Associated States of Natar

The Associated States of Natar, sometimes abbreviated as the ASN, is a native Ancerian space empire situated in the Killian Verge comprised of over 87 Member States. The executive ability of the Associated States mainly resided within the Executive Assembly, where each nation is represented by a recognized spokesperson. The Associated States leadership resides within the role of Invigilator. Who oversees the proceedings and exchanges that occur within the Association. With the Assembly being located on their homeworld of Natar. Their main department is the Space Authority, which encompasses and dictates the rights and abilities of the member states within space.

Founded originally in 407 NME at the end of the 8th Great War. The Association once only encompassed the belligerent powers of the aforementioned conflict. But gradually came to be the universal platform for international policy-pushing and discussion. The effectiveness of the Association varies both in the fields for success in question and in their time period. With the decentralized and disunited nature of the organisation being both a bane and a boon for Telirankind. The political situation of the Association can generally be described as a quagmire. The lack of a united or common ideological view throughout the constituent civilizations often paralyses the Association of any committed or quick actions.

In 467 the Association officially became an active participant in Galactic Affairs following First Contact with the Intergalactic Empire: The Union of Worlds. The atmosphere of the Associated States of Natar is marked by an era of rapid progress, political polarization and rising international tension. Which continuously threatens to throw the Association into a Ninth Great War. The reign of the Associated States is regarded to have been one as a harbinger for nearly a century of peace but also of executive stagnancy.

Pre-Founding History
Natar prior to the foundation of the Associated States of Natar was rife with international turmoil. With Eight Great Wars over the two centuries preceding the Association. The last of which led to the foundation of the Association. To understand why the Eighth Great War led to the creation of the organisation and why it was not formed earlier, the context of Teliran geopolitics must be understood with the starting of the First Great War.

The First Great War broke out in the wake of the Republican Revolutions. An era that saw a boom in literature and political sentiment opposing Monarchist government and advocating for the rule of an educated wealthy class. Who would be better balanced between ruling in the interest of their subjects and ruling in the interest of the welfare of state. Mixed with the booming industrial revolution across the region, the revolutions caused war to switch from a means of strategic conquest and dynastic expansionism into a case of ideological factionalism. Very quickly two ideological alliances formed in the civilized continent of Arkland between what were then known as Revolutionary Republican League and the Counter-Revolutionary Silver Alliance in their attempt to curb the Republican revolutions both at home and across the continent.

Subsequent wars were merely outbreaks of this ideological rivalry. As the Monarchists and Republicans struggled repeatedly to unify the civilized and colonial world under their ideology. With technological, economic and social limitations preventing one ideology rolling over the other. The only war to fall outside this timeline of Monarchist-Republican competition was the Seventh Great War which was a major Colonial Uprising among the Monarchist and Republican overseas territories, which were mostly put down by a united effort by both alliances. This Colonial Coalition against the Separatists is often considered to be the forerunner to the future league between the planetary alliances.

Growing civilian and military technology, industrialization and urbanization eventually saw the Eighth Great War break out. Which is considered to have been the bloodiest and costliest of the conflicts. In which the belligerents struggled between mobile and trench warfare at varying points matched with rapid technological and economic growth among much of the world due to the commercial demand from the war. The result of the war saw much of the Monarchist Alliance deteriorate and weakened, but still preserved. The peace deal saw both alliances agree to participation in an International Association between the two. Aimed at helping to resolve diplomatic issues and avoid future conflict. With the signing of the Peace Treaty of 407(NME), the Associated States was officially formed.

Expansion of the Association
The founding of the Associated States in 407 saw the introduction of two alliances into the organisation. The two groups that had fought in all of the past Great Wars: The Monarchist Imperial Treaty and the Republican ASC the founding factions. All members states were outlined the conditions and privileges of their presence in the assembly via the Rights of Membership, a piece of Constitutional Legislation outlining the powers of ASN member states. The Kalethian Republic and Kataleni Confederacy, as the leading powers of their respective alliances, became the Core Powers of the Association. Being granted with veto powers over all bills going through the Assembly. The Association rapidly grew in significance and reach as a result of the inclusion of these two primary alliances. With countries such as Tersalia, Tarasia and Nardal joining shortly after to form the neutral faction known as the Amridge Agreement.

The immediate decades following the formation of the Association saw a period of astonishing peace, prosperity and development. As the world recovered from the debris and rubble of the 8th Great War, the Associated States became a means of international communication and intervention during the Democratic Upheaval that surged through many recovering countries. It also proved to be a force capable of drawing the allied powers together in the wake of the Pogoland Wars of 411NME. A series of conflicts when the Imperial Treaty and ASC powers opted to intervene in Pogoland, a continent that had previously been a collection of colonial subjects between the allies that had since become unstable, economically stagnant independent states. The war saw the Association act as an inter-alliance command as the powers reconquered the continent under the Arklandic nations, despite an unexpected high level of resistance in later years.

With the war ending in 413NME with the capitulation of the Sasona Directorate came a period of intercontinental membership growth. The war had proven the influential capacity of the Association and the danger of exclusion from having a voice within it. Sparking a surge of diplomatic interest for membership into the Associated States. This period saw the Republican and Monarchist alliances of the continent of Barciland join in 422NME. This was further advanced with the entry of Republican Alliance in the North in 426NME, followed by the membership of the nations in the Falonis Defence Group in 427NME. With this, the Association had come to encompass every faction on the planet with the exception of numerous neutral nation-states and the radical Coalition of United Democracies, which was largely unrecognized by the other nations on the planet. Subsequent conflicts were largely isolated to proxy wars among minor allied powers or unaligned powers, such as in the case of the Cametan Civil War.

The Hatal Crisis
It was not long after this period of membership growth before the peacekeeping ability of the Association was put to the test with the 435NME Hatal Crisis. Despite the Eighth Great War aiming to settle the constant disputes that the Imperials and Arklandic Republicans had struggled with, one issue that evidently remained unresolved was that of the Fridesian borderlands. For decades after the foundation of the Association it remained very much a background issue, with disputing actions mostly limited to diplomatic notes or military practices. In 430, however, the matter came to the forefront when the Kingdom of Frides brought the matter before the Executive Assembly. The Fridesians requested that an independent, international referendum be held over the zoned disputed regions that had been taken from Fridesia during the war to determine the right of governance by local identity. The Arklandic Security Coalition, to which Segellia and Verat were members of, unanimously voted against the proposal, with the Kalethian Republic vetoing the move before it could be discussed further.

As a response to this refusal to discuss renegotiation, the Kingdom of Frides delivered an ultimatum to the Republic of Verat. Demanding that they allow a plebiscite in one of the disputed regions: Hatal, to determine a conclusive answer to rightful governing power for the region to be made by a neutral country. Verat responded to the ultimatum by stating they would agree if they could hold the referendum. Frides refused and a standoff insued as both forces mobilized, along with Segellia who feared their disputed lands would also be attacked. The introduction of nuclear weaponization sparked further fears of what may come over the politically disputed region. The region in question was indeed ethnically diverse, almost holding a fifty-fifty distribution of Fridesian and Veratian speakers. The situation was growing increasingly volatile by the hour as military forces moved to the borders in preparation for conflict.

The conflict was narrowly avoided however, with the intervention of the Associated States during an emergency meeting just days after their previous discussion on the Fridesian proposal. Both faction leaders demanded that the disputing parties agree to a resolution arranged by them or their nations would be rendered isolated by their alliances. Frides and Verat relented and the region was handed over to a Peacekeeping Commission under the Associated States which has averted conflict since. Though at the expense of the communities in the area become reputably undeveloped and devoid of tourist interest.

This resolution by the leading representatives of the Core Powers to the Association allowed tensions to cool. Subsequent proposals by Frides to the Executive Assembly were taken with a more global mindset. Later that same year, the Association approved to turn the disputed borderlands between Frides and Segell into a condominium, co-governed by both nations. Frides was even able to arrange for a number of referendums to be held throughout the borderlands with Verat on a municipal basis rather than a regional scale. Some areas have since been handed back to Frides peacefully since the 8th Great War via the Associated States, helping to mend relations between the factions of Arkland and the world at large.

Golden Era
The end of the Hatal Crisis is often marked as the starting point of the geopolitical golden era for the Associated States. The cooling of relations between the Imperial Treaty and Arklandic Security Coalition nations left much of the world in a feeling of detente and calm. This continued sense of overall peace for over two decades was a positive feedback cycle. With the stability of borders helping to cement them in many ways. Local bilateral diplomacy between rivaling nations have also been attributed to this golden era. This period also saw the start of the continuing industrial boom in the previously undeveloped nation-states beyond the continent of Arkland. With a growing sense of stability among many previously tense and militarized nation-states, the civilian economy of much of Natar boomed under the Associated States. With the Federation of Dastir being recorded to have a GDP growth rate of 28% on one year when less than a century the Empire was considered an uncivilized backwater.

Under this aura of international cooperation and ease, the Associated States saw the largest period of power-expansion it had felt since its foundation. Firstly, with the Grand Weaponry Act, which came in the dawn of the growing concerns of nuclear arms developments in 432. Granting the Associated States Space Authority with the Invigilator with the prerogative to exclude countries for the diplomatic community that had not acquired permission to hold weapons of mass destruction. Secondly, with the foundation of the Associated States Space Authority in 434 during the era of rocket usage for space travel. Before any homegrown space departments had been set up, then-President Massiney Thalerno proposed the establishment of a united Space Authority on behalf of the Kalethian Republic. A move which promised to help limit the need for localized nation focus on innovating space travel and to pool together the necessary resources, talent and funds to undertake such a task.

In this era, the Peacekeeping Corp was fully established in 435. Previously an augment that worked by a rotating term of military contributions by each faction within the Assembly, the Corp became an official military force with its own recruitment and command. It was a time of security for the Associated States and the general sentiment flowing through much of the national leaderships of the Assembly was one of optimism. Growing industrial progress across the world was not only benefiting the previously primitive alliances, but also growing the economic inter-dependencies of the main alliances as their populations blossomed idealistic consumer economies. New inventions by International Scientific Boards and Groups were organised by the Executive Assembly churned out countless innovative domestic products and concepts. Countless new Space Authority National Branches were set up during this time, along with experimental international anti-meteorite defence sites and multinational mediation commissions helped to greatly statistically reduce the rate of wars breaking out between minor powers. From the Noble and Tenant in the monarchist empire, to the Entrepreneur and his workers in the Republican nation, the prevailing view of the Associated States was overwhelmingly positive, respective of national liberties and self-governance while tuned harmoniously with caretaking and fostering the global community. The political golden era for the Associated States, in other words, saw the international community prosper through mutual cooperation.

Decline of influence
The beginning of the end of the Golden Age with the international market crash of the 440's. The crash instigated by the bursting of the Kalethian housing bubble left millions across the world penniless and unemployed. Countless companies were plunged into financial destitution and governments were destabilized. The economic plight, added to by famines during the hottest summer the planet had for over 30 years left Natar in a turbulent state.

During this state of economic and political instability, the rising problems caused many countries to turn to government as their solution. As side consequence of which was military expansion and usage of diplomatic incidents to restabilize national authorities behind a common goal. The Associated States itself underwent massive budget cuts and slashes to supranational reach in order to help the planetary governments hasten their recoveries. A number of countries entered civil war and massive migration surges caused further social turmoil in countries as the stable atmosphere essential to the flourishing of the Associated States was thrown away.

As soon as the crash hit the global markets, the Associated States became little more than a talking shop for lodging protests over diplomatic wrongdoings. Any efforts to expand the powers of the Associated States or any of its augments during this time were cut down immediately due to the need of local states to focus on assisting their populations more than another drone launch into space. Consequently, little was done in the war of the Associated States or the expansion of its jurisdiction during this time. It even shrank in scope as a result of this time, with its inability to stop the rapidly growing frequency of civil wars and international conflicts, countries soon lost faith in the ability of the Executive Assembly and instead dedicated their representation towards self-preservation of themselves.

By 450, the recovering world had developed a new perception of the utility of the Associated States. Wounds had been reopened between the many alliances, though it was never admitted. A quasi cold war began under the Associates States as a result; one that remains to this day. The rekindling of international competition did see market recovery accelerate once more along with technological development through the growing arms races across the world. The only field in which the Associated States had retained their significance over affairs now lay in the Space Authority. The ongoing research competition was enough to allow the Space Authority to once more expand their reach, providing one less technological race for governments to worry about keeping up in. The united research elements in this area also helped to gradually invigorate international peace and trust as the danger of all out conflict faded out of being a real possibility once more. The Association was, however, left stagnant and without any popular sentiment left to advocate for expansion and centralization of power, a state of being which carried into the early 460's.

First Contact
By the late 460's, research and developed in exoatmospheric travel had made significant advances. Namely the development of the first interstellar-capable vehicle. Previous space-bound machines were either orbital or system-based. But with the first successful test of a Markoro FTL Prototype Ship from Natar to the edge of their home system of Ibis, Telirankind was set to become spaceborne and would, inevitably, made contact with intelligent alien life.

The first experience of the Associated States of Natar with alien life was, however, not on their terms. The effects of the prototype FTL test had given a signal to the relatively close Human Empire: The Union of Worlds. Also situated in the Killian Verge, the Union of Worlds made contact with Telirankind. Making first physical contact in Southern Aphanesia, the discovery of alien life sent shock-waves through Natar.

The immediate response was confusion and worry, unknowing of the potential intentions of the alien life. Once the contact was concluded, however, the Executive Assembly began to contemplate Natar's reaction to contact with xeno life. The first reaction, as First Contact took place without approval from the Executive Assembly. When Administrator Massiney Thalerno arranged for a meeting with the Human expedition on the planetary surface whereupon a treaty was signed. The 467NME Treaty of the Stars confirmed the peaceful intentions of humanity and gave the ASN the breathing room to respond and develop their planet as they entered the community of galactic organisations. It also opened up Natar to technological and military exchanges with the Union of Worlds, providing much-needed insight to aid the Telirans in their now-conscious need to catch-up.

Following First Contact, the effects were clear. The revelation held significant geopolitical effects, namely causing a declaration of a ceasefire, and later truce during the War of the Month. With some media outlets even speculating that the scare caused by the First Contact stopped the aforementioned conflict breaking out into the Ninth Great War. Discovery of alien life also led to Space Preparations Act, which made numerous concessions regarding space-based activity to the nation-states of Natar. Which allowed them to greatly accelerate the rate of development for the Association and its territorial reach beyond the homeplanet. Despite this spirit of unity and progress as a brotherhood of nations, small-scale conflicts and political upheaval did still continue across the world.

Thalerno Era
The feverish homegrown competition pushing for the claiming of new systems and the colonisation of new planetary bodies was not limited to a year or so. Due to the passing of the Space Preparations Act by Administrator Thalerno, the natural race between nations to keep up with each other in their expansion of entire planets threw the ASN into a new era of colonisation and discovery. This time beyond their own atmosphere.

Beginning with the colonisation of the moon of Sano, which orbited the nearby planet of Sante in their home system. An oxygenated planet with plant-life and oceans of its own. The convenience of Sano couldn't be underestimated. With the first Telirans setting foot on the planet in 470 with the landing of Commander Komansh and the Kataleni Sano Expedition on the moon, the age of expansion was underway.

The following years saw an initially gradual expansion of the Teliran military fleets as construction for infrastructure related to spaceship construction was slow. Despite this, the national squadrons and navies of the numerous spaceborne Association member states began to eagerly advance their expansion through into new systems. The Space Authority jumped on this opportunity by initiating Plan Grey, which granted nation-states with the right to stake claims to entire unoccupied systems which they reached.

Thalerno's era was marked by a period of stability and transition into a conscious society of the world beyond them. His management of the Space Authority was particular amicable for both the department and the Association as a whole. Covering a period of restored international cooperation in the wake of growing interest in united expansion into space. The Thalerno-Era Association has also, however, been critiqued for its status-quo doctrines. Often depending on softening Space Authority plans to be acceptable by all factions within the Associated States international assembly rather than provoke a side into vetoing new legislation. The most notable gaffe was, however, an anomaly in Thalerno's reign. In which his administration of the Space Authority opted to bypass an international emergency meeting to discuss the united approach to the Samser attack. Instead jumping immediately to opening negotiations, foreseeing major infrastructure damage to Natar and no cards left at the peace table if they opted to resist. The subsequent rage both from the international community and general public to the move of appeasement led to a sudden opportunity for opposing elements within the Space Authority to leap into action against Thalerno. Notably Director Tetlisun, who was a vocal advocate for a more strongly-handed Space Authority and Association. The crisis ultimately saw Thalerno removed from his position, with the negotiated treaty falling through as the Union arrived to resecure Teliran independence.

Tetlisun Era
With the fall of the Thalerno administration came the ascendancy of former-director Tetlisun. The initial reign of the Association's new leader was relatively uneventful. Primarily covered by Tetlisun's expansion of control, friendships and connections as he began to consolidate his position. Many were conscious of new administration's aspirations, with few considering it to be a matter of major interest. Across Natar, far greater matters were occurring. With Socialists in Altak having seized the government and funding further far-left sentiments across the planet. Capitolites were beginning to grow as a counter-revolutionary ideology, leading to numerous exiles from the occupied Empire of Capitol to be granted refuge on the planet.

