Terran Empire

The Terran Empire was an authoritarian intersteller government active in the Alpha and Beta quadrants. Dominated by the Terrans of Earth, the Empire expanded through conquest and ruled with an iron fist.

Government
It's important to understand, that the inhabitant of the Terran Empire do not view government as a source of power itself, but as a system wich identifies and represent the currents of power currently flowing in the Empire. In the alternate world of the Federation, people with no little or no power recieve power when they are elected to an office. The authority of the office gives them their authority.

In the Terran Empire, on the other hand, political offices are established for individuals who have already obtained great power, as a way of codifying and desplaying that power. The Empire does not have a constitution per se. Rather, the nature of the political offices, and their reletive authority and power, is constantly evolving and changing, based on the personal power of the individual who currently holds the office.

Nevertheless, there are several semi-consistant organs of government, the most signficant of which are the Imeprial Senate, and the office of the Emperor of the Terran Empire.

Imperial Senate
The Imperial Senate is a body of the local leaders of the Empire. Each and every one is a figure of sufficent power and influence to exercise effective control over large areas of the Empire, both figurativly and literally. To be made into an Imperial Senator is a mark of regonition, and anckologment that you have become one of the motivational power behind the empire, and your opinions must be heard at the highest levels.

Within the Senate, Individual senators jockey with each other for more power and control over the Empire. Alliances, power blocks, and coalitions are formed and broken reguarlly, as Senators struggle to optain a sfficient majority to back their agendas. While the Emperor of the Terran Empire is offically an absolute monarch, Only the strongest emperors dare to directly oppose the Imperial Senate, at least not regularly. The advantage of the EMperor is that the senators are rarelly united, and given to constant infighting. No one Senator has, under normal circomstances, enough power to challlenge the Emperor. However, circomstances change. If an Emperor opposes the Senate too often, and they should united againt him, they have the power to depose him. New Emperors have risen from the Senate majority leaders in the past.

It is also not uncommon for the Senate to try to expand their influence over the various organs of Imperial government, though the creation of varius comittees and other organizations. A wise Emperor takes every opertunity to keep the Senate's power in check, and limit their influence where possible. He must keep most of the power in his own hands, or risk becomeing the puppet of the Senate.

Emperor of the Terran Empire
The Emperor of the Terran Empire is the supreme and absolute autocrat of the Terran state. He hold, in theory, total control over all of the Empire, and his position is coveted by everyone. As such, the Emperor must fight contantly to hold this power. nly the most ruthless, brillian, cunning, and agressive are able to take the authority of the Emperor, and keep in through their lives. Every faction in the Empire schemes to take away the Emperor's power, and eventually to unseat him

Theoretically, the position of Emperor is hereditary. However, in the 300 year histroy of the Empire, virtually no Emperors have come to the throne this way. When they do, their early years are always comsumed with even more attempted coups and civil wars than usual, as they prove their strength.

The Emperor generall reign from one his many palaces on Earth. However, some have ruled from off-world as well. Nearlly all Emperors have been human. The few who were not did not last longer than a year. The EMperor is the final authority on all matters of state, whihc are controlled by him through the Ministers of the Imperial Cabinet. The Cabinet is an ever-evolving body, with new offices forming aqnd old offices vanishing acording to the relative power of the people holding them. However, There a few so-called great offices, which nearlly always exist, though their relative authority can vary. The exact power of the ministires is not defined in any constitutional way. THey responsabilities often overlap, and individual minister jockey with each other to increase the power and influence of their offices.

Prime Minister
The Prime Ministe rof the Terran Empire acts as the Emperor's Majordomo. He is the Emperor's right-hand-man, and theoretically the second-highest office in the Empire. He reviews nearly everyhting that reaches the Emperor's desk, manages all the beaurocracy and administratrivia involved in ruling the Empire, and takes care of menial business which does not warrent the Emperor's personal attention. He may even represent the Emperor on occasions where the Emperor cannot or does not wish to attend. Soemtimes he will even chair cabinet meetings. The Position of Prime Minister must go to a persone with a keen, machiavellian expertise in politics and administration, a perfect manager who can insure that the Emperor always has what he needs when he needs it, and all the details he does not have time to worry about are handeled effectivly.

This can be an incredibly powerful posistion, particularlly if the Prime Minister is more inteligent and a better politician than the Emperor. He has the ability to inact laws and shape inperial policy, all under the authority of the Emperor. The only danger is that his must not stretch his power too far, for fear that the Emperor will be displeased by his descisions. However, by isolating the Emperor and consolidating power around himself, some Prime Ministers have turned Emperors into virtual puppets, and ruled in the Emperor's name. This raelly lasts long, of course, before the Prime Minsiter in question eliminated the Emperor and siezes the throne for himself.

Minister of Revenue
The Minsiter of Revenue is in charge of maintaining the Imperial treasury, and ensuring that the budget each year accomdates all the neads of the Empire, from supplying the military to sorrounding the Emperor in luxuries. The position is typically taken by the most devious and cunning financiers in the Empire. It is also the job of the Minister of Revenue to ensure that the apropriate taxes are collected from all citizens, and that the Emperor is cheeted of as little of his due wealth as possible. This is a source of some power, as the wealthier citizens of the Empire would like to do as much as possible to avoide paying their hard-earned wealth to the government.

