Background
The Terran State Authority is a stratocratic government that rules over the human homeworld of Terra. The government utilises a military leadership to both govern and police the planet’s inhabitants. This military leadership also, as expected, acts as the planet’s defence force against threats both internal and external. This leadership was originally established in the late 2500s during the first Galactic Systems Union where it extended to all planets in the GSU. It survived through the Union’s rebranding into the Terran Empire and its subsequent dissolution.
Thereafter, the stratocracy was limited to just Terra and her colonies, which for a time, included the planet Outreach. Now with the formation of the second Galactic Systems Union, the TSA remains a Terra-only government, with the Terran leadership only taking charge of the GSU in times of war.
Military Leadership
On Terra, being a commissioned officer automatically confers a degree of governmental authority, however this is conditional upon several factors. Not every CO is given this authority, and not every authority-holding CO is given the same responsibility. The factors which influence these conditions are dependent on the location that the CO is stationed at, as well as competence.
As an example, while in the United States, a Brigadier would hold authority over their own State, but because not every country has states, in somewhere like the United Kingdom, the Brigadier would instead act as second-in-command to Generals, who themselves hold country-wide authority.
Furthermore, it is expected and common for multiple individuals to hold a CO rank in one particular location. As an example, a Captain holds authority over a company (up to 200 soldiers) and in government affairs, a city. Lieutenants are their direct subordinates who command their own platoons (30 soldiers) as well as their own boroughs/towns/districts.
The obvious issue here would be that not all cities are the same size, and some larger ones are going to be made of so many boroughs/towns/districts that the number of Lieutenants, and in effect the total number of men they all command, will far exceed the amount that defines a company, which would be well above a Captain’s purview. In such cases, several Captains are placed in charge of a single city, with an equal division in both military and government authority. This example can also be applied to other COs in similar situations.
About the GSU and its Military Branches
With the reformation of the GSU, all military personnel officially fall under the command of the wider, multi-system GSU leadership. For this reason, the GSU personnel who are born on Terra, who hold CO ranks, are the only ones who are eligible for government authority, unless a non-native is issued with a dispensation as per the decision of the TSA Council. In addition to this, with the existence of the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy and Maritime Navy branches, governmental authority is predominantly held by Army and Navy COs whereas all the other branches hold these roles in a supplementary capacity.
Civil Affairs Department
While the stratocratic leadership effectively means that authority is held by Military COs, their governance is supported by the Civil Affairs Department who keep these officers informed of the conditions and issues of their respective areas. This information can include elements such as employment rate, poverty, healthcare, crime rates, etc. The CAD is given the permission to commune and discuss these issues independent of their military commanders, however any motion to enact a new legislation, law or scheme must be approved by their COs first.
Terran Police Force
See: TPF Equipment
The Terran Police Force (TPF) is a military branch in of itself. Candidates are either recruited from existing branches or civilian applicants, and are specially trained to carry out the unique tasks and duties as required of TPF units. This includes firearms and combat training, urban navigation, legislative education, investigative skills, and a very strong vetting process to ensure no corruption is present in the force. As a result, the very few cops who do turn out to be corrupt are punished severely.
The TPF is considered the most militant and brutal police force in the sector, exercising the law with an iron fist, and deadly efficiency with authority granted to them by the TSA itself. It is not uncommon for civilians to witness on-the-spot executions, the severe beating of criminals on the streets, and arrests made over the smallest infractions. While many protests have taken place over the years to either lessen the TPF’s scope of power or disband it entirely, these have been entirely unsuccessful.
If a positive impact is to be gleaned from the force’s existence, it is the near-complete eradication of petty and organised crime on the streets of Terra.
Jurisdictions of Military Officers
The following ranks are army and navy respectively. As mentioned before, governmental authority is predominantly given to these two branches with the others acting in a more supplementary capacity to equivalent ranks.
Lieutenant/Ensign: District/Town/Borough-Wide Leadership.
Captain/Lieutenant: City-Wide Leadership.
Colonel/Commander: County-Wide Leadership.
Brigadier/Captain: State-Wide Leadership OR Second-in-Command to
General/Admiral: Country-Wide Authority.
CAD Ranks
Second Secretaries, while the lowest in rank, can still have those working lower than them in jobs which are created on a per-need basis.
Second Secretary of the CAD: Overall city-wide matters.
First Secretary of the CAD: Overall country-wide matters.
Secretary of State of CAD: Overall state-wide matters.
Vice Secretary of the CAD: Overall country-wide matters.
TSA Council
Lord Orson Marcellus
Unnamed Army Field Marshal
Unnamed Five Star General of the Air Force
Unnamed Maritime Navy Fleet Admiral
Unnamed Chief Secretaries of the European, American, South Asian, East Asian, Australian, North African, East African, West African, Southern African and Russian CAD.
