Official Whitehole Colonial Empire (WCE) Profile

Affiliation #11

Governmental Affiliation

History

Whitehole Colonial Empire began as an Imperially chartered company known
as the Whitehole Colony Enterprises. This first incarnation started
late; it was given a charter approximately six years after the other
companies, such as the GTT, FET or SMS, and started with a smaller
number of ships, crews and other assets.  It quickly merged with the
also fledgling QFP (Quality Food Products) to form the USS, both for the
larger economies of scale that would benefit the company and for the
special ability benefit.

At about same time as the merger, large scale investigation of the 
area now known as the Transhole was being carried out by the WCE ships 
in this area. In fact, little WCE activity at all was carried out 
in other areas. The first jump engines in the Transhole, and the first 
non-blackhole colonies, were built by the WCE. During this colonization 
and exploration effort WCE ships were lost in the CAT wars, and in 
the initial contact with the SAM. In 185 the USS and the SSL fought 
a war, largely over periphery politics. The Transhole USS participated 
by capturing an SSL colony, but otherwise avoided the conflict. Later, 
periphery members of the USS were involved in other conflicts and 
scandals, including the well known Addler battles. The Transhole portion 
of the company, desiring to sever itself from these conflicts, divested 
itself from the Periphery portion of the USS. Thus the WCE was reborn.

During the next several years the WCE fought a series of battles and 
wars with other human companies and the SAM. With peace in the Transhole 
(at least with the natives) many other affiliations began their conquest 
of the area in earnest. These included the SMS, GTT and SAM. The WCE's 
position was that the area had been quelled of danger through WCE 
losses, so the company should be the first to exploit the new wealth. 
Also, freedom of movement in the area would disrupt some peaceful 
situations that were ripe for further controversy, such as the CAT 
in Lemke. Finally, the WCE did not wish to share in further political 
rivalries that Periphery companies were saddled with, and desired 
to be kept apart from them at almost any cost.

The battles and wars came to a close in early 187, when a large SAM 
warfleet destroyed much of the WCE/PDC fleet and captured three colonies 
in the Porkian system. The WCE set out on a period of rebuilding and 
consolidation, including research into new technology, a political 
restructuring of the entire affiliation, and an unprecedented, but 
largely anonymous economic growth. The loss of the Porkian colonies 
became unimportant with the discovery of ore deposits to replace them, 
and the development of technology to safely allow ships to perform 
BHT's without having to unload jump engines. Political partnerships 
were forged with previous enemies, including the SMS and GTT, and 
nonaggression or defense pacts were negotiated with several alien 
races and Periphery companies.

The 187 treaty with the SAM was barely dry when SAM violations occurred. 
These included incursions into the Lemke system and orbits of known 
WCE colonies, laying claim to the Porcine system, and later the Porkian 
and Lemke systems, and many verbal threats. The WCE saw its chance 
when a large SAM warfleet engaged the moonship Farnham's Kind in the 
TransCanally area. Several forces of the WCE Periphery and Transhole 
fleets moved to engage the SAM, while other forces destroyed the SAM 
stargate in their home system. Other forces mobilized to invade the 
SAM colonies built in the Porkian system. More than 25 WCE ships and 
an assortment of allied positions, destroyed or captured most of the 
SAM warfleet. The SAM quickly sued for peace.

The new WCE emerged much larger than any observer, except WCE insiders, 
anticipated. It declared it's governing status over the Transhole, 
and that status was quickly recognized by the SAM and TCA. Negotiations 
began with the Imperials regarding mutual recognition. TCA and WCE 
researchers announced the completion of research into new ship classes.

The WCE is a close-knit organization emphasizing the communal good 
and mutual preparedness for any political economic, or military contingency. 
The organizational structure is very tight, with a complex bureaucracy 
responsible for most day- to-day operations, and a governing council 
responsible for emergency response. Individual WCE members, however; 
are placed in the group that most suits their individual goals, whether 
it be exploration, combat, or colonization.

Long Term Goals

1. Successful integration of WCE colonies into every known territory,
including the ability to build ships, in   quantity, in at least five
locations. 

2. Establish treaties of non-aggression with all known governments
and space faring alien races.

3. Build and maintain a deployable deterrent force of space and ground
equipment such that large scale war is avoided in all known areas. 

4. Negotiate and utilize exploration and colonizationrights in all areas
of known space, Create and maintain a comprehensive library of known
space, planets, moons and the animal or vegetable life thereon.

5. Maintain a significant edge in new technologies through constant
research, while duplicating and/or otherwise acquiring new and existing
tech of all kinds.

6. Establish a multi-species advisory parliament for Transhole
Governmental Operations as a means of resolving conflicts in the
Transhole between members. 

7. Maintain the WCE's tradition of peaceful, mutually beneficial
relations with non-space faring alien races.

Short Term Goals

1. Develop all current colonies to a level of class 5 or greater. 

2. Upgrade all currently eligible ships to appropriate new ship classes
to emphasize the difference in WCE ship technology. 

