Terran Empire
Capital: Earth
Population: 28 Billion
Core Worlds: 21
Colonies: 18
Outposts: 51
History: The great collapse of the Union of Humanity in 2311 under pressure of civil war and colonial rebellion left the known galaxy in complete chaos. In the core human worlds, the veterans of the colonial wars returned home to anarchy. Swiftly and harshly, they united and reformed the governments of the core worlds into an imperial republic. With the economic and industrial might of humanity's heart restored to order, the Terran Empire, as it was now known, expanded to include most colonized worlds of the first two rings. The veterans who established the Empire looked no further than these borders, unwilling to accept the burden that had broken the Union so few years earlier.
Government: The Terran Empire is divided into 10 provinces, each ruled by a provincial governor appointed by the Emperor and advised by an elected council of fifty preceptors. Each province is divided into 5 prefects, which are in turn ruled by governor appointed precentor, and advised by elected precepts. Each prefect elects a senior and junior senator to the Imperial Senate. The elected bodies are tasked with the development and approval of laws and policy. Every ten years, the senate selects an emperor who wields tremendous political power. The Emperor is tasked with the implementation of law and policy produced by the Senate, but cannot overrule or overturn Senate decisions. The fifty senior senators are awarded two votes each, and the fifty junior senators awarded a single vote each. The Emperor also holds a seat in the Senate, wielding a decisive fifty-one votes.
Five distinct legal classes of individuals exist within the Terran Empire. The most significant are Citizens. Citizens hold the most number of rights, including the right to vote and hold public office. Citizenship is earned after a minimum of five years Imperial service, and can only be granted after honorable discharge from the service. Civilians are individuals who are granted most rights of Citizens, excluding the right to vote or hold public office. Civilianship can be inherited by birthright, or by legal application. Slaves are individuals owned by a Citizen or Civilian and are granted most protections afforded to the previous two classes. A slave can only be purchased from himself, or his parents in the case of a minor. A slave is required to work for their owner for a specified length of time, and within legally prescribed bounds. The owner of the slave has legal obligations to provide mandated minimums of food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, and education. Members of the Imperial service are considered slaves owned by the Emperor. An alien is any individual without official Imperial standing, and has severely curtailed rights (i.e. having only the right to life, not to be tortured, not to be imprisoned for too long, etc.) A criminal is an individual convicted of a crime by Imperial courts, and still subject to the terms of punishment. A criminal has no rights.
Military: The Terran Empire fields the most powerful military in known space. Although very large, the Imperial Services are quick to adopt technological innovations, and Imperial equipment is often the cutting edge. The sheer size of the services guarantees that a wide range of technological capabilities will exist across the Empire. Imperial surplus quickly finds its way across the galaxy, and older Imperial patterns are the standard equipment for a wide range of mercenaries and smaller militaries.
The backbone of Imperial power lies in the Imperial Navy and Marines. The Imperial Navy is composed of a wide variety of ships covering all classes from patrol boats to fleet carriers, but relying most heavily upon Bulldog class heavy gun cruisers, and Pilum class combined-arms strike cruisers. The Imperial Marines are a force of 3 million light infantry rapidly deployable from orbit. The Imperial Marines are the cutting edge of the Empire, used as shock troops in invasions and as primary response units in defense. The Special Forces of the Imperial Marines are the Deep-Eyes. The Deep-Eyes are more heavily armored and armed than typical marines, and typically deploy by means of high-density gas drops.
The 40 million strong Imperial Army is largely composed of defensive garrison troops stationed throughout Imperial space. The Army also provides the heavy hitting capacity for ground combat. Army Assault units typically field heavier infantry than the Marines, but deployed in VTA transports and backed by heavily armed Thunderbirds.
Summary: The Terran Empire is an Imperial Republic that holds sway over the oldest and most developed human worlds. This grants the Empire a population base greater than any other power (fully a quarter of the total estimated human population). In addition, the Empire also possesses the most fully developed industrial and scientific capacities of any human nation. These strengths are combined with strong nationalism and spirit to form the potent Imperial Armed Services, the largest and most powerful armed forces in the known galaxy. The Terran Empire maintains control through a regimented social order, but allows for constant upward motion based upon merit. The Terran Empire is dependent on the outer worlds to supply the majority of its material needs to maintain its industrial juggernaut. The Empire is also besieged in a titanic struggle with the Covenant that requires the focus of much of its might.
Key Worlds:
Earth
Population: 5.4 Billion
Earth is the capital of the Terran Empire and the cradle of humanity. A steady departure rate for the colonies has kept Earth's population steady for several hundred years. Although virtually stripped of valuable resources, Earth maintains the most advanced industries and research facilities in human space. Earth is also home to the finest cultural exhibitions, and centers for learning in human space. The greatest human construction, the Kane band, surrounds Earth's moon with the largest collection of shipyards in known space. Earth is garrisoned by 2.5 million troops, and protected by the Imperial 1st Fleet stationed at Europa. A stargate is located at the Pluto-Charon La Grange point, and operated by the Imperial Trade Commission.
Reach
Population: 1.9 Billion
Reach is capital of the Reach province and the core world closest to the frontlines of the Covenant War. As such, Reach is of critical military importance and has become the focal point for the resistance against the Covenant. Reach is a rugged, mineral rich world with 1.01g gravity, and is located 1.1 AU from a class M star, making is slightly cooler on average than Earth. Reach is home to the second largest industrial complex in the Terran Empire and also is home to the Starfall Band, a smaller version of the Kane band built around Reach's only moon, Starfall. Reach is also home to the Imperial Services Advanced Training Facility.