NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: I will use the suppositions Gliese 581c is a Venus-like Rocky Planet and that Gliese 581d is an Arctic climate rocky planet with a greenhouse effect which has sea-based alien lifeforms, a molten core and a liquid water in the equator and below icecaps. As nobody can see them directly, it's impossible to know for sure.

http://www.nationstates.net/images/flags/uploads/solar_communes.jpg
Solar Communes System Factbook (http://www.nationstates.net/solar_communes)

Briefing:

The year is 2,186 AD. Either living in aesthetically impressive Aerostat habitats and floating cities located in the Upper atmosphere of Gliese 581c or Planet Dream, in the equator, tropics and in underground or underwater cities of Gliese 581d or Planet Glacius or in a few space stations and habitats located at Lagrange points, the hard-working, intelligent and survivalist people which inhabit these barely hospitable planets organize themselves into interdependent communist regions or non-capitalist free markets of cooperatives and highly automated one-man's or family business which integrate themselves into a decentralized direct democracy and economic system where minorities have the right to not follow the will of the majority. These people were the best a dying utopian dream in Earth had to offer and were eugenically selected to colonize Gliese 581 system based on their superior genetic code, intellect, compassion and/or honesty and their average IQ, should those outdated tests be used again, would be expected to be somewhere 140 or 160. Besides following a broad range of different ideologies like mutualism and anarcho-communism, most of its populations are passionate transhumanists and for each 10 citizens, 3 have electro-mechanical improved limbs and 6 have nano-augmentations and all of them used gene-therapy to adapt to the specific gravities of the two inhabited planets and space stations. Terraforming and planetology research is ongoing on purely theoretical fields and computerized simulations as of, as it's expected that hundreds of years will be required to develop the necessary technology and infrastructure to put the environment of these 2 planets closer to Earth's, although the overprevalence Moho Mines have raised slightly temperature in Gliese 581d surface.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/45/Gayniggersfromouterpsaceposter.jpg

The Solarian stereotype is male, black-skinned, homosexual, alien-hating human supremacist, anarchist and drug-addicted. There is more to them than that, for stereotypes... are stereotypes.

Relativistic Universe

According to the Many Worlds Interpretation, there are countless parallel universes for every single possibility of the universe. Thus, realms where Dinosaurs rule the Earth, where the Nazis won World War Two, where Rome survived for millennia and where all sorts of visions of alternate history enthusiasts are reality do exist. However, what that interpretation of quantum physics did not consider was the possibility of a multiverse which does not share universal laws of physics among its different universes, while the claim that it was completely impossible for such universes to connect also would be later disproved. The universe where Solar Communes exist is a nightmare for those who hoped that space operas would become real. Special relativity has no single exceptions inside this universe and thus all space travel is entirely sub-light.

Although experiments with quantum entanglement have allowed the sending at extremely short distance of communications through light, all attempts to transport matter failed epically, and thus there is virtually no way to ever move faster than light in such universe, giving its name as the Relativistic Universe. A gateway to a sort of totally twisted universe, presumed to be entirely solipsist and built of nightmarish thoughts, bridges the Relativistic Universe to others where it's actually plausible to move faster than light, and also serves as a medium to FTL travel to other universes.

This limitation has shaped all the space exploration and technologies of Solar Communes to be optimized for a relativistic universe where faster than light travel is virtually impossible, and thus, together with every other civilization that dwells into such realm, their forces will always be at advantage in their own universe, while that they might be quite less than effective regarding exploration and warfare in universes where crackpot science is not crackpot. Attempts to "enforce" special relativity in other universes have been so far inefficient.

Star Charts and Planetary Geography and Weather:

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/9923/gliese581chartdo0.jpg
Star chart with some of the stars viewed from it indicated: the "b" and "d" in the image represent Gliese 581b and Gliese 581d

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Gliese_581_orbits-redone-again.png
Estimated orbit of the planets of the Gliese 581 system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliese_581
Wikipedia article about Gliese 581 star


Gliese 581c Inhabited Regions and Areas of Interest

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9458/gliese581cconfedmapxu3.jpg

http://www.shnakepup.com/images/CloudCity.jpg
A typical Gliese 581c floating city high above the hellish temperatures' Venus-like surface. All of them have Space Elevators

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/4/40/300px-SpaceElevatorInClouds.jpg
One of Gliese 581c Space Elevators

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/4508/confedafacademymi2.jpg
Gliese 581c Confederation Air Force's Cloudbase Academy, also having a space elevator as praxis

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/7855/gliese581cvb6.jpg
Gliese 581c

General Features: High-G, Hot, Cloudy, Arid, Thick atmosphere

Class: 3:2 Tidal-locked Venusian Super-Earth
Climate:
Breathable: Yes, in upper atmosphere
Surface Temperatures: -223º C(Night), 490ºC(Day)
Upper Atmosphere Temperature: 5ºC(Min), 30ºC(Max)
Atmospheric Gases: Carbon dioxide(65%), Nitrogen(20%), Oxygen(13%), Water(2%) Ammonia(1%)
Gravity: 1.01g at upper atmosphere, 2.24g at surface


Gliese 581c has a surface area of much larger than Earth, although its entirely surface is not habitable due to its significant greenhouse effect similar to that of Venus in Sol provoked by its thick, carbon dioxide rich atmosphere, and it's geographically divided into longitude and latitude like Earth, with the difference longitude ranges from 270º east to 270º west while latitude ranges from 135º north to 135º south which in turn uses different measures from Earth's longitude and latitude ones. Eleven floating cities were built on its oxygen-rich upper atmosphere bright side since its initial colonization, housing a total population of 1 million inhabitants which live in an arid climate of almost constant 30ºC temperatures and are under the influence of roughly the equivalent gravity of Earth. All cities are connected by gigantic skyways which also serve as defense platforms for an invasion that was yet to come and as platforms for surface probes. Due to its proximity to the Gliese 581 red dwarf, it's tidal locked to it with permanent bright and dark sides. Being quite close to its own sun, Gliese 581c year is very short, lasting only about 13 days.

