BEGIN 3000 WORD BRIEFING DOC ON THE ORIONS & FLASH BACK A FEW TURNS
From: Ensign Wolfe
To: Captain Nash ka'Sharren
Subject: Orion Brief
Hello Captain ka'Sharren,
At the request of Commander Asurva I've put together a socio-political-historical brief on the Orion Sphere of Influence, and the Orion Union itself for your purusal. I tried to keep it brief at 3000 words, which still required a lot of generalization. I hope it will help you get a grasp of the complex political, economic, and even criminal forces at play here. I've requested an additional sociological report on Orion customs from Ensign Rei to supplement my writing. That should arrive later today, before you beam down.
For now, my Brief is attached below.
Thanks,
Ensign Aaron Wolfe
THE ORION SPHERE
Prepared for Captain ka'Sharren, USS ENTERPRISE by Ensign Wolfe
Introduction
The Orion Sphere is a loose term used to describe the area of space where there are a large number of planets with Orion-majority populations. Abutted between the
United Federation of Planets, the
Klingon Empire, and the
Romulan Star Empire, the Orion worlds are largely colonies of an Empire that collapsed approximately a millennium ago. The region remains highly chaotic due to a lack of a single unifying government and the pervasive presence of the most resilient criminal and business organization in the Quadrant, the
Orion Syndicate. Due to the Graal-Sarek Act of 2290, Starfleet or the Federation is not permitted to conduct dealings with any entities formally aligned with the Syndicate, forcing us to deal with businesses and planetary governments on a per-case basis. It has also led to the recognition of the largest coalition of planets in the area, the
Orion Union, as the entity representing Orions on the intergalactic stage. This is despite the fact the home system of
Orion does not lie in its control, and their capital is based on the former colony world of
Alukk. The area is challenging and chaotic, and the morals of the Federation are often tested in an environment that often rewards those who turn a blind eye to injustice and corruption. This report is designed to help familiarize you with the people, the economy, and the political and security issues prevalent in the region. Section I will cover background material, Section II society and economy, and Section III the political and security situation.
Section I - Background
1.0 Summary
- The Orion Empire dominated this area of space until roughly 1000 years ago.
- The Orion Syndicate evolved out of one of the largest surviving mega-corporations.
- The area has never recovered politically from the fracturing of the Empire.
1.1 The Empire
Orions rose to galactic prominence approximately 2000 years ago, with the consolidation and establishment of the
Orion Empire, based around the homeworld of, unsurprisingly, Orion. The Empire expanded and became highly advanced, particularly in the areas of genetic modification and cybernetic enhancement. A testament to their skill in this area was the fact that, even two millennia later, archeologists like Dr. Roger Korby were using the knowledge gleaned from Orion ruins to advance immunization and other medical techniques. The Orions clashed frequently with the
Gorn Empire when both were at their peak, before some unknown calamity collapsed both empires. It is unknown what form this calamity took -- theories range from mutual destruction between the Gorn and the Orions, internal pressures causing collapse, or the Klingon theory that the mythological Hur'q that invaded their homeworld also ravaged the Gorn and the Orions. In the aftermath, planets were left largely autonomous, several dying out due to a lack of vital imports. Into the void left by a centralized government stepped the Orion Syndicate.
1.2 The Syndicate
In the post-industrial but pre-warp era of Orion, space travel was well below the average expected of a technological civilization. Orions were far more concerned with the profit possible to glean from their own rich planet than hypothetical resources to be gained from beyond the atmosphere. However, one woman had a vision.
Eliaysn Zarayet would work with Orion's governments and a group of like minded industrialists to found the
Orion Orbital Syndicate, dedicated to space exploration and exploitation. By the time Orion had developed warp drive, the Syndicate had a stranglehold on space technologies, and so became fantastically powerful in the rush for colonization. As the years passed they dropped the orbital from their name and corporate rivals rose to challenge them, but the Syndicate remained the dominant space-shipping and private defense organization well into the last years of the Empire. In the wake of the collapse, they consolidated around their devastated and stripped homeworld and began to rebuild trade links. However, in the sudden vacuum of power, they realized they could make good money in areas previously closed-off by the government. Within years they were running a brisk trade in sentient trafficking, raiding any defenseless world or ship they came across, Orion or otherwise. They were eventually checked by the Klingon Empire and the
Breen, but not before terrorizing the area for almost 500 years.
