Combined Cooperatives of Tir'qa

Combined Coopertives of Tir'qa
General Info
Official Name	Combined Cooperatives of Tir'qa
Common Name	Tir'qa
Capital City	Vornak Core
Capital World	Kelth
Demonym	Tir or Tirqan
Anthem	A Galaxy of Equals
Politics
Ideology	Republican Cooperatism
Head of State	Executive Director of Tir'qa
Head of Government	Alignment Executive
Legislature	Central Alignment Congress Cooperative Assembly (Upper) Cooperative Councils (Lower)
Ruling Party	Directory of Cooperative Ascendancy
Official Language(s)	Tir'qan Standard
State Religion	Atheist
Currency	J'onn
Demographics
Population	37,541,770,904
Species	Tir (Majority) Kobuns Rhee Drapnids
Major Religions	None
Assets
Soldier Count	Approx. 15 million standing personnel.
Spacefleet	414 Spacecrafts
Other Assets	Cooperative Integrated Systems Defence Network
Geography/Astrography
Rim	Unknown Space
Quadrant	Delta
Galaxy	Milky Way
Historical Info
Founded	11 CE
Preceded by	Triple Cooperative
Other
Created by	HowTheAlf
Controlled by	HowTheAlf

The Combined Cooperatives of Tir'qa, also simply known as the Combined Cooperatives, Tir'qa or CCT, is an expansive interstellar collective spanning across several star systems in the westernmost reaches of Unknown Space in the Milky Way Galaxy. It is officially organised as a federation of 19 'cooperatives', wherein each cooperative represents an inhabited star system, with the largest and most populous being Tir'qa. Each cooperative has limited autonomy and, in practice, much of the state's government, economy and defence is highly centralised under the Central Alignment Congress. Although officially democratic, it is a one-party state controlled by the Directory of Cooperative Ascendancy. Its designated capital is Vornak Core, on the planet Kelth, though much of the administration is performed from offices on Tir'qa.

Whilst the CCT was initially founded as a Triple Cooperative to federalise Tir colony states, it has since expanded to include a diverse range of species across the systems it controls. The systems have predominantly been settled by the Tir, but the state also houses significant populations of other species such as the Kobuns, Rhee, and Drapnids. These four 'Core Species', as designated by the government, are granted equal rights under CCT law. Outside of these systems, Tir'qa is one of the most isolated states in the galaxy with its' known closest neighbour beings tens of thousands of lightyears away. Despite this distance, the CCT is quite advanced technologically, with access to spacefaring technologies and short-range FTL travel. Although its' fleet is small, the Cooperative Integrated Systems Defence Network makes systems difficult to attack, and was vital for CCT survival against the Thalian Empire.

Government and Politics

The Tirqan Cooperative system is based on the ideas of unified system power and the 'Ascendant Layer Theory' of governance. As the authority of a governing body rises (ascending through the layers), the number of participants decreases; for example, the lowest layer comprises the whole public and their local councils, whilst the highest layer consists of the senior branches of the Party. Ideologically, it is essentially a mix between meritocratic principles and loyalty to the state. The highest layer of state authority is the Central Alignment Congress, working under the leadership of the Directory of Cooperative Ascendancy.

Ascendant Layer Theory

'Layered Spire' Model of ALT

Developed by the Council of Ten, the Ascendant Layer philosophy is the foundational theory on which the government of the CCT is based upon. It outlines the principle structure of the state government with particular emphasis on the scaling of powers and specifying who should have power, and where. ALT can be summarised as the following points:

• The Party and its senior branches are the supreme authority of the state, and oversee every chamber subordinate to it.
• The Central Alignment Congress acts as an intermediary body between local authorities and the DCA, and holds elective power over the Party Presidium.
• The First Party Officer is assigned to oversee the ministries of governance, and mediates between the CCT and DCA.
• 'Exclusion Territories', defined by the Council of Ten as 'autonomous or conquered territories not usually administered', fall under the oversight of Congress and are represented in an Assembly.
• Each Cooperative maintains a system-wide assembly, supported by councils responsible for planetary governance.
• The size of governing bodies decreases at each layer, ensuring no body is larger than those on the layer beneath them.

A simple way of representing this theory is through a 'Layered Spire' model (as seen to the left of this page). This theory has been built upon across centuries, with the most recent change in legislation introducing Regional Governments to the power structure.

Executive Government

The Ascendent Layer Theory highlights the two highest bodies of government to be the DCA and the Central Alignment Congress. These two entities are responsible for the administration of law across the entire Cooperative, each with their own compositions, and powers.

Directory of Cooperative Ascendancy

Emblem of the DCA

The Directory of Cooperative Ascendancy (DCA) is the founding and dominant political party of the Combined Cooperatives. It is the nominal successor to the Social Acceleration Party of the United Tir Republic, formed shortly before the party's collapse upon the declaration of the CCT. The head of the party, the Executive Director, becomes Head of State until either their death, resignation, or removal on grounds of unfitness to lead. At the top of the party is the Director’s Cabinet, composed of ten ministers (and the Executive Director). It is elected internally at Ascendancy Conventions, typically upon the resignation of a member or accession of a new Executive Director. The Director’s Cabinet also nominates candidates for the Cooperative Presidium, the Director General, and First Party Officer. As a result. the party is effectively led as a power-sharing arrangement between the Director’s Cabinet and Cooperative Presidium. The powers of both bodies within the party have evolved over time. An Executive Director has veto power over both bodies in the party, however, its practical significance was greatly reduced after the Second Constitution.

