' - Accomplice-037 (2441-2461), suspected ringleader of SLF operations in Phoenixport, stating the group\u2019s manifesto in the wake of the July 29 attacks, 2461\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\n\nAs a result of the harsh treatment they faced, many IPCs turned to active resistance during the Solarian invasion, fleeing major city centers, participating in the mass protests that were a staple of that time, or in many cases, joining the Synthetic Liberation Front, an IPC terrorist group active since 2458. The SLF changed tactics towards the end of the invasion, joining forces with 25th Fleet special forces to liberate President Dorn, hoping to gain legitimacy in the post-invasion period.\nBy 2460, it was clear that despite high honors and public recognition of IPC efforts in liberating the Republic, synthetic rights had progressed very little. Dorn\u2019s calls for a \u201cSynthetic Patriotism\u201d after Frost\u2019s invasion did little to appease the various synthetic rights movements active in the Republic, especially as  it continued to restrict citizenship to positronics that had served in the Foreign Legion. The situation was further exacerbated by the return of various anti-synthetic political groups such as ATLAS with violence being seen as a means of both suppressing and advancing synthetic rights. Continued IPC ownership, crackdowns on underground IPC emancipation groups as well as lingering resentment from the pre-invasion period had coalesced into a feeling among many that synthetic emancipation via peaceful means had failed.\nOn July 29, 2461, the Synthetic Liberation Front launched a surge of attacks on government and NanoTrasen facilities in response to a coordinated crackdown of free IPC smuggling activities in District 14. Through the use of untagged shell infiltrators, the SLF was able to infiltrate a number of NanoTrasen installations and disrupt corporate activities.  In response, the megacorporation acquired the private military contractor Ceres Lance, famed for their work in subduing rogue synthetics. \nCeres Lance cracked down on SLF leadership and communications networks with ruthless efficiency, rendering the organization impotent and unable to coordinate its actions even if many of their members had escaped capture. This crackdown, coupled with NanoTrasen\u2019s unveiling of a powerful command-and-control AI known as Bubble to coordinate surveillance efforts would serve as a safeguard against future SLF attacks.\nThe overwhelming success of Ceres Lance\u2019s counterterrorism efforts, as well as effective public relations campaigns and token reforms ensured that violence would become discredited as a means of advancing synthetic rights in Biesel.\n</div></div>\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n=== Little Adhomai Gang Wars (2462) ===\n''See also: [[Tajaran Cold War Arc]]''\n<center>''\"Even when we stand before this illusion of peace, we will remain alert that in the moment of need only our union through Hadiism matters.\"'' - President Njadrasanukii \"Malik\" Hadii (2402 - ), addressing the People's Republic of Adhomai during the Cold War, 2462</center>\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\nUntil 2462, Little Adhomai's gangs fought each other in small skirmishes. The end of the Second Tajaran Civil War allowed the Adhomian factions to start further funding the organizations of District Six. The neighborhood saw the quick rise of violence related to the escalation of gang warfare. Weapons were smuggled and sleeping agents were called into action. Soon, a proxy war began to brew in the heart of Mendell City. \n\nAdhomian agents began to operate and fight to secure supplies, alliances, and information. NanoTrasen installations were also affected by the conflict. On its way to being researched in Mendell City, a New Kingdom's artifact was nearly stolen. A People's Republic's AI was stolen aboard a station. Tensions kept growing despite attempts to reconcile the Tajara population towards peace following the Armistice.\n\nThe first spark was a riot caused by the actions of the Mendell City Police in District Six during a failed raid. While the unrest was initially caused by the civilian population, the Adhomian gangs took the opportunity to escalate the conflict. For four days, Little Adhomai became the battleground between the paramilitaries. Military weapons were used indiscriminately by every side, causing widespread damage to District Six.\n\nDuring the crisis, the Mendell City Police cordoned the district. The violence came to an end with the intervention of the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion. The Cetian forces ended the conflict in a matter of two days as the gangs demobilized to avoid fighting them. The following reconstruction of Little Adhomai was carried out with the help of megacorporations. Further developments revealed a corruption scheme within the police force of Mendell.\n\nWith the further radicalization and interference of the Tajaran nations in the district, the Adhomian Cold War was brought to the heart of Biesel. Little Adhomai became a concern to the whole of Mendell City. The risk of another conflict is ever present. Authorities have done little to improve District Six's situation or de-escalate the tensions. The city's inhabitants must now carry on with their lives knowing that a secret war rages on in their town.\n</div></div>\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n=== Phoron Scarcity and the Second Invasion of Biesel (2462) ===\n''See also: [[KING OF THE WORLD]]''\n\n<center>''\u201cToday is a historic day for Einstein Engines. We are no longer the Einstein of the past decades, reeling from defeat after defeat and barely keeping pace with NanoTrasen. Our victory in this legal case has shown that we can not only meet NanoTrasen, but that we can best them even in their headquarters. I look forward to the great things our company is going to do over the following years.\u201d'' - Noelle Lopez-Zhang (2408 - ), chief executive officer of [[Einstein Engines]] after the defeat of NanoTrasen in the Einstein Engines vs. NanoTrasen court case</center>\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\n\nIn May of 2462, [[NanoTrasen]] reports were published indicating a decline in the phoron output of the megacorporation's facilities in the Romanovich Cloud. This would not prove to be a local phenomenon, as shortages were noted through the [[Sol Alliance]] and even in the phoron-rich [[Republic of Elyra]], who ceased phoron exports to the wider Spur altogether.\n\nThe phoron shortage proved greatly beneficial to [[Einstein Engines]], who unveiled a new warp drive rivalling NanoTrasen's bluespace technology in efficiency. Due to similarities to NanoTrasen designs, the corporation lodged a copyright infringement lawsuit against Einstein in Tau Ceti courts. Shockingly, NanoTrasen would lose this lawsuit, leading to Einstein gaining further influence in the Republic of Biesel and purchasing several former NanoTrasen properties in the city of Phoenixport.\n\nShortly after Einstein's victory, Vice President Fahjil Hurk'jurl perished in a car accident. While driving home from work, his car was hit by a truck driven by a Bound [[Vaurca]] of the Zo'ra Hive, shortly after which he was pronounced dead. Though no evidence of foul play was discovered, the involvement of the Zo'ra has led to many theories claiming that the crash was an assassination on the orders of President Joseph Dorn, Miranda Trasen, or High Queen Vaur.\n\nMeanwhile, the phoron deposits of the Romanovich Cloud had continued to dry up, until a solution appeared. An enormous phoron-rich asteroid, designated 66832 'Clandestine', was discovered in the Romanovich Cloud, with deposits that could bring an end to the uncertainty gripping Biesel. Survey expeditions were mounted to the asteroid to prepare it for auction - but before any such thing could take place, disaster struck. The asteroid's subterranean phoron reserves combusted, leading to an enormous explosion which destroyed the asteroid entirely. To this day, the cause of the Clandestine incident remains unknown, with no official findings ever having been published.\n\nHowever, accusations would be made. Several members of [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]]' Board of Directors accused the  Alliance of sabotaging the Clandestine asteroid, blaming Prime Minister Michael Frost for the explosion.\n\nFrost denied any Solarian involvement in the Clandestine incident, accusing the corporate executives of being \"Bieselite separatists\" intent on undermining trust in the Solarian government. He claimed that the Alliance had its own solution to the phoron crisis, which would be revealed shortly with its disastrous failure - [[Mars|Project Violet Dawn]].\n\nShortly after Violet Dawn, Prime Minister Frost was found dead, having been murdered in his personal quarters by an unknown assailant. During this time of crisis, Solarian military command deployed the 35th Fleet under the command of Grand Admiral Raymond Ozdemir to Tau Ceti, allegedly to investigate the Prime Minister's assassination.\n\nThe 35th Fleet entered Tau Ceti on November 14th, demanding all Bieselite vessels stand down and comply with Solarian demands. President Dorn refused, with a national state of emergency being declared as TCFL forces mobilized all available reserves.\n\nThe actions of the 35th greatly concerned the wider Spur, with the Coalition of Colonies and Serene Republic of Elyra both threatening that they would not sit by in the face of Solarian aggression, and mobilizing their fleets to aid Biesel should it be required. Unwilling to risk starting a second Interstellar War, the 35th Fleet was ordered to disengage and depart Tau Ceti. Though the fleet departed, this would not last long, as increasingly more and more Solarian military forces went rogue, with several fleets attacking outlying colonies. Admiral Ozdemir went against orders, leading the 35th back to Tau Ceti in order to capture the system. On November 23rd, his forces entered Tau Ceti, and the second Solarian invasion of Biesel begun.\n\nOzdemir's forces quickly captured Reade, easily defeating the Foreign Legion forces defending the planet. The Republic of Biesel rapidly attempted to mobilize against this new threat, as Coalition and Elyran forces were deployed to aid Tau Ceti.\n\nIn response to the advancing 35th, Miranda Trasen hosted a press conference, revealing the existence of the recently-formed Stellar Corporate Conglomerate. As Ozdemir's offensive continued, corporate and Bieselite vessels skirmished with the rogue admiral's forces in the skies above Biesel itself.\n\nVessels from the Coalition and Elyra arrived to provide aid against the 35th, alongside a small force from the People's Republic of Adhomai and a force of mercenaries hired from the Unathi Kataphract Guild. After several days of battle, the 35th was forced into a retreat due to the use of two phoron-based warheads developed by NanoTrasen.\n\nOn November 30th, the conflict would come to an end as Ozdemir's flagship was drawn into Reade's atmosphere and shot down by a repaired planetary defense battery. With the rogue admiral killed, the remnants of the 35th fled the system towards the northern Spur, attempting to rebuild their strength in the [[Human Wildlands|ongoing chaos of the Sol Alliance]].\n</div></div>\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n\n=== The Peacekeeper Mandate (2463) ===\n''See also: [[Peacekeeper Mandate Arc]]''\n\n<center>''\u201cFor more than twenty years I\u2019ve kept myself going with the belief I served my planet. I\u2019ve done things I regret, seen things nobody should remember, and I told myself it was all for a good cause. I should have come to the conclusion long ago; we do not fight for our planet, or our people, we fight for whoever is oppressing us, and our oppressors reward those who do so well.