Ecumene: Difference between revisions

The '''Ecumene''' is the {{d|interstellar}} {{w|sovereign state}} comprising the vast majority of {{S2|History of human space civilization|human space civilization}} in the 41st century [[Common Earth Calendar|CEC]]. Established by the [[Conference of Planets and Moons]] in the 27th century, the Ecumene was originally composed of the whole {{S2|Sol system}} following the end of the [[Capitulatory War]]. The Ecumene officially extends to a five {{W|parsec}} radius around Sol, with all space inside of this limit considered integral Ecumene space. In practice, the Ecumene's administration of this space is limited to its constituent star systems, with interstellar space being permanently uninhabited and only ever transited by {{W|interstellar travel|interstellar vessels}}. Travel between star systems takes years at {{S2|mintimaxis}}, but [[microwormhole communications]] permits effectively {{w|faster-than-light|superliminal}} transfer of {{w|information}} between Ecumene star systems and interstellar-travelling [[Astrospheres]].

The Ecumene is a {{W|political union}} ruled by the {{W|consensus}}-based [[Ecumenical Synod]]. Individual habitats, ranging in scope from whole {{w|planet}}s to small {{w|space station}}s, are effectively self-administering but all equally subject to [[Ecumenical law]]. The [[Ecumenical Fleet]] is responsible for the enforcement of Ecumenical law in interstellar and interplanetary space, while the [[Ecumenical Guard]] is responsible for enforcement on habitats. Each inhabited Ecumene star system maintains a vertically integrated array of shipyards, spacedocks, and fleet groups for the maintenance of interstellar defence, with all of these components being subject to the Ecumene-wide [[Ecumenical Admiralty|Admiralty]] and Synod based on {{S2|Apollo}}. The Ecumenical Guard is typically administered per-habitat, but in special cases, authority over any subject Guard group can be directly imposed by the Synod.

Membership in the Synod is granted through nomination by a currently serving member and confirmation by consensus of the whole organ. Appointments are life-long; due to the widespread adoption of [[Immortality in the Ecumene|Ambrosian immortality]] across the Ecumene, there have been relatively few members of the Synod whose membership concluded upon the end of their lives. As of 4023 CEC, there are a total of 11,293 serving Members of the Synod, with only 308 of these Members being mortal. Due to the length of the average Member's lifespan, decision-making in the Synod can take years before consensus can be reach on contentious issues. The longest decision to reach consensus on record took 89 years of debate (the adoption of the [[Feasible Limit]] policy in the 34th century). The average time for a decision to be reach via consensus, however, only amounts to roughly 7 {{S2|Earth}} months. Since the widespread adoption of microwormhole communication in the 39th century, the spread of information regarding new decisions by the Synod is effectively superliminal, greatly enhancing the legal and political stability of the Ecumene.