Antaran Empire

The Antaran Empire is the star nation that comprises the member worlds of the Antaran people, once known as the Humans. It is one of the largest and strongest of the states of Known Space. As of current date, the Empire is comprised of 293 star systems and nearly 600 billion citizens. The star nation is considered one of the Great Powers.

The symbol of the Empire is the Golden Lion, often depicted as simply the head of said lion roaring in triumph. The motto of the realm is ''"The lion never sleeps." Its ceremonial toast is "For God and Emperor!  Long live the Empire!"''

The capital planet of the Empire is Antara Prime, the fourth planet in the system formerly known as Beta Tauri, now known as the Imperia System.

History
With the beginning of the Exodus in the year 2251, the colony ships that had been built once the first practical superluminal drive had been tested by scientists within the domed fortress once known as Geneva, Switzerland began to launch into an orbital pattern with Earth as shuttles ferried those leaving aboard them.

The construction of the twelve colony ships had been a labor of both love and necessity by the engineers and technicians who had undertaken the task for the sake of the future of their race. Humans would no longer exist if they remained on Old Earth, and the decision to flee the system had been made. Each of the twelve ships carried approximately ten thousand people of all ages.

The Exodus lasted for roughly fifty years, from 2251 to 2301, as one by one each colony ship left Old Earth orbit and set out on pre-arranged courses that led towards the Galactic Core. The first ship launched, CX-001, would reach the Beta Tauri star approximately six months after leaving Old Earth. It was there in 2302 that the colonists formed the new civilization of the world of Antara, as an homage to their captain's heritage.

Within the next five years from the last of the colony ships launching, the Human race was established on twelve separate worlds, which established communications and travel lines with one another. In 2311, the people of Antara made contact with first the Galanians and the  Namarians, who had sent ships to investigate the swath of superluminal activity it had detected. After long meetings with colonial leadership, the three peoples established a treaty that set up diplomatic relations, a cooperative treaty of defense and the exchange of information and technology.

When asking as to the name of the world - which the aliens did before asking what the Humans called themselves - they took the planet being called Antara to mean the Human people were themselves the Antarans. Rather than confuse their new friends and neighbors, they assented to being called such and ultimately saw to it they became known by no other name as a people. The Human people had become the Antaran people. As the changing of their name as a race became established, so too did they adopt a new nomenclature that was based more on personal creativity and adaptation of names from prominent past figures and ancient mythology.

Thanks to the support of Galanian and Namarian technology, the colony of Antara was able to grow in leaps and bounds over the next century. Gradually, as the twelve original worlds of the Antaran people grew and flourished, technology unique to their civilization began to take shape. Within a century of first meeting the Galanians and Namarians, the Antaran people needed no further assistence and shifted from a supportive relationship to an equal footing of allies and colleagues, supporting exploration and defensive efforts and sharing developments and new discoveries in science and engineering.

During their first formative centuries, the colonies of the Antaran people had developed a feudal structure whereby the leaders of the twelve worlds took on noble titles and established a collaborative relationship with their people. Overseeing planetary administration, defense and supporting development, they received the support and loyalty of their common folk, who tended the land, raised its buildings, built its communities and expanded civilization on each world.

In 2400, in a formal conference on Antara Prime, the leading nobles of each of the Twelve Worlds joined together in forming what they would formally call the Antaran Empire. From among their number they selected  the leader of Antara Prime itself, Lucco Fabrini, to serve as the first Emperor. Fabrini, a talented diplomat and military officer, consolidated support and authority around himself and formed the Chamber of Ministers to both assist him in administering the Empire and formulating and developing Imperial Law.

Ruling for 71 years and dying in 2472 at the age of 119, Lucco I was responsible for establishing the Empire's oldest and most revered traditions. He formed the Grand Fleet from the Twelve Worlds Militia, called together the first session of the Chamber of Ministers, formalized and codified the aristocracy of the Empire and its responsibilities and duties, and established the dominance of Antara Prime as capital of the realm. To this day, he is revered as the First Emperor and Father of the Empire.

Lucco I likewise established the standards by which an Emperor or Empress is chosen. While the lineage was hereditary, the reigning Emperor could adopt another into the Imperial House - a respected and accomplished military commander and civil official - and name them the heir. Each reigning sovereign named their successor according to their own preference, be it a descendant or an adopted heir. In the event a sovereign dies without a living heir, the Chamber of Ministers selects a new individual to ascend to the throne. According to Lucco's own dictates, all emperors and empresses of the realm take the last name Fabrini and become  part of the Imperial House - the House of Fabrini. They give up their original family name and likewise become a part of the power and lineage of the Imperial House, maintaining the largely neutral nature of the Imperial throne to prevent favoritism towards any house or group of houses in the aristocracy.

