The Antares Federation

Orpheus Gaze    Key Factions      The Antares Federation

The Antares Federation (often referred to as "The Federation") was a polity that emerged after the collapse of the The Terran Empire. It was affiliated closely with the The Free Worlds Protection Pact

Origins

The Federation of Antares was officially founded in May of 2528 after a summit in Olympic City, on Mars. The talks had involved the entire leadership of the Free Worlds Pact. The Federation was described variously as "FWP+", a "libertarian version of the Republic" and "a cross between a talking shop and a military alliance". The constitution, written by Lord Kirkfell Brahms, who had been considered the intellectual founder of the Federation was presented for the views of the member governors.
Governor Nova Valane (Mars) and Lord-Governor Kentan Sondeheim (Furnace) both agreed to sign up to the new organisation but none of the other FWP worlds were initially interested in joining up, in part due to recent changes in FWP membership. The Federation was not set up as a "rival" to the The Terran Republic but due to its existence as a competitor polity, it was instantly considered one.

Membership

From it's formation in 2528 to its dissolution in 2548, the membership of the Federation was:

• New Carthage -Founder member -2528-2548
• Mars -Founder member -2528-2546
• Furnace - Founder member -2528-2548
• Fort Verekker -2530-2547
• Lightning Point -2530-2548
• Fort Darwin -2530-2547
• St Lawrence -2535-2546
• Gaia -2535-2548
• Fort Kurzon -2536-2548
• Van Diemens World -2540-2548
• New Corinth -2541-2546

Executive -the Arbiter

According to the Federation charter, the Arbiter is the only member of the Federation able to exert Executive power.
The Federation Arbiter is a position of executive power within the Federation. The powers that they hold are described in this article. These powers are considered to be delegated from the Council and the Arbiter ultimately is answerable to the Council. Any power delegated to the Arbiter is at the disposal of the Arbiter alone and is no longer at the disposal of the Council.
The Arbiter is appointed by members in rotation to serve a term. That member must appoint a new Arbiter as soon as possible after the incumbent Arbiter’s term has ended.
The Arbiter serves a 5 year term. No person may hold the position of Arbiter for more than a single term.
In the event that the Arbiter dies, or resigns, their term immediately ends.
The Council may end the Arbiter’s term prematurely by a motion of the Council. This motion must achieve a super majority to be enacted.
The Council delegates ultimate command of the Federation Navy to the Arbiter. Their position in this regard is Commander in Chief. The Commander in Chief may not declare war. This power is retained by the Council.
Previous Arbiters

1. Lord Kentan Sondeheim (Furnace) - 2530-2535
2. Kirkfell Brahms (New Carthage) -2535-2540
3. Princess Kallisto Valane (Mars) - 2540-2545
4. Princess Emersyn Krane (Lightning Point) -2545-2548

Legislative - the Council

The Federation Council is an institution of the Federation. The Council holds ultimate authority over the Federation’s activities.
The Council is composed of representatives of its members. Each member has one seat on the Council - and each seat has one vote. Members may appoint a representative (or representatives) to hold the seat as each sees fit. The representative votes in Council on the member’s behalf.
The Council hears, debates, and votes on motions. Motions compel the Federation to act in a described way. A member may vote in favour, against, or abstain on a motion.
If a motion has more votes in favour than against, it has achieved a simple majority. Additionally, if it has at least twice as many votes in favour than against, it has achieved a super majority.
A motion is enacted if it achieves a simple majority unless an exception elsewhere in the charter applies.
Any member may submit a motion to the Council and the Council will hear motions in the order they were submitted. By procedural motion, the Council may vote to hear a submitted motion immediately. A member may not submit a motion while it has a motion waiting to be heard. A member may retract a submitted motion at any time before it is heard.

Judicial

As of 2535, the Federation has no "supra-national" judiciary and all legal matters should be brought to the Council.

Military

The Federation armed forces were officially established in July of 2528 and comprise of two principle branches of service:

• The Federation Navy - comprising of the ships allocated to the Federation
• The Federation Marine Corps - a purely notional force as of 2535

Collapse and Disbandment

With Mars's shock exit from the Federation in 2546, the writing was on the wall and the Federation was no longer viable as a rival polity to the Republic. Most Federation worlds began to apply for Republic membership and in 2548 the Federation was officially dissolved as an institution.

Federation Charter

The Federation is an organisation dedicated to the interests of its members. It allows diverse peoples to come together and achieve their common goals whilst still permitting them their greatest possible freedoms.

Article 1 - Federation Council

1. The Federation Council is an institution of the Federation. The Council holds ultimate authority over the Federation’s activities.
2. The Council is composed of representatives of its members. Each member has one seat on the Council - and each seat has one vote. Members may appoint a representative (or representatives) to hold the seat as each sees fit. The representative votes in Council on the member’s behalf.
3. The Council hears, debates, and votes on motions. Motions compel the Federation to act in a described way. A member may vote in favour, against, or abstain on a motion.
4. If a motion has more votes in favour than against, it has achieved a simple majority.
5. Additionally, if it has at least twice as many votes in favour than against, it has achieved a super majority.
6. A motion is enacted if it achieves a simple majority unless an exception elsewhere in the charter applies.
7. Any member may submit a motion to the Council and the Council will hear motions in the order they were submitted.
8. By procedural motion, the Council may vote to hear a submitted motion immediately.
9. A member may not submit a motion while it has a motion waiting to be heard.
10. A member may retract a submitted motion at any time before it is heard.

