Sorry guys, I've been trying to write chapters 11 AND 12 of this arc, but I've had severe writer's block. I hope this suffices.
Codex 5: Alliance, Blackwatch and Mercenaries
Editor's Note: Due to popular demand, the UNE (United Nations of Earth), the parliament of the Sol system and the Systems Alliance has agreed to disclose some information about the organisations that made up the Alliance forces. The ICW has not cleared any more information about themselves, however, and I may be facing charges due to my previous article about the BMoM - Andy.
United Nations
The United Nations of Earth is the main collective governing body of Alliance Space. Currently based on Earth, the UNE primarily situates itself out of the United Nations building in New Your City of the United States of America where it is considered a separate state. However, new legislation and the possibility of expelling the United States of America as a member nation may lead to the UNE being situated out of the European Union in Luxemburg. It is similar to the older International Confederation of Wizards which has officially been absorbed by the UN.
The United Nations, prior to Second Contact, is an intergovernmental organisation was established in 1945, in the wake of the Second World War, with the aims of promoting and facilitating co-operation in international law and security, economic development, social progress, human rights, civil rights and liberties, political freedoms, democracy and the achievement of lasting world peace. It was founded to replace the League of Nations.
Founded by 53 member states, there are now 191 member states (formerly 193, with the inclusion of the People's Republic of China, North and South Korea are now one state) not counting colonies off-world. Prior to Second Contact, known as the Drophyd invasion, the UN were an ambassadorial organisation where representatives from each government sent a representative to the main headquarters where the General Assembly holds deliberative assembly among ambassadors, and on occasions, the leaders of some nations. Once a year, over a 2-week period, all members can address the assembly. Traditionally, the Secretary-General makes the first statement, followed by the president of the assembly.
There are 6 main branches, each with several roles. The UN General Assembly, as mentioned, has the duties of resolving non-compulsory recommendations to states or suggestions to the UN Security Council, decides on the admissions of new member states on proposal of the UN Security Council, adopts the budget and elects the non-permanent members of the UN Security Council all members of the Economic and Security Council, the Secretary General and the 15 judges of the International Court of Judges. These are similar roles to the Citadel Assembly, and like the Citadel Assembly each state gets one vote. Since Second Contact, the organisation also actively punishes member states for breaking international treaties, violation of war crimes on and off Earth and abusing loopholes and electing the CA or Citadel Ambassador as well as maintaining ambassadors within non-human space.
The UN Secretariat is the administrative force of the UN and collectively supports the other bodies by organising conferences, writing reports and studies and the preparation of the budget-plan. The organisation also helps with the translation of both documents and speeches, even in real-time. The UN Secretary General is the chairperson of the UNS and is elected for a 5-year mandate and is the most important representative of the UN within local politics. The organisation also aids the intergalactic ambassadors as secretaries or aides as well as general office work for Alliance Branches. Outside the UN headquarters in New York, the UNS also maintains offices in the cities of Geneva in Switzerland, Nairobi in Kenya and Vienna in Austria.
The International Court of Justice is the UN's universal court for international law, with its main courthouses being stationed in The Hague in the Netherlands. The 15 judges, as elected by the UNGA, serve for 9 years, decides judgement by relative majority such as disputes between states that recognize its jurisdiction and creating legal opinion. Due to officially merging with the International Criminal Court, all member states are forced to recognize the decisions of the ICC which is used for prosecuting war criminals. This infamously led to the investigation of 2 major American politicians, one of which was serving Senator George Sears, and the arrest of 30 active and former CIA and KGB operatives and nearly led to the forced expulsion of the USA and Russia when they wouldn't comply with the ICC's judgement of these individuals.
The UN Security Council, now known as Systems Alliance Navy (SAN) is responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security, as well as deciding compulsory legislation and resolution that all member states must follow. It is dedicated to keeping and enforcing the peace of several states as well as the protection of Alliance Space. There are 5 main members of the council – 5 permanent members with veto powers and 10 elected officials. It currently maintain SA military, NEXUS agencies across space, NERV facilities across systems and Auror agencies across the world, as well as maintaining legal response to Private Military Companies and contractors from both on- and off-world.
