Saratov Antisocialist Organization

The Saratov Antisocialist Organization (SASO) is the largest military alliance in the galaxy aligned against the growing power of the Stellar Socialist (Stelsoc) movement spreading in throughout it. It is poised to supersede the Union of Sol and its few remaining satellites as the premier force representing at least one element of the “Old Guard” of the Old Stellar League.

Major Constituent Parties

The Republic of Istengrav - The principle founding member and one of its most important states, the Republic of Istengrav serves as the defacto “leader” of the alliance, with many of its key institutions headquartered there, and the High Command regularly appointing officers from Istengrav to serve as their overall military leader.
The Aseni Republic of Vega - The other founding member, and perhaps its most economically important, the Aseni Republic of Vega possesses the largest economy of any of the member states, and is a major source for its cash reserves. It has some trouble with the State of Pariah, and may support its ejection from the alliance if offered the opportunity.
The Cetian Union - A later joiner of the alliance the Cetian Union was the first Solist state to join. It possess a strong military of its own, and is willing to project power throughout the neighboring sectors on behalf of the alliance. It has troubles with the State of Pariah, and as with the Republic of Istengrav may vote to eject Pariah from the alliance if offered the opportunity.
The State of Pariah - The newest of its constituent interstellar states, the State of Pariah is a viciously anti-Stelsoc Solist state locked in a perpetual state of cold war with its neighbores, the Democratic Republic of Yuanjing and the Cincastrella Confederacy, which in theory makes it a natural ally of the organization. In practice however, the State also finds itself in conflict with its neighbors that also happen to be members of the organization, and finds itself perpetually under threat of being ejected from the alliance.

Structure

SASO is organized as a military alliance with a few overarching governing structures. Members create an executive council with members each selecting two people for the council who serve for a five year term which may or may not be renewed at the leisure of their member states. The council serves as the civilian side high command and is responsible for resolving disputes between member states, setting policy, and ensuring, to the greatest extent possible, political unity among its members. Serving alongside the council is the High Command, a military structure that is responsible for leading the combined military units that SASO operates, the High Command is a more strictly meritocratic operation with officers serving for several years within the command before moving up in rank, though the top spot consists of an officer selected by the council every five years for a single, nonrenewable term of service. As SASO is primarily a military organization, the combined military forces are organized into seperate service branches, the Combined Fleet, and Combined Marines, which both have bases in each constituent member state. These assets are intended to be a quick response force, and rely on the fastest means of transport available. A smaller suborganization known as the Office of Economic Development (OED) is responsible for providing the means of economic development, largely through grants and limited material support.

Public Agenda

SASO, in a mirror of its chief rival the Nova Luanda Pact, a military organization first, and an economic organization second. Its aim is the military containment, and eventual eradication of the galactic Stelsoc movement, as well as fostering better relations between anti-Stelsoc elements in the name of presenting a united front against the “Red Menace”. In this, SASO is in many ways an organization seeking to resurrect the ideals of the Frentierist forces during the Third Greta Human Civil War, which ultimately won the war and settled the ideological foundations of the Stellar League. SASO, as a result, also will eventually seek to depose the Union of Sol as the primary force representing the “Old Guard” of the galaxy to eventually achieve hegemony over it.

Assets

SASO maintains a large, though modest for the size of its organization, cash reserve, held primarily in the Gravis, this reserve is largely utilized for the maintenance of the overall structure, paying the various personnel working for the organization, and as a grant pool for the alliance to dip into for economic development projects. Several Major Corporations and Cooperatives, have also pledged support to the organization, primarily from member worlds, but also notably Centaurus Shipyards, which is a reliable and discounted contractor from the Centauri Republic. The organization also employs a few mercenaries on retainer primarily to fight against Stelsoc resistance movements in the Frontier.
In addition to its cash and material support, SASO maintains a fairly large fleet of advanced warships under direct alliance command. This fleet, organized into seven battlegroups is a quick reaction force, with four posted within the the constituent member interstellar states, two patrolling between the various independent member systems, and an additional one patrolling the Jred Frontier. Each of these member fleets is composed of a cruiser, a troop transport, and several frigates, as well as a contingent of attached marines, and is staffed by personnel from each of the constituent member worlds. The combined fleet is significantly more powerful than the combined fleet of MUDAP, and consists solely of advanced warships constructed by Centaurus Shipyards.

History

In the era following the end of the Long Night, galactic civilization began the long and laborious process of reconstituting itself. During the Long Night however, a long suppressed ideology, Stellar Socialism (Stelsoc) began to gain footing, seizing control in many regions of space that had been less negatively impacted by The Great Cataclysm, it grew in influence rapidly. After gaining independence from the Aseni Popular Republic, the Aseni Republic of Vega sought out partners to contain the threat of Stelsoc expansion, eventually finding an eager one in the form of the Republic of Istengrav. Within a few decades, the two grew close diplomatically, and eventually the founding documents of the Saratov Antisocialist Organization were written, with the two states being the founding members.
Since its foundation, SASO has steadily been expanding throughout Civilized Space and the Frontier, incorporating both centrist and reactionary elements to their banner. It regularly finds itself in proxy conflicts with its chief rival MUDAP, over independent systems in the frontier, where it uses its ability to project hard power, to combat the usually, though not exclusively, softer touch of MUDAP, staging coups, sponsoring friendly governments or rarely, outright overthrowing hostile ones. As the two organizations have steadily increased in power, their proxy conflicts have become bloodier, and some fear that an eventual open war between the two supranational organizations is an inevitability.

Defendimus Libertatem

Founding Date

August 9, 4482

Alternative Names

The Saratov Pact, the Galactic Anti-Socialist Alliance, the Freedom Alliance