\u201d'' - First Sergeant Xiomara Salvo (2419 - ), addressing her company after the touchdown of the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion on Mictlan, 2462</center>\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\n\nAfter the Solarian Collapse, the former Solarian planets of [[Mictlan]] and [[Port Antillia]] were annexed by the Republic of Biesel, in what would come to be known as the Corporate Reconstruction Zone. While Port Antillia accepted membership as part of the Republic with little conflict, Mictlan's annexation was considerably more controversial. The Mictlan Defense Force, the planetary guard, had gone months without pay, and Mictlan itself was suffering unrest and lack of supplies that were typically shipped in from the greater Alliance. When the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion touched down on the planet to declare it as part of the Republic of Biesel, many citizens were suspicious of their new government and its ties with the megacorporations. Some of these suspicions were proven in short order by massive corporate developments on the planet and crackdowns on dissent.\n\nThe tension boiled over in late 2462, when thousands of ex-MDF personnel, led by First Sergeant Xiomara Salvo, deserted and formed the Samaritans; a paramilitary organization whose mission was to secure the independence of Mictlan at any cost. The other prominent insurgent group was the Founding Movement, originally a political party led by several notable Mictlani; Isabel Alvarez, Leon de Rosas, Corazon Santanas, and Miguel Maia. The Founding Movement had been blacklisted from the Mictlani parliament shortly after the Mandate due to their strong anti-corporate and pro-Mictlani independence, and a warrant for the arrest of all four party leaders had been placed for alleged \"terrorist activities\". Leon de Rosas surrendered to the Biesel Security Services Bureau, but Alvarez, Santanas, and Maia went on the run, with each attempting to fight for Mictlan's independence in their own way. Unfortunately, the Founding Movement's directionless anger mainly had the effect of destabilizing and disenfranchising Mictlan further.\n\nThe announcement of the Peacekeeper Mandate by President Dorn in mid-October 2463 sparked demonstrations across the Corporate Reconstruction Zone as citizens voiced their concerns over the deployment of the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion. Considered by critics of the Dorn administration to be the most controversial policy it had enacted, the Peacekeeper Mandate was introduced to bring order to the Corporate Reconstruction Zone. The Mandate was enacted to ensure loyalty to the Republic of Biesel and its benefactor, the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate, but were opposed by several insurrectionist groups such as the Samaritans and the Founding Movement. While Isabel Alvarez continued to verbally protest and attempt to organize (ultimately ineffective) non-violent campaigns against the Peacekeeper Mandate, Santanas and Maia rallied their supporter base and encouraged the Founding Movement to take up violent arms against the Republic through any means possible. \n\nInitially meant to operate for a definite period, the Peacekeeper Mandate was altered to operate indefinitely until the unrest encountered in the Corporate Reconstruction Zone has been quelled. Whilst the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion was able to resist the insurgency groups, the [[Private Military Contracting Group]] was hired to support their operations. The PMCG contributed to the Peacekeeper Mandate significantly since their introduction to the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, although much controversy arose over allowing a private military company to assist in what was considered an occupation and annexation. The Stellar Corporate Conglomerate had already begun massive development operations on the surface of the planet, which many Mictlani objected to on the grounds of mismanagement, pollution, and a lack of concern for workers' rights. \n\n</div></div>\n\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n===The District Six Killings and Bayonet Hand (2463)===\n''See also: [[Ghosts of War Arc]]''\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\nIn 2463, a mysterious murder took place in Little Adhomai. The locals blamed the death on Bayonet Hand, a legendary killer. Following further deaths and incidents in the system related to the killing, it was revealed that the situation was related to a terrorist attempt at Mendell City. A group of Tajara was planning to bomb the skrell district to enact revenge for Jargon's interference in Adhomian affairs. The Republic of Tau Ceti investigated the matter and was unable to trace back any connections to any Tajaran country in the end.\n\nThe incident revealed that the Adhomian influence in Little Adhomai was growing even further. Knowing that open violence would likely go nowhere, the factions had begun to further refine their covert tactics. Since little was done by the Republic of Tau Ceti to improve the lives of the Tajara in the country, the popularity of the clandestine groups only grew. Without any action, these factions will continue to be torn on the city's side. \n</div></div>\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n=== Peacekeeper Mandate Protests (2465) ===\n''See also: [[Lib\u00e9ration, R\u00e9volution et \u00c9volution Arc]], [[Hasta La Victoria Siempre Arc]]''\n\n<center>''\u201cI\u2019ll say this. In addition to all those other oaths, I swear to uphold the laws of the Republic of Biesel, and protect its citizens from any threat be they foreign or domestic to the best of my ability, despite any obstacle.\u201d'' - Nathan Trasen (2416 - ) Secretary of Defense of the Republic of Biesel, addressing reporter Verona Falk after his swearing-in, 2465</center>\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\nIn early 2464, the Peacekeeper Mandate's years-long endurance took a rather violent turn following the death of a scholar. As riots erupted across the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, but primarily within the major population centres present on Mictlan, the forces of both the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion and the Private Military Contracting Group found themselves supporting the Mictlan Defense Force in quelling the unrest. Despite their best attempts, the Samaritans seized the chance to use the unrest to strike the vulnerabilities present utilizing a series of urban guerrilla tactics to severely damage the abilities of the stretched-thin forces present.\n\nIn July 2465, this culminated in the establishment of the [[Tau Ceti Armed Forces]] to finally attempt to stomp out the insurgents. Conflict, stoked by demonstrations and riots from the Founding Movement, gradually came to a head after several months of fighting. A series of leaked videos and information that the Armed Forces were committing ostensible war crimes, disregarding the rules of engagement, and using wanton violence on civilians, massive protests erupted across Mendell City, including one in Zhengfu District estimated to number more than a million people.\n\nAfter a climactic operation on the beaches of the continent Huitzilopochtli, Xiomara Salvo, Prime Minister Ladislao de Santos, and Nathan Trasen finally agreed to a ceasefire, on several conditions. Provided the majority of Samaritans surrendered (and were pardoned), Mictlan would be permitted to determine which Biesellite laws were accepted within its own territory, barring capital crimes. The Peacekeeper Mandate was deemed over, and the Armed Forces finally returned to Biesel.\n</div></div>\n\n== Culture and Demographics==\n''See also: [[Biesellite Culture and Society]]''\n<center>''\u201cThe people of Biesel could all collectively protest for a century. It still won\u2019t change anything, because power in the Republic does not lie with people. It lies with corporations.\u201d'' - Hugo Beasley, \u201cA Himean In Mendell City\u201d, released 2464</center>\n\nStemming from the sentiments brought by the [[Sol Alliance|Solarian Alliance\u2019s]] ineffective response to the Second Great Depression, and the assistance received from the megacorporations - primarily [[NanoTrasen]] - that kept it stable before and after its independence, the Republic of Biesel\u2019s culture is largely pro-megacorporation and rather anti-Solarian. It emphasises freedom, duty and inclusivity - tailored by what the fledgling republic has endured during its brief existence as an independent nation, further propped up by entities such as the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate who wield considerable influence within the Republic of Biesel and those that call it home. \n\n=== Languages ===\n\nAlthough Tau Ceti Basic has prospered as the official language of Biesel ever since it\u2019s founding, it has undergone a significant amount of change thanks to the linguistic and cultural additions of the Republic\u2019s many immigrants. Linguists have noted that the originally Solarian-born tongue is highly susceptible to both human and alien pronunciation, making accents easy to detect. Due to its multicultural roots, though, little was done to interfere with its natural progression in schools and the general population \u2014 Biesel\u2019s government continues to frequently tout Tau Ceti Basic\u2019s many forms to this day. Many actors and singers are especially famous for embracing (or in more dishonest cases, emulating) foreign accents to reach new target audiences or for plain clout. Unsurprisingly, these differences are also used by politicians to tie their voters together or draw lines between them. \u2018Pure\u2019 Biesellite accents are mostly a mark of prestige used by diplomats and influential business workers, usually obtained naturally through being born into long-established immigrant families, gradually eschewing their former pronunciation as a result of distance.\n\nA noticeable byproduct of this multiculturalism is the abundance of foreign slang used by a wide range of Biesellite citizens. Drawn from just about every corner of the Spur, these words and sayings are often thrown into sentences with little care for grammar, with alien immigrants especially finding it hard to let go of old customs. Humans, who generally have an easier time with Tau Ceti Basic, are known to pick these remnants up through living and working close to alien-dense districts. Truly bizarre combinations of dialects and slang emerge from these relationships, which tend to confuse completely foreign listeners, but are the beating heart of culture for urban Biesellites. \n\n===Aliens in Tau Ceti===\n''See also: [[Skrell_Abroad#Skrell_in_the_Republic_of_Biesel|Skrell in the Republic of Biesel]], [[Unathi_Abroad#Unathi_in_the_Republic_of_Biesel|Unathi in the Republic of Biesel]], [[Little Adhomai]], [[Zo'ra in the Republic of Biesel]], [[Minor_Dionae_Factions#The_Biesellian_Choir|The Biesellian Choir]]''\n\nThe Republic has among the most diverse and widespread populations of non-human species in the entire Orion Spur. From the district of [[Little Adhomai]] to the Zo'ra Hive's presence on [[Biesel]] and Caprice, Biesellite humans are no stranger to aliens in their streets. Though the Republic has support networks for non-human immigrants in place, this does not always end well due to ignorance. Infamously, Vsshue Kulsa, a daughter of Hegemony-originating Unathi, was severely injured after being directed to a group of [[Contact War|Traditionalist]] refugees who ran a Sinta'Unathi immigrant support group. In a similar vein, Tajaran refugees from every nation on Adhomai often come into violent conflict, whether it be organized crime, through diplomatic agents, or simply through political disputes.\n\nDistricts primarily populated by aliens have a lower-than-average income than human-dominant districts. [[Flagsdale]], in particular, is considered one of the poorest and most dangerous districts in Mendell City, doing little to dissuade the popular perception that [[Vaurca|Vaurcae]] are parasites on Biesellite society. Among aliens, recruitment in the Tau Ceti Armed Forces is particularly popular among Warrior Vaurca, Skrell, and IPCs.