The Planetary League Interstellar Navy (PLIN)

The interstellar navy is the main military force of the Planetary League, responding to crises large and small across the galaxy.

History

Founded with the Treaty of Kepler in GSC 0, the PLIN was set up as the common defense force for all Planetary League member-worlds, and fought in basically every major engagement in Planetary League history. From the Convergence Wars, to the Robot Wars to the desperate times of the Great Reckoning, the PLIN was there to defend the Planetary League.

After the end of the First Robot War, there was a general consensus among the human population that a common defense was needed to protect humans as they spread across space. This led to the formation of the Planetary League and the PLIN with the Treaty of Kepler. PLIN vessels started accompanying the exploration and colony vessels carrying the first humans to nearby stars. Major shipyards were set up in various locations, as were fortified space stations. The ground and orbital defense of inhabited planets was generally left up to local planetary defense forces, while the navy patrolled the vast regions of space between the planets and stars.

Initially the mission of the PLIN was to be a completely defensive force, but after the founding of the Alien Assistance Agency (PLAAA), they often found themselves also helping non Planetary League members on the request of the agency. As time went on and the corporate states grew in influence, corruption started to take hold in the Planetary League, and the PLIN started to be used to “defend” various economic interests as well.

In the Great Reckoning, as the Planetary League fell, the PLIN fought a desperate defense against the growing Holy Empire of Man, but to no avail. The scattered remnants either fled to join the new Galactic Republic, went underground as resistance fighters, or joined the empire.

Ship Designations

All ships that fly the colors of the Planetary League are designated P.L.S. (Planetary League Ship). Each is also assigned a serial number which consists of a block of three letters, followed by up to 6 digits, followed by up to six Unicode characters.

The first block of letters designate the ship’s means of propulsion.

The first letter designates relativistic (normal space) propulsion, the most common types are as follows: “I” for ion, “H” for metallic hydrogen, “S” for solar sail, “C” for chemical rocket and “N” for nuclear rocket.

The second letter designates the ship’s spatial compression (hyperdrive) type. The most common types are “C” for Casimir stack, “L” for laser, and “T” for tesseract

The third letter is always “S” for ship.

The second block of digits represents the basic hull design/ class.

The third block of characters designates a specific vessel.

Small Craft

The A-550 Thunderhawk was an iconic design, and one of the most powerful attack craft in the galaxy during the prime era-1.

The Aurora Shuttle was one of the most ubiquitous shuttle designs in the time of the Planetary League, and was extensively used by the PLIN.

Divisions

The Planetary League Marines are one of the main subdivisions within the Navy. Their role is twofold, to board hostile spacecraft, and to make landing assaults on planets.

These paper-craft cutouts of PLIN Marines are suitable to 25mm-scale games / 1” grids.

The Department of Artificial Justice (DAJ)

History

The Department of Artificial Justice was originally founded under the United Nations during the First Robot War as a law enforcement agency focused on the crimes of robots and AIs, before the founding of the Planetary League. In the early days of that war, in GSC -19, before the UN realized the true nature of the situation, it appeared to be a crime-wave perpetrated by artificial agents. At that phase of the conflict, a cadre of the most elite digital forensics, cyber-law, and computer science experts was called together to found a new agency to curb this threat. The DAJ did play an important role in the First Robot War, but not a decisive one.

When the Treaty of Kepler was signed the department was transferred directly to the new Planetary League where it continued its mission under a new governing body.

During the buildup to the Second Robot War, the DAJ sent a large contingent to Takara Prime where the local population had been decimated by the robots they had constructed to wage war on one another. Even though the planet was not under Planetary League jurisdiction, the Alien Assistance Agency requested the presence and assistance of DAJ operatives to deal with the robotic threat.

Over the years the DAJ developed some of the most advanced anti-robot tactics and weaponry, and was a frequent target of attacks by the Engine of Negation, and other bands of renegade robots.

Organization

The DAJ is a law enforcement agency, and is structured as such. The lowest level members are known as agents. The highest ranks whose primary duty is non-administrative is inspector, and the majority of inspectors in the DAJ are encephaloids, the first generations of whom were engineered to face the threats of the First Robot War.

