The small nation of Terminus Astérion is an extremely loose group of nomads traveling the stars. The majority tend to stay within a few month's travels of their roving colony-ship, the Terminus Astérion. Many Astéri only loosely recognize their own government and choose to live completely separate lives away from their home-nation. Due to extreme racism against their nation, most choose to abandon or at least hide their nationality. As nomads, many choose to go into peaceful lives of trading.
Table of Contents
Etymology
The name "Terminus Astérion" is entirely based around the name of their roving colony ship which the Astéri claim to be their home of origin.
Cartography
The Astéri hold no lands of their own apart from a scarce few small stations privately owned by Astéri citizens.
History
Colony Ship Group ESA-Nouveau Lyon made planetfall at Nouveau Lyon in 2511, hallmarking what appeared to be a glorious start of a wonderful new nation. It was at the time one of the furthest-flung colony fleets; one of the original expeditions, destined to be one of the most successful. After sixty years of development, the nation was embroiled in one of the first interstellar wars. The nation that would one day become the Empyrean See slowly began to overrun its own surrounding planets and stumbled upon the burgeoning colony world of Nouveau Lyon, which would become the planet Léon.
The peaceful Lyon had little in the way of a military, and although having more people, the militant Stracais people vastly overpowered them. After a few short weeks of fighting, much of the planet had fallen. In a desperate attempt, a colony-ship-turned-space-station named the Terminus Astérion, fled with evacuees numbering just under one million souls while the rest of their planet burned. The escape FTL jump nearly tore the station apart, as it had never been intended to past light-speed, but the escape was the last ditch effort at preserving the people.
Following their escape, many Astéri, as they called themselves, resorted to lives of crime in star nations they came across. This began a deep-seated hatred, as the desperate refugee Astéri were viewed as leeches and criminals by most nations within just a few short centuries of their own exodus.
Following the Reunion with the Colonies, Astéri found a rude awakening when they realized they'd left a terrible name for themselves across the stars. As the regions coalesced, there were few bastions left for them. Many fled, wishing to be rid of the Astéri name. More, unable to leave, stayed, and established The Judges. These Judges were a group of elders empowered to make decisions in regard to the Astéri. An initial two-year amnesty period was given to allow former criminals to return home to pay service to the Astéri for their wrongs; following these two years, all criminals were dealt with brutally. Even minor crimes were guaranteed execution. Inside of a year, the Astéri were again some of the most moral and peaceful people in the universe, though few believed it.
In the years since the ever crumbling and renovated Terminus Astérion has roamed the stars, ever hidden but from her own people, who often must search and investigate just to return home to their elusive station. The Astéri do not make themselves well known when entering a region, and many choose to omit their nationality entirely. An exodus from the nation is common, though it is considered an honor to bring back pay to the Terminus Astérion, particularly pay not gained through violence.
Government
The government of the nation is a small one, even considering the few people present in the nation. The bicameral system is gerontocratic in practice, though not by mandate. The Council is notably younger than the Judges, who tend to serve lengthy, several-decade-long terms by nature of the low voter turn-out.
COUNCIL
Councillaries are responsible for most lawmaking and decisions regarding Terminus Astérion and her scout and trade fleets, with the Captain of the Station holding the important Vice Councillary position, in charge of making decisions directly affecting the station itself. Councillaries are similar to Senators and Representatives of other nations, though the Councillaries are only loosely related to the different tribes within the Astéri. Should election day come with no representatives to vie for a position within individual tribes, the seat is given up to the popular vote. It is typical for Councillaries to serve in multiple consecutive roles.
JUDICIARY
Judiciaries, or Judges, pass judgment and enforce the laws of the Astéri. While typically thought of like the old men that actual preside in the trials regarding their peoples, a number of younger judges, known as Assices, exercise and execute Astéri law across the galaxy, traveling and hunting down Astéri who break even the slightest of laws, that they might be brought to retribution – punishments of the Astéri do not end for Double Jeopardy if a law of a foreign nation is broken, and most are harsher than other nations would punish them for. These strict laws are upheld in an attempt to right the poor image of the Astéri across the galaxy.
ASSICES
Famed throughout the Astéri, and little known else wise, the Assices are the remote executors of Astéri rule. They are cold, harsh enforcers who travel the known galaxy, often working with little more than rumor and investigative powers. Many are datamancers, enabling them to root through legal records of star nations, hunting down any who so much as claim to be Astéri and yet still choose to commit crimes. They often capture their quarry to bring back to the Terminus Astérion for trial, but are authorized to kill those who have committed heinous enough crime to warrant it; in doing so, they must be cautious to prevent violating national laws, or at least hide their actions well enough.
Assices are viewed with varying measures of respect, disdain, and fear throughout the Astéri. They are willing to travel great lengths for the good of the nation, often convicting off of little more than rumor, and are willing to do violence – something otherwise looked poorly upon by the peaceful Astéri.
Assices keep close tabs on those who have been expelled and exiled from the Astéri way of life.
Military
The Astéri have little in the way of a formal military aside from guards on their ships. When in need of defense, Astéri are called to unify in defense of whatever asset requires guarding, and many of their ships have at least meager defense weapons.
The Astéri prefer to conduct espionage to resolve conflicts, often utilizing their Assices if dedicated spies are not available.
Relations
Very few nations have favorable opinions of the Astéri, with many having legal disputes about their travels through their space. They are often viewed as little better than pirates and in return the Astéri view other nations as snobbish.
Economy
The Terminus Astérion relies heavily on trade-fleets, moving goods throughout the galaxy, and making high-quality goods of their own. Production laws are strict, and the station heavily restricts anything that could be construed as a violation of copy-right law. Ownership of counterfeit goods is one of the few crimes considered punishable by exile from the nation.