August 22nd, 3522.

She was dreaming again, this time though she was amongst the dragons under the cerise sky. They came in many colors, the serpentine children of Khepri, the sacred sun that was the source of all fire. Golden and crimson scales, forest green and baby blue hues, twisting around each other in an endless dance.

One golden dragon split from the clan, the air simmering from the intense heat of the great beast. They flew, and she could see a human camp. The odd-humans had sprouted out of nowhere, borne from the bloodline of the mangani.

The odd-humans were strong, stronger than their bodies indicated. It was a sign of a strong soul, the true frame that built a person. To strike at their bodies was to just harm the construct hanging upon the frame, wounding a mind was merely striking at shadows.

The once-mangani were strong, having brought down the tyrannical tusked ones with their newfound bodies and power. They had built tools, machines, and technology. They could craft their own fire using sticks and stones and friction, they could fashion second skins from plants and furs and hides to protect their soft and pretty skin. They talked using strange noises, grunts and mouth flapping instead of images of the heart and touch.

They were cute for a bunch of hairless apes, she couldn’t help but admit with a flick of her whiskers. The spirits of the world were intrigued by the humans, they had old souls that called to them in ways they had not felt in a long time.

The humans were gathered around a fire, telling spirit-tales and warming up against the fire. A fire she could reach out to with a flick of her body, and she smiled in a way only a dragon lady could.

There was a horrid sound, a scream of wrongness that sent her down to the ground and towards the humans. She lunged down, and began to bend the heat around her, creating shimmers of distorted air, masking the humans and herself.

Humans made their grunts and cries, and she pointed with her snout to the skies above. They went silent, and she whispered in the forgotten tongue of apes. For mangani had become man, the king of the apes as her kind were the kings of the scaled beasts. They had to remember.

The humans had fought against the tusked ones, and had been forced into hiding when they had brought attention from an unnatural thing that can not sleep and will not die. They had scythed through the old ones with frightening ease, tearing apart the machinery that bound them together. Every spirit on their side had been slain or turned, or… wiped from existence rather than being recycled and reborn into new spirits.

Three thousand generations of terror, they had done their best to hide from the monsters that appeared in colors from space, and the Great Beasts had done their duty in protecting mankind. The dragons and the sky golings despite their differences monitored the skies, the sea wolves and the earth krakons guarded the land and the seas.

The booming call grated at her soul and she—

She woke up with a startled shriek, as the dream-memory twisted in and out like fiery mist.

What the hell was that? Tess snarled, teeth clicking together as she strained to hold herself together. Her inner fire flared bright, and her roommate muttered herself awake from her form of… rest, sleep?

Fasah Mogu was rather hard to understand, being a literal amalgamation of plant, fungus and corals. That she looked as human as she did was a matter of choice rather than a coincidence of biology. Their forms shifted like water, as did their identities.

In person, Tess had a lot more time to examine the alien without the excitement of the crowd distracting her. Her face was partially obscured by the flaring fungal cap adorning her head, but it was far too rounded for a human, with little room for strong jaws, and a snapping yawn revealed her radula, a horrific tongue rasping along needle teeth. She was slender with wide hips that extended into digitigrade legs ending in two toes, and three robust fingers and a thumb with extra joints.

Her eyes were reflective and her pupils had dozens of lenses, like an insect-eye had replaced her corneas. They were organic plenoptic cameras, which made their sight very good.

Her smile was odd, not cold but simply… a bit off. “Theresa, are you alright?” Her concern was sincere though, four digit hands reaching out before folding back across her lower stomach, against clothing with the texture of an onion, a billowing skirt of living material.

“I’m alright, just spooked.” Tess replied honestly, glancing around the room. It was ocean blue walls, and swooping lines of red and gold, the beds were an earthy green, with sheets and pillows of brown and saffron yellow, with decorative lights above colored a dark violet-blue and white. The frame color rather than the light itself, that would just be obnoxious. “You’re a water channeler aren’t you? But you can bend air?”

