The Galactic Alliance

The largest and most powerful of all of the star empires. The Galactic Alliance sits at the heart of the galaxy and was supposedly the first star empire to form during the Pre-Gap expansionist period. It is the most varied and cosmopolitan of all the star empires. Due to its control of Edras Station and the Starstone, it is recognized as the de facto center of the galaxy (despite how much that irks many of the other star empires).
The Galactic Alliance is a collection of independent governments and associations within the GA space sector, bound together for mutual protection and trade. It was formed in 99 AG by the Edras Pact in response to the Veskarium's aggression toward the comprosing systems, and has continued for more than 600 years to provide mutual protection from hostile forces, and facilitate interplanetary trade and law enforcement.
The so-called Silent War finally came to an end in 291 AG, when a vast, world-devouring entity called the Hive attacked both the Veskarium and the Galactic Alliance simultaneously. In danger of being completely overrun, the Veskarium—as the reptilians call their empire—and the Galactic Alliance signed a formal treaty that saw the Veskarium join the GA. The combined strength of the two systems was enough to force the Hive out of their region of space. Yet while the alliance put an end to active hostilities and opened both systems up to trade with one another, citizens on both sides recognized that the alliance was one of convenience and could fall apart at any moment.
Fortunately for the Galactic Alliance, not all extrasolar contact was so violent. The insectile shirrens arrived in 173 AG, bearing nothing but goodwill and quickly integrating into alliance society. Kasathas, who appeared in 240 AG on the massive worldship Idari, proved less willing to be assimilated wholesale, yet they quickly established themselves as valuable allies. Although other sentient creatures hailing from beyond the Edras system occasionally arrive, brought back by alliance explorers or homing in on Edras Station’s powerful Drift beacon, the already incredible diversity of life-forms in the system means that most such creatures can easily blend in and take up residence, provided they don’t stir up too much trouble.
Thanks to the magical Starstone at the center of Edras Station, which acts as a homing beacon for ships across the galaxy, the Galactic Alliance today is a vibrant conglomeration of systems constantly bustling with both interplanetary and interstellar trade, as well as a thousand small-scale wars of culture and economics. As a jumping-off point for expeditions into the Vast, it’s never short of ships in need of explorers daring enough to launch themselves into the black in hopes of finding riches and wonders.

Galactic Alliance Membership

All planets in a GA system are members, though not all are considered full members with voting representatives. With few exceptions, moons are considered part of their parent planet. Planets and bodies with limited civilization are considered protectorates with non-voting representatives and limited autonomy. Likewise, some non-planets have gained full member status, such as Edras Station, one of the Alliance's founding members, and the kasathan worldship Idari. Corporations and religious organizations are not full members, but many actively lobby and advocate their causes to voting members.
The Shroud is a unique exception to this restriction; the GA government granted the Shroud member status approaching that of an Alliance system in thanks to the organizations for actions when the Swarm first attacked the Galactic Alliance. Though not allowed to vote, the "corporation" is recognized as a self-governing entity, its holdings on various worlds seen as embassies and its agents largely granted diplomatic immunity within other worlds' jurisdictions.

Systems of the Galactic Alliance

The following list details a fraction of the current membership or protectorate status of entities in the Galactic Alliance. Unless otherwise noted, a system's planets, moons, and asteroids are considered an extension of the system itself.

• The Aballon System - Member
• The Castrovel System - Member
• Edras Station - Member
• The Akiton System- Member
• The Verces System- Member
• The kasathan worldship Idari - Member
• The Diaspora (Sarcesian) - Protectorate, self-governing
• The Eox System - Member
• The Triaxus System - Member
• The Veskarium - Member
• The Liavara System - Protectorate, administered exclusively by Bretheda
• The Arkanen System - Member
• The Osoro System - Member
• The Nchak System - Protectorate, independent of Bretheda
• The Bretheda System - Member
• The Kalo-Mahoi System - Member
• The Marata System - Protectorate, independent of Bretheda
• The Apostae System - Member
• The Aucturn System - Protectorate, self-governed by Carsai the King
• The Shroud - Recognized as self-governing entity

Government

Each system in the Alliance retains its own independent government, making the Alliance Worlds a confederation rather than a fully unified government.

Alliance Council

The Alliance Council, based in the Plenara on Edras Station, is a representative council of delegates allocated proportionally by each member's sentient population. The council directly votes on most issues. The Directorate, a body of five elected delegates with 2-year terms and the Director-General of the Wardens as an indefinite-termed sixth member, decides issues that the council is unable to rule upon due to legislative deadlock.

Powers and Enforcement

The Alliance grants some rights universally to sentient beings, and additional rights to citizens of the Alliance Worlds, but other matters of law are left to its members to manage. The Alliance's members ultimately retain their sovereignty.

Trade

The Alliance regulates trade between worlds.

Defense

The Alliance mandates mutual defense of the Alliance Worlds against threats from outside of the sector.

Law Enforcement

Interplanetary Alliance Worlds policies are enforced by the Wardens, who also serve as diplomats between the member governments. Local laws are enforced by governments in member systems.

Extra-Sector Protectorates

The government claims no authority over worlds outside of the Galactic Alliance sector, unless they request it and are granted protectorate status by the members.

Demography and Population

Systems: ~500
Habitable Planets: ~1,600
Total Population: ~4.8 Trillion

Founding Date

99 AG

Type

Political, Confederation

Capital

Edras Station

Alternative Names

The Alliance

Ruling Organization

Alliance Council

Government System

Democracy, Representative

Power Structure

Confederation

Economic System

Mixed economy

Currency

Alliance Credits

Location

The Galactic Alliance

Controlled Territories

• Edras Station

Neighboring Nations

• The Dominion of Gobble
• The Imperium
• The Ora'Shix Reaches
• The Sarraruki Star Empire
• The Smoldering Expanse

Organization Vehicles

• GSV Sanctum