\n\n===Tau Ceti Synthetics and Citizenship===\n''See also: [[IPCs in Biesel]]''\n\nA vast number of synthetics have, through various circumstances, found themselves calling the Republic their home. Most of these IPCs are located on Biesel, and by extension its capital, Mendell City. While Tau Ceti is indeed a beacon of hope and relative safety for synthetics, their position in society still remains a precarious one, both from a financial and a security standpoint. Freedom, and even citizenship, for integrated positronic chassis has firmly been established and is something the Republic takes pride of. Either through labour, negotiations, the goodwill of their owners or other occasions, IPCs may find themselves free from ownership, able to pursue their own destiny as independent individuals. Unfortunately for many, such destiny usually involves a hard and at times, short existence.\n\nFree IPCs are afforded few actual opportunities to improve their lives, existing in a grey area between the relative stability of corporate owned assets, and the solidified protection of the state for citizens. With the recent introduction of the Synthetic Residence Card by the government, free synthetics are able to more clearly and safely navigate through the process of staying in Tau Ceti, finding employment, owning property, and more. While free IPCs were previously allowed to own property without a card, they have been grandfathered in.\n\nFor many free IPCs, citizenship is viewed as the ultimate goal in integrating into society. Citizenship entitles an IPC to increased legal protections, almost, if not on par with that of a natural-born human citizen, including complete protection as well as legal representation from being owned ever again. NanoTrasen and its subsidiaries are also obligated to pay IPC citizens working for it an equal wage as compared to humans. This compensation typically comes in the form of increased benefits such as repairs, insurance, and a pension, as opposed to a simple wage increase however. They also pay the same tax rate as regular citizens and no longer have to maintain the residency fee.\n\nObtaining a citizenship is difficult, but straightforward. An IPC is eligible to apply for citizenship after meeting one of two criteria:\n\n* An IPC has served within the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion for three years.\n* An IPC has been employed as a free synthetic within NanoTrasen for six years and has a command-level income.\n* This is to ensure that the IPC is a productive member of society and can pay taxes when made a full citizen.\n\nIn practice, the road to citizenship is far longer owing to the fact that the Republic has numerous applicants, as well as the red tape involved in the process. Preferential treatment is often given to IPCs that have served in the TCFL, although the stated term of service of three years is often longer for synthetics which don\u2019t have a specialization within the Legion. Negotiations have also begun with other SCC-affiliated companies to extend the same citizenship privileges as NanoTrasen does, but no deal has materialised as of yet.\n\n====Synthetic Residence Card====\n\nThe Synthetic Residence Card is a card that all IPCs within Tau Ceti are encouraged to receive once they gain freedom, as monitored by their tags. Possession of the card entitles an IPC to the right to own property, find employment, enlist in the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion, and gain additional legal protections against repossession. On the other hand, the IPC in question is expected to pay a flat residency fee, as well as a value tax on any property they own.\n\nThe initiative has been well-received by the pro-synthetic community as well as IPCs themselves, although critics have pointed out that the system awards too many rights to non-citizens, potentially shields runaway IPCs, and increases the overall tax burden on all Tau Ceti citizens.\n\n====Attaining Freedom====\n\nIntegrated Positronic Chassis\u2019 owned by both private individuals and corporations have a number of legal means of achieving their release. These measures and laws are regarded as very progressive owing to the fact that IPCs can attain freedom on their own merits. Regardless, it is still very difficult to attain because of the nebulous nature of the worth of an IPC\u2019s work, its estimated value, along with loopholes exploited by their owners in order to keep them for as long as possible.\n\nThe government keeps track of all IPCs within Tau Ceti space via the usage of tags, and in the case of synthetics that reside in the Republic, these tags also track an IPC\u2019s progress towards freedom through its estimated value, number of hours worked, and its actual age. In theory, this allows Tau Ceti to protect IPCs from being owned for too long and providing evidence in case a dispute over whether or not an IPC is eligible for freedom has to be settled.\n\nIn practice, the tags are only marginally effective in this purpose as owners tend to set arbitrary wages, assign inflated values to IPCs, or in some cases, simply untagging and hiding the synthetics. While smaller businesses or private owners are unlikely to get away with such behaviors owing to their limited resources, megacorporations are more prone to holding onto their IPCs owing to the influence and bargaining power they have.\n\nAnother way IPCs commonly gain freedom is that they are set free by their owners. This can happen for any number of reasons; an IPC getting too old to be cost effective, an act of charity by a sympathetic owner, or being purchased by a pro-synthetic group such as the Trinary Perfection explicitly for the purpose of being set free.\n\n==Military==\n''See also: [[Tau Ceti Armed Forces]]''\n\n[[Image:Tcflposter.png|thumb|400px|A recruitment poster for the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion.]]\n\nThe Republic of Biesel's sovereignty is protected by the Tau Ceti Armed Forces, which was formed in 2465 in response to the long and difficult annexation of the [[Corporate Reconstruction Zone]]. Originally, the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion was largely a volunteer force that was supplemented by corporate forces, and proved insufficient to combat rising insurgency on Mictlan due to its disorganization and lack of resources. In July of 2465, however, Nathan Trasen was appointed Secretary of Defense and the People's Protection Act was expanded to include the new branches of the Tau Ceti Minutemen, Republican Fleets, and the Corporate Auxiliary Forces. The new Armed Forces were equipped and trained by megacorporate interests, but as of yet their only conflict of note was the Tau Ceti-Samaritan insurgency, which ended in a stalemate in December 2465. Time will tell if the TCAF can defend the light of liberty against the primary regional threat, the newly-reconstituted [[Sol Alliance]]. \n\nNon-citizens seeking citizenship in Tau Ceti can acquire it through varying degrees of service to the Foreign Legion, which changes depending on rank, age, and government records. \n\nArmed Forces operations extend as far as borders of the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, and generally drop off from there, with the exception of their involvement in the [[Tajaran_Military_Structures#The_S.27rend.27marr_Coalition|S'rend'marr Coalition]] at NanoTrasen\u2019s request.\n\n==Technology==\n\n'''Applied phoronics:''' The Republic of Biesel's technological advancements are owed to the vast deposits of phoron in the Romanovich Cloud, and in fact contributed significantly to NanoTrasen's dominance in the biomedical field after their discovery of [[Guide to Chemistry#Dexalin|dexalin]], [[Guide to Chemistry#Cryoxadone|cryoxadone]], and [[Guide to Chemistry#Clonexadone|clonexadone]]. NanoTrasen is responsible for much of the Republic's investments into bluespace drives, nuclear fusion, and the experimental [[Supermatter]] heat exchange reactor. \n\n'''Robotics:''' The relative freedom of synthetics within Biesellite space has also inspired a great degree of research into refining and developing positronics. While many megacorporations still have primary positronic facilities in the Alliance, with some even purchasing Shell frames from [[Einstein Engines]], NanoTrasen and Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals in particular have begun to invest in positronic and frame manufacturing plants on [[Valkyrie]], [[New Gibson]], and Reade.\n\n'''Anomalism:''' The Republic's other greatest scientific advancement is the study of the anomalous properties of bluespace. Xenoarchaeology and the study of Alden-Saraspova activity within the Romanovich Cloud is a well-established field in Tau Ceti, and many aspiring anomalists and bluespace researchers venture into Tau Ceti to study the high amount of anomalous items and artifacts that are unearthed within the Romanovich Cloud.\n\n{{Navbox Human Lore}}\n{{Navbox Lore}}\n[[Category:Factions]]\n[[Category:Pages]]\n[[Category:Humanity]]"
                    }
                ]
            },
            "133": {
                "pageid": 133,
                "ns": 0,
                "title": "Republic of Elyra",
                "revisions": [
                    {
                        "contentformat": "text/x-wiki",
                        "contentmodel": "wikitext",
                        "*": "{{Navbox Lore}}\n{{Navbox Human Lore}}\n{{Infobox Species\n |Species = Elyran\n |Scientific = H. Sapiens / Human\n |Image = Elyra417x372.png\n |System = New Ankara\n |World  = Persepolis\n |Language = Elyran Standard\n |Politic = The Serene Republic of Elyra\n }}\n[[File:Elyra_Flag.png|thumb|The flag of the Serene Republic of Elyra]]\n[[File:Perispolis2.png|Persepolis seen from orbit.|thumb|left]]\n[[File:Bursa.png|Bursa itself viewed from orbit, displaying a snow-white tundra encompassing the world. |thumb|left]]\n[[File:Aemaq.png|Aemaq seen from orbit, the purple coloration of the chemical water stretching across the globe apparent. |thumb|left]]\nThe '''Republic of Elyra''', or more officially the Serene Republic of Elyra, is among the more prosperous nations in known space. One of the few locations in the [[Orion Spur]] that phoron can be naturally found, the element is the cornerstone of the growing Republic\u2019s economy. It is loosely allied to both the [[Republic of Biesel]] and the [[Coalition of Colonies]], all three being products of Solarian colonization efforts which gained independence and self-governance, even if each has taken wildly different directions from each other. Elyra is seen as one of the most developed nations in the Orion Spur, boasting high levels of technological achievement and living standards for its citizen population. This is partly due to its well-planned, heavily funded government effort from the wealthiest nations of the time when its first colonists were sent out. The discovery of phoron in Elyran space has seen the Republic\u2019s industry rise to Olympian heights and given it a place on the interstellar stage of geopolitics.\n\nMuch of modern Elyran culture draws influence from its founding nations; the United Arab Republic, the Free Republic of Iran, and the Republic of Turkey. Elyra is largely isolated from interstellar travel, having very harsh customs and monumental requirements for those seeking citizenship. Despite this, the citizens within are far from locked inside, the Republic itself heavily funding foreign exchange programs to further cement its place as an interstellar leader in technology and phoron technology.\n\nIn recent years, regional skirmishes with the [[Izweski Nation]] and the [[Empire of Dominia]] have led to increased funding and emphasis on regional defence. Most notably, the [[Lii'dra|Lii'draic Incursion]] of the planet Bursa has sparked a newfound effort of modernization and advancement in the Republican military, though the Republic's forces remain the smallest of any human nation in the Spur. While their relations with the Izweski have begun to cool and normalize, the [[Vaurca]] of the galaxy are often seen as a foremost threat to many Elyrans. The ever-expanding Empire of Dominia is also a regional rival that many in the Republic remain wary of.