Gliese 581d Inhabited Regions and Areas of Interest:

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/9706/gliese581dconfedmapmw8.jpg

http://bir-consulting.com/images/Picture-of-the-day/LP-Anchor-med.jpg
Gliese 581d Space Elevator floating above the underwater city of Volins

http://www.bhopal.net/opinions/archives/harbin2.jpg
New Tolstoy, the "City of Ice"

http://euroross.blogspot.com/Ice%20City%201.JPG
Small Hovership dock in Caribb harbor metropolis

http://www.dezeen.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/glacier.jpg
Newer technologies have resurrected the airship as a viable aerial mass transit system

http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/988/50248896.JPG
Due to the popularity of the Retro movement, underground cities buildings are typically built to resemble internally a trip back to the beginning of the 21st century, while externally they hold the pinnacle of advanced engineering and arcology techniques

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/172/407727130_48be9cc9a7.jpg
The City of Brixton, closest harbor city to the Equator, has an weather similar to Earth's temperate, although there is a complete lack of seasons due to a very low inclination of axis in Gliese 581d

http://www.entertainer.vhost.lt/img/bioshock/3/13.jpg
Segund Subcity, a both underwater and underground city

http://www.mactonnies.com/megaburb.jpg
New Bakunin, one the first cities to be founded, now a massive but ecologically friendly megalopolis which extends beneath the surface and is characterized by several dozens of arcologies and unnoficial "capital" of Solar Communes.

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/7711/gliese581dfz5.jpg
Gliese 581d and space habitat artificial satellites

General Features: High-G, Cold, Cloudy, Wet, Normal Atmosphere

Class: Terrestrial Super-Earth
Climate: Temperate
Breathable: Yes
Surface Temperatures: -150º C(Min), 18ºC(Max)
Atmospheric Gases: Helium(39.5%), Nitrogen(27.5%), Oxygen(17.8%), Carbon Dioxide(15%)
Gravity: 2.3g

Having liquid water only between the tropics and equator on the surface, more than two times larger than Earth's, Gliese 581d equatorial area is filled with some small islands surrounding a large continent called the Mainland, while being the first place where alien lifeforms were discovered in Solar Communes history, as it has some alien tundra and temperate forests of red photosynthesizing vegetation and a large sea biodiversity, which has evolved in quite different ways from Earth sea life. Up to the North and to the South massive ice caps fill the land forming the "Great Artartica Nort" and "Great Antartica Sout", while some cities are underground, near the warm core of the planet, or deep beneath the sea. It has a gravity of 2.3g and temperature in the equator ranges from -40º to 18ºC while being too low to be supported by humans beyond the tropics where the Antartica Sout and Nort are located. Underground settlements have more inviting weathers where it varies between 20 and 25ºC, however many still prefer to live in the surface to be able to see the red sunlight from Gliese 518. However things are to change on the surface as boreholes are dug to the mantle of the planet molten core bringing massive quantities of thermal energy to the surface, and might be considered the first terraforming step of Solar Communes as well. A Gliese 581d year lasts about 84 days

Outer Space Habitats

The genetically modified Homo Sapiens Astrum have took permanent residence among low to zero-gravity space stations and space habitats which are being expanded as part of a very long term plan to construct in hundreds of years the necessary infrastructure for a dyson ring, the predicted event that shall lead Solar Communes to become one of the few non-interstellar Type II civilizations based on the Kardashev scale, as due to the lack of effective faster-than-light travel and communications besides those suggested by fringe theories and of pure speculative nature with no scientific grounding, concentrating growth into a single solar system is a more effective and safer way of progress because being able to receive a message from an hypothetical allied confederation in Earth only after 20 years since it was sent would be critically disadvantageous in a situation of war. Plus, the costs of continually moving workers and technicians from and out of space for roles like asteroid mining would be much above the costs of permanent residence in space, even with space elevators, and that not counting the significant wasted time that a professional would have by moving from his home at a planet to his work in space. In fact space habitats tend to be much more Earth-like than Solar Communes planets.

http://space.mike-combs.com/bernal.jpg
Smaller spherical Space Habitat and artificial satellite orbiting Gliese 581d with a total population of ten thousands of inhabitants. Its center is a zero-gravity zone and its artificial gravity is only of 0.3g, a comfortable gravity for Spacemen

http://space.mike-combs.com/bernal3.jpg
Solar Communes Space habitats based on the Bernal Sphere concept are engineered to offer all the recreational capabilities of Earth and to have comfortable, average weather all-time.

http://space.mike-combs.com/torus2.jpg
Toroidal Space Habitats Outer View

http://space.mike-combs.com/torus_tn.jpg
Internal View. All space habitats were forested with genetically modified plants native from Earth, adapted to their lower gravities

http://space.mike-combs.com/torus3.jpg
Agricultural area. Unlikely in this classical idealization, all agricultural labor is handled by robots in Solar Communes and hydroponics are commonplace.

Nearby star systems of interest(In growing order of distance)

Even a planet-less solar system might be useful in the future, asteroid fields are an untapped potential for unmanned and entirely automated mining operations, while triple star systems can generate massive quantities of energy, a potential lost which one day shall become under Solar Communes grasp. And finally they can serve as automated intermediary stations for interstellar travel.


