Zandru
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Registered: 10-2005
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 Terranans
A backwater planet full of suspicious, primitive savages. That's the general feel most Terrans have for Darkovan natives.
The Terran Empire (actually a highly centralized federation) presence on Darkover is mainly due to technological necessity; Darkover is in a good location for a transit point from the more civilized interior sections of space to the less familiar expanses of the outer rim. Trade with Darkover itself is mostly limited to luxury goods such as 'primitive art', exotic furs, drugs, plants and minerals.
There are two starports on Darkover, the small, awkwardly placed one at Caer Donn and the newer Thendara Starport, which has become the main Terran presence on the planet. The 'ports are controlled by the Legate, Donnell Ramsey (his actual first name is Donald, Donnell is the Darkovan approximation) who doesn't have a great grasp of Darkover or it's people - his assignment here is simply a low point in his career.
Because the Empire is so very large and people move about frequently, Terrans don't try to adjust to every new planet the visit. Starports are intentionally designed to be exactly the same, no matter where they are; yellow 'Sol' lights, standardized equipment, buildings and languages - standardized schools for Terran children and so forth. Many Terrans never leave the starport, even if they've been on a planet for years.
Terrans live by a system of abstract, absolute justice and a written body of law. Laws aren't to be twisted to fit personal experiences and there is an entire, impersonal, system to turn to when someone has committed a crime. Trained police are supposed to handle and investigate crimes, victims turn to the court system for reparation and attempts to personally deal with a law-breaker is vigilantism. Most Terrans cannot fight particularly well, nor do they carry weapons unless they're licensed.
On the books, Terrans believe in equality between the sexes, however their cultural norms are not so forgiving. Women are still expected to yield their career goals for their husbands and still carry the lion's share of child rearing. Sexual diversity isn't particularly valued and a member of the same sex indicating attraction easily insults Terrans. Terrans aren't adults until they turn 18 standard years and graduate with a certificate of basic mastery (similar to a high school diploma), literacy is almost universal, high levels of education is common.
The Terran Empire is human-centric. Alien species are defined as 'semi-sentients' no matter what their actual intelligence is and the empire isn't too concerned with their rights. On colony worlds shared by humans and non-humans, the human government and needs are given priority.
Last edited by Zandru, 10/26/2005, 10:57 am
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10/26/2005, 10:53 am
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