This is my first real draft. Please read, give criticism. Close to finalized. Minor tweaks at this point.
EDIT - Durin says we can vote on plans, and he'll be more likely to include plans that have more votes, so I'm putting my vote here. (you can probably vote for multiple things, so keep that in mind)
[X] Nine Worlds Treaty
Imperial Trust of the Nine Worlds Treaty
Preamble
In recognition of the New Imperial Truth and acceptance of the sacred charge placed upon them the Nine Worlds of the Asgard sub-sector hereby create the Imperial Trust. The Imperial Trust will strive to fulfill the will of the God Emperor of Mankind and serve him when he is reborn once more. The Imperial Trust will strive not only to provide security to those under its care but also prosperity, so as not to repeat the mistakes of its predecessor.
I. The High Council and the Low Council
1. The High Council shall be made up of the Planetary Governors of the Nine Worlds, the Fabricator-General of the Adeptus Mechanicus, a representative chosen by the Inquisition, and a representative chosen by the Security Council who may not be a Planetary Governor of the Nine Worlds.
2. The High Council shall meet to discuss the state of the Imperial Trust and policy every ten years at minimum. Any member of the council may call for an earlier meeting, and if three other members of the High Council agree then the High Council shall convene.
2.i. A quorum of half plus one of the High Council is necessary for it to convene.
2.ii. In the event that a member of the High Council is unable to attend, send a representative of their choosing, or communicate with the rest of the High Council remotely due to Warp Storms, sieges, or other disasters their representative on the Low Council shall represent them when the High Council convenes.
3. Law and policy shall be determined by majority vote of the High Council.
4. In between meetings of the High Council, each member of the High Council shall appoint a representative to the Low Council which shall serve as the constant standing legislative body. These members of the Low Council may be recalled or replaced at will by the member of the High Council that appointed them. The High Council may, by a vote of two thirds require the replacement of a member of the Low Council.
4. The Low Council shall have power to determine the following by majority vote, but may be over ruled by majority vote of the High Council:
4.i. The budget of the Imperial Navy. A special section of the budge will be included for the construction of new ships.
4.ii. Size and budget of the Imperial Guard.
4.iii. The organization and formation of new Administratum departments as created by the High Council, the reorganization of existing Administratum departments as needed to execute the directives determined by the High Council.
4.iv. Temporarily increase the funding of the Inquisition until the next meeting of the High Council, which must then approve the increase if it is to become permanent.
4.v. Receiving foreign Ambassador and Emissaries.
4.vi. Appointing Ambassadors and Emissaries to foreign powers.
4.vii. Negotiating agreements with foreign powers, but requiring approval by the High Council.
4.viii. Authorizing naval anti-piracy operations that are outside of the Imperial Trust's borders but not within the borders of a recognized foreign power.
4.ix. Any other actions necessary to carrying out duties assigned by the High Council, subject to consistency with the other provisions of the organization in this document.
5. The Low Council may, by three quarters vote, waive a planetary system's tithe for a period of one year in order to mitigate the costs of invasion or other disaster, and thus allow the planetary system to recover.
6. The High Council shall have authority to determine the following by majority vote:
6.i. Approval or over-ruling of Low Council decisions.
6.ii. Changing the funding levels of the Inquisition.
6.iii. Setting the general tithe levels, which must be specified in proportion to a planetary system's production (measured in Thrones, Material, Metal, Promethium, Advanced Material, and Exotic Material), and the tithe level must be the same for all planetary systems.
6.iv. Setting trade taxation levels,which must be uniform throughout Imperial Trust space.
6.vii. Set military forces tithes for the Imperial Guard, as well as compensation for disproportionate military tithes.
6.viii. Constitute Tribunals inferior to the High Judges if such are determined to be necessary.
6.ix. Grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land, Water, and in Space.
6.x. Other actions necessary to carrying out the other provisions of the organization in this document.
7. The High Council shall have authority to make the following decisions by two thirds majority.
7.i. Declare War.
7.ii. Approve treaties and agreements with foreign powers.
7.iii. Impeach and remove members of other branches of the government. Including the Low Council, the Administratum, the High Judges, and the heads of the Imperial Navy and Imperial Guard in the Security Council.
II. The Security Council, the Imperial Guard, and the Imperial Navy
1. The Security Council shall be composed of three generals from different worlds, three admirals from different worlds, and one member of the military arm of the Adeptus Mechanicus appointed by the High Council. The Security Council's representative on the high Council shall have no vote in these appointments. The Security Council is responsible for determining how to best use the Imperial Trust's shared military resources to the best effect in matters of defense and in times of war in matters of offense.
