Pre-2280
The earliest colonial settlements in Moore had very few criminal problems. The settlers dealt with things in a communal trial. Exile from the colony was a punishment reserved for the worst of society, and only issued in punishment thrice.
Penal Colonists and the ‘Wild West’
During the age of the Penal Colony, when vast numbers of convicts were brought to the planet, crime both did and did not skyrocket. While true, these people were criminals, many of them were also husbands, wives, parents, and children. They did live their lives around doing crime, and were themselves the victim of penal trafficking. Many criminals however, did arrive on the planet. Both as penal colonists, and as guards. The stories of criminals causing damage were just as common as guards abusing their power.
As more people fled into the untamed wilds of Tersten, they formed organised gangs, and posses, and groups. Although by their very nature, they were illegal and criminal, only a loud minority of these gangs focused themselves around illegal activity. At this time there were no civil laws, lawmen, or courts of law to protect those who legally and illegally crossed the plains. The militaries of both Pinascimate and Nevada offered some protection near forts and outposts but did not have jurisdiction over civilian criminal matters. This period is largely known for its parallels with historical Earth, and is the biggest reason that Tersten is seen as a ‘Cowboy Planet’, despite this occurring almost 200 years ago.
Many aspects of criminal life found their way into modern Tersten cultures. For example, Dustbowler culture makes use of tattoos as a means of communicating personality, and history of the person. This has its origins both in traditional prison culture, and old Earth cultures. They do not use tattoos as a means of art, as everything has a meaning and symbol behind it. However, in the years after being freed, these meanings have shifted from prison lingo, to social and cultural meanings.
In Nevokie, a characteristic distrust of authority has developed. This does not mean that they ‘hate’ authority, just that they have an inherent distrust of their motives and methods. Once the authority has proven its value and commitment, then there is no better ally than the Nevokie, whose loyalty to each other is only matched by their love of hard spirits.
The Golden Age of Tersten Crime
The Golden Age of Tersten Crime came in the 2260s with the arrival of the People’s Republic of Lordania. Indeed, the very leaders of the now unified Tersten were crooks, embezzlers, and frauds. Large urbanization and industrial projects were given to corrupt businessmen and mob bosses, who benefited greatly from the fascist regime. The law too, was unfairly applied, with mafiosas rubbing shoulders with governors and law-makers. In some parts of Tersten, it would have been fair to say that the mob ruled, with influence and blackmail putting the authoritarians in the pockets of mobsters.
Not all crime conducted under the reign of the People’s Republic of Lordania was inherently wrong. Like Robin Hood before them, the image of the Tersten Outlaw became that of one who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. Their antics and stories became Tersten legends, as did they ensuing response by the fascists to arrest these romantic rebels.
Many of these organised groups from the past had now become formal bands of resistance. It would be impossible to name every single group of Tersten rebels who fought against the fascist state. Many of these outlaw figures obtained a larger than life public image, such as;
Ronald Mayweather, who was known as the President of Tersten in-exile;
Jonathan Crenshaw, who was known for his outlaw and resistance music during the regime; and Zachariah “Auger” Loving, who was known for conducting daring and bold operations directly under the state’s nose. Members of the Tersten Resistance are considered to be veterans, and given a huge amount of communal respect.
Post-2280
The Golden Age of Crime has come to a very welcome close. During the seven years of governance directly from Tersten with no interstellar oversight allowed the now-recognised President of Tersten Ronald Mayweather to conduct operations against PRL supporters, and the mobsters that profited from them. The most public criminals faced serious charges, highly public trials, and given long prison sentences. In the end, most of these gangsters were sent to jail, killed by rival gangsters, or killed by law enforcement, but their legends live on. With the heads of these organisations cut off, it seems as if many crime families and groups collapsed in the 90s. In truth, most of them have gone underground, and while the vast majority are nowhere near the level of power they once held, a silent and quiet minority of organisations have managed to thrive in the criminal underworld of Tersten. Many of these groups have ties to fascist remnants, and managed to acquire a sizable amount of stolen PRL equipment during the collapse.
The most famous of the post-PRL outlaws come from the southern regions of Tersten, in the Hanur Gap of
Yukela Pradesh, and the southern Onooga Desert. One such group was the Morita Sisters, led by
Selenga Ootung, who was killed in a shootout with the Tersten Army, and now lives on as the infamous Khanem Selenga.
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