Coalition of Allied Star Systems
Coalition of Allied Star Systems Ōyintān Yasizos Ringwesiri Ōyintān Yasizos Ringwesiri | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Emblem
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| Motto: (Old Iquis) Medafrāxs notlannālbon hə-lausogləkuz 'Prosperity from infinite diversity' | |
| Anthem: Shine, Stars of the Coalition | |
| Capital world | Heva |
| Official languages | Iquis, Rseeng Mkhor, Modern Standard Huai |
| Demonym(s) | Coalition |
| Government | Mixed supranational parliamentary confederation |
• Kloteta | Lio Kehazngin |
| Planetary Senate | |
| Planetary Assembly | |
| Population | |
• 2998 AAI estimate | 254.92 billion |
| Currency | Siquine (Sq$) |
The Coalition of Allied Star Systems (Iquis: Ōyintān Yasizos Ringwesiri Ōyintān Yasizos Ringwesiri [ˈojɪntɑn ˈjɐsɪzɔs ˈrɪŋʷɛsɪrɪ]), commonly abbreviated to and referred to as CASS (IPA: /kæs/; Iquis: Ōyari), is an interstellar polity in the Settled Systems. It is nominally a diverse multi-species democratic alliance based on mutual trust and co-operation.
The Coalition was formed in 2525 AAI, from its predecessor the Star System Economic Forum (SSEF), after the aftermaths of the Hevan-Artashian war (2510-2514) and the Vermillion Revolution (2514-2516).
Its capital planet, Heva, is one of the only worlds within the Settled Systems to be an ecumenopolis.
Names
Iquis: Ōyintān Yasizos Ringwesiri
Artashian: Obolintahan Lasiros Ringubesiri
Rseeng Mkhor: Laagdthuumdogolswan
Ulahari: Heh Sẽtha Laph Khõs Okhũs
Ishu: Giik Seŋx Yàp Xààn Ààkòòm
Huai: <SMUUNGS KLID KTAL'> Fung Klit Tae
Kamchrul: Mũssesrwaat
Setfpinx: Sèfkeylìfekeyʼ
History
Founding
These individuals have been venerated in the Coalition as the Tmōitwāqas Kōrori ('eternal elders of the nation'
First Coalition-Huai War (2562-2571)
The planet of Charé, inhabited by the descendants of early Huai settlers, became entangled in Great Huai efforts to consolidate their colonial outposts as an official reaction to the newly formed Coalition. Charé was located in proximity to the Bzhao homeworld Rwoth, which was now a CASS member world. Huai leadership feared that Charé, a planet known for their rejection of the state mandated Taad movement in favour of more liberal approaches to Maadmugism, would express interest in cooperating with the Coalition, which was heavily distrusted by state leadership.
In 2562, the Six Emeralds, a faction in the Huai Heavenly Fleet, attempted to take a Charéan trading vessel hostage in an attempt to negotiate a bloodless takeover of their planet, but accidentally caused the vessel's Q-magnet drive to fail, causing it to meltdown and killing everyone on board, including two diplomatics representing CASS.
Due to conflicting information, CASS sent Huai leadership a message asking for clarification about the details of the incident, but was promptly denied access. As a response, Coalition Starfleet, founded just one year prior, was tasked to investigate the disappearance of their diplomats. Upon arrival of the Coalition ship King Fesh, the Six Emerald ship Bdireks intercepted it, disabled its engines, and captured the crew, but not before an emergency nanowormhole distress call was sent out.
A formal declaration of war was made.
First Augment Rebellion (2748)
Bioengineering technology had been lost numerous times after Icnosis. Even after the founding of the Coalition, the first two centuries have been mostly limited to gene editing or splicing for non-sentient life. The Aosiwi Corporation first experimented with human gene editing, making a breakthrough in 2731 with the creation of Homo servilis. They were towering hominids with a mental age of three to four years old, produced initially for menial labour. These initially models were created with a planned obsolescence of six to seven years before their cells would rapidly age, causing their early death. Their use did not see widespread adoption as most members of H. servilis was sterile, and those who could reproduce bore either stillborns or infants with severe birth defects.
The successor species, known as Augments (Homo exsequens), was developed in 2742. Like their predecessors, Augments averaged over two meters in height but possessed features more closely resembling Homo sapiens. They were engineered to survive in temperatures ranging from 0°C to 52°C with minimal shelter or clothing, and to tolerate atmospheric compositions typically hazardous to humans. Crucially, their intelligence was greatly increased, able to process information in speeds slightly faster than Homo sapiens. Augments were marketed as ideal assistants for frontier settlement.
Although the Coalition constitution’s definition of 'sophont' technically applied to Augments, they were not explicitly recognized as such in law or policy. Due to the substantial political and economic influence wielded by the Aosiwi Corporation within the Coalition, legislative efforts to secure legal protections for Augments were largely unsuccessful. As a result, Augments were widely regarded as property, leaving them vulnerable to mistreatment, abuse, and even extrajudicial killings.
