EARTHER – Humans on Earth
General Information:
In the past 400 years, Earthers have seen the merging of government and corporate initiatives. Earther culture is presently corporate-driven; efficiency, profit, structure and growth are the fundamental goals of most Earthers. You are either in a strong business position, or trying to get there. Even the worldwide government, the Central Governance Corporation or CGC, is a profit-seeking business organization. This single government handles oversight of taxes, defense, civil services and health care. There are three major employment categories on Earth – corporate (including government), military, and general citizens. Males and females in corporate and military jobs are generally fit, healthy, and mentally astute. The military is selective… only the best are chosen from many applications.
Earth is still viewed by some humans around the Solar System as their home. There are some people on Gongen and in the Outer Rim who support Earth’s efforts to unite humanity in the face of the new threats, but their numbers are few and they have little power.
Earther Government:
In 2161, as Earth became more corporate, a central Earth government was formed. The Central Governance Corporation (CGC) was headquartered in New York City. The CGC was patterned after the most successful corporations of the day. Its influence was not just global, but extended throughout the Solar System. According to Earthers, all colonies, space stations, mining facilities and trading operations fell under CGC jurisdiction. To say the least, this was not received well by off-world populations in the Outer Rim and Mars.
CGC – The CGC is heavily influenced by financial and manufacturing interests, and operates as a corporation itself. The CEO, or head of the CGC, is appointed by the Board of Trustees. The Board is elected by stockholders in the government and by voting members who have a representative voice. Many of the government’s Board of Trustees serve on other corporate boards, and there are often conflict of interest issues being resolved in and out of Earth’s courts.
The CGC contracts much of its day-to-day operations to smaller corporations. Things such as civil service, police, and military contracts are awarded through a bid system. For the most part, the CGC has done a good job of running the world. Like any organization with a political and business focus, it has some detractors.
iCom – Interstellar Commerce Corporation provides capital ship fleets for the CGC. Air support contracts are supplied by iCom to CDC and FedGrav. Commerce Authority is a division of iCom, tasked with regulating trade in the Solar System.
CISyn – Coordination and Intelligence Syndicate is in charge of Earther information gathering operations. This includes infiltrators of other organizations as well as “gurus” provided as technical support staff for troops of other corporations.
FedGrav – Federated Grav Corporation produces vehicles and weapons for all Earther troops. They supply infantry with F.L.I.C. heavy weapons, “chest cannons” and GR-Blades, low altitude support vehicles such as the famous “Howler’s Blades.” FedGrav has developed a new battle tank called a juggernaut, in response to Earther ground force losses in the Earth-Gongen War.
XeLabs – Extraorbital Laboratories contracts medical support for combat operations. They operate a station orbiting Venus used for advanced research.
Earther History:
In 2071, a large nuclear explosion in south central China devastated the Asian continent. Billions died and most of the surrounding areas are still contaminated with radioactivity. This disaster forced nearly all of the surviving inhabitants living in those area to relocate and this spurred a movement among the Asian governments to colonize Mars. Space exploration had exploded in the 2030s and 2040s, due to the advent of the GRAV Drive (GRavity Attuned Vehicle) engines that made space travel much easier and faster.
Within 100 years of humans beginning to live on another planet, Earther governments came together to form the CGC. For the next 200 years, the peoples of Earth and Mars argued over rights, taxes, power and authority. Mars became less dependent upon supplies and support from Earth, and gradually assumed more self-control. In 2364, Mars declared its independence from Earther rule and renamed the planet Gongen.
When it became clear to the CGC that diplomatic and corporate pressures were not going to work, Earth systematically blockaded the supply lines to Gongen and gradually moved an occupying force into Gongen space. The Earthers planned to choke off Gongen and force them to capitulate. In 2388, Earther and Gongen forces fought a monumental space battle. The Gongen moon, Phobos, had an Earther base located there. In reaction to the blockade, Gongen forces placed the Earther base under siege. The two powers faced off on Phobos and Gongen, and their fleets met in the space between Gongen and its moon. The Earther fleet outnumbered and outgunned the Gongen, but the smaller Gongen ships were faster and more maneuverable. The resulting battle inflicted huge losses on both sides. Earth was unable to regain control of the base on Phobos, and the resulting casualties left them without enough troops or support to sustain an occupying force on Gongen. Earth was forced to withdraw. Their defeat was enormous and unexpected.
Shortly after the Battle at Phobos, Earth suffered another mortifying loss when the Mavericks attacked and took control of multiple Outer Rim production and research facilities that were still in use. Earth made several attempts to regain their lost territories over the next three years but they were not successful. Just as Earth was preparing to mount a huge offensive to reclaim their Outer Rim facilities and subdue the Gongen, the Rift opened and changed the balance of power forever.
The Mumon Rift Wars TCG 