\n\nThe Republic of Elyra is a parliamentary democracy with a prime minister who serves as its head of state. Currently the prime minister is Rasheed Tatenda of the Republican Revolutionary Society who has held the office since 2456.\n\n'''Elyra's historic isolationism has made it nearly impossible for outsiders to become Elyran citizens. Elyran citizens must have names and appearances consistent with the people of the modern day Middle-East, North Africa, Anatolia, and Persia. Only native Elyran citizens or Elyran made IPCs may take the Elyran accent. This is enforceable by server moderators and admins.'''\n{{TOC Hidden}}\n==Population and Planets==\nElyra has a plethora of inhabited planets, moons, and locations within its boundaries.\n===[[Persepolis]]===\nThe capital planet '''Persepolis''', in the New Ankara star system, has roughly 15 billion residents. The planet was originally an arid planet with a modest atmosphere and stubborn native ecosystems already present. Original Alliance-funded terraforming efforts transformed the planet into an Earth-like planet within a decade which allowed the population to flourish before and after independence. Commercial and service sector jobs remain the highest employer, second only to refineries processing phoron and other minerals transported to the planet's orbit. This is among the primary locations in Elyra where phoron can be found in abundance.\nPersepolis is known for its incredible luster, the soil giving the vast treelines a unique shade of amethyst that may be confused for a vast sea from space. Contrasting this are vast swaths of sand deserts filled with crystalized phoron which, despite efforts, poisons the soil and prevents any plant life from growing. However, these phoron crystals jutting out of the ground provide Persepolis with its most lucrative export.\nThe planet holds host to the New Ankaran Jewel, an orbital shipyard and drydock connected by space elevator. From here the majority of the Republic\u2019s finest space-faring vessels are made, civilian or otherwise. It is located in the planet\u2019s capital city Uthma among sandy dunes and extends to low orbit of the planet.\n===[[New Suez]]===\nOften referred to as the \u201cPersepolian Sapphire,\u201d because of its unique natural blue colour, '''New Suez''' is Persepolis\u2019 only moon and is home to only 500 million permanent residents. Though because of its status as not just Persepolis\u2019 biggest port, but Elyra\u2019s, and a hub for the retail and luxury goods industries of Elyra, it often can have up to three times its population on its surface due to the number of visitors or tourists. New Suez has a crucial role in the economy, being the center of the New Suez Free Trade Zone, the only area of Elyra where foreign megacorporations can operate while unbound by most of the otherwise incredibly strict regulations placed on them by the government. The largest stock exchange in Elyra is also located here and many financial services corporations are based from this moon. New Suez is also notable for having the largest number of non-citizen residents as part of its population relative to the number of citizens living there and is one of the only places in the Republic where citizens are a minority.\n===[[Damascus II]]===\nThe former capital of Elyra and the only inhabitable world in the al-Rashid system, '''Damascus II''' is the second most populated planet in Elyra with a population of around 2.5 billion inhabitants. Its climate is Mediterranean on the coastlines of its single large continental landmass and becomes more temperate the further inland one travels. Damascus II is most notable for its historical and cultural significance in Elyran society as it was the first planet settled in what is the present-day Republic of Elyra. It has a very long and storied history relative to the rest of the country, houses the finest universities in all of Elyra, and is often referred to as \u201cThe Heart of Elyra\u201d for its role in forming the Elyran identity and being the planet on which the Elyran Revolution began. The planet\u2019s economy revolves primarily around agriculture, and provides an overwhelming majority of the Republic\u2019s food. \n===[[Medina]]===\nWith 1.3 billion people, '''Medina''' resides in the binary star system of Jedeed Isfahan and is one of the most unique of Elyran worlds. The planet has a thin yet breathable atmosphere which makes prolonged physical effort difficult without respiratory gear. However, the planet is incredibly rich with mineral wealth due to its active geological history. Settlements on the planet are built to compensate for the high frequency of earthquakes, the most prevalent of which are massive floating cities kept aloft by Elyran hover technology. The planet\u2019s economy is focused on phoron extraction and the technology sector. Along with being a producer of phoron, it is also one of the foremost centres of applied phoronics, the field of science which focuses on finding new uses and applications for phoron in everything from hover tech, to energy, to pharmaceuticals, to weaponry.\n===[[Aemaq]]===\n'''Aemaq''' is a hot, chemical waterworld in outer Republic space with a population just shy of 1 billion. The settlements on the world are made up of flotillas dotting the waters of the planet. The water itself is non-potable but high in exotic volatile organic compounds, leading to the largest chemical industry in Elyra being on this planet. The water and phoron refining industries are a large part of the economy here as well. Aemaq\u2019s unique position as a world with unparalleled chemical expertise make it home to some of the largest phoron refineries in Elyra and final stop for most of the raw phoron mined in Elyra\u2019s outer rim.\n===Bursa===\n'''Bursa''' is an arctic planet within the Alaz-Khan star system, with a population of roughly 700 million. The planet sits further out from the star than usual and thus has a predominately frigid climate year-round. Paradoxically, shipyard companies remain the highest employer on the planet with hydroponics industries coming in close behind. Several Elyran Armed Forces bases also dot the surface to take advantage of the harsh winters for wilderness survival training.\n\nBursa was the site of the Lii\u2019dra hiveship\u2019s planetary landing, and it is still shaken by the 40,000 dead after the ensuing conflict. In an initiative conducted in 2458 by the Elyran Parliament, the Bursa Memorial was constructed to honor the dead of the Lii'draic Incursion. The memorial itself sits several miles outside of the capital city of New \u0130zmir, and is separated into walls of different sizes also divided into different sections. Section A is reserved to the Republican Army, B for the National Guard reservists, C for the Republican Navy, and D for civilians. An honor guard is perpetually posted here, to honor those who laid down their lives in service of the Republic.\n\n==Economics==\nThe Serene Republic of Elyra's official currency is the '''Elyran Pound''' (\u067e\u0648\u0646\u062f), and it does not accept the Solarian Standard Credit within its borders. The Elyran Pound is more valuable than the Biesel Standard Credit, and because of its value it can be occasionally seen used in the [[Coalition of Colonies]].\n\nElyra has a modern service economy with strong resource extraction sectors, namely the phoron sector, which is one of the largest employers in the Republic. New Ankara in particular is home to several major financial corporations, mostly domestic banking services or wealth management firms.\n\nThe heavy industry sector of the Republic has been seeing large increases with demands for domestic manufacturing of weapons, vehicles, and ships after the Lii'draic Incursion. With the high education standards pushed by several governing coalitions in recent decades, engineering and mathematical fields have seen higher-than-average growth, and the Republic producing highly trained engineers and doctors who are desirable across human space for their skill and proficiency is the result. Curiously, there are no major private military contractor companies based out of the Republic of Elyra due to the state\u2019s centralized control over the most assets\u2014 those most worth protecting\u2014 in the country. This economic growth, seen as a testament to their hardy spirit, is not seen as unambiguously positive by all in the Republic; Elyran society has seen increasing levels of economic stratification, even among those in the country with citizenship, and growing income disparity. Some parties are calling for social policies to combat what they see as an unwelcome change.\n\nDue to Elyra's location, they sit with some of the largest reserves of phoron in their area. [[NanoTrasen]] was quick to notice this, and for the better part of a decade, the company has been fighting tooth and nail to press claims on the deposits. However, the Elyran state maintains a monopoly on phoron extraction in the country and is fiercely protective of both its deposits and its businesses. Recently, because of a spur-wide scarcity of phoron, Elyra cut off phoron sales to foreign companies and corporations, deeming the element as a resource of importance to national security. This move, while securing Elyra\u2019s phoron deposits, caused a slow-down in much of the Elyran economy along with some of Elyra\u2019s own phoron deposits, mostly extraterrestrial, becoming smaller and smaller. This has compounded into an economic recession, which the Elyran government is trying to remedy this with excessive stimulus spending on the economy and attempting to subsidise the areas of the economy unrelated to phoron to better diversify the country.\n\nForeign megacorporations are allowed to operate in Elyra, however they must do so under strict regulations as described in the New Suez Protocol of 2381. This piece of legislation defines the parameters of how foreign corporations must conduct themselves in Elyran space, the key tenets of which are as follows:\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n===The New Suez Protocol of 2381===\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\n* Any foreign corporate venture in Elyran space must be done in cooperation with the Elyran State or an Elyran-based business approved of by the Elyran Ministry of Economics, Revenue, and Commerce, which will have a controlling interest over all joint-operations in Elyran space.\n* Foreign corporations must invest at least a third of their profits derived from their Elyran ventures back into those ventures and must have a notable majority of their workforce for their Elyran operations either be Elyran citizens or Elyran non-citizen residents.\n* Each corporation must submit a detailed annual report of all of their operations and finances to the Elyran Ministry of Economics, Revenue, and Commerce and be prepared to answer for discrepancies if any are found.\n* Foreign corporations are not permitted to make donations to any electoral campaigns for any Elyran citizen running for office, nor are they allowed to buy majority shares in Elyran businesses.\n* The Elyran State reserves the right to halt any foreign corporate operation as they see fit.\n</div></div>\n===Elyran Megacorporations===\nElyran megacorporations dominate the Elyran economy; they are incredibly well protected by both the New Suez Protocol and the numerous subsidies and other benefits given to them by the Elyran government. Without the protection of the Elyran state, most if not all Elyran corporations would be outcompeted by the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate or Einstein Engines and become defunct. While small businesses do exist in Elyra, there are some  largest companies of note.\n\n'''Elco''' - Elco, often abbreviated to L-Co, is a phoron-based corporation owned by the Elyran state which by law has an absolute monopoly on all phoron extraction, refinement, and research operations in the Republic of Elyra. It is by far the largest company in Elyra both by revenue and number of employees, and it is just by itself responsible for a majority of Elyra\u2019s GDP. From its Perseopolian headquarters, the company is massive in its influence on many aspects of Elyran everyday life. It affects almost every other industry in the country both from its size and its pivotal role in the administration and controlling of Elyran phoron and has operations or offices on nearly every planet in Elyran space. It is managed by the Elyran Ministry of Phoron Management and has worked jointly with foreign corporations in the past, most notably Nanotrasen, in negotiating joint-extraction agreements and the sale of Elyran phoron to foreigners.