Andrastan Combine

Andrastan Combine of Federated Planets
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Beauty, Equality, Prosperity"
Anthem: "March of the Combine" [1]
The homeworld of the Combine, Andraste.
Capital and largest city	Kath Vadir, Andraste
Official languages	Common Tradespeak Veshtid
Ethnic groups	98% Veshtid, 2% Other
Demonym(s)	Andrastan
Government	Geniocratic Republic
• Director General	Sadra Tor
• Administrator General	Lutar Oth
• Arbiter General	Keres Sed
Independent (Sovereign)
Population
• Estimate	11,055,232,568
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	3,814,055,212,550T
• Per capita	34,500T
Currency	Trell (T)
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy

The Andrastan Combine of Federated Planets, more commonly referred to as the Andrastan Combine, or simply The Combine is a Geniocratic Republic located in the far Galactic East within sector FR1 of the Aesos Galaxy. The Combine's home world is Andraste, located in the Friha system, within what is considered to be the extreme frontier of the galaxy. At present the territorial extent of the Combine is confined to the Friha System which feature four inhabited worlds and a number of large permanently inhabited space stations; each planet and station with a population over 100,000 is granted its own local government, and in the case of Andraste, multiple local governments.

The Andrastan Combine is a Federal Geniocratic Republic with a Legislative driven government. The Executive, headed by the Director General, plays a largely organisational and bureaucratic role whilst the Judiciary under the Arbiter General focuses upon matter of law and procedure. The Legislative body of the Combine is the Council, which is chaired by the Administrator General. A series of universally administered examinations determine who is and is not eligible for candidacy in elections and every citizen is entitled to sit these exams once per electoral cycle. Incumbent members of the government are required to take these exams if they wish to serve additional terms of office. Suffrage is universal and granted at the age of 16 Andrastan Standard Years, and all students are required to take the electoral exams when they turn 18. The current Director General is Sadra Tor, the Administrator General is Lutar Oth, and the Arbiter General is Keres Sed.

The capital of the Combine is the city of Kath Vadir on the homeworld of Andraste, this is also the largest city in the combine with a population of approximately 65 million. Following the Combine's expansion offworld into the rest of the Friha System a series of laws and initiatives have been enacted confining urban centres to specific areas of Andraste, in order to allow for the production of food and other necessities in mass quantities. The majority of Andraste's surface is given over to the production of food. Andraste itself is a highly acidic sulphurous world.

As of 14.05.12E ACC the Combine consists of twelve planets, eight stations with a population of 100,000 or more, 1,854 smaller inhabited stations, and 2,544 registered outposts. Of the twelve planets four are permanently inhabited; Andraste, Adamastor, Phynaster, and Lokthan. The eight stations large enough to have their own local government are Genesis, Exodus, Legates, Perspicacity, Primogenitor, Antithesis, Apotheosis, and Serendipity. Andraste is the most heavily populated planet within the Combine with a population of just under 10 billion, followed by Adamastor with a population of approximately 312 million. Each of the planets and the eight stations have their own unitary local government with the exception of Andraste which has several local governments which collectively answer to a central Andrastan government. Each local government is co-equal within the Combine. Due to significant technological limitations in as far as terraforming is concerned the populations of Adamastor, Phynaster, and Lokthan have plateaued at their present level, and rapid population growth has resulted increase migration to the outer stations.

The Andrastan Combine has a well developed economy which relies primarily upon the trade between Andraste and the other inhabited parts of the Friha system. The trade of food for offworld minerals is at the core of the nation's internal economy. The government has maintained moderate levels of economic regulation, and have created a partially regulated market economy as a result. The majority of the Combine's industrial infrastructure is found on Adamastor and Phynaster, while Andraste produces around 80% of the Combine's food supply. The outer stations rely upon asteroid mining, and resource tapping from the system's gas giants and liquid worlds. The GDP Per Capita is approximately 34,500 Trell, although the average income (after tax) is approximately 28,250T. Levels of poverty and homelessness are relatively low due to an extensive system of social security which includes universal healthcare, education, and housing, as well as government run utilities, disability benefits, and unemployment benefits.

