Briefing: Governance of the Exarchy of Aker
Executive Summary
RK3395
The Exarchy of Aker is physically divided into eight segments, each populated by a different species in accordance with the designs of the builders of the circlet. As per a Grand Council resolution, the circlet has been claimed in the name of the Serene Majesty, and a survey of the indigenous lifeforms has been completed. This document is intended to outline the current governance arrangements for the circlet. We are noting that many societies are extremely conservative; we believe genetic tampering from the Krȃng is to blame.
Aker, and the gas giant Lutan, are the only astronomical bodies in the Atortu system of any significance other than the primary.
Segment I
Local Designation: Wer-Gessian Reefs
Status: Crown Colony
Detail: Due to the lack of technological development among the natives, Segment I has been designated a Crown Colony, and referred to the Transitions Council for development and modernisation. A Governor has been appointed by the Prince-Regent, and he is advised by a board composed of Wer-Gessian elders and Transitions Council representatives. The indigenous inhabitants are more than happy to embrace Imperial educational standards (such as the formulation of written language) and medical amenities, but are presently unwilling to consider industrialisation. Instead, the elders on the board have indicated that they prefer to put their faith in the UIK for their defence, and have offered oaths of fealty and loyalty to the Serene Majesty.
Future Direction: We anticipate that the Wer-Gessian will remain at their current level of development for some time. Although stellar culture shock is minimal, the society is extremely conservative and slow to change. The elders are enthusiastic about embracing aspects of modernisation that improve the quality of life of their people, and we are encouraging these aspects.
Segment II
Local Designation: Bodenian Cities
Status: Self-Governing Part of the Macisikani Realm
Detail: The Bodenians have enthusiastically embraced modernisation, including responsible government, although the wide disparity between pre-contact development and the UIK current state means that considerable effort at uplift is required. The Economic and Development Council is involved most heavily in this effort, and their aid is greatly appreciated. Bodenians have indicated great interest in interstellar colonisation, reasoning that they will no longer have to see eggs “embrace the chill”, and are working hard to apply themselves to the process of modernisation. Care must be taken to ensure that their unique cultures are not lost completely in the process, as several indigenous societal adaptions have been identified as valuable to Bodenian flourishing. We do note that the Bodenians have also welcomed the prospect of contraception – their culture considers having to abandon eggs or young to be a necessary tragedy, but a tragedy nonetheless. Comprehensive exploration reveals infanticide to have been common; our arrival has ended this practice, and earned us great goodwill among the indigenous population. The Prince-Regent has agreed to appoint a Bodenian Governor once their Congress of Cities has agreed a suitable individual.
Future Direction: We expect the Bodenians will be among the earliest members of the circlet to complete the Macisikanisation process, and will be the first group to establish a colony of their own volition outside of the circlet itself. The Bodenian nobility is pressing hard for full citizenship rights, and we expect they will petition the House of Peoples for admittance at their earliest available opportunity. We are preparing them to understand the House is likely to decline their first attempt.
Segment III
Local Designation: Hudrean Nations
Status: Political Dependencies of the Macisikani Crown
Detail: The Hudrean monarchs initially resisted attempts at imposing the pax imperia on their societies, and still occasionally lodge protests with the Exarch’s office in order to carry on dynastic feuds. We have also had to act to forestall several palace coups launched by ambitious potentiates; in some cases, this has resulted in deposing the local ruler and installing a Royal Proxy, while in others we have had to suppress the revolt. Due to this instability, integration has proceeded the slowest of any segment. Individual local monarchs have sworn allegiance to the Serene Majesty, where they are available, but there is no unified body representing the segment’s indigenous interests. The Security Council continues to retain jurisdiction until the matter is clarified.
Future Direction: The prospects for Segment III are pessimistic in the short term; although the local authorities are not prepared to gainsay our authority due to the power differential, stellar culture shock is extremely high. Attempts to introduce education have seen a slow uptake, but medical assistance, and agricultural assistance, are more warmly received. We expect that the Hudrean nations will likely fall behind their peers in the medium term, only catching up when it becomes apparent they are disadvantaged.
Segment IV
Local Designation: Millontian Polities
Status: Self-Governing Part of the Macisikani Realm
Detail: The Millontians have accorded the Serene Majesty the role of “First and Final Arbiter” – a parallel to our Monarch’s role in our own constitutional system. Integration into the Realm is proceeding rapidly, and the Millontians are very pleased at the prospect of being able to retain their own forms of government under the Crown. A segment-wide representative body, the Assembly of All, has convened, and has decreed that all Millontians are to receive a Macisikani education. The Assembly of All has also requested that a Proxy Council of seven individuals be appointed to represent the Serene Majesty; six from each of the major clusters of cities, and one Macisikani to chair the council. The Prince-Regent has agreed the request, and the Imperial Proxy will arrive in three days.
