The Colonial Act

Political event

The Viking Treaty

he Viking Treaty of 2140, signed at the Mars Colony, brings an end to the fighting at Tau Ceti after almost 18 months of conflict. The breaking point for the UEF came when mercenaries in the employ of Cheung Corp deploy tactical nuclear weapons against opposing EnerTek Corporation forces at Kow-Lang, resulting in the deaths of over a thousand civilian colonists unable to escape the war-zone. The security council sanctions the despatch of a UEAF taskforce to Tau Ceti, to protect the civilian population and to contain and stop the fighting. The peace accord is brokered by the UEF, and though neither of the protagonists is entirely satisfied with the outcome, prolonging a war that shows no sign of victory for either side is financially unacceptable. Anjuna is policed by a large and permanent UEAF garrison.   The end of the Tau Ceti War sees many unemployed mercenaries and mountains of military equipment disappear into the Outer Colonies. The conflict also shows that the UEF is simply not organised or equipped to police and govern the every growing number of colonies and shipping lanes out beyond the Core Systems.   The Colonial Act of 2140 places Earth's extrasolar colonies under the control of the newly formed Interstellar Colonial Authority (ICA). Each colony under UEF control has an ICA presence. On some of the newer colonies it is little more than a small Settlement Welfare Team office with a handful of representatives. On larger, more established colonies e.g. those at Alpha Centauri, there is a large established ICA administrative presence. Larger colonies also sometimes have regional ICA headquarters.   Interstellar distances have to allow for a necessary devolution of certain powers to local leaders, which allows the elections of local officials by the colonial population. Despite this, the local ICA Administrator is able to dictate policy should he/she see fit. It is common practice for megacorporations with invested interests in a colony start up to have representatives on local councils.   The ICA is backed by the Colonial Security police force (ColSec), a new arm of the Federal Law Enforcement Authority. In addition to this new colonial police force, a new arm of the UEAF is created: the Interstellar Colonial Marine Corps (ICM). An Interstellar rapid deployment force, the ICM is designed to be able to mobilise quickly to resolve military disputes and keep the peace in the Colonies.   To regulate interstellar commercial shipping, the WTO is expanded and remodelled to form the Interstellar Trade Commission (ITC). All commercial flight crews must hold an ITC licence.   The Tau Ceti star system is absorbed into the Core Systems, over which the Federation continues to maintain direct control.