The Free Colonies
The Free Colonies are a collective of independent colony
worlds that lie mostly between Terran Protectorate and Xintrin Merchant Guild
territory. They are composed of six main human-dominated worlds and a couple
dozen small colonies that consider themselves free of their “parent”
civilization. They generally work together, though they often compete for
resources and there is no formal pact between them.
This was, at one time, the Great Frontier of human space.
On one side is the Terran Protectorate, one side is the edge of the Merchant
Guild’s holdings, and on another border sits the Empire of Many Suns, but since
it abuts the Orion Expanse, the great empty space between the Orion and
Sagittarius arms of the Milky Way Galaxy, it’s often viewed as the backwater
region of space, with little room for long-term expansion. The settling period
occurred just before the first war, and lasted for a short-time afterward. Then
the colonies declared independence, having suffered economically during the war
and after the Protectorate established the Terminus Line and banned
colonization near the
Many scholars and explorers are pulling their hair out over
the apparent disinterest in the far-flung star systems bordering (and drifting
into) the expanse. These are VERY OLD systems. Many, many of them are red dwarf
or brown dwarf stars which are virtually undetectable to anything but intense
astronomical surveys. Some estimate that the number of star systems on the
border of the expanse, and in the first 100 light years, to be triple the
official estimate by the Protectorate. In fact, only about 70% of the star
systems in the Free Colonies territory have been explored. Almost all of the
unexplored systems are near the Terminus Line. And even many of the explored
systems have never been properly surveyed.
The
That’s good enough for the Protectorate, which turned its
attention totally away from the region. Interestingly enough, Old Earth lies
just within the region considered the beginning of the Expanse.
Little of that affects the Free Colonies however.
Occasionally someone finds an interesting Deep Time Artifact, or some
interesting ruins are discovered. But, with the exception of maybe a short
increase in ship traffic from interested explorers, they are not affected. They
are mostly interested in fostering their image as a trade zone between the
Xintrin Merchant Guild and the Terran Protectorate and some other minor alien
species in what remains of the Empire of Many Suns. They are a free trade zone,
with little restrictions on what one can buy or sell. Each colony has different
laws and rules. All struggle financially and tend to be a bit like the Wild
West back on Old Earth. Justice often comes at the business end of a laser
rifle, and one’s ability to hold land can frequently be judged by their ability
to kill anyone who tries to take it from them.
The six major colonies are strung out between the
Protectorate and the Guild, with lots of minor colony worlds and moons
scattered about. Bifrost is considered the “capitol” world of the independent
colonies, although there really is no such thing. Hephaestus is a religious
commune with major mining and high-quality production facilities. Pirate-laden
New Tortuga lies closest to the Xintrin territory, and has a diverse population
comprised of numerous different species, and its demographics fluctuate wildly
from year to year. The other three include Harvest and Einswold, both primarily
farming worlds, and Gorgon-3, a moon where the entire population lives
underground in tunnels originally carved out of the rock by a long-dead race.
This is also the heart of pirating activity between both
empires. The Xintrin insist on selling anything to anyone who can afford it. To
them, this is the epitome of fairness in trade policy, and something no other
government has ever been able to dissuade them from. Guns, armed vessels and
many illicit goods flow from Guildspace into the colonies; many of it bought by
free-roaming pirate fleets that prey on the very same trade ships that bring
them their own supplies. Some Xintrin manufacturers even cater to them, with
independent shipyards having gone as far as building pirate ships to successful
captains’ specifications.
Now, with the war heating up, even more illicit goods are
flowing through the area. It has even gotten the attention of independent
traders from Arkhon space, who seek to capitalize on what they hope will be a
flood of goods and displaced wealth when the Empire smashes the Protectorate
and sends humanity scattering. Of course, it’s occurred to a few of them that
things might go the other way, in which case the frontier worlds are as good a
place as any to set down some new roots.
Most in the Free Colonies believe that whatever the result
of the war, they have little to fear. If the Protectorate falls, there’s only
one way for humanity to go, and that’s into Xintrin 
territory, through the colonies. They’ll have plenty of
warning if that happens. Still, most humans in the Free Colonies support the
Protectorate against the Arkhon Empire. Some have even gone back into
Protectorate territory and signed up for the Stellar Navy or Colonial Marines.
However, officially, the Free Colonies are neutral in the conflict and are
doing their best to stay neutral.
Either way, it is likely to push the colonies to grow and
prosper a bit more, with some growing pains like increased piracy and political
intrigue. This will also bring a bit more attention to the Expanse, especially
after the war, which may not be a good thing for the galaxy…
Law and Order
Most law is maintained on the main Free Colony worlds by
local constables and police forces, but there has to be law maintained between
the varied Free Colony Worlds. This duty is given primarily to the Guardsman
Interstellar Security Service; a paramilitary group that contracts with each
planet to maintain law and order. They only ask that they are allowed to do
their job with as little government interference as possible. Guardsmen often
work alone, like Magistrates in the Protectorate. The Guardsmen are part bounty
hunter, part police man, part spy and part special forces. In many cases, a
guardsman will keep his or her identity secret unless absolutely necessary. The
Guardsmen require planets given them extraordinary policing powers and
exemption from many local laws. Most own a small space ship or travel with a
group of allies and wander from planet-to-planet, looking for trouble in the
making and carrying out justice. Several have been recruited into the
Starfarers, particularly individuals who have followed the source of troubles
within the colonies out into the Expanse.
Military protection, and the securing of shipping lanes, is
in the hands of each colony’s own defense fleet. The human-dominated worlds
have a collection of ships from the first war, including Stalwart-Class Heavy
Cruisers, Arrow Interceptors, and first-generation
More detailed information about places and people of
interest can be found below (under construction)
Major
Planets of the Free Colonies