Cthluhu rising rpg pdf download

CTHULHU RISING BY JOHN OSSOWAY

Try a visit to the Cthulhu Rising website, where there are lots of nice free adventures. www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar 1

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

None of this would have happened if Nerissa hadn't given me the push I needed. Illustrations by Ben Thornley.

Editorial assistance by Andrew Shanahan.

Additional information / play-testing by Stu Blackburn, Chas Blackwell, Ste Barton, Gary Cooper, Andy Edwards, Zane Gulliford, Roy Hughes, Ste Mills, Graham Raynes, Mike Smith, Paul Winstanley, Tyrone Williams.

Cthulhu Rising - Horror Roleplaying in a Dark Future was first devised by John Ossoway in as an alternate campaign setting for Call of Cthulhu. Call of Cthulhu(R) is Chaosium Inc.'s registered trademark for its roleplaying game of horror and wonder. The Chaosium Dudes, for being such excellent people.

HP Lovecraft and his contemporaries - they know what lurkest in the dark spaces between the stars… All those who have ever written scenarios / supplements for Call of Cthulhu - your influence is in here somewhere.

Hugo Foscolo and the Foscolo Discontinuity are taken from the novel 'Starworld' by Harry Harrison Influences for the feel of the look and feel of the 23rd century include Philip K Dick (and movies made from his books, such as Minority Report, Blade Runner), Harry Harrison, Pitch Black, Aliens. The overall look and feel of Earth and the colony worlds in the 23rd century draws a lot of its inspiration from that envisioned in the Alien saga of films, specifically the second film, Aliens. In these films the future is seen to be a dark and dangerous place, where outer space is the new frontier, and humanity in its ignorance has left Earth to exploit the galaxy for its own ends. I have taken inspiration for technology and organisations from the films, the Colonial Marines Technical Manual and the Alien 3 script by William Gibson that was rejected.

Some of the equipment and character skills were inspired from the original Traveller rules, by GDW, and from Cthulhu Endtimes, by Dr. Michael C. LaBrossiere. Cthulhu Rising only pretends to be hard science-fiction. This is a world with interstellar travel and artificial gravity after all! The above list is far from complete. Respect where respect is due - if I have missed you off this acknowledgments page, apologies, and thanks.

CTHULHU RISING is published by Chaosium Inc. CTHULHU RISING © Chaosium Inc. as a whole; all rights reserved. Text for CTHULHU RISING is © John Ossoway.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments Introduction

02 04

PART 1: THE SETTING Timeline –

05

Politics

21

A Rough Guide to the 23rd Century

16

The Colonies

28

Corporations

38

The Cthulhu Rising Mythos

42

PART 2: THE RULES

Character Generation

47

Combat

68

Psychic Powers

56

Hardware

74

Equipment

78

Cthulhu Rising Character Sheet - Front

87

Cthulhu Rising Character Sheet - Back

88

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INTRODUCTION

It is the year The future is a dark and dangerous place. Outer space is the new frontier, and humanity has left Earth to exploit the galaxy for its own ends. It is over a century and a half since the United Earth Federation (UEF) first began to colonise the solar system and beyond.

The conquest of space was never an easy undertaking. Indeed, the first tentative steps into space by humanity were difficult and often costly. Despite the many obstacles and deterrents, Humanity gradually edged off Earth into space. The colonisation of space and with it the struggle to survive in often strange and hostile surroundings challenged the determination and ingenuity of human civilisation, but three hundred years since Neil Armstrong first set foot on Earth’s lunar companion there are millions of people who call planets beneath alien skies home, many of whom have never set foot on the planet which will always be their spiritual birthplace. Space is vast. Just how vast is hard for us humans to visualize intuitively. An interstellar society like that in Cthulhu Rising exists under many unique restrictions as a direct result of this vastness. The most notable restriction is that this interstellar community consists of many island-planets scattered across an ocean of deep space, separated by unavoidable communication and travel delays. Even with technological marvels like the Foscolo Interstellar Drive and FTL communications, travel between these star systems takes weeks, if not months, and communications suffer delays of days if not weeks. Interplanetary and interstellar travel is still an expensive business. Most people who travel are either company employees, military personnel or government staff.

Because of these restrictions, the UEF is a remote, centralised government. Like the ocean-going civilisations of old, humanity has had to readjust, taking what some regard as a social step backwards. In-system communications remains near-instantaneous, but communications with extrasolar colonies is as difficult as it once was to get messages from one side of an ocean to another on preth Century Earth. Though the UEF would deny it in the strongest terms, it is to all intents and purposes an imperial power, with regional governors administering colonial assets. The maintenance of order in an interstellar civilisation requires a degree of control which to many is in itself undesirable, and the nearer one approaches the administrative centre of such a society, the more rigid its constraints. Despite Sol being little more than another star in the night sky to many colonists, the majority are still tax-paying citizens of the UEF. Of course there are the minority of worlds who rebelled against this control, and whom even now live outside the Federated Colonies.

Life is not unique to Earth. It thrives in the oceans of Europa, and on planets orbiting stars other than our own. Intelligent life is another matter though. As humanity pushes further and further out into space, contact with another intelligent space-faring civilisation has not yet occurred, yet still seems inevitable. It is only a matter of time before one of these craft stumbles upon some remote, alien edifice, a cosmic mausoleum of the Great Old Ones. But who is to say this has not already taken place..? Players take the roles of the Investigators of the future. Those enlightened and oft unlucky individuals who know something of the true nature of the universe. Be they fools or heroes, they take the fight against the Great Old Ones to the stars themselves. This book is split into two parts:

Part One endeavours to provide an overview of the Cthulhu Rising universe, enabling Keepers to create and run a science fiction campaign set in the late 23rd Century. Part Two provides supplemental rules for generating Cthulhu Rising Investigators, as well as information on the equipment and weapons that will aid them in combating dark cults. I hope you have as much fun playing Cthulhu Rising as my group and I do! John Ossoway

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TIMELINE

CTHULHU RISING - PART ONE

THE 21ST CENTURY

FORMATION OF THE EUROPEAN FEDERATION; FINAL DISSOLUTION OF NATO The USA's unrelenting support of Israel during the Fifth Middle East War causes NATO alliance to unravel. This clears the way for the formation of the European Federation from the member states of the European Union.

In the early decades of the 21st century, as fossil fuel production peaked then began to fall there was a global scramble for the dwindling reserves of oil, natural gas, minerals, and clean water. Governments throughout the world defined resource security as a prime objective, which caused widespread global instability, especially in those regions where competition for essential materials overlapped with long-standing territorial and religious disputes.

The European Federation is a Federal superstate of more than 40 countries stretching from Iceland to the Caspian Sea. As well as the obvious member states, it includes the Balkans, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine, and the Caucasian states of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Turkey's membership gives the European Federation a direct border with the troubled Middle East.

As the century progressed the political map of Earth was to change dramatically. New superpowers emerged to challenge the world dominance of the USA, with the most notable amongst these being China. Even the USA wasn't immune to change, uniting with Canada, Central America and parts of South America to form the United Americas, in direct response to the shifting economic climate.

The Trade War of had already driven a wedge between America and Europe. The events during the Fifth Middle East War push the UK and other ex-NATO countries into full membership of the European Federation, despite not fully accepting all of it's policies. This puts an end to the once treasured 'special relationship' between the Americas and UK, that has existed since WW2. Relations between the USA and UK will remain strained for several decades, but cooperation during the colonisation of the Moon restores ties between the two nations.

By the middle decades of this century the global energy crisis was averted by the discovery of nuclear fusion, and Humanity also took it's first tentative steps towards colonising the solar system, but the real start of the Interstellar Space Age would have to wait until the dawning of the 22nd Century. Perhaps the most important event of the 21st Century was the formation of the United Earth Federation.

WORLD BANK DECLARES BANKRUPTCY. Earth's fossil fuel based economy reaches breaking point. With major oil reserves dwindling rapidly, on 23rd November , the World Bank declares bankruptcy. Global Economy collapses, leading to civil unrest around the world. Rioting and looting breaks out in major cities across the globe.

JERUSALEM ACCORD SIGNED A coup backed by elements of the army deposes the current hard-line Israeli government bringing an end to the Fifth Middle East War. The war was not fought over religious beliefs or territorial disputes as in the past. In Syria, Jordan and Israel went to war for the limited water resources delivered by the Jordan River.

NUCLEAR FUSION The Tokomak fusion reactor at Cardarache in France is demonstrated to be safe, economically competitive and infinitely upscaleable. The breakthrough pulls the world back from the bring of global anarchy and social meltdown. The advent of cheap, safe and virtually limitless energy significantly shifts the balance of power on Earth.

The United Nations step in to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Arab states in the region.

The Israeli occupied West Bank becomes the nation of New Palestine while Jerusalem becomes an independent city much like 20th Century Kosovo. United Nations peacekeepers are deployed in Jerusalem for an indefinite period. 5

During the next decade there is a transitional period, as global economies and infrastructures change. By , most of the world's energy needs will be met by fusion power. Regional wars are fought over the planet's depleted oil reserves. The UN places a

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ban on the burning of fossil fuels and starts a compulsory recycling scheme of ALL plastic waste, as remaining reserves are designated for use in manufacturing of plastics, PVCs and UPVCs.

the journey to Mars take little more than 2 months.