The Planetary League Alien Assistance Agency (PLAAA)

History

Founded in GSC 139 with the passage of the Alien Assistance Act, the Alien Assistance Agency (PLAAA) was the outreach arm of the Planetary League to alien civilizations, especially those undergoing any kind of humanitarian crisis.

Their first major effort was to help the Dogarri during and after the first Convergence War. Many Dogarri civilians suffered the depredations of the Convergence, and many others desired to either join the Planetary League or to re-settle off of their home-world, a frozen planet drifting through interstellar space without the warmth of a star.

In the years between first contact with the takarrans and the start of the Second Robot War, the PLAAA helped evacuate remaining populations of both the Ki’tak and the Lu’tak from Takara Prime. The PLAAA was an important part of the Planetary League throughout its history.

Functions and Functionaries

The PLAA was a diverse organization capable of meeting any number of needs that presented themselves. Over the years the PLAAA fed the hungry, negotiated peace treaties, evacuated refugees, and secured Planetary League citizenship for aliens.

Operatives included diplomats, linguists, biologists, doctors, agricultural specialists, engineers, economists, lawyers, and even a small security force. It was not uncommon for members of species that had been helped by the PLAAA to join the agency as an act of gratitude.

The PLAAA regularly coordinated with other agencies of the Planetary League. In cases where military force was deemed appropriate, the Planetary League Interstellar Navy (PLIN) was typically called up. In the event that some scientific enigma was involved, often the Planetary League Astrophysical Survey (PLAS) would assist.

The Alien Assistance Act of GSC 139

In GSC 139, the First Convergence War had been raging for seven years, and explorers from the Planetary League had recently discovered some possible allies on Dogur-dann, but officially the non-interference doctrine forbid direct interaction with alien cultures without space travel capabilities. 

The Planetary Senate took action by passing the Alien Assistance Act.  The act had two main provisions, it partially repealed the non-interference doctrine for emergency situations, and it founded the Alien Assistance Agency.

The act allowed the Planetary League to officially step in to help aliens deemed to be in need of assistance.  The Dogarri were stranded on a rogue planet that had been flung away from its star, and were under attack by the Convergence, but later, this provision would be stretched to include a wide range of situations.

The Alien Assistance Agency was a specialized team set up with diplomats, exobiologists, linguists, and explorers to make first contact in emergency situations. offering assistance to aliens in need.  The agency often traded advanced technology for trade deals, diplomatic relations, and frequently accepted new members into the Planetary League.

The Yatagarasu

History

The Yatagarasu ( 八咫烏 ,"the Star Crows", or just "the Yata" for short ) was founded during the height of the Great Reckoning, around YE 100, early in Era-2.  It was named after the three-legged crow.  As the Planetary League fell, and the economy of much of the galaxy slid from abundance to scarcity, various groups stepped in to fill the demand for goods and services.  Since the Holy Empire of Man was both uninterested and often incapable of providing for the material needs of most of its subjects, the Yatagarasu formed as a loose coalition of scavengers, salvage operators, black-marketeers, and various other outsiders and outcasts.  There is some historical evidence that the Tardigrades had a hand in founding the organization, and as time went on their involvement only became more apparent.  Tardigrades could typically be found among the upper echelons of most Star Crow clans, often serving as advisors and enforcers for clan leaders.  Clan Tardigrade was even founded on the preexisting organizational structure of the Tardigrades.

The Yatagarasu was founded mainly by scavengers and salvage operators, and since war was the single most wasteful activity during Era-2, wherever the imperial war machine went, the Yatagarasu would follow.  In addition to salvage operations, after battles, the Yatagarasu would often offer assistance to survivors, and many a war-orphan joined their ranks.  For the most part, the Holy Empire of Man tolerated the Yatagarasu's presence, as they tended to clean up the empire's messes.  When things went badly for the empire; however, the Yatagarasu would often get blamed due to their associations with the black market, rebels, outcasts, and criminals.

Over time, organized crime and mercenaries joined the ranks of the Yatagarasu, helping to create the clan system and the New Ducat, a currency that came to be widely accepted.  As the Yatagarasu prospered, a network of supply chains and retail outlets developed as well.  The retail operations were usually pawn shops or second-hand stores selling refurbished items from salvage and scavenging activities.  The Yatagarasu even possessed a number of permanent space colonies, and occasionally claimed planets with low strategic or economic value (less chance of retaliation from the major powers).