2. The Imperial Guard shall be headed by one of the three generals to be decided upon by the High Council, with the other two generals serving as sub-generals.
2.i. The Imperial Guard will serve as a reaction force against threats that cannot be defeated by local forces.
2.ii. When an Imperial Guard force is on the ground on a world actively engaged in a defensive war, the commander may take command of the local PDF and militia forces under their local commanders.
3. The Imperial Navy shall be headed by one of the three admirals to be decided upon by the High Council, with the other two admirals serving as sub-admirals.
3.i. Members of the Imperial Trust must provide a minimum of half of each class of warp-capable warship in their possession, rounded down, to be placed under the command of the Imperial Navy to be stationed and deployed where needed. Vessels placed under central command will be maintained using the Imperial Navy's resources. Worlds may place more than the minimum of their fleet into the care of the Imperial Navy if desired and accepted by central naval command, but each such additional vessel must be kept under central command for a period of no less than ten years.
3.ii. Orbital defenses and non-warp capable defense vessels shall be owned and commanded by local forces. However, if the Imperial Navy is present during a battle the senior officer may take command of all local naval assets for the defense of the system.
3.iii. The Imperial Navy may purchase additional vessels at its own discretion to be kept under its permanent command, provided it has the budget to do so.
III. The Administratum
1. The Administratum shall be responsible for the collection of taxes and tithes, ensuring the efficient distribution of the Imperial Trust's collective resources, and any bureaucratic duties as determined by the High Council and managed by the Low Council. The Low Council may appoint department heads as it deems necessary.
2. The Administratum shall maintain the following departments from the old Imperium, with some changes.
2.i. Departmento Munitorum - Responsible for distributing resources and logistics for the Security Council and the management of Imperial Guard tithes.
2.i.a. The Departmento Munitorum will maintain a central fund to ensure all worlds that require orbital defenses can afford to build and maintain them. The building of an appropriate level of orbital defenses shall be provided by this fund to all worlds unable to bear the cost. Worlds will be responsible for the upkeep of one set of Heavy orbital defenses and up to thirty non-warp capable defense vessels at a cost of up to 20% of the world's GDP. Any additional costs will be covered by the central fund. Whether any maintenance costs beyond this for additional defenses will be covered is at the discretion of the head of the Departmento Munitorum, with approval by the Low Council.
2.ii. Estate Imperium - Record keeping department.
2.iii. Logis Strategos - Responsible for analysis of threats and working with the Inquisition, local Arbites, and other intelligence and security organizations.
3. The Administratum shall have the following new departments, with more departments possibly being added by the High Council at a later date.
3.i. Imperial Mint - A department that will be responsible for the minting and management of currency.
3.ii. Imperial Trade Bureau - Responsible for the management of the Imperial Merchant Marine and collection of trade taxes.
3.iii. Departmento Treasurius - Responsible for the distribution of funds to various organizations.
3.iv. Departmento Revenus - Responsible for the collections of all other tithes, taxes, and fees.
3.v. Departmento Standardis - Responsible for fixing standard weights and measures.
4. The old Historical Revision Unit shall be forever disbanded and no similar department shall be created, for lies displease the Emperor.
Article IV. The Inquisition
1. The Inquisition is an organization of individuals and their chosen agents with a high degree of autonomy who are charged with preventing the corruption of the Imperial Trust, whether this corruption be from the Ruinous Powers, hostile xenos, or simple greed and incompetence.
2. Inquisitors shall have immunity to local laws. Inquisitorial Acolytes shall also have limited immunity, to be determined in the code of conduct. Inquisitors are encouraged to work with local law enforcement where possible, but this is entirely at their discretion.
3. The Inquisition will create a code of conduct to which its agents are expected to adhere, to be approved by the High Council. Changes to this code must be proposed by the Inquisition and again approved by the High Council.
4. The Inquisition is expected to be self-policing. In the event that an Inquisitor violates the code of conduct or otherwise oversteps the boundaries of their authority, the other members of the Inquisition are expected to deal with the matter appropriately. In the event that the Inquisition does not resolve the matter, no less than two members of the High Council may call for a trial to remove the accused Inquisitor from the organization. The trial shall be lead by a panel of judges made up three randomly selected members of the High Council that are not among the accusers or the Inquisition. The accused Inquisitor must be allowed competent defense counsel.
5. No Inquisitor may be a Planetary Governor, member of the Security Council, or head of an Administratum department.
6. Inquisitors do not have the authority to command the Planetary Governors of the Nine Worlds or other members of the High Council, nor do they have the authority to call Exterminatus.
7. The Inquisition may maintain a force of warships, merchantmen, and troops that does not exceed 5% of that held by the Imperial Navy, Imperial Merchant Marine, and Imperial Guard. Purchase and maintenance of these assets will be paid for by the Inquisition. Distribution of these assets among their numbers will also be controlled by the Inquisition.
