>Should we take a poll? Those of you who have read *Path of Tears*: is the
>Coalition government stable and central, unstable and fragmented, or
>somewhere in between? And if it's stable and central, is the RCES the
>`chicken stealing Star Vikings' or the `exploring Peace Corps'?
>This seems to suggest that the Coalition government might *not* be stable
and
>centralized. If this is the case, each bloc may be able to `protect' RCES
>groups which carry out each's particular `mission'. This would allow both
>the `good viks' and the `bad viks' to exist and in relatively equal
strengths
>but overall RCES effectiveness might then suffer because the separate groups
>might often find themselves at odds and working at cross purposes. This,
>IMHO, sound like a *more* interesting setting that a stable government with
>either a `benevolent' or `malevolent' RCES. With all those guns and `take
>charge' types around though the Coalition might even be heading for a
>`rebellion' (civil war) of its own! This setting, while not very original,
>might be still more fun to adventure in.
I tend to feel that the Coalition is not the UFP with a single way of
thinking
(Prime Directive). There are between 10 and 20 worlds of varying sizes
within
the Coalition and although they roughly fall between two outlooks (Oriflamme
led Centrists and the Federalists of Aubaine) each world has its own spin on
policy, with differences within the people of each world (so there are
probably some Centrist backers from Aubaine).
From PoT: "There are real tensions between the different cultures of the
Coalition . . . players, even if from different worlds, may be willing to put
these differences behind them and work together in harmony... That's kind of
the point of the Coalition, after all. NPCs ... may not be quite so braod
minded... Nobody is likely to pull a gun ... but don't expect covert agents
working for the Oriflamme Marine Intelligence (as opposed to the RC) to blow
their cover just to help out ... eye-lights that get into a jam..." Eye-
lights being starry-eyed Federalists.
Therefore it seems that RC missions may all have the same objectives and
rules
of engagement but the member worlds also are conducting missions into the
Wilds and they are operating according to their own rules.
Finally I do agree that this background with its diversity and its element of
the unknown is a "*more* interesting setting than a stable government" would
provide. Throw into this mix the evil Star Guild (may they die in poverty)
and the Vampire Data Net makes it a more volatile setting than the 3I.
Peter B. Juzyk
Reading, PA