Etymology & Terminology

The Andrastan Combine is named after the Veshtid homeworld of Andraste which itself is named after the ancient progenitor deity of the Veshtid species. Prior to planetary unification the most commonly used names for the planet were 'the World', 'the Ground', 'the Everything', or 'the Garden', however with the religious and social unification of the Veshtid species during 10E ACC the name Andraste was chosen, because some form of this deity had existed in most cultures, and because the name Andraste had become synonymous with the idea a 'Cradle of Civilisation'. The discovery of other sapient species within the galaxy at the end of 10E ACC led to significant cultural and religious repercussions which reinforced the use of Andraste as a name for their world rather than a more generic translatable term.

The use of the term Combine has been used since the end of 10E ACC when the changes to Veshtid society and culture led to political upheaval and the overthrow of the former world government. Previously the united Veshtid nation was known as the Andrastan Authority and had been ruled as a dictatorship propped up by a council of military and corporate interests. Following the revolution which ended 10E ACC a new government was formed on the principles of technocracy, meritocracy, democracy, and geniocracy. The revolution had been directed by the combined efforts of various philosophers, scientists, and sociologists and so they informally referred to their movement as the Party of Combined Ethics. It was from this that the term Combine was derived.

The colonisation of the other planets in the Friha system, starting with Adamastor, in mid-11E ACC and the subsequent recognition of said planets as semi-autonomous states within the wider Combine, led to a series of government reforms and the addition of the term Federated Planets to the end of the full ceremonial name of the nation. This was done in order to recognise the potential for growth and colonisation beyond Friha, and to recognise the differing priorities of citizens in the colonies. A recent movement to change the name from Federated Planets to Federated Colonies has seen some traction, however no official moves to change the nation's name again have yet been made.

The Veshtid

A juvenile male Veshtid.

The Veshtid are a species of humanoid mammalian sapient beings that evolved independently on Andraste. Although not related to any Earth mammals or humans they do share many of the same characteristics and functional principles and so are regarded as broadly mammalian. Veshtid appear in many ways similar to Humans, however due to significant differences in their home planet's conditions have evolved in a different manner in some respects. Sexual dimorphism is minimal with male and female Veshtid having much the same core physical attributes in terms of height, weight, build, and muscle mass; differences in appearance are largely superficial such as female breast tissue. Veshtid do not store excess nutrients as fat in the same way that Humans do, and so are significantly thinner and more angular in shape, often meaning that female Veshtid are confused by other species with their male counterparts and vice versa, particularly since the principle physical gender differences are not nearly as pronounced.

A typical Vesthid stands at around 200cm tall and weighs approximately 120kg. Their increased weight is attributed to a denser bone and muscle structure, which allows for increased strength for their size. On average an adult Veshtid exhibits a third more strength than an adult male. Their bodies are also adapted to harsher environs than humans, with thicker skin which is less susceptible to damage, particularly from heat and light. The disadvantage they face when compared with humans is a much faster metabolism, with Veshtid adults needing to consume around 4,000 calories per day to remain healthy, and reduced caloric intake causes rapid physical degeneration due to the lack of stored fat. Additionally, while robust, the Veshtid body's self-repair mechanisms are not as finely tuned as in other species; this means that while they tend to heal far more rapidly, and easily from severe wounds, they have a tendency to scar. Without appropriate treatment a Veshtid's wounds will heal rapidly leaving an area of thick and inflexible scar tissue which will hamper movement and in extreme cases solid ridges of a stone like nature mark the location of the wounds.

Veshtid evolved in a highly acidic atmosphere as so are highly resistant to acidic damage; however their lungs are poorly adapted to breathing in an atmosphere that lacks sufficient acid levels. On the Veshtid homeworld of Andraste the atmosphere contains large quantities of acidic compounds and their lungs and bodies evolved to make use of these compounds. Breathing a non-acidic atmosphere is painful in the short term and can cause internal bleeding and fluid build up within the lungs in the long term. The result is that most Veshtid have to wear filters, rebreathers, or breathing apparatus whenever they venture beyond their homeworld. Life on Andraste evolved in a sulphur rich environment and consequently Veshtid are considered to be a carbon/sulphur hybrid form of life as with most living fauna on their homeworld.