The DCA has maintained control over Tirqa through the ability to appoint its own members to positions of government without traditional elections. A significant point of contention in this system is that neither planetary populations nor lower party members are able to have any role in these decisions. However, the state's victories in the Thalos Wars, alongside the success of the social and economic reforms of the Second Constitution, have largely suppressed any dissent. Unrest is also reduced by the entry method into the Cooperatives - systems enter the Cooperative through formal agreement, rather than through war or submission (the exception being Thalos-5), and so a general sense of 'unity' is held. Although other parties exist, almost all senior positions of governance are held by members of the DCA. Previously, the Executive Director also held the position of President of the Central Alignment Congress, though the Second Constitution split these two positions and prohibited one individual from holding both. Most institutions are overseen by a Party Officer, though direct intervention in lower-level or local administration is rare.

Some analysts divide the DCA into three 'wings' - the reformists (those who pushed for actions such as the Second Constitution, and are typically considered advocates for decentralisation), the moderates, and the centralists (looking to bring the CCT under one, single authority). As of current day, the DCA is mostly led by a moderate-reformist coalition, and the centralists lack positions in power to oppose this.

Central Alignment Congress - ‘The Highest Layer’

Composition of the CAC

The Central Alignment Congress, often informally referred to as the Combined Congress, is nominally the highest layer of state authority in the CCT (outside of the DCA and its Presidium) and has been for most of its history, with its size and powers evolving as the nation expanded. Initially an advisory body to the Executive Director, being described by critics as a near-puppet administration, the Congress has since had its’ functions significantly expanded. It holds legislative power over economic and budgeting decisions, with one of its’ most significant decisions being the passing of the Cooperative Industrial and Technological Development Programs (CITDPs). Furthermore, it directly oversees the administration of law and appoints members to the courts, and also elects members to the Cooperative Presidium as nominated by the Director’s Cabinet. This dual model - the DCA nominating the Presidium but the CAC electing it - is often considered a controversial system. This can lead to internal tension and a conflict of interest, as evidenced with the Executive Director's intervention in the New Century Crisis, wherein the CAC deadlocked upon the resignation of the 18th Executive Director. Its chamber oversees a massive bureaucracy responsible for maintaining control over 19 star systems. As a result, much of the decision making is limited to state-wide matters, whereas administration of internal affairs is mostly left to the Cooperative Assembly or local Cooperative Councils. Therefore, the designation of 'Highest Layer' is considered by some scholars as outdated - although the Congress initially held total power, the expansion of the Cooperative over centuries and the reforms of the Second Constitution have led to more of its duties being delegated.

As of present day, the congress is composed of 206 representatives. Tir'qa has 17, the most of any cooperative, due to it holding the highest population. Each cooperative is allocated representatives proportional to population, averaging around 9 members for most systems, whilst Thalos uniquely possesses 13 due to its greater autonomy in the CCT after the Thalos Wars. The higher count of Tir representatives has been met with backlash from reformist wings of the DCA, who argue that the imbalance could increase divide under a political crisis.

The High Ministries

In order to retain efficient governance and prevent bloated bureaucracy, the government of the Combined Cooperatives is split into 'High Ministries' under the oversight of the Central Alignment Congress. Officials are also elected and assigned by the CAC. Each High Ministry is responsible for specific task administration (such as healthcare or law), and all oversee their equivalent organisations in the Cooperative Councils. They are all led by a High Minister.

High Ministry of Economic Acceleration

The High Ministry of Economic Acceleration is the governing division responsible for the CCT's financial and economic ventures. One of its primary duties is implementing the Cooperative Industrial and Technological Development Programs (CITPDs), a series of projects that aim to follow a decentralised-planned economy model. Other responsibilities of this administration include managing state-owned companies, outlining government budgets (to then be passed through Congress), and providing resources to the economic sectors of the Cooperative Councils.

State Exchequer

A significant wing of the High Ministry of Economic Acceleration is dedicated to the financial management of the CCT under the State Exchequer. This body is effectively independent of the HMEA, though both were merged after the Second Constitution to 'enhance the efficiency of funds delivery to vital economic projects'. The responsibilities of the State Exchequer include the printing of the J'onn (state currency), debt management, and financing the central government and its divisions. Whilst it possessing some financial power over individual cooperatives, most are financially autonomous, and the Exchequer exists to deliver emergency aid in times of crisis.

High Ministry of Citizen Welfare

The High Ministry of Citizen Welfare is charged with the implementation of policies relating to healthcare, education, and interplanetary infrastructure (i.e. spaceports). This tripartite of responsibilities lead to it being divided into three 'Lesser Ministries', with each being overseen and budgeted by the HMCW as a whole. As a result of the reduced centralisation of the Second Constitution, much of the duties of this chamber have been delegated to the Cooperative Councils, with the HMCW being tasked to ensure that policies are delivered equally across cooperatives. Planetary infrastructure (such as roads or water networks) are the sole responsibility of the Councils, a policy met with mostly positive reception by scholars, who find that giving greater control of welfare to councils allows for better adaptation of services to a host planet.

