Hapes Consortium

Template:Hapes Consortium The Hapes Consortium (Ë Hâpës Ënëxilânthiusâh) is a galactic government which rules over the sector known as the Hapes Cluster. The starcluster is wrapped in a thick nebula called the Transitory Mist which makes travel to and from Hapan space hazardous and difficult. The government's claim on the sector has gone virtually undisputed since it was established a little over 4000 years ago. The capital lies on the planet Hapes Prime in the Hapan system.

It is one of the most populous governments in the galaxy and among the strongest military powers. The government, while going through numerous internal reforms over the centuries, has done little to change the isolationalist stance. The borders are closely guarded and any trespassers are hunted down quickly.

History

The Pre-Founding Age (-361 to -1)

Few records from this period of Hapan history have survived the passage of time, but it is known that during this time the brutal and savage Lorell Raiders were a constant thorn in the side of the Galactic Republic. They raided countless worlds and were a constant threat in the mid and outer rim of the galaxy. As the Republic intensified the efforts to track them down, the Raiders had to seek out locations for new bases of operations. It was at this time they dared to venture in to a gap in the Misty Nebula. Within they found the Lorell system functioning as a natural gateway in the cosmic dustcloud. They established colonies on Lorell and later Hapes Prime.

Continuing their old ways, the Raiders robbed worlds of vast amounts of wealth while also kidnapping the most beautiful women they could find. The women were forced to serve as slaves and wives of the pirates and were often left behind on the Raider colonies within the Hapes Cluster. In the end the Republic sent the Jedi to deal with the Raider threat. Most of the Raider ships were destroyed in extensive campaigns and much of the male population was killed in the process. This left the women outnumbering the males within the cluster. Led by Ta'a Chumë and Enelithia Nele'serin they rose up against their husbands and oppressors in rebellion and in turn took over all Raider assets and outposts.

The Age of Queen-Mothers (1 to 3945)

Sometimes referred to as the first golden age, this is when the Hapes Consortium was established as an actual governing body with the Queen-Mothers in charge. It lasted nearly four thousand years with nine specific eras and ten dynasties. Treasures the Lorell Raiders had robbed from outside worlds were used to purchase defences and goods to build up an actual peaceful society within the Hapes Cluster. Some decades were spent indoctrinating new ideals and ideas in to the minds of the population and it was not until after three to four centuries that the Consortium began to change in to more familiar form with noble families, a class ruled society with feudal control and an actual space fleet.

The civilisation grew over time, slowly expanding across the Hapes Cluster, not needlessly disturbing the nature on worlds where human presence was not needed. To the female Hapans the balance of nature and civilisation was extremely important, as were the ideals of beauty and perfection. The military grew stronger, as did the power of the royalty and nobility. The new government was often troubled by piracy and mercenaries over the centuries and also banned Jedi from the cluster. While the Hapans resented what the Lorell Raiders had stood for, they also recognised that the savages had been their ancestors and were murdered by the guardians of the Galactic Republic.

Sentient species who were native to the cluster were annexed and made part of Hapan society, often in lesser roles as servants and slaves. Religion was also banned in order to cement the idea of the Queen-Mother being the ultimate power of the Hapan peoples. The borders of the Hapes Consortium were closed from the second millennium in order to prevent any more foreign attacks and intervention on the Hapan government.

By the end of the final dynasty, the last Queen-Mother fell in to a coma without designating a heir. This triggered a massive military conflict due to the vulnerability of the Hapan feudal system. Corrupt and power hungry nobility joined under the banners of those who would make a claim for the Hapan throne and plunged the Consortium in to an extensive conflict.

The Dark Age (3945 to 4000)

The Dark Age refers to the time-period between the fall of 3945 to the summer of 4000 when the Hapes Cluster was in a state of chaos and the Hapes Consortium technically ceased to exist as a unified governing body, with the creation of initially two (later more) governing factions who fought for control. The Hapan Civil War took place between early 3946 and 3998, with the eventual surrender of the Draconian Union to Andrew Starfyre's Phoenix Movement in 3999. It was a time when the ancient noble Houses waged war on each other, squandering Hapan treasuries to fulfil their own needs and fund the machines of war. The age had a profound impact on Hapan society, but is said to have changed it for the better.

The Phoenix Age (4000-4027)

The time-period known as the Phoenix Age is a synonym for the reign of King Andrew. The Hapes Consortium struggled to get back on its feet after the destructive Hapan Civil War. Much of the Hapan treasury had been spent to fund the war-machines of the civil war factions, and a large portion of what remained afterwards was spent to rebuild the social infrastructure on most worlds. Great effort and care was spent to reunify the Hapes Cluster under a single banner.

