OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: Expand on the Shadow Knights through moar bureaucracy.
- Image Credit: Here.
- Role: Government agency.
- Links: Eldorai, Blades of Reason.
- Group Name: Commissariat for Supply, Labour and Economic Security.
- Classification: Government agency.
- Headquarters: Shadow Knight nomad fleet.
- Loyalties: Shadow Knights, Stylena.
- Group Sigil: Blowtorch and hydrospanner.
It is also responsible for safeguarding and protecting the interests of workers. The Shadow Knights have a dim view of social security and believe that benefits should be tied to the services an individual has rendered to the community. Thus the Commissariat is responsible for giving pensions to the disabled and 'deserving' cases, such as combat veterans. It also organises educational courses for workers. This goes hand in hand with drafting the unemployed. Finally, the agency is a major point of contact for outside parties who trade with the Shadow Knights, especially smuggling networks. The Commissariat is led by Stylena, a professional Eldorai revolutionary and Rationalist who has turned it into a power base to advance her interests.
SOCIAL INFORMATION
Hierarchy: Like every bureaucratic institution, the Commissariat has a strict, top-down hierarchy. One could liken it to a pyramid. At the peak stands Commissar Stylena, who is the overall head of the institution. She sets the agenda, chairs important meetings, hires and fires senior bureaucrats and represents the institution in negotiations with outside parties and other Commissariats. She is also responsible for the Commissariat's conduct. Stylena is an energetic, but also coarse and authoritarian leader who does not broker dissent. Like all Commissars, she is appointed by the Archon of the Shadow Knights, the overall leader of the group, though elected by an oligarchic council for a fixed term.
She is assisted by two to three Deputy Commissars, with the most senior being the First Deputy Commissar. While in principle the Commissar can fill these positions by using her own judgement, in practice she must take the ambitions and influence of various special interest groups that make up the Shadow Knight movement into account. Stylena herself belongs to the Blades Reason, a radical egalitarian, atheistic movement. It is unofficial practice in Shadow Knight agencies to ensure that all relevant groups are represented, which has forced Stylena to appoint some non-Rationalists to avoid accusations of monopolising power for one party. The Commissar has a personal staff to assist her in running her department. Beneath management level, there are the various departments of the Commissariat, which are called Directorates:
- Directorate I: Internal Administration and Personnel.
- Directorate II: Supply, Domestic and Foreign Trade.
- Directorate III: Labour Mobilisation
- Directorate IV: Welfare
- Directorate V: Economic Crimes
- Inspectorate
In addition, the Commissariat maintains a network of plenipotentiaries, each of whom is dispatched to check on the work of the elements of the Shadow Knight nomad fleet. The Shadow Knights do not have the resources of a planetary or interstellar government, but possess vessels such as gas collectors, manufacturing ships and salvage ships. They also sustain themselves through raids and smuggling activities. As the Commissariat is responsible for allocating resources and ensuring the distribution of supplies, it is obviously interested in the results of such activities. However, many Shadow Knight leaders are rather independent-minded lot, especially those who have won laurels in the revolutionary struggle. Thus the Commissariat's intendants often come into conflict with local chiefs. In that case, disputes have to be adjudicated at a higher level. The Commissariat is empowered to investigate and punish economic crimes such as theft, hoarding and sabotage. In that regard, the Commissariat cooperates with the Redeemers, a punitive, deterrent and intelligence organisation created to protect the Revolution from enemies within and without.
Membership: Must be a Shadow Knight in good standing. Senior positions are closed to Civilians and only available for Citizens, in other words Shadow Knights who have performed military service. Officially any Eldorai, Vashyada, Qadiri or Xioquo who fits the above criteria can apply for a position. However, Stylena has been accused of discriminating against the Tygaran 'cousins' and showing a clear bias towards Eldorai. Likewise, there are also allegations of her favouring members of the Blades of the Reason. This is no coincidence since Stylena happens to be a member of the Committee of Rationalist Security, a body that consists of the top leaders of the Blades of Reason.