During the War of Galactic Unification, the Yatagarasu frequently aided the nascent Galactic Republic in many ways with logistics, personnel, and even ships.  After the War, the Yatagarasu formally became part of the Galactic Republic.

Code of Honor

Early on, the Yatagarasu developed an informal code of honor that was upheld as a quasi-legal system.  Most of the clans were based around large ships or space habitats, so the captains of those ships were the primary enforcers of the code, as well as the leaders of the clans.  Even if a violation of the code took place away from the ship, if the captain found out, usually some punishment would result.  The Star Crows took their honor quite seriously, as it was often their primary possession in a time of scarce resources.

The code of honor was cobbled together from odd bits of law, codes from various criminal organizations, and the customs of a number of different cultures.  No two clans had quite the same code, but some things were universal.  Among the rules all the clans respected were the laws of shipboard combat originally instituted by the Planetary League.  The Planetary League legal system served as the base for much of the Yatagarasu code. 

Conflict between the clans was not uncommon, often centering on territory or resources.  Since they included a substantial criminal element, this often resulted in open combat between clans.  Even so, battle between clans almost always conformed to the code of honor.  Frequently, this would result in a duel of honor between rivals (often resolved by combat to the death).  More often than not, the weapons for such a duel were battleoids.  If one of these conflicts became too large or damaging, the clan leaders most closely affected by the conflict would call a conference to resolve the dispute.

The Yatagarasu, generally, was open to all species, cultures, and religions, making it an important refuge for a number of groups oppressed by the Holy Empire of Man. Not all clans were accepting of all comers. Often, local cultures or religions would hold sway with the majority of a clan’s leadership, informing the selection of new members.

Since the authorities frequently cracked down on them, the Yatagarasu used a number of passwords, secret handshakes and other signs to identify one another.  Smuggling, spying, and secrecy were common vocations among the ranks of the Star Crows.

Economy

During the War of the Empires, the Yata started minting its own currency.  The New Ducat was typically worth about 10 imperial credits, and played an important role in the galaxy's informal economy.

The Yatagarasu operated a large number of businesses of various types, although their associations were typically not publicly advertised.  They were also involved with smuggling, the black market and the informal economy.

Clans

There were two tiers of Clans in the Yatagarasu, inner clans and outer clans.  The leaders of the inner clans formed an informal leadership council that acted as a governing body.

The clans were large organizations that spread out over extensive territories. On the local level, the clan centered around a Honcho, a council of respected members who led the local groups.

The Eight Inner Clans:

1) Clan Crow (the founding clan)

2) Clan Rat (often seen as the brains of the Yatagarasu)

3) Clan Trash Panda (specialized in scavenging)

4) Clan Magpie (seek out rare items and knowledge)

5) Clan Tardigrade (specialized in endurance)

6) Clan Fly (swift and agile)

7) Clan Packrat (they hoarded treasures and secrets)

8) Clan Cat (mysterious masters of theft and espionage)

Some notable outer Yatagarasu clans:

The Broken Hand was a Jovian crime family that joined the Yatagarasu after the Great Reckoning.

Yatagarasu Ships:

Catfish Charlie was a clan of scavengers based aboard a ship of the same name.

The Rat-king was a unique salvage ship cobbled together from other ships, and the flagship of Clan Rat.

Bases

As the Planetary League fell apart, some of its top scientists joined the Tardigrades and other groups that would form the base of the Yatagarasu. Among these were the inventors of the stellar barrier shield, the strongest shield technology in the galaxy. Using these advanced shields, the Yatagarasu were able to construct “Crow’s Nest” bases that orbited within the outer convective layers of stars. This proved to be both a highly defensible position and excellent camouflage, as the roiling stellar plasma enveloping the base foiled most attempts at detection. These bases were also able to harvest and store truly vast amounts of energy from the enveloping star. The disadvantage, of course, was that these bases could only be visited by ships with a stellar barrier field of their own, and these proved to be bulky, heavy, and expensive, limiting the relative utility of the Crows Nests.

