Reticulum

Reticulum is an interstellar government that includes many human planetary colonies. It has existed for more than 400 years. The human homeworld Stralea is the capital.

The Reticulum was formed in order to maintain the starships that supply and trade with the colonies, schedule and regular stops. The Reticulum maintains a fleet of city-sized Reticulum Capital Ships that run the established trade routes, moving goods, services, peoples, but also data, communications and mail.

More than 400 years into its existence, the Reticulum Scouts constantly look for habitable worlds. Space exploration and colonization advanced to extreme levels and vast areas. Communication and transportation can't cover them as fast as desired; there is no formally established system of interplanetary communications, and starships function as mail carriers. Courier Drones were developed to fill that gap.

As the Reticulum expands, available colonies become sparser, while the Reticulum has to extend the Circuit out in longer branches. Worlds considered previously uninhabitable eventually are colonised, but the cost of doing business on such worlds is higher than it was acceptable; and consequently newer colonies turn smaller profits.

Philosophy
Stodgy and vonservative, it doesn't represent any philosophy or ideology, other than "the inherent supremacy of individual determination". The colonies are widely different from each other, as some are successful and self-sustained but others are dependant upon goods and services from other colonies, others are utopian and others dystopian; each has its right of self-determination.

The Reticulum maintains a precariously balanced relationship with the independent colonies, benefiting and strengthening them but imposing also its will upon them.

In cases of conflict, the Reticulum cares only when trade routes are jeopardised, and settles the matter with military intervention. But in all other times the Reticulum just tries to seem impartial (a cause of criticism) as it waits them to either establish peace or leave the Reticulum.

The Reticulum enforced ethical use of technology and science, that was often inhibited by bureaucracy and economics. This rigid structure conflicted with the more liberal and aggressive ideals of the Mondites, who operated covertly outside the laws of the Reticulum. The Mondites aim in restoring and maintaining world security goals concerning the Reticulum.

External relations
Other colonies (new or low-population, weak or seceded) exist outside the Reticulum. As they can't survive alone, nor can hire small and expensive private ships, they sustain themselves by trading through a Circuit planet. Because the markup can be prohibitive, such worlds banded together to make several colleectives. These have neutral relations with the Reticulum.

The major political oponent are the technologically more advanced Mondites. Their secret societies operate mainly outside the Reticulum's sphere of influence but they also have control over a dozen worlds within it (even highly prized trading partners). Generally no world is free from their influence, propaganda or subversion.

Membership
Member worlds have some required standards and obligations. Failure to one of them means expulsion from the Reticulum.
 * 1) Paying an annual tribute to maintain their part of the Circuit Reticulum.
 * 2) Establish a basic level of law and order
 * 3) Provide goods/services that contribute to the collective economic development.
 * 4) Guarantee a basic level of human rights
 * 5) Accomodate a base of the Reticulum Guard
 * 6) Have an elected/appointed representative to the Reticulum Parliament

The colonies need some financial standards to balance the costs of maintaining and keeping the schedule of the Capital Ships by the Reticulum; and that a colony can keep up with paying its bills in schedule so that other economies aren't damaged and begin a "domino effect".

Social prerequisites ensure the order and human rights; both for the safety of the Reticulum representatives whenever they disembark on a world, and that there are no revolutions, unrests or boycotts from other colonies for unfair trading practices.

Organization
The Reticulum is ruled by a Prime Minister, a highly decorated military man who is featured on paper money (in places still used). The PM primarily raises issues and acts as a tie-breaker in case of a conflict within the Stralean government. Laws are made by the Parliament. The Ministry of Security gather the raw intelligence keeping track of what all the colonies are up to.


 * RMF
 * Rescue and Recovery
 * Reticulum High Guard
 * Circuit Reticulum
 * Reticulum Scouts

Ships

 * Reticulum Capital Ships
 * Stolanoi Agrippus (RMF)
 * Ambassadoria (Reticulum High Guard)

Locations

 * Stralea
 * New Freedom's Port
 * Bormag