GURPS 4 Babylon 5
World: Organisations
Who runs the place
The known galaxy consists of space faring, competing nation states in various, working relationships with each other with interstellar corporations, independent traders and pirates exploiting the gaps and opportunities. Though communication is instantaneous, space is big and law and order only has limited reach. International institutions existed before Humans travelled the stars but their emphasis on international diplomacy established Standard English as the lingua franca and Human units of measurement as the international standards. The Babylon 5 station also encouraged further co-operation between nations. Government departments marked * largely co-operate with each other and share information regardless of national sentiments.
National Governments
Important Government Departments
Customs and Border Protection*: Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulates trade, prevents smuggling of contraband and substandard goods, enforces quarantine and stops illegal immigration. Though strictly not the police, its agents have power of arrest, work closely with the police and can be regarded as a specialist police department with an emphasis on economics. However, the regularity aspect has diminished recently in all nations as the Babylon project tries to encourage free trade.
Criminal Prosecution Service: For homeworlds and established colonies, criminal prosecution policy is set by a local district attorney. For everywhere else, it's set by the Criminal Prosecution Service (CPS).
Department of Colonial Affairs:
Disease and Microflora Control Council*: The Disease and Microflora Control Council (DMCC) engineers microflora and immunisations to contain the spread of disease. It is really a conference of doctors from each nation's health boards that meet twice yearly to share information.
National Space Authority*: The National Space Authority (NSA) maintains the jump gates and hyperspace beacons for space travel, regulates spaceship registration and space worthiness and investigates accidents. It is much like the maritime and aviation authorities of previous eras and also assumes those responsibilities. It has the authority to deny travel in an area and obtain warrants to stop and investigate spaceships, which is executed by the police or navy. It monitors jump gate activity to track the movement of pirates but the gates of outlying areas are routinely hacked.
Securities and Exchange Commission*: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulates and monitors banking, finance and monopolies. It is concerned with proper accounts of publicly-held companies, insider trading, serious fraud, counterfeiting and money laundering. Petty credit card fraud is typically handled by the banks but the SEC can access this information. It has the authority to subpeona accounting records and even issue arrest warrants.
Non-Governmental Organisations
Amnesty International: This charity investigates and reports police abuse, atrocities, racial and gender discrimination and violations of sentient rights. It's political agenda is liberalism and equality and is particularly critical of the Centauri use of slaves and treatment of women. Though it has no direct influence, its reports frequently embarass politicians and are credited with ensuring certain politcal prisoners haven't 'disappeared'. Originally a pre-space flight, Human NGO, Amnesty International it has offices galaxy wide. Though it does not operate a spy network, it uses experts and retired bureaucrats to verify the anonymous messages and leaked documents it receives and to retrieve buried, offiicial reports.
Citizen's Advice Bureau: This charity provides free, basic legal and financial advice, usually in their walk-in offices.
Medecins Sans Frontieres:
Interstellar Telecommunications Agency: This is a collective title for various computing and telecommunications committees that decide technical standards for the galaxy. Members are drawn from universities and telecom corporations. Though telecoms companies own and maintain the telecoms infrastructure, one of its components, the Interstellar Network Planning Agency monitors traffic levels at every level and advices network changes.