Sol Central Government Organisations
The Sol Central Government operates a myriad of various services, departments, offices and organisations all with different, specialised purposes, ranging from defence intelligence to the postal service.
Major
The Expeditionary Corps
Main article: Expeditionary Corps
The SCG Expeditionary Corps (EC) is a scientific agency tasked with exploration of uncharted space and worlds, mineralogy surveys and xenoarchaeological studies and, more recently, making contact with undiscovered sapient life.
The EC performs a variety of tasks: discovering and cataloging stellar objects in Observatory, initial surveys of prospective colony sites and space anomalies, in-depth exploration of uncharted worlds, staffing long-term scientific outposts, and studying anomalies and xenoarcheological sites.
While not military, the EC is a civilian uniformed service with employees having ranks and uniforms, along with falling under the jurisdiction of the Sol Code of Uniform Justice. Recruitment is open to any SolGov citizen, with a minimum of 6 months of training prior to entry. Officers are required to hold a university degree in a relevant field.
Functions of the Expeditionary Corps include:
- Exploring uncharted space
- Seeking out new life, resources, and materials for Sol
- Performing missions of diplomacy and scientific investigation
The Fleet
Main article: Sol Central Government Fleet
The Sol Central Government Fleet is the Sol Central Government's primary component of the Defence Forces. It consists of a huge assortment of vessels of varying sizes broken up into a number of smaller "Fleets", each with their own areas of responsibility. The Fleet is the oldest component of the Defence Froces and has long been the backbone of the SCG. The Fleet, being the large, sprawling organisation it is, is made up of thousands and thousands of men and women (and more recently, a number of Sol IPCs) spread across a variety of duties, tasks, and postings.
Service in the Fleet is restricted to humans and shackled IPCs from within SCG space, and is barred to those who have served in a foreign military service (notably blocking most adult former ICCG citizens, for whom military conscription was mandatory). Minimum training for enlisted recruits lasts 10 weeks, while officers require a university degree and attend a 30-week Officer Candidate School before undergoing specialty field-specific training.
Functions of the SCG Fleet include:
- Peacekeeping missions
- Defence, anti-piracy and anti smuggling operations
- External Defence
- Gateway and Diplomatic Protection
- Working in conjunction with OCIE in law enforcement between worlds
The Army
Main article: The Sol Central Government Army
The Sol Central Government Army is the SCG's main land force. The Army is responsible for handling any ground conflicts and many peacekeeping missions that the SCG may be engaged in. Smaller than the Fleet, with only a partial full time component, much of the Army is composed of reservists and, in times of large scale war, is authorized to draft and integrate the regular Planetary Defence Forces (PDFs) in order to be able to scale up their military as-required. While not as famous or as glamorous as the Fleet, the Army is never the less a respected part of the military, though one which is often looked down on by the Fleet because of their reliance on reservists.
Service in the Army is restricted to natural-born SolGov citizens and shackled IPCs. Minimum training for enlisted recruits lasts 10 weeks, while officers require a university degree and attend a 30-week Officer Candidate School before undergoing specialty field-specific training.
Functions of the SCG Army include:
- Ground based peacekeeping, defence and offensive matters
- Anti-insurgency operations on planets
- Military intelligence
Sol Federal Police
Main article: Sol Federal Police
The Sol Federal Police (SFP), is a government law enforcement agency tasked with enforcing Sol Central Government law, investigating breaches of law, fugitive recovery and transport, and securing ports of entry.
Recruitment with the SFP is open to any SolGov citizen - training for agents consists of an 8-month-long live-in police academy, covering physical training, police procedure, and Sol Central Government Law.
Functions include:
- Civilian law enforcement operations within Sol territories
- Organized Crime Task Forces and anti-racketeering operations
- Anti-smuggling operations
- Investigation of crimes across planetary and system borders
- High profile investigations involving politicians and other public figures
- Fugitive recovery
- Sol Law Enforcement in non-planetary jurisdictions
Minor
Economic & Functionary
Solar Bank
The Solar Bank provides several essential banking services to SolGov and its member states. Not only does it provide insured banking to SolGov citizens, and humans without any citizenship, it provides loans to struggling states and organisations for humanitarian purposes. Most importantly, it works with the Bureau of Finance to regulate the Thaler and its value.
The Thaler (T, code THL) is the official currency recognised by the Sol Gov. It is the most common currency used in Sol Central-space and its territories, and it is the most popular currency for international or interplanetary transactions. The Thaler is the most dominant currency used by the Free Trade Union, although the organisation does not restrict the use of alternate currencies in its jurisdiction.