The Planetary League Astrophysical Survey (PLAS)

History

The Planetary League Astrophysical Survey was founded in GSC 3, as the Planetary League was setting up to fully explore and inhabit the Solar system.  The PLAS continued to explore and discover throughout the history of the Planetary League, with most of the remnants joining the Galactic Republic after the Great Reckoning.

Organization

The PLAS performed three basic types of mission:

• Scout Missions generally consisted of a lone explorer in a fully automated ship, assisted by a crew of robots and an array of probes, exploring uncharted space.

• Survey Missions had a small crew, usually 5-10 explorers including a handful of experts in different fields. Surveys would go into areas already explored by scouts in order to collect more detailed information, and possibly return some samples.

• Expeditions were large missions, undertaken on capitol-sized ships with a crew of hundreds or thousands to do thorough, detailed study. Expeditions would often set up outposts in the areas they were studying, and frequently, a contingent of Tardigrades would go along to set up an outpost if the area showed potential for future development.

The PLAS was divided into five main branches, and with the exception of scouting missions, each mission would have at least one representative of each branch. The branches were (in descending order of power and prestige) Command, Tactical, Science, Operations and Logistics.

Command

The Command branch was ultimately responsible for the success of each mission, giving orders and coordinating the activities of the other branches.  Because the PLAS was nominally a civilian agency, the command branch had an abbreviated set of ranks, consisting of only these nine: Cadet, Ensign, Lieutenant, Lieutenant-Commander, Commander, Captain, Commodore, Vice-Admiral, and Admiral.  Most missions consisted of a single ship, so officers above the rank of Captain rarely saw any field duty.  Occasionally a particularly large expedition with multiple ships would be led by a Commodore.

The chest, arms and holsters on the Command uniform were made of a smart fabric that would continually animate the star field to gradually shift over time. The right holster was typically used for a sidearm, while the left was generally used as pocket space for personal effects. The armbands contained versatile computer interfaces.

Tactical

The Tactical branch was responsible for defending the mission from threats and enemies both external and internal.  From fighting battles with hostile alien forces, to throwing unruly crew-members in the brig, the Tactical branch protected the PLAS and its mission.  The Tactical branch, like the Command branch, had an abbreviated rank structure, consisting of nine ranks: Private, Corporal, Sergeant, Master-Sergeant, Lieutenant, Major, Colonel, Brigadier-General, and General.  Because the PLAS rarely sent expeditions of more than one ship, Tactical officers above the rank of Major were only rarely deployed.

The holsters on the Tactical uniform were used for sidearms and other tactical equipment. The entire uniform was made from a nano-engineered cloth that could harden on impact into fairly sturdy armor. The armbands were made of laminated plastanium, and were connected to a dedicated command and control network.

Science

The Science branch was responsible for the primary mission of the PLAS, to explore and discover the galaxy and its inhabitants.  Scientists of nearly every discipline joined the PLAS in order to advance their fields, and their service was frequently rewarded, as the PLAS continually discovered new planets, life-forms, and even civilizations.

The arms and chest of the Science uniform contained a sophisticated electronic interface that could be used to connect the scientist's implanted neural interface to external sensors and equipment. The armbands contained sensors and data recorders, and the uniform's holsters were often converted to function as sample containers.

Operations

The Operations branch was responsible for engineering, maintenance, and generally keeping things running.  In addition to engineering and maintenance, Operations also covered a number of other routine tasks, such as operating life support systems, hydroponics, cooking, and cleaning.  Most medical staff (Nurses, Orderlies, and M.D.s) were considered part of the operations branch.

The arms and chest of the Operations uniform were made of an attractive, sparkly gold fabric engineered to repel dirt and stains. The holsters were generally used for personal effects, or the storage of small hand-tools, these would often be augmented with an external tool-belt for maintenance or engineering work. The armbands contained limited computer interfaces, one for personal use, and another for work assignments.

Logistics

The Logistics branch was responsible for keeping the mission supplied.  Logistics personnel spent much of their time controlling the flow of supplies, making deliveries, and taking inventory.  Very few life-forms served in this branch, as most of the work was typically done by robots.

