Alliance of Artemis

Military and Government

It would be safe to say, the heart of the Alliance of Artemis lies in its military, in fact, a testament to the military’s size and status would be the fact that in the year of O.E 199, it was given its own name and is now referred to as “The Apollon Legion” (soldiers are often called legionnaires) - and with good reason; the military has a greater influence on the population than the government itself, and undeniably garners more respect from the general populace. While having a large military budget, money and resources are spent more on actual weapons rather than research, making the AoA somewhat slower in relation to the other factions to update newer technologies. They make up for this flaw in sheer number and intelligent strategy.

The Alliance of Artemis is a democratic nation, holding elections every four years; the Head of State is usually a retired member of the military’s top brass, which only contributes to the Legion’s status within society. Ruled by a conservative party, the Moon has not experienced any other form of governance since its establishment- and this, as publicized by the constant landslide victories is precisely how the citizens enjoy their lives. In recent years, there have been multiple movements to form a hybrid government with the leading political party and the military, although, government officials seem reluctant to follow through, though, keep their reasons to them self. Extensive pressure from the military is being applied more and more often, officers using their public status to gain even more political support.

The current Head of State is one Joel Perreti, and while only 43 years of age he displays unmatched political prowess, while keeping a calm demeanor. He strongly supports the traditional family values of old, and is also a strong supporter of the Earth’s regeneration project. The strangest fact, however, is that the man appears to have zero militaristic background, which is surprising considering past leaders; he carries with him a veil of mystery, and an odd sense of style. Since the time he had come into power, the Alliance has seen more aggressive behavior- during meetings between nations, the AoA has taken on a more aggressive front, and goes to larger length to illustrate points. Joel is largely responsible for the Alliance’s form of monopolization over the Earth, though no one can be certain why.

The Apollon Legion is fairly defensive in relation to the war, albeit their large fleet. They seem to show no ambition in relation to gaining more territories currently- and this is likely because they already encompass the entirety of the Moon, and 12 sides of colonies, but do show a constant interest to boost their role in the Earth’s regeneration. Their main concerns are protection of their homeland, and the general well being of the Earth; while Conviction is heading the Earth’s healing process, many Lunarians feel that it is not enough in terms of defensive capabilities and resources.

Life in the Legion is considered to be high and glamorous, piloting especially; friendly competition is promoted to increase productivity, and officials make sure to keep morale as high as possible with grandiose award ceremonies, massive parades and the like. All citizens are expected to serve, though the public seems to advocate this more so than the military. Along with the planned change in government, forced service is also being discussed.

Finance and Commerce:

Financially, the Alliance of Artemis is considerably stable; due to Moon being unified under a single power, disputes over land and resources are non-existent, allowing the government to focus more funds into inter-planetary commerce. Poverty, while continuously declining is still a large problem within the larger cities; industry is ruled by a dog eat dog lifestyle, and competition in business is often ruthless, to the point of danger. Many argue that it is because of this lifestyle that more people turn to the military, where a stable lifestyle is more likely; while this problem is being dealt with, the government seems to show a lack of interest in progressing forward.

In terms of budget, the largest expenditures are education and training, natural resources and environment, defense and cultural/regional development. Medicare, foreign affairs general government, transportation, science, technological research and energy fall somewhere in the middle ground, with unemployment and welfare on the tail-end; many believe that those who cannot find work should be forced to enlist, rather than receives payment.

When it comes to foreign commerce, the Moon is the largest exporter of ores (recently, Luna Titanium has sky rocketed in demand with the increase in mobile suit production) and various synthetic goods. In terms of agriculture and the production of other comestibles, while the Alliance has a fairly food market stable market, they are somewhat reliant on Martian exports. Technology, is by far the second largest import; the Alliance, rather than being on the cutting edge has instead taken on the role of innovator, improving already-existing products. Electronics obtained from Martians is also heavily examined, groups of scientists and engineers theorizing on possible military applications; while the Lunarian government might be slower to adapt to new technologies, the understanding of foreign design styles it is paramount.