The Golden Age (4027-Present)

This is the age since the time King James was crowned and took over leadership of the Hapes Consortium. Initially somewhat unstable with the attempted military revolt by Grand General Harr, the new Hapan regime has dealt swiftly and firmly with all internal and external conflicts that have arisen, such as the Black Sun Crisis and the Dellalt Conflict. During this time, the Consortium has seen a massive expanse of both the armed forces, as well as the government. Massive business endeavours have been financed to further strengthen the Hapan economy.

As the Consortium became stronger and more stable, following the Phoenix Age, it was once again able to reassert its neutrality in the galaxy without having to rely on any other galactic government for assistance or funding.

Society & Culture

Government

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Lorell Hall in front of the Reef Fortress

The modern day Hapes Consortium is ruled by the Sovereign (King James) from the Royal Hapan Palace in Regalis Primexis on Hapes Prime. Day to day administration of all parts of the Hapan government is handled by the members of Lorell Hall. Lorell Hall is a large government complex located in the capital city, consisting of numerous councils and assemblies that meet to discuss matters of importance.

The Royal Council is a purely government-related council headed by the Prime Minister and overseen by the Sovereign. All Ministries are represented by either their respective Minister or occasionally Deputy-Minister. Ministers are appointed by the King with advice and consultation from the Prime Minister.

The High Command is a purely military-related council headed by the Sovereign as the supreme commander of the Royal Hapan Armed Forces. The commanding officers of each military branch are represented here, along with some aides and advisors.

The Command Council is a combination of the Royal Council and High Command where the members of each council meet to discuss issues where matters of both government and military overlap.

The Lords Council is the upper Planetary Council for the Lords of the Hapes Consortium. Here they meet to discuss local issues within the systems that they govern. The Archons of the Curia Council function as advisors and aides to the Lords in every day matters.

The Curia Council is the lower Planetary Council for the Archons of the Hapes Consortium. The Archons meet to discuss local security issues and development projects. They report to the Royal Council, but have to respect the higher authority that the Lords hold within their respective systems.

The Supreme Court is where high profile court cases are brought if they cannot be settled in a local court of law. The amount of judges or presence of a jury depends heavily on the nature of the case.

The Civil Council is where Ministers issue assignments to members of the Civil Service.

Politics

In the pre-Hapan Civil War Consortium, all political affairs took place in the form of discussions in Lorell Hall and at the Royal Hapan Court. The Queen-Mother had the final say, no matter what, which left little room for radical ideas or their actual implementation. On a few rare occasions, coup d'états were carried out to create a shift in power and make room for a new monarch with different style of leaderships. The old ways, such as the nobility ruling the Hapan peoples through fear and threat, no longer exist. Old fashion ways of sorting differences, such as with assassinations and staged accidents are also not officially approved. But in some regions of the Hapes Cluster they have been known to happen, even in recent times. Such events are not approved of by the Hapan leadership.

The most firm set of Hapan policy and principals relates to Hapan isolation, neutrality and military strength. All members of the Hapan government are firm believers in these things, but often have different ideas on how to maintain or better this ideas. Most of Hapan politics revolve around Hapan military might and the security of the Hapan state.

The current Hapan nobility, for the most part consisting of non-hereditary title holders who have been appointed by post-Hapan Civil War royalty, does not set policy in the Consortium as a whole, but govern their respective systems. Some of these noble houses have been known to bicker over policies and have at times attempted to influence the general Hapan population with their ways and style of leadership. Most of this relates to difference of opinion in the way of handling matters, both within in the military and government, but in the end they have the best interests of the Consortium in mind. Ministers and Senior Officers have also been known to have fierce clashes when the authority of the military overlap the government's and vice versa, but Lorell Hall still maintains a steady government.

Economy & Commerce

The Hapan economy is considered to be among the strongest in the galaxy. Historically speaking, the Hapes Consortium has always been extremely wealthy thanks to the careful financial planning and investments by various Hapan dynasties. The Hapan Civil War drained much of the economy and the last three decades have been spent rebuilding the economy, a project which has passed beyond all expectation.

Lorell is the primary Hapan commerce world used to link the Hapes Consortium to the outside galaxy. The Lorell system was opened to the outside galaxy in 4025 and was administered by Governor Alexander Tylger. Since then it has been built up as a massive trade hub and is home to billions of beings, most of which are business-sentients. Dozens of major intergalactic corporations and conglomerates have been granted permits to develop the surface. This has led to a massive increase of income for the Hapan government in the form of taxes and trade fees. Most of the planet's surface is now covered by a giant city which smaller portions are designated as city-districts.