Ares station on Mars is now manned by 51 personnel. Stickney Base, a waystation for supply missions from the Earth-Moon system, is constructed on Phobos, larger of Mars' two moons. The Armstrong Luna Colony now has a population approaching With up to a dozen commercial mining bases scattered across the moon, the total Lunar population is close to

FORMATION OF THE ISLAMIC HOLY REPUBLIC Unification of Iraq/Iran sees formation of the Islamic Holy Republic, with it's capital in Tehran.

LUNAR LANDINGS REDUX Humanity returns to the Moon after an absence of almost 65 years. The Capricorn V landing is the first of a series of missions that are part of a commercially-backed project by the newly established United Nations Space Administration (UNSA) to prepare the way for a permanent Lunar colony. The main functions of the colony will be scientific research and to conduct a geological survey of the Lunar Regolith with a view to finding the best site to begin mining Helium The first generation of fusion reactors run on Deuterium-Tritium fuel, but a new wave of Helium-3 fuelled reactors are seen as the way forward to secure Earth's growing power needs.

John Ossoway celebrates his th birthday in the south of Spain, with his family.

THE LUNA CRISIS A dispute over water mining rights at the Clavius Crater between rival corporations Motokatsu-Kyono and the recently formed Lunar Development Corporation (LDC inc) escalates to the brink of the first armed conflict in space. Water ice provides the Lunar Colony with drinking water, oxygen and hydrogen for use as rocket fuel.

Motokatsu-Kyono blame LDC for the "software bomb" that wreaked havoc at it's Tokyo headquarters. The corporation threatens "retaliation" if its suspicions are confirmed. Both corporations begin evacuating non-essential personnel from their mining operations, while shipping security personnel from Earth. Reacting to the possibility of armed conflict on the Moon, Helium-3 prices on Earth begin to rise. Helium-3 is rare on Earth but relatively common on the lunar surface.

LUNAR COLONY ESTABLISHED Armstrong, the first permanent Lunar colony is established at the Copernicus Crater. The colony is nominally under UN Mandate, but it is primarily a joint American, European (UK and France) and Japanese venture. Initial population is In the absence of any legally binding agreement governing the mineral exploitation of the moon, the megacorporations who financed the colony stake claims to large regions of the lunar nearside which selenologists believe harbour commercially viable ore deposits.

Before events can escalate out of control, the UNSA manages to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the Lunar Crisis. As a direct result of the Lunar Crisis, the UNSA is given the mandate by the UNSC to establish the Lunar Security Force (LSF), a small detachment of soldiers and security specialists, tasked with keeping the peace and mediating any disagreements. In addition the Outer Space Treaty is revised, preventing any one organisation restricting the supply of a vital resource like water to other organisations.

COMMERCE ARRIVES IN OUTER SPACE The powerful Japanese corporation Motokatsu-Kyono Combine begins successfully mining helium-3 from the Mare Imbrium. It sparks a wave of commercial interest in the Moon. Within 10 years, at least a dozen corporate concerns are involved in mining substances abundant on the lunar crust but scarce on Earth. These include helium-3, which is the ideal fuel for fusion reactors, gallium, which has replaced silicon in the making of chips, chromium, aluminium, iron, oxygen, gravidium and super-hard titanium. THE MARS LANDINGS 4 July: UNSA spacecraft Ares 3 lands on Mars with a multi-national crew of 4 (American and Chinese). Utilising an advanced fusion drive

FORMATION OF THE UNITED AMERICAS United Americas formed. It initially encompasses the USA, Canada, Central America and parts of South America.

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THE UNITED EARTH SUMMIT Geneva, 1st January The United Earth Summit is attended by Australia, China, the European Federation, Japan, New Zealand,

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the Russian Republic, South Africa, and the United Americas. The nations attending the summit propose that the United Nations Constitution be radically ratified. These proposals in effect dissolve the current UN, replacing it with the United Earth Federation (UEF). The nations who become signatories to the United Earth Constitution of become member-states of the first unified global government, an economic and political conglomerate committed to uniting the nations of Earth in preparation for the continued colonisation of Luna, and the planned colonisation of the planet Mars and the rest of the solar system.

be secretly drilling for oil in the Antarctic Nature Reserve, it leads to a major scandal in Washington, later to be dubbed 'AntarcticGate'. A UEF inquiry unearths evidence of corruption at the highest levels of the United Americas government. The Anderson Presidency is left in ruins, as many of his senior staff are implicated.

THE SHACKLETON DISASTER Disaster strikes the Lunar colony when a transport loaded with water-ice mined from the Shackleton Crater crashes on take-off fracturing the main dome of the Shacktleton Mining Base. Before the ruptured sections can be sealed off, 23 people die from exposure to vacuum and a further 44 suffer serious injuries. During the subsequent investigation into the accident it is discovered that the transport suffered a catastrophic systems failure due to a history of poor maintenance. The United Earth Federation in conjunction with Lloyds Space Shipping pushes through new legislation designed to ground any ships that do not meet basic safety standards.

This move sparks several conflicts (the Unification Wars ), primarily fuelled by nations who refuse to be a part of the global super-state. The newly formed United Earth Federation ratifies a treaty of United Earth Armed Forces (UEAF), a cohesive fighting force to stop these and future wars, with troops and equipment supplied by all member states, under one general command staff comprising of highranking officers of all nations. The biggest armies in the UEAF include EuroCorps, AmeriCorps, ChinaCorps, AsiaCorps and troops from India and Latin America.

THE LUNAR EXPRESS Construction starts on the Trans-Lunar Express, a high-speed monorail system connecting the major colony sites.

FORMATION OF THE CHINESE CONSORTIUM Formation of the The Chinese Consortium from China, the Indonesian Consortium, Vietnam, Cambodia and (with some reluctance) North Korea. Many believe it's formation is in response to the formation of the United Americas two years earlier.

THE 22ND CENTURY

The 22nd Century saw the start of the true Space Age, with the invention first of the reactionless displacement drive, then the F-Drive. By the end of this century, humanity had made amazing achievements, including the colonization of the solar system, but had also continued it's warmongering ways, notably in the nuclear Russian Civil War, and the Tau Ceti War.

SOUTH AMERICAN WAR A frighteningly potent alliance between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and the National Liberation Army (ELN) threatens to tip the balance of power irretrievably towards the drug barons. At the request from the Columbian government, the United Americas increases it's military aid package to the country.

THE FOSCOLO DISCONTINUITY European physicist Hugo Foscolo discovers what will come to be known as the 'Foscolo Discontinuity'. The theory radically rewrites Einstein's theory of relativity and the physics of gravity. It postulates that there are at least nine dimensions above the five we know, and that spatial physics work differently in these higher dimensions. Possibilities include interstellar travel in a vastly shorter time and manipulation of the Zero Point Field, both longtime goals of scientists.

When Marxist guerrillas attack the UA Embassy in Bogotá, killing the American ambassador and 33 of his staff, the United Americas is drawn into a messy war, sending troops to fight alongside the Columbian troops against the guerrillas, who control much of the country's cocaine and heroin-producing regions.

ANTARCTIC-GATE When a United Americas company is found to

ZERO POINT FIELD THEORY Hugo Foscolo's groundbreaking discoveries concerning Zero Point Field Theory result in the development of the reactionless displacement 7

CTHULHU RISING - PART ONE

drive, which allows quick and cheap space travel within the Solar System. The first mission to Mars on a ship powered by the Foscolo RD drive takes a mere 17 days.

The first working gravity-field generator is activated in San Francisco. This makes artificial gravity fields possible on the larger starships.

PROJECT CERES Hallidor Corporation presents Project Ceres to the United Earth Federation Space Agency - a bold plan for the colonisation and mining of the asteroid belt out beyond Mars. The plan is approved. Hallidor launches two prototype deep space mining craft, Rameses I and II, the same year.

MARS TERRAFORMING BEGINS UNSA issues major contracts for corporate investment in the colonisation of Mars. Earth's largest megacorporations rush to get involved. The melting of the southern polar icecap using orbital mass drivers releases large quantities of carbon dioxide, causing an increased greenhouse effect, raising the average surface temperature of the planet. In addition dark microbial life forms and lichens specifically engineered for the Mars Terraforming project are spread across the surface, increasing the albedo of the red planet and consequently upping the amount of solar radiation captured by Mars as heat.

COLONISATION OF THE BELT Project Ceres is a success. Rameses I establishes Ceres Base, a permanent mining colony, from where Hallidor subsidary Ceres Metals begins surveying other asteroids. Rameses II tows the first nickel-iron asteroid back to Earth L-4 for strip mining. Within another year half a dozen other corporations and at least 20 private investors have staked claims in the asteroid belt and begun mining operations. The development of permanent mining colonies in the Belt is seen as a vital source of raw materials for the fledgling Mars colony.

Atmospheric processors are set up across the planet. Genetically engineered biomass is seeded across the planet in vast quantities. The aerobraking of captured comets cause outgassing of gasses into the atmosphere.

EVOLUTION OF MAN An article is published in the New England Journal of Medicine, offering proof of the existence of telepathy. The UEF establishes the Metasensory Administration Agency (MAA) from the Committee on Psychic Phenomenon (CPP), headed by Senator Paul Fox, to oversee the Telepath situation.

Consolidated Aerospace founded by Saul Petersen and Alexander Liu.