3. Establish peaceful trade will all known governments and affiliations.

4. Establish a well respected ground military capability and associated
lift capability.

Special Abilities

1. Built in TNU equivalent in all WCE ships.

2. Pulac and pulac bearing items can be carried through a blackhole 
transition safely.

3. Food production bonus allowing each farm to produce 13 food per 
week

4. ANTIMISSILE BEAMS are capable of shooting down 25% more incoming 
missiles.

5. May perform a blackhole transition in 15 TU's instead of 20 TU's.

6. Colonies have a minimum +10 morale bonus in the CONSUMER GOOD category.

Membership

The WCE is currently closed to all new members and future membership 
will be by invitation only. 

Organization 

Day-to-day operations are supervised by the General Secretary, Foreign 
Secretary, Secretary for War, Home Secretary, Information Secretary,
Transportation Secretary and the Research Secretary. Regular contact
between members is required, as ship movements and operations change on
a constant basis.

The WCE has claimed that area of space known as the Transhole , and 
vigorously defends that space from all trespassers.

The past history of the WCE has been traumatic. The profile has been 
designed to reflect that history, and the lessons learned from that 
trauma, and also from the glorious conquests completed during that 
same time. The well known reputations of the WCE are not forgotten 
in this profile either, including the tendency to massively over-react 
to any real aggression

Legal Residents of the Empire

Legal residents of the Empire shall be defined as
1) All WCE members
2) Any group possessing a Colonial Charter
3) All indigenous races located within the boundries of the Empire

Laws

1. Unprovoked attack by those illegally residing or transiting the Empire
shallbe punished.

2. Proven theft shall not be tolerated.

3. Sentient races shall not be enslaved by force of arms.

4. Petitions shall be heard by the House of Lords for those who have
grievancesagainst the government or other citizens.

5. Governors are responsible for providing food for their colonists and
shalldo so upon penalty of death.

6. Governors may claim a world as their sole property after a period of 26
weeks as the sole colony on said world.  This right extends to sentient
racesindigenous to a given world.  This right does not allow the Governor
or race toprevent colonization by the Empire.

7. An agent placed in a colony by anyone other than the Government is an
offensive act.  The same holds true for the scouting of ground defenses.
Offended parties may seek redress or vengeance, or both.

8. Residents may not commit acts of piracy.  Piracy is defined as the
appropriation by combat or other means, of a starship, colony, ground party,
oroutpost without first posting said position and acquiring the consent of
theGovernment.

9. Taxes must be paid timely as set by the Home Secretary.

10. The only space squares of the Lemke System (61) which may be entered are
squares 1845, 1846, 1746, 1745, 1744, 1844, 1944, 1945, 1946.

11. New colonies established anywhere in the Empire must be reported to the
Government.

12. Research, exploitation, or possession of the lifeform known as the
protosphere is illegal.

13. It is illegal to tamper with the device known as the Power Collector.

14. No sentient being may be placed into slavery.  No one may transport, own
or possess slaves of any kind.

15. Publically declared enemies of the Empire may not be aided or assisted in
any manner.

16. The sighting of any position posted by the Empire must be reported to the
Secretary for War.

17. No one may possess, research, or produce chemical or biological weapons.

18. Residents may not possess, use, or produce any drugs without the consent
of the Home Secretary.

19. Illegal residents of the Empire have no rights.

Colonial Charters

Groups wishing to operate legally in the Empire must obtain a Colonial
Charter.  Such groups are entitled to full protection under WCE law by the
armed services of the Empire. The method of such protection is at the
discretion of the WCE. Attacks upon WCE chartered companies within the
Empire by any other group must first be approved by the WCE.

Chartered groups have the right to operate ships, colonies, and ground
parties within the borders of the Empire.  Non-chartered groups operating
within the Empire have NO rights or standing in the eyes of the Government.
Should they choose to operate without a Colonial Charter they do so at their
own risk.  They have no ability to seek redress of grievances for events
occuring within the Empire.

Upon accepting a charter, a group agrees to abide by all present and future
laws and policies of the WCE.  Once obtaining a charter, it may be revoked
at any time by the WCE, with just cause.

Certain governmental groups may be granted rights under an Official Treaty
that would normally be contained in a charter.

The procedure for obtaining a charter are simple.  The Foreign Secretary or
Home Secretary are both empowered to issue charters. To apply for a charter
you should write a formal request to either of these positions.  The request
should disclose all colonial assest you currently control within the Empire.
The cost of a charter is 50,000 Stellars and 8 Stellars per FACTORY owned.
Thereafter, an annual fee of 10,000 Stellars is due on the anniversary date
of the charter.  Colonies owned by chartered groups are taxed quarterly at
the rate of 8 Stellars per FACTORY.

Ship Building

May build War Galley (2), Gallese (24), Galleon (25), Merchantman (26), and
Man 'O War (27).