An adult Veshtid female. Not the solid ridges which have formed as a result of injury.

Veshtid possess somewhat greater physical abilities than Humans do. They are more dexterous, stronger, faster, and have far keener senses; though not to the degree of being 'superhuman'. A very physically fit Human would be on par with a slightly above average Veshtid. The Veshtid are also highly resistant to damage and their bodies can recover (albeit in a degenerative manner as described above) from most injuries which do not kill or cripple them outright. If unable to maintain a sufficiently high caloric intake daily, they will swiftly degenerate physically and mentally as their body consumes itself. Additionally their adaptations to harsh environments are both a positive and negative in some regards; Veshtid are able to dwell almost anywhere where there is sufficient food, and where the technology exists to either alter the atmosphere to suit their respiratory needs, or to give them personal breathing equipment; however their bodies need greater amounts of sulphur and sulphurous compounds as nutrients in order to grow and repair themselves.

The Veshtid grow through six main stages of development over the course of their lives. From birth until around the age of 3 years they are 'whelps' a stage at which they are largely dependent upon their parents for most needs, and during which they develop motor skills and basic speech. Once a child is whelped up until the age of around 14 years they are 'bairns', this is the period during which their bodies rapidly grow and is seen as the equivalent to human preadolescence, during this time their brains fully develop. From 15 to 21 years a Veshtid is a 'juvenile', during this stage of development their bodies fully develop and acclimatise to adulthood, and their tusks while start to grow in, it is also during this stage that their body's self repair abilities degenerate and wounds can start to heal as solid mass. From the age of 21 on a Veshtid is physically an adult, their body stops developing and starts ageing, but is still capable of substantial self repair and maintenance. The final stage of physical development occurs within approximately twenty years of their natural deaths, although this is not a precise measure; during this time their body starts to break down but their minds sharpen in ability at about the same rate. It is unclear why but Veshtid bodies seem to be 'precoded' to degenerate and die at a very specific time unique to the individual.

The average life expectancy of a Veshtid on Andraste is around 140 years, those the planetary colonies typically live for around 120, and those on the stations live for no more than 105 years.

History

Main Article History of the Andrastan Combine The Andrastan Combine has existed since 73.16.10E ACC, which was the last year of the 10th Era. Since then a little less than 700 Standard Andrastan Years have passed. Prior to the formation of the Combine the Veshtid were ruled by the pluto-stratocratic dictatorship known as the Authority, which ruled from the unification of the Veshtid species under a single political entity at the end of the 9th Era, until the end of the 10th Era when it was overthrown by the Combine. The 8th Era, known as the Unification Era, was the period during which the various political entities of Andraste warred with one another for control of the planet and its resources; the era lasted 324 Friha Astrological Years and concluded with the formation of the Authority and their victory over the remaining dissident factions. The 8th Era was hugely destructive and led to the obliteration of large portions of Andraste's rarer ecosystems. The 7th Era or 'Industrial Era' as it is known, spanned from the creation of the first practical steam powered factories up to the 8th Era when a technological boom occurred. The 6th Era began with the invention of the printing press and was defined by ideological and religious struggles between the various nations of Andraste, while the 5th Era is when reliable written records began. The 1st through 4th Eras are largely mythological in nature, as only scant records exist from that time and thanks to the destruction of the 8th Era much of the archaeological evidence was destroyed.