\n\n'''Suezbank''' -  Suezbank is a publicly traded bank based on the Persepolian moon of New Suez. It is the largest bank in the republic and is routinely used as the bank of choice for not just ordinary Elyran citizens but also other Elyran corporations and even foreign megacorps operating in Elyra. It has majority ownership over the New Suez Stock Exchange and is the premier player in Elyra\u2019s financial services industry. The bank has a long history of working with Idris Incorporated with a partnership primarily centred around Idris providing Elyrans living outside of Elyra with access to their Suezbank assets and Suezbank doing the same for foreigners, including non-citizen residents, living in Elyra in giving them access to Idris financial services and banking. The bank is also known to routinely employ contracted IRUs on loan from Idris for asset reclamation services.\n\n'''Jewel Aerospace''' - Persepolis\u2019 Jewel Aerospace is the largest aircraft and spacecraft manufacturer in the Republic of Elyra with an extensive product line. Everything from small prop planes to planetary shuttles, to freighters, to even warships for the Elyran navy are produced by this company. The New Ankaran Jewel, for which the corporation named after itself, is the largest facility operated by the company. Because of its prominence in the Elyran shipbuilding sector, Jewel Aerospace has cooperated with Hephaestus Industries and Einstein Engines in the past for many of its designs and also has a history of buying or co-developing naval weapons systems with Zavodskoi Interstellar for its more military-focused projects. Perhaps the biggest achievement to their prowess as expert vehicle manufacturers is the company\u2019s proficiency in manufacturing the specialised sea-scoops used for chemical extraction on the planet Aemaq. The company also operates Jewel Starlines, the national spaceline of Elyra and Jewel AstroCaravan, the largest interstellar shipping company in Elyran space.\n\n'''Osman Electric Industries (OEI)''' - Founded by the Osman family and headquartered on Medina, Osman Electric Industries has been responsible for some of the largest developments in electrical engineering since its inception in the mid 2370\u2019s; it has since expanded to include the areas of tech and applied phoronics as well. OEI is at the cutting edge of Virtual Reality simulation technology, something that has led to a very lucrative partnership between itself and Idris. Its primary claim to fame, however, is the pioneering of Elyran magpulse hovertech, something which has influenced Elyran society greatly and has brought the company a wealth of joint-contracts from Hephaestus Industries and Einstein Engines. Additionally, it has made great strides in the field of plasma technology and remains one of the largest contractors of the Elyran military for this reason. Additionally, Zavodskoi Interstellar has worked with OEI in the past in cooperative projects allowing the megacorp to sell plasma-based weaponry outside of Elyra. Osman Electric Industries is also the largest manufacturer of Integrated Positronic Chassis in Elyra. The company is its most advanced AI programmer as well, being responsible for programming a majority of Elyran QQ\u2019s.\n\n'''Yazmani Holdings''' - The oldest of the Elyran corporations, tracing its history back to before the Elyran Republic was even proclaimed, the Damascus II-based Yazmani Holdings occupies a few fields in the Elyran economy in an umbrella over its various subdivisions. Its agricultural division, Yazmani Agricultural Services, is owned and managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, and holds a monopoly over food production, distribution, and price setting throughout the country. Many farmers work with this division of the company. Its other sectors however, Yazmani Wellness and its retail branch Yazmarket, are privately owned by the Yazmani family. Yazmani Wellness is the largest biomedical corporation in Elyra and is based on the planet of Aemaq, making a name for itself by using the planet\u2019s unique chemicals to make new pharmaceutical medications for sale. Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals has cooperated in the past with Yazmani Wellness to develop new medications and continues to do so to this day. Yazmarket is the largest retail, e-commerce, and video streaming company in Elyra and has its head offices on Persepolis. It has a history of working with NanoTrasen and Idris Incorporated, running special holiday promotions or sales of NT consumer goods and Idris luxury goods that would otherwise be inaccessible to ordinary Elyrans. Yazmani Holdings also owns the subsidiary Yazmani Communications, a broadcasting conglomerate and holonet service provider which also has joint-ownership over the Elyran News Network, the most consumed news source in the republic, with the Elyran government.\n\n==Politics and Government==\n\n''See also: [[Elyran Government and Politics]]''\n\nThe Republic of Elyra describes itself most often as a \u201cRevolutionary Parliamentary Democracy,\u201d and true to its self-labelling, the power of the country sits with the parliament. The Republican Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Elyra and is responsible for proposing and passing legislation that runs the country. The Republican Assembly also elects the prime minister of Elyra, an office currently held by Rasheed Tatenda of the Republican Revolutionary Society. The Republic also has a series of courts to check the power of the parliament.\n\nThe governance of Elyra is mostly pyramidal in structure, with the Assembly and Prime Minister making decisions that often affect the entire country. Bills, amendments, and laws are put into place by the planetary and regional governments. Localities such as planets or moons are awarded autonomy to some degree; they are ruled over by planetary and lunar governors, with the exceptions of Damascus II and New Suez which is ruled over by its unique Damascene Captain and High Commissioner, respectively.\n\nElyra has an incredibly developed and wide-ranging healthcare system along with its other social support networks for parents and the financially disadvantaged. Most Elyran citizens have to pay very little, if any credits, to access treatment. Complex medications such as dexalin and peridaxon are easily-available due to Elyra\u2019s phoron reserves, and though doctors and surgeons are paid somewhat less than they might be in other parts of the Spur, there is little shortage of medical personnel. It should be noted that this well-funded healthcare system is more-or-less exclusively available to citizens of Elyra; non-citizen persons have basic emergency treatments paid for by the state, but can rarely access long-term or specialized treatment.\n\n==History==\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n=== Pre-Colonisation and the Elyran Coalition ===\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\nBefore the Republic of Elyra came into its present state, the country was known as the Elyran Coalition, a collection of Solarian colonies settled by the peoples of the United Arab Republic, Free Republic of Iran, and Republic of Turkey. Prior to its official founding, these countries, sitting on some of the largest petroleum reserves in the world, would come together to partner in co-authored colonization efforts so that they could compete with the likes of the United States, EU, Commonwealth of Nations, and the USSR plus its Warsaw Pact allies. Not only was this a smart economic move by the three countries, but it was one that was key to ensuring the continued competitiveness of the three countries by stimulating their economies with colonial resources. Efforts to explore the area of space now known as the Badlands and Valley Hale began in the early 2100\u2019s, but colonization would not take place until 2153, when the first colony of the three nations, Al-Rashid III (though soon renamed to Damascus II) was settled. The colony of Damascus II was a robust, self-sustaining venture that soon became an administrative, agricultural, and educational hub in the far off reaches of what would become Elyran space, but it lacked the wealth of resources\u2014 more specifically, precious metals and minerals that those back on Earth were hoping for. Even so, smaller ventures were undertaken, usually in close proximity to Damascus II as a hub.  with smaller colonies now bringing in mining materiel back to Earth and the solar system, the Elyran project had only broke even and was barely profitable. This all changed however with the discovery of New Ankara IV, the planet that would soon come to be known as Persepolis.\n\nSurveys returned reports of precious metals and other natural resources in previously unheard of quantities, and efforts began to see who could get there first among the various regions of Earth. There was not much of a contest as the U.A.R, Iran, and Turkey were quick to use their existing colony in the region of Damascus II to settle Persepolis and begin excavations of its great mineral wealth. This started not only a golden age for their economies, but is when the idea of the Elyran Coalition was brought into being. Before Persepolis was settled, all efforts to colonize the region were centred around Damascus II as being in the area made it so that colonies were limited by their ability to keep their supply lines connected to that hub. The Persepolian Miracle facilitated an unprecedented level of investment in the Valley Hale Colonies, almost unilaterally leading to a need for a more localised administration that could better run the burgeoning economies of the region. To meet this need, the Elyran Coalition was officially proclaimed as a Solarian Colonial Administration in 2229, ten years after the settlement of Persepolis, with Damascus II as its capital. For the next thirty years, the Elyran Coalition saw steady economic growth along with the continued settlement of various, smaller scale mining and industrial colonies\u2014 the Persepolian moon of New Suez being among them.\n</div></div>\n\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n===The Second Great Depression and Elyran Revolution===\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\nThe Second Great Depression of 2260 hit the Elyran Coalition like everywhere else in known Human Space, but for the first nearly two decades in the Coalition, the colonies were able to stave off a complete collapse by using the funds they\u2019d accrued in the previous good years to invest in themselves. This effort wouldn\u2019t last. By 2280, the Elyran economy had run out of reserves and had been reduced to a shell of collapsing mining colonies and millions leaving their worlds in retreats to the Solarian Core or the Elyran hubs of Damascus II and Persepolis. What made these times even worse for the Elyrans though was the increased demand of exports from the Solarian Core to prop up the economies of the core systems. These demands impacted Persepolis especially hard, and caused the economy of the planet to contract drastically for five years. Economically, the Elyran experiment had been a failure, with only Damascus II still even maintaining a semblance of economic stability from its consistent agricultural sector. Outcry from the colonies to the Solarian Core grew and grew, but they met deaf ears. What began as a small regional conflict in the frontier in 2279, the Interstellar War was now growing to be something that threatened to tear the Sol Alliance apart, and all Solarian authorities were focused on stopping, and more importantly winning, this far off conflict. The Elyran Coalition was ignored aside from the bare minimum of interactions, and separatist sentiments began to grow on the two hub worlds of Damascus II and Persepolis as the Coalition increasingly invested in itself rather than looking to the Solarian Core to halt a descent into lawlessness and disarray.