Fasah giggled. “Oh, curious aren’t you? My most precious Elements are Water and Void, just as yours is Fire.” She flicked her wrist, and water was collected from an open open, while in her right arm she held a twisting matrix of dark energy, a ball of warpfire. “My… air channeling is limited to small gusts, and fire and earth are out of my reach.” For now was left unsaid.

The room was rather full of stuff now, from both sides of the divide. A collection of posters and textbooks on her side, along with minor tools she was allowed to have on hand. Fasah had brought odd and mind bending art that gave her a headache, and a squishy sea squirt that glowed when the alien tapped it.

The past few days had been stressful but also eye opening, and she was glad her parents had given her every tool they had on hand to teach her what she needed to thrive and live. They had also sat her down and told her what to expect, about the changes that were coming for both her and others.

She was ready, and so very excited as she jumped up onto her feet. And then winced as her chest bounced. Oww, goddamn it.

Tess chewed on her lip, brushing back her hair, being careful to not cut it with her nails. “We should probably be getting to class with our teacher.”

Fasah lifted her small head. “Yes, we should.”

It was time for her first class, with the teacher that would be with them for the next few years depending on their progress from semester to semester. Sixteen to twenty students as the core class along with twice their number in auditors sitting in on the lessons.

Most of her new classmates were human along with a smattering of people from other species. Diderik, panadim, and khemin were the most common along with one chitta who stood out at eight feet tall and five hundred pounds. Most were around her age, but some were older, reaching their 30s.

She had spent the last three days using the local library and reading the vast data banks the college had access to from across the known galaxy. Reading whatever texts she could on techniques and ways of bending her rūh to her will. The lecture hall had a number of holo-projectors on the floor and along the walls, and she could feel her back prickle with the sensation of a manifested spirit.

An artificial spirit, it swelled up in her nose, a ghostly sensation that was only possible because of her inborn shamanism. In the simplest terms, an artificial spirit was something born out of any created or artificed object, from the bent stick of a bright jay to the fuck-off antimaterial shotgun in her mom’s closet.

Most virtual intelligences of the Solar Alliance were machine spirits, given form and purpose and cultivated by higher government shamans and AI netcode programmers. There was a clipped yelp from the classroom, and she wasn’t surprised when something generated a rift linking the Spirit World with the Real. It rose from the end of the platform near the desk of their yet to arrive teacher.

The spirit was wheels within wheels, defying gravity as it chimed in beat with footsteps. “Be seated, I am Tuslakh, the resident machine spirit and assistant to Bunji Burhan.”

A man appeared from nowhere, reality crumbling away as a bridge was opened from a higher reality and down to theirs. Tess simply watched as their teacher, a shaman and channeler both. He was Earth, but she could see hints of the other Elements in his energies.

Two hundred years ago, that would have been his only element, back then a person could only control one element at a time, but that had changed over time as technology advanced and people better understood how to affect the environment with their rūh. Hell back then a lot of disciplines didn’t even exist yet in a fully defined form.

The classroom itself was fancy, reminding her of Brittanian style lecture rooms. Windows let in natural light, and there was a sense of otherworldly homeliness to the room. Tess snorted and returned her focus to their master in the arts of channeling.

Bunji Burhan was a native of Irkalla, the second most western continent and he was certainly a man born of the desert with his dusky skin, and the way sand spirits clung to him. He was skinny but muscular, wearing a white tunic and black pants along with a turban wrapped around his head.

“Now that the main students and auditors are here, we can begin our class,” he was working his jaw, sky grey eyes focused on the present. “My name is Bunji Burhan, I’m an Oondiri from the Oondiri desert if you can believe it,” he winked and Tess didn't get the joke. “I’m one of many teachers within the Modern Paracausal Disciplines department, and we will be seeing much of each other for the next several years of your life.”

“Affirmative.” Tuslakh had an amused lilt to his voice, orbiting around the shaman binding him.

