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Manticore

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Manticore, officially the Federal Republic of Manticore (FRM), is an independent, sovereign star system located at the entrance to the Norma-Outer Arm. The system is a quaternary star system consisting of two binary components orbiting a common barycenter approximately 5,000 AU in radius. The component binaries are the Manticore Binary, with the stars Manticore and Chimera orbiting a barycenter with a radius of 72 AU, and the Cockatrice Binary, with the stars Cockatrice and Selkie orbiting a barycenter with a radius of 65 AU. Each component is named for their brightest star. The stars are orbited by a total of twelve inhabited terrestrial planets within their habitable zones and fifteen other planetary bodies, including a large gas giant that orbits the common barycenter. The current population as of January 5024 is 18.424 billion Manticorans.

Naming

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The stars were each named for an ancient Terran beast, with the planets being named in sequence from nearest to the star to furthest from the star. While a highly unimaginative naming system, it fit the needs of the survey crews and initial settlers. Over the centuries, local names have been adopted, though official records still show the original names.

Features

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Manticore
Manticore is a G0V type main sequence star, measuring about 1.05 Solar radii and massing 1.1 Solar masses, with a luminosity of 1.26 that of Sol. Its surface temperature is roughly 5,920K, giving it a bright yellow appearance.

Manticore-A

Manticore-A, known locally as Charon, is the closest planet to Manticore and the smallest of the full planets. Given its proximity to the star, it is also the only body in the system with no human or machine presence at all, as the heat and radiation from the star would kill any human and fry any machine.

Manticore-B

Manticore-B, known locally as New Chicago, is the second planet from Manticore and the first planet in the Manticore Circumstellar Habitable Zone. It is a warm terrestrial body, with an average global temperature of 60F/15.5C. It is a wet planet, with about 80% of its surface being covered in large, deep oceans and it has only very limited and seasonal ice at its poles. It is orbited by a large, spherical satellite approximately 250,000 kilometers from the planet. The planet is dominated by wet forests and grasslands, with some deserts particularly near the polar regions. Around billion Manticorans call Manticore-B home and it is also the host of the Manticoran Supreme Court.

Manticore-C

Manticore-C, known locally as New Vienna, is the third planet from Manticore and the second planet in the Manticore CHZ. It is a moderate terrestrial body, with an average global temperature of 50F/10C. Like Manticore-B, it is a wet terrestrial, with about 70% surface water coverage. However, unlike Manticore-B, Manticore-C has large polar ice-caps and a more diverse global climate, including sizable deserts and grasslands. It is orbited by a large satellite approximately 400,000 kilometers away. About billion Manticorans live on Manticore-C and it is home to the Manticoran Parliament.

Manticore-D

Manticore-D, known locally as New Juneau is the fourth planet from Manticore and the third and final planet in the Manticore CHZ. It is a cool terrestrial body, with an average global temperature of 40F/4.4C. It is drier than both Manticore-B and Manticore-C, with about 60% surface water coverage and far more impressive ice caps. In many ways, Manticore-D is a much harsher world, with a more significant axial tilt combining with its long orbital period to create unpredictable and extreme weather patterns alongside long seasons. It is orbited by a large satellite 350,000 kilometers away. Nearly billion Manticorans live on Manticore-D and it is home to the Manticoran Executive.

Inner System Asteroid Belt

The Manticore Inner System Asteroid Belt is home to millions of asteroids, ranging from micro-meteors only a few centimeters across to the dwarf planets of Manticore-I and Manticore-II. The MISAB is also home to most of the Republic’s mining industry, with enormous asteroid recovery ships traversing the belt to collect and smelt the rocks, separating the key resource minerals.

Manticore-E

Manticore-E is the largest planet in the Manticore system. A gas giant, its enormous size is remarkably low density, due to the gaseous nature of it, with a correspondingly low gravity. It is orbited by several hundred natural satellites, many of which are exploited by mining efforts for various resources. Furthermore, the chemical content of the atmosphere has made it attractive for gas mining.

Manticore-F

Manticore-F is the second largest planet in the Manticore system and the second largest gas giant. It also possesses an intricate and unique system of rings, made up of various bits of debris. The rings, as well as the planet’s moons, are widely exploited by mining consortiums. Like Manticore-E, there are also atmospheric gas collectors in the upper atmosphere.

Manticore-G

Manticore-G is a gaseous ice giant, far enough from the light of Manticore that it is largely frozen. Like Manticore-F, it has a ring system but its rings are darker, not readily evident under visual observation. Like the other giant planets of the outer system, Manticore-G is orbited by several moons and home to several asteroid and gas mining facilities.

Manticore-H

Manticore-H is the last of the full planets of the Manticore system and, like Manticore-G, is a gaseous ice giant. While the smallest of the giant planets in the outer system, it is also the most distant and least industrialized, with a small number of mining facilities.