THE COLONISATION OF MARS Initial construction is completed at Viking City, the first Martian civilian colony. The city is located in and around the Mie Crater, a large basin formed by asteroid or comet impact in Utopia Planitia. Initial population numbers With a population fast approaching 10 billion, food riots in most countries and a biosphere contaminated by the burning of fossil fuels and use of dirty nuclear power (i.e. fission), the colonisation of the solar system is seen as the key to the eventual regeneration and uniting of Earth.

Research undertaken verifies the existence of Telepaths. This begins a major panic. Hugo Foscolo dies ages

Advances in solar energy technology results in development in lower latitudes of the world. The Central African Bloc is established.

DEVELOPMENT OF FTL COMMUNICATIONS AND SUSPENSOR FIELD TECHNOLOGY Scientists in a Taiwan laboratory succeed in transmitting information faster than the speed of light utilising an effect based on the unusual properties associated with quantum entanglement. Calculated at travelling nearly light years in one Earth day, near instantaneous communications is now possible with the fledgling Mars colony. First baby born on Mars.

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DEVELOPMENT OF THE F-DRIVE Expanding on principles behind the Foscolo Discontinuity, a consortium of scientists from the European Federation and Japan turn the dream of interstellar space travel into an achievable reality with the development of technology capable of punching a hole into the higher dimensions postulated to exist by Hugo Foscolo. Scientists successfully transport living matter from their Kyoto research labs to a facility on the Lunar Far Side. The extradimensional region it travels through is dubbed 'F-Space' in honour of Hugo Foscolo. Physics in F-Space work differently than in realspace, allowing matter to travel great distances in a relatively short period of time. Scientists calculate that a spaceship equipped with the ability to enter, traverse and exit F-Space could travel the equivalent of 1 parsec in an Earth week.

CTHULHU RISING - PART ONE

FLIGHT OF THE FOSCOLO Using a Foscolo Star Drive (F-Drive) powered by the rare element Ununpentium (Element , later dubbed Foscolium), the UEFSA spaceship Foscolo makes the first interstellar flight to Alpha Centauri by opening a portal into F-Space, traversing this region and emerging at pre-calculated coordinates. At a distance of light years from Earth, the Foscolo makes the journey in just over one Earth week. After a week-long communications blackout, the first news from the Foscolo crew reports a successful F-Space journey, which deposited the ship at the edge of the Alpha Centauri A planetary system. After several days of realspace travel inbound to the system, the crew report the discovery of an Earth like planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A. This sparks the first wave of mass interstellar colonial expansion from Sol, now known as the First Exodus ( - ), as thousands of people seek to escape from the troubles on Earth to the new 'frontier'. Suddenly space exploration becomes a commercial industry, and several of Earth's larger corporations begin to fund space exploration and colonisation efforts. As interstellar distances increase, cryosleep becomes a necessity of interstellar travel. Ununpentium mining becomes almost as big business as Helium-3 mining.

colonist-workers in the fledgling Jovian and Saturn colonies.

Early success in the Jovian mining operations and a large influx of migrants from Earth causes the colonies on Ganymede and Europa to expand much quicker than initially projected. Construction begins on what will eventually become the Hanging Cities of Europa.

THE BOLIVIAN H2 ALPHA SUPER-FLU PANDEMIC Outbreak of the Bolivian H2 Alpha super-flu strain across Central and South America on Earth. Bolivian H2 Alpha, nicknamed the "Sterility Plague", rapidly goes pandemic. Earth is quarantined by the UEF in an effort to stop the plague spreading to the fledgling offworld colonies. By the time Bolivian H2 Alpha is brought under control with a vaccine developed by the Japanese firm Zen Medical, it has claimed million victims. Over a billion people become sterile as a side effect of the plague. DEVELOPMENT OF THE FECUNDITY 5 VACCINE. A scientific breakthrough by Zen Medical enables the repair of damage done by the Sterility Plague at a genetic level. With fertility restored, Earth suffers a minor population explosion.

THE SATURNIAN PROJECT A UEFSA colonial mission lands on Titan, largest of Saturn's moons. Images sent back show the shores of a liquid-methane ocean beneath a bright orange photochemical smog. The ocean is a witch's brew of life-creating molecules but at a mind-numbing low of C. It is deemed perfect for a long-term terraforming operation. The initial colony base, once established has a population of

CONSOLIDATION All the star systems within 12 light years of Earth have been explored, and their planet's surveyed. Colonies or terraforming operations have been established in each system. Up until this year Earth's space exploration and colonisation programme has been unified under the flag of the Federal Colonies.

THE JOVIAN PROJECT The UEFSA Jovian Project establishes colony bases on the Jovian moons Callisto, Ganymede, Io and Europa. The primary objective of these bases is to serve as supply bases for a fleet of mobile mining platforms being constructed to mine Jupiter's Helium-rich upper atmosphere. MAUNDER MINOR Earth's sun dims, repeating a behaviour first exhibited in the seventeenth century, though this time to a much lesser extent. The economies of those nations who rely heavily on solar power find it hard to adjust, with agriculture and power-generation severely handicapped. The resultant social upheaval forces many to look to find work offworld, as

Greed, as ever, brings this delicate alliance to an end, when the United Americas and Chinese Consortium separately begin their own colonisation programmes, out beyond the Core Systems. They are soon followed by the European Federation, Russian Republic and Japan. The majority of colonies are partfinanced by powerful multinational corporations, without whom the colonial powers couldn't operate.

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TERRITORIAL DISPUTES ON MARS During the early decades of the 22nd Century, land-grabs by competing megacorps on Mars lead to territorial disputes, the largest and most famous of which is now known as the Tharis Dispute. The Tharsis Dispute is sparked by

CTHULHU RISING - PART ONE

an incident on the Tharsis Bulge, when fighting breaks out between corporate security teams from rival megacorps EnerTek Corp and Cheung Corp. Both corporations immediately begin hiring and transporting military assets to the red planet.

presence. On some of the newer colonies it is little more than a small Settlement Welfare Team office with a handful of representatives. On larger, more established colonies e.g. those at Alpha Centauri, there is a large established ICA administrative presence. Larger colonies also sometimes have regional ICA headquarters.

Worried that the violence will spread, the UEF sanctions the deployment of peacekeeping troops to Mars to act as a buffer between the two megacorps mining the Tharsis Bulge.

Interstellar distances have to allow for a necessary devolution of certain powers to local leaders, which allows the elections of local officials by the colonial population. Despite this, the local ICA Administrator is able to dictate policy should he/she see fit. It is common practice for megacorporations with invested interests in a colony start up to have representatives on local councils.

THE TAU CETI WAR Rival megacorporations EnerTek Corp and Cheung Corp clash on the planet Anjuna in the Tau Ceti star system. Territorial disputes between the two corporations on Mars two years earlier persuaded both to hire mercenaries to help protect colonial assets out beyond Sol. At first the fighting is localised to a handful of contested sites, but tit for tat revenge attacks by both sides quickly causes matters to escalate out of control. Undercover support flows in from Chinese and American factions on Earth, resulting in the conflict spreading and deepening across the system.

The ICA is backed by the Colonial Security police force (ColSec), a new arm of the Federal Law Enforcement Authority. In addition to this new colonial police force, a new arm of the UEAF is created: the Interstellar Colonial Marine Corps (ICM). An Interstellar rapid deployment force, the ICM is designed to be able to mobilise quickly to resolve military disputes and keep the peace in the Colonies.

THE COLONIAL ACT The Viking Treaty of , signed at the Mars Colony, brings an end to the fighting at Tau Ceti after almost 18 months of conflict. The breaking point for the UEF came when mercenaries in the employ of Cheung deploy tactical nuclear weapons against opposing EnerTek forces at Kow-Lang, resulting in the deaths of over a thousand civilian colonists unable to escape the war-zone. The security council sanctions the despatch of a UEAF taskforce to Tau Ceti, to protect the civilian population and to contain and stop the fighting. The peace accord is brokered by the UEF, and though neither of the protagonists is entirely satisfied with the outcome, prolonging a war that shows no sign of victory for either side is financially unacceptable. Anjuna is policed by a large and permanent UEAF garrison.

To regulate interstellar commercial shipping, the WTO is expanded and remodelled to form the Interstellar Trade Commission (ITC). All commercial flight crews must hold an ITC licence. The Tau Ceti star system is absorbed into the Core Systems, over which the Federation continues to maintain direct control.

INTERNAL SECURITY ACT The UEF passes the Internal Security Act, establishing two quasi-governmental departments as branches of the MAA: MetaPol and PsiCorps. Attached to the Federal Law Enforcement Authority, MetaPol, or the Metasensory Police, is mainly made up of telepaths and precogs, who use their powers to interrogate those who have committed crimes against the Federation, or to predict the outcome of certain events. A quasi-military branch of the MAA, PsiCorps operatives are usually assigned as 'psychic security' to government officials, or attached to UEAF units on missions that might benefit from the availability of psychic powers.