In 2748, a coordinated effort broke out across multiple worlds that saw Augments take up arms against their owners, and establish strongholds among many human-settled peripheral words both under and outside Coalition space. In a few months, many Augments were forcibly recalled by Aosiwi private security and Coalition task forces assembled to address the rebellion.
Second Augment Rebellion (2793)
In the aftermath of the first Augment rebellion, the Coalition enacted stringent new laws regulating the creation, management, and identification of Augments. Legislation passed in 2751 required that all Aosiwi-produced Augments be equipped with remotely-activated security devices capable of neutralizing disobedient individuals, and mandated that new Augments possess distinctive, easily identifiable physical traits.
In response, the Aosiwi Corporation developed the second generation of Augments, designated Homo exsequens indicatus. These Augments were engineered with conspicuous reddish-pink skin, golden irises, and bioluminescent markings distributed across their bodies, ensuring instant recognition by humans and automated surveillance systems.
Each H. exsequens indicatus individual was implanted with an advanced kill-switch device, operable remotely by owners or centrally by the Corporation. The kill-switch served a two-stage function. Its primary purpose was to serve as a safeguard against financial loss for owners: when activated, it ceased the emission of a suppressive hormone, allowing a venom gland located beneath the hypothalamus to release a potent paralytic agent. This agent would immobilize the Augment without causing permanent harm, enabling the owner to return the noncompliant Augment to the Aosiwi Corporation for reconditioning and potential resale or rehabilitation.
If reconditioning failed or if the owner opted for termination, the kill-switch’s secondary mechanism could be triggered. This involved the detonation of precisely placed micro-explosives, instantly severing the spinal cord at the base of the skull and ensuring irreversible loss of motor function and higher brain activity.
This dual-stage security system—combining visible physical identifiers with graduated, owner-controlled incapacitation and termination—was intended to provide reassurance to policymakers and the public that Augments could be reliably controlled and managed as property. However, these measures also became enduring symbols of Augment subjugation, frequently cited in ongoing debates over their moral and legal status.
Members
Membership in CASS is officially defined in four tiers:
- Full worlds (Muzanks koyos): world considered core CASS territory, but planetary defence and patrolling is done strictly by Coalition Starfleet with no native equivalent, inhabitants hold full CASS citizenship and can participate in CASS politics. Access to peripheral CASS territory is unrestricted.
- Committed associate worlds (Law-kōpteltahs koyos): world considered core CASS territory, but its native military force is considered a branch of Coalition Starfleet. inhabitants hold full CASS citizenship and can participate in CASS politics. Access to peripheral CASS territory is unrestricted.
- Associate worlds (Kōpteltahs koyos): world considered peripheral CASS territory, and maintains an independent government but defence is provided by both an independent native military force and Coalition Starfleet. The display of the Coalition banner is legally required, along with the native banner in a smaller size if one exists, is necessary in all government institutions. Inhabitants hold special identification documents for access in core CASS territory. Inhabitants are considered CASS citizens, and may enjoy consular services when abroad, but are not allowed to participate in CASS politics.
- Affiliated worlds (Sisiptahs koyos): world considered peripheral CASS territory, and maintains an independent government and military force. The display of the Coalition banner is not required. World mostly patrols its own space, but enjoys access to Coalition trade routes and spaceports. Affliated worlds may export goods to core Inhabitants can enter core CASS territories visa-free but must present papers to Coalition border agents at customs. Inhabitants do not hold CASS citizenship nor are allowed to participate in CASS politics. Coalition law enforcement and Coalition Starfleet may freely operate in these territories if necessary, with a two hour notice to the local government.