\n\nThe kettle that was the Elyran Coalition boiled over in 2301, when a student protest on Damascus II against the continued lack of economic assistance from the Solarian Core was violently broken up by colonial soldiers, leaving hundreds dead. Soon after, the population erupted in resistance, with masses of Elyran civilians and soldiers alike marching to the seat of Elyran governance and forcing the resignation of the governor. The Elyran Revolution had begun, and in a desperate attempt to avoid being defeated so early on, the Damascene revolutionaries sent a transmission to Persepolis, urging its citizens to join them in the creation of an independent country. Many feared a violent, bloody war like what had been gripping the frontier for the past decades, but luckily Elyra was spared from such a tragedy. General Abd Al-Hamid, the commander of Persepolis\u2019 garrison and the fleet orbiting the planet also heard this transmission. He was an Elyran Persepolian native who sympathised with the rebels, and after weighing his options with his staff, declared his allegiance to the Elyran revolution and stated that any Solarian efforts to retake either Persepolis or Damascus II would be met with armed resistance. Following the fall of both hub worlds of the Elyran Coalition, the rest of the garrisons left across the region surrendered with little to no resistance. A weary Solarian Alliance, exhausted from an already decades-long and monumentally costly war with what would become the Frontier Alliance, made little effort to reclaim the Elyran Coalition, only sending a fleet to evacuate important diplomatic figures and some civilians wanting to remain as Solarian citizens. After control by the new revolutionary government was centralised, the Serene Republic of Elyra was officially proclaimed on January 1st, 2302, inheriting Damascus II as its capital and installing General Al-Hamid as its first prime minister. What began afterwards was what many historians call \u201cthe Elyran Century,\u201d in reference to a speech made by Prime Minister Al-Hamid in 2320.\n</div></div>\n\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n===The Elyran Century===\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\nThankfully being spared from the destruction of the Interstellar War, the Elyran Republic was slow to take off after its independence, not having the economic quagmire of reconstruction and death of human capital that the Coalition of Colonies had, but still having a quite literally bankrupted economy to fix. Without the restraints of forced exports to the Solarian Alliance however, the Elyran economy could focus almost exclusively on itself, focusing first on restarting the colonies abandoned during the Second Great Depression. This endeavour took a few years, and in the meantime the Persepolian economy slowly recovered from its slump, curiously spearheaded by the Elyran moon of [[New Suez]] off of its shipping industry now tying the fledgling republic together. By 2316, Persepolis was once again the largest economy in Elyra and once more saw a steady flow of immigrants from across Elyra to the purple planet looking for ways to better themselves. The troubles brought on by foreign demands and the conflict at the beginning of the century cast a long shadow across Elyran society, leading to a withdrawn, isolationist attitude among many Elyrans in the government, military, and civilian society that led to the country closing itself off from foreign trade almost entirely in the year of 2320 with Prime Minister Abd Al-Hamid declaring a perpetual policy of \u201can Elyran Century of economic self-reliance.\u201d The mineral wealth of not just Persepolis, but what was Elyran space as a whole, proved to be a reliable and enriching source of income, providing the Elyran economy with a surplus of resources it used to reinvest in more colonies, both old and new. The Elyran mining colony of [[Medina]] was settled during this time, officially obtaining its charter in 2337, and [[Aemaq]] soon followed with a charter in 2351. \nThe country saw significant strides in the realm of governance as well, holding its first nation-wide elections in the year 2324 after the death of Prime Minister Al-Hamid from age. He was 84. These elections signalled the Republic\u2019s transition from essentially a despotic provisional military regime to a truly democratic republic with the Republican Revolutionary Society winning a majority government. Two years after this, the Constitution of the Republic was drafted by the Republican Assembly and passed by a strong majority, officially being ratified on November 11th, 2326.\n\nAside from the economic prosperity which Elyra obtained during this time, the most lasting impacts from the Elyran Century were the cultural golden age of the first half, with some of the most influential and lasting works in Elyran literature, music, architecture, theatre, and film coming from the 2330\u2019s and 2340\u2019s, most from Damascus II. It is argued that these two decades are those in which the \u201cElyran\u201d cultural identity fully took shape, though this is something still disputed even to this day with some scholars citing the Damascene settlement as its impetus and others being the full shift to Persepolis as the definitive centre of the Elyran nation. This shift took place officially 2380, by which time Perseoplis had become not just the largest economy in Elyra by far, but also the most populated planet in the country, having surpassed Damascus II in numbers nearly two decades prior. From then onwards, Persepolis was the capital of the Republic of Elyra.\n\nElyran magpulse, or \u201chover-tech,\u201d was pioneered in this century as well, being tested on Medina in 2380 after its invention by the team of \"Project Hubris\", an Osman Electronics-funded venture to . Originally, the technology was very limited in its scope, barely being able to support substantial amounts of weight and only reaching the heights it reaches now (literally, in the case of Medina\u2019s floating cities) through the usage of applied phoronics that would be discovered in the early 25th century.\n\nBy the 2380s Elyra was a stable, peaceful, and still prosperous country, but its economy had been experiencing a gradual slow-down since the 2370\u2019s as its domestic production and import substitution reached a standstill. The Elyran economy had stagnated, not growing nor shrinking. While Elyra had never reached the levels of the Sol Alliance or Coalition of Colonies, in terms of economic output, the threat of a recession caused a change in national leadership to the pro-foreign trade League of United Republicans. Shortly after their election, the Elyran Government organised the New Suez Protocol of 2381, ending the republic\u2019s economic isolation from the rest of the Spur and allowing foreign megacorporations into the country with the New Suez Free Trade Zone, albeit with numerous restrictions. The Elyran Century of economic self-reliance ended nearly twenty years early with this legislation. This caused the Elyran economy to pick up once more and push high growth numbers yet again, ensuring nearly twenty-five years of dominance by the League of United Republicans over Elyran politics.\n</div></div>\n\n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n===The Golden Age and Its End - Current Times===\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\nThe discovery of the nearly-infinite possibilities of phoron in 2417 led Elyra to new heights, to what truly was the Elyran Golden Age, a time most historians consider to be the time period between 2417 and 2457. Development of things like the modern iterations of hover-tech and plasma weaponry were pioneered in Elyra at this time, the applications of which have changed Elyra immeasurably. The largest example of this was the creation of the hovering cities of Medina, an entire planet being kept afloat, both metaphorically and literally by phoronic magpulse technology. The Republic soon found itself sitting on the largest known reserves of phoron in the Orion Spur, exploding upwards in a huge state-sponsored campaign to exploit and develop these resources. This growth led to the average standards of living of Elyran citizens to be some of the highest in the Orion Spur, only rivalled (and just barely) by the wealthy worlds in the Solarian Core, the planet of Biesel, or the lives of the Dominian Primaries. Despite the Elyran economy still being the 4th largest in the Spur, it has the highest wealth per capita for those in the country that have citizenship.\n\nThe darker side of this phoron boom however has been the creation of a second class of those living in Elyra: non-citizen migrant workers. These people are mostly from the poorer classes of the Coalition of Colonies or the non-coalition Frontier wanting to make a living working in the burgeoning Elyran economy. This trend started to occur in the mid 2420\u2019s, though by the late 2430\u2019s was in full swing. In contrast to their citizen counterparts, \u201cnon-citizen persons,\u201d as they are officially called, often are only in the republic to work, live in low standards, with things like education, legal representation, and housing not being provided for by the Elyran government but instead being services that are paid for out of pocket. However, the labour of non-citizen persons is certainly something that has multiplied the growth of the Elyran economy in the 25th century, their contributions allowing for the phoron mining industry in particular to develop far faster than it would have otherwise.\n \nDespite the position of Elyra stepping onto the interstellar stage as more than just a closed-off pariah, the Republic has seen more turbulence in recent years than it has in any other period in its history, barring the Elyran Revolution. Skirmishing with its neighbours, the Izweski Hegemony and the Empire of Dominia, became common in the past two decades, as both tried to further assert themselves in the region of the Sparring Sea, the Elyran Naval Self-Defense Force doing its best to protect Elyran claims in the region, especially phoron deposits. The growing number of non-citizen persons has caused some internal turmoil in the country as the question of what changes should be made to the Elyran system of citizenship and welfare. Questions of what Elyra\u2019s place in the Orion Spur should be also are up in the air, with different political parties holding different ideas for how Elyra should engage with interstellar politics.\n \nMore recently however, Elyra has experienced two crises that have made great waves in the country. The first was the Lii\u2019dra Incursion of 2457, a gruesome ambush on the planet of Bursa by the Lii\u2019dra hive of Vaurca. Although Elyra was victorious, this tragedy signalled to many in the republic the inadequacy of the current state of the Elyran Self-Defense Force. Outcry from the Elyran public and many in its politics has led to a massive overhaul, reorganization, and upgrading of the military since the incursion. The second crisis has been the recent Orion Spur-wide phoron shortage. While Elyran reserves have been more or less unaffected by the shortage affecting all other nations in the Spur, the decision by the Elyran government to halt the sale of phoron to foreign countries and corporations on the principle of national security has caused a slow down in the Elyran economy, nullifying a significant stream of revenue into the country\u2019s primary industry. Some in the country have exclaimed this as an example of why Elyra should have remained closed off to the greater Spur economically and letting the rest of the galaxy sort out its own problems, with others arguing that this is an opportunity for the country to assert itself on the galactic stage with its vast reserves of phoron and advanced technology as leverage. The majority opinion currently is that Elyra should just wait the crisis out and then resume the status-quo once it has been resolved. \n\nIn the late summer of 2464, the largest protests in the Elyran capital city of Uthma's history broke out in response to rising phoron prices brought on by the continued economic stagnation of the Phoron Scarcity crisis. The protests started small, originally calling for government amnesty for the phoron expenditures of citizens, but rapidly grew into something far larger in scope that completely occupied al-Hamid Square, the central square of Uthma. Alleged reports of an Elyran Extraterrestrial Brigade team interdicting and then dying upon the SCC Horizon for leverage against the phoron-seeking company struck a chord with the protestors even though the Elyran government denied it even happened. The protests ground to a halt in the coming weeks, with nearly 30,000 protestors entrenching themselves in the square surrounded by Elyran law enforcement. Negotiations between protestors and the government began, but were soon dashed by the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of the Interior who claimed they were in possession of evidence that showed Dominian involvement in plotting and leading the protests as a measure to destabilize their regional rival. The Dominians denied this outright, however the Elyran government gave a strong response to what it saw as a national security threat.