Blue Giant:Interstellar Nations

There are a vast number of nations in the Milky Way. In the southern arms of the galaxy, planets can have dozens of nations clustered on them. Most of the old earth nations stil exist in one (or two, three, or a dozen) form or another. Many nations command several planets. Most are not worth mentioning. Some nations though, span star systems, clusters or even entire quarters of the galaxy. In rough order of size, the human nations are;

The Astræ'an Empire

The Astræ'an Empire covers over a quarter of the galaxy, and if it were not for the Groombridge Treaty and the Federation/Empire treaty it would probably rule a lot more. The Astræ'an Empire is ruled absolutely by the Empress Astræ'a, a former lover of the empire's creator and first ruler, Emperor John Braben. The Astræ'an Empire is at its higher levels an aristocracy. A Duchy is a sector, Counties are star systems and Baronies are continents.

The Federated Territories

Formally the Federal Alliance, the Federated Territories consists of most of the western half of the galaxy. Although larger by area than the Empire, it has about two-thirds the population. The Federated Territories are a planetary democracy with some of the worlds gaining a vote on the council. Each world is given the status of Independent, Dependant or Colonial. Independent worlds get a say on the council, Dependants get to lobby via the Independent world they depend on and colonial worlds don't matter. This means that other nations that have worlds in the Territories hold some sway over the Federation. The Camby, Shanshock, UPA, Dutch, Japanese, Gordon Freeholders, S.Y.L.A and the Visi hold blocks of votes on the Federation council (as do many, many others).

The United Nations Protectorate (UNP)

The United Nations Protectorate mostly exists in the southern rim sectors of the galaxy. It was formed when all the old Cygnan Empire planets and all the earth colonial planets in the Cygnus and Perseus arm were put under control of a United Nations peacekeeping force. Later the UNP was cut loose to fend for itself as the Earth nations concentrated on expansion in other directions. The UNP became a nation proper with the signing of the Groombridge Treaty.

The Camby

The Camby nation evolved from a particular type of settler philosophy that put family first. The Camby are a semi-religious nepotistic meritocracy. Families are appointed positions of authority, not individuals. The Camby hold very definite views of the current galactic culture. If it isn't their culture it's probably degenerate. The name Camby evolved from New Cambridge University, Massachusets where the original Camby settlers learned their Biological and Physical sciences from the university settlers program. The Camby settlers were mostly from Midwest USA, but many settled on colonies abandoned by the Chinese during the Oceanic China / Shanshock civil war, and the Camby absorbed a lot of Chinese peasant culture. Camby planets exist in the Earth Colony zone, the Federated Territories, and the Treaty Zone. There are even a significant number of planets with Camby culture in the Empire, although the Empress, being a disenfranchised Camby Settler herself, does her best to, err, lead them into a less 'virtuous' lifestyle.

The Shanshock

The Shanshock are a modern, dynamic offshoot of the Oceanic Chinese Nation. The split came when, after the Groombridge Treaty, the Chinese colonies on the federal side of the border were given the choice between keeping ties with China or making new ties with the Federal Alliance. The Shanshock chose to become "Big Fish in a new pond rather than stay minnows in the oceans of Earth History!" The Shanshock are well on their way to becoming the biggest player in the Federal Territories. The Shanshock are a loose plutocracy although they prefer to think of themselves as a socialist republic.

The United Planets of America (UPA)

Like the Shanshock, the UPA came about soon after the Groombridge Treaty when the colonies of the USA were given the chance of freedom from Earth. Unlike the Shanshock, the UPA managed to persuade a large number of independant planets to join them, including a number of worlds run by American corporations. (They promised better tax breaks.) The UPA has over 300 states, and its own Federal Government which shouldn't be confused with the Federal Territories, but often is. The UPA is more or less democratic.

The Netherlands

The Dutch invented space travel, and for eight hundred years the motto has been, "If you want it to fly, get a Dutchman." Dutch colonies tend not only to control whole planets but they also have national areas on other peoples planets too. The Dutch exist everywhere in the galaxy. Their culture is mostly that of educators, engineers and service personel. Dutch corporations run starship transport networks, spaceports and so on. The original Dutch explorers independance of mind and technical know how was a big influence in the creation of the Oruc-Pang. The Nation of the Netherlands exists mostly as hearsay, but when the Dutch need to make a decision it is made democratically

The Oruc-Pang

The Oruc-Pang are one of the larger civilizations in the galaxy, definitely the most spread out and number a little over a trillion people. They are fiercely independant nomads who wander space, and rarely, if ever, land on planets preferring space stations. The Oruc-Pang are the main rivals to the Dutch for control of the merchant space lanes. Unlike all the other nations, the Oruc make no territorial claims on any planet or region of space. The Pang are a different matter, although they claim no planets, they always stake out an area of space. Oruc-Pang culture evolved from settlers who didn't settle down, and just kept travelling. They can be found everywhere in the galaxy.(Although the Pang are outlawed in the Empire, they just shrug and pretend like they're Oruc.) The Oruc-Pang divide themselves up into groups, regional teams, families, clans, companies or any other damn way they please. Most Oruc-Pang have facial tattoos which distinguish which group they are part of. Some keep these tattoos for life, others change them daily.