Nighron

Named for the Greek goddess of the eternal night because of its star’s unusual dimness, the Achlys System is the star system nearest to Sol that hosts indigenous intelligent life, being only 15 light years away and well within the bounds of Solaran dominion. The star system itself is particularly small, only being host to three planets with Nighron being the only terrestrial world. The Achlys System is unique in having no natural satellites rotating any of its planets, which did little to disrupt Nighron’s early ecosystem given that this planet has no oceans or seas of any kind.

This planet distinctly lacks tectonic plates.

History
In Solaran Standard Year 2214, Nighron became the first alien world discovered with advanced intelligence. Earth’s government was quick to approve the uplifting of the Garkin race and eventual offer of integration into the Republic. While it was denied by parliament at the time, it is now generally believed that this rash decision was made because of the unique genetic material found on their world.

Despite being an extremely undeveloped planet even to this day, Nighron and the Garkin race were one of the founding members of the Galactic Alliance of Free Systems. Because of their lack of technological and cultural development, it is very rare to find one of these people serving in Space Force despite having equal opportunity to study and join the scientific and military organization.

Government
At the smallest level of government, if it can be called that, there are feudal lords who rule specific farms and villages. Their property consists of the land and goods produced there, though not the people themselves who are free to migrate to under another lord’s domain at will so long as they do not rob their former lord in the process. Many regions have kings and queens who rule over larger swaths of land though only if invited by the feudal lords themselves for the economic, cultural and social protection the king or queen offers. A king can be pushed out of a feudal lord’s land whenever the contract between the two ends.

Nighron lacks formal courts or common law, instead relying on civil law decided between individuals on a personal level. Conflicts are mediated by local ‘natural leaders’ who earned their position within the community because they were found to be particularly wise. The children of a natural leader do not have the opportunity to become natural leaders themselves in fear of an inter-generational hierarchy forming in any given society.

Since the founding of the Alliance, Nighron has separated from Earth’s government and now dictate their own planetary policy within the federation. While Nighron does not have a head of state like many other planets and empires, they do have a High Chieftain who serves as the mouthpiece of the Planetary Council when meeting with leaders of other alien species, although she herself has no authority. Feudal lands form districts for the sake of electing a representative at the level of the province. Provinces, like districts, only serve to elect a representative from the district representatives elected directly by feudal lords from a selection of so-called ‘natural leaders’ within the district. Every twenty years, forty three of these representatives are elected to represent their home provinces in the Planetary Council which dictates interplanetary relations.