Gliese 555
Gliese 667 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliese_667)
Gliese 406 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_359)
Lalande 21185 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lalande_21185)
Alpha Centauri (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Centauri)
Sol (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_System)
Muphrid (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muphrid)
Gliese 876 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliese_876)
Gliese 436 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliese_436)
Tau Ceti (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tau_Ceti)


Economy:

Briefing

The Confederation has no main economic system a different communes follow different economic principles ranging from the growing in popularity pure mutualism, mixed mutualist and communist economy on different degrees of each and pure communism, with the estimated average being 81% free market economy and 19% communist. There are five main primary industrial sectors, all composed by cooperatives, one-man's and family-owned heavily automated industries which cooperate among themselves in most occasions, these five sectors are also considered the most important: Moho mining, asteroid mining, Helium-3 mining, hydroponics agriculture and the aerospace sector. However, independent of the lack of a system-wide single economic system, for trade purposes all use a voted upon standardized and virtual currency, the gliese credit(g¢), which they have no idea on how to compare with other currencies as they still did not met other civilizations, but is expected to be a very strong currency. Public interests focus from its economy include Education, Healthcare, Social Welfare, Military and Vigilantes.

General Economic Data

It has a GDP equivalent to US$ 9,587,381,600,015, with its GDP per capita being around $30,630. The true meaning of the word poverty is only known through history books and about 2.56%, using as pretext an old essay from anarchist Bob Black named "The Abolition of Work", have chosen to remain voluntarily unemployed and to survive through subsistence activities or by the work of their own robots as they live in total leisure. Popular merchandise includes virtual entertainment and relics brought from Earth.

Agriculture, hunting and feedstock

Many aquatic alien lifeforms were found in Gliese 581d equator, while many of them were human-edible, and due to the large amount of water coverage, both with and without permafrost above, fishing became a very popular first sector activity besides hydroponics agriculture and vat-grown meat production, which is not as tasty as the alien fishes. Most of Confederacy food is produced in Gliese 581d from where it's shipped to Gliese 581c and to space stations.

Gliese 581c and the space stations and habitats around Lagrange points have very limited hydroponics agriculture by design, only giving them enough for their own subsistence.

Electricity

All power transmission systems use superconductors while the Planetary Energy Grid has given a further boost to Gliese 581d maximum energy storage potential.
In Gliese 581d the Mohorovicic Discontinuity Mine and Thermal Borehole has replaced Helium-3 fueled fusion power is the main power source, with biofuel coming in third and tidal power as complementary.

Gliese 581c strong winds in the upper atmosphere are strongly taken advantage of by using highly efficient and resistant wind turbines to generate power, while a few thermal powerplants absorb convert the heat from lower atmosphere into electricity and finally, rows of solar collecting satellites on orbit optimized for infrared energy transmit through microwaves.

The Space Stations and habitats use either Helium-3 brought from Gliese 581b gas giant to power their fusion reactors or solar energy collected from the space.

Mining and Ores

Gliese 581c surface is excessively hostile for any mining operation, including automated mining and thus relies on supplies sent from the Gliese 581d. The latter has fortunately most of metals available in Earth except for nickel and uranium, the latter being obsolete after since fusion power. Metals are usually mined from its underground cities and from deep Moho Mines and shipped to space stations as well.

Tucker Space Helium-3 Mining Station, based on a refit of the original Tucker sleeper ship, is the only one not located in a Lagrange point as it is close to the gas giant Gliese 581b, from which upper atmosphere it extracts Helium-3 for use in fusion reactors.

Several asteroid mining operations are also giving a head start in Solar Communes and motivating a second wave of space habitats expansion towards the outer belt of the system.

History:

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/2125/birthofconfederationxp4.jpg
*CSCS Bakunin, one of the 10 colony sleeper ships which fled from a nation on the brink of defeat.

In 2090, the Solar War struck the Confederacy of the Third Commune, known as Confederacy of the Third Spanish States before 2050, when it was attacked by the completely totalitarian Global State which sought to become an one-world government through force and to control every single human being in Sol.

In 1st of September, 2120, the most dire year of Confederacy history, the blindfold of idealism was lifted and the truth became clear to its people that after a long wave of defeats and tragic losses, the Confederacy was about to be decimated by the forces of its totalitarian enemy while Earth environmental condition only worsened. It happened then, the first and last unanimous decision of its history: by taking advantage of recent major breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, suspended animation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspended_animation), self-contained renewable life support systems (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_support_system), Helium-3 fusion power (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium_3), switchable solar sails (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_sails) and superconductors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superconductors), it was proposed, after considering their limitations and estimated time for their defeat, that 10 sleeper colony ships should be built using almost every resource that could be scrapped and the maximum possible workforce in the Confederacy last 10 remaining shipyards in the 3 months it was predicted the Confederacy would still stand. Those shipyards were the last ones which stood against enemy strike satellites, suface-to-orbit missiles and orbital interceptors, All Confederacy orbital defenses were to be concentrated around them. Genome profiling and the new Intelligence Potential, Honesty and Cooperative Compassion tests were also approved to be required for all those who would like to volunteer to join the 200 thousands that would go to the colony ships, as only the most intelligent, honest, compassionate and/or those which would turn the next generation into the most morally and intellectually superior group of mankind through their genes coupled with their communitarian culture would join, to give them the maximum chance of survival and victory in the eventual time they would meet the enemies of their ancestors. The plan was approved and soon every single citizen mind was on the last hope for their nation, for freedom, for equality and for mankind. Each ship also stored digitally the whole sum of the Confederacy technology, national history, and cultural legacy plus all registered mankind history, public domain technology and culture. Each of those ships were named after a famous anarchist name. They were the Bakunin, the Proudhon, the Tucker, the Kropotkin, the Godwin, the Tolstoy, the Cleyre, the Zerzan, the Rocker and the Cortez. Those would head for the Gliese 581 system to establish a new civilization.