With centralized government gone and their ships being the ones that would most often communicate with other species, the Orion Syndicate eventually became the
de-facto representative of the Orion people on the galactic stage, despite the fact they controlled only the homeworld. The former colony worlds were for the most part independent and autonomous, with a variety of political and social structures. A few even applied for Federation membership and were accepted, in addition to a large diaspora community in the
Rigel system. But ultimately, most Orion worlds were beholden to the Syndicate's holding of the orbital high ground. This was the status quo until relatively recently, with the formation of the
Orion Union.
1.3 The Union
A relatively new player in the region, the Orion Union is an amalgamation of the
Free Orion Republic, the
Orion People's Collective and a smattering of independent worlds that have banded together in an attempt to resist the criminal effects of the Syndicate, form a mutual defense bloc, and establish bulwark for Orions on the galactic stage rather than lose planets piecemeal to the Federation, Klingons or Romulans. They have banned and controlled a variety of substances and criminal activities that the Syndicate had previously ignored, and formed a monetary union based around cryptocurrencies. While the Union still practices wide-scale indentured servitude, they have
banned the chattel slavery used by the Syndicate and
outlawed the use of abduction as a source of slaves. The Federation Council is optimistic that the Union can be pushed further along to a goal of complete criminalization of indentured servitude.
Section II - Society and Economy
2.0 Summary
- Highly materialistic society uses wealth as most important metric of individual worth.
- Monetary system based around precious materials and cryptocurrencies to prevent replication and fraud.
- Extreme capitalist economic system, with little intervention even in the Union and high criminal participation outside it.
- Gendering of most roles in society, with females seen as naturally talented and gifted for leadership, men as assistants and nurturers.
2.1 Economics
Planets in the Orion sphere tend to continue to use
monetary and market-based redistribution systems as their economic systems, with a few exceptions on some of the independent worlds. With a highly connected information web,
cryptocurrencies are used in most monetary transactions, being favored for their ease of use and convertibility to differing local currencies, often necessary in the fractured space of the Orion sphere. Other materials used in place of currency include
plaridium and latinum, the latter having gained particular traction in recent years after an incident with an ancient matter replicator crashed the plaridium market in 2278. Regrettably, the matter replicator was destroyed by the Syndicate before a Starfleet research team could extract it for study, an example of how such an economic system can hold back the technological advancement of just not Orions, but the galaxy as well.
The Orion's incredibly deregulated system does have a few advantages, however. A lack of ethics oversight and freedom from laws in both the Federation and Klingon Empire allows biogenetic research to flourish. Unfortunately, the subsequent advancements tend to go straight into the hands of the rich, who have seen their lifespans extended tenfold. Some technologies eventually do trickle down to the consumer base, but access to higher-end enhancements is often still an effective recruiting tool into the various private military concerns. This deregulation also has the effect of drawing in scientists from outside the Orion sphere (including the Federation) for easy access to test subjects and freedom from their more restrictive laws. Some also leave the Federation for the thrill of working in a market system -- but every so often one needs to be rescued after having lost literally the shirt off their back. If they are heard from ever again.
2.2 The Syndicate
The criminal element of the Syndicate is pervasive across the worlds of the Orion Sphere, their importance in shipping serving as a convenient way of spreading their operations. The syndicate uses this to strong-arm local corporations or governments into letting them operate raiders and facilities, and then provide convenient legal cover when outside authorities arrive. They are also highly active in the economies of planets as well, although in the deregulated structure of the Sphere and even the Union the lines between what is criminal and what is corporate is often quite hazy. The Syndicate uses this to their advantage to avoid detection, seamlessly linking legitimate and illegitimate enterprises in a way that would not be possible elsewhere. For their part the Union is dedicated to rooting out Syndicate influence.
2.3 Money and Society
Part of what enables the plutocrats at the top of the economic pyramid to keep their grip on power despite rampant economic and social inequality is an incredibly pervasive attitude that equates
market value with the
intrinsic value of an object or person. The best artists are those who make the most money from their works, the best worker the highest paid, and the best employer the one with the most profit. The capability to make money, and continue to make more money, is seen as the ultimate goal. While this has the admirable quality of destigmatizing certain professions that nevertheless command considerable salaries, it also serves as a convenient excuse to keep the ruling and capitalist classes in power and insulated from discontent. They make the most money, ergo, they are the 'best' in society. This has the additional effect of holding back male Orions, who tend, on the whole, to make 80% of what female Orions make.
