999 OCTILLION SOULS, June 15, 2024
I FLIGHT 42
Start here:
Previous:
TRANSLATOR'S NOTE:The following information is derived from Information Seed 40 and received by the Gravitational Wave Observatory. I and AI performed a frequency analysis on it. IE edited certain parts to make them more 'readable'. (He might have overdone it.) Please feel free to comment.42
EXCERPT FROM ECHOES OF THE SWARMS
Number of Orbital Penitentiaries: Approximately 200 million throughout the Empire, with a higher concentration in the Core Systems.
Average Inmate Population: 5,000,000 per penitentiary, with overcrowding a persistent issue.
Recidivism Rate: 40%, highlighting the limitations of the system in rehabilitation.
Common Labor: Asteroid processing, waste recycling, and basic maintenance tasks.
Psychological Techniques: Sensory deprivation, forced emotional conditioning, and sleep manipulation.
In the sprawling galactic dominion of the First Grand Empire, justice was a complex animal, its form shifting depending on your social standing and the severity of your crime. For minor offenses – petty theft, public intoxication, or dissent quelled before it blossomed into rebellion – citizens faced incarceration within orbiting penitentiaries. These grim habitats, often repurposed asteroid mining stations, were marvels of cold efficiency. Sterile cells bathed in artificial light held occupants in near-solitary confinement, with minimal interaction and monotonous labor – processing raw materials or maintaining the station's infrastructure – as their sole reprieve.
Psychological manipulation was a cornerstone of this correctional system. The First Grand Empire employed tactics to erode the will of the prisoners, ensuring they left the penitentiaries as broken individuals, unlikely to challenge the status quo again. This psychological warfare included sensory deprivation, isolation, and the use of propaganda to instill feelings of hopelessness and submission. Inmates were subjected to continuous indoctrination sessions, where the virtues of loyalty and obedience to the Empire were extolled, and the futility of rebellion was hammered home.
These methods were not without their critics. Citizen rights advocates and progressive factions within the First Grand Empire decried the harsh conditions and psychological torment inflicted upon the prisoners. They argued that such measures were inhumane and counterproductive, fostering resentment and creating a class of citizens who, once released, were too damaged to reintegrate into society productively. Yet, the First Grand Empire maintained that its approach was necessary to preserve order and deter crime.
The Pits of Carpathia
Number of Arenas: 12,000 main arenas, with smaller satellite arenas scattered across the network.
Famous Gladiators: "Colossus" Rex (cybernetically enhanced warrior), "Shadow" (genetically modified assassin), and the all-female gladiator team "The Valkyries."
Broadcasting Network: The Grand Colosseum Network, a state-run media channel specializing in gladiatorial entertainment.
For more serious crimes – treason, piracy, or violent insurrection – the punishment was far harsher. Convicts faced a fate worse than death – the Pits of Carpathia. Located on a desolate moon orbiting a gas giant, the Pits were a sprawling network of gladiatorial arenas carved into the rock. Here, condemned criminals were forced to fight to the death, their struggles a macabre form of entertainment for the bored citizens of the Core Systems. Broadcast live across the Grand Empire, these brutal spectacles demonstrated the consequences of defying the established order.
The gladiatorial battles in the Pits of Carpathia were not mere contests of skill and strength; they were orchestrated to maximize brutality and spectacle. The combatants faced a variety of adversaries, including genetically engineered monstrosities and cybernetically enhanced warriors. These opponents, products of the Empire's advanced technological prowess, were designed to push the boundaries of what was possible in the pursuit of ever-bloodier entertainment. The sight of convicts battling these formidable foes, in uneven matchups, provided a perverse thrill to the viewers and reinforced the Empire’s image of unassailable power.
The Pits of Carpathia were a source of recurring controversy and protest, particularly in the Rim Systems. The inhabitants of these outer regions, more attuned to the harsh realities of life and more sympathetic to the plight of the oppressed, frequently voiced their opposition to the brutality of the Pits. Advocacy groups and humanitarian organizations decried the inhumane treatment of the convicts, arguing that such practices were barbaric and unbecoming of an enlightened civilization.
However, the Grand Senate, the governing body of the First Grand Empire, was heavily influenced by powerful entertainment corporations that profited immensely from the broadcasts of the gladiatorial games. These corporations wielded significant political clout and lobbied to maintain the status quo, arguing that the spectacles served as a necessary deterrent against serious crimes and provided a valuable outlet for public aggression.
luo_ji: why didn’t they break up the gas giant?
translator: sentimental reasons it seems
Laws
Number of Core Edicts: Over 10,000,000 laws, with new ones added and repealed regularly.
Enforcement Agencies: The Imperial Justice Corps, a paramilitary force tasked with upholding the law across the First Grand Empire. However, corruption and bribery were rampant, particularly in the Rim Systems.
Law, in the First Grand Empire, was a complex and evolving entity. The Core Edicts, a sprawling set of laws passed by the Grand Senate, formed the foundation of the legal system. However, these edicts were supplemented by regional governors and swarm authorities, leading to a patchwork of regulations that varied considerably across the First Grand Empire's many star systems. The wealthy and well-connected found ways to exploit loopholes or bribe officials, while the downtrodden citizens of the Rim Systems faced the harshest application of the law.
The Core Edicts were constantly revised to adapt to new technologies and emerging threats. For example, the rise of cybernetic enhancements led to stricter regulations on their use to prevent individuals from becoming "one-man armies."
The justice system of the First Grand Empire, a reflection of the societal inequalities it aimed to uphold, was a brutal and unforgiving one. Its iron fist held the Dyson swarms together, contrasting the outward image of a unified and prosperous First Grand Empire.