Education in the CCT

The Second Constitution requires the nation to have a unified, national curriculum overseen and regularly updated by the HMCW. As a result, the education system within the Combined Cooperatives, despite the scale and population, is impressively standardised, with high literacy rates across all 19 cooperatives. The National Curriculum of the CCT makes study of the Tir'qan Standard, History, and Applied Innovation - the CCT's term for science and technology - statutory, whilst also providing autonomy for local authorities to teach based on their own culture and requirements. Gun'ir, as the poorest of the cooperatives, typically records the lowest attainment and progression rates, though these remain significantly improved compared to statistics produced under previously heavily autonomous system of the First Constitution.

High Ministry of Coordinated Defence

Ensign of the Naval Division

See Armed Forces of The CCT and Cooperative Integrated Systems Defence Network

Credited for the revolutionary system now known as the Cooperative Integrated Systems Defence Network (CISDN), the High Ministry of Coordinated Defence holds power over the military doctrine of the CCT. Many of the DCA's veteran military officials from the Outer Tir'qa Campaigns now staff this body. The HMCD coordinates operations between the branches of the Forces of Ascendancy.

• Surface Division (land forces)
• Support Division (air and sea forces)
• Naval Division (space forces)

An additional role of the HMCD is the administration of internal security, managing the Directory Suppression Forces (specialised riot police not liable to local governments) and ensuring cooperatives are protected from threats of insurrection or rebellion.

High Ministry of Applied Innovation

The High Ministry of Applied Innovation is the ministry of the CCT tasked with achieving Directory-issued scientific and technological advancements. These are achieved through a network of laboratories and testing facilities spread across the inhabited bodies of the CCT. Their headquarters - and largest testing facility - is the Citadel, a large spire-shaped space station orbiting New Tir'qa. It is the largest inhabited satellite within the nation, hosting over ten thousand scientists and research staff. Project focuses can range greatly, including sectors such as medicine, physics, and weapons projects.

High Ministry of Extrasolar Affairs

Now the smallest of the CAC's Ministries, the High Ministry of Extrasolar Affairs is nominally responsible for managing state relations with foreign governments, including actions such as negotiating treaties of cooperation and trade agreements. However, as the CCT has increased in size over the centuries, the department has decreased in capability, now existing almost entirely symbolically at the Cooperatives have effectively absorbed every neighbouring species they once had. Its most recent achievement was negotiating the Treaty of Eelyn, bringing an end to the Thalos Wars and bringing the system under occupation as an Exclusion Territory. Critics have argued that this department should be reformed, with the purpose of maintaining good inter-state relations between cooperatives. This is currently an ongoing process.

High Ministry of Justice and Order

See Law in the Combined Cooperatives

Uniquely the only High Ministry to not fall under the oversight of the Central Alignment Congress, the High Ministry of Justice and Order acts as the enforcing body of both the Supreme and Common Law. It elects staff to the Common Tribunal, nominates candidates to the DCA for the Ascendent Tribunal, and processes court cases across relevant governing branches. It also holds the power of budgeting and deploying state-funded police forces across the nation, whilst also overseeing day-to-day order across inhabited territories. Riot police do not fall under its' direct jurisdiction, though the HMJO is liable for ensuring their correct deployment if the High Ministry of Coordinated Defence deems it necessary on a planet.

Judicial System

Within the central governance of the Combined Cooperatives, judicial power is held by two courts. Together, they adjudicate constitutional matters, arbitrate disputes between regional and national authorities, and rule on cases concerning the Supreme Law of the state. Their rulings are enforced by the High Ministry of Justice and Order, a branch of government under their direct oversight.

The highest judicial body in the nation is the Ascendant Tribunal, consisting of ten 'Overseers' - who serve for life - one of whom is appointed Principal Overseer. This court is responsible for interpretation of the Constitution, adjudicating matters concerning the Supreme Law, and ruling on cases involving officials within government or the DCA. Below it operates the Common Tribunal, hearing appeals from local courts, adjudicating the People's Law, and acting as an intermediary between local courts and the Ascendant Tribunal.

Member Systems and Local Government

The CCT consists of 19 systems, each organised into a 'cooperative'. Each system has representatives in the Cooperative Assembly, whose chamber puts forwards acts or reforms that are then approved, denied or revised by Congress. Planets in these systems are overseen by Cooperative Councils, who are responsible for the administration of domestic services such as education, law, healthcare, and infrastructure. Councils act under the authority of, and are budgeted by, the Assembly. Each is typically named after their largest inhabited celestial body.