The end of the Tau Ceti War sees many unemployed mercenaries and mountains of military equipment disappear into the Outer Colonies. The conflict also shows that the UEF is simply not organised or equipped to police and govern the every growing number of colonies and shipping lanes out beyond the Core Systems. The Colonial Act of places Earth's extrasolar colonies under the control of the newly formed Interstellar Colonial Authority (ICA). Each colony under UEF control has an ICA

10

In addition, the Internal Security Act allows for the formation of Psychic Service Providers private organisations licensed and regulated by the MAA who hire out their talents to block

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telepathic snooping and other paranormal dirty tricks. It has become common practice for executives of large corporations and government bodies to employ such agents as 'psychic security'.

The Martian northern polar icecap is partially melted with the use of orbital mass drivers. Seas appear on Mars. Consolidated Aerospace relocates to Mars. Construction of the Mars Orbital Shipyard commences.

A bomb planted by Earth Isolationist terrorists, kills 87 colonists in Viking City on Mars. UEAM garrison established (United Earth Army Mars MarsCorps).

FIRST COMMERCIAL USE OF ANDROID TECHNOLOGY AI Inc develops it's first generation of commercially available androids - humanoid machines running the latest in intelligent software design. Androids are always programmed for non-combat roles, such as piloting, driving, tactical assistance, or medical staff. Their capabilities are deliberately limited by behavioural inhibitors based on Asimov's famous 3 laws of robotics. Over the next decade, AI Inc sells licences to several corporations, allowing them to develop and produce their own models.

The three companies operating on Titan and among the moons of Saturn merge to form the Titan Corporate Collective (TCC) or TriCorp, the thirtieth anniversary of Titan's colonization (fuelling a renewal of the rumour that the colonization of Titan was the result of a competition between three wealthy investors).

Break-up of Microsoft Corp by it's CEO Tabitha Gates. The biggest company formed from the break-up is 'Artificial Life Incorporated'. This company spearheads groundbreaking research into artificial intelligence.

THE SECOND EXODUS With interstellar travel becoming safer and cheaper all the time, and the population of Earth rising, a second wave of colonial expansion begins as people try to escape the resource-drained homeworld of humanity. By the end of this period, all viable worlds in the area of space now called the Outer Colonies have been or are in the process of being colonised by the UEF via the ICA. Beyond the Outer Colonies, megacorporations are already exploring, surveying and staking claims to countless more worlds.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Artificial Life Incorporated unveils 'Adam' - the first ever self-aware computer. The New Confederate Christian Church of the United Americas, one of the fastest growing religions of the 22nd Century, denounces Adam as blasphemy.

LAST STAND OF THE BUTCHER OF KOW-LANG The UEF succeed in tracking down Tiberius Lee, ex-commanding officer of mercenary unit the Star Tigers. Lee is held responsible for ordering the tactical nuclear strike during the Tau Ceti War that resulted in the deaths of almost civilian colonists at Kow-Lang on the planet Anjuna.

Most starships are almost completely automated by the end of this period, using state of the art computer systems, notably the Matriarch operating system developed by Artificial Life Incorporated. Starships require only a small human crew to perform duties such as orbital insertion and in-flight repairs.

THE PHOBOS PROJECT In the wake of similar projects on Earth nearing completion, and with the Second Exodus in full swing, the construction of a Martian space tether is seen as essential to the continued economic development of the Mars colony. A space tether would dramatically reduce the cost of moving stuff up and down the planet's gravity well. With the technology already tried and tested on the two Earth space tethers, a consortium of corporations involved in the Mars colonisation programme gain UEF backing to initiate the Phobos Project.

Lee is arrested after a fierce 10 hour battle with Colonial Marines at his fortified compound on Titleman's Rest in the Ross star system.

The population on Mars begins to grow very quickly, prompting an increase in terraforming and the construction of new and larger colony pyramids (all large buildings on Mars are pyramid shaped, designed as the best defence against the sometimes harsh Martian weather). Cargo ships transporting ice from the asteroid belt and Jovian system arrive at Mars weekly. 11

Building the Martian space tether would be a herculean engineering effort and a unique

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challenge - primarily because of the choice of the Martian moon Phobos as the tether anchorpoint. Until the construction of the tether Phobos was in a low orbit, intersecting the equator regularly (twice every orbital period of 11 h 6 min). It is decided early on that a collision between the elevator and the km diameter moon would have to be avoided by moving the moon itself out of the area, and if they were going to move the moon, why not use it as the anchorpoint?

Within days, government troops have clashed with the rebels, and fierce fighting is reported in and around the city of Yekatarinburg. By the end of the first week of fighting, with government forces gaining the upper hand, the civil war turns nuclear when General Poborski orders strikes against aerospacebases surrounding Moscow. Five bases are destroyed using aerospace launched tactical nuclear missiles. Tens of thousands of people die in and around the bases.

Within months of the project being greenlit, rockets and mass drivers are attached to Phobos, and begin firing. Slowly the moon's orbit is arrested and its orbital distance increased. Within eighteen months it arrives in a geo-stationary orbit over the Martian equator. Automated manufactories on the surface of the moon begin using the moonrock to construct the bundles of carbon nanotubes that will become the tether. The caverns created by the tunnelling will later be pressurised and form part of the subterranean portion of the expanded John Carter Space Port.

Premier Zakharov immediately orders an escalation to strategic nuclear weapons. 14 STGBMs are fired from an orbiting spacecraft against rebel military targets inside the VolgaUrals. The death toll is estimated in excess of ,, with 80,km² contaminated by radioactive fallout.

UEFSC meet in emergency session. A ceasefire holds, mainly because of the threat of a nuclear strike against Moscow itself by General Leonov, Russia's Far East Region military commander. Elements of the UEAF EuroCorps and ChinaCorps land in Volga-Urals and in Moscow, as part of a stabilisation force to make sure the ceasefire holds.

It will be another eight years before the tether touches down at the base station atop Pavonis Mons on the surface of Mars. Anchorpoint, the town that grows up around the base station, quickly becomes a large transit facility and the second largest colonial settlement on the planet.

FORMATION OF THE NEW DEMOCRATIC RUSSIAN REPUBLIC (NDRR) With the complete disintegration of the Russian Federation after the civil war, Russia's satellite states are all granted membership of the UEF General Assembly as separate states. Russia emerges as the New Democratic Russian Republic (NDRR). Alexei Leonov takes his seat in the General Assembly as the new leader of Russia.

ARAL SEA CONFLICT The dwindling volume of the Central Asian inland Aral Sea sparks a conflict between Russia and neighbours Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The sea's decline was caused by the long defunct USSR's diversion of the rivers which fed the sea, leaving areas of arid, saltladen dust that then polluted large areas of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

THE 23RD CENTURY

The 23rd Century sees humanity continue to colonise space. The UEF begins to fracture at it's edges, resulting in the Colonial Wars.

RUSSIAN CIVIL WAR The Aral Sea Conflict, coupled with the failure of the Russian potato and wheat lead to food riots in St. Petersburg. The Russian government declares that because of declining economic fortunes it cannot afford to pay it's troops in the Volga-Ural regions and in the outer colonies. As a direct result of this action, General Poborski, leader of the Volga-Ural military, declares himself military governor of the region, with 70% of the armed forces under his command backing him. His first action is to block all tax revenues bound for Moscow, threatening the complete collapse of the fragile Russian economy.

STRATEGIC ARMS REDUCTION TREATY To prevent strategic nuclear weapons being used by colonial powers against colony worlds, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty of prohibits armed nuclear warheads larger than kilotons from being carried by starships. Pirate activity becomes a more organised threat in the Outer Rim Territories. The two main pirate groups operate in the Herculis Cluster and in the Rimworlds Colonies. 12

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THE AUTON PROJECT During the initial Alpha Prototype Distribution stage of its 5th Generation Androids, Artificial Life runs into problems. Some of the Fifth Gens are found to be too emotional and uncontrollable. The Auton Project is cancelled shortly thereafter, and all existing Fifth Gen models are recalled.

the Herculis Cluster, a sector of space with a high concentration of habitable and resource rich star systems in close proximity to one another. During the next decade, the Herculis Cluster colonies are allowed a degree of regional autonomy unprecedented by the UEF. THE MERCENARY WAR Rival mercenary units clash in the Outer Rim, despite both having being hired by Cenargo Corporation to protect colonial assets against pirate activity. Both force's contracts are promptly revoked, but fighting escalates, forcing the Cenargo corporate forces to become involved.

SPACE PIRATES STRIKE IN THE CORE SYSTEMS A cargo of gravidium, element , is snatched by space pirates while en route to Centauri Prime from Helada. The crime bares the unmistakable hallmark of the renegade Chinese Consortium space pilot Kim Chung Song and his band of disaffected followers. The stolen shipment is valued by Lloyd's Space Shipping at E$9 billion. Up unto now his activities have been confined to the Outer Rim Territories along with the rest of pirate activity.

The Mercenary War is finally brought to an end with the signing of the Mercenary Charter. The Charter, formulated by the ICA, lays out a code to which all mercenary units and their employers are expected to adhere. All signatories to the Charter, which includes most organisations that either supplies or employs foreign mercenary troops, agree not to hire any unit that does not comply with the terms of the code.

CAPTURE OF KIM CHUNG SONG Space pirate Kim Chung Song is captured after a dramatic hour battle around and on several of the moons of Irsas, a gas giant in the Alpha Centauri system. The final confrontation takes place beneath the surface of the moon Irsas X, in the warren of lava tubes that honeycomb the moon, and involves more than UEF soldiers.