Civil Affairs and Culture:

Lower middle class families and up generally experience a healthy standard of living, rich in commodities and luxury. In the last century, the Moon had experienced a steep decline in population, rarely remedied by baby booms. This lasted until roughly O.E 180, when the largest recorded boom since the establishment of the Alliance of Artemis, though, population is currently swelling, and politicians have begun to fear the threat of over population. In any case, that problem is too far down the road to worry about, and the mass of colonies orbiting Earth is the obvious solution. While the largest portion of the population resides in Iso, with another large portion in the other three megalopoli, the construction of suburbs has begun and urban sprawl is once more growing in popularity; many fear that the cities might become over crowded, which is the cause for many families moving into the under-populated colonies.

Crime is generally kept at a low rate, the largest percentage being petty, with a fair degree being corporate crime, and a smaller amount being discrimination against Coordinators; while things are getting better, there is still a degree of distaste for genetic tampering. The crime rate is kept so low due to the severe penalties incurred as a result of committing an act. Punishment is the most severe in the areas of treason and discrimination, and, obviously murder, the death penalty is only given out on rare occasions, and is usually carried out via lethal injection, though public hangings have been done in the past. Due to the low crime rate, more money is invested in the prevention of extreme poverty- as disheartening as it sounds, many people within the Alliance few those already homeless a lost cause, though, many public organizations are dedicated to aiding the homeless.

Typical family life is centered strongly on past values such as dedicated bonding time, regular dinner schedules and general togetherness. The average amount of children per couple is slightly under three, and is expected to peak at roughly four in the next few years- children are required two years of preschool and eight years of elementary schooling. While both family and society heavily expect it in general, enrollment in high school is not mandatory, and as a replacement, early military training edifices have been established, and are a widely accepted alternative. Roughly 85% of students enroll into high school, with a 75% graduation rate; 65% of all graduates move onto post-secondary schooling.

The Alliance is extremely rich in culture, and is on the cutting edge of artistic expression. Iso is known for its high-class shopping centers, thriving musical community and vivid art galleries. The nation's people are also fairly cultured, though, more so in their own heritage. Festivals, galas, parades and special ceremonies are commonplace and usually yield a massive turnover rate. A large portion of culture is centered on nationalism and militarism, which is even reflected in the Lunarian music and art.

Sentiments Toward…

Earth and Conviction:

Earth is still seen as the humans' motherland, and held to the highest regard; the Alliance does everything possible to speed the regeneration process up, so that re-population may begin. Though, at the same time, they are unusually protective of the planet; while this trend has been ongoing, the sentiment seems to have gotten stronger under Perreti’s lead. Many Lunarians feel they should be granted first right to re-populate the Earth, due to their own home’s relation to the planet.

Martian Imperium of Sovereign Territories:

MIST is seen as a fairly trusted ally and trading partner, and is very well received by the general lunar public- this is likely due to its similar military. Given the current state of affairs, actual conflict between these two nations is extremely unlikely- chances are, in the face of conflict, they will be stronger allies.

Vermilion Sovereignty:

The Vermilion Sovereignty is also seen as an ally and trading partner, though the government is still careful to monitor their actions- trust is mutually uneasy. Distrust stems with the Alliance’s over-protectiveness of Earth, and the sour feelings buried deep down into the descendants of passed soldiers.

Newtypes:

Due to the past conflict, Newtypes are hailed as heroes, and widely respected among the lunar community. Jealousy and discrimination is almost non-existent, and those who do practice it are careful to express their distaste. Research in Newtype weaponry is ongoing, and test subjects are paid volunteers. Newtypes progress more quickly through the ranks, generally, and more often than not outfitted with the most recent equipment.

Ki/Gundam Fighters:

While not hailed as highly as Newtypes, Gundam Fighters are still held to a fairly high regard in society. They are, for the most part in the same boat as Newtypes when in comes to militaristic research and status. Rather than progress through ranks, however, most find stable, well paying jobs as bodyguards and instructors or athletes.

Coordinators:

Albeit the past sentiment toward Coordinators, heavy progress is being made to integrate them completely into society; many no longer feel nervous in public situations. They commonly find work as teachers and researches, though more and more have been enlisting into the military. Heavy progress aside, many Coordinators are reluctant to reveal the fact that they had been genetically modified before birth, out of fear of alienation.

Living CPUs/Extendeds/ANTs:

There is no public knowledge of these genetically enhanced humans, and the military and governments refuse to discuss the matter. While it is a fact that there has been research in this field, no one is sure if they are employed in military services.