Article 2 - Alterations to the Charter

1. The Federation determines its own charter by means of voting on motions of edition in Council.
2. A motion of edition must achieve a super majority to be enacted.
3. If enacted, all subsequent business of the Federation occurs under the revised charter.

Article 3 - Membership

1. The Federation determines its own membership by voting on motions of membership in Council.
2. A motion of membership admitting a new member must achieve a super majority to be enacted.
3. A motion of membership removing an existing member must achieve a super majority to be enacted.
4. A member may voluntarily give notice of the termination of its own membership. This is enacted automatically.
5. Federation members are subject to the prohibitions and restrictions laid out in this charter but they otherwise remain independent in all regards.
6. Enforcement of the prohibitions and restrictions shall only be via motions of membership seeking to remove the member violating the same.
7. No motion of the Council may be made requiring a member to act in a certain way within its own space.
8. The Federation prohibits its members from certain activities as follows.
9. A member shall not conduct unequal treatment of sentients, nor permit it.
10. A member shall not engage in slavery, nor permitting it.
11. A member shall not commit acts of aggression towards other members, nor permit them.
12. The Federation restricts its members activities as follows.
13. A member shall not possess a greater fleet than the Federation Navy.
14. A member joining the Federation that would be in breach of this restriction must contribute fleet assets to the Federation Navy so that they would not be in breach of this restriction.
15. Each member must provide contributions to the federation so that it may conduct its activities.
16. Each member financially contributes an equal proportion of its GDP each year.
17. The proportion is decided, and may be varied, by a motion of the Council.
18. A member may contribute non-financially if the relevant institution of the federation agrees.
19. The value of this alternative contribution is to be deducted from their financial contributions.

Article 4 - Departing Members

1. A member whose membership of the Federation is ending is entitled to receive a proportion of the ships in the Federation Navy that is:
2. Not greater in value than their total received contributions to the Federation since their membership began.
3. And as equal as possible to the fraction of the Federation’s total member contributions that are expected from the departing member.

Article 5 - Federation Arbiter

1. The Federation Arbiter is a position of executive power within the Federation. The powers that they hold are described in this article. These powers are considered to be delegated from the Council and the Arbiter ultimately is answerable to the Council.
2. Any power delegated to the Arbiter is at the disposal of the Arbiter alone and is no longer at the disposal of the Council.
3. The Arbiter is appointed by members in rotation to serve a term. That member must appoint a new Arbiter as soon as possible after the incumbent Arbiter’s term has ended.
4. The Arbiter serves a 5 year term. No person may hold the position of Arbiter for more than a single term.
5. In the event that the Arbiter dies, or resigns, their term immediately ends.
6. The Council may end the Arbiter’s term prematurely by a motion of the Council.
7. This motion must achieve a super majority to be enacted.
8. The Council delegates ultimate command of the Federation Navy to the Arbiter. Their position in this regard is Commander in Chief.
9. The Commander in Chief may not declare war. This power is retained by the Council.

Article 6 - Federation Treasury

1. The Federation Treasury is an institution of the Federation. It ultimately manages all finances of the Federation.
2. The Treasury determines the contribution to be paid by members and receives them.
3. The Treasury advises the Council on the state of the Federation’s finances and on the effective use of funds available.

Article 7 - Federation Auditors

The Federation Auditors are an institution of the Federation. They oversee all activities and spending within the Federation to ensure that it meets the expectations of the Council.
The Auditors shall seek out corruption, embezzlement, malpractice, insubordination, and similar. Any such findings shall be reported to the Council.

Article 8 - Federation Navy

The Federation Navy is an institution of the Federation. It operates and maintains effective military forces for the benefit of Federation members.
The Federation Navy proactively operates its forces firstly for the defence of its members and then for the protection of their interests within Federation space.
The Federation Navy is ultimately controlled by its Commander in Chief.

Article 9 - Federation Intelligence

Federation Intelligence is an institution of the Federation. It gathers information on threats to the Federation and its members, be they real or perceived.
Federation Intelligence shall obtain and provide information relating to the actions or intentions of persons who are reasonably believed to be acting, or will act in future, against the interests of the Federation.
Federation Intelligence is not permitted to conduct any intelligence gathering on member worlds. It must instead coordinate with members’ intelligence authorities to effect coordinated intelligence gathering across Federation space.

2528 - 2548

Type

Political, Federation

Alternative Names

The Fed, The Federation

Predecessor Organizations

• The Free Worlds Protection Pact
• The Terran Empire

Successor Organization

• The Terran Republic

Related Species

• Human