Burhan rolled his eyes. “To those who are new to my class, the life awaiting you is going to be dangerous and very demanding. Channeling marks us all in its own ways, especially if you’re a born or made shaman. Learning the elemental martial arts, how to channel your life energy into everything you do and are is a harsh and painful journey for many. How you make use of that knowledge and power will determine your place in the world.”

That wasn’t intimidating at all, no siree.

But no one walked out, and Tess nodded at a serious faced Xinji, four silver eyes narrowed in a hawk-like stare.

Mr. Burhan nodded. “So introductions are in order for the core students of my class. You first!” He pointed to a wild eyed dusky skinned twink of a man, who blinked absently.

“Kim Jeong, from central Asu,” he drawled with an odd accent. “I work well with Earth, and Air. I like… ahh, long walks under the moonlight.”

The teacher simply smiled. “Good, having a sense of humor is important with our kind of work. And you?” He pointed to a panadim, who was resting his climbing arms on the sides of his desk while his grasping arms clicked soundlessly against it.

His owl-like face tilted. “My name is Mordin, I’m a panadim from the colony of Durama. I like learning about alien cultures.” His… smile was incomprehensible, but Tess didn’t bother with caring.

Everyone was different.

Introductions came and went including Xinji, and Tess bared her teeth when one particular alien stood up.

“My name is Sveta Astara.” Staring directly at the teacher, her song clashing with steel. “I was born and raised on the Homeworld, and channeling is my greatest passion as a gift from the spirits. Any who fail to learn from their teachers are undeserving of this class.”

Why the fuck was she staring at me for?

Sveta sat back down with a prim hum, and Tess wanted to bite her.

Well… this is a great start isn’t it?

Tess carefully played with the energies of her soul, reaching down into the well she drew upon for power. Smoothing the flow, driving it up and down and around and looping from place to place.

She was having an impromptu lesson with Xinji, since her own people had no elemental martial artists, purely focusing on enhancing their bodies and actions instead. Their first lesson had been mostly going over the fundamentals, how soul energy flows through the body, how it manifests in the Real in many ways depending on culture, local conditions and chance.

Humanity had developed the Elemental Martial Arts and perfected it, along with both shamanistic practice and internal alchemy. The diderik had mastered internal channeling of their chi, and how to enhance their actions, cutting through a foot of durasteel with a knife, reinforcement of their bodies through walking meditation to the point they were immune to bullets. The kanaloaa had made the most strides in the manipulation of minds, and in following the connections that bind all living things, along with shamanism, and had developed both Water and Fire elemental martial arts.

She was in an open community space, gripping a candle flame she was showing off to Xinji.

“Fire wants to fight, it’s in its nature. It’s why we have…. great names, lords, pipiltin, daimyo. They are the greatest people of Fire, they lead and protect their domains, their loyalty ties them to their people. We keep them in check…” Tess flinched when she realized what she said.

“You’re from a family of great names aren’t you?” Xinji sounded curious, silver eyes staring at flames of gold, violet and green.

“My mom, you know the redhead?” Tess clarified at her friend’s confused flap of ears. “She’s a great name while my mother is very strong when it comes to Earth and is part of a clan of Earth and Fire.” In the modern day that means less than it used to. Anyone could rise to become a great name if they were adopted or rose to the occasion, though blood ties helped.

Even a non-channeler could be a great name.

“And what does this have to do with fire-healing?” Xinji sounded genuinely curious, and Tess flushed.

“Sorry, I went on a tangent,” She breathed in and out, her energies following her breathing. “Fire-healing is like a fight, fighting with someone, watching their flank and holding them up when they’re down. You step in and guard their energies, sorting out knots and kinks, and melting through the resistance until they’re healed.”

Monologuing like this was fun for her, she wondered if Xinji would let her talk about the political system of humanity if she asked.

I hope so…

“~Fascinating~” Tess tensed when a certain fungus alien popped up in her periphery. “Tell us more.”