The value of the Thaler is defined by a Sol Central document published by the organisation's economics committee and approved by a joint vote in both the Solar and Colonial assemblies.
Interstellar Postal Service
While they may seem at times antiquated, the public courier services provided by the IPS are essential. Even with private options available, many still send packages and sensitive communication via the ships of the IPS.
Gateway Administration
One of the most understated, but vital parts of SolGov, the Gateway Administration manages the construction and operation of all Gateways in SolGov territory. While several contracting companies do most of the hard labor, the GA ensures all gateways are built to the exacting standards required, and then keeps them running. Thus, the Gateway Administration is one of the largest government employers within the SCG as the numerous Gateways require around the clock staffing, with the largest gateway hubs requiring many thousands of employees to constantly manage, maintain and secure.
Customs and Trade Bureau
Agents of the Customs and Trade Bureau run customs checks at most gateways, and are typically involved in raids on smuggling operations and the like. However they also do the more mundane tasks of shipping, like inspecting and labelling interstellar freight. The customs and trade bureau also has a large sub-component, the Bureau of ships, which is responsible for vessel registration and record keeping. While private vessels often adopt a generic prefix depending on their captains affiliation, there are a number of restricted designators that can only be used by those permitted by the issuing agency and the bureau of ships. These designators can be viewed elsewhere.
Law and Defence
Office of Interstellar Intelligence
Originally the only intelligence gathering force in SolGov, the OII is the external intelligence service of Sol Central Government. Though it primarily uses conventional intelligence gathering techniques, the OII also monitors communications outside of SolGov's borders. Providing intelligence for all parts of the government, the OII is one of the better funded sections of SolGov. Though it doesn't have any law enforcement capabilities or duties, the OII is capable of direct action through its Special Activities Office, though only when authorised to do so by the Secretary-General.
Emergency Management Bureau
Originally under the Committee for Sapientarian Development, the Emergency Management Bureau handles the internal disasters of SolGov. While the Aid Agency handles the crises of member states, the EMB works with the Rescue Service to handle spacecraft accidents, habitat damage, and other day to day emergencies in SolGov territory.
Defence Intelligence Agency
While in the past both member states agencies, the Fleet, SFP and other services have handled intelligence gathering within SolGov, the SCG rapidly found itself in need of a permanent agency for handling matters of internal security. As a result, the Defence Committee formed the Defence Intelligence Agency, tasked with domestic security and intelligence gathering. Now fielding offices in most SolGov member states, the DIA has rapidly grown in power and influence. Sweeping legislation has allowed the DIA significant legal authorities in matters of "Internal Security," including the ability to monitor communications and travel. While protests are now commonplace, it's unlikely SolGov will curtail the powers of the DIA any time soon.
Home Guard
Nominally a task force operating under the Committee for Solar Security, the Home Guard is a joint-organisation task force formed from multiple elements across the SCG that are brought together with the task of rooting out and investigating organised, serious, unusual and difficult crime that is generally outside the scope of regular or local law enforcement officers or beyond their abilities or resources to handle effectively. To this end the Home Guard operates across much of Sol, and a single part of the task force can have many different Law Enforcement officers or other specialists working together, from Fleet Security Forces and SFP agents to local, system or planetary law enforcement officers with some only being detached to the Home Guard for the duration of a single case or incident. A lesser known force than many more public ones the Home Guard has an established reputation for dealing with criminality, though not one without some controversy.
Sapientarian
Interstellar Health Service
The IHS is responsible for providing free and comprehensive medical care to all Sapients in SolGov space. Typically based in Gateway Toruses, SolGov installations, and in the capitals of member states. Services include complete surgical suites, prosthetic care, sleeve rejection therapy, reproductive health services, and non-human anatomy experts.
Bureau of Citizenship
Currently engaged in a heavy debate about allowing non-human sapients citizenship, the Bureau of Citizenship manages passports and citizenship in the complicated web of loyalties and allegiances present in SolGov.
Diplomatic
Intellectual Exchange Program
A more recent addition to the Committee, the Intellectual Exchange Program oversees the transfer of technology to and from SolGov and its allies. While corporations have typically been responsible for sharing information with new species, at a price, SolGov has agreed to share some technologies with the Unathi for humanitarian reasons.
Ambassadorial Service
Tasked with providing SolGov ambassadors to all member states and other entities wishing diplomatic contact, the Ambassadorial Service is a common first step for the children of the wealthy and successful seeking political office.