Bautizar

Bautizar

Flag of Bautizar
Motto: "Ne Obliviscaris"
No Map Available
Region	Confederation of Nations
Capital	New Gibraltar
Official Language(s)	Basic (English)
Leader	Unknown
Population	Unknown
Currency	Credit
NS Sunset XML

Introduction

Her Majesty's Commonwealth Government of Bautizar, known in local shorthand as "the Commonwealth" or "Her Majesty's Government" (HMG), was a collection of three future tech planets (Bautizar, Solstheim Bautizar, and Gorjen Bautizar) located in the Orion Belt of the Milky Way galaxy. It was formed in 3391 by the First and Second Treaties of the Dominion, which led to a merger of the Dominion of Bautizar, the Kingdom of Camillar, and the House of Dornas.

The historical records contained within the Master Database show that events in the Commonwealth were referred to as pre-Unification and post-Unification to refer to the merger of 3391. Originally these phrases were intended to assist outsiders in familiarizing themselves with the changes that had taken place within the territory of HMG, but they later became synonymous with the rising standards of living and general prosperity throughout the early 3400s.

History

Pre-Unification

The question of how humans came to exist on three worlds very distant from Earth remains an unknown question in Commonwealth history. Speculation in the post-Unification years focused on the possibility of the planets having been settled by refugees fleeing Earth's wars of the mid 2000s. If this was true, according to sentiment among the archaeological community, then at some point after the establishment of colonies on the three worlds they devolved to pre-spaceflight societies consistent with 1000s-era civilizations on Old Earth.

Gorjen IV was the first planet to redevelop the written word, in the year 2100 on the Commonwealth calendar. By the mid 2100s their world had become industrialized, and it was not long before they harnessed the power of the atom. In 2210 widespread conflict broke out across the planet, leading to an escalation to nuclear weapons that left less than 20 million alive from a pre-exchange population of 1.6 billion. The survivors were left to struggle and adapt to life as best as they could. In 2215 the first of several religious faiths emerged, and those that had survived what has become known as "The Cleansing" were quickly swayed to the idea of religion. Since then the population has become very religiously devout. It was their devotion to the ideals of pacifism and non-resistance that enabled them to be quickly conquered and subjugated 3376 by the House of Dornas.

Solstheim VI is the planet from which many of the Commonwealth's marines have come, owing to its harsh desert environment that encourages physical toughness and mental stamina. By the mid-3100s the various tribes had united to form a warrior-based society known as the Soldenor. In 3250 they succeeded in breaking the warp barrier, and in 3300 they invaded and conquered Bautizar VIII. Defeated and expelled in 3374, the society began to crumble as warriors turned on each other, seeking to pass blame around for the failure of the occupation. This enabled an invasion that conquered and subjugated them by 3377.

Bautizar VIII became inhabited by a tribal-based agricultural society by the year 2000 on the Commonwealth calendar. The Soldenor invasion of 3300 later was soon followed by massive industrialization projects that radically transformed the face of the planet from its humble roots into an economic powerhouse that rivaled pre-Cleansing Gorjen IV. By 3374 this might had been used by the newly-united Dominion of Bautizar, the Kingdom of Camillar, and the House of Dornas to expel the invaders. It was in the aftermath of this that the planet fell into near-anarchy, with the three states becoming engaged in destructive warfare punctuated by the use of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.

In 3389 the general realization came to exist that unless the warfare could be stopped, all of the planet would be rendered uninhabitable by the year 3395. In late 3389 the First Treaty of the Dominion succeeded in establishing a permanent ceasefire, paving the way for the Second Treaty of the Dominion in 3391. It was this latter document that established the Dominion of Bautizar as an inter-planetary entity.

In 3391 the Parliament voted to rename the government Her Majesty's Commonwealth Government of Bautizar, settling what many considered to be the last post-Unification question.

Post-Unification

Post-Unification society has became divided into three camps. Bautizar VIII, known simply as "the homeworld," was considered to have an inoffensive centralized government that preferred to maintain law and order at the expense of civil liberties. As of 3492 its economy had been growing steadily in the post-Unification era, giving it the strongest economy of the three worlds.

Gorjen IV retreated from the international stage as the religious piousness of its population continued to grow. Colonial authorities were known to maintain strict controls over the Church of the Twin Lanterns (the official religion and the only one recognized and allowed to practice in public by the authorities). In later years the economy became greatly unsettled as religious leaders became increasingly vocal in their sermons against the corruption and evils of business. Repeated rumors from within the Colonial Authorities spoke of forthcoming action against the Church's religious elders in order to get them to "tone down" their message, but the rumblings had been ongoing since 3410 and were considered by many to be just stories.

Solstheim VI recovered from the economic chaos that was widespread after the defeat of 3374 and the invasion of 3377. Although considered by many to be a growing economic market, many of the younger generations could be found in the marine corps and enlisted branches of the Commonwealth military. While Colonial authorities had loosened regulations and restrictions on the civilian populace in the late 3420s, there were rumors to suggest that their vigiliance had sharpened with the growing economic prosperity across the planet.

Vanishing Act

On February 1st, 3429 all messages, communications, and all other sources of contact from Her Majesty's Commonwealth Government of Bautizar ceased abruptly and without warning. 38 years after taking its first tentative steps into the stars, it was as if the civilization that spanned three worlds simply disappeared into thin air, taking with it all knowledge of events that had taken place inside its borders.

Only three messages were received, two of them being confirmed in authenticity.