Cooperative	Inhabited Bodies	Population
Tir’qa	Tir’qa (Tir) Atlei (C)	10,671,855,412
Kelth	Kelth Major (C) Kelth Minor Xeta-3 (C, M)	4,963,702,115
Wa’ja	Wa’ja (C) Pio (C)	4,500,674,841
Ithqor	Ithqor Alpha (M) Ithqor Beta (C, M) Ithqor Omega (C, M)	3,381,012,984
Gun’ir	Gun’ir (C)	718,451,718
Vek	Vek (C) Jaxx (C)	1,470,704,500
Phall	Phall (Kobun)	346,578,945
Faqare	Faqare (C) Thanes (C, M)	612,704,812
Hiij	Hiij (C)	202,761,145
Ulqari	Ulqari (Drapnids) New Tir’qa (C)	1,245,169,212
Vajax	Vajax (C)	817,557,401
Astir’a	Astir’a (C) New Kelth (C)	2,019,301,150
Yvel	Vorax (Rhee)	145,190,614
Lomun	Lomun Lesser (C) Lomun Greater (C)	1,009,217,703
Banthua	Banthua (C)	361,902,466
Kovaxi’i	Kovaxi’i (C) Harmon’i (C)	181,290,351
Draxil	Draxil Prime (C) Draxil Lower (C)	775,631,083
Eelyn	Eelyn (C)	291,915,821
Thalos	Thalos-3 (Thalian, occupied) Thalos-5 (controlled)	4,835,369,334

Bodies marked with ‘C’ are those that have been immigrated onto rather than having a native, sentient member species. This does not mean there is no natural fauna or flora on these planets, it instead means that the present species have not met the classification to be deemed ‘intelligent’ by the CCT. Some critics argue that the term needs to be redefined, as scientists have classified a number of species as ‘near-intelligent’, which they argue means they deserve some rights or representation. So far, this reform has been met with little support in government. Most designated bodies in the cooperatives are naturally habitable, with Ithqor uniquely being the only system to exclusively possess habitable moons (represented by ‘M’) instead of planets. Terms in bold represent the native species of the planet (if applicable).

Second Constitution and Separation of Powers

The First Constitution, published upon the CCT's declaration in 11CE, did not limit the powers of the DCA or its senior bodies. Separation of powers did not exist, instead power was unified through the Central Alignment Congress and the Cooperative Presidium. Lasting for just over two centuries, the system it created was prone to extreme power struggles between the appointments of Executive Directors, whose powers created what analysts often described as a near-totalitarian state. This system would start to deteriorate as the state grew. The turning point came with the introduction of Yvel as the thirteenth system, pushing the number of representatives in Congress to over 100 for the first time. For party members, the Congress appeared increasingly unable to manage the rapidly expanding state. These factors, alongside increasing criticism from the growing reformist faction (referred to as the Reformist Ascendants) in the DCA, led to a split in the party. With both the Presidium and Congress at a deadlock, the reformists would begin the General Strike of 271. This strike, timed specifically on the marking of the nation's 270th anniversary, ground industries and entire systems to a halt, leaving the DCA in an unsustainable position. The Second Constitution was published in October of that year, ratified by both the CAC and Presidium in December, and adopted in the New Year of 272. The key changes were:

• The separation of powers, giving the Congress and Presidium more independent roles, and also introducing a lower court.
• Requiring Presidium election by Congress (with Cabinet nomination still in place)
• Introduction of Cooperative Councils, reducing the power of Cooperative Assemblies and providing systems some autonomy
• Limits on the veto powers of the Executive Director, restructuring them to reflect 'emergency interventions' rather than direct control
• Redesignation of the Capital from Tir'qa to Kelth, with the purpose of promoting 'neutral governance'.
• Separating the Executive Director and Alignment Executive to two individuals (the Executive Director previously held both by default).

Though revisions have been made across the decades after, the Second Constitution remains the current basis of supreme law and governance, and Congress - now numbering at over 200 members - has retained effective control.

History

Federalisation of Tir'qa and Early Exploration

The DCA dates the federalisation of the planet of Tir'qa to the New Year of 224BCE, in line with the proclamation of the United Tir Republic. This was a multi-party confederal democracy, though it was controlled by the Social Acceleration Party for the majority of its existence. In 157BCE, the UTR would establish its first permanent extraplanetary colony, on the planet Atlei. Whilst not naturally habitable above-ground, the cave networks of Atlei possessed a unique environment that allowed for life to be sustained, so much of the planet's immigrant population lives underground.

Exploration by the UTR's Space Corps continued across the next century, discovering (and subsequently colonising) the systems of Kelth and Wa'ja. Suffering from overpopulation, the UTR encouraged many citizens to immigrate to these new colony systems, leading to rapid population growth into the billions across the three systems. The rapid growth in population coincided with an economic 'golden age', leading to the rapid development of these colonies into self-sustaining, planetary governments. Scholars of the period called for increased autonomy as a result, with some radicals calling for total independence from Tir'qa. These sentiments would lead to the creation of the Triple Cooperative in 96BCE.

Expansion to Phall

From its founding through to the Common Era, the Triple Cooperative government under the newly formed SAP-DCA coalition continued efforts to expand onto new planets and systems. First would be the Three Moons of Ithqor in 84BCE, followed by Gun'ir five years later and finally the Vek System in 19BCE. The Gun'ir colony became a home for the lower classes within the Triple Cooperative, as it possessed a thriving and constantly growing rural economy. At this point, Tir'qa had effectively become a complex megacity spread across its two continents, with only a small natural 'green belt' remaining. Therefore, the 'natural beauty' of the newer colonies became a part of the mass appeal for expansion.