As predicted the ships were ready to depart 3 months later, what wasn't predicted is that most Confederacy territories in Earth were already occupied except for about a hundred of miles around Neocataluña (http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/9229/tssmapmc4.jpg), where its remained population hid in subterranean hideouts and used guerrilla warfare, where all survivors were fighting to death to hinder the advance of enemy forces, where even 12 year olds valiantly fought to death for the birth of a new confederation they would never see. The few selected were quickly sent to orbit to enter the colony ships using every single space shuttle of the Confederacy. As soon as all of them entered in the suspended animation pods, the ships AIs were activated and they moved on the beginning of a trip that would last about 22 years and half.

As they arrived, nine ships headed to Gliese 581d while only one ship headed to Gliese 581c to colonize its upper atmosphere (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonization_of_Venus#Aerostat_habitats_and_floating_cities). Using their ships communication systems both colonies kept into contact and as the year passed they spreaded into many decentralized communes, which could be seen as the anarchist equivalent of city-states. Thus was formed the Confederation of the Solar Communes. Thanks to its fast growth aided by human cloning based reproduction, 20 years later its total population grew to 5 million inhabitants, 30 years later to 87 millions and the first space bases were built in Lagrange points using the colony ships now retrofitted.

OOC Edit: Now that I found this cool software (http://www.o-a-i.com/Gravity.html), I'll have to re-check how much time it took for them to travel considering each colony ship accelerates at 1g. Well... not exactly. I need something like it but which caps maximum speed at something like 0.99c. and I've found it here (http://home.att.net/~srschmitt/script_starship.html). Heh, I underestimated seriously the capabilities of an 1g acceleration in a relativistic universe.

Military

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=546386

Races

Homo Sapiens Sapiens

Inhabiting the Upper Atmosphere of Gliese 581c, the non heavily genetically modified human being of Solar Communes still differs in many aspects from its Earthly counterpart. First, although not giving it the classification of a new race, the Solar Communes normal human, like its mutant variations, has an average IQ which is estimated between 140 and 160, as an exact measure can't be given as IQ tests were at large obsolete by the time of the Third Commune. Second, they have an average lifespan of 150 years, thanks to advanced gene therapy and life extension technologies. Its population is of 50 millions inhabitants. Most of the best Space special forces, atmospheric flight pilots, drivers and naval officers are "normal" humans. They are the only permanently residing human race in Planet Dream upper atmosphere, which isn't suitable for the others. Their primary genetic difference to the humans of the 20th century relates to the complete absence of immunological proteins of the H type epsilon, which were known to provoke a lethal rejection to nanite implants.

Homo Sapiens Astrum

Long-term living in a low gravity will bring drastic health issues to a normal human being, which bones and muscles will atrophy, heartbeat will slow, red blood cells will diminish, balance will be lost, and immune system will be weakened. To avoid such symptoms a gene therapy administered in space was developed which would adapt human beings for living in zero or low gravity environments like those of space stations and space ships. From those who decided to remain in the Colony ships to be transformed in space stations came a new artificially created race of human beings, casually known as the Spacemen, completely adapted to explore and live in artificial environments in the space. They are much thinner and also a bit shorter than normal humans and have muscles adapted to be agile rather than strong. However, they are also completely incapable of living in any environment with a higher than 0.3g gravity. After the second wave of space colonization brought by the plans of giving the first of the long steps to build a dyson ring, their population drastically increased from 5 to 100 millions of inhabitants. The best starship pilots of Solar Communes are from this artificial offspring of the human race.

Homo Sapiens Plumbeus

Gravitational forces superior to Earth's will bring even more negative consequences to the human body than lower gravity, and Gliese 581d gravity was no exception to such rule. inside the colony ships, those who wished to settle in it were administered with another gene therapy, which would require them a one year wait for bodily "reconstruction" as well. From such modifications they came, and were popularly called as the giant men. Having 2.2m as average height and being much more sturdy than average humans, their reinforced bone and muscular structures allow them to live in the gravity of such planet and also make of them the best soldiers in gravitational ground combat and the gross of the Solar Guard forces. However this also bring them a great disadvantage, as the negative effects of low and zero gravity will be much more harmful to them than to normal humans. They are the majority, having an estimated population of 260 millions spread among various cities of Planet Glacius, where they are the exclusive human-originated inhabitants.

Government

Country Name

Full Name: Confederation of the Solar Communes
Short Name: Solar Communes
Common Reference: Solarians

Description

If hierarchy and coercion are needed elements for the existence of a government, then the Solar Communes don't have one, otherwise they have a highly decentralized and non-coercitive Electronic Direct Democracy based on a Brain-Computer Interface Network ran by computer neural networks and functional due to the impressive quality of non-formal education given to the future “governors” and to their natural genetic superiority. All decision-making is through everyone voting, a non compulsory process that happens on the blink of an eye as one's brain send the command to a network directly, creating some type of Decentralized Collective Consciousness from where people can join and leave at their will, retaining their individuality. There is no official capital, unless the Brain Net can be classified as one.

Foundation

The Solar Communes were officially founded in 1st of June of Earth Year 2142, as the first landing modules from the Cortez colony ship entered Gliese 581d, and its atmospheric landing module landed in what would late become the city of "Cortez' Landing".

UN Category:

United Nations is only a footnote in Solar Communes history classes, but it's supposed the classification of "Left-Wing Utopia" or "Civil Rights Lovefest" would be given to it.