The arms and chest of the Logistics uniform were green. The armbands contained a tracking device as well as a limited computer interface that could give work assignments. The holsters were used for storing manifests or small parcels.

Scouts

Scouts were technically part of the Command branch, but because they explored alone, were expected to have some training and experience in the duties of all the branches.  Since they worked alone, scouts were utterly dependent on robots and AI to take care of their needs, and knowledge in these areas was considered vital to the scout's mission.

Rex Warburton, space scout. The Scout uniform was the most versatile and capable of any in the PLAS, containing numerous technologies to aid the scouts in their missions.

Notable Explorers

• Ichigo Berwynne was a scout, he discovered Berwynne's Rift, and the Berwynne system at the other end. After this discovery, he retired from the PLAS to become governor of the Planetary League colony on Berwynne's Reach.

• Zoe Bonnard was a flamboyant and prolific explorer. She rose up the ranks quickly, starting as a scout, and eventually leading many successful expedition missions. Discovered Bonnard's World, Shoji, and Bonnard's End, among many others.

Print this image for paper figures suitable for use as game pieces.

The Planetary League

Cultural Outline

Architecture

Many different styles of architecture can be found in the Planetary League, as it is a richly multicultural society.  Many buildings do incorporate some form of renewable energy generation, as a clean environment is one of the unifying values of the League.  Official buildings tend to have clean lines and rounded corners, with neutral colors and large windows.

Art and Literature

Being an open and multicultural society, the Planetary League supports a wide variety of different art styles.  Atemporality has taken hold in a big way, and various subcultures take on the styles of different historical periods.  Public works of art emphasize the values of humanism and community.  

The Blessed

As biotechnology advanced, people started using it to augment themselves.  At first illegal, the use of DNA manipulation on developing human embryos gradually became widespread within the core worlds of the Planetary League.  Over time a set of standard augmentations developed so that all those who could afford it started life with certain advantages over normal humans.  Those who were augmented in this way became known as "The Blessed", and those who were not were known as "Norms", or by other, more derogatory terms.  The Blessed did not suffer from genetic diseases, had lean, efficient bodies, perfect eyesight, and a number of other small advantages that made their lives better.

Calendar

The Galactic Standard Calendar (GSC) starts with year 0 denoting the signing of the Treaty of Kepler, which officially founded the Planetary League.  The calendar has 365 days per year, but no months, as most planets do not have a single, large moon, like Earth. Every fourth year, a holiday is added to the beginning of the year.

 The day is called "The Olympiad", and is a celebration of the collective achievements of humanity (before first contact, later it became a celebration of the achievements of the Planetary League).

 Dates are represented in the format YEAR.DAY  for example 153.204 is the 204th day of the year 153. The first day of the year is day 1, except in years with an Olympiad, where the Olympiad is day 0. 

Clothing and Fashion

Civilians wear all different modes of clothing.  Fashion is ever-changing, and different cultural groups have their own ideas of what is fashionable.  Wearable technology has come into its own, and most garments generally incorporate some complex functionality beyond being clothing.  Government officials (for example the crews of star-ships) wear simple, utilitarian jumpsuits color-coded by job.

Core and frontier worlds

The Planetary League, throughout its history could be divided between the core worlds, and the frontier.  The core was wealthy and high-tech, while the frontier was wild and untamed.  Core-world residents lived longer, had access to the latest advances in technology, and generally lived in luxury.  Meanwhile, those on the frontier may have had more exciting lives, they were certainly shorter, and less pleasant.  This division amounted to a low-level conflict that never reached a full boil, but was constantly simmering throughout Era-1.  This conflict was one of many factors that led to the fall of the Planetary League in the Great Reckoning.

Currency

The currency of the Planetary League is the Dollar, which breaks down into 10 smaller units, known as Credits.  Most banking is electronic, but physical currency is used as well.  There are 1, and 5 -Credit coins, as well as 1, 5, and 10- Dollar coins.  Bills are worth 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 Dollars.

Galaxy Net

Galaxy net was the largest computer network in the galaxy during Era-1, mainly growing along side the Planetary League, but also connecting to various other states and non-state regions near the Planetary League.