The Triple Cooperative encountered the Kobun peoples upon arriving at Rhee in 4BCE. This was the first time that colonists had encountered a classified 'intelligent' species, and communication was soon established between the Tir and Kobun. A significant consequence of this event was the creation of the Tir'qan Standard, a lingua franca of mixed dialects that later evolved into the official language of the CCT. After thorough negotiations across two years, Phall would eventually be integrated into the Triple Cooperative as an autonomous region under its 'protection'. The TrC provided technological and economic aid to Phall in exchange for the rich resources of their planet, particularly considering their large reserves of starship fuel.

Extragalactic Contact

Shortly after the turn into the Common Era, a TrC expedition ventured beyond the 'borders' of the galaxy and reach the planet of Ulqari, home of the Drapnids. Initial contact was hostile - the Ulqari peoples were not as industrially or scientifically advanced as the Tir or Kobun, leading to a much more difficult process of understanding the Tir'qan standard. After roughly a decade, and the beginnings of the colonisation of a nearby planet in their system, the governments of the Drapnid civilisation would agree to join the Triple Cooperative. At this point, the TrC was becoming inflated in scale, and calls for reorganisation began to rise significantly. Analysts consider the integration of Ulqari to be the 'beginning of the end' for the Social Action Party, whose coalition with the DCA began to collapse as the latter became far larger and more popular.

Proclamation at New Tir'qa

In late 10CE, during the Ninth Rotation of the Tir'qan Calendar, the DCA overthrew the SAP to become the sole governing party of the TrC. Shortly after the New Year of 11CE, the Party made the Proclamation at New Tir'qa. This speech included the declaration of the Combined Cooperatives of Tir'qa, marking the end of the Triple Cooperative. The state turned into a de facto Communal Dictatorship with the Executive Director as head of state. A small circle of intellectuals, referred to as the Council of Ten, began writing the First Constitution under their Ascendant Layer Theory. During this period, the Provisional Government of Tir'qa would lead the developing systems.

The First Constitution underwent multiple drafts and revisions before being published in 22CE. Key systems would be established as part of this document, such as the Central Alignment Congress and its connection to the Party Presidium. Crucially, these powers were not entirely separated, and most decision-making came from the Party Presidium and Executive Director. Colonisation slowed down under the Provisional Government, with Vajax being discovered under their governance (though it wouldn't host a colony until the Drapnid Expedition of 175) and formerly private expeditions into Faqare and Hiij systems being converted into full cooperative governments.

The Great Reconstruction

After the publishing of the First Constitution, a two-century long period known as 'The Great Reconstruction' (or 'The Long Peace' by some scholars) began, wherein the CCT would have its focus on establishing the new governing bodies and advancing the newly established 'Cooperatives' to be technologically level with Tir'qa, Kelth and Wa'ja. Most contemporary researchers consider this to have been achieved to moderate success, though opposing arguments speak of inequalities in the implementation of these policies, citing Gun'ir remaining statistically much poorer than the rest of the cooperatives even to this day. Formal expansion of the state would be halted during this period as well, only resuming after the discovery of Astir'a by an off-course scientific vessel in 239.

This period came to an end after the integration of Y'vel (and the Rhee) into the CCT in 265, exposing a bloated bureaucracy and a split in the DCA.

General Strike of 271 and The Second Reconstruction

For further details on the Second Constitution, see Government and Politics.

The Cooperative of Yvel grew the Central Alignment Congress to 'a size beyond reasonable efficiency or function', leading to increased deadlocks between itself and the Presidium. This effectively resulted in legislative paralysis and exposed key flaws in the authoritarian system posed by the First Constitution. Reformist Ascendants within the DCA called for a General Strike with their growing popularity, starting in mid-271 and lasting for just over three months. This would lead to the publishing of the Second Constitution in October of that year, and its ratification in 272.

The period after the strike, roughly a century long, would be contemporarily referred to as 'The Second Reconstruction'. This period saw the full implementation of the Second Constitution's reforms, building a more moderate state in line with the ideals of a Communal Republic and New Ascendant Layer Theory.

Contact with the Thalian Empire

Upon the end of The Second Reconstruction, the CAC approved of resumed expansion into new systems. First in this new series of expeditions would be Lomun and its two planets in 393, followed by Banthua in 401 and - after a short hiatus to develop the new cooperative - Kovaxi'i in 438. These newer cooperatives are much more diverse than those established prior, on account of the reformed DCA making increased efforts to integrate all four Core Species into their extrasolar expeditions. It was after the full integration of the Kovaxi'i cooperative that the CCT would be contacted by the Thalian Empire (also referred to as Thalos, after their capital system).

Relations were strained from the beginning, as the Thalian Empire put forward a historical claim to the CCT's new cooperative. This claim was opposed by the DCA, whose counterargument lay in the fact that no Thalian presence was found during their expeditions and colonisation of the system. This lead to the outbreak of a series of conflicts referred to as the Thalos Wars in 455.