| Full worlds | Committed associate worlds | Associate worlds | Affiliated worlds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native government | No | Semi-independent | Yes | Yes |
| Military/defense force | Coalition Starfleet | Coalition Starfleet (Native branch) | Independent armed force and Coalition Starfleet | Independent armed force |
| Visa-free access to core CASS territory | Yes | Yes | Yes (with ID) | Yes (with ID) |
| Citizens allowed to vote in CASS elections | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Consular protection | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Display of Coalition banner required | Yes | Yes | Yes (along with local flag) | No |
| Passport | Coalition-issue | Coalition-issue | Coalition-issue local passport | Local passport |
| Sector | Subsector | System | Member world | Iquis name | Member status | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisateremian Sector (Musaterəmē Daukas) | Incognita Superior (Kwnēa Wīfcel Musdaukas) | Shwen (SwL-301; α Apiculae; AIC 002) | Heva (Shwen AB III; Alpha Apiculae d) | Hēwa | Full | Human (Hevan; majority) |
| Salai (SwL-303; α Saltatricis; AIC 003) | Ulaharim (Salai V; Alpha Saltatricis f) | Ūlahārimē | Full | Human (Ulaharimi), Bzhao | ||
| Incognita Inferior (Kwnēa Hwahscel Musdaukas) | Artashia Prime (SwL-302; ε Monoculi; AIC 004) | Artashia (Artashia II; Epsilon Monoculi c) | Rtāšē | Full | Human (Artashian) | |
| Punica (SwL-308) | Pharridon (Punica IV) | Farridōnē | Full | Human (Pharridonian) | ||
| Ancrilo (SwL-304; γ Tao) | Mnenaë (Ancrilo I; Gamma Tao b) | Mnēnaē | Full | Human (Mnenaëan) | ||
| Setua (SwL-307) | Shan-Sent (Setua VI) | Šān-Sentē | Committed associate | Human (Shan-Senti) | ||
| Wthaa Shint (Wsā-Šint Musdaukas) | Pchaa (SwL-305; β Saltatricis) | Rwoth (Pchaa IV; Beta Saltatricis e) | Rwos | Full | Bzhao | |
| Porala (SwL-306) | Charé (Porala II) | Čeyē | Committed associate | Human (Charé Huai) | ||
| Transateremnian Sector (Auraterəmē Daukas) | Abcaion (Abkaoē Musdaukas) | Abkao Prime (SwL-316) | Gheaddi (Abkao III) | Gēddē | Committed associate | Human (Gheaddin) |
| Coedion (Qoyīdē Musdaukas) | Yul (SwL-309) | Taench (Yul II) | Taēnkē | Full | Kamchrul | |
| Torton (SwL-310) | Inyaro (Torton I) | Inyāroē | Committed associate | Human (Inyaroi), Bzhao | ||
| Ruumo (SwL-311) | Cenarina (Ruumo II) | Cenārinē | Committed associate | Human (Cenarin) | ||
| Anthepaulion (Ātepūlē Musdaukas) | Maahum (SwL-312) | Kicaya (Maahum V) | Kikeyē | Associate | Human (Kicaine) | |
| Quiquartan (SwL-314) | Hetharune (Quiquartan II) | Hetarūnē | Full | Human (Hetharuni) | ||
| Taotey (SwL-313) | Sorioi (Taotey I) | Sōrioy | Associate | Sorioyan | ||
| Or-Danto (SwL-315) | Weyiw (Or-Danto III) | Wēyiw | Committed associate | Weyiwi | ||
| Unincorporated Territory | ||||||
| - | Washao (SwL-317) | Janquari (Washao IV) | Čankwarī | Affiliated | Janquarian | |
| Eshaffa (SwL-318) | Kama Trealta (Eshaffa V) | Kamā Treāltē | Affiliated | Human (Trealtan) | ||
| Ikir (SwL-319) | Aghma-Tii (Ikir III) | Agma-Tī | Affiliated | Human (Aghma-Tiish) | ||
| Kebotoi (SwL-20) | Many Mountains (Kebotoi II) | Kebotoi II | Affiliated | Human (Kebotoian) | ||
Government and politics
Administrative divisions
| Tier | Name | Name (Iquis) | Head | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Sector | Daukas | Aucay (Ōke) | Consists of numerous star systems | |
| 1 | Subsector | Musdaukas | Mestaucay (Məstōke) | Consists of a few star systems | |
| 2 | System | Ringwe | Scouin (Ckwin) | Typically consists of a single star system | |
| 3-1 | Group | Lūd | Hequy (Hēqi) | Consists of multiple bodies, typically sharing an orbital system | |
| 3-2 | World | Koyo | Consists of a single planet | ||
| 4-1 | Continent | Kānn | - | Consists of a large landmass on a planet with a large enough oceans to have defined continents; it has no governing function, and are only used for geographic or statistical purposes such as mailing addresses | |
| 4-2 | Country | Pōis | - | Consists of a defined section on a planet that does not have defined continents; it has no governing function, and are only used for geographic or statistical purposes such as mailing addresses | |
| 5 | Province | Praubs | Provincial governor | Consists of a land-area smaller than a continent or a country, usually numbering around 5-10 per continent/country | |
| 6 | Prefecture | Ulkak | |||
| 7 | Ward | Wol | Warden | Several cities |
Military
The armed forces of CASS is the Coalition Starfleet.
Sophont rights
Despite being known for its democracy, peripheral affiliated worlds officially diplomatically and military supported by CASS have been known to have poor sophont rights records. Particularly, worlds that had previously been technologically less advanced are susceptible to establish regimes that are rampantly corrupt. Worlds such as Janquari, ruled by the Janquarian Ascension Council since 2950, deliberately pass legislation that guarantees Coalition-based corporations can freely access the Janquarian labour force and pay wages that are significantly lower than worlds in CASS core territory.
Humanocentrism
A common criticism of the Coalition is that a disproportionate amount of governmental positions are filled by humans
Hevocentrism
Another common criticism is how pervasive Hevan culture and practices are assumed to be the default within the Coalition.