However, by 478NME, Tetlisun was on a path of reform for Natar. The Open for Business reforms set Natar and the Associated States on a new path for economic and political policy. With the Association confirming the right of member states to provide residence to alien races that were not blacklisted. The Alien Enterprises Act allowed national governments to allow the selling of land and property to non-natives with extraterritorial rights. Further acts such as the Political Sanctuary Act, Partnership and Alien Tax Acts across the following year helped to secure the local national rights to house alien enterprises. Combined with the trade position Thalerno had established for Natar prior, the reforms immediately gave the civilization a key edge for their following economic boom. The prosperity that followed through the Tetlisun Era gave him great popularity and trust among numerous governments.

Scholars debate for years to come whether Tetlisun's administration improved planetary cohesion, citing the increase in passed bills through the Association as a result of the growing international economic ties on Natar. Others meanwhile have argued that, while the governments of most of the Teliran countries began to improve on cooperation through Tetlisun's economic reforms, it also fiercely heightened the atmosphere of commercial competition. With nations practically being unable to implement morally-based regulations against what alien enterprises could do on Natar in fear of another nation simply not doing so too and getting an edge on their economic growth. The resulting environment for Natar's economy left very little to be admired by the radicals. With socialists experiencing the worst depths of capitalist exploitation, spiritualists witnessing vice and gluttony beyond compare, nationalists seeing the Association expanding their influence and ignoring local interests, xenophobes seeing scores of psychologically unknown aliens flood the cities. But altogether, Tetlisun and his Association administration saw him expand his influence over the planet, merging the roles of the leader of the Associated States with the Space Authority department. But with the expansion of central power, his was increasingly destabilizing his own power base and placed the fate of the entire organisation into a state of dependency of his continued success and survival. Without Tetlisun, things would rapidly spiral out of control as his intricately built web of alliances and fragile pacts would inevitably crumble.

Government
The Associated States is not formally a sovereign body, but rather served as the international entity that serves to unite the voices of the otherwise contrasting views of local ethnic and national groups. Other than an anthem for use in representation, there is little in the way of apparatus to form a united identity as a planet, rather than a collection of varying nationalities.

Executive Assembly
As a supranational body, the Association Executive Assembly has, on paper, the capacity to undergo any kind of reform, action or move, as long as the Executive Assembly has voted in favour passing the legislation. However, this requirement reduces the ability of the Associated States. Making it only able to enforce a united policy on something to in the circumstance when a vast majority of the member states are already united in their opinion on a matter. Rendering the legislative capacity of the Association to be often limited to merely confirming what is already agreed upon. A 60% Aye is required during legislative votes, and each alliance also wields the ability to veto a piece of legislation if 50% of their bench is in support of moving for a veto. The Kalethian Republic and Kataleni Confederation also hold exclusive veto abilities. Effectively curbing any ability for the Association to undertake initiatives that stand to the detriment of the local representative governments.

Associated States Space Authority
A large amount of their executive power is imbued into the Association Space Authority, which has much greater centralized power. The role of Executive Administrator is very much the most influential mantle within the Associated States. With the ability to more-or-less dictate Natar's rules in space as both a means of leverage and a guiding hand to the path the Teliran national governments take.

Law
No code of law presides within the legislation of the Associated States. With the Statute of Talcit confirming the continued right of the individual nation states to dictate their local justice system policies. Most of whom use the Communal System. In rare circumstance in which an individual has made a violent attack on the Association government as a whole, for instance trying to attack the assembly members, then the local government providing residence to the assembly is often given the role of managing justice. Exceptions have been made, often with an international criminal issues, such as extradition disputes. Which may result in the Executive Assembly making a judgement on provision for legal actions against criminals.

Foreign Relations
The Associated States primarily channels their diplomatic authority through the Space Authority. Which tends to approach alien powers following a majority vote in favor of a diplomatic mission. Despite the ability for the Association to arrange trade deals with alien powers, individual nations can opt out of the agreement, allowing oligarchic countries to abstain from trade with populist governments for instance. Similarly, the Association has no actual regulations to individual governments brokering diplomatic arrangements on their own with alien governments. The Space Authority therefore tends to be utilized when most of the planet is united in arranging a deal with an alien government or when a situation arises that was unforeseen and immediate, requiring a sudden and united diplomatic voice for the planet.

Military
While a majority of the Teliran military force is decentralized into the local national governments. The Association does wield a number of military augmentations loyal to their authority. Most notably the Associated States Intervention Army, which is comprised of volunteers and troops contributed by member states. The Natar Defense System is also managed and run by the Space Authority. A number of private military companies are also contracted by the Association as a means of garrisoning outpost systems with promising potential for future colonization candidacy by the numerous nations on Natar.

Membership
The constituent states of the Associated States of Natar total 94 in total as of 64 AME; 87 being located on Natar.