Fight for Survival

Main Article: Thalos Wars.

Loss of Kovaxi'i and Faqare

Tir'qa Thalian Border

Thalos, though much smaller in size compared to the CCT, was far superior technologically and possessed a formal fleet. The Cooperatives did possess armed vessels, however due to a lack of traditional warfare they had never been properly centralised by the High Ministry of Cooperated Defence. As a result, Kovaxi'i and Faqare were quickly overrun with their local defences decimated. The rapid collapse of the Lower-Centre region exposed the Core Systems - the nation's historical heartland - to attack, with Kelth being chosen as the Empire's first target. Upon hearing of Thalian successes, the DCA hastily brought together a converted merchant fleet to defend Kelth. Meanwhile, the HMCD began the deployment of their long-term research project - the Cooperative Integrated Systems Defence Network. These platforms effectively stalled the Thalian Navy for long enough to allow the CCT to produce a fighting force. The size and resource advantage of the cooperatives allowed them to replace their losses far faster than Thalos, beginning a long war of attrition.

Kelth was put under a twenty year siege as the Combined Cooperatives began rapidly developing their Naval Division into formal 'Naval Units'. In 477, the Naval Division began its first major offensive of the war and - whilst casualties were high - the Thalian fleet was pushed back to Faqare, freeing Kelth from the blockade. This victory ended what contemporary scholars refer to as the First Thalos War, and the two sides signed a one-month ceasefire to recover their wounded. Whilst this peace was honoured, the war quickly resumed upon its expiration

Push to Faqare

The Naval Division would commence a surprise attack on Faqare shortly after the Kelth attack and successfully defeat the garrison there, retaking the planet and re-establishing the Cooperative government. Thalos caused minimal population damage to the planets, though the Thalian government did destroy much of their production capacity as part of a scorched earth campaign. This repair period suspended the CCT's advance for shortly over a year, and the casualty toll from the Kelth siege and Faqare attack made a Thalian counteroffensive logistically impossible. Recapturing Faqare would mark the start of the Second Thalos War, often considered the turning point of the conflict by historians.

Return to Kovaxi'i and Invasion of Thalian Space

Upon completion of the reconstruction of Faqaran industries, and the deployment of a CISDN Defence Platform to the planet, the Naval Division gathered their forces - including a newly constructed dreadnought class vessel - and issue a full-scale attack to recapture Kovaxi'i. The Battle for Kovaxi'i was the largest of the war, involving nearly one thousand vessels, of which over four hundred would be destroyed between both sides. Despite outnumbering the Naval Division, Thalian forces would eventually be forced to retreat upon the destruction of their largest ship by the CCT's dreadnaught. Unlike prior victories, no break was taken, and the Naval Division pushed into Thalian Space for the first time in the war, quickly capturing Draxil Prime. Thalos would attempt a last-ditch second attack on Kelth, though the local garrison and CISDN platforms were able to repel the Thalian navy.

Capture of Eelyn and Invasion of Thalos-5

Thalos Exclusion Zone (prior to renaming)

After a brief pause to begin the integration of Draxil Prime, the Naval Division continued its offensive into the Eelyn system. Though not densely populated, the planet was home to critical resources used for the construction of the Thalian Navy. The defence of the planet was fierce, with damaged Thalian vessels resorting to ramming Cooperative ships to cause as many casualties as possible. After a three-month long series of battles across early 480, Eelyn would fall to the Cooperatives, and the Thalian Navy formed a tight blockade around their home system. Eelyn was used as a staging ground for the invasion of Thalos-5, with skilled blockade-running vessels dropping Land Units to infiltrate the planet. Tir'qan land forces outmatched the Thalians significantly, leading to a prolonged series of victories on the ground. A hole in the blockade would be exposed at the end of 480, and the CCT officially occupied the planet. Though official DCA records claim civilian casualties were minimal, critics of the occupation have disputed the tactics employed during the campaign.

Thalian Surrender

The Thalian Empire surrendered to the CCT in early 481, ending the Thalos Wars. The systems captured by Tir'qa would be integrated into the nation as full member cooperatives, whilst the Thalos system came under occupation as an Exclusion Territory. Though initially hostile to the occupation, the Thalian population eventually came to accept the terms upon the DCA offering additional concessions, such as calling off a proposed direct occupation of Thalos-3. Thalos-5, however, controversially remains under direct Tir'qan military occupation.

Current Day

The Combined Cooperatives of Tir'qa, with 19 member cooperatives in total, now sits at a population of over 37 billion across its four Core Species and the Thalian Exclusion territory. Losses from the Thalos War took an immense amount of time to recover, and the economic damage can still be felt in the occupied zones, though their situation has improved substantially. Upon the end of the Second Thalos War, the DCA declared an indefinite state of armed neutrality, whilst also ending their isolationist policy in the galaxy and committing to 'finding allies in the space beyond our own'. In the year 549, first contact was made with the Commonwealth of Independent Systems in the Koprolu Sectors.