Although this posistion has little direct power, the Minister usually becomes one of the wealthiest men in the Empire. It is the perfect position for graft, and a hub of bribary. An ambitious Ministe rof Revenue can try to parley wealth into power, by bribing key players and factions, and hiering mercenary forces.

Minister of Science
The Minister of Science is in charge of all of the Empire's classified research projects. The Minister ensures that these projects are persued with all possible vigure, and that they recieve the resources they need. With the empire constandly aquiring new technology though war and pillage, reverse enginearing captured tech is a full time job, and an essential one so that the empire can reep the maximum profit from each conquest. The Ministry is also in charge of surpervising the scientific talent of the Empire, ensuring that profitable researhc is supported, and forbiden research is censored.

This is not the most powerful position on the cabinet, though there is always the posibility of discovering some revolutionary new weapon of vital technologic secret that can be parelyd for power. It is not impossible, with the right superweapon, that a Minister of Science could not sieze power, at least for a time. In general, however, scintific research is not highly regaurded in the Empire, unless it yeilds immidiat and tangible profits. The Ministry of Science is seen as essential, but at the same time, as a lowly post (sometimes jokingly called "the Emperor's handyman"). The office suffers from a great deal of power struggles, with the Ministry of CUlture fighting forcomplete control over the education system, and Starfleet and Imperial Intelligence wanting to run their own, separate RnD programs without Ministry oversight.

Minister of Vassal Affairs
The Minister of Vassal Affairs is the closest equivolent to a Forigne Minister in the Terran Empire. Negotiation with one's enemies is not really a highly prized skill. However, what is a critical skill is being able to manipulate your enemies into becoming your servants, subjugate them by turning their allies agaisnt them, and in other ways using your words as a weapon of conquest. This is the position on the Minister of Vassal Affairs. It is his duty to manage the activities of the vassalized nations along the border of the Empire, and insure that they remain submissive to the Empire, do as they are told, and pay their trubute regularly. He also makes sure to twist every negotiation in the Empire's favor, to ensure that they can operate outside of Imperial territory with minimal risk. For example, during a military campaign. it helps to be able to count on your vassals to supply you, and not to attack your rear.

The Minister of Vassal Affairs is very powerful outside the Empire, where his agents are the most commonly seen face of the Terrans aside from Starfleet. To many forign powers, Vassal Affairs is the Empire, they will likely never see the Emperor himself. However, within the Empire, the power of the Minister is limited. He usually works closly with the Minister of Revenue, since they are both in-charge of ensuring that forign trade flows steadily and prosperatly.

Minister of Culture
The Minister of Culture is in charge of the Imperial propoganda machine. Every form of authorized media in the Empire is censored (and often created) by this ministry. It is the duty of the ministry to ensure that the public perception of the "truth" is exactly what the Emperor wants them to belive, and that the people continue to belive that what the Emperor wants is both the right way, and the only way. The ministry is in a constant power-struggle with the Ministry of Science over control of the school system.

This is considered to be a posistion of considerable influence, and potentiall great power. while lacking in hard power, the Minister of Culture is in the best posistion to secure the support of the greater mass of the Empire's population in the event of a revolt. If not a direct threat to Imperial power, he is at least a vital ally in any conspiracy.

Other Offices
Commendant of the Imperial Guard

Director of OMEGA

Worlds of the Empire

 * Earth
 * Aaamazzara
 * Aldebaran
 * Alpha Centauri
 * Alpha III
 * Alpha V
 * Althos IV
 * Andoria
 * Antares
 * Arcadia
 * Archer IV
 * Arcturus IV
 * Ardana
 * Argelius II
 * Arken II
 * Aronnia
 * Aulac
 * Aurelia
 * Bajor
 * Benecia
 * Berengaria VII
 * Beta VI
 * Betazed
 * Betelgeuse II
 * Bolarus IX
 * Cait
 * Catulla
 * Cerberus
 * Cimera
 * Cygnet XIV
 * Cygnia Minor
 * Delta IV
 * Deneb V
 * Deneva
 * Denobula
 * Edos/Edo III
 * Efros
 * Ejul Thelni
 * Fillandia
 * Gorlat
 * Ithenus/Orodanga
 * Izar
 * Janus VI
 * K'norm
 * Kazar
 * Luna (Sol IIIa)
 * Mantilles
 * Marcos XII
 * Mars (Sol IV)
 * Mazor VII
 * Megar
 * Merak II
 * Monchezke
 * Nominick
 * Norpin
 * O'Ryan's Planet
 * Ophiucus III
 * Orion
 * Planet Q
 * Quardis
 * Rhaandaran
 * Rigel
 * Risa
 * Salazaar
 * Sauria
 * Shamin/O'Ryan's Planet
 * Sirius IX
 * Tantalus Colony
 * Tarsus IV
 * Tellar
 * Terra Nova
 * Thalassa
 * Tiburon
 * Triacus
 * Trilith
 * Vega IV
 * Vega IX
 * Vorna
 * Vulcan
 * Weytahn
 * Wrigley's Pleasure Planet
 * Zakdorn
 * Zaran II