Stylena controls her minions through a mixture of fear, respect, reputation, charm and managerial skills. She is a demanding taskmistress and is always seeking out new information to get ahead in the game. Despite her blood-soaked past, she has an uncanny way of presenting herself as a representative of the golden mean. Her low class origins and direct manner of speech are also a boon in some circles, such as among the Forsaken.
She pays particular attention to cadre selection, training and management. As she said in one of her rare speeches: "Personnel policy is the most important thing. The movement leads by appointing people. Power is not power if it cannot appoint people. And so, citizens, if we want to successfully get over the shortage of people and provide our movement with sufficient cadres capable of advancing technique and setting it going, we must first of all learn to value people, to value cadres, to value every worker capable of benefiting our common cause." The Commissariat has positioned itself as adhering to the principle of gender equality. Sadly, sexism at the workplace is still a thing and so women tend to get paid for more doing the same work as men.
Dogma/Doctrines: Officially the Commissariat is committed to egalitarian principles such as equality, fairness and social justice. It means to reward the loyal and diligent, draft the lazy and combat the heinous activities of 'wreckers and sloths'. It is supposed to organise a fair and just distribution that ensures the survival of the nomad fleet. The ideal model of the Shadow Knights would be a mixed economy with limited free market capitalism and a strong public sector that occupies the commanding heights of the economy. However, necessity has compelled them to introduce a system that is close to state socialism. The Commissariat is supposed to ensure the system works. Detractors accuse it of being overly bureaucratised and aggrandising power. The Commissariat counters these accusations by claiming that it serves the greater good, as opposed to particular interests. They view themselves as being engaged in a long, epic struggle to lead the Eldorai and their cousins into modernity and freedom.
The Shadow Knights have a culture that prizes frugality and views wastefulness and laziness as cardinal sins. If someone is disabled, the government will find them a desk job. Caring for veterans who suffered injuries or bereaved family members of dead soldiers is viewed as an important obligation on the part of the community. The Shadow Knights also have a maximum wage. The Commissariat assumes a very militant stance on 'economic crimes' such as hoarding and sabotage. Despite all the patriotic rhetoric, the Shadow Knights cannot rewrite sentient nature, which means they must offer incentives. Those who do their jobs can expect to be cared for, receive bonuses and some level of comfort. Moreover, the honorary title of Heroine (or Hero) of Asuran Labour is bestowed upon individuals who have made significant contributions in the economic sphere. Those who receive the award are regarded as exemplary models of the Asuran worker.
The Commissariat does not believe in free handouts. There is no such thing as unemployment money. Shadow Knight ideology postulates that service guarantees citizenship. One's place in society should be determined by one's willingness to contribute towards it. Those who are seen as not pulling their weight get short shrift. They are often conscripted into some form of national or penal service - or exiled. Such drafts are not always pleasant and repeat offenders face the possibility of being banished from the nomad fleet. The department is permeated by a strong 'us' and 'them' mentality. Admittedly this is quite common for Eldorai in general. The Commissariat sees itself as the champion of the 'deserving', hard-working, loyal Asuran who is building a new future for her people with her own hands. From its point of view, it is opposed by reactionaries, monarchists, saboteurs and enemies of the people who want to undermine the efforts of the free Asurans. Their world is divided sharply into friends and enemies. True freedom and prosperity require overcoming these hostile forces. If need be their voices must be silenced. Military language is very common in speeches by Commissariat functionaries, internal and external correspondence. The Commissariat is willing to work with foreign partners, but stresses the importance of self-reliance and independence. This is in line with general Shadow Knight beliefs. The rebels realise they must work with foreigners, but seek to reduce dependence wherever possible. Use of hydroponic techniques to grow plants and vegetables is also encouraged.
