Knights-Stellarum: The Sovereign Military Order of Christ and the Heavens

Let me cut it straight for ya, kid. Don't trust the governments and fleets out along the marches. Even the good ones are desperate for resources and territory to bolster themselves and build themselves up. Half of them will impress anyone capable of crewing a ship and the other half are pirates working legit. Now, I'll grant ya, some of the ex-colonies are better at how they treat people. The trade leagues and the like. But I wouldn't trust them for help.
You need help out on the marches? Go to the Knights-Stellarum. I know, I know. The church knights? I know what you mean. Never been to church in my life, why would I go to them for help? Well, it's what they're all about, believe it or not, and they actually stick to their beliefs. Crazy, innit? That's what I said when someone gave that same advice as a young spacer. I was dead broke, gotten my ribs kicked in by a bunch of toughs, internal bleeding, and my ship had gone and left me. But I stumbled to one of their chapter houses and put me up, fed me, fixed my broken bones, let me stay on until I was healed and able to work again.
All they asked was I help someone else when I was able. Now ain't that something? I reckon the galaxy'd be better off if more folks were like them.

— Walt Cotter, Navigator's Mate, 2nd Class

Structure

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMAND
Grandmaster: The head of the Order, elected by the Sector-Priors for a lifelong term, typically from one of the Sector-Priories. They are the final, ultimate authority of the Knights-Stellarum, although a three-quarters vote of the Sector-Priors can forcibly remove a Grandmaster from office. They are in charge of ensuring the mission of the Order is successfully fulfilled, deciding where and when military forces are to be deployed, and if the Order shall call up its forces to fight a war against a specific, targeted foe, most often highly-organized pirates and criminal syndicates. It is also the Grandmaster's decision as to if the Order shall support one government or another in a political war whose goals align with the mission of the church.


Central Command Personnel: While not strictly in the executive chain of command, these are personnel responsible for ensuring the smooth operation of their responsibility. In this case, it is the connection between the Citadel of the Grandmaster connected to the Central Cupertinan Monastery of Luna as well as the smooth transfer of information between the monastery, the citadel, and the Sector-Priories. These are often Knight-Legates, appointed by the Grandmaster. Titles include Accountancy-Legate, Legate-Quartermaster, Legate-of-Arms, Judicial-Legate, Legate-Analyst, and so on.
Special Legate: A non-permanent title appointed by the Grandmaster for a specific purpose, often regarding alleged cases of misconduct among a highly ranked member of the Order or in which a wide array of cross-sector cooperation is necessary. They are invested with the full authority of the Grand Master when it comes to the matter to which they are appointed. They can revoke the title of Sector-Master, expel members from the Order, assign penitence, and when necessary, command multi-sector fleets.

Sector-Master: Serving as the Master of the Order in their respective sectors of galaxy, they report directly to the Grandmaster, serving as advisors on the status of their relevant sector. Each Sector-Prior oversees a Sector-Fleet, which is the largest organizational body within the Order's military forces, as they often cover up to a hundred different inhabited star systems, with the density increasing the closer to Terra one travels. They are primarily logistical and administrative officers, as well as the spiritual and moral leader for their sectors, often delivering sector-wide homilies to be dispatched along with supplies and reports for members of their sector fleet. They are responsible for sector-wide strategies and compile regular briefs to be sent via courier to the Grandmaster. In addition, they are the High-Commodore of their respective Sector Fleet, putting them as the administrative, spiritual, and military leader.
Sector Support Personnel: Similar to the Central Command support personnel, this class of personnel are high-ranking members of the Order in specialist roles. Typically, these are Prelates, and answer to the Legates in Central Command, who oversee training, regulations, and protocol. While high ranking as Prelates, they do not have command over lower-ranked fleet-based titles.