OUTBREAK OF THE NGANO PLAGUE Outbreak of the Ngano Plague. Caused by airborne microbes in the atmosphere of 58 Eridani II ('Ngano', a jungle world in the 58 Eridani star system, in the Chinese Consortium colonised arm), the Ngano Plague is a highly contagious viral disease that causes vivid hallucinations and acute paranoid delusions in those exposed. Infected victims are dubbed 'Crazies' due to the insane psychopathic state induced during the plague's later stages.

Colonial Marines, fighting for the most part in vacuum conditions, suffer heavy casualties before cornering Kim Chung Song and 34 of his surviving cohorts. They are taken to Centauri Prime to await trial.

One of Kim Chung Song's surviving followers cracks under interrogation, giving up the location of Song's base of operations in the Core Systems: a converted colonial transport currently in the Sirius Star System. An ICM taskforce is dispatched to neutralise the pirate threat.

The plague quickly cripples the colony (it has an incubation period of over 4 weeks) and carriers soon infect the colonies in neighbouring systems. Ships with infected personnel arriving at star systems further afield are intercepted and quarantined. Approximately half a million colonists fall victim to the Ngano Plague before it's spread is checked by the ICA and ITC.

Locating the pirate stronghold, the taskforce succeeds in crippling the pirate ship before it can escape. Taking no chances, the marines decompress the vessel before boarding. By the time the have secured the ship there are few survivors amongst the crew.

THE ENERTEK SCANDAL EnerTek Corp declares bankruptcy, subsequently collapsing in a scandal involving billions of E$ in losses, corporate power abuse and attempted blackmail of ITC officials. EnerTek Corp is the primary colonial investor in

In the wake of the plague, new laws are brought into effect, making it illegal for any interstellar vessel to enter the Core Systems without first passing through ITC quarantine. It also becomes standard policy for any ITC licensed starship to have an Android Exo on board.

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Hallidor Corp acquires EnerTek Corps colonial assets. As Hallidor and the ICA move in to take

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control of the Herculis colonies, the action sparks a wave of civil unrest. A grassroots independence movement has been growing in the Herculis Cluster ever since the colonies were allowed a degree of regional autonomy by the ICA during the chaotic years following the EnerTek collapse.

A raid by the ICM, on Pei Pei colony, succeeds in rescuing the majority of the ICA hostages held by the rebels. At the same time, a state of emergency in the Outer Rim Territories is declared by the UEF. The ICM, backed by the newly formed United Earth Federation Expeditionary Force (UEFEF) is ordered to stop the insurrection. Martial law is imposed in the Outer Rim Territories and Herculis Cluster.

Eli Navarro, a colonial administrator from the fledgling Nuevo Santiago colony in the 18 Scorpii star system leads a delegation of representatives from colonies in the Herculis Cluster to petition the UEF General Assembly for continued regional autonomy. The controlling political party in the General Assembly - the Centralist/Neo-Federalist Alliance - is staunchly anti-separatist and rejects the petition.

THE COLONIAL WARS The Colonial Wars are fought primarily on two fronts: the Herculis Front lies Coreward of Sol and comprises the star systems that would become the Free Worlds Alliance (FWA); the Rimworlds Front lies Rimward of Sol and comprises those star systems that would become the Eurasian Rimworlds Combine (ERC).

COLONIAL SEDITION Civil unrest in the Herculis Cluster grows, and on the larger colonies the protests turn into riots as separatist-supporting colonists clash with ColSec troops. Separatists led by Eli Navarro take control of the ICA office on Nuevo Santiago, declaring independence from Earth rule. Other colonies in the Herculis Cluster quickly follow suit, rallying to Navarro's cause. Large numbers of the ColSec and corporate garrisons, many with families and some born and raised on worlds light years from Earth, defect to join the separatists.

The war rages for three years, during which time the UEF wage economic and military warfare against the rebels, and sees fighting on a score of worlds in over a dozen star systems. Some colonies capitulate quickly and with little loss of life. Others turn into protracted and bloody campaigns claiming thousands of lives, such as Vega, Delta Eridani and the disastrous Ixion invasion. THE CEASEFIRE Casualties continue to mount, as public support for the war continues to fall. Anti-war protests on Mars turn violent, and the Mars garrison has to be mobilised to quell the riots.

The UEF Security Council meets in emergency session. Resolution is passed, and the UEAF begins massing forces at 70 Ophiuchi, taking control of the orbital drydocks. The first target is Aricebo in the 82 Eridani star system. Colonial Marines quickly take control of the starport and neutralise the separatists on the world. Resentment of the military occupation amongst the population remains high and the ICM are drawn into a prolonged and dirty guerrilla war.

When an ERC suicide mission succeeds in penetrating defences at Omicron² Eridani and cripples a UEAF taskforce orbiting Eridanus with great loss of life, voices inside the General Assembly begin to call for a negotiated ceasefire with both groups of rebels. On 1st May , thanks in part to the negotiating skills of the Chrislamic Church, an uneasy ceasefire is established with both of the remaining pockets of rebellion. No peace treaty is signed with either group.

THE RIMWORLDS REBELLION NatSoc, a political movement in the Outer Rim Territories stages a series of swift and bloody coups against local ICA installations. On Pei Pei colony in the Alpha Mensae star system, rebel fighters raid the ICA complex, capturing many hostages. Armed NatSoc-loyal militias, joined by defecting ColSec forces, quickly overpower the local garrisons. The colonies declare themselves the Eurasian Rimworlds Combine (ERC). The leaders of the ERC demand recognition and total independence. At the age of 85, Josef Suslov is named first President of the Eurasian Rimworlds Combine.

Blockaded by the UEF, the separatist colonies in the Herculis Cluster declare themselves the Free Worlds Alliance. As promised, Eli Navarro devolves government to individual colony worlds, with all colonies agreeing to help maintain an FWA militia. A 1 parsec DMZ is established between ERC and UEF space.

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UEF ELECTIONS Social and political fallout from the Colonial Wars is cited as the main factor in the defeat of the centre-right Centralist-Neo Federalist Alliance in UEF elections. A centre-left coalition takes control of the General Assembly. THE CAPELLAN MANDATE Documents are leaked to the press revealing that during the Colonial Wars the UEF government covertly hired Capellan pirates to harass ERC shipping. The scandal reverberates through the UEF corridors of power. A commission is set up to investigate the matter and bring those responsible to justice. NOW.

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A ROUGH GUIDE TO THE 23RD CENTURY CTHULHU RISING - PART ONE

Descriptions of broad categories relating to life in the 23rd century. It is not meant as an authoritive source, merely to provide a 'flavour' of the Cthulhu Rising universe to aid Keepers to running or writing scenarios and campaigns.

AUGMENTED REALITY

Augmented reality is an environment that includes both virtual reality and real-world elements. For instance, an AR user might wear translucent goggles; through these, he could see the real world, as well as computergenerated overlays projected on top of that world. An augmented reality system is defined as one that: - - combines real and virtual - - is interactive in real-time - - is registered in three dimensions

Typical AR overlays are head-up displays used by soldiers and police, or pilots, which provide them with real-time information direct. Citizens use AR glasses which are wirelessly connected to their laptop or PDA, allowing them to access informational overlays while on the move. Azumi Smart Systems currently lead the way in AR technology software and hardware.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

hands of the United Earth Federation government and military, all of which are closely monitored. The 5th Generation of androids (autons) can be considered Alpha Level AI.

Artificial Intelligence, or 'AI' are artificial intelligence software running on computers. AI refers to the capacity for sentience and intelligent action, but not necessarily selfawareness. Some forms of AI can be housed in a machine, or android, body. AI displays synthesized emotion, superficially registers selfawareness and, most importantly of all, has the ability to reason conceptualize and offer opinion. However, these capabilities do not infer true human-like consciousness. A synthetic mind and personality is essentially a construct, and there is no true self-awareness as such, though this may not be all apparent to an untrained observer.

2. Beta Level AI A synthetic mind and personality - essentially a construct, and there is no true self-awareness as such, though this may not be all apparent to an untrained observer interacting with a unit. Beta Level AI is based on a set of algorythmic responses, the software creating a predictive model for how an individual would respond in a given situation. This allows the illusion of personality. 3. Gamma Level AI Lowest form of AI capable of interacting with humans. Can operate only within a predefined set of parameters. Shipboard AI are typically Gamma Level AI.

Levels of Artificial Intelligence can be broken down into four distinct categories as follows: 1. Alpha Level AI True artificial self awareness. Banned as of apart from a handful of instances in the

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4. Delta Level AI Autonomic system that require moderate decision making ability without human intervention are Delta Level.

data-storage systems they provide large storage capacities coupled with instant data search and retrieval. Most commercially available computers have data storage capacities in the order of terabytes. Quantum computers represent the cutting edge of parallel information processing. Quantum computers can solve problems that for the common molecular computer would be extremely time-consuming. The drawback is that quantum computers require dedicated cooling systems, and remain large and bulky, limited to large mainframes.

COMMUNICATIONS

In the late 23rd century, the following are the most common forms of long-range communications:

1. Radio Communications Radio communications are identical to those available today. On a planetary scale they are cheap and easy to manufacture and maintain, and given good satellite coverage, allow for instant communication between users. Over interplanetary distances, the time taken for radio signals to travel from source to destination introduce unacceptable communication delays, and therefore are rarely used as a primary means in such situations.