Article V. High Judges
1. There will be nine High Judges. Each Planetary Governor of the Nine Worlds may nominate one judge from the Adeptus Arbites or other suitable agency to serve as a High Judge with approval by majority of the High Council. High Judges are appointed for life, subject to removal only due to corruption, gross misconduct, or inability to perform their duties.
2. When there is a legal dispute between worlds, a randomly selected panel of five of the High Judges not from the worlds in question shall be convened. The panel will attempt to mediate the dispute. If no agreement can be reached, the panel will hear arguments and make a judgement to settle the dispute. Deliberations between the High Judges will be held in closed chambers, and their votes regarding verdicts will be kept secret.
Article VI. Xenos
1. The Imperial Trust is not inherently hostile to Xeno species that give humanity the same respect.
2. The Imperial Trust may incorporate Xeno nations and species as protectorates. The details of each nation or species shall be handled on a case by case basis by the High Council.
Article VII. Religion
1. The official religion of the Imperial Trust is the New Imperial Truth, as revealed to Saint Seamus Lin by the God Emperor of Mankind himself. This shall be codified in a holy text he shall pen.
2. Local religious traditions and practices that are not in conflict with and acknowledge the New Imperial Truth will not be oppressed. Xeno protectorates may maintain their own religion so long as they do not contradict the New Imperial Truth.
3. The worship of the Ruinous Powers or any other daemon is forbidden to all and punishable by death. All humanity have a duty to disobey and attempt to stop any other who they suspect is corrupted by the Ruinous Powers.
4. Cults worshiping xenos are proscribed for humans. Any cult worshiping hostile xenos is proscribed for any xeno protectorates.
5. The Cult Mechanicus is acknowledged as an accepted religion within the Imperial Trust. At the time of founding, the senior member of the Adeptus Mechanicus shall be given the title of Fabricator-General and be considered the head of the Cult Mechanicus within the Imperial Trust. Future Fabricator-Generals shall be decided upon within the Adeptus Mechanicus itself by their own internal policies.
Article VIII. The Imperial Bank
1. To provide for ease of credit and transfers of funds within the Imperial Trust, each of the Nine Worlds shall establish a branch of a central bank, with the central branch located on Midgard. Each branch shall be able to call upon all the others for credit and shall share reserves.
2. Each of the Nine Worlds shall have shares in the bank, with the total shares owned by the planetary governments of the Nine Worlds becoming no less than 70% of all total shares. At the time of the bank's founding, half of the 70% required to be held by the planetary governments will be split between the Nine Worlds evenly and shall be held in perpetuity, with the remaining half being divided according to the wealth of the individual planets and may be traded among them. The remaining 30% may be traded freely and will be put on the open market for purchase, though no single individual or organization may own more than 3% of the total shares.
3. The treasury department shall deposit currently unused funds in the central bank.
4. Other banks and merchants may deposit money with the central bank.
Article IX: The Merchant Marine
1. At the founding of the Imperial Remnant, all worlds will give 1/3 of their Merchant Transports and 1/2 of their Mass Conveyors to the Imperial Merchant Marine. The Imperial Trade Bureau may purchase additional trade vessels as needed.
2. The Imperial Merchant Marine will be paid for through trade taxes.
Article X. Expansion
1. The Imperial Trust acknowledges that it will very likely expand in time, either through colonization of nearby star systems or through the inclusion of already established human worlds. Changes to the governmental structure above may be necessary and will be considered by the High Council at that time. This will require a three quarter majority vote in a full meeting of the High Council.
2. The Imperial Trust claims all star systems within a ten light year radius of any of the Nine Worlds as falling under its borders at the time of founding.
Article XI. Powers given up by the Planetary Systems
1. The Planetary Systems give up the power to conduct foreign diplomacy on their own
2. The Planetary Systems give up the power to grant letters of Marque.
3. The Planetary Systems give up the power to coin money.
4. The Planetary Systems give up the power to emit bills of credit.
5. The Planetary Systems give up the power to lay imposts and duties on trade from other planets.
6. The Planetary Systems shall give full faith and credit to the public Acts, Records, and Judicial Proceedings of each other Planetary System.
7. The Planetary Systems give up the power to deny extradition of criminals and suspected criminals to other Planetary Systems.
Article XII. Powers reserved by the Planetary Systems
1. The Planetary Systems reserve the power to raise and maintain Armies.
2. The Planetary Systems reserve the power to build and maintain a Navy.
3. The Planetary Systems reserve the power to create and enforce local laws suited to their conditions and needs.