DEEP SPACE COMMANDS
Sector-Fleet: Commanded by the Sector-Master, the Sector-Fleet is all vessels and formations assigned to the sector, broken up into Sector-Regions.
Sector-Region Prior: The Order uses Priories as their command centers for Sector-Regions. These are large facilities with their own shipyards, farmlands, munitions depots, and training commands. When someone wishes to join the Order, they are sent to the local Sector-Region's Priory for training and assignment to a System-Cluster's flotilla. The Prior oversees all operations within their assigned Sector-Region and answer to the Sector-Master who coordinates between all regions within a sector. Typically in charge of a Sector-Region Squadron.
System-Cluster's Abbot: Smaller bases that are often connected to ongoing The Holy-Mendicant Order of St. Joseph of Cupertino terraforming projects, they are the smallest permanent operational-administrative entity. Overseen by an Abbot, and staffed by Knights of the Order, they are the base for a flotilla that operationally functions in about a dozen star systems. There are smaller monastic ranks with, but those are based primarily on specialty and rating rather than rank.
Star System: There are no permanent entities within the Order responsible for a single star system. However, when it is necessary to protect or garrison a system for a certain amount of time, a task force is established, based out of the local flotilla (or squadron when necessary). Most often the senior Captain, given the temporary title of Task Force Commodore.

SHIP AND FORMATION CHAIN OF COMMAND Onboard ships and active ground-combat formations, there is a military hierarchy, where each member has both a rank and a rating that refers to their primary occupation and job. There are two main divisions of the members of the Order in this case: Spacers who crew aboard vessels of all types and espatiers who garrison ships and ground installations as the infantry-branch of the Order. Their chains of command are functionally identical, with only the use of spacer or espatier to distinguish them.
Ranks (All ranks fall below organizational titles such as Prior, Abbot, Prelate, and Legate)
Shipboard Officers:

• Captain-General (For command of multiple, permanetly assigned units)
• Knight-Commodore (For command of multiple vessels acting as a temporary unit)
• Knight-Captain
• Knight-Commander
• Knight Leftenant-Commander
• Knight-Leftenant
• Knight-Leftenant, Junior

Formation-Level Officers

• Marshal-General
• High-Marshal, Four Chevron
• Marshal, Three Chevron
• Marshal, Two Chevron
• Marshal, One Chevron
• Knight, Brigadier
• Knight, Colonel
• Knight, Commander
• Knight Under-Commander
• Knight, Major
• Knight, Captain
• Knight, Leftenant
• Knight, Leftenenant-Junior

Non-Commissioned Officers

• Senior Knight-Sergeant (Spacer/Espatier)
• Knight-Sergeant (Spacer/Espatier)
• Squire (Spacer/Espatier)
• Chief Spacer/Espatier

Enlisted

• Spacer/Espatier First Class
• Spacer/Espatier Second Class
• Spacer/Espatier Third Class
• Initiate-Acolyte

Culture

As a culture, the knights are heavily organized and structured. Being both a military organization and a monastic one, it has inherited the rigid structure and hierarchy of both, seeking to synthesize the two into something that allows for the strengths of each without necessarily crippling themselves with the weaknesses of either.
Especially as a religious organization, they are especially concerned about the rigors and combat turning their members into ruthless combatants. Mentally hardened, they acknowledge as necessary for their kind of duty, as well as a certain emotional callousness, to continue to operate in dangerous situations. But what they specifically seek to avoid is a hardening of the heart that reduces their ability for empathy and compassion to those in need.
It is a very difficult balance to walk, but they strive to include mental and emotional processing practices, as well as the rich study of their Scriptures, theology, and ethics throughout one's career, especially officers, to ensure that they are never consumed by their combatant identity.
These create a very interesting cultural dynamic that truly encapsulates the idea of being warrior-monks, or at least, soldier-monks. Things are very rigid and there is a strong chain of command that is always respected, but even the most recent recruit is indoctrinated into the idea that they are the commanding officer of their own being, and should act accordingly. Responsibility, compassion, charity, and clarity are four of their core values, as well as professionalism, competency, and excellence.
As a result, the overall culture is one of restrained strength and the use of minimal force to achieve their objectives. They are competent, thoughtful, efficient, and compassionate. Unlike many of the other governments around the edge of Human Colonial Space, they are principled and enforce their principles on their members, quickly reacting and holding their members who violate their beliefs and values accountable. They recognize that public trust is the only thing that allows them to accomplish their mission and they cannot risk losing it.