EDUCATION

In the Core Systems, children are required by Federal Law to attend school until the age of At 18, a student has the choice of attending a University, or three years of Federal Service.

In the Colonies, students begin what is known as 'Obligation' at the age of This involves performing minor duties for the colony for a maximum of 4 hours per day.

2. Laser Communications High-gain modulated laser beams bounced through a series of relay satellites are often used for routine interplanetary communications. They are limited by speed of light and relay time, but in most situations the delay is acceptable

IMMIGRATION/EMIGRATION

Interstellar immigration/emigration is tightly controlled by the ICA and the ITC. Despite hundreds of millions of people now living offworld in the colonies, Earth in the late 23rd Century is still home to almost 10 billion people and is woefully overcrowded. To compound matters, those wishing to live in the colonies must apply for Colonist Status from the ICA. This involves a series of rigorous background checks, physical, mental and psychological examinations.

3. Quantum Communications Quantum communications rely on the unusual properties associated with quantum entanglement. When the quantum properties of particles such as photons, become entangled, they behave like psychic twins. Even if they are separated by vast interplanetary or interstellar distances, a disturbance to one affects the other. If changes are made to one of the pair, they are reflected in the other. Scientists in the early 22nd century discovered that this effect still experiences a delay, as the spooky interaction between the particles ripples through spacetime at a rate of 1 parsec per Earth Standard Day. All interplanetary and interstellar vessels are equipped with quantum communication arrays. Quantum communicators are expensive and not person-portable.

ENTERTAINMENT

The Federal Network, or FedNet, is the collective term for the technology behind the wirelessly-networked, ubiquitously-connected urban environment of the 23rd century. FedNet provides entertainment in the form of over a thousand digital television and radio channels, information in the form of the Interstellar Web (ISW), communications access for Personal ComLinks etc. Every tax-paying citizen of the United Earth Federation has at least the basic FedNet package. Extra services can be 'bolted on' for a higher subscription fee.

COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY

Computers come in a variety of sizes, from those installed in small hand-held devices, to mainframe supercomputers capable of running powerful AIs. The majority are based on molecular circuits connected by carbon nanotubes. These have much higher information densities than their silicon-based predecessors. When coupled with holographic

FEDERAL SERVICE

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Students completing their education but not wanting to continue to a University are required by Federal Law to take the Federal Orientation Test and complete three years of

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(UEF), a world government that replaced the United Nations in AD. For more detailed information about the United Earth Federation see the Politics chapter.

Federal Service. This involves working for the Federal Government in one of it's many branches, including the United Earth Armed Forces, the Federal Health Service, the Federal Transportation Network, and the Federal Labourforce. The pay isn't great, and choice of career path is limited depending on the results of the FOT, but completion of Federal Service usually gives an individual the option of staying on in their chosen profession with a salary increase.

HEALTHCARE

By the latter half of the 23rd Century, medicine has advanced in all fields to levels unparalleled. Infant mortality rates on Alpha Status worlds is the lowest ever recorded, and life expectancy has increased to the point where it is now the accepted norm for people to live well into their 90s. Though the Eckerley ruling of prohibits the cloning of an entire human body, cloning technologies now enable hospitals to grow new organs and limbs for patients needing transplant surgery, thus forever eliminating the spectre of organ rejection. Micro-surgery has reached a point where the rebuilding and/or attachment of severed/cloned limbs has a success rate of over %.

FOOD

In the 23rd Century, genetically modified food is commonplace, and by far the most common genetically modified organisms are crop plants.

Megacorporations engineer crops to produce traits such as disease resistance and drought tolerance, or the ability to grow on planets orbiting stars of a different spectral type. Bringing in and altering genes from other species is the only way to improve these crops, thus enabling the crops to be grown on marginal colony worlds.

Although gene therapies (GeneFixing) have all but eliminated many hereditary disorders, and genetically-enhanced designer pharmaceutical products have defeated many diseases, more still exist. Some of these are new to humanity, being unintentionally imported from alien biospheres. Some forms of cancer have yet to be conquered, and one of the biggest killers in the 23rd century is heart disease, especially with significant percentages of the population clinically obese.

Animals are no longer reared for their meat, as the process has become too cost-prohibitive. Instead, 'cultured meat' is grown from cells removed from farm animals and proliferated in a nutrient-rich medium. Using this technique, single cells can be used to produce enough meat to feed a global population for a year. The resulting meat product can then be harvested, seasoned, cooked, and consumed as a boneless, processed meat.

All citizens of the Federation are entitled to free health care via the Federal Health Service (FHS), although waiting lists for expensive treatments and therapies can be up to 6 months long. As a result, private healthcare organisations, such as Medtech, provide an expensive way to get immediate access to treatments.

GENETICS

The colonisation of outer space led to an explosion in the genetics industry, primarily in the food and medical fields. Strict laws have been passed regarding the genetic manipulation of humans, but it is now perfectly acceptable to have genetically modified pets (want a cat with blue fur? No problem) and for pharmaceutical companies to raise Pharm Animals - animals that produce commercially useful proteins. It should be stressed again that there are laws to ensure that these proteins can be extracted safely with minimum discomfort to the animals.

IDENTITY

All citizens of the United Earth Federation have their DNA fingerprint recorded at birth and added to the Federal Public Records Database, allowing police to identify any suspect within a matter of hours. In addition, citizens of the Federation are required by law to carry an ID card at all times, which contains biometric information.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

The political landscape of Earth has forever changed from that at the turn of the 21st century. Earth and the Federal Colonies are now governed by the United Earth Federation

LAW AND ORDER

Despite advances in crime detection and prevention, crime is as present as ever in the 18

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for simple repetative tasks. What they are good at is assembling simple components at the molecular level.

23rd century. Technological advances and social changes have created new crimes, or new twists on older crimes, resulting in changes in policing techniques, and the creation of new branches of law enforcement. In addition, several large crime syndicates have a stranglehold on drugs trafficking, pornography and prostitution in the colonies.

The fear that nanomachines would escape and run riot never materialised. In the big world outside of the specialist construction laboratories (NanoForges), they are just totally outclassed. Temperature fluctations, everyday contaminants such as dust and various forms of radiation all contribute to their rapid demise. The microscopic molecular components of computers and AI's, and the vast carbon nanotubes of the space tethers could not me manufacturered without the nanobot.

MEDIA

There are a multitude of independent media organisations in the 23rd Century, providing news and current affairs to the populace. The official Federal News Network (FNN), can best be described as an interstellar hybrid of the BBC and CNN. FNN is a quasi-autonomous organisation part-financed by the taxes of the civilian population, and is renowned for it's impartial news reporting.

POWER

The two main forms of commerical power generation in the late 23rd Century are solar and nuclear fusion.

MONEY

Solar Power Solar power satellites, or PowerSats, are placed in geo-synchronous orbit around colony worlds, and use microwave power transmission to beam solar power to a large antennas on the planetary surface below. Orbital PowerSats are unaffected by the day/night cycle, weather, or seasons.

Though most nations still retain their own currencies for domestic use, virtually all international trade is conducted using the Euro-Dollar as the base, an amalgam of the two strongest 21st Century currencies before the collapse of the global economy in Most of the daily transactions made by Federal citizens are electronic. Scanners in retail outlets match an individual's retina against the biometric information on their bank smart-card to verify identity. Money is debited from the citizens' bank account when goods are purchased. Because of the unavoidable delay in communications over interstellar distances, many banks provide a facility where credit can be downloaded to a smart card before a journey.

Nuclear Fusion By the late 23rd Century, the current generation of lightweight super-compact fusion reactors can generate a peak output in the high Gigawatt to low Terawatt range. The fusion process is fuelled by deuterium-helium 3 (D-3He).

PROPERTY

On 23rd Century Earth, there is a premium on real estate, with the government and corporations owning most available property. Renting is the norm, with owning one's own house reserved for the rich and famous. The offworld colonies offer the hope for owning a piece of land

Hard currency still exists, but it is rare in the Core Systems, being much more common in the Outer Colonies and beyond. Hard currency is still the preferred payment method by those individuals who do not want their spending habits recorded. Currency is printed in Eurodollars, though some corporations print their own currency, which is legal tender only on colonies that they control.

RELIGION

As long as humanity needs answers to the unanswerable, there will be religion. All the major religions of the 21st century are still going strong, with a few notable additions. One of the fastest growing religions in the 23rd century is Chrislam - an amalgamation of Christianity and Islam that occurred during the Second Exodus () from Earth. Chrislam is a very popular religion in the colonies, though it has made little headway on Earth.

NANOTECHNOLOGY

Nanotech enjoys limited use but has never made it into the big time as posited by many science fiction authors of the 20th century. Nanomachines only work well in sterile, controlled environments, as significant amounts of background radiation produce a rapid degredation in their ability. They also have very limited memory and can only set up 19

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SEX, BIRTH CONTROL, AND CHILDREN

TRANSPORT

Ever since the global economy collapsed in , public service industries such as transport, water & power and health were globalised. Most citizens use the integrated public transport systems, which include MagLev trains and passenger scramjets. With scramjet technology now commonplace, travel time between continents has been cut dramatically. A commercial flight between London and New York now takes just less than an hour. Cars are controlled by intelligent traffic control computer systems on major intercity routes, but manual control is still allowed on local road networks.

