Astrography:
The (New) Sertian Empire occupies three star systems within a single star cluster at the edge of the Milky Way galaxy, and claim the rest of the star cluster as there's (with the nearby space for the next hundred light years claimed as an Area of Interest), although they have no official holdings in other systems at the moment.
(The Sertian star cluster is located at FD-41 on this map http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/Nightbane/Maps/GalaxyMap/GalaxyMap18.jpg).
Exobiology
The Empire is composed of a variety of races, not just the Sertians. Member races of the colony include Selacs and Riplards from their home galaxy, as well as the adopted Enker race. Unlike most human-like dominant races in the galaxy, the Sertian's do not believe the other races to be naturally 'inferior' despite their demonym as 'Lessies'. It is widely held that each race, no matter what it is, possesses something that can strengthen the Empire if they are embraced and taught, whether that's the Selacs keen agility and reflexes, the Riplard's analytical minds and mechanical prowess, or even the Enkers sheer survivability. Although there was once a disparity between Sertian and Lessie races in civil rights and liberties, these have disappeared with the refoundation of the Sertian Empire within the Milky Way Galaxy, largely because of the new Emperor's political influence with the new Council.
Sertian:
Average Height: 5'6"-6'4"
Average Lifespan: 200-300 years (50-60 without modern medical technology)
Appearance: Sertians at a glance look to be almost identically human, with the only difference being odd colored hair and eyes, as well as the peculiar tiger-like stripes that wrap around their necks. The colors of their stripes and hair are typically the same, though it is not unusual for them to be different colored due to genetic mutation. Hair/stripe and eye colors vary widely, taking on almost any conceivable hue in nature.
Misc: Sertians diverge from their human cousins on a deeper level. Notably, there autoimmune system is drastically different, capable of handling a variety of viruses and quickly adapting to new diseases faster than the usual human variety (it's for this reason that it's believed that humans and Sertians can't interbreed). There are also minor changes throughout their physiology, including but not limited to: slightly denser muscle mass, absence of some vestigial organs, and a denser concentration of minerals in their bones.
The most significant difference between a Sertian and a human however is one of neurology. Sertians have shown a greater capacity to learn than humans, with a long term learning potential of two and a half times that of a normal human. This extends to crystal and liquid knowledge, as well as muscle learning. This ability is so potent that some Sertian operatives have trained themselves to create a dissociated personality tailor crafted for a situation when believed to be undergoing psychic or mental monitoring. This gift does come at a price though, the higher learning potential also extends to personality disorders.
Selac:
Average Height: 5'5”-6'2” not counting ears
Average Lifespan: 220-350 years (60-70 without modern medical technology)
Appearance: Selac appear to be a mix of a fennec fox with a hint of other canine features mixed in. Their eyes are a variety of colors, ranging from steel blue to a dark amber, and their fur color ranges just as much with rusty reds, dusty browns, and silver gray being common. Although they look almost like humans with an animal head, tail, and digitigrade legs, this is mostly because their fur masks a lot of the finer details. If one was to shave a Selac's fur, they would be able to see the selac's vastly different muscleculture, resembling something more akin to a cat or animal than a human's.
Misc: Selacs are widely renown in the Empire for their great dexterity and agility, as well as their extraordinary senses and reflexes. It is said that there is no finer shot in the Empire than a trained Selac sharpshooter, and no deadlier swordsmen except for a Drag'lock blademaster.
Most of a Selac's somatic nervous system is covered in myelin (a lipid that gives white matter it's namesake) which vastly increases the speed of neuron impulses to and from the brain - vastly increasing a Selacs reflexes by decreasing the time it takes the brain to register sensations as well as to give out commands. Their brain is also wired much differently than a standard humanoids, giving more emphasis to processing sensations. Selac brains have a slightly less developed hippocampus and amygdala, which tends to make them more forgetful and hyperactive than other species (especially when taking into mind their higher metabolism).
Government:
The Sertian Empire, informally the Colony of Sertia, is a military republic. The executive branch of government is controlled by a military commander who has almost complete control of the nation's military, while civilian matters are handled by the legislative branch (composed of a two house system, the Imperial Council and Racial Consortium). The Legislative branch has almost no part to do with the military decisions, but do possess the power to set the military budget and to 'fire' an incompetent Emperor and replace him with a person of their choosing. Finally, there is a third, judicial branch of the government which handles enforcing the law as well as making sure an unjust law isn't past. There is, of course, a system of checks and balances between the Judicial and Legislative branches, but the Executive or Military Branch is largely left alone to operate in the country's best interests.[/tab]
Citizenship is given to those who have served at least one tour or duty in any branch of the Sertian Military (A tour of duty being based upon a sliding scale depending on the species average lifespan). A citizen is given exclusive rights that an ordinary civilian doesn't, such as grants for higher education, as well as the exclusive right to vote. Citizens are allowed to vote to elect Councilors and Representatives in both legislative houses, as well as vote for certain legislation. However, the Emperor is appointed by his successor either when he retires or dies (via his will), lacking to do this causes the Imperial Council to appoint a replacement. Inquisitors to the highest court of the judicial branch are appointed by the Imperial Council as well.
Current Emperor: Grand Admiral/Emperor Trillano Nekolyve of Sertia II
Current Chief Chancellor:
Current Inquisitor:
Economy/Culture:
The Sertian Empire is largely a capitalist nation with very little, if any, government interference with the economy. Education up to a ‘high school’ level is free and mandatory by law, but the only form of Social Security or government provisions are for the disabled or mentally incompetent. This makes the free market the driving force behind the Sertian’s economy with almost no laws regulating it (there are a few, notably to prevent abuses in the economy which extract money without adding value). Instead, the government owns a variety of companies which operate with a certain standard - private companies that don’t hold themselves to these standards typically go out of business.
While the Sertian's economy is very strong because of this hands off capitalist government, this also leaves a large disparity between the rich and the poor, although even the lowest Sertian is typically considered middle class (lower economic levels are typically held by Lessie races). This is not considered a major issue, given that Inheritance Taxes typically take most of a person's wealth. The sliding scale for this allows people up to middle class to pass most of their savings along to whoever they will, but make sure the rich have to earn it for themselves rather than relying on Old Money.
Currently the Sertians specialize in plasma technology, and have begun to export cheap, efficient, and powerful fusion cores to any buyers, as well as other plasma technology, such as power conduits and Thermocouples. Although the Sertian's specialize in plasma weaponry, this technology is currently not being exported, although they do offer magnetic/electric mass accelerators and ion technology alternatives. The Empire also imports raw resources as their mining and agricultural projects are still under way, and are know to purchase alien technology to reverse engineer.