Public Agenda

Herefore, inasmuch as the LORD permits, the The Sovereign Military Order of Christ and the Heavens is created with the singular puporses of protecting the members of the Holy-Mendicant Order of St. Joseph of Cupertino, their monasterites and assests and other property as identified by Terran Law, against acts of aggression, oppression, and injury against their persons and monastery assests, recgonizing historically that governments and pillagers have oft seen the resources and personnel accumulated for the mission of the Church to be theirs for the taking, even to the very lives of her people.
In recent years, such practices have been re-established by many such governments during the since-named Second Solarian Nazi Suppression Conflict. Recognizing, however, the holy and righteous necessity of the Allied Anti-Fascist Coalition, neither orders hold any blame or grudge against them for their taking of persons identified as members of the Cupertinan Order to man their vessels, nor of their seizing materials and ships belonging to the Order, or any such assets. All such acts against the Cupertinan Order are forgiven whole-heartedly, as all impressed members have been released and efforts taken to return them to their home, even as financial and material restitution has been provided by a number of said organizations. Henceforth, no more shall be accepted or requested. The slate is clean and all remaining debts are forgiven, in as much as the leadership of the Cupertinan Order have the authority to forgive. Further restoration is to be sought amongst individual persons through apology to those harmed by any such behavior, repenting from any further intent of behavior that can cause harm to individuals, and making amends for what has been lost. The Cupertinan Order makes no claims or orders to its members for the forgiveness of individual hurts committed against them, personally. Such a decision is between them, those who have harmed them, and the LORD. If forgiveness is not granted, the Order requests that understanding from those who have trespassed against those they have harmed, even in the name of the greater good, and that they accept any and all decisions from the harmed individual.
Against any and all surviving Nazi Sternenreich forces, members, and organizations, however, the Order maintains that they are fully responsible for all harm caused to the Order, its members, its assets, and its mission. All such entities are encouraged to surrender themselves to the closest Allied Anti-Fascist Coalition government so that justice might be found and your own persons might be physically saved, as well as your souls reunited in harmony with the LORD.
The Order recgonizes the need to prevent such actions from happening in the future, however, and now formally establishes the Sovereign Military Order of Christ and the Heavens. The missions of this Military Order shall firstly be to defend the persons, assets, and materials belonging to the Holy Mendicant Order of St. Joseph of Cupertino and to furthermore support the Cupertinan mission of a safer, more hospitable interstellar society for human expansion. As such, the order, henceforth referred to as Knights-Stellarum, is authorized to act on behalf of individuals and organizations aside from the Cupertinan Order in order to render them aid, assistance, and protection. The Knights-Stellarum may thus deal equally with governments, non-governmental organizations, private business entities, charities, and individuals. Authorized services include the escorting of vessels during times of peace and war, as long as neutrality of the Knights-Stellarum is not challenged; the patrol and defense of systems and sectors against the threats of piracy, sabotage, and non-military raiding; the transport of goods, resources, and materials of a humanitarian purpose in response to disasters of natural, human, and non-human causes. Furthermore, the Knights-Stellarum are authorized to act as consultants and managers in the case of such events when there is no otherwise present government, or when those affected are personages who hold membership within the Cupertinan Order.
In sight of these present witness, the Great Cloud of Witnesses, and by the authority of the Cupertinan Order, the Ecumenical Christian Coalition, the The Coalition of Terran-Based Religions , and the United Terran Governments , on this day, the fourteenth of March, year of our LORD, 2021, the Sovereign Military Order of Christ and the Heavens is officially established.

— Excerpted from the Charter of the Sovereign Military Order of Christ and the Heavens

Assets

Liquid Assets: The Knights-Stellarum is a very wealthy organization, all things considered. Operating primarily along the lines of an externally funded government entity, they have more non-liquid assets than many frontier governments, even if their cash reserves are smaller than tax income. While they do pay their members, it isn't necessarily as competitive as perhaps some of the larger governments who constantly try to increase the size of their fleets. They keep a large amount of cash in reserve for emergencies and situations, scattered through the various sector banks, as well as the Colonial Commerce Guild banks, leading them to be one of the largest investors on the edges of human space, almost acting as an economic stabilizer. 
The Fleet: The bulk of their assets, however, are non-liquid. Their fleet is one of, if not the largest fleets in human colonial space, and one of the most powerful, although their disparate nature and the extended area of coverage means they're never able to muster their ships in one place. Nor do they necessarily have the largest types and classes of vessels. 
Since their most common role is anti-piracy patrols and humanitarian missions to frontier colonies and monastery-world projects, their naval architectural doctrine is primarily built around cruisers as the standard mainline vessel. Per Standard Terran Naval Classes , their heaviest vessels are ranked as Heavy Cruisers , with exceptionally long-range for most warships. They do not possess any of the Battlecruiser or Battleship class vessels that most human governments have been developing and building in recent decades as their primary capital ship class. Of the heavy cruisers, however, the Knights-Stellarum possess several hundred, all well-maintained in readiness and with regularly updated weaponry and technology. 
The bulk of the Stellarum fleet is composed of Light Cruiser and Medium Cruiser class vessels, numbering  nearly two thousand. Most personnel are assigned to these ships as they are the ones who perform the bulk of the long-rang patrols, pirate hunts, investigations, and humanitarian operations. The heavy cruisers primarily operate from sector-region and sector headquarters, being deployed to the smaller task forces as needed to accomplish specific objectives. 
Beneath them are the Frigate and Corvette class vehicles, which are smaller and usually operate as day to day operations vessels that engage in shorter-term patrols, quick response ships, smuggling interdiction, search and rescue, and other missions that are unlikely to include heavy combat. These are less numerous than the cruisers simply because they often lack the storage capacity to fulfill the long-duration missions often necessary. But still, these number around a thousand. 
Finally, there are various support and small craft essential to any spacefaring organization. These number nearly seven thousand, but are often unarmed and unarmored, being really no different than civilian vessels. 