Chimera
Chimera is G2V type main sequence star, measuring about 1.002 Solar radii and massing 1.01 Solar masses, with a luminosity of 1.01 that of Sol. Its surface temperature is roughly 5,770K, giving it a bright yellow appearance, though slightly less bright than its companion.

Cockatrice
Cockatrice is a G1V type main sequence star, measuring about 1.07 Solar radii and massing 1.031 Solar masses, with a luminosity of 1.23 that of Sol. Its surface temperature is roughly 5,860K, giving it a bright yellow appearance.

Selkie
Selkie is a G4V type main sequence star, measuring about 0.99 Solar radii and massing 0.986 Solar masses, with a luminosity of 0.92 that of Sol. Its surface temperature is roughly 5,680K, giving it a bright yellow appearance, though it is rather less bright than its companion.

Navigation

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Manticore is served by several mass-lock beacons, mostly located in a disk along the system ecliptic, roughly 100 AU from each of the two component barycenters. Given its location in the Norma-Outer Arm, it is well positioned to facilitate trade. However, the outer system is also hazardous, as the boundary where the heliosphere contacts the interstellar medium creates fertile breeding grounds for the interstellar plankton-equivalents fed on by hyperwhales.

Sputterdrives function poorly in Manticore, due to the large number of solar and planetary mass signatures causing interference with the mass lock systems necessary for FTL travel. Instead, sublight fusion drives capable of pushing even the largest of ships to 0.08c are used.

Government

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The Republic of Manticore is a semi-presidential congressional federal republic, with elections held every five years. The Republic maintains an executive, legislative, and judicial branch, with each having clearly defined powers within a constitutionally defined system of checks and balances.

The Executive Branch is a dual executive system, with the President and Prime Minister both serving as the Executive. The President is elected popularly by the people in a ranked voting system every five years and can only be subjected to a recall election by a unanimous call in Congress. The Prime Minister, meanwhile, is elected by Congress at the same time and is generally the leader of the dominant party. However, the President can refuse to accept the Prime Minister, at which point the Congress must elect a new Prime Minister.
In general, both the President and the Prime Minister will belong to the same party, in which instances the Prime Minister largely serves to maintain order in Congress. However, under circumstances in which the President and Prime Minister come from different parties, then the President will maintain control over foreign and defense policy while domestic policy is handled by the Prime Minister. The current President is James Meyers while the Prime Minister is Wayne Miller.
The final aspect of the Executive branch is the Cabinet, made up of the heads of the various government departments. These department heads are appointed by the President but must be approved by Parliament. The current cabinet includes the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of System Security, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Industry, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Justice, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Energy, the Director of the National Intelligence Service, and the Director of the Office of Technology and Science.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the interstellar relations of the Republic, maintaining embassies with as many interstellar nations as possible and permanent representatives at the Galactic Assembly. The current Secretary is Eloy Goza.
The Department of War is responsible for maintaining the security of the Republic against foreign enemies, defending the interests of the Republic and its citizens outside of the Republic, and enforcing the Republic’s will through force of arms if diplomacy fails. As such, it maintains the Republican Army and Republican Space Forces. The current Secretary is John Nixon.
The Department of the Interior is responsible for regulation of the environmental sustainability and interior natural resources of the Republic. The current secretary is Gregory Jones.
The Department of System Security is responsible for maintaining the security of the Republic against domestic enemies and ensuring the security of the Republic’s borders against non-state actors. They are responsible for the maintenance of the mass-lock beacons as well as customs inspections and passport checks. The current secretary is Tracey McQuade.
The Department of Commerce is responsible for the regulation of domestic and foreign trade, including the establishment or removal of tariffs, the negotiation of trade agreements, and the regulation of industries involved in sustaining commerce. The current secretary is Abigail Pitre.
The Department of Industry is responsible for the mining and manufacturing sectors of the Republic’s economy, including regulating the industries involved to maintain sustainability and productivity. The current secretary is Roger Frazier.
The Department of Agriculture is responsible for the agricultural sector of the Republic’s economy, including regulating the industries involved to maintain environmental sustainability and productivity. The current secretary is Evelyn Lemmons.
The Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for the healthcare and welfare programs of the Republic, including the National Health Service that seeks to ensure access to healthcare for all citizens. The current secretary is Demetrius Marks.
The Department of Labor is responsible for the regulation of labor, ensuring equitable treatment of employees by employers. This includes workers compensation, paid time off, parental leave, collective bargaining, and other such labor related responsibilities. The current secretary is Dolores Torrence.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development is responsible for regulating and incentivizing the development of unused land and the construction of housing. Theirs is a constant battle against the growing system population to ensure housing is affordable and profitable. The current secretary is Loren Wood.
The Department of Transportation is responsible for the regulation of the transportation industry, including interplanetary and interstellar ships, aircars, ground cars, public and private transit systems, and other such transportation sectors. The current secretary is Quentin Mendiola.
The Department of Justice is responsible for the regulation of federal law enforcement agencies and the federal court system, as well as the federal prison system. The current secretary is George Bill.
The Department of Education is responsible for regulating the public and private education systems, ensuring that a standardized curriculum is being taught to students. Great pains are taken to ensure that the curriculum is as rigorous as possible and that the personnel teaching it are well trained. However, the federal nature of the Republic leads to several complications, including pushback from certain parts of the population. The current secretary is Marcia Cassidy.
The Department of the Treasury is responsible for the financial health and stability of the Republic, as well as the collection and distribution of tax dollars, the minting of currency, the regulation of banks and financial markets, and the payment of the Republic’s debts. The current secretary is Loretta Woodard.
The Department of Energy is responsible for the energy sector of the Republic’s economy, including the discovery, development, and exploitation of resources to provide electricity, fuel for vehicles and starships, and other energy needs. The current secretary is Michael Creech.
The Director of the National Intelligence Service is the head of the civilian branch of the Republic’s foreign intelligence services. The military intelligence services report to the Executive through the Secretary of War. The current director is James Mueller.
The Director of the Office of Technology and Science is responsible for scientific and technological research and development, including space exploration and other responsibilities. The current director is Gregorio Cooley.