With a population over 10 billion, and colonial populations pushing the economy to it's limits, people in the Core Systems and especially on Earth are encouraged to have small families, with incentives like tax cuts, free education etc for those who do. Every birth must be authorized by the Federal Health Service, and the health status of parents must be verified.

In the Outer Colonies, birth control is mandatory. Small families are encouraged for different reasons, the main one being to maximise the gene exchange between the colony. Extra DNA material is kept in the colony science labs to increase the gene richness should the colony have to survive long term without a new influx of colonists from elsewhere.

Interplanetary and interstellar travel is still an expensive business. Most people who travel are either company employees, military personnel or government staff. There are no commercial passenger services out beyond the Core Systems. Travellers must negotiate their own ticket prices.

TOURISM

Interstellar tourism is still a very expensive business, and a pursuit reserved for the rich and famous. In star systems like Sol, interplanetary cruises are affordable and popular. Offworld packages such as the 'Red Planet' tour of Mars, and the 'Rings of Saturn' cruise are popular and comparable in cost to exotic intercontinental holidays of the 20th Century.

YOUTH CULTURE

As ever, youth culture continues to confound adults, with its ever-changing styles and fads.

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INTRODUCTION

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The United Earth Federation (UEF) of the 23rd Century still bears some resemblance to the original United Nations, that troubled institution born in the aftermath of World War II. While still dealing with problems of patronage and bureaucracy, sheer necessity has enabled the body to become somewhat effective in its original purpose of keeping the peace.

Based in Geneva, the General Assembly is the main deliberative organ of the United Earth Federation. It is composed of representatives of all member states, each of which has one vote. Despite this supposedly level democratic playing field, politics are still dominated by the richest of the member states. Decisions on important questions, such as those on peace and security, admission of new members and budgetary matters, require a two-thirds majority. Decisions on other questions are by simple majority. The wheels of United Earth Federation government move slowly on many issues because of the time needed for the General Assembly to reach consensus.

The United Earth Summit in Geneva, 1st January , was attended by Australia, China, the European Federation, Japan, New Zealand, the Russian Republic, South Africa, and the United Americas. The nations attending the summit proposed that the United Nations Constitution be radically ratified. These proposals in effect dissolved the United Nations, replacing it with the United Earth Federation (UEF), an economic/political conglomerate committed to the goal of uniting the nations of Earth in preparation for the colonisation of the planet Mars and the rest of the solar system. The colonisation of space has greatly aided the nations of Earth in putting aside national differences, enabling them to present a (mostly) unified front as the United Earth Federation. Despite this, some experts say that human tribal instincts have simply shifted to an interplanetary and interstellar rather than global stage.

The General Assembly may meet in special sessions at the request of the Security Council, of a majority of member states, or of one member if the majority of members concur. Emergency special sessions may be called within 24 hours of a request by the Security Council on the vote of any nine Council members, or by a majority of the United Nations members, or by one member if the majority of members concur.

At the beginning of each regular session, the Assembly holds a general debate, often addressed by heads of state and government, in which member states express their views on the most pressing international issues.

Important branches of the United Earth Federation include: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

General Assembly Security Council Interstellar Colonial Authority Interstellar Trade Commission Communications Military Intelligence The Federal Law Enforcement Authority The Colonial Security Force The Federal Health Service The Federal Labour Force

1. 2.

The Colonial Act () The Colonial Policing Charter (,) The United Earth Federation Space Treaty (, ) The Geneva Statute (, )

SECURITY COUNCIL

The composition and rules under which the Security Council operates have changed since the United Nations became the United Earth Federation. While there are still only five permanent member seats, (United Americas, the Chinese Consortium, European Federation, Russian Republic and the Japanese Affiliates), India, the Central African Bloc, Australia, and the Islamic Holy Republic also retain seats on the Security Council on a regular basis. Also, the power of the permanent member veto has changed - a permanent member veto can be overridden by a four/fifths majority vote of the rest of the council. (12 votes out of the 15 seats available).

Notable legislation introduced by the UEF include:

3. 4.

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When a dispute leads to fighting, the Council's first concern is to bring it to an end as soon as possible. On many occasions, the Council has issued cease-fire directives which have been instrumental in preventing wider hostilities. It

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Larger colonies also sometimes have regional ICA headquarters.

also sends United Earth Armed Forces peacekeepers to help reduce tensions in troubled areas, keep opposing forces apart and create conditions of calm in which peaceful settlements may be sought. The Council may decide on enforcement measures, economic sanctions (such as trade embargoes) or military action.

Interstellar distances have to allow for a necessary devolution of certain powers to local leaders, which allows the elections of local officials by the colonial population. Despite this, the local ICA Administrator is able to dictate policy should he/she see fit. It is common practice for megacorporations with invested interests in a colony start up to have representatives on local councils.

A Member State against which preventive or enforcement action has been taken by the Security Council may be suspended from the exercise of the rights and privileges of membership by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. A Member State which has persistently violated the principles of the Charter may be expelled from the United Earth Federation by the Assembly on the Council's recommendation.

The ICA has surveyed hundreds of worlds, and it's exploration arm, Interstellar Expeditions (ISX), is in the process of surveying dozens more The ICA has surveyed hundreds of worlds, and it's exploration arm, Interstellar Expeditions (ISX), is in the process of surveying dozens more. Each world surveyed is classified according to how much work is needed to establish a colonial base, and how rich the planet is in natural resources. Once a world has been surveyed and classified, contracts are then issued, up for bid by any nations and corporations interested in investing in the venture.

THE INTERSTELLAR COLONIAL AUTHORITY (ICA)

Formed after the Colonial Act of , the Interstellar Colonial Authority (ICA), is a branch of United Earth Federation government tasked with the government of colonised space out beyond the Sol system designated as Zones 2 and 3 of the Federated Colonies, and to a limited extent representing UEF policies in Far Space. The ICA is responsible for the day to day management of these colonies, including local law and order, liaison with Earth, communications, logistics and a host of other functions. In the absence of direct contact with Earth, the ICA has veto on any local government decisions.

The ICA is also in charge of interstellar immigration/emigration. Despite hundreds of millions of people now living offworld in the colonies, Earth in the late 23rd Century is still home to almost 10 billion people and is woefully overcrowded. To compound matters, those wishing to live in the colonies must apply for Colonist Status from the ICA. This involves a series of rigorous background checks, physical, mental and psychological examinations.

THE INTERSTELLAR TRADE COMMISSION (ITC)

The Interstellar Trade Commission (ITC) came into being in , when, in an effort to regulate interstellar commercial shipping and trade, the WTO was radically expanded and remodelled. The ITC is the primary body dealing with commerce throughout the systems colonised by the UEF in the 23rd century. All crewmembers of commercial transport and cargo starships are required by Federal law to possess a valid ITC licence.

Each colony in Zones 2 and 3 has an ICA presence. On some of the newer colonies it is little more than a small Settlement Welfare Team office with a handful of representatives. On larger, more established colonies there is a large established ICA administrative presence.

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The ITC also deals with Customs and Excise Duties. All trade starships entering the Sol system must be prepared to go through ITC quarantine, if the ITC suspects the ship is carrying any unauthorised cargo. In addition ITC officers often work closely with Colonial Marines strike teams, fighting the endless battle against smugglers, pirates and terrorist groups that are active in the Federal Colonies.

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COMMUNICATIONS

From their headquarters on Earth, and via many local stations throughout the Federal Colonies, Federal police officers have the unenviable task of tackling crime over interstellar distances.

The Federal Network, or FedNet, is the collective term for the technology behind the wirelessly-networked, ubiquitously-connected urban environment of the 23rd century. FedNet provides entertainment in the form of over a thousand digital television and radio channels, information in the form of the Interstellar Web (ISW), communications access for Personal ComLinks etc.

POLITICAL POWER BLOCKS OF THE 23RD CENTURY

Though the political landscape of Earth has forever changed from that at the turn of the 21st century, some things stay remarkably familiar. Earth, the Sol System and the Core Systems are now governed by the United Earth Federation (UEF), a world government that replaced the United Nations in AD. This global government includes representatives from all the nations of Earth, who are now termed Member States. As with modern day politics, the most powerful economic power blocks heavily influence Federal policy and the decisions of the Security Council. The most influential are listed below:

This would be amazing if it were just on Earth, but a series of FTL Relay Stations throughout the Federal Colonies provides FedNet access to everyone who holds Citizenship in the United Earth Federation. While the citizens of the Sol system can enjoy real-time FedNet access, those further afield have time delays, as FTL datastreams travel at a maximum speed of 1 parsec per day. As a result, common information is stored locally at the larger colonies, and orbiting satellites allow wireless communications.

MILITARY

THE AUSTRALIAN REPUBLIC

The formation of the United Earth Federation was the spark for several conflicts (the Unification Wars ), primarily fuelled by nations who refused to be a part of the new global government. In response, the newly formed United Earth Federation ratified a treaty of United Earth Armed Forces, a cohesive fighting force to stop these and future wars, with troops and equipment supplied by all member states, under one general command staff comprising of highranking officers of all nations.

Politics: Population:

Economy: Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP on par with the five dominant colonial powers. Description: Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef. A referendum to change Australia's status, from a commonwealth headed by the British monarch to a republic, was passed in

INTELLIGENCE

The Federal Security Agency (FSA) coordinates, directs, and performs highly specialised activities to protect UEF government information systems and produce foreign signals intelligence information. A high technology organisation, the FSA is on the frontiers of communications and data processing. It is also one of the most important centres of foreign language analysis and research within the federal government.

