Pax Galactica

The Pax Galactica is the name of a major power in the Aleph Sector. It evolved from the interstellar expansion of the Droome empires and, apart from Droome worlds, has integrated many other species, such as the No-Maki, the Timeri and their colonies. It is a highly federalized realm and some parts of the Pax Galactica are nominally independent states.

Political Structure
Organized as autocratic aristocracy, the Pax Galactica is ruled by a High Council consisting of the patriarchs of the nine most powerful families in the realm. This council is a self-governing body, meaning that the individuals partaking in it are appointed to - and excluded from - it by majority vote of the council members themselves.

Likewise, the council appoints the two-hundred members of the Imperial Senate, with whom the responsibility of governing the Pax Galactica is shared. The Senate has formal authority in most matters of government and can overturn decisions by the High Council, unless these decision themselves had been reached unanimously. Because the 200 Senators are powerful Patriarchs in their own right, Imperial politics often involves a lot of compromise, behind-the-door deals and careful political maneuvering to secure majorities and support for policies.

Most Senators will furthermore be appointed to numerous offices by the High Council, the responsibilities involved ranging from purely ceremonial to being comparable to that of a ministerial post.

Economy
The PG economy is focused around family/clan-structures, which are often close to self-sufficient, depending on their size. In the past, family members worked hard to that end, but in the recent millenia, technological developements have been effectively implemented: most families nowadays own robotic manufacturing plants. Money exists, but is only scarcely used and often only appears as a digital element in trade negotiations or tax reports, to specificy value of goods. Taxes can be paid in goods, the most well known of which is the military tax.

Society
Core element of PG society are families or clans and the adaption of this structure usually determines the degree to which a colony is part of the Empire rather than a client state. Families/clans are large, multi-generational households led by a single patriarch/matriarch, who is the only one to participate in social and economic life outside of the household. All other members, albeit guarantueed extensive rights by law within the family/clan, are required to serve the head of the clan.

Slave-trade is an accepted part of society, though it is not referred to as such, as Droome notions of morality can not comprehend the concept of "immoral action" and value only the outcome of an action. Hence, buying an individual to become part of a family/clan is as acceptable as selling one, if the money is needed. However, any individual traded this way retains all the equal rights of a family/clan member and is not considered property, meaning that slavery in a more narrow sense of the word is not part of the imperial society.

Patriarchs or matriarchs (the latter exists only for non-Droome clans, usually No-Maki) have an elevated social position, lead a public life and maintain unquestioned authority amongst their family. However, they also carry the burden of ensuring the survival of their family, as they are the only ones allowed to work or serve in the military. Any citizen may become a patriarch/matriarch if supplied with the financial base to start its own clan by his patriarch/matriarch. Releasing as many of their own children as possible to lead their own families/clans is the penultimate symbol of wealth and status within the Pax Galactica.

Individuals living outside of the patriarchal structure, often as traders and merchants, are referred to as vagabonds. This terminology can be misleading as, particularily in space, these vagabonds fill a vital social and economic niche, are subject to their own seperate laws, and include highly succesful and wealthy individuals, though the majority of the Pax Galactica looks at them with considerable contempt. The relationship between the patriarchal families and the vagabond strate is a constant source of friction within the Pax Galactica.

Military
The PG maintains a small but well-equipped fighting force. Any patriarch/matriarch is, by default, required to serve permanently in the military in exchange for a mediocre wage. However, most choose to opt out of service by paying material fees, which range from weapons and ships to everyday goods which are paid as wages to the soldiers.