Sultonia Galactic Relations
Interplanetary Relations
Sultonia has been terraformed to the extent that, with the aid of FABREP technology, it is considered self-sufficient in terms of food and shelter. Having spent many years as the recipients of Alliance aid, Sultonians now throw themselves into wider Alliance endeavours as a way of repaying their fellows for their help in getting the planet on its current steading.
Be that as it may, there are both preferences and tensions between the Alliance and its plucky terraforming project.
Earth fought the case for the planet’s settlement, and is considered its oldest friend – indeed, an ally since before it was even named.
The debt of charity is felt most keenly towards Marzion IX, which provided the most material aid towards the planet’s development.
Sultonia’s unique position as a site of new terraforming technology has led to friction with Kessler – this is mostly on the level of an academic grudge, as Kessler was barred from Sultonian orbit while the atmosphere was being established and “missed out” on observing the earliest experiments.
By a similar token, Viront Z85’s flashy and fast-paced style is at odds with that of Sultonia – as is the former’s corporate, top-down economic structure.
Many Sultonians are refugees, or the descendants of refugees. The populations of several colonies besieged by SHADOW – or taken by THRONE – have come to rest here, and the memories of displacement are etched into the Sultonian mindset.
Sultonia’s distance from other Alliance worlds and lack of centralized authority make it something of a neutral zone, and a target for smugglers. Alliance authorities have made extensive efforts to prevent the movement of Core region artifacts and unsanctioned tech through Sultonia, but the planet’s isolation and self-reliance have hindered these efforts.
Alien Relations
The Omdua and the Skala have readily adapted to life on Sultonia. Indeed, there has been a resurgence of the former’s nomadic folkways taken up by other species to best cope with the planet’s troublesome seasons, while the generally flat sunbaked surface and low basins encourage the kind of dense, heavily-built warrens preferred by the latter species.
The Vari have a strong presence on Sultonia, which for all its perils may be said to be less ambiently lethal than their homeworld of Chetom. The merits of redundantism can be seen embodied everywhere from Habit’s co-operatives to the self-sufficient labs in the Gaspcaps. Tever thrive out on the open range, where they can meet the challenges of lost herds and rolling storms head-on. Humans and Anthroids have brought a latecomer’s zeal to the ongoing terraforming project, along with hard-won wisdom from the environmental devastation of their homeworld.
Attempts by Sultonia to open negotiations with SHADOW groups in the local sector have thus far met with failure. While there is a standing offer of repatriation for defectors (with generous terms of clemency, divisive in the wider Alliance), no group has ever taken Sultonia up on the offer; SHADOW is known to look askew at Alliance charity, and to deal harshly with unsuccessful traitors.