The UN Economic and Social Council is responsible for co-operation between states on economic and social factors such as the standard of living, economic issues, social and health problems, the promotion of human rights, culture and education and humanitarian aid. It also coordinates the co-operation of specialised agencies in the UN. The 54 members, chosen by the Secretary-General, serve staggered 3-year mandates in office.
The UN Trusteeship Council, now inactive, was designed to manage colonial possessions that were earlier LoN mandates. It has been inactive since 1994 with Palau attaining independence. It is currently being discussed about whether to reopen the council to maintain colonial interests in space.
Currently, the UN is being completely restructured so that the Systems Alliance moniker would apply through the entire organisation.
*NOTE: 'Human Rights' is a term used to describe mandates in laws to protect human beings from the violation of the basic rights. The term is now used to describe non-humans such as aliens and beings.
Systems Alliance
The Systems Alliance Navy is the official military force of the Sol System that encompasses Earth, human colonies and member species. It is dedicated to protecting human colonies, space stations and mass relays in SA space. It maintains fleets around mass relays as choke points in the event of an invasion and has garrisons guarding colonies.
While there are only 2 fleets, the SA maintains contracts to Private Military Companies such as Megacorp Commandos ltd and Nova Space Security LLC, both of which are Bogon-based companies. Contractors such as krogans, salarians, turians, kerchu, volus, asari and other species are also known to work for SA for several terms, such as payment, citizenship within Alliance space and other negotiable terms. Due to a deal with the quarian people, all quarians can work in Alliance space as part of training or on pilgrimage. This greatly bolsters military power while getting a reputation of a mercenary world.
The First Fleet is based at Arcturus Station, the space station just beyond the relay leading to Earth and protects the next 3 clusters connected to that station. The Second Fleet is dedicated to protecting the first colony settlements within worlds offered by the Citadel Council, and mainly tours Alliance space with PMC-affricated ships.
The garrisons are squads of soldiers stationed across SA space, and are made up of all kinds of skill-based fighters. All members must take firearm training with 2 guns, including the basic handgun and a firearm of the soldiers' choosing, either SMG, LMG, shotgun, assault rifle, RPG or sniper rifle. Squads can have either magic users, conduits, biotics, cyborgs or unpowered individuals with specially assigned squads having some specific needs that must be accomplished. Garrisons do not have gender, race or species segregation or limits, thus allowing a human, demon, turian, asari and centaur to all have stations in the same garrison.
Within the alliance, there are specific ranks that are taken into account:
ENLISTED:
Serviceman 3rd Class/ENLISTED
Serviceman 3rd Class/Private 2nd Class
Serviceman 2nd Class/Private 1st Class
Serviceman 1st Class/Corporal
NCOs:
Service Chief
Gunnery Chief
Operations Chief
OFFICERS:
2nd Lieutenant
1st Lieutenant
Staff Lieutenant
Lieutenant Commander
Staff Commander
Captain/Major
Rear Admiral/General
Admiral
Fleet Admiral
The Alliance Military Vocational Code system classifies the career path of all personnel. It consists of one letter and one number. It measures proficiency, not rank. The letter notes career path, with A being law enforcement, D being Engineers and N being Special Forces personnel, while the number show skill at a job with 1 being the basic and 7 being mastery. Despite the name, the MVC encompasses all branches covered by the UNSC including NEXUS law enforcement (A), NERV (J) and the Aurors (M).
There are means to punish soldiers for unruly behaviour including demotion if not outright expulsion from the Alliance Navy and imprisonment. For contractors, this includes their contract becoming null and void. 2 soldiers were demoted after partaking in offensive and derogatory behaviour on the Citadel with one vandalising a wall with a Swastika. The pair were dishonourably discharged and expelled from the Citadel by C-Sec.
