Founded approximately 800 years ago when the Dorvalans (or Perseids, as Humans call them) first used their early spacecraft to reach and colonize another planet in the Phi Cassiopeia system, the Perseid Empire has established an enviable record for both stability and growth. During the reign of Marissa III and her successors, it's something of a thorn in the Terran Empire's side, since it prevents spinward expansion... but the Perseids think of the Terran Empire the same way.
Harsh conditions on Dorvala created a society that values order, discipline, and responsibility. When the early Perseid FTL explorers returned with stories of other worlds and species - species living in primitive conditions or wracked by war and instability - the Perseids decided it was their duty to bring "civilization" to such species. For their own good, the Dorvalans conquered and annexed them, building the Perseid Empire.
The Perseids likewise believe each species belonging to their Empire has its own duty and place in the grand scheme of things. Perseids typi cally rule, administrate, and bring civilization to less fortunate species; another species might contribute its skill as traders, or soldiers, or agricultural technicians. Individual citizens also have a duty to contribute to the good of all; one person might do this by joining the military, another by assisting the authorities with an investigation.
While the Perseid attitude is undoubtedly arrogant, it's not oppressive. Once the Perseids consider a conquered or annexed species sufficiently "civilized;' they grant its members full citizenship and privileges in the Empire, allowing them to hold any office or attain any other benefit they can earn. (Discrimination often still occurs, of course.) While Perseid society lacks the full openness and equality of the Conjoined Civilizations, it's a far cry from the despotism of the Ackalians or Thorgons.
The Perseid Empire is a monarchy... technically. For the past several centuries the monarch has served a purely ceremonial role while two bodies, an elected legislature known as the Advisory Council and an elected corps of magistrates called the Council of Judges, hold the real power in society.
The Advisory Council chooses several of its members to fill the executive positions of Chief Minister and the heads of the various ministries (Justice, Defense, Commerce, Culture, and so forth). When a monarch takes a particular interest in politics (as does the current ruler, Jogaro VI), the Advisory Council accords his opinions and pronouncements great respect, but they have no binding authority. The Council can, and frequently does, ignore the King's desires. However, the King has the power to appoint Advisory Council committee heads and fill various key bureaucratic positions, and can often use the leverage this gives him to push his own agenda.
The Council of judges hears cases based on the laws the Advisory Council passes. As the body empowered to interpret the law, it has nearly as much power as the Advisory Council. By both law and tradition, only persons who have held certain jobs (attorney, social worker, police officer, or any military service of two years or more) can run for election to the Council of Judges.
Any citizen of the Empire can run for either Council, though Perseids hold the majority of the positions. In recent decades, non-Perseids have increasingly clamored for a greater role in governing the Empire; so have the business and scientific communities. Unless reform occurs, the situation could become volatile.
In Galactic affairs, the Perseids tend toward conservativism, caution, and a patronizing attitude. Unable to expand antispinward due to the Terran Empire, it takes a neutral stance, sometimes partnering with the Terrans and sometimes (as in the 2604 "war") deciding they need a little "civilizing." The Perseids maintain surprisingly good relations with the CCR; they share with the Seecra an interest in "improving" other species.
Thanks to its location "behind" the Terran Empire and the Republic, the Perseid Empire doesn't have to worry about immediate attack from any of the Galaxy's known hostile powers. It keeps a wary eye on them, especially the Thorgons, but knows any invader would have to fight its way through another regime's territory before reaching Perseid space.
Unlike other galactic powers, the Perseid Empire has two entirely separate space services, both of which trace their heritage back to pre-spaceflight armed ser vices on Dorvala. The Space Navy was originally part of the "wet navy" on Dorvala, and still prefers waterlanding spacecraft. The Space Corps, once a branch of the army, focuses on in-system warfare and planetary assaults rather than deep space battles. The two services have an intense rivalry, and the competition helps keep them well-trained and efficient. The Empires high command avoids mixing the two - currently the Space Navy serves in the antispinward and coreward regions (opposite Terran and Seecra space) while the Corps has the rimward and spinward sectors.
The Perseids split their ground forces similarly. The Space Navy has the Space Marines, a small but skilled force used primarily to board enemy starships and the like. The Space Corps partners with the Army, a much larger group of soldiers adept at occupying and conquering worlds.
The Perseids have no direct analog to the Terran Exploration Service. When the Perseid government wishes to send out an exploring mission or a scientific expedition, it either charters merchant shipping or sends a ship of the Space Navy (or, more rarely, the Space Corps). The explorers report their findings through an unofficial network of scientists, which circulates the data freely.
The Intelligence Division handles espionage and counter-espionage. As with exploration, the Perseids take a rather ad hoc approach to intelligence-gath -ering. A small but clever group of full-time agents recruits volunteers - merchants or adventurous tourists who report back anything interesting they discover while traveling in alien space. The results vary in quality; what keeps the whole system from falling apart entirely is that enemies have great difficulty infiltrating or countering the "organization:"
The Perseids count several hundred worlds among their Empire. In addition to alien homeworlds they've conquered or annexed, they've colonized dozens of planets suitable for Dorvalan life (it helps that few other species want Dorvala-like worlds). Some of the more interesting or important Perseid possessions include:
Homeworld of the Nan (page 31), Nao is a large moon orbiting the gas giant Vigaekel. Tidally locked to Vigar'kel, it has a day 120 standard hours long.
Local technology has not yet exceeded ATRI 5, except for Nan who go offworld and bring back technological devices for their own use; Nao's cities are large and smoky. During the long nights, when the face of the gas giant floods the landscape with dim golden light, the Nan hunt, chasing prey animals and savoring their terror. Few outsiders visit, since the Nan like to frighten them as well, and the Empire has not yet found a way to establish "order." The Nan have not yet attained Perseid citizenship.
A hot, 1.3 G world with air pressure a crushing 70 standard atmospheres and an average temperature of about 800 degrees Celsius, Otanin nevertheless has numerous domed settlements because its conditions are perfect for the formation of certain rare crystals with important uses in blaster weapons and Displacer drives. Miners from half the Galaxy crowd onto Otanin, and they in turn attract gamblers, crooks, merchants, entertainers, and profiteers. The Perseid government tries to maintain order, but a handful of Space Marines cant control a growing population of desperate miners and the desperate people who prey on them.
A small, chilly world orbiting its star at a relatively far distance, Selvi possesses rich deposits of many minerals. Several major Perseid corporations built refineries and manufacturing facilities there and erected entire pre-built towns to house workers. After several centuries, this system created a quasi-feudal sort of government with important corporation officials commanding the loyalty of groups of workers in exchange for providing them with benefits.
Thirty standard years ago, this potentially volatile situation exploded when a badly-injured worker was denied expensive medical benefits his "lord" was legally obligated to provide him. A full-fledged insurrection broke out, the rebels slaughtered several hundred corporate officials, and the workers briefly took over until the Perseid military put down the revolt. However, stopping a rebellion and pacifying justifiably angry citizens are two different things. Numerous underground dissident groups remain active on Selvi, striking back at the corporations and the Imperial government whenever the opportunity arises.
Located in the rimward tip of the Perseid Empire, Shendara III is a thriving, bustling world, inhabited by over a billion people from a dozen species. It trades extensively with various non-aligned species living in worlds to rimward of the Terran Empire, as well as many Terran planets. '
Since it's so far from the centers of Perseid society and government, Shendaran society has a sort of rough-and-tumble feel. While the local authorities remain loyal to the Empire and don't tolerate dangerous lawless behavior, they usually look the other way when Shendarans commit "victimless" crimes like running gambling dens or smuggling goods into Imperial space.