2.4 Gender and Sexuality
On the whole, women in society enjoy privileged status, making up 82% of the legislators in the Orion Union, and 95% of all major corporate heads. They tend to hold higher-paying positions than men, and frequently devalue what work they perform. Men make up the bulk of line cooks, secretaries, personal assistants, nurses, and teachers, and the women in those positions often take leadership roles. In the military, men make up the bulk of the enlisted positions, doing heavy manual labour, logistics, and maintenance. Front-line combat units, however, see a close parity between male and females in the enlisted ranks… but a much higher proportion of women in the officer corps. Men are seen as lacking the cunning and being too easily manipulated by hormones and emotions to make any serious, rational decisions. When it comes to trafficking in Orion slaves, however, the statistics flip and women are sold at a much higher rate than men. There are a few factors for this, including the use of female Orions to subvert ships, but also for a purely capitalistic purpose: Orion slave women are much more desired than the men by the galaxy at large -- which perversely only reinforces the attitude women are inherently 'worth' more. Overall, the Orion Sphere sits at a 3.2 on the Walsor-Xi Equality Index and a 2.8 in the Orion Union.
On sexuality, the Orions are highly tolerant of relationships outside of typical heterosexual monogamy. This is due in part to highly libertarian personal values, but also an oft-unspoken assumption that the carnal lusts of men are often better satiated by other men, and that women require a more intellectual connection. However, due to the importance placed on ingrained gender roles in their society, transgender individuals are seen as deceitful opportunists who want to either gain the advantages of women or live the easy lives of men. As a result, they experience incredible discrimination and suspicion, and make up the bulk of Orion refugees seeking political asylum in the Federation. A comprehensive rights package, with attached funding to anti-discrimination task forces, is expected to sit before the Orion Union's Congress late this Q4. It is hoped by the Federation Diplomatic Corps that they can assist with its passage.
Section III - Politics and Security
3.0 Summary
- Independant worlds are mostly ruled by hypercorp consensus.
- Orion Union a fledgling democratic institution with a bicameral legislature.
- First Past The Post voting system has seen power consolidate in two major parties and one minor.
- Orion Union's navy is strong but determined, but still outnumbered by Syndicate forces.
3.1 Independant Worlds
The majority of worlds in the Orion sphere are independent, and indeed, their majority of their populations may not even be Orion. There is some variety in individual governments that is beyond the scope of this brief, but by far the most common is
Corporate Consensus Anarchy. Under a CCA system, each citizen is periodically issued shares in a 'government corporation' that represents the planet and manages a few vital infrastructure items, such as spaceports and courts (but notably, not emergency services). Theoretically, they could hold onto these shares and therefore be involved in a direct democracy, or sell them to a corporation or holder they agree with and participate in a representative democracy. In practice, many citizens use it as a quick form of cash, selling their shares to the highest bidder, who then often sell it to the largest corporations. This often leads to the government company's control being split by the largest corporations on the planet. Proponents argue it is a form of representative government and social welfare all in one, as the shares are reissued every 'election cycle', giving citizens an income they can rely on. Detractors note that the middle-level share resellers often reap most of the profit, with little regard for the voting opinions of the original sellers -- to say nothing of the problems of having private industry in total control of the government.
3.2 The Orion Union Overview
- Member planets: Alukk, Broken Chains, Bradia, Freedom, New Rigel, Nor'Orion, Qinal, Yavacia, Duaba, Xav, Jagrava, Amepa, Celos, Akola, Shirjat, Hamilton.
The Orion Union is a federation made up of 16 member planets with the central government meeting in the Government Tower on Alukk for eight months of the [Human] year, and in the Congressional Palace on Broken Chains for four months. Inspired in part by the Federation Charter, the government is broken into Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branches. The legislature consists of two chambers -- Congress and the Council of Ministers. The Congress is based on a proportional seat allocation system, with its thousand seats distributed based on population. The head of the Congress is the head of government for the Union and holds the title of
Vice President. The Council of Ministers consists of 17 seats - one for each planet, plus one for the Union. The
President is selected by this body from a pool of candidates voted on by the public, with the top five selections being put on the list. Members of Congress are elected directly by their constituents by First Past The Post, while each Minister to the upper Council is selected by their planetary government -- indeed, they are often senior ministers in their planetary governments, hence the name.