The Congress is the legislative body of the Republic, with the sole power to levy taxes, initiate legislation, and declare war, among other powers. Congress is divided into the Senate, made up of 585 representatives, each representing one of the 585 provinces, and the General Assembly, made up of 2,557 representatives, apportioned based on the cube root of the Republic’s population. Senators are directly selected by Provincial Legislatures every five years while Representatives are popularly elected at the same time. The passage of legislation requires a qualified majority of both houses, equating to 55% of the Senate and 65% of the Assembly. Procedural changes require only a simple majority of 51% in each house and do not require both houses for approval. Constitutional changes and overrides of presidential vetoes, however, require reinforced qualified majorities, with 75% of both houses required.
The dominant party in both houses is currently the Constitutional Republicans, who reach a reinforced qualified majority with the alliance of the Constitutional Democrats. The opposition is a split between the left-wing alliance of the Liberals, the Progressives, the Socialists, and the Communists and the right-wing coalition of the Conservatives, Nationalists, and Centralists. The President of the Senate is Kirk Goodrich and the President of the Assembly is Sarah Wade.

Elections for the Federal Government, including the President, Prime Minister, and Congress, are held every five years in local autumn, roughly corresponding with November in the Gregorian Calendar. Elections are secret ballot ranked voting, where the winner is required to achieve at least 51% of the vote.

The Provinces of the Republic were established at the beginning of the Republic millenia ago, approximately corresponding with the original settlements. Manticore-B has 211 provinces, Manticore-C has 300 provinces, and Manticore-D has 74 provinces. Each province has its own Executive, Legislature, and Supreme Court, as well as its own constitution.

The Supreme Court forms the highest judicial body of the Republic, with the sole right of review on all laws passed by Parliament. The Supreme Court is responsible for ensuring that all laws are in accordance with the Manticoran Constitution and that the rights of the Worlds, the Provinces, and the People are maintained.

Aside from delineating the responsibilities and powers of the National and Provincial Governments, the Constitution of the Republic also covers the rights and responsibilities of the Republic’s Citizens. Among these are included the Right of Free Assembly, the Right of Conscience, the Right of Press, the Right of Protest, the Right of Expression, the Right of Self-Defense, the Right of Property, the Right of Habeas Corpus, the Right to Refuse to Testify, the Right to Fair Jury Trial, and the Right to the Franchise. Responsibilities under the Constitution include that all Citizens are required to register with the State for compulsory services in time of emergency, such as serving on search parties, being drafted into the armed forces, and other such duties as needed.

History

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Much of the Republic’s history is shrouded in mystery. What is known is that the Manticore system was first settled in the 25th century by early hyper-settlers, aiming to escape the exploding population of Sol. The early journeys were slow, lasting years, but they reached their destination to find a system eerily similar to the one they had fled. Worlds habitable without the need for terraforming. Bountiful resources. Few questioned how or why such a system similar to Sol came to be, with most chalking it up to the random chance of coincidence. Others insisted it was divine. That the Manticore system was the Eden spoken of in ancient religious tomes. Others believed it was a creation of an ancient, now extinct race, perhaps the same ones they believed were responsible for the development of humanity. Could this have been a back-up plan?

However the system came to exist, it existed and the population ballooned during the golden age. The Republic became wealthy and powerful, even dominating a sizable region of the surrounding space. But all good things must end and the Dark Age brought the Republic crumbling down until it controlled only the Manticore system.

But where some systems would collapse into civil war and degeneracy, the Republic simply sought to reinvent itself. There was still room for profit and exploration. The knowledge lost during the Dark Age was merely misplaced, with fame and fortune a-plenty for the soul brave enough to seek it out again.

And so the Republic enters the 51st Century as a resurgent nation, set to expand the libraries and coffers ever more with the fruits of exploration and labor.

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