Elysian Security Organization
We may be a small nation, but we've got one hell of a bite, so don't think less of me just because I don't come from around here.
The Elysian Security Organization, also called the Elysian Star Alliance and often abbreviated to ESO, is a intergovernmental military and economic alliance between five inhabited class IV planets located throughout Elysium. While it isn't officially a nation in and of itself, many refer to ESO as such due to the close relationship between the five planetary systems under its jurisdiction. These states are often referred to as "rogue" colonies of the Federation, as most if not all of its population comes from Vagari nomad fleets that exiled themselves during the Great Exodus of 223.
Established on August 20th, 276, ESO's goal is to maintain the peace between its five member states and the two superpowers of Vesta and Enodia. ESO is a system of collective security: its independent member states agree to defend each other against attacks by third parties. The alliance counts around 160 thousand active personnel and, while severely outmatched by either Vesta or Enodia, maintains a significant second-strike capability through the use of stealth kinetic bombardment weapons. ESO service members are known to be overly paranoid when it comes to either Vestan or Enodian involvement, and relations between ESO and Vesta have remained sour for decades.
History
The Elysian Security Organization is a relatively recent organization whose origins can be retraced as early as the post-war era that succeeded the Interstellar War. During this time, also referred to as The Great Exodus, many political groups and fringe communities sought to distantiate themselves from the nascent Vestan Federation. These grew into the Non-Aligned Nomad Fleets and became the Vagari that we know today. At first, these fleets were very rare, but as these became more and more successful, more and more of them were launched.
Life in the nomad fleets was far from easy however, and so numerous fleets decided to settle down on the uninhabited class IV planets of the Harmony, Cabot, Magellan, Zheng and Vespucci systems, which were catalogued but never colonized after the war. Life on these planets was harsh, but far more hospitable than on the nomad fleets. Many other fleets joined these rogue colonies, eventually giving birth to a collective defense alliance in 276: the Elysian Security Organization.
Si vis pacem, para bellum
If you want peace, prepare for war
Headquarters
Harmony Central
Official language
English
Demonym
Elysian
Government
Elysian Security Council
Secretary General: Alexander Koch
Legislature
Unknown
Establishment
276
Population
40 732 543 (382 est.)
Economy
Nominal GDP: 6 trillion PLV (382 est.)
Currency
Platinium Vestals (PLV)
As its size was dwarfed by the Federation and the Ascendancy, ESO invested heavily in the development of stealth kinetic bombardment weapon platforms, a cheap but effective way of preventing any attack. This was ill-received by both the Federation and the Ascendancy, starting a new arms race between these platforms and the means to defeat them. This race slowed down after numerous rounds of diplomatic negotiations took places in the 320s, after which the tensions cooled down and, while ESO remains wary of both nations, relations slowly improved. This is especially the case between ESO and the Ascendancy, as numerous trade routes and joint exercises are taking place regularly. While the Federation also attempts to improve its relations with ESO, the results are far less effective, and only some trade and other events take place between both nations.
Structure
The Elysian Security Organization is a military and economic alliance made of both civilian and military components to maintain its integrity. These have limited authority over all five members of ESO and primarily serve as a coordination tool in case of an attack. All civilian matters that do not pertain to ESO's jurisdiction are handled by the member states directly without any intervention from ESO. The organization structure of ESO is as follow:
Civilian Institutions
Elysian Security Council: The ESC is the body which has effective governance authority and powers of decision in ESO, consisting of member states' permanent representatives or representatives at higher level (ministers of foreign affairs or defence, or heads of state or government). The ESC convenes at least once a week and takes major decisions regarding ESO's policies. The meetings of the Elysian Security Council are chaired by the secretary general and, when decisions have to be made, action is agreed upon by consensus. There is no voting or decision by majority. Each state represented at the Council table or on any of its subordinate committees retains complete sovereignty and responsibility for its own decisions.
Military Institutions
Mutual Defense Comitee: The MDC is the top of the military chain of command of ESO and its member states. Comprised of the Chiefs of Defense of all five member states, the MDC advises the ESC on military policies, strategies and decisions.
Culture
The people of ESO value their freedom above all else have have very little constraints in their lives. This also means that a lot of actions others would consider illegal or unethical are permitted within ESO, which severely limits tourism and emigration. The Elysians care little about the opinion of others and instead prefer to remain within their own communities.
Demography and Population
The global census of 382 estimated the total population of ESO to 40 732 543, making it the least populated dominant power in Elysium. With a fast and steady population growth of 1,89% each year, it is expected to reach 60 millions in the 400s and to stabilize at 150 millions in the 450s. The current population is primarily located in urban areas, as most of the land within ESO is not suitable for small settlements. At the end of 382, ESO's five states were populated as follows:
- Harmony: 9 372 558
- Zheng: 8 606 786
- Cabot: 8 028 384
- Vespucci: 7 523 301
- Magellan: 7 201 514
Territories
Despite its small population, ESO stretches over more than 1 billion square kilometers of land, most of it remaining unexplored or uninhabited to this day. All of this territory is divided into five states spread between five solar systems, making it the second largest nation in Elysium after the Federation. Each member state maintains sovereignty over its entire solar system, even if it does not have the capability to do so. These five states are as follow:
Harmony
Harmony is the largest state of ESO as well as its de-facto capital, where its main headquarters are located. Its main planet is a harsh cold world where water can be found as ice, leading to cities being built underground to exploit geothermal veins for heating and energy generation.
Vespucci
Vespucci is the second most populated state in ESO and for good reasons. The major issues found with its main planet is hostile wildlife and toxic atmosphere, leading to cities being built under domes and other atmospheric control techniques to make some sectors suitable for human life.
Zheng
Zheng is an industrial powerhouse for ESO, and while it cannot compare to Vesta or Enodia, its output remains the largest of ESO. Its main planet is an arid world with an unbreathable atmosphere and underground water sources but no other hazards for human life.
Magellan
Magellan is the agricultural heart of ESO thanks to widely available arable lands. The main planet of the system is a tidally locked world where most usable land is a temperate region stuck between a hot desert and cold tundra.
Cabot
Cabot is the smallest state of ESO and does not have any particular features beyond the fact that, like Enodia, its main planet is a moon.
Military
ESo's military power is insignificant in comparison with that of the Federation or the Ascendancy, but instead focuses its efforts on maintaining and upgrading its arsenal of strategic kinetic bombardment weapons. These weapons are rumored to be undetectable until the end and have been the subject of many discussions between ESO, the Federation and the Ascendancy. Some even speculate that these weapons do not even exist and that the money is simply being embezzled.
Technological level
ESO maintains some technologies that are more advanced that the Federation due to the harsher living conditions, but is otherwise fairly similar. Some Enodian influence has started to permeate into the ESO Research and Development department, but such results have yet to be formalized.
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