3.3 Parties in the Orion Union
The nature of their electoral system means that the Orion Union has naturally gravitated to three parties - Truth and Prosperity, Congressional Alliance, and Ascension, with the first two dominating elections. The positions of the three parties can be roughly summarized as follows:
- Truth and Prosperity (TuP) believes the Orion Union should have Imperial aspirations -- to reform the Orion Empire and end the exploitation of their people by the great powers. They tend to resist efforts to bring more regulation into the economy. However, they do promote greater cultural, but not political, affiliation with the United Federation of Planets, on the hope more Federation citizens will leave for the Union. The party leader and current Vice-President is Eliasyn Yathcha.
- The Congressional Alliance (CA) supports Orion independence, but believes that it can be better secured via improved relations with its neighbours. While this hypothetically could include the Klingon Empire and Romulan Star Empire, in practice it means closer links to the Federation. The Congressional Alliance faces frequent charges that it will attempt to end Orion society in order to gain Federation membership, usually after a bill is proposed for greater regulation. The Congressional Alliance claims in turn it believes that the unique economy of the Orion sphere can be somewhat tamed to become an equal, but independent partner with the Federation. The head of the party is Dawind Byis, a male surprisingly high in the hierarchy. The President of the Union, Ventil Oyana, also hails from this party.
- Ascension (As) pushes for reforms that would bring them in line with Federation membership. However, they do not believe that joining the Federation is a noble end goal. Instead, they believe that once the industrial and social development of the Federation is matched, they should attempt to outdo them by ascending to a higher level of technological and personal development. Ascension sits at the tension of the two main parties, seeing the social benefits the Federation, but afraid of their restrictions on science and ethical 'freedom'. Their party leader is Canada McLaren, a Human immigrant and another rare high placed male.
Current seat count in Congress is 517 Truth and Prosperity, 405 Congressional Alliance, and 78 Ascension. In the Council of Ministers it is 6 Truth and Prosperity, 8 Congressional Alliance, 1 Ascension and 2 independent.
3.4 Security
The Orion Union is currently in a very unstable security environment. Corporations openly defy government orders, backed by mostly-legal private armies, and they are frequent targets for Klingon, Romulan, and Syndicate raids. The small fleet of the Union is theoretically bolstered by a 'reserve flotilla' consisting of ships controlled by security contractors. Assembling this fleet in reality is often a major task, and so it falls to the much smaller
Union Defense Force to keep the space lanes safe. A defensive force mostly by necessity, they field only one Explorer-equivalent vessel and a smattering of light cruisers and escorts. For years Truth and Prosperity has pushed for an additional planned explorer to be sent on a
six year mission, but in the current climate the vessel will more likely be used for defending the borders. Congressional Alliance, meanwhile, has pushed for a rotating portion of the Reserve Flotilla to be placed under permanent alert status, and eventually, the abolishment of private space defense forces. They have met with little success.
On the ground the Orion Union fares a little better. When reduced to planetary scales the private security forces are much quicker to respond, and bring heavy armaments to bear, including the fearsome
Nãotairran mechanized suits. This is, unfortunately, a double-edged sword, as the smaller
Union Planetary Army is quite often outgunned by corporate garrisons, making it easier for them to defy government attempts at regulation. Starfleet Intelligence believes a breakup of the Union will likely result from a drawn-out war between corporate and government security forces in the event of a wide-scale regulatory push by the Congressional Alliance or Ascension.
The Orion Syndicate remains the primary threat of the Union. For now it is simply unprofitable to attack in force. But were the political situation in the Union to change, causing instability, the Syndicate might see fit to return sixteen planets to their sphere of influence, and possibly force the Federation to recognize them diplomatically again.
Summary
The Orion Sphere is a complex area of space, its people often difficult for the Federation to understand. However, it brings a wealth of potential knowledge to the table, both in the form of Orion innovation and in further study of Orion Empire ruins. It is the Federation Council's current policy to support the Orion Union, as far as the Prime Directive allows. They believe this will further our goals of curbing the Syndicate threat by stabilizing the region with a partner, versus the previous failed strategies of isolation or destruction of Syndicate bases. The Syndicate are a resilient organization; they hide in both the civilian populace and the depths of space. To fully end them, it is our policy that we will the Union to invest in long-term for security and order in an area that has been historically lawless.
From: Ensign Wolfe
To: Captain Nash ka'Sharren
Subject: URGENT: POSSIBLE MISTAKE
Hi Captain ka'Sharren,
I'm having trouble accessing my sent mail box this morning, but there is a slight chance that what I sent you
wasn't the brief, but in fact my write up for an Alternate History game on our ship's forums. If none of what you read makes sense, feel free to disregard it. I apologize and will have the correct copy with me this morning in case I did make an error.
Apologies,
Ensign Wolfe
