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The All Systems Commonwealth or just simply the '''Systems Commonwealth''' is a fictional galactic government from Gene Roddenberry 's Science Fiction TV Series '' Andromeda ''. It was born out of the Vedran Empire. The Vedrans, originating from Tarn-Vedra , which was their Homeworld and the capital of their empire, were the first known race to discover the Slipstream , the only known way to travel Faster-than-light . They built their empire by traveling to the different star systems and conquering the inhabited and colonizing the uninhabited worlds. The Commonwealth was a Democratic federation of planets, drifts ( Space Station s or Orbit al habitats), and systems. Depending on where you look, the Commonwealth (and its preceding Empire) was spread across Three Galaxies (referred in the fourth season of the show simply as "Tri-Galaxies") or Six Galaxies. It lasted for about 5500 years, starting with a time of political reform and ending with a violent civil war and subsequent invasion by the terrifying Magog . ORIGINS Vedran Empire After discovering Slipstream, the Vedrans founded their Empire as they travelled from system to system subjugating other worlds. The Vedran government was an Absolutist hereditary Monarchy , with the Empress as the head of state and government. As the Vedrans continued expanding throughout the Andromeda Galaxy —the galaxy in which they originated—and the nearby Triangulum and Milky Way Galaxies, they eventually encountered the Kalderans in the Greater Magellanic Cloud . The Kalderans managed to somehow capture Vedran Slipstream technology and Reverse-engineered it for their own use; it was not long before the Kalderan Alliance formed to offset Vedran incursions into their system. This was one of few active attempts at resisting Vedran imperialism and eventually escalated into a brutal war between the Kalderans and Vedrans for control of the Magellanic Cloud territories. The conflict ended with the Vedran bombardment of the Kalderan capital, Kalderash, and the forced integration of the Kalderan Alliance into the Vedran Empire, the Kalderans becoming another race under the control of the Empress at Tarn-Vedra . Despite four millennia of successful conquest, the monolithic Vedran Empire could not last. The Vedrans themselves had become a minority within their own Empire, relative to the numbers of other races which included the Kalderans, Makra, and Perseids, amongst others. Eventually, even their military, the High Guard —previously the exclusive preserve of the Vedrans themselves—became too small to maintain control of the many planets within Vedran borders; the Vedrans were forced to allow non-Vedrans into their ranks. However, dissatisfaction with Vedran domination continued throughout the non-Vedrans. This culminated in the Perseid Insurrection, which was a failed but was very significant attempt at secession by the Empire's Perseid worlds. The High Guard crushed the uprisings violently and thus preserved the Empress' authority, but at the same time set in motion a series of events and reforms that would undermine absolute imperial authority and set a stage for a democracy. Empire to Commonwealth The popular reaction to the devastation of the Perseid Insurrection forced the Vedrans to appease their subjects lest they face a more widespread Revolution . Election s were held in CY 4205 for the Conclave, the first Parliament for the Empire. Over the following decades, the Conclave would exceed its intended purpose as a powerless facade and pass reforms and legislation. This Progressivism soon evolved into Republic anism, and factions formed calling for the abolishment of the Imperial Throne and establishment of a Systems Republic. The Empress and her loyalists protested and only a compromise brokered by Sani nax Rifati prevented a Civil War - the Vedran Empire became the Systems Commonwealth, and instead of being an absolute hereditary monarchy, it became a Parliamentary Monarchy , with the Empress as a ceremonial Head Of State to symbolize the bond of Vedran monarchy to popular Democracy . SYSTEMS COMMONWEALTH The All-Systems University Soon after the Empire morphed into the Commonwealth, the All-Systems University was born to collect and preserve knowledge from the Known Worlds. One of its most prominent components was the Special Collections Division, which would grow into the main field research and preservation division. Even this federation of professors and librarians, however, would grow its own ambitions and split into factions in the future. After the Fall, these Collectors would go into hiding and operate clandestinely to gather and preserve knowledge from before the Long Night. Some remained true to the original ideals of the ASU - to preserve knowledge for the sake of it; others deviated and used the knowledge to gain power in the chaos and manipulated the knowledge for personal gain. Political Systems The political system of the Commonwealth was a classic parliament was tricameral: the Voice of the Sectors represented Sectors (or groups of star systems); the Voice of the Planets represented each member world individually; and a directly-popularly-elected Voice of the People. With the end of the centralized Vedran Empire and introduction of a democratic Commonwealth, there also came political flexibility and thus Decentralization . Essentially, the Commonwealth turned from a firm union into a Federation of different sectorial governments. Humanity's Impact When Earth joined the Commonwealth, humanity almost immediately assimilated to the new technologies presented by the Commonwealth and traveled outside Earth. Humanity thus contributed greatly to