Andrastan Common Calendar

The Andrastan Combine records dates using the Andrastan Common Calendar, referred to by is acronym ACC. The written date takes a dd:mm - yy.cc.ee format (day:month - year.century.era). An Andrastan day is divided into twenty equal parts, known as Ohurs, and each of those is divided into one hundred Onsceds; for comparison an Andrastan day lasts for 34 Earth hours. As of the beginning of the 11th Era there have been ten months in a year as the calendar was adjusted so as to be based upon logical decimal divisions rather than astrological observation, this was due to the differing conditions on the various extraplanetary colonies. Prior to this there had been 14 months in a year. Eras do not have a set length, though they have never yet exceeded two thousand years, hence a record of which century it is within the context of an Era is kept. The shortest Era to date was the 11th which took place between the formation of the Combine and the invention of reliable, practical, and affordable FTL jump drives; about 75 years. The current century date is 06.12E ACC.

Unification of Andraste

Beginning in 01.01.08E ACC a global conflict erupted on Andraste after decades of rising tensions between the five major power blocs which had formed over the course of the 7th Era. Initially, due to the technological limitations of the time, the conflict was fought following outmoded philosophies. The repeating bolt-action rifle had been in use for only a couple of decades prior to the beginning of the 8th Era and machine guns were a new invention and in that time no major conflicts between developed powers had taken place. The result was that the early battles of the War had unbelievably high casualties rates as line tactics were used and infantry engaged across open ground. Within three years the strategy had shifted once again and the battlefields were now defined by trench lines and fortified positions. The lines of battle rarely shifted and it would take thirty years of trench warfare for technological developments to advance to the point where even this type of combat was outmoded.

Until the last forty years of the War of Unification the battles between the warring powers had been mostly confined to the border regions, and although the size of these regions had steadily increased the majority of the world was not in immediate danger from the conflict. However massive social unrest among the civilian population spurred the five warring powers to try and bring about a resolution to the conflict. A sort of status quo had been created whereby each of the major powers continued to fight the others only because they couldn't stop for fear of what it would mean with regards to those powers not party to the ceasefire. A balance of power had been precariously developed, but peace protests across Andraste picked up pace and threatened to topple the warring powers. In order to resolve the wider conflict the conflict evolved to a point of total war; bombing of civilian targets and attack deep inside hostile territory became the norm and yet still none of the major powers were able to over come the others. This period of heightened military power and activity had an unexpected consequence however in the rise of the Marshals.

Military and intelligence officers on all sides started to question the war and its morality, this in turn led to their questioning the ability and fitness of the politicians to rule, and ultimately to conspiracy. It was through the rise of this conspiratorial elite and the support from corporate interests that they received, that peace was finally achieved. Simultaneous military coups were carried out at the highest levels of each government, of which three succeeded. It wasn't enough to end the War immediately, but it united three of the world's major powers against the other two. This new order became known as the Authority; it cracked down on civil disobedience and protests, while at the same time making clear moves towards ending the War both diplomatically and militarily. For a time the Authority lost ground due to the confusion of their rise to power, but their leadership was decisive and pragmatic, and the defection of several high ranking officers from the opposing powers weakened resistance.

The Great Expanse

The period known as the Great Expanse began in 14.06.12E ACC with the completion of the four Lethridike Class colony ships at the Maudelin Shipyards. This marked the beginning of the Andrastan Combine's expansionist efforts, with the colony ships being tasked with the colonisation of the Turiste System. The construction of the ships and recruitment of colonists had been ongoing since 76.05.12E ACC, and had suffered substantial delays. The corporation tasked with the construction of the ships, Mandris ESI, under the EX1 contract, was stripped of the contract in 13.06.12E ACC within months of the ships' completion, with the contract for completing the vessels and carrying out the colonisation itself falling to rival corporation Mag-Torc. The Mandris ESI had faced significant challenges in fulfilling the EX1 contract and were already five years behind schedule when they lost it - this was largely due to the ongoing hostilities between Mandris ESI and the Resh Fabrikan corporation, which had escalated to the point where independent intelligence operatives were hired by both parties to perform acts of physical sabotage and theft. Under Mag-Torc the ships were completed and dispatched to found the colony of Hesperedes with a total complement of 6 million people. The majority of the colonists in the first wave were intended to settle the planetary-mass moon previously known as Turiste III-08, renamed Hesperedes after an ancient Veshtid fertility goddess.