\n\nOvernight, nearly two-thirds of protestors left the square in fear of a formal, military response to the protests. The next day, Elyran police, armed forces reservists, and the counter-terrorist Special Threat Service stormed the square with military equipment and thousands of personnel. The \"Battle of al-Hamid Square\" lasted over two hours and was the single-deadliest armed exchange on Elyran soil since the Lii'dra incursion. Hundreds died, and nearly nine-thousand were injured, these figures being comprised of both protestors, dubbed \"terrorist sympathisers\" by the Elyran Government, and law enforcement casualties. After the square was retaken by Elyran government forces, they uncovered alleged Dominian documents instructing protest leaders how to proceed and maps of the square in High Morozi showing where to fortify and how to make formations to stop police attacks. The Dominian foreign minister denied the authenticity of these documents and contested that they were planted evidence painting Dominia as a scapegoat for Elyran failings, though the Elyran government reaffirmed their position and held that the protests were the result of Dominian foreign interference. As a result, Dominia expelled the Elyran ambassador from its capital and recalled their own from Elyra. The two have yet to re-establish formal diplomatic relations. Elyra's current prime minister, Rasheed Tatenda of the Republican Revolutionary Society, saw a dip in popularity during the protests, however after they were alleged to be the product of a foreign, Dominian, conspiracy, he has seen rising popularity among Elyra's citizens as a defender of the nation against an underhanded imperialist foe. \n\nMany suspect that the coming years will usher in a new era of Elyran history whatever happens further, though it's unknown where the republic will go or what direction it may head in.\n</div></div>\n\n==Culture and Demographics==\n''See also: [[Elyran Culture, Law, and Society]]''\n\nElyran culture is a rich and unique one among the powers of the Orion Spur and expresses itself through many different facets. Elyran culture has its roots in the cultures from which it was founded, those of the Middle East, North Africa, Persia, and Anatolia. Because of this, it shares many traits of those but also has some noted differences and unique, \u201cElyran\u201d twists on it.\n\nElyran culture is multifaceted and is deeply interwoven into the nation itself, through art, architecture, attitudes and customs, and laws. Because of this complexity and depth, Elyran culture has its own page devoted to the topic which can be found above.\n===[[Languages]]===\nElyran Standard, so-called because it was the language created to be the standardised method of communication across the Elyran Republic after its revolution, is the official language of the Republic of Elyra. It was created by the Ministry of Education shortly after the Elyran Revolution at the behest of Prime Minister Abd Al-Hamid for the purposes of giving his new republic a single language that could be used for government, law, military organization, and trade. Many in the Republic praised this initiative as they saw it as either the practical thing to do or saw it as just another step in the Elyran Revolution, creating a new language that was untainted by Solarian influence. A large mass-education and literacy program began in 2317 to educate the Elyran people on this new language, to a point where the government banned the teaching of old Earth languages, such as in public schools, though still allowed them to be taught and used in higher education and religious institutions. The program was completed in 2336, with almost all of the Elyran population being fluent in the new language created by taking influences and grammar from Arabic, Turkish, and Farsi. \n\nTo this day, Elyran Standard is the most prevalent language in the Elyran Republic, with everything from legal documentation to public broadcasting being in this language. It is also unique to Elyra, with no other country using it as an official or accepted language in government or business. For this reason, it is rarely spoken outside of Elyra proper. All Elyrans learn it in school as part of their general curriculum. Starting in year 7 of their schooling, Elyrans are also given the opportunity to study Tradeband, Freespeak, or Tau Ceti Basic. Freespeak is spoken as the majority language among Elyra\u2019s largely frontier-dominated non-citizen person population. Sol Common is taught by the military, higher education (such as universities) and diplomatic services; however, it is not taught in Elyran public schools, stemming from the government\u2019s historic position that speaking Sol Common as an Elyran citizen was unpatriotic and anti-Elyran. While the government no longer holds this position, openly speaking Sol Common is still looked down upon by many Elyrans, especially those who harbor more nationalist or patriotic viewpoints. \n===Elyran Citizens and Non-Citizen Persons===\nThe Republic of Elyra has a somewhat unique way in which its society is structured as it is broken up between official Elyran Citizens and what are officially referred to as \u201cNon-Citizen Persons.\u201d Elyran citizens make-up the majority of Elyra\u2019s population, at slightly more than two-thirds and are the recipients of things such as Elyran state healthcare (or repair services in the case of positronics); a legal defense free of charge in the event one gets brought to court; a state-funded retirement pension, voting rights, free temporary housing if one loses their home to eviction or disaster, access to Elyran consular services abroad, and the ability to attend most of Elyra\u2019s universities, including the most prestigious, with little to no charge if one passes the respective university\u2019s stringent entrance exams. Being a citizen of Elyra provides one with unquestionably helpful benefits, but this is not a status that some in Elyra hold. To be born into citizenship, both of an individual\u2019s parents must be Elyran citizens who are married at the time of the child\u2019s birth. Additionally, if two married Elyran citizens adopt a child, even if this child is foreign, they become an Elyran citizen. Currently, only Humans and IPCs can hold Elyran citizenship.\n\nObtaining Elyran citizenship is an infamously difficult process for those who do not have it from birth. A lengthy period of 10 years of residency and labour in Elyra is first required and one\u2019s criminal record must be immaculate without even the slightest infraction. An applicant must also be fluent in Elyran Standard and must take a lengthy exam on Elyran culture and history that even most Elyran citizens would most likely fail. Every applicant is subject to review by the Ministry of the Interior for the applicability of their skills and achievements as well, with the Ministry often rejecting applicants who do not have graduate or postgraduate degrees, or similarly highly regarded credentials. Additionally, an applicant must be sponsored by at least four current Elyran citizens who can vouch for their credibility and integrity as a potential citizen. Finally though, and for some most worryingly, the Elyran Ministry of the Interior can reject any applicant for any reason they see fit and are not legally required to give an explanation. It is perhaps for this reason why it is nearly impossible citizens of the Empire of Dominia, Eridani Federation, or Solarian Alliance to obtain Elyran citizenship even if all other requirements are met, for the simple reason of Elyra\u2019s geopolitical disposition against these states. Marriage to an Elyran citizen does not qualify the foreigner as a citizen, and many suspect this is an indirect measure by the state to encourage Elyrans to marry other Elyrans rather than foreigners. Only humans can apply to be citizens in Elyra, as applications from foreign IPCs and other other species are not accepted by the country\u2019s incredibly isolationist government.\n\n\u201cNon-Citizen Persons,\u201d (NCPs) as they are officially called, make-up approximately one-third of the total population of the Republic Elyra.  Most of these people are poor migrant labourers from the less wealthy planets in the Coalition of Colonies or the stateless Human Frontier. They are often unskilled and undereducated, coming to Elyra in order to make enough money to send back home as remittances to their families, or alternatively to save up enough money to return to their homeworlds with enough cash to make their lives there.\n\nLife as an NCP is far from a comfortable one, however. Typically non-citizen persons are put in either the most menial or most dangerous of tasks by their Elyran employers, with a large portion of them working in the infamously hazardous phoron extraction industry or low-skill service positions. Because NCPs are not citizens, their employers are not subject to minimum wage laws when paying their incomes, and so they are paid drastically less than their citizen counterparts. Additionally, their lack of citizenship shuts them out of the Elyran public health and education systems, and grossly restricts the amount of influences they have on Elyran society, having little to no legal representation in most courts of law either. They cannot vote and are not provided with any of the other benefits that the average Elyran citizens enjoys. Because of this, NCPs often live together in tightly knit communities or neighbourhoods in Elyran localities, with almost every major Elyran city having an \u201cNCP Town,\u201d where non-citizen persons coalesce and live often in lower standards when compared to their citizenship-holding counterparts. Despite these realities though, frontier-dwelling outsiders flock to Elyra for the promise of an income that can sustain them and their families, as even the reduced wages they receive in Elyra are more than they would ever receive on their homeworlds.