Australia as a nation has not featured heavily in the colonization of space. Much of the nation's economic wealth has been diverted into the "Rebirth" project, aimed at reclaiming the vast tracts of land that have turned into uninhabitable desert. This has not stopped Australian nationals joining the millions of other Earthers who have applied for colonist status to find a new life in the offworld colonies.

FSA conducts some of the UEF's leading research and development (R&D) programs. Some of the Agency's R&D projects have significantly advanced the state of the art in the scientific and business worlds.

THE CENTRAL AFRICAN BLOC Politics: Population:

POLICING

Policing in the 23rd Century is handled by the Federal Law Enforcement Authority (FLEA).

Democratic Republic Earth: million Space: million (approx)

Democratic Republic Earth: million Space: million (approx)

Economy: The Central African Bloc is still a developing 23

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to the Earth economy. Though still officially Communist, internal policies have softened since the formation of a global government. The state is socialist in political orientation.

nation state, and it's economy is still too weak to invest in space flight or the colonization of other worlds. CAB satellites orbit the Earth and like the Australians, African nationals too have joined the millions of others applying for colonist status on Earth.

Culturally, the Chinese Consortium incorporates elements from South East Asia, Russia, China and other old socialist powers of the preceding three centuries, with Chinese, Vietnamese and Russian being the principle languages. Men and women have equal, even in the military, but androids have only machine status. The people have very strong faith in their socialist ideals, which is seen by many as an extreme reaction to the capitalism of the United Americas and European Federation territories.

Description: Advances in solar energy technology in the mid 22nd century resulted in development in lower latitudes of the world. After the generations of civil wars that had plagued Africa, the Commonwealth of African Nations was dissolved, and two power blocks emerged: the West African Protectorate and the Central African Bloc. Both blocks were industrialising and developing rapidly - until Maunder Minor hit in Repeating a behaviour first exhibited in the seventeenth century, though this time to a much lesser extent, the Earth's sun dimmed. The effect lasted over two decades, until , and it contributed to the economic collapse of those equatorial powers who relied heavily on solar power, including the nations of the Protectorate. The resultant social upheaval forced many to look to find work offworld, as colonist-workers in the fledgling Jovian and Saturn colonies. The nations they left behind quickly dissolved into civil war.

Along with the United Americas, the Chinese Consortium is at the forefront of the UEF interstellar colonisation programme. Since missing out on the first wave of Lunar colonisation in the mid 21st century, China was first to sign up to the Mars Project, and invested heavily. To this day a large proportion of the Martian population are of Chinese descent.

THE EUROPEAN FEDERATION Politics:

The Central African Bloc had hedged its bets investing in fusion power as well as solar power, and it paid off. Surviving Maunder Minor, in delegates from the Central African Bloc took their places at the United Earth Federation in Geneva.

Population:

Economy: The European Federation has an affluent and technologically powerful economy, with substantial offworld assets and investments. As a member state of the United Earth Federation, it controls a large slice of Earth's financial markets. GDP: E$ trillion.

THE CHINESE CONSORTIUM Politics:

Population:

Federal Democracy. National legislature was replaced by direct federal democracy in Earth: million Space: million (approx)

Authoritarian Socialism with Technocratic tendencies Earth: billion Space: million (approx)

Economy: The economic influence of non-state organizations and individual citizens continues to steadily increase. Foreign investment remains a strong element in the Chinese Consortium's remarkable economic growth. There is still heavy government involvement in business, but now Party leaders are also board members of companies such as the Cheung Corporation. GDP: E$ trillion.

Description: Formed in the early part of the 21st Century out of the European Union, the European Federation is one of the five major colonial powers in ICA regulated space. It consists of the original member states of the European Union, eastern Europe plus some of the defunct USSR break away states in the Baltic region.

The European Federation emerged from the political turmoil of the 21st century as one of the major economic powers on Earth. Seen as the most liberal of these power blocks, the borders of the European Federation territory seem out of place: high perimeter fencing, foreboding watchtowers bristling with state of

Description: Formed in by China and most of South East Asia following the end of the Pacific Rim War, the Chinese Consortium is the largest and most powerful member state of the United Earth Federation, and the largest contributor 24

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invest in space exploration or colonisation.

the art surveillance technology and armed patrols have been the norm ever since the Unification Wars of the late 21st century (). During this chaotic period, as the newly formed UEF and it's armed forces fought a reluctant war of global unification with breakaway states, the European Federation was forced to close it's borders to the hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing the war zones, unable to cope with such a large influx of people.

Description: Born from the fallout of the 5th Middle East War, the Islamic Holy Republic is a significant minor power, capable of competing directly with any other power except the five Major Powers. Once rich and powerful due to the region's abundant fossil fuel resources, the advent of fusion power combined with dwindling oil reserves stopped the Islamic Holy Republic from becoming a major colonial power.

Quality of life for citizens of the European Federation is generally good, with most people employed by the government or one of several megacorporations. Despite being a unified state, citizens still retain a strong individual national pride.

The Islamic Holy Republic suffers from an overly aggressive foreign policy and second rate technological capability. The region is in theory ruled by the Council of Sultans with the assistance of the provincial amirs; in practice, the amirs only put their feuding on hold when it is obviously necessary to fight off an immediate outside threat.

THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF INDIA Politics: Population:

Democratic Republic Earth: billion. Space: million (approx)

THE JAPANESE AFFILIATES Politics:

Economy: India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, a wide range of modern industries including genetics and nano-tech.

Population:

Economy: Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defence allocation (1% of GDP) have helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most technologically powerful economy after the United Americas and fourth largest economy after the Chinese Consortium, United Americas and the European Federation.

Description: India is fast catching up with the dominant member states of the United Earth Federation. There are striking contrasts in quality of living, from the overcrowded and technologically advanced coastal cities to the vast rural regions. India is the heart of the entertainment industry on Earth, Bollywood having overtaken Hollywood in the early 22nd century. It has not yet invested in any colonial ventures, but the state is facing a crisis as many of its younger generations are tempted by the rich megacorps into lucrative contracts as technical specialists and software engineers at off-world colonies.

Description: Japan is one of the five major colonial powers. The Japanese Imperial Government is nominally a monarchy and is actually a constitutional monarchy where a large degree of governmental power is vested in the emperor. Unlike the old Earth Chinese Emperor's who received heaven's mandate to rule, Japanese Emperors are literally living gods. This fact has enabled Japan to claim at least + years of unbroken imperial power.

ISLAMIC HOLY REPUBLIC Politics: Population:

Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government Earth: million Space: million (approx)

Theocratic Republic Earth: million Space: million (approx)

Economy: The economy is a mixture of central planning, state ownership of oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small-scale private trading and service ventures. No Islamic corporations are strong enough yet to

Also to be reckoned with are the large corporations, which are in some sense hereditary. These corporations, often massive transnationals of the 20th, 21st, and early 22nd centuries, have established themselves as massive controllers of power within the Japanese government. Greatest of these is Cenargo Corporation, an Anglo-Japanese 25 25

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private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. GDP: E$ trillion.

combine which is the major financial investor in Japanese colonial expansion.

THE RUSSIAN REPUBLIC Politics: Population:

Federal Republic Earth: million Space: million (approx)

Description: Second most powerful member state of the United Earth Federation with a strong economy and at the cutting edge of technological advancement, the United Americas was formed in , a year before the foundations of the global government were laid. The United Americas consists of the USA, parts of Canada, Mexico and Central America.

Economy: After the Russian Civil War (), the nation suffered an economic depression, but with the help of the UEMF (United Earth Monetary Fund) and the goodwill of it's neighbours the European Federation a complete economic collapse was narrowly averted. Russia is still struggling to establish a modern market economy, modernize its industrial base, and maintain strong economic growth.

The United Americas remains the cultural melting pot that is was at the turn of the 21st Century, it's population consisting of a diverse array of ethnic and social groups. Although seeming very much like a model of racial and religious integration on the surface, the United Americas has all the same social problems that it has always had. Many outside the UA consider the nation to be politically corrupt, with the Corporations having much of the real power.

Description: The Russian Republic consists of the remains of Russia, Ukraine, Beylorus, the Baltic States, and various bits and pieces of the non-EF/UPP Slavic nations. Consisting of territories on Earth as well as several inner colonies some thriving outworld colonies, the Russian Republic is a significant political, military, and economic power, and is one of the five major colonial powers in ICA regulated space.

In reaction to this rampant corporate consumerism, religious Conservatism has been on the rise in the United Americas, notably the New Confederate Church of America, a Baptist offshoot which is gathering support amongst many high-ranking Republicans.

70 years after the end of the Russian Civil War, which saw the disintegration of the Russian Federation, the Russian Republic has rebuilt much of it's infrastructure, through aid from the Federal Bank, and investment from European and Japanese corporations. The prevailing political alignment of the government is somewhat socialist, though much less so than in the early 21st Century. As may be expected in such a society, there is a large gap between rights of the "haves" and "have nots."

Along with the Chinese Consortium, the United Americas is at the forefront of the UEF interstellar colonisation programme.

OTHER FACTIONS