Language

A wide array of languages are used in the Planetary League.  English is the most popular, and is used in most official government communications and documents.

  Some of the major languages tend to take on roles relative to different contexts:  English is commonly used in government and commerce.  Japanese is often used in popular culture, and as a "courtesy language".  Spanish is often used in sports and entertainment.  German and Russian are frequently employed in engineering contexts.  French and Italian are often used in the context of art and style.  Various alien languages proliferate as well.  New languages also emerge over time.  Luckily, computer translation software continues to advance as well.

Religion

The Planetary League is officially secular, but its citizens have a large number of different religions and philosophies.  Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism  continue their popularity, and are collectively known as "the old traditions". Belief systems from alien planets start to enter the mix as well, and various new religions and philosophies spring up as time goes by. Overall, though, religion is generally considered to be a private matter, and doesn’t enter much into public discourse. Publicly, most citizens of the Planetary League tend not to discuss religious belief.

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The Planetary League

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History

The Planetary League was the successor organization to the United Nations, founded in the year 2***, by the Treaty of Kepler.  The founding members of the Planetary League were Earth, Mars Venus and the Moon.  The Planetary League was a democratic body representing most of the inhabitants of human-dominated space, including hundreds of alien species encountered during the diaspora.  Even some of the more complex robots were allowed a limited form of citizenship.

In its earliest form, the Planetary League was a loose federation of nearly independent colonies.  This was a technical necessity because the vast distances between planets and star systems took a prohibitively long time to traverse or even to communicate across.  This changed in GSC 135 when scientists in the Planetary League unlocked the secret of spatial compression technology.   After that point, a stronger central government was formed, and each of the original colonies held a referendum on the new government.  Most opted to remain in the Planetary League, but there were also many that left.

The Planetary League quickly became the most technically advanced nation in the galaxy, and its citizens enjoyed one of the highest standards of living.  The Planetary League was an inherently open society dedicated to exploring the universe, learning its secrets, and peacefully co-existing with the other life forms it encountered.

After the government was fully formed, the Planetary League was governed by a President, a unicameral Senate consisting of delegations of three representatives plus some additional number based on population from each member planet, and a supreme court which consisted of fifteen judges, five of whom were randomly selected to hear each case.

Throughout Era-1, the Planetary League encountered various life-forms and cultures, including the states that broke away from the Empire of 1,000,000 Suns.  The Planetary League started out with a policy of leaving planets with intelligent life alone to develop on their own.  This was known as the non-interference doctrine.  During the First Convergence War, the Alien Assistance Act was passed, allowing the League to help aliens in need, and creating the Alien Assistance Agency.  Many of these planets peacefully joined the Planetary League, while many others remained independent.  Wars were rare, and tended to be small in scale.

The Planetary League started as a very idealistic, forward-looking institution, but as time went by, it gradually compromised its original principles.  As Era-1 reached its midpoint, the Planetary League started to become corrupt.  Monied interests and lobbying groups slowly amassed power behind the scenes, and public officials gradually gave in to  temptation and bribery.  By the end of Era-1, the Planetary League was barely recognizable as the institution that it started out as.

When the Planetary League finally made contact with the E1MS in GSC 938, it was partially this corruption, (in addition to the perceived menace of an enormous alien empire), that the people reacted against when the Holy Empire of Man rose up in the Great Reckoning.  That war was fairly brief, since long years of peace had left the Planetary League unprepared to face a well-armed enemy intent on its destruction.

The broken remnants of the Planetary League fled to the outer rim of the galaxy, where they formed the original basis of the Galactic Republic.

Planetary League Organizations

The Department of Artificial Justice (DAJ) was a law-enforcement agency centered on the crimes of robots and AI.

The Planetary League Alien Assistance Agency (PLAAA) is the Planetary League’s outreach arm to alien civilizations, especially those undergoing any kind of humanitarian crisis.

The Planetary League Astrophysical Survey (PLAS) is the organization responsible for scouting and exploration of unknown regions and worlds.

The Planetary League Interstellar Navy (PLIN) is the Planetary League’s main military force.

The Tardigrades are dedicated to search and rescue, as well as disaster recovery.

Cultural Outline