By the time of the year 3000, the Antaran people had established colonies on over 150 worlds, beyond the original Twelve Worlds. Similarly, its military and economic strength had grown considerably, as they began to develop their worlds in the calculated and methodical manner they had gradually developed over their initial decades of colonial expansion and growth. Their traditions in these fields reflected their vested interest in developing planetary resources while also protecting planetary environments and minimizing the effects development have on a planetary ecosystem.

Between the year 3000 and current date, the Empire has expanded to its current sphere of 293 fully settled star systems with additional colonies on lesser worlds in each member system. In collaboration with several neighboring powers, the Empire has firmly established its place as a major power in Known Space.

The Emperor
The pinnacle of political and military authority within the Empire is the Emperor himself. This individual, by hereditary inheritance or by imperial adoption and appointment, occupies the symbol of Imperial power - the Golden Throne - which is located within the Rotunda of the Imperial Palace on Antara Prime. This symbol is employed for all formal and high official ceremonies. During day-to-day work, the Emperor meets with small groupings of Ministers in the Cabinet - the private conference chambers of the Emperor located in his private day chambers behind the his daily chair on the dais in the Throne Room.

The members of the Chamber of Ministers, all of whom represent the highest echelon of government oversight, are the officials with whom those petitioning for Imperial Government attentions will approach. Their days are filled with the appointments of those who seek to work with or benefit from Imperial policy exercise in their areas of interest. However, it is intentional that the Ministers serve also as a shield of sorts that keeps the regular petitioners and lobbyists away from the Emperor himself.

Traditionally, the Emperor maintains a near-reclusive distance from all Imperial personnel, save his Ministers and the highest-ranked military officers. Only they have regular access to him. It is to be expected that some 90% of all petitions for an audience with the Emperor are denied. The monarch will, however, still have total information access and be fully appraised of all ongoing matters of state, defense and security. This is achieved by his personal agents. The identities of these officers are not public knowledge.

The reigning Sovereign is Emperor Turhan I.

The Chamber of Ministers
The legislative assembly of the Empire, serving to both advise the Emperor and act as the only real check on the monarch's power, the Chamber is comprised of 350 officers who hold the title of Minister. Of these seats, there are -


 * 293 ministers representing Imperial star systems


 * 49 seats representing the Noble Houses


 * 12 seats representing the Ministers of State

It is the duty of the Chamber to oversee the operations of the Bureaucracy and the Empire as a whole, dealing with concerns and needs according to Imperial Law and the dictates of the Emperor. These ministers work in close collaboration daily to ensure the efficient execution of the needs of state.

In terms of formulating Imperial Law, it is the task of the Chamber to debate and craft legislation which is then put to the floor for a full vote. If passed, it goes on to the Emperor who will either approve it and make it law or denies it and return it to the Chamber. In some circumstances, the Emperor can override Chamber debate on an issue and declare a matter closed.

Opposite that, the Chamber can vote to overturn an Imperial decree but only with a three-fourths majority. This happens only very rarely. A Minister serves for life or until recalled by the exarch of their world if it is felt they no longer adequately represent the interests of the people of their system. They can also be dismissed by Imperial order under certain circumstances.

The Bureaucracy
The Bureaucracy is the apparatus by which the day-to-day governmental duties of the Empire are maintained. It is split into several Ministries, each of which is responsible for a portfolio of tasks pertaining to those duties. These agencies are led by eight of the twelve senior-most members of the Chamber of Ministers, each of whom holds the rank of Minister of State.

Ministry of Diplomatic Affairs

Responsible for execution of all Imperial diplomatic policy and overseeing the representation of the Empire to the other powers of Known Space. The diplomats of DiploAffairs work throughout Known Space to both sustain the alliances and collaborative efforts the Empire supports while also ensuring that the Empire stays connected with major galactic affairs.

Ministry of Defense

Responsible agency which coordinates the activities of the Grand Fleet, the overall military strength of the Empire. They handle the upkeep of Imperial military policy while also handling millitary justice and keeping control of the all military operations in the hands of the Emperor's chosen officers.