The Tir'qan expedition into Koprolu continued into Hunyan space, where the two governments would make contact. Shortly after first contact, the Treaty of Hunya-Primos would be signed. This mutual assistance treaty promoted joint efforts in defence and technology, while also opening Hunyan space to CCT vessels with minimal restriction.

Military

Initially acting under the direct orders of the DCA, the Forces of Ascendancy (FoA) has undergone significant reform since the declaration of the Combined Cooperatives. As part of the Second Constitution, army command was devolved and split across the Party and the High Ministry of Coordinated Defence. Not including Party Militia, of which are wholly commanded by the DCA, the FoA is comprised of three 'divisions' and the CISDN.

Surface Division

The Surface Division of the Forces of Ascendancy encompasses all land units deployed by the HMCD, of which are split into four 'Units'. The 'Infantry Unit' includes all non-specialist land personnel within the army, the 'Specialist Unit' consists of all special forces units (such as the Marine Raiders), the 'Mechanised Unit' oversees all armoured units within the Surface Division, and the 'Logistics Unit' commands any vehicles or systems used to supply the rest of the Forces of Ascendancy. Citizens of cooperatives are expected to complete a year of mandatory service in the Surface Division at, or by, the age of 25. As a result, the CCT's Surface Reserve is quite large, although relatively inexperienced due to a lack of recent, large-scale land campaigns.

Support Division

The Support Division of the Forces of Ascendancy comprises of two Units. The 'Air Unit' includes all in-atmosphere air forces within the army, and is largely made up of drone forces due to the recommitment of resources to out-of-atmosphere naval combat. These drones can hold a variety of roles, from reconnaissance to close air support. Secondary to this, and also the smallest Unit of the FoA, is the 'Sea Unit', a loose union of any ocean water navies held by Cooperatives. Few formal Sea Units exist, with most planets only holding merchant navies on account of being almost entirely federalized.

A CISDN Defence Platform

Naval Division

The Naval Division of the Forces of Ascendancy is responsible for the coordination of the CCT's space fleet in like with the Cooperative Integrated Systems Defence Network. Though small, only numbering at approximately 400 manned vessels, the 'Naval Units' are held highly is Tirq'an culture, on account of their victories during the Thalos Wars despite being heavily outgunned. This Division has experience rapid growth over the last century, with plans for the High Ministry of Applied Innovation to improve upon FTL technologies significantly and streamline vessel production. The CCN Ascendancy is the largest, and only dreadnought class, vessel in the fleet.

Cooperative Integrated Systems Defence Network

The Cooperative Integrated Systems Defence Network is a series of defence platforms placed in synchronous orbit around planets and key facilities in the CCT. Most planets have at least two, with more being deployed in the border regions. These stations are equipped with command modules capable of coordinating up to 2,500 interceptor drones, deployed from hangars across ring-like structures. They also hold a number of both automated and manned turrets, with the most significant weapon being the rotatable MAG (Mass Acceleration Gun) on the platform's centre. The MAG is capable of piercing the hulls of some of the most durable ships the CCT has come against.

Economy

The Combined Cooperatives of Tir'qa follows a decentralized command economy operated by Congress and the High Ministry of Economic Acceleration. Much of its economic direction is determined by the Cooperative Industrial and Technological Development Programs - targets that are set approximately every seven years. This system has been in place since the establishment of the CCT, though the scope of the targets have increased exponentially as the size of the state has increased. Much of the state's directed economic output is committed to the development of lesser cooperatives and colony planets, a policy opposed by some critics who argue that a planet's resources should be committed to itself, not another.

Outside of the CITDPs, the individual cooperatives are effectively economically independent and function under a mixed economy model. Many industries within the cooperatives are state-owned, and privatisation is significantly limited to approximately 20% of enterprises in the CCTs borders. This number is kept low through generous buyout packages given by the government during integration of new cooperatives, alongside a rigorous approval process required to establish a company for personal profit. Thalos-3 and 5, having recently been conquered, are excluded from this policy as part of their status as Exclusion Territories. The Tir'qa Cooperative has the highest average net spend out of the other 18, whilst Ithqor has the highest resource output.

Demographics

The population of the Combined Cooperatives is spread unevenly across its nineteen systems, with the largest populations centred in the Core Systems of Tir'qa, Kelth, and Wa'ja. Thalos is also heavily populated by its own species, owed heavily to its prior existence as an independent empire. Demographic politics are shaped heavily around the five recognised Core Species, and the dominance of the Tir on account of their historical settlement.

Core Species

The Second Constitution of the Combined Cooperatives of Tir'qa defines five 'Core Species' as possessing citizenship status under CCT law.

• Tir - native to Tir'qa
• Kobuns - native to Phall
• Rhee - native to Yvel
• Drapnids - native to Ulqari
• Thalians - native to Thalos-5

These species are spread across the systems of the Combined Cooperatives, with early expansion driven by Tir-led colonisation from Tir'qa and subsequent migration into Kelth and Wa'ja following the Tir'qan Population Crisis. Due to factors such as their early development of spacefaring technologies, the Tir remain the largest demographic group within the Cooperatives by a substantial margin. The most significant Thalian population centres are found within systems integrated after the Thalos Wars, having been designated a Core Species following the 522 Constitutional Amendments. This change of status continues to be controversial among the reformist factions on of the DCA, who find the Thalos systems' occupation to be contradictory to their status as citizens.