Commonwealth culture, politics, and military. Soon, Genetic Engineering took hold on humans and it became all the rage to be able to breathe underwater (Castalians), live on heavy-gravity worlds (the "heavy-worlders"), see better in the dark (Inari), live on Volcanic -type worlds (Inari again), or even all of the above. Paul Musevini led human followers at Ayn Rand Station, orbiting the planet Fountainhead , to lead a life of constant physical, mental, emotional betterment, using Nietzsche as a guide. His son, Drago, became the first true Nietzschean , and thus was called the Progenitor. Drago became the leader of this first colony of Nietzscheans and by the time he died, he was revered as nearly a god by his people, and he had left multiple different clans, which would evolve into separate Prides. Though they lived lives of warriors, the Nietzscheans were, like their human origins, major contributors to every aspect of Commonwealth government, military, or society. Illusions of Peace The Commonwealth celebrated an era that came to be known as the "Twelve Centuries of Peace" in which it continued to grow and prosper, even though peace with the rival Pyrian Empire (the Pyrians lived on hot inner Venus -like planets) always seemed uneasy and tentative at best. By CY 9760 , a Pacifist movement managed to call a Referendum for disbandment of the High Guard. Though the referendum was in favor of High Guard, it is by a very slim margin and thus the pacifists vowed to revisit the issue. That's why no one saw it coming... Only 6 years after the referendum, a brutal and vicious species mercilessly attacked Brandenburg-Tor, a frontier colony. Few of the 3 billion inhabitants managed to live to tell the tale of the bloody attack. For 15 more years, this new enemy, called the Magog , attacked numerous other settlement worlds, and numerous battles were fought between High Guard and Magog. The ''Andromeda Ascendant'' The . The Treaty of Antares The Treaty of Antares ended the war between the Magog and the Commonwealth, establishing a border between the invaders and the Commonwealth, with the Magog keeping control over sectors that were already devastated by their initial attacks known as the Quarantine Zone. Since many Nietzschean frontier worlds were attacked, the Nietzscheans, among others, launched vigorous protests and called for complete extermination of the Magog. Several Nietzschean worlds threatened to leave the Commonwealth but remained because of increased security assurance from High Guard command. THE NIETZSCHEAN INSURRECTION AND '''COMMONWEALTH CIVIL WAR''' Conspiracy The Treaty of Antares still resting uneasily in Nietzschean minds, several of the Prides, under the leadership of the Drago-Kazov, conspired to replace the Commonwealth, which they perceive as weak, with a Nietzschean Empire. Though most Nietzscheans still remained loyal to the Commonwealth, the worlds that did support the Dragans began spending sprees and retrofitted passenger liners into fighters and cruisers, and this Nietzschean Alliance amassed a huge fleet. Surprise Attack The Insurrection essentially began at the Nietzschean-populated Hephaistos System, where a convenient rogue Black Hole provided the Nietzschean Alliance with a trap to lure High Guard ships into the system to be ambushed and destroyed by waiting ships. One-by-one, the Nietzscheans managed to pick off High Guard starships until they got the attention of the ''Andromeda'' and Dylan Hunt. The ''Andromeda'''s captain realized it was a trap too late, and by the time the shock set in, the ''Andromeda'' was too far from a Slip-point to be able to escape the system alive. Hunt ordered his crew to abandon ship and, with his then pilot, the insectoid Hermaphrodite Refractions of Dawn, sent the ship directly into the Singularity , hoping for a Slingshot effect to thrust the ship toward the nearest Slip-point. The Nietzscheans followed the grand prize into the black hole but also went for the escape pods, but many of the crew managed to escape and warn the High Guard. Because of sabotage by the Nietzschean XO , Gaheris Rhade, the ''Andromeda'' was unable to pull back and slingshot away and was frozen in time, teetering at the edge of the event horizon. Meanwhile, throughout the rest of the Known Worlds, sleeper cells attacked once word reached them that the ''Andromeda'''s crew warned the Commonwealth. Half the High Guard fleet was blown to bits in the shipyards and the dockyards. Nietzschean Success Though the loyalists had more numbers than the insurrectionists, the High Guard had not fought an organized war in more than twelve centuries, and so it was easy for the Alliance to deal mortal blows to the Commonwealth. Earth itself was bombarded, and the only major failure in the first year of the war was the battle for San-Ska-Re, the Than homeworld. The Empress was killed in a Nietzschean attack as well. Success continued well into the second year - CY 9785 - when the Nietzschean Alliance seized the vital Acheron Delta system, preventing a High Guard offensive. Tarn-Vedra During the second year of the Insurrection/Civil War, Commonwealth morale was damaged even further with the disappearance of the Vedrans and Tarn-Vedra. The High Guard and remnants of the Commonwealth were left behind to fend for themselves as Nietzschean successes continued. The Battle of Witchhead The Battle of Witchhead, at the Witchhead Nebula , was the final and climactic battle in the Civil War. 100 High Guard ships were supposed to gather there to launch an attack on Fountainhead, the Nietzschean homeworld, hoping to plunge rebel morale. However, 500 Nietzschean ships were also at Witchhead, and instead of the High Guard remnant coordinating