People and Population

Total Population: 310,000,000 inhabitants

Age Structure

00-18 years: 05%
18-30 years: 60%
30-50 years: 35%
Median age: 28.85 years old

Growth and Life

Population Growth Rate: 20%
Net Migration Rate: 0%
Life Expectancy at Birth: 150 years
HDI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Development_Index): 1
Ethnicity and Culture

Nationality: There is none recognized, as everyone embraced the "World without flags" ideal of an ideologically united mankind and forgot whatever roots they had with their ancestors nations.

Ethnic Composition: There is not a "pure" ethnicity as all citizens have ancestors from every possible Earth ethnicity and divisions of human beings by ethnic groups aren't seem as wise ideas. Thus, the average Solarian is commonly brown skinned with european or other ethnic facial features, including blue or green eyes and the overall shape of the face, lips and nose. Some have created the expression "Euronig'ger" to define the ethnicity of Solar Communes, also a consequence of their disdain for the concept of "political correctness".

Sexual Choice: As artificial reproduction methods originated from major breakthroughs in genetic have made the traditional heterosexual relationship mostly obsolete to ensure survival, and due to centuries-long social progressive tradition of the Confederation, severely radical changes happened to certain traditional aspects of the western cultural influences that existed before, and as an unique aspect of this future society, the sheer majority(95%) of the population is homosexual, while 4% are bisexual and 1% are(arguably) exclusively heterosexual. Due to a larger proportion of male homosexuals rather than female, gays make 70% of the entire homosexual population, and men are more overall prevalent than women as well in the planets and space habitats.

Religions: Agnosticism(60%), Discordianism(20%) and Pastafarianism(15%) are followed by most, while in the remaining 5% a diversity of faiths with small numbers of followers exist.

Language: Commúns, a constructed universal language which mixes syntax, phonetics and words from English, Spanish and Portuguese among other languages.

Literacy: All citizens have access to college degree education

Communications

Number of Computers: 500,000,000
Television Broadcasters: About 235,052 Brain Net Media Foundations.
Brain Net Hosts: Thousands of truly free data hosting services.
Brain Net Service Providers: Public Access
Brain Net Users: 100%

Glossary

A

Advanced Power Armor (http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/980224/ow_0.jpg): Highly modular military technology based on the civilian Advanced Power Suit which is standard issue for all space-based special forces. It can be adapted for combat in gravitational fields from zero-g to 3g.

Its primary difference to a Power Suit is that it is reinforced by a layer of either the protection-for-mobility Type XII Electromagnetic Reactive Armor capable of standing even a shot from a 0.00001c muzzle velocity 4mm EC gauss rifle or similar energy output directed energy weapon, the balanced Type XIII Electromagnetic Reactive Armor capable of standing a 0.00002c 6mm EC gauss rifle and the mobility-for-protection Type XIV Electromagnetic Reactive Armor capable of standing a 0.00003c 8mm gauss rifle, all powered by an internal fusion containment unit and can also be equipped with a portable high amplitude wavelength passive RADAR, with modular vectorial thrusters and fusion-powered jetpacks, giving Solar Communes space special forces three-dimensional mobility.

It also can be equipped with several different BCI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain-computer_interface)-operated weapon systems mounts in addition to the main rifle, which are in a standard payload 1 grenade launcher, 2 quad-tandem HEAT mini-rocket tubes and an indirect fire GEM missile launcher for both anti-armor and anti-air functions. And lastly, it provides feedback, including the estimated trajectory of his weapons pointed through a crosshair, by the brain-computer interface and integrated infolink of the soldier regarding the armor and his own health conditions, remaining ammunition among other important informations.

Advanced Power Suit (http://developer.valvesoftware.com/w/images/thumb/6/63/200px-Item_suit.jpg): Civilian technology of hazard protection based on a complete set of hydromagnetic actuators, helium15-oxygen85 pressure/weight reducing rebreather and built of light anti-radiation composites, offering complete NBC protection, which allow both normals and spacemen to stand the 2.3g gravity of Glacius or of other rocky planets and Super-Earths with strong gravitational forces, and also allowing the exploration of atmosphere-less planets. It can also be refitted for the exploration and adaptation to low and zero-g environments for those unused to them, including the addition of vectorial thrusters, and can be reinforced enough for use as the military Advanced Power Armor.

Advanced Subatomic Theory: Discoveries in High Energy Chemistry and simulations of quantum physics in Quantum Computers point the way to a new Advanced Subatomic Theory that tries to detect and quantify the smallest possible underlying particles of matter. Using self-modifying Polymorphic Software under such computers, the physicists developing this theory give mankind a window on the infinitesimal building blocks of the universe.

Applied Physics: The Gliese 581d colonists created new tools from the Earth-originated ones to to survive and expand. Early inquiries into Applied Physics emphasized this adaptation of existing technology for the new, alien environment and its superior gravitational forces.

Applied Relativity: Albert Einstein developed his theories of relativity between 1905 and 1916; complete explanations of his work may be found in a number of sources. Later research into Advanced Subatomic Theory and Superconductors during the late 21st century demonstrated that his postulates, though innovative for his time, were incomplete. Applied Relativity takes Einstein's basic theories and updates them to encompass an understanding of newly-discovered phenomena through both space exploration and quantum computing simulations, and also encompasses the principles of near-speed-of-light(NSOL) space travel.

Atmospheric Vertical Take Off and Landing: Classification given to the aircrafts of the Air Force which can take off and land vertically thanks to advanced thrust and propulsion technologies. All atmospheric-exclusive dropships are basically heavy lift transport AVTOLs.