On an anthropological note, the Faith has somehow made it into the Segment; we have seen shrines to the Good Mother, the Patron of Law, and Jesus Christ appear. Our scholars are now busily attempting to catalogue the pre-existing religion before there is any further influence.
Future Direction: We anticipate that there may be friction in future between the Millontians and the Bodenians over matters of religious belief, and have approached both groups separately to discuss the matter of a secular state. Although the Bodenians have grasped the concept, the Millontians will require further exposure to the notion. Despite this, Millontian enthusiasm for modernisation only lags slightly behind the Bodenian, and we are greatly pleased with their progress to date.
Segment V
Local Designation: Samaastan Flocks
Status: Crown Colony
Detail: The Samaastans have shown little interest in the modernisation process outside of medical assistance, with the exception of some individuals who have been very keen. The largely carnivorous diet of the Samaastans has placed significant ceilings on their population growth and density; we have approached the flock leaders from this angle, and have achieved great success in terms of supplying food to chicks, the elderly, and the disabled (the latter two groups previously often perished). That said, they have begun to become interested in literacy, as many of them fear losing their memories of “the times before”. Due to their continuing fragmentation and lack of cohesive governing structure, an Imperial Governor, with a male deputy, has been appointed. Her authority has been accepted by the flocks due to our “great metal birds”.
Future Direction: We intend to continue to work through key individuals, and work on the food angle. We anticipate that the modernisation of the Samaastan will be a slow process – not least because we have to integrate the Rituals of First Hunt with the prospect of vatgrown meat. Nevertheless, we have noticed that once a component of the process is embraced, its acceptance spreads rapidly and regression is practically unheard of.
Segment VI
Local Designation: Klujuss Forest
Status: Crown Colony
Detail: The Klujuss have been accorded the status of subjects of the Serene Majesty by the Prince-Regent, although due to their lack of development they remain a Crown Colony at present. The elder trees are extremely enthusiastic about integration into the UIK, primarily because of our driving back of the “black blight” and our proven proficiency at rescuing infected individuals. Many younger individuals have expressed interest in travelling to the Core, and we are working on a system that will allow some elder trees to travel as well. The younger population has been on par with the Bodenians and Millontians with embracing modernisation, and they have begun to suggest ideas to the elder trees for a more unified governance structure without prompting from development teams.
Future Direction: The Segment, which is modernising ahead of schedule, has been referred to the Transitions Council, which has approved plans to convert the segment to home rule at the first available opportunity.
Segment VII
Local Designation: The United Sinurid Segment
Status: Self-Governing Part of the Macisikani Realm
Detail: The Sinurids have surprised our development teams by conceiving their own literacy systems for those languages lacking such; the literacy rate has skyrocketed, going from 2% at contact to nearly 43% now. We are seeing an enthusiastic embrace of industrialisation and modernisation, although they have not dispensed with their consensus-based decision-making processes. Recently a Great Debate was concluded – one that took the better part of two months and was conducted across the whole segment – in which they agreed to integrate as rapidly as they could into the UIK.
An archaeological team has discovered evidence that the Sinurids were a low-level star nation before their destruction at the hands of the Krȃng. Speculation is that they view this exercise as a reclamation of their heritage; this speculation is supported by a find in section N-4 of the Segment of frescos baked in clay depicting the Krȃng enslaving and consuming the Sinurids.
Future Direction: Our immediate priorities for the Sinurids are to encourage the uptake of medical remedies; they are alone among the segment populations in being unenthused by this aspect of the modernisation process. We have noted that Birrin development teams tend to have the best success at communicating ideas, probably due to a similar physiological build, and intend to make greater use of Birrin team leaders in future.
Segment VIII
Local Designation: Aker Command/Jahrid Territory
Status: Exarchy (Direct Rule)
Detail: Due to the collapse of Jahrid society shortly before our arrival, there was no indigenous political structure for us to work with in this Segment. The Exarch has therefore imposed direct rule over the Segment, and placed the Aker Capital here. Most Jahrid continue to live in refugee camps under the supervision of the Department of Aid and Relief. Because of the scale and impact of the devastation, the Jahrid have proven to be the most enthusiastic at embracing Macisikanisation and modernisation, although a great many continue to show signs of mental trauma. Many Jahrid have shown interest in leaving their Segment for the Core worlds or to assist in uplift efforts in other segments; they are so far the only group that has shown interest on such a large scale. We are concerned that Jahrid society will completely disintegrate if too many emigrate.
Future Direction: We are confident now that we have contacted all groups, and the immediacy of the crisis has passed; that said, our priority remains the stabilisation of the gene pool and the perpetuation of the species. We anticipate that the Jahrid will be the first circlet species admitted to the House of Peoples – not due to the development of their segment, but due to their inevitable presence elsewhere in the UIK.
Note: the Sophont Rights Council is taking an active interest in the governance arrangements and development actions on the circlet, and is assisting in ensuring that the transition to Imperial rule is smooth.