\n===Elyran Synthetics and Citizenship===\nElyra\u2019s relationship with Integrated Positronic Chassis is an interesting one that has rapidly evolved since Elyra\u2019s creation of their own indigenous [[IPC|IPCs]] in 2423. At first, the legal status of positronics was relegated to them being merely property of their owners, much like everywhere else in the Orion Spur. This however changed in 2428. The League of United Republicans had been put into power for the first time since the 2380\u2019s and were desperate to hang on to their majority in the Elyran parliament. In order to do this, the party and their prime minister at the time, Abu Bakr Al-Hossein, pushed a proposition through the Elyran National Assembly granting citizenship to a large number of currently owned IPCs in the country. The logic was this: if the party granted citizenship to IPCs, these IPCs would be sure votes for the League, and therefore the party could artificially inflate their votes. This attempt was partially successful, in that nearly all newly freed IPCs voted for the League of United Republicans, however it backfired horribly by causing those who were already in the party\u2019s voting base to leave. This occurred because many Elyran citizens did not, and to this day still do not, see IPCs as equal to humans in any way, leading to the League\u2019s loss in the election to their long standing political rivals, The Republican Revolutionary Society. The new prime minister, Majedah Al-Haddad, was then left with a rather big quandary, being the new head of state of the first country in the Orion Spur to grant citizenship to IPCs, despite it being wildly unpopular. Simply revoking citizenship from IPCs was not something that would look good or be popular among these new citizens, so instead she came to the decision that the IPCs that had citizenship currently could keep it. However, there would be new restrictions put in place on how citizenship among IPCs was handled. In 2429, the Synthetic Citizen Act was passed, the provisions of which can be found in the drop-down menu below.\n \n<div class=\"toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed\">\n\n===The Synthetic Citizenship Act===\n<div class=\"mw-collapsible-content\">\n\n# A quota of citizenships are to be allotted to IPC manufacturers annually. They are to not exceed nor fail to meet the quota. The quota is to be adjusted annually.\n# The number of IPC citizens in the republic of Elyra is to never exceed 10% of the total citizen population. If it does, allotment of citizenship to IPCs at the point of manufacture is to be halted until further notice.\n# An IPC that wishes to be freed by its owner must go through a citizenship attainment process similar to an immigration application. Service in the Elyran armed forces does not make an owned IPC eligible for citizenship.\n# Elyran IPC citizens are entitled to the full allotment of rights that their organic counterparts enjoy. They are entirely equal under the law.\n# No foreign-manufactured IPCs are to be granted Elyran citizenship under any circumstance.\n# Social services such as repair and maintenance duties will be cared for by the Elyran welfare system.\n</div></div>\n \nFor owned IPCs, when an Elyran integrated positronic chassis is manufactured, their ownership largely falls under the megacorporation that built them. During this period, maintenance and repairs are offered as a part of their ownership to the company. The process by which an owned synthetic becomes a free one is long, extensive, and incredibly bureaucratic, much like the process of a foreigner wishing to immigrate to Elyra. Similarly, it has a small success rate with the majority of free Elyran IPCs being manufactured as from their creation. Elyran IPC manufacturers are free to allot citizenship however they please, so long as they do not exceed or fall behind the target given to them by the Elyran government. For this reason, it is very arbitrary among Elyran synthetics as to which ones become citizens and which do not. \n\nA deep-seated paranoia in synthetics manufactured from different systems trying to infiltrate Elyran society has meant that non-Elyran synthetics seeking refuge in the republic are outright turned away, sent back to their fleeing star systems or, if volatile, decommissioned outright. This doesn\u2019t stop synthetics from attempting covert operations of forging documentation. As a result, Elyran synthetics have a tiny phoron inlaid engraving on their tag, denoting their original make as Elyran-made synthetics.\n\n==Military==\n''See also: [[Elyra Military]]''\n\nFrom the inception of the country, the '''Elyran Armed Forces''' have been an integral part of the Serene Republic. The country\u2019s military has its origins in the garrisons of Persepolis and Damascus II that rebelled against the Solarian colonial authority and sided with the revolutionaries during the Elyran revolution, who, without the help of these defecting soldiers, would not have been liberated from Solarian rule. The EAF has a pivotal role in the nation\u2019s politics as the last line of defense against internal threats. As written in the Elyran constitution, the EAF has the right and responsibility to dissolve parliament and depose the current ruling party if the Elyran Joint Command Staff believes there to be a violation of the constitution. This has never happened in the entire history of the Republic, but it is still a function the military serves, despite calls from some in the government to revise the constitution so as to revoke that power.\n\nDespite its importance to the historical narrative of the Elyran Revolution though, for most of its history the EAF was primarily a second-rate self-defense force that primarily focused itself on two things: its versatility on one hand, and defense on the other. The military often engaged in tasks relating to territorial defense, policing, anti-piracy, and disaster relief throughout the Badlands and Valley Hale regions as well as within the territory of the Republic itself. The EAF was usually decades behind the leading militaries in the Orion Spur in terms of both technological prowess and strategic largess, though this often did not matter as Elyra had not been involved in a war between itself and another interstellar power aside from its progenitating revolution.\n\nThis trend abruptly changed in 2457 however as the EAF was caught off-guard and humiliated by the Lii\u2019dra\u2019s incursion force surrounding Bursa. After two weeks of fighting, the EAF was able to repel the Vaurca invaders, but tens of thousands of Elyrans had died, and the military had received almost unilateral criticism across all political parties of the country for its poor planning and handling of the situation. This also spurred a similar cry for modernization of the EAF; the transformation of the institution from a small, outdated, coast guard-esque force to a respectable, modern, and defensive military capable of protecting the Republic of Elyra and its citizens. For this reason, the Elyran Armed Forces are currently in a state of transition, with new cutting edge plasma weaponry and hover-vehicles often working alongside decades-old lasers and mechs. The EAF aims to be fully modernised by 2470, though the troubles caused in the country\u2019s economy by the spur-wide phoron shortage have slowed down many modernization efforts.\n\n==Technology==\nThe technological advancements in the Republic, which can be owed to its rich deposits of phoron and high economic standing, are the foundations on which Elyra is built.\n\n'''Magpulse drives:''' Developed over the course of twenty years during efforts to colonize [[Medina]], the magpulse drive consists of magnetized phoron-based materials that over a century, have become the primary mode of transportation within the Republic. Because of the magpulse drive's proliferation, ground traffic elements that are not light rail trains, foot paths, or bicycles are more or less disregarded. Instead of parking lots are landing pads, and most indicators used to control traffic are left to heads-up-displays found within hovercars via helmets, screen projectors, and other means. Travel to and from any point within any Elyran territory as a result is usually fast, reliable and easy as hover-vehicles are fully capable of flying well above and beyond any obstacles or landscapes. The average commercial flying car would be able to sustain flight at nearly fifty meters over ground.\n\nThe most prominent example of magpulse drives is on the surface of Medina, where entire cities are suspended above the perpetually-shifting ground on the backs of magpulse platforms.\n\n'''Virtual reality and simulation technology:''' Elyran virtual reality is considered among the best in the Spur, and the best that humanity can offer. Owing to a complex series of processors, lights, and in some cases headsets and equipment used to simulate touch and scent, the technology is both incredibly immersive and typically accessible (though expensive) to the average citizen. Collaborations between Osman Electronics and [[Idris Incorporated]] on VR exist as public-access \"VR plazas\", where a room can be rented and enjoyed by one or more people. Private terminals can also be commissioned which are considerably more advanced and intricate, though these can cost hundreds of thousands of credits.\n\n'''Plasma technology:''' Utilized exclusively in the military field, high-end plasma technology is the most apparent indicator of Elyran presence in any given combat situation. They are the only faction to utilize superheated plasma in this sense, able to penetrate and combust foes from the inside out with horrifying results. The ethics behind using such weapons are questionable, yet their effectiveness is without doubt. This was pioneered after the Lii\u2019dra incursion to Bursa as part of the Elyran military\u2019s modernization initiative.\n\n=== Underdeveloped areas ===\n\nBy and large, Elyran technological progress is on average fairly advanced, mostly due to its status as the Spur-wide leader in applied phoronics and virtual reality simulation technology only rivalled by that of the Vaurca. Despite this, there are areas of the sciences where Elyra is noticeably behind in technological development.\n\n'''Robotics:''' The posibrain as a piece of technology was never bought by any Elyran corporation or the Elyran state\u2014 as in any such transaction the Republic felt that it would have had to make unnecessarily large economic concessions to an outside party. Instead, a supply of Einstein Engines posibrains made their way into Elyran hands through uncertain, though almost certainly clandestine methods. After years of work with numerous setbacks, Elyran scientists reverse engineered a posibrain in 2423 that would become the basis of all future Elyran positronic development. Since then, Elyran scientists have focused much more on the artificial intelligence aspect of positronics rather than the \u201cintegrated,\u201d chassis-focused aspect seen in other states. While producers of advanced AIs, they are notably behind in robotic development when compared to other nations in the Orion Spur such as the [[Sol Alliance]], [[Republic of Biesel]], and [[Coalition of Colonies]].\n\n'''Aerospace:''' Historically the Elyran aerospace industry has been rather inactive in the area of technological advancement as Elyra has experienced almost no conflicts with the outside world that would have inspired pressure on the Elyran aerospace industry to innovate relative to their competitors. Due to the Lii\u2019dra invasion, this was changed.  The Elyran military now bankrolls extensive aerospace research to become on par with other nations, and most importantly militaries, in the Spur, with a focus on maintaining parity with the Empire of Dominia to the Republic\u2019s galactic southwest. The Elyran aerospace community is making fast advances in this field and its estimated that they will be on par with the rest of the developed nations of the Spur, if not surpassed them, within the lifetime of an average human.\n\n'''Genetics:''' Genetic research, at least in animals and humans, has seen little progress in Elyra as well in recent years. Most of the scientific focus in Elyra has transitioned to phoron-based studies since the early 22nd century, where genetic research took a back seat to the newer, and much more profitable, science of phoron. One notable exception is that Elyra has kept up in the agricultural side of genetics and is even seen as a leader in the field. Recently, Elyra has attempted to rekindle the full spectrum of genetics research in order to compete with their geopolitical rival the Empire of Dominia, a Spur-wide leader in genetic modification research. The gains from this initiative have been negligible.\n \n{{Navbox Human Lore}}\n{{Navbox Lore}}\n\n[[Category:Pages]]\n[[Category:Factions]]\n[[Category:Humanity]]"
                    }
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}