B

Brain-computer Interface: Third Commune research into Neural Implants and previous 20 and early 21st century projects to reduce the limitations of physical handicaps in human beings demonstrated that direct communications between the brain and a digital counterpart are possible. This
Brain-computer Interface, requested by the first pilots of the Armada and Air Force for a new
generation of aircrafts, spaceplanes and starships, bridges the gap between the mechanical and the biological.

Bio-Engineering:The Gene Splicing of the last century and Neural Implants of the beginning of the 22th century exemplify crude and invasive techniques for modifying an organism. The more refined Bio-engineering method of gene therapy arranges a desired genetic code directly from the component compounds, enabling widespread and economical cellular transplants for an entire population. It was and is a crucial technology for the artificial adaptation of the human organism to the 2.3g gravity of Gliese 581d and for the easier adaptation to zero-g environments by the creation of the Homo Sapiens Astrum as well.

C

C-ship: Taking advantage of the development on the fields Applied Relativity, Fusion Power, Superconductors, Bio-engineering and of 2nd generation Nanotechnology, a research program seeking to take the next step in the Space Age: Interstellar and Intergalactic Travel. The C-ship, current generation of Solar Communes starships began as a project of the Third Commune which began 10 years before the fourth world war against the fascist Global State. Its final development: group of 10 highly streamlined, fusion engine powered colony ships coated by a shield of self-regenerating nanites and water ice over its electromagnetic reactive armor to allow it to stand the drag of near speed of light travel, and which can be transformed in orbital space stations for the early colonization efforts and bio-engineering gene therapy adaptations of human beings to new environments. This technology was what ensured the continual survival of the mutualist ideals which were pioneered by Third Spanish States in the beginning of the 21st century in the middle of impending defeat by the Global State forces.

D

1st Discordian Anomaly Recon Team (http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/6074/discordiafleeteq5.jpg)
Motto: Hacer Orden of Caos("To Make Order out of Chaos").
Description:A special combined force focused on the investigation of anomalies and the solution against any threats to Solar Communes coming from them in the space, composed by 1 Sniper Missile Cruiser christened as the Eris and 2 Asterisk Space Interceptors, the Flying Spaghetti Monster and the Discordia, in honor of several "joke religions" and by their crews and their Space Guard forces, which are the 1st Eris, the 3rd Spaghetti and the 5th Discordia divisions of the Space Guards. They became famous by the discovery of the Chaos Energy by passing through 10 intensive years of gene therapy and psychological treatment to restore their humanity back after they returned with severe and scientifically implausible mutations from their maiden voyage and with serious psychological traumas, including clear cases of schizophrenia, which were attributed to the effects in their minds and bodies of a strange form of energy they claim to be completely random and incompatible to all known Physical Laws in its properties which they classified as "Chaotic Psyche Energy", or simply Chaos Energy which they also claimed to be the foundation of a bizarre type of sentience that they witnessed like organic molecules are the basis of all scientifically plausible sentiences. However few believe in their reports, considering them only the result of the fact they smuggled drugs inside their starship, before watching the video feedback of what happened inside the Eris Sniper Cruiser. Their motto reflects the concept of Spontaneous Order (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_order), which is also the foundation of the social, cultural and economic organization of Solar Communes. Ironically, they are also the anti-Chaos Warfare specialists, as no matter their casual sense of humor and facade, they are highly disciplined forces.(OOC Note: For roleplays with nations which embrace Hard Sci-Fi, this never happened and does not exist)

E

Electrothermal-chemical Technology: Due to the current incapability of gauss weapons of offering automatic fire, all automatic guns and some of the Portable Infantry Cannons of Solar Communes soldiers are based on a man portable, modernized version of an early 21st century technology initially employed for artillery, tank guns and autocannons. It, which can in layman terms be described as an intermediary between a chemical propelled gun and an electromagnetic propelled one, allows a rifle to have a muzzle velocity of 2,000 meters per second with full auto and burst fire capabilities, although as soon as a reliable automatic gauss gun is developed ETC shall be phased out.

F

Fusion Power: An extremely clean, powerful, and efficient source of energy, Fusion Power was known on Earth for decades as the reaction that powered the stars. However, for most of the 21st century scientists could not control the huge magnitude of released energy, so the only practical application for Fusion Power was in bombs of enormous destructive power. With the advent of Superconductors, and by using Weak Artificial Intelligences to monitor and control the released energy, the scientists of the future finally have access to cheap, abundant, and reusable power.

G

Gliese 581d Ecology: Finding adequate sources of nutrients, energy, and minerals is the most immediate problem facing the colonists after landing on Gliese 581d. An understanding of the basics of Gliese 581d Ecology provides the new arrivals with the tools they need to begin shaping the world around them-how plants grow, what geological structures exist, and how natural energy sources may be exploited on the planet.

H

Hadnium: Superdense stable solid synthetic transition metal which atomic properties are not shared by any period in the previously known periodic table of elements. It was very recently discovered, classified as a Group 8, Period 8 element with 126 protons on its nucleus and thus atomic number 126. It is in the same group of Iron and Hassium, with 6 electrons in its valence shell and in an entirely new period. It is somewhat more resistant than known metals regarding its primary known alloy, but the main feature of such alloy is its superior heat resistance and refractive and reflective properties comparable to those of ice or mirror. No means to produce such synthetic metal are known by Solar Communes currently. However, once a method is developed, it shall become a very effective alloy for the creation of starship armors highly resistant against directed energy weapons, and also very useful for manufacturing better relativistic kinetic energy penetrators for both tank gauss guns and spaceship gauss cannons due to its superior density, at 25,000 kg/m³, almost 56 percent denser than tungsten carbide and almost 32 percent denser than depleted uranium,

Electron Configuration: [Uuo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ununoctium)] 8s2 5g6
Electrons per shell: 2, 8, 18, 32, 38, 18, 8, 2
Appearance: Obsidian, highly reflective surface
Isotopes: Unknown
Standard atomic weight: (315)g.mol**(−1)
Phase: Solid
Density: 25 g/cm**(-3)
Melting point: 3,929 ºC
Boiling point: 6,212 ºC

High Energy Chemistry: Breakthroughs in Applied Physics and Xenoindustrialization lead to an understanding of High Energy Chemistry. This discipline seeks to understand the properties and behavior of matter at very high temperatures, and results in new types of materials that remain in a stable plasma state even when superheated by intense laser stimulation.

Hovership: A hovership(or in other circles also known as landship) is the next-generation hovercraft and naval technology. Based on a new development of an hybrid propulsion system based on a nanite self-repairable air cushion and on the latest developments over the principles of universal Magnetic Levitation, they can become mobile fortresses both in sea and plain lands, serving the roles that were previously given to 20th and 21st century naval units, from patrol hoverboats to smaller aircraft carriers

I

Industrial Automation: In the second half of the 21st century, lacking the traditional masses of capitalist economies working classes, differences on the distribution of wealth between different functions in private cooperatives and with most of the population becoming more and more educated and welfare-supplied to accept further "unpleasant" jobs, waiting for the promise of not having to do them anymore, the only way for Third Commune to remain as a viable economy was a complete process of Industrial Automation for production and assembly, building factories where all repetitive nonskilled jobs, from janitor to VP of Sales, are handled by sophisticated robotics, giving start to the 4th Industrial Revolution and to a technological evolutionary process which would make both ancient definitions of capitalism and socialism partly obsolete as much of human labor now was passed to "dumb" machines. It would not take longer for such technology to be used for military applications as well.

M

Magnetic Levitation-Universal: Although the technology for MagLev existed since late 20th century and became widely used in mass transit systems through the 21st century, it was only the further advancements over it by 2179, which became possible due to the development of 3rd generaton nanotechnology and advanced subatomic theory that the Universal MagLev, a new technology which gives unrestrained magnetic levitation capabilities to a vehicle over any planet with a magnetic field equal or larger to Earth's. Among its several applications on the field of transportation and logistics, it led to the development of a new class of hybrid-propulsion amphibious ships: the Hoverships.

N

Nanomedicine: With the development of 2nd generation nanotechnology (http://www.crnano.org/whatis1.jpg) in the 2050s after decades of research in Third Commune, the development of new, targeted drugs capable of reaching directly the infected cells rather than spreading unnecessary through several healthy cells have not only led to the development of new, highly efficient medicines, but also, to the development of...

Nanoimmunology: Using the basic principles and tools of nanotechnology, immunological reactions and molecules can be used for the specific recognition of targets at a molecular level. The target molecules can be isolated with the help of antibody-coated nanoparticles or directed to desired compartments. With their effector functions, for example antibodies can be made to initiate engulfment of materials into living cells or to activate the complement system. The complement system can drill holes on membranes with a "nanomachine" called the membrane attack complex. The targets can also be coated covalently with desired proteins. Immunological detection and reactions can be used for sophisticated imaging and molecular characterization. Nanoscale applications would be useful for high throughput analyses of vaccine responses and antigen detection. Since then, the latest registered disease in Third Commune happened in 2072, a severe infection of the Avian Flu Strain Y which killed a bioconservative Christian who refused the new nano-immunization technology on his body. In the 22nd century, with the further development of third generation nanobots and its impacts on nanomedicine and its specialist field of nanoimmunology, the word disease became only an historical reminder of the past ills that they struggled so hard to surpass in their eternal climb towards an Utopian society.

Nanotechnology: In the late half of the 22nd century, Solar Communes has finally reached the 3rd generation of nanotechnology (http://www.crnano.org/whatis1.jpg), which primary feature was the dawn of the 5th Industrial Revolution, whereas the third was brought by information technology and the fourth by the development of complete automation of menial labor, with this technology, which emphasizes new assembly methods and high-tensile strength materials, microscopic robots can be constructed and all manner of bulky, heavy equipment can be shrunk to a fraction of its original size. The revolution of Nanotechnology on all its three current generations over the fields of medicine, gene therapy and military technology also changed forever life in Solar Communes. Military and space applications include nanite heat shields, nano-augmentations, a new class of experimental "gray goo" warheads about to become operational, repair robots, regenerative armor and efficient submarine supercarriers.

Neural Implant: The insatiable drive for efficiency spawned by Industrial Automation and existing passion of the Third Commune for the ideals of transhumanism drove the development of Neural Implants. This new technology, based on the discovery of the secrets of the human brain in the beginning of the 22th century, allows attachment of digital circuitry directly to the neural cortex. With these devices, individuals willing to undergo Neural Implants can enhance many aspects of their physical being, from heightened senses to faster reaction times.

P

Polymorphic Software: On Earth, only theoretical mathematicians and entertainment software programmers used Polymorphic Software--self-modifying code--to any success. On the Gliese System, the requirements of the budding Xenoindustrialization and BrainNet spurred widespread development of neural net applications that can rewrite themselves in response to data inputs.

Probability Mechanics: With operating systems powered by Weak Artificial Intelligences and Quantum Processing, computers finally gain sufficient processing power to unravel the mysteries of Probability Mechanics. With this breakthrough, scientists can accurately predict many seemingly random events for many peacetime and military applications. Current military applications include the very long range space bombardment based on predictions of the estimated location of an hostile fleet done on the fly, and pre-emptive calculations of armaments trajectories against starships to improve the capabilities of active protection systems.