a strike on Fountainhead, the two fleets battled bitterly until they destroyed each other. This battle shattered the Nietzschean Alliance as Jaguar Pride and its allies betrayed the weakened Drago-Kazov Pride and no Nietzschean Empire ever materialized. The Angel of Death According to Nietzschean historical records, the Nietzscheans arrived at the Nebula with 1500 ships: a guaranteed victory. However, at the critical hour, "the Angel Of Death summoned forth the fires of hell" and destroyed the Nietzschean fleet, "their glorious victory turned to ashes" (Note: Season 1 Episode 6). When the High Guard arrived, the 500 survivor ships were off-balance and confused. The Angel of Death was in fact the '' Andromeda Ascendant '', which Slipstreamed back in time just before the battle to set history right again and with an Anti-Proton (AP) Fusion Catalyst, sent the nebula into flames, incinerating 2/3 of the fleet. THE LONG NIGHT After millennia of prosperity, the Commonwealth had fallen in ashes. Instead of a Nietzschean Empire, Chaos reigned. Months after the Battle of Witchhead, the Magog invaded once again, this time in much greater numbers, and wiped away the last remaining struts of the Commonwealth. THE RESTORED SYSTEMS COMMONWEALTH 300 years after the Fall, Dylan Hunt and a ragtag team of misfits began to restore peace and order, or try to. Once the threat from the Magog became known, a unified front became even more urgent. Problems Some would say the Commonwealth lasted for millennia ''because'' of the Vedrans... Others would say the Commonwealth lasted so long ''despite'' them... The Restored Commonwealth immediately faced problems. It was a confederation of disparate, sometimes rival, planets, systems, and political entities, and opportunism was everywhere. The Collectors were vrying for control. Nietzschean Secession Once again, the Nietzscheans betrayed the Commonwealth... This time, because Tyr Anasazi , a member of Hunt's own crew, tricked them into believing him to be the Nietzschean Messiah — a genetic reincarnation of Drago Musevini. The Secession took a heavy toll on the Restored Commonwealth: at least one entire system destroyed; the Perseid planet Sinti occupied; many of the new High Guard's prize possessions also destroyed... and a power vacuum that brought to light the true powers behind the Commonwealth - powers that control it and perhaps directed its demise. Later, it is also discovered that the Nietzscheans were working with the 'Spirit of the Abyss'. Triumvirate Hunt was proposed for the Triumvir position, but refused. Though the Triumvirate was elected soon, corruption was clear... Tri-Spring River Flowing Being a Vedran, her homeworld is of course the missing world known as Tarn Vedra, the source of moral authority for the High Guard and founders of the original Systems Commonwealth. The last Vedran to serve the original Systems Commonwealth Triumvirate as First Triumvir, she was technically never killed by any Neitzscheon strike team as the other original Triumvirate members were, she was simply missing and pronounced dead. Unofficially, she survived the Long Night and the chaos that replaced the fall of the Commonwealth. She found refuge on San-Ska-Re, the former Commonwealth Provisional Capital and homeworld of the Than-Three-Kull, there she remained hidden and waiting for democracy to replace the chaos in the Known Worlds. She eventually was found by High Guard Captain's Dylan Hunt and Sara Anders and once again she was found to continue her role as Triumvir of the Restored Systems Commonwealth. Tri-Jema Tri-Jema's homeworld is unknown. But she was a friend to anyone when she needed their help... not so much when they needed hers... As was the case with Hunt, whom she had put on trial for treason because of a power struggle between idealists and corrupt Collectors. Believing the Collectors to be the winning side, Tri-Jema joined them. But her drive for greed was lethal for her as she perished trying to retrieve a vital star map. Tri-Ortiz and Tri-Camille Though Tri-Ortiz (formerly Isabella Ortiz) was idealistic, the Collectors unseated her and put her more complacent sister Tri-Camille in her place. Little is known (from the show) about her. Tri-Lorn Grew up on Tarazed idolizing Hunt, and indeed turned out to be the one Triumvir true to the Commonwealth's ideals. After the Collectors' mock trial of Hunt, Tri-Lorn helped the ''Andromeda'' flee the Collector fleet at Tarazed, and a civil war began between the idealistic and Collector factions. Tri-Lorn has not been seen on the show since. FINAL UNIVERSAL PEACE When the Andromeda arrvived back from the Seefra system through the Route Of Ages , the crew learned that the Magog Worldship wasn't actually destroyed, but merely crippled. The remaining Commonwealth fleets were faring badly in the four standard days the crew was gone. A huge Nietzschean fleet of two prides was on its way to Tarazed. The Andromeda was the only line of defense. When Dylan learned that the Methus sun wasn't only built for the Seefra system to survive, but to destroy the Abyss. The sun destroyed the Abyss in the Route of Ages, creating a slipstream portal reuniting Tarn-Vedra with the Known Worlds. Dylan Hunt could finally rest after five years of fighting. CONCLUSIONS The Systems Commonwealth provided peace and stability, but it was not perfect. However, the Restored Systems Commonwealth seems to be a regressive, twisted form of the Commonwealth: the direct antithesis of what the Commonwealth should be like. The Commonwealth cannot function if it is extremely corrupt, as is evident in the civil war of the Restored Commonwealth. EXTERNAL LINKS |
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