Ministry of Internal Security

All matters of top level law enforcement, customs and border protection as well as national security are the responsibility of this agency. The officers of IntSec enforce top-level police operations, investigate the most severe crimes and ensuring that all Imperial government facilities remain secure and strictly controlled.

Ministry of Intelligence

The branch of the Imperial State responsible for all intelligence and counterintelligence activities, as well as maintaining accurate information of all important and relevant galactic affairs. Quiet and subtle, the agents of Intelligence monitor all matters of concern or interest while seeking to avoid overt exposure of sensitive Imperial assets or information.

Ministry of Jurisprudence

Oversight of law enforcement and judicial process in the Empire is handled via this Ministry. It certifies and appoints all planetary, sector and region magistrates. It is responsible for maintaining the Imperial Judicial Network, the master information network for all magistrates and barristers to access while researching issues during trial casework.

Ministry of Finance

The management of the Imperial economy, annual budget, census and excise and all matters of general economic policy are coordinated via this Ministry. It is likewise responsible for maintaining control of the Empire's financial assets.

Ministry of Trade & Commerce

Essentially the central trade and market authority. Enforces customs and immigrations and is responsible for safeguarding Antaran business and industry by coordinating market resources and ensuring fairness with minimal oversight.

Ministry of Public Welfare

Under this aegis, the Empire enforces and regulates Imperial Law with regard to public health, safety, and the disciplines which support and maintain the physical, mental and communal health standards of the Empire.

The Supreme Court
The nine Justices of the Imperial Supreme Court serve as the highest and final level of arbitration of judicial review for all cases of legal concerns within the Empire. Appointed personally by the Emperor with a casual stamp of approval by the Chamber of Ministers.

Any case which is appealed to the Supreme Court has moved from the planetary court to the sector court and then the regional court. The Court does not have to accept an appeal request. Whether it does or doesn't, is important. If it refuses an appeal, the ruling of the regional court stands without further action. If it accepts and makes a ruling, that ruling is final unless an involved party makes a direct appeal to the  Emperor for intervention.

Military
The military strength of the Empire is known as the Grand Fleet.

Organization
The Grand Fleet, has command structures to oversee the arms of its military strength - Fleet Operations, Marine Operations, and Special Operations. All are guided by Military High Command, as the entirety of the Grand Fleet has a single, unified command structure.

Each branch of Operations consists of its own team of six to eight officers of the rank of full admiral who are responsible for guiding the policy, training and standards of the service for each combat sphere. Collectively, these officers comprise the membership of High Command.

Purpose
The Grand Fleet exists to defend the territories, systems and citizens of the Empire, to patrol and safeguard its warpspace lanes, and to prosecute Imperial policy against any and all threats within Imperial territory which require a military response.

Culture
The Antaran Empire maintains a long-standing cultural tradition that has become well-known throughout Known Space for rich, classical music, art that is deeply moving and of historical or religious subjects and for their national pride and unity.

Society
Historically, the Antarans are a people of equal blends cosmopolitan and pastoral, with those of major worlds having deep roots of a modern and city-based life and those of less-known worlds having centuries of tradition in agriculture and animal husbandry, as well as blue collar labors such as mining or technical work. As they established themselves first on Antara Prime and later on other worlds, the Antarans developed into a classical feudal society with a hereditary noble class and a common class of citizens and civilians. There is no record, however, of a subservient serf class.

Service
Each star system within the Empire is governed by capable, experienced administrators who have attained the requisite number of years of service in both military and civil duties. Likewise, the personnel who administer sectors and regions of the Empire are also expected to have served the required terms of both military and civil tenure.

Within the Empire, adulthood comes at the age of 16, at which time most Antaran youth, because of the high expectations of both mental and physical maturity in their upbringing, are already preparing to enter either military or civil service. It is at this age also that an Antaran may vote for their representation to the Chamber of Ministers.

Civilian -vs- Citizen
All Antarans by birth are civilians of the Empire. To attain citizenship, all Antarans must serve ten years of military service or civil service with distinction. Upon their achieving this marker of service, an Antaran gains citizenship, and with it the right to own a business, travel outside of the Empire freely, own property beyond one's personal home and estate, and to apply for higher civil service, which brings with it higher pay and greater benefits and privileges.

The sole exceptions to this are the sons and daughters of the noble families of the Empire. While they automatically gain citizenship privileges upon attaining their majority (age 16), they must still either serve in military or civil capacities for at least ten years.