Eldorai birth rates are comparatively low, so the Commissariat offers incentives to couples to have children. Having lots of children is discouraged because the nomad fleet's resources are finite, but a healthy surplus is deemed necessary. In line with Stylena's progressive beliefs, the Commissariat supports the use of droids. This is a notable departure from traditionalist Eldorai beliefs, as conservative Space Elves believe they are a violation of the Goddess' commandments on life. As the Rationalists are atheists who believe Ashira was just a mortal woman, they are obviously free of such scruples. It has also sponsored endowing maimed veterans with mechanical protheses to replace the organic body parts they lost in the line of duty.
Curios: Their closest thing to a curio is a membership card.
Goals: Supervise the national economy and ensure a 'fair' distribution, expand its influence and serve as a power base for Stylena.
MEMBERS
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Like the Shadow Knights, the Commissariat for Supply, Labour and Economic Security is a fairly young institution. It came into being in the aftermath of the Shadow Knights' retreat from Kaeshana following the annexation of the planet by the First Order. Realising a more centralised apparatus was needed to control the nomad fleet they now inhabited, the Shadow Knights created the Provisional Government. The aforementioned Commissariat was one of its first institutions. During the Long Night on Kaeshana, the Shadow Knights had implemented a policy to feed and supply the surviving Eldorai settlements that could be best described as war communism. Resources were extremely scarce after the Eldorai homeworld was devastated by a huge asteroid, so harsh measures were required to ensure survival, though these inevitably created conflict.
The new Commissariat built upon the emergency institutions that had been created to requisition and allocate resources. Stylena, an energic but also very radical Rationalist revolutionary with many years of experience in the underground, was put in charge of the new agency. Born into a low class family, Stylena had first become involved in the New Green Ribbons revolutionary movement before embracing Rationalism and becoming an agent of the Blades of the Reason. She eventually gained a seat on the Committee of Rationalist Security and was appointed its Responsible Secretary. This seemingly innocuous office gave her a high degree of influential over cadres. She distributed funds, compiled agendas, kept records and influenced personnel assignments.
By the time she was appointed as Commissar, she had acquired experience as a bank robber, a paramilitary leader, party organisation chief, backroom manager and requisition specialist. During the Long Night she proved herself as an efficient, though ruthless organiser. Acting as a troubleshooter, she helped organise requisition and distribution of supplies. This involved founding a pirate gang to raid foreign ships, though she was forced to yield command after the crass behaviour of her minions went beyond the pale. She had made her share of enemies during her career, both within the Blades of Reason and outside of it, so the appointment was not without controversy. However, she enjoyed the support of Cadera Naeyra, the influential High Illuminatrix of the Blades of Reason. Archon Naesala Faethyra, no friend of Stylena, consented to the appointment for political reasons, though she made sure to place some people who had her confidence into key positions.
The new agency was created to cut through red tape, place distribution on a more sound basis and ensure that the various individual ship captains and paramilitary chiefs followed the general line and contributed to the Shadow Knights as a whole, rather than hoarding resources and funds for herself. Of course, Stylena, being a cunning sort, quickly realised that she could turn the Commissariat into a power base to advance her own ambitions. At the same time, it was also a risk for her, as her agency would be one of the primary institutions people would blame in the case of shortages.
Stylena fought for and gained the right to ensure economic security, though she has kept the definition vague. In this field the Commissariat's duties overlap with those of the Redeemers, a state security agency created to protect the revolutionary order by combating counterrevolution, sabotage, infiltration and corruption. This has been the cause of a few turf wars. Stylena had to perform a tactical retreat and make some concessions when she tried to expand her remit too far. But on the whole the Commissariat is sitting firmly in the saddle, though one can never be complacent given the tempestuous nature of Eldorai politics. She has managed to sequester a large amount of 'extraordinary funds' to be held in 'trust' for her usage for 'security matters'. Stylena is smart enough to invest most of it rather than waste it all on expensive items for herself. The money is useful when she needs to purchase or secure someone's loyalty. Enough people appreciate luxury articles such as Corellian brandy, cigarras, jewellry and foreign holomