data/mods/aftershock_exoplanet/doc/lore/factions.md
Formed relatively recently, after the discovery of the new FTL method, the United Interstellar Coordination Agency is a loose confederation of Solar Corporations, Governments, and NGOs dedicated to reclaiming and bringing most extra-solar colonies back under Earth's control. Since most colonies never possessed the technological and industrial base to support themselves on the long term, this goal is usually achieved through relatively peaceful means, even then, UICA fields the largest military in human history for when peaceful reintegration isn't possible.
While this all nice and noble (as long as you ask an Earthling) this far out in the frontier UICA personnel is either irremediably corrupt and/or incompetent. They will willingly part with valuable military equipment or classified information in exchange for appropriate sums of money or personal favors.
UICA might act as a military police force if this is necessary.
UICA principally cares about making Salus IV a safer place to inhabit (and exploit). Under that light they might offer missions to:
Besides ample money and stipends they can offer:
UICA administers the Salus IV spaceport, which is the principal world hub for most starting scenarios. This is the main faction hq. Valid locations that could be added:
Additionally there's a single UICA space cruiser stationed in polar orbit.
While the soviet union collapsed during the discontinuity most of its extra solar colonies where completely self-sufficient and actually managed to prosper in their isolation. Weakly reunited by the reinvention of FTL technologies the TSKBEM has no true unified authority and is kept together by weak alliances and shared interests.
The tskbem still specializes in the construction of basic space infrastructure. With a product line that covers everything from prefab habitats and industrial infrastructure to the robots and tools required to maintain them. Most of its hardware can be weaponized with surprising ease, a quality that few dismiss as coincidental.
The TSKBEM has no official presence within Salus IV. It might be possible to find some affiliated spaces or representatives within the space port and it could be possible to place purchase orders with the tskbem from places with an internet connection. Having a stable working relationship with the faction should be difficult, and even if you manage to build one, they would remain remote and offer little in direct help. When befriended they might offer missions to:
The TSKBEM has no specific goals to achieve within Salus IV
They can offer:
The industrial fleets that comprise the TSKBEM are too big to ever bother approaching a backwater world like Salus IV. Contact should be through faction friendly spacers in the main space port or through secret communications (take note that interstellar communications rely on packet ships so these wouldn't ever be live).
A multitude of frontier homesteading groups brought together by their use of the Prepnet communication protocols. Spread out onto the edges of the frontier, enthusiastically squatting and building tiny kingdoms often consisting of just a couple families or like-minded individuals. Their mutual aid societies are wildly varied in their laws; influenced by the people who set them up, but they all share in a distrust for those that wish to impose restrictions upon new colonization efforts.
Many Phyles believe that a second discontinuity is imminent, and prepare for this by supplying and setting up colonies with long-term isolation in mind.
Prepnet phyles are mostly concerned with maintaining viable settlements, and might offer missions to:
They can offer:
A hidden settlement that might offer similar services to the UICA spaceport. Small outposts aimed towards farming and resource extraction