Citizenship

Citizenship within the Combined Cooperatives follows a dual-layer system, distinguishing between National Citizenship and Cooperative Citizenship. As a result, holding CCT National Citizenship does not automatically grant full citizenship rights in every member cooperative. Typically, holding both forms gives an individual the best chance for social, educational, and work opportunities in their given cooperative.

National Citizenship

National Citizenship within the CCT is organised around the membership of cooperatives rather than specific species identity. Under the Second Constitution, any individual belonging to a recognised Core Species and born within a member cooperative after 272CE is automatically granted full citizenship rights, regardless of their system of residence. In systems integrated after the declaration of the CCT, or for those born before 272CE, citizenship is typically granted through a legal process undertaken at designated citizenship centres. Furthermore, citizenship centres also standardised prior documentation, preventing the emergence of a large 'non-citizen' population following the reforms.

In practice, the structures of local cooperatives can limit access to opportunities such as political representation and social mobility. Critics have argued that Tir dominance in the older Core Systems often restricts opportunities for other Core Species, despite their formal equality under the Supreme Law.

Cooperative Citizenship

An individual born within a cooperative to at least one parent possessing cooperative citizenship automatically becomes a citizen of that cooperative. Those seeking Cooperative Citizenship without birth status must undergo a rigorous application process, including a review by at least one Officer of the DCA and approval from the local Cooperative Council.

Although living in a cooperative without citizenship to it is possible, it can severely limit access to employment and living opportunities, including critical services such as entitlement to social housing. In times of crisis, this process may be suspended or bypassed, such as during the refugee crisis of the Thalos War.

Population Distribution

Regions of Tir'qan Space

See Member Systems and Local Government for population distribution by Cooperative.

Population distribution in the CCT roughly reflects the order of Tir'qan expansions, with the oldest cooperatives remaining the most populous and having the largest representative count in the CAC. Tir-led settlement, especially in the earlier periods of expansion, has ensured that they have remained the largest species demographic across the nation, and within most cooperatives, despite the integration of the other Core Species before expansion was completed.

Settlement of the Northern Frontier

Astir'a and Lomun maintain unusually high population counts despite being in the distant, historically underdeveloped Northern Frontier. Their rapid growth is commonly attributed to the Emergency Northern Resettlement program, passed as a response to the mass displacement of civilians from the South-Centre following the outbreak of the Thalos Wars. These two systems were selected due to their settled planets being designated as 'highly habitable', with resource abundance, naturally breathable atmospheres, and growing local economies. While initially intended as a temporary measure, many evacuees chose to remain in the Northern Frontier, leading to a permanent demographic shift. The once Rhee-dominant planets now host a more diverse range of species. Initially dismissed by some officials as 'excess territory', with much development being left to the Rhee of Yvel, the Northern Frontier now receives significantly greater investment from the central government. A key example is the greater inclusion of the Northern Frontier in the recovery-focused Cooperative Industrial and Technological Development Programs after the Thalos Wars.

Extragalactic Space

Ulqari and Vajax are the only two systems controlled by Tir'qa officially located 'outside' the defined borders of the Milky Way Galaxy. Uniquely, this makes them the only two systems to lack a significant Tir population, with Vajax being a direct Drapnid colony rather than a Tir-founded settlement. New Tir'qa, in the Ulqari system, initially hosted a significant Tir population, however the group have gradually been outnumbered by Drapnid and Kobun settlers over time. Neither system accepted proposals from the central government to be used as relief bases during the Thalos Wars, citing cause for concern over supply strain and navigational difficulty for larger vessels. This lead to the Northern Frontier being selected instead.

Languages

Due to the comparatively early federalisation of Tir'qa to the other species' planets of the CCT, along with the Tir leading the majority of colonialisation efforts, their dialect was used as a baseline for the national language. The national language of the Combined Cooperatives is an evolution of the lingua franca created to establish communications between the state and the species it encountered. This language would later be known as the Tir'qan Standard.

Tir'qan Standard

Tir'qan Standard is mixed linguistically, incorporating elements from the languages of the first four Core Species, whilst retaining the grammatical base of Tir dialects. Most structural vocabulary, including preposition or conjunction equivalents, as well as many common verbs, originate from Tirqi. Contrastingly, many nouns, technical terms and idiomatic expressions derive from the Kobun, Rhee and Drapnid languages. The linguistic influence of each species generally declines according to their order of integration, with Kobun vocabulary bring almost ten times as common in the Standard as Drapnid vocabulary.

Mixed Dialects

By law, all government-funded broadcasts and infrastructure featuring text must be translated into both Tir'qan Standard and the planet's home dialect, where applicable. As a result, many colonised planets have developed mixed, localised dialects shaped by the proportion of species present. The most visible example of this is Vajax which, despite being a fully integrated cooperative, speaks almost exclusively in the Ulqari tongue with linguists observing slang derived from Yvel languages. This is attributed to both its distance from Tir'qa, being one of the furthest systems from the Core, and also being founded by Drapnid colonists rather than a typical Tir expedition.