This is nice, I never made many friends in high school… It's nice.

She added her own energies to her candle flame, cupping the fire within her hands.

“Well, fire-healing is an old technique, using the energies outside to…”

Compendium Entry: The Government of the Solar Alliance – The Executive

The executive of the Solar Alliance is made up of the head of government, known as the Prime Minister and their Council. There are some limited emergency powers available to the head of state, but largely of no consequence to be elaborated on. The Council of the Alliance is made up of the heads of the various departments of the SA government.

Though it would be a lie to say the Prime Minister is merely first among equals since they administer them to begin with, executive power is divided among the Council as a whole along with the Prime Minister. The Solar Alliance has 14 members. Only four of those may be non-MPs (Members of Parliament) and each must be confirmed by the Grand Assembly, who themselves are delegates selected from among the domains of humanity.

The four highest offices of state can never be held by a non-MP.

The record of the Council’s meetings are kept secret for up to 20 years to allow for debate without worrying of political damage whilst recording the history of the Alliance. In those meetings all of the Council Ministers will debate the course of action a Prime Minister wishes to take.

Once a course of action has been agreed upon and voted for by a majority of the members, all of the Council Ministers are duty-bound to defend and promote the course of action, regardless of their own belief and whether they voted for it or not. Under this protocol of shared responsibility, if a member of the Council feels they can defend or condone an agreed upon policy they must resign their position.

If the Prime Minister fails to convince the Council to back their policy then the policy fails, and their political power will be damaged in the process.

The High Council:

This group consists of the four high offices of the state, the High Council is vested with most of the emergency powers, such as responding to declarations of war and deploying soldiers in crisis moments.

To prevent abuses of power from the executive, it was decided a Prime Minister would require the consent of two of the other three great administrators of state. All of these offices must be held by MPs.

The Prime Minister (PM): Leader of the Alliance Federal Government. A position held by a party leader that can command and maintain the confidence of the Grand Assembly, and the lower assemblies. As most Alliance governments tend to be coalitions, the PM does not always have to be the leader of the largest party.

Deputy Prime Minister: This title is gifted to the leader of the junior party in the coalition government. As a leader of a party, they can act in the stead of the Prime Minister in case they are incapacitated or unavailable.

Due to this crucial role, the Deputy PM will always be counted among the three offices of the High Council.

The Chancellor of the Treasury (Chancellor): The minister responsible for the Treasury office and for all the economic and financial powers of the Federal Government.

The second most powerful position behind the PM, due to having the largest say on the budget and its creation. Often filled by the Deputy Prime Minister unless they for whatever reason prefer greater political distance from the financial affairs of the federal government.

The Administrator of State for Foreign Affairs (Foreign Administrator): This minister heads the Foreign Office and retains responsibility for diplomatic corps and relations with foreign governments, maintaining oversight of the Alliance’s external intelligence agency.

The Administrator of State for Home Affairs (Home Administrator): This minister heads the Home Office and is responsible for internal affairs of the Solar Alliance including immigration and customs enforcement, Alliance criminal policies, federal law enforcement, sector wide and above disaster response efforts and Sector Guards.

They also hold oversight of the codebreaking and communications agency of the Alliance and their internal intelligence agency.

The War Council:

Only convened in times of war and conflict and directing the war effort in full knowledge of classified information without revealing sensitive information to the full Council. It consists of the High Council and two additional Council members.

It should be noted that only the four high administrators of state carry the title of ‘Administrator’ to differentiate them from offices with lesser duties.

The Administrator of State for Defense (Minister of Defense): This minister heads the Office of Defense and has responsibility for the armed forces of the Alliance, keeping in order the civilian bureaucracy that allows them to function, the federally owned parts of the defense industry and the veteran's service.

The Administrator of State for Energy and Industry (Minister of Industry): Heads the Ministry of Energy and is responsible for Alliance wide industrial and energy strategies and implementation. They also have responsibility for state-owned factories, energy plants and other production sites not under military jurisdiction.