Non-Fleet Assets:  While the bulk of their assets are tied up in their fleet, they do have land holdings and property on many monastery worlds, as well as larger, more established bases and complexes on developed planets, acting as independent microstates on their respective worlds. They also have significant stores of fuel, heavy weapons, small arms, and their respective munitions that they have been known to sell-off at times when not needed or they have exceeded their shelf-life according to the Order's regulations, although they are often still viable. These they typically sell to colonies and newly formed governments that are in need of a defense fleet but lack either the manufacturing capacity to do so or the resources.                  

History

Founded in 2021, the Sovereign Order of the Knights of Christ and of the Heavens were established after the Second Solarian Nazi Suppression Conflict by the Cupertinan Order and the overarching Christian-based organizations after their resources were seized by both sides to fuel the war effort. Recognizing that as a necessity in that situation, they resolved to be prepared so that would never happen again and that their members who would face combat would do so willingly rather than being impressed into other navies, conscripted by the closest government, or taken as slave-soldiers and laborers by the Nazi Sternenreich. Instead, with the Knights-Stellarum, they would instead have their own fighting force capable of preventing their people from being taken against their will, but also to aid governments when the war is just and fought for the right reason, as the Cupertinan Order viewed, and still views, fighting Third Reich Remnants  and other fascist or authoritarian states wherever they are to be found. 
In the several centuries since then, there have been no major wars that the Knights-Stellarum participated in. Despite the occurrence of the Great Colonial War, during which the Knights-Stellarum and the Cupertinans maintained the strictest of neutrality, they have grown fairly peaceably and steadily throughout the years. While many governments did indeed strive to sway both the Cupertinans and the Knights-Stellarum to their side, the leaders of both refused to be swayed, arguing that such politics were beyond the scope of their mission and to engage on either side would put all their members at risk.                 
It was during this war that their role as frontier peacekeepers came to the fore, as other neutral systems and worlds paid them to protect them from the piracy that thrived from the excess of combat-hardened troops and spacers who found themselves discarded from their governments, fighting for a cause they could not support, or otherwise deserted because they couldn't take it, and saw a wide variety of worlds whose fleets and forces were committed to the frontlines now seemingly vulnerable to anyone with the force and ruthlessness to take it. 
So despite being neutral, the Knights-Stellarum forged their reputation for compassion, selfless protection of the defenseless, and aiding those in need during the war, as they fought their own small war all across human space, one in which the enemy often refused to abide by all existing rules of warfare as understood by the legitimate governments. Indeed, more than a few governments saw the war as a chance for their own wealth and power, and became pirate havens, who if listed as such by the Knights-Stellarum or Colonial Commerce Guild will find themselves blacklisted by most other governments until they end the practice. 
After the war ended, their missions became the new business as usual as they protected the human frontier and did what they could to ensure peace and justice across the ever-expanding Diskward Marches. Even the subsequent civil wars and colonial rebellions had little effect on the Knight-Stellarum, except to strengthen their resolve to prevent wars whenever possible, and when not, to ensure the rights and needs of the civilian populations are not ignored or exploited by those in power. 