Q

Quantum Computer: The widespread adoption of Polymorphic Software and Weak Artificial Intelligences increased the demand for faster computers beyond Optical computing. The revolutionary Quantum Computer technology, instead of using the well understood laws of classical physics for its functioning, harnesses physical phenomenon unique to quantum mechanics to realize a fundamentally new mode of information processing. In a quantum computer, the fundamental unit of information (called a quantum bit or qubit), is not binary but rather more quaternary in nature. This qubit property arises as a direct consequence of its adherence to the laws of quantum mechanics which differ radically from the laws of classical physics. Not only due to its quaternary rather than binary nature, it is geometrically more powerful and compact than a traditional computer, but it can allow a level of encryption never dreamed before, which however, is only one of the new applications quantum computers. In addition, certain mathematical operations, including nonlinear mathematics and probability mechanics, can only be performed on a quantum computer. Furthermore, quantum computes are also used in Solar Communes to study quantum physics into a new level, which will eventually open the doors to many discoveries in the field besides the Advanced Atomic Theory.

S

Single-Stage-To-Orbit and Atmospheric Vertical Take-Off and Landing: Classification given to all spaceplanes of the Armada which can take off and land vertically at several different planetary atmospheres up to to 3g and that can leave the atmosphere and reach the orbit of such planets without the aid of non-reusable rocket thrusters. Orbital dropships are SSTO/AVTOL spaceplanes and usually their propulsion and engine systems are the most expensive of the existing ones in Solar Communes.

Space Guards (http://www.nettkringkasting.no/~3ddesign/Sindre/Semesteroppgave/armorsketch.jpg): Space Guards are a eugenically selected space special force specialized in the defense of starships against boarding ships, weapons and Space Marines. Their default equipment is a Type XIV Advanced Power Armor, which sacrifices the presence of vectorial thrusters and of a jetpack for additional protection. They are armed with C502 6.5x72mm(.256 Halcon) APEC gauss battle rifles and with additional BCI operated weapon systems. Like other Space Special Forces, all Space Guards are Homo Sapiens Sapiens from both genders.

Space Marines: The Space Marines of Solar Communes, unlike others, are a much stealthier special orbital specialized assault force, which is integrated in operations with the HALO (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HALO/HAHO#HALO) paratroopers and amphibious warfare experts of the Blackguards. They are divided into 5-man fireteams (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireteam) and like their planetary counterparts, prefer to operate in smaller scale but brutal and highly mobile attacks and operations supported by stealth SSTO/VTOL Orbital Dropships while the Solar Guard and Mobile Squads engages into the gross of the battlefield. They are armed with the large C503 8.7x94mm(.342 Uranio) APEC gauss battle rifles, known for being capable of accepting several special, expensive and "exotic" ammunition types like the Ultra-Compact Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot(UCAPDS) and the Smart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_bullet) Cold-Launched Nanite Micro-Rocket(SCLNMR), supposedly capable of tracking and hitting accurately a target dozens of kilometers away in flat low-gravity battlefields. Space Marines are protected by a Type XIII Advanced Power Armor attached to a jetpack with limited vectorial thrust capabilities.

Space Pirates: Rather than a group of criminals operating from space to steal cargo, Space Pirates is the name given to the space special forces of Solar Communes completely specialized in the high-risk art of boarding hostile starships. They operate from the Boarding Ships: fast, highly protected starships equipped with electromagnetic pulse forcefield disruptors and GRASER (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6991030.stm) hull welders, they can either open a hole through a blind spot for the point defense weapons of a poorly designed starship, or take advantage of an already done hull breach, from where they shall them deploy the Space Pirates who then would attempt to take over such ship. They are equipped with the highly mobile Type XII Advanced Power Armor, with complete vectorial thrust and jetpack attachments which also give them limited between starships space flight autonomy, although boarding a ship using only them is highly not recommended and finally they have C502 6.5x72mm APEC gauss rifles besides other weapon mounts of their power armor, usually equipped with EMP, door-breaching and welding systems.

Silksteel Alloys: The growing field of Industrial Automation causes increased demand for new kinds of material that can withstand the incredible stresses of the robotic factories. Discoveries in Advanced Subatomic Theory provide engineers with these materials, dubbed Silksteel Alloys for their extraordinary tensile strength and flexibility.

Superconductors: The power requirements of Quantum Computers and the nascent Xenoindustrialization stimulate research into high-temperature Superconductors, an advance long considered a ‘holy Grail’ by physical chemists. A Superconductor is a material that does not resist a flow of electrons. Using a Superconductor, power can be transmitted at incredible speeds over vast distances with no degradation. Bulky and expensive cooling equipment for high-powered machinery or weaponry becomes unnecessary, because these materials remain cool and efficient as electricity passes through them.

X

Xenoindustrialization: The first cities built on both planets lacked any kind of actual factories or heavy industry, even at design level, adapted to the new environment, so the creation of a set of principles for Xenoindustrialization became a high priority for economic growth, emphasizing on a set of techniques and plans to establish an initial industrial infrastructure on colonized planets through the most effective, efficient and fastest way possible.

Xenocide: Name given to the operation, involving planetary bombardment, stimulation of solar flares through large-scale fusion missiles bombardment, long range space warfare and depending on the situation combined arms atmospheric assaults as well, which seeks to exterminate an alien race from the galaxy which is deemed as "a significant and immediate threat to the survival and freedom of mankind", or in other words, nearby alien races with warmongering tendencies which they believe to be a significant threat to their own existence. Although freedom-loving and democratic, Solar Communes culture became highly xenophobic after several less than friendly experiences with some alien races.

(OOC: More on the way)