RARCom
| RARCom |
|---|
|
| Sovereign Vassal |
| TL 7 |
| Small Empire |
| Player |
| None listed |
| Allies |
| Praetorian Empire |
| Enemies |
| Magicians Alliance |
| Notable People |
| Apex Professor Harrison Kloch |
RARCom, or the Research and Artefact Recovery Commissioned, is a sub-group within the Praetorian Empire. RARCom has grown to fill several roles, even functioning as a pseudo-educational institute and paramilitary group, but mainly focus on acquiring knowledge in all forms to put to the greater good. As an institute they prefer not to discriminate about the meaning of ‘knowledge’ in their modus operandi, a work of art is just as valuable in their eyes as the cure for all known disease.
They are recognised as a ‘Sovereign Vassal’ by the Allied Nations. RARCom controls there own star systems, with a capital system of Knolrhekk, a rare cyan giant star with multiple gas giants orbiting each having rocky moons within the habitable zone.
In direct orbit of the first planet is ‘Ascension’ station, dedicated entirely to running a group that spans several galaxies, with all the tools to control colonies spanning them. The ‘Acquisition Council’ meets here, revealing RARCom’s command structure. At the head of the council is the Head Master/Mistress, who functions to direct their authority, and make sure the councils decision is carried out. the position has no fixed term, with a new Head Master appointed by the Arch-Professor whenever the current one steps down.
The Apex-Professor is always marked as present at any meetings, even when absent, and is the only person who can retroactively overturn a ruling on the council, but doesn’t have a vote himself. This would be a problem, however the positing makes them a law unto themself.
All Sub Apex-Professors present in the system of Knolrhekk are required to attend the council, and make up the ruling vote.
This gives flexibility and maintains a fresh set of eyes is always on the council, as Sub Apex-Professors are constantly moving into and out of the system.
A recruit into RARCom is taught in a variety of disciplines, with branching paths for those with particular aptitude, but for a ‘science’ institute, RARCom has very few of those types for their size.
‘Any and all means’ is directly in their MO, with RARCom known to use dirty tactics to acquire anything they deem important enough, whether that be an ancient artifact, powerful technology, or just good art. If they have the need, then they will in many cases make the means to acquire it. This leads to the most well armed ‘research fleet’ in existence, with the AN refusing most craft civilian status.
The smallest class of craft are referred to as Giants, less as an assigned classification like other craft, but as a colloquial term used to describe the numerous gunboat/corvette sized vessels used as small research platforms. The largest and most common of these is the Beagle class research vessel, built to barely meet AN guidelines and receive civilian status, they carry a reduced weapon set for self defence mostly, although pack a punch in a group, the Beagle is unique within the class as one of the few to carry cloaking technology, a feature standard on larger vessels.
Libradons refers to roughly frigate/destroyer platforms, and are used as quick response vessels, carrying mostly quantitative analysis labs, compared to the full blown research departments on larger vessels.
Collegaeta are the backbone of RARCom, ships that function as full Research departments with engines and guns attached. They lead full expeditionary groups to other galaxies for perhaps years at a time, carrying all the equipment they could ever need. When Collegaeta are present, RARCom will almost always contest any group competing for the same prize, as to warrant moving one of these ships into position, almost always warrants the use of unconditional escalation theory.
Lastly is the rather exclusive ships known as Universaerium, these are RARCom’s flagships, each built around the concept of a single experiment, and having the tools to process it there and then. If a Collegaeta is a University research department aboard a starship, then a Universaerium is the full research capability of a developed planet.
RARCom is often accused of using this fleet to bully lesser prepared factions out of their technology, or to drive off those carrying out research in the same areas, RARCom denies this, saying that they want to promote an atmosphere of equal opportunity. The most serious allegations brought against them are that they have stolen technology, however have never been punished for it, as they have simply never been caught in the act.