1. The International Trade Hub received the first message, which was an automated emergency distress signal that originated from Aberdeen Border Station (located within the homeworld system). This message discontinued exactly 24 hours after its transmission began.

2. Shortly after the emergency message was sent to the International Trade Hub, several civilian ships operating in the Tau systems picked up a second emergency distress message. The message was, unusually, broadcast in the clear without encryption.

Additionally, an unconfirmed message was also broadcast from a location somewhere within the territory of Her Majesty's Government. This message was sent using known Commonwealth transmission codes, but clearly did not conform to any previously-encountered diplomatic communication that had originated within the Commonwealth's territory.

Taken in combination, these messages suggest some kind of social breakdown and collapse of the government and military. Sources within the civilian pilot community have reported a lack of refugees attempting to flee through the International Trade Hub connection or to the many foreign stations in the Tau systems. The further lack of activity and/or communications from the Commonwealth's many border stations in the Tau systems and the Northern Reaches suggests that whatever calamity befell the civilization was instantaneous and prevented evacuation of the populace.

Geography

As of 3492 the planets themselves differed greatly not only in their overall environments, but in the ecosystems found on each one. As Commonwealth authority was generally considered to extend to the borders of these systems (defined under current law as 12 lightyears beyond the orbit of the outermost planet), this also included mineral-rich asteroid fields and a variety of stellar phenomena that are either harvested to better aid the economies of the colonies or constantly under study by the Royal Academy of Science.

The Bautizar system had one world that can support life: Bautizar VIII, also known as the homeworld. In addition there were also eight other planets of varying sizes, none of which could naturally support life. As of 3492 colonies could be found on Bautizar II and III, but these were little more than mining settlements policed by the Constabulary Authority. Mineral deposits were considered especially high throughout the system, including substantial veins of nickel and copper in the outer asteroid fields.

The arid and barren world of Solstheim VI was the seventh planet in its system. Veteran traders and miners considered its climate to be "cool" by system standards: the other six worlds were notorious for numerous hazards, including scorching temperatures on their sunlit sides and freezing temperatures on the other half. The system's primary claim to fame was the extensive asteroid belts which littered the area, all of which were considered hazardous due to their being swept by frequent radiation storms. Estimates indicated that Solstheim VI would be uninhabitable by 3700 due to the worsening climactic conditions on its surface.

Gorjen IV was a moderate class-M world capable of supporting human life with little or no special adaptations. Referred to by some as the "breadbasket of the Commonwealth," its oxygen-rich climate had led to steadily increasing agricultural growth in the early 3400s to the point of massive surpluses. Like the Solstheim and Bautizar systems, the outer belts of the system were rich in minerals. Strict anti-business regulations by the religious authorities on the planet had prevented large-scale exploitation of these natural riches, however.

People

All Commonwealth citizens no matter their occupation or profession received compulsory implants at the age of 12, under legislation that was passed in 3411. These implants served to enhance mental abilities, fortify their health, and served as miniaturized computer systems to allow better communication and productivity. More sinister applications, such as government spying on citizens and the use of the implants as forms of assassination, had remained rumors and not proven by any concrete information.

Despite the post-Unification opening of borders and national boundaries, the people of the Commonwealth remained very much closeted groups which did not mingle unless forced to. Bautizans were known as good leaders and merchants, the Gorjen people were famed for their religious piousness and as artisans and craftsmen, and the Soldenors for being soldiers and masters of metalworking.

Government

The post-Unification HMG was a collection of various agencies from the pre-Unification era, the majority of which had become more streamlined with passing years. Organized in a constitutional monarchy (although Soldenors and Gorjen did not have voting rights as of 3492 in national affairs), the Royal Family was a largely symbolic station better known for being a "figurehead" for the country. Power largely rested with the executive branch, led by the prime minister and his/her cabinet.

There were twelve (12) cabinet-level positions within the government, each one being responsible for a specific area. They were the:

• Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• Her Majesty's Treasury
• Ministry of Constitutional Affairs
• Ministry of Culture, Media and Sports
• Ministry of Defense
• Ministry of Education and Skills
• Ministry of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of International Development
• Ministry of Justice
• Ministry of Trade and Industry
• Ministry of Transport
• Ministry of Defense

The Parliament itself was divided into two bodies: the House of Commoners consisted of 35 members who were popularly elected to serve five-year terms. Above them is the House of Administrators, six of the 20 members of which were appointed by the prime minister with the advice and consent of his/her cabinet. The remainder were elected by local bodies to serve six-year terms.

Foreign Policy

In the late 3390s the Commonwealth became a member of the League of Free Worlds and the International Trade Hub. There had also been reports indicating that the government was seeking to expand its foreign presence by a buildup of its military presence in the disputed area referred to as the Tau systems on Commonwealth charts. Control even over one system would have ensured a more viable connection to foreign markets, access to mineral riches which eclipsed those of the colonies and the homeworld system, and a remote location for classified military research and construction.

Military

The Commonwealth military was smaller than the standing militaries that were maintained during the pre-Unification era, but had been growing in size throughout the late 3390s and early 3400s. Fiscal spending was largely considered to be the responsibility of the Admiralty, who had control over the navy, marine corps, and national reserve.

The current disposition of the Commonwealth military and its personnel remains unknown: reports of derelict military vessels being sighted in outlying territories have remained a frequent rumor within the civilian pilot community.

--Bautizar 23:06, 2 February 2007 (GMT)