Terephon became a major investment for the Hapan government as it was developed between 4029 and 4031. The building project itself created work for thousands of smaller construction companies and millions of workers, all organised by Prime Minister Jaak and the Royal Hapan Support Corps. The planet was bombarded and the atmosphere destroyed during the Hapan Civil Work, so much money was spent terraforming the planet and building massive glass domes over many of the city-districts. All of the planet is now covered in buildings and is populated by close to 55 billion Hapans. The sheer effort of keeping the planet running creates work for countless people while it houses some of the Consortium's richest civilians, creating a massive tax income ranging in 140 million credits per month for the Hapan government.

Nigel and Gormoth are recent efforts to create newer and improved versions of Terephon in the Abaem system. The projects are headed by the Ministry of Industry, the Prime Minister and the Civil Service.

The Royal League of Commerce is an assembly headed by the Ministry of Industry where all the owners or leaders of nationalised corporations meet to discuss matters of importance relating to their work within the Hapes Cluster. The current members of the league are: The Olanji Corporation, Akheton Mining Corporation, Akheton Vehicle Corporation, Nikklon Mining Corporation and StormOne Recycling.

Other sources of income include galactic trade, customs fees and ship registration fees. A number of trading stations and commerce centres can be found in the Hapes Cluster, available to all.

Law

The Hapes Consortium has understood that, although its principles of absolute monarchy are de jure according to the Constitution and the established traditions where-as the King’s word is supreme, it also recognises de facto that the exercise of the Royal prerogative in defiance of the rule of Law would only reduce the perceived legitimacy of the State with regards to its own nationals and dependent CMGs. Hence, the role of the Sovereign is to act as the final arbiter, who legislates and enforces the law, without defying his own law.

While the Hapan system is no where near perfect, neither is any other galactic equivalent, as laws are continuously amended, repealed and updated as society evolves and new realities emerge. A sturdy and efficient legislative process is required for laws to be enacted and updated in a society. The Consortiums legal expertise therefore lies within the Ministry of the Interior. The Minister would write the laws, submit it to the Royal Council for their thoughts, then hand it to the King for his consent or veto. The moment it receives consent, it is announced publicly. Once they are announced, the law enforcers of the Consortium, namely the Security and Investigation section of the Ministry of the Interior, the Sentinel Corps of the Royal Army, and in some cases the Ministry of Intelligence, make sure the new law is abided.

Species & Class

The Hapes Cluster is inhabited by numerous sentient species who are all considered subjects of the Hapan throne. The dominant species of the Hapan society is the Hapani-human race which is a term used to describe any human who is the descendant of the Lorell Raiders. Other notable species are Hapani-Belgorians, a race from the wartorn world of Belgor, Hapani-Vergill from the planet Vergill, Hapani-Mairans from Maires and the Hapani-Varno from Varn. There are a number of other sentient species who, along with the previously mentioned, work with equal rights in the Consortium. The non-human species were granted equal rights either during or shortly after the Hapan Civil War as oppression of these were considered to be the old ways.

The Consortium has also seen waves of immigration from the outside galaxy in the later stages of King Andrew's reign and later King James'. Not all are accepted, but both the Civil Service and the Royal Hapan Armed Forces have numerous individuals of species not native to the cluster serving. The Consortium does not discriminate on the basis of race or gender.

As opposed to the old times where the Consortium maintained a very strict class hierarchy with titles, ranks and positions, the modern Hapan society is divided in to royalty, nobility and commoners/civilians. The regular members of the Royal Hapan Armed Forces and Hapan Government are considered commoners.

Royalty & Nobility

The Consortium has a Royal Family consisting of King James, his consort Queen Victoria and their infant daughter. King James is the Sovereign and controls both the Hapan Government and the Royal Hapan Armed Forces, but leaves day to day management of both to higher ranking members of both.

There are countless nobles in the Consortium, but most are from older Noble Houses who no longer hold any significant power to speak of. Post-Hapan Civil War monarchs have appointed numerous non-hereditary Lords whose ancestry may not necessarily have been nobility or even Hapan. A Lord usually governs a system in the Hapes Cluster as part of his noble duties.