Blackwatch
Blackwatch is the secretive black operations squad operated by the Turian Hierarchy. Originally believed to only accept the best of the best, Blackwatch was recently revealed to be the standard wizarding military program of the Hierarchy's military power.
Turians who show the ability to use magic are recruited into Blackwatch at the age of 10-11 and trained for an additional 5 years of active service which consists of the recruits learning how to use their magic, thus, all Blackwatch candidates are considered second-tier citizens from the age of 11 as well as slightly advanced education compared to their peers. Until the age of 15, candidates receive a highly advanced OWL-level education before they serve their standard boot camp years during an apprenticeship to a number of skilled mages which teaches a number of skills past standard training.
Candidates, upon the end of their military careers, have several possible choices: officially join Blackwatch as commissioned officers, join rank-and-file soldiers to perform a number of covert missions among these soldiers, becoming masters of specific trades and accept apprentices or becoming normal civilians.
There are rules after graduation: no-one is allowed to know about the truth of Blackwatch and no member is allowed to join the Spectres. Due to wards placed on each candidate, they will have their magic violently locked away, if they don't go to the Master of the program and have their magic sealed peacefully.
This is all information currently disclosed as of now.
Non-Human Citizenship Act
The Non-Human Citizenship Act is a law that allows for non-human individuals from off-world to seek citizenship and become a legal citizen of Earth alongside their citizenship of origin. It is similar to a green card, a legal document stating that one human from a country outside the USA can permanently hold residence within the country for a number of reasons. The legal identification that a non-human individual would like to obtain is known as a United Nations Lawful Permanent Residency, although the less-formal name of the Green Card is used as well.
There are several conditions for seeking a Green Card: the holder must pay legal taxes in the UN state they wish to live in, which also must be considered for prospective citizens. Should a non-human move to a member state, such as Australia, they must obey local laws or else face a sentence within jail. The same applies to colony worlds. You can't apply for a green card if you have a prior conviction in Citadel Space and the Solana and Bogon galaxies.
To obtain a Green Card, you must both have a skillset that you can use to obtain work as well as either an employer who wishes to hire you and is willing to help you obtain citizenship or enough demand that your services can be used to provide for yourself or your family, you wish to marry a human or you are a sanctuary seeking asylum.
Alternatively, a temporary visa can be sought for either vacations or for temporary stays in Alliance space. Certain colonies do not require a green card to settle in.
NOTE FROM ANDY: I didn't write this, UNE's advertising offices did. If any batarian refugees wish to apply for asylum, please contact any embassy, not just the human one on the Citadel.
Military Contract Act and Non-Human Service Act
The Military Contract Act is a law passed by the UNE that allows for the hiring of Private Military Companies and contractors for the purpose of protecting colony worlds and serving tours alongside the Alliance Navy. With this law, various mercenary outfits can act under the authority of the Systems Alliance. The first PMC to work for the Alliance under this law was Maverick Security Consulting, Incorporated.
The Non-Human Service Act allows for aliens to come to Earth and apply for military service with either the Alliance or a member state, thus obtaining a green card to settle in Alliance Space. With the two combined laws, PMCs from off-world such as Nova Space Security can be hired by Alliance representatives to aid the Alliance Military. It can also be used to obtain a green card for individuals.
This has not been met without controversy. The main reason the bills were passed was due to the severe population decline caused by the Drophyd Invasion. Even with conscription, the number of humans and military power would not be enough to protect the human homeworld, let alone colonies, in the long run. However, xenophobic groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and Humanity First have attacked the bills for allowing filth to join the armed services. Some governments in Citadel Space are even trying to pass laws that would persecute those who join the Alliance Navy, even charging citizens with high treason. So far, only the batarian Hegemony has passed these laws. Some have also complained that non-human PMCs were excluded but this isn't true. Some PMCs, including Academi (aka Blackwater) and Desperado, which are exclusively human, are banned under the clause that no PMC can perform a war crime under Alliance command or have committed a war crime in the past. This also excludes the asari Eclipse, the krogan Blood Pack and the Blue Suns.