Christus lux in astris

Founding Date

March 14, 2021

Type

Military Order

Capital

Citadel of the Grandmaster

Alternative Names

Space Knights, Starry Knights, Church Marines, Space Crusaders

Training Level

Professional

Veterancy Level

Experienced

Demonym

Stellarum

Leader

Udo Akorie

Leader Title

Grandmaster

Head of State

Udo Akorie

Head of Government

Udo Akorie

Government System

Theocracy

Economic System

Mixed economy

Official State Religion

Ecumenical Christianity

Parent Organization

The Holy-Mendicant Order of St. Joseph of Cupertino

Location

Sol System

Specializations:  As a military order with a wide range of mission parameters and needs they must fulfill, members are able to be one of multiple career specializations that encompass their primary role and mission that they are trained for. 

Deep Space Warfare Command: 
The most iconic specialization, members of the DSWC specialization are the knights who serve aboard combat vessels. Commissioned officers are knighted upon receiving their commission after completing either an Officer's Academy course or an Officer Candidate's School. Non-knights fulfill such essential roles as Bosun's Mates, Damage Control Technicians, Gunner's Mates, Navigators, and all other non-mechanical necessities. 

Deep Space Operations Command: 
Less glamorous than the dashing officers and gunners, the Operations Command handles all aspects of shipboard life not directly related to mechanics or command. These are the Communications Technicians, Culinary Specialists, Laundry Technicians, Hygiene Supervisors, and those that ensure life aboard vessels for long periods of time function smoothly and effectively. 

Engineering Corps
Serving aboard both ground installations and ships, the Engineering Corps encompasses the mechanical, electrical, technical, research, and all technical aspects. These are the Diesel Engineers, Electronics Technicians, Machinery Technicians, Architects, Construction Commands, and all other highly technical fields that relate to the machinery that runs and operates vessels and installations. 

Rescue & Relief Corps 
The specialization that most people are likely to be familiar with all across human space, the RRC runs and manages the Knights-Stellarum's entire network of relief supplies, rescue ships, and oversee disaster response teams, search and rescue stations, as well as a smaller detachment from the Engineering Corps that oversees rebuilding and natural disaster prevention. Their vessels are usually unarmed and painted the traditional red and white of medical vessels and crews. Protected by their neutrality, they are even capable of functioning in warzones, treating civilians and combatants from all sides, regardless of the order's stance on the war. 

Medical Command
Continuing the ancient tradition of the Knights-Hospitallers and the many, many hospitals founded by the Church, the Medical Command trains medical personnel in all aspects of the science, ranging from emergency medics to surgeons capable of handling the most intense traumas that can occur in a spacefaring society. Dispersed between the ground installations, combat fleet, and humanitarian ships, they are a key component to all missions completed by the Knights-Stellarum, even having their own ships within the Rescue & Relief Corps, massive hospital ships that can accommodate nearly any sort of disaster or emergency. 

Administrative Command 
The backbone of the entire organization, the Administrative Command includes the highest-ranking executive leaders of the Order, including the Grandmaster, Prelates, Legates, and so on; as well as all support personnel necessary for the functioning of a large organization. Typists, quartermaster, logistics specialists, secretaries, public relations specialists, and so on, they ensure the endless supply of paperwork and accounting is always in perfect working order. 

Intelligence & Signals Corps 
Communicating securely over a massive distance of space is not easy, nor is keeping their missions secure and unknown to the wider public, but the Intelligence & Signals Corps manages both, through keeping tabs on known pirate governments, acting pirate vessels, locating and identifying new ones, and ensuring that the Knights-Stellarum are always in the know of what is happening on the frontier. 

Interpersonal Combat Command 
Not all of their combat occurs with massive guns in the ranges of hundreds of miles in space. Sometimes, it's up close and personal within the cramped confines of a ship's corridors, on the surface of a planet, in a space station, or somewhere else where fighting can only be done between humans. These are the espatiers, the combat instructors, the combat-boarders, and the ground artillery and light armor that can be the difference between ending a pirate fleet by seizing its base of operations and letting them live on after neutralizing their fleet. These personnel are also the law enforcement within the Knights-Stellarum, the unarmed combat trainers, the marksmanship trainers, the mechanical warfare specialists, and everyone else necessary for ground combat.

Two branches of the same organization

Knights-Stellarum: The Sovereign Military Order of Christ and the Heavens

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The Holy-Mendicant Order of St. Joseph of Cupertino

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Suspiciously Neutral

Knights-Stellarum: The Sovereign Military Order of Christ and the Heavens

0

Aldottorai Republic

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