While they make up only a portion of the Alliance’s industrial output they form a vital role in the Alliance’s social democratic policies. This minister negotiates with the Consortium of Alliance Workers in the event of widespread industrial disputes.

The communications infrastructure of the Alliance is also their responsibility due to its effect on industrial production and coordination during both war and peacetime.

The Low Council:

The Low Council consists of the 8 ministries that while they are important aspects of the Federal Government take a backseat during wartime. Up to 4 Council ministers may be non-MPs proposed by the PM and approved by the Grand Assembly. Industry specialists typically use those slots to fill the Health, Education, Environment and Sapient Rights ministries.

The Administrator of State for Health and Social Care (Minister of Health): The head of the Ministry of Health and Social Care is responsible for enforcing the wide physical and mental health and social care policies of the Alliance. As well as ensuring that Cluster Assembles adequately provide those minimum requirements. They’re also responsible for state-run research labs and state-sponsored medical research distribution.

Administrator of State for Education, Innovation and Skills (Minister of Education): The ministry is responsible for the core curriculum of the Solar Alliance’s pre-18 education system and ensuring minimum levels of government mandated education is delivered by the Cluster Assemblies.

They also administer post 18 education both in the provision of apprenticeships, universities and higher places of learning. Both are under federal jurisdiction along with state-run research facilities, government-sponsored research funding distribution and business domain start-up programmes also fall under their aegis.

Administrator of Work and Pensions: (Minister of Work and Pensions): The minister is responsible for the provision of federal-state pensions and other retirement benefits.

Childcare, parental leave, labor protection, and social security policy also falls under their head, as well as ensuring that Cluster Assemblies adequately provide services to meet Alliance policies. They also negotiate with the Practitioner Union Congress during wide labor disputes.

Administrator of State for Environment and Agriculture (Minister of Environment): The head of the ministry is responsible for the environmental and agricultural policies of the Alliance, and ensuring the minimum provisions are met by Cluster Assemblies.

The minister acts as the overseer for terraforming processes on some colony worlds and maintaining national parks as well as emergency stockpiles of food to prevent mass starvation of civilian populations in the event of shipping disruption.

Administrator of State for Sapient Rights and Sport and Cluster Government (Minister of Sapient Rights): This minister is responsible for the regulation of civil rights and protections of both minorities and the sapient rights of all citizens of the Solar Alliance. This is done by enforcing the minimum requirements dictated by the Universal Rights Act.

They also administrate for deploying and developing the policies that protect the rights enshrined within the Act, and act as mediators between Cluster Assemblies during disputes and carry out the same ceremonial and mediation duties for them as the head of state does for the SA Parliament.

Administrator of State for Culture, Media, and Sport (Minister of Culture): The minister responsible for regulation of Alliance wide sports leagues, federal museums and art exhibits and the maintenance of Heritage Sites and holds nominal responsibility for the independently run broadcaster domain, the Solar Broadcasting Corporation (SBC).

Administrator of State for Transport (Minister of Transport): Responsible for Alliance wide public transportation policies and regulations and for those areas of public transport under direct government control like the Rail Network. The minister also administers the laws and policies governing business domain owned cargo and leisure ships within Alliance space.

The Seneschal: The minister responsible for keeping all the governing party MP’s in line using any other means they deem appropriate within their moral framework. Their first duty is the attendance of MP’s to voting sessions and that they vote in step with their party leaders.

They are tasked with listening and filtering the concerns for the party’s concerns, dealing with small problems and keeping minor complaints from interfering with the duty of the party leadership and the Cabinet. Simultaneously they keep the leadership up to date with any issues that have the chance of growing into full blown internal rebellions before they erupt into public debacles.

All parties have varying thresholds of independent action from MP’s, with different tolerances and such. Some are more willing to accept independent action while others broker no dissidence within their parties.