Family

Family is important to Hapans, and many take great pride in their lineage and families. On some worlds, arranged marriages between popular or powerful families were known to happen, to further cement the relationship between the two in joint business ventures and the like. Marrying in to a noble family was also considered a great thing as the rest of the family would become directly related to someone of importance in the Consortium. The Hapan Civil War was especially bad for many Hapans who had family on several sides of the conflict.

Education

Education has always been considered important by the Hapan government. In earlier days, only certain types of education were available for males while females could go through higher classes of education. All types are now available to all genders and species.

Newer subjects of the Hapan throne, both from inside and outside the Consortium, are processed through the Robin Hood School of Culture and Education, managed by the Ministry of Culture. Here they learn in detail about Hapan history, Hapan culture, Hapan laws and Hapan society. If a career within the Royal Hapan Armed Forces is chosen, they may go through academies for their respective branch within the military.

Technology

The Hapans take great pride in their grand technological achievements, which includes swift hyperspeed and sublight engines for Royal Hapan Navy vessels. Their technology and unique design is admired and often sought after by foreigners, but the Hapes Consortium keeps all distinct Hapan technology to itself. In naval warfare, the Hapan turbolaser has been considered inferior to foreign weapons. Improving this is seen as a top priority for Hapan Research & Development.

Presently distinct Hapan designs employed by the Hapes Consortium's military forces include the Pulsar Battle Cruiser, the Battle Dragon, the Nova Battle Cruiser, the Miy'til Interceptor, the Hetrinar Assault Bomber the Atlas Troop Transport and the H-1 Light Battle Tank.

Other significant and famous technological achievements include the Pulse Mass Generators and Hapan Gun of Command

While they prefer their own ships and technology, the Hapans have few problems with using foreign design as well, as long as they suit their needs.

Gender Roles

For nearly four thousand years, the females were favoured in the matriarchal society of the Hapes Consortium. Men were considered inferior and incapable of leading. This did, however, sometimes vary from world to world, and male nobles were sometimes seen as exceptions from the norm. Though no real change took place until the Hapan Civil War which the women of the Consortium could not fight alone. Men served as warriors while women, for the most part, were in charge. Even the most conservative of the Hapans, such as the leaders of the Draconian Union, realised that they needed the help of men.

The actual formal equalisation of the sexes did not occur until sometime in to the reign of King Andrew when there was an outcry for equal rights in certain parts of the Consortium, such as the Rifle Worlds and the Interior Region. The decision to give equal rights and status was considered controversial by a majority, but still went through. This led to an increased amount of male government officials and military officers over the years.

While the sexes are legally equal today, the females are still considered superior on a number of worlds.

Language

The dominant language of the Hapes Cluster is Hapan, which is an evolved form of the language spoken by the Lorell Raiders. It is used for all official duties, be it governmental or military. Galactic Basic is used in some portions of the Hapes Cluster, specifically Lorell, for trade and commerce along with other trade dialects such as Sy Bisti. Some lesser and local languages are found on worlds of the Hapes Cluster where Hapani-humans are not dominant.

Hapan is considered difficult to learn by outsiders. It is described as flowing off the tongue and many terms and concepts within the language can be difficult to grasp. Also, body language and emphasis on sounds are used to distinguish differing meanings of identical words. Even so, most Hapan worlds have different dialects. Notable dialects that differ from the norm are those of Charubah and Arxian.

Art, Architecture, Literature and Music

Hapan art is a term usually used to describe paintings who are near photo-realistic, which Hapans seem to prefer. Most paintings found in the Consortium are of landscapes as Hapans love nature, but one will always find pictures of Hapan royalty and nobility as well. On most worlds, there are countless statues dedicated to living or deceased individuals who had some sort of impact on the Consortium, be it on a widespread or local level.

Hapan architecture varies from world to world as most have slightly differing culture. However, Hapans enjoy keeping their buildings white as most of them have a fondness for light and brightness. Almost all buildings are extravagantly decorated with ornamentation along the roof or around windows, doors and arches. Often domes are built on top of buildings, painted in a colour to represent the status of the building in question.

Hapan literature was in modern times mostly poetry about nature and beauty, sometimes tales of heroism and the like. Since the Hapan Civil War, much literature describes battles and events during the war and some have written biographies about the major leaders of the war. Recent events such as the Black Sun Crisis and the assassination of King Andrew have also made their way in to written form, but also been dramatised in holo-flicks and operas.

Hapan music has always been dominated by female singers and soft string instruments, but recently more extravagant compositions of music have been made, such as the national anthem and numerous military marches. Hapans from the world Ut are famous for their singing.

Territory & Provinces

The Transitory Mist

Hapans refer to the the nebulae that surrounds the Hapes Cluster as the Transitory Mist. It is a dangerous area of space where gases and radiation can quickly disable the vessels of people foolish enough to venture in to it. The Royal Hapan Navy devotes much time and resources to patrolling the area around the mist, intercepting potentially hazardous objects such as stray asteroids or comets. The only known gateway in and out of the Transitory Mist is the Lorell system which functions as a natural gap in the nebula.

The Capital Region

The province known as the Capital consists of the Hapan system as is considered to be under the jurisdiction of the Sovereign and Prime Minister Zell Jaak. It is the centre of all administration within the Hapes Consortium and also the home base of all military branches.

The Interior Region

This province is governed from the Abaem system by Archon Lord Gane Lant and lies deep within the Hapes Cluster. Some systems are dominated by mining activity, but there is also an ongoing effort to develop several worlds in the commerce worlds for more income.

The Rifle Worlds

The Rifle Worlds are dominated by massive commerce-related activity and has a history of industry. Lorell in the Lorell system is the capital of this province and other worlds of interest include Olanji and Charubah. The origins of the name seem to relate to the massive weapons production facilities found in this portion of the Hapes Cluster in ancient times and also their devotion to the war effort during the Hapan Civil War. The Rifle Worlds are governed by Archon Vetra Kurov

The Rim Worlds

The Rim Worlds are also devoted to industry in the form of mining and recycling. It is also a hub for naval activity. The region is governed from Dreena in the Alsace system by Archon Lord Alexander Tylger. The region is also home to the Orthwell system which has transformed in to a black hole. The name of the area comes from the fact that the systems border along the part of the Transitory Mist where the nebula is at its thinest, making them "near" the outside galaxy.

Miliary

Royal Hapan Navy

The naval forces of the Hapes Consortium keep the peace within the Hapes Cluster, vigilantly guarding the borders and patrolling all of Hapan space on a regular basis. In the ancient times of the Consortium, it went by the name Royal Hapan Space Fleet before switching to the current name. In those times, the navy was very splintered, consisting of ships controlled by local nobility but also a lesser civilian portion known as the Consortium Navy This sometimes led to feuds between factions within the Hapes Consortium and was also a significant cause for the Hapan Civil War.

The Royal Hapan Navy is currently headed by Lord Contra Admiral Firecam and has entered a golden era of activity and morale. The navy employs mighty Battle Dragons, Nova Battle Cruisers for capital ship activities, but also some foreign design such as the Dreadnaught Heavy Cruiser, Carrack Light Cruiser and Bayonet Cruiser. Starfighter defense is composed of mostly Miy'til Interceptors, Hetrinar Assault Bombers and Y-wing Bombers.

Royal Hapan Army

The ground forces of the Hapes Consortium keep the peace on the worlds of the Hapes Cluster and has different divisions devoted to different purposes. The Regiment Corps keeps the peace on worlds in the form of local garrisons, while the Marine Corps is stationed onboard ships and in bases for rapid deployment to battles and conflict zones. The Sentinel Corps deals with the apprehension of criminals and providing security onboard ships.

The Royal Hapan Army is currently headed by Lord Major General Tyrridon and has finally begun to recover from periods of poor leadership, low morale and non-existent recruitment. It uses the Consortium-distinct H-1 Light Battle Tank as well as AT-PTs and T-47s.

Royal Hapan Support Corps

The Royal Hapan Support Corps is the core of all military activity that does not relate to defence. Transportation by Hapan Logistics, research by Hapan R&D and maintenance by Hapan Engineering keeps everything within the Hapes Consortium and its armed forces running smoothly.

Command was recently passed from Lord Amethius to Vice Marshal Lake who has continued the stable style of leadership.

Phoenix

The Phoenix was established after the Hapan Civil War as a new type of royal guard for King Andrew who was often called "The Phoenix King" due to his part in restoring the Hapes Consortium from the ashes of the war. It was initially referred to as the Phoenix Guard during his reign and some time in to the reign of King James. A notable long time leader of this group was Lord Threestars. After coming under the command of Lieutenant General Rainey, it was renamed to "Phoenix" and consisted of a guard division composed of ground troops and a fleet division composed of warship to escort the royal flagship.

Lord Rainey is still the symbolic leader of the Phoenix, but most guard duty is left to members of the Sentinel Corps while the duties of the Phoenix Fleet have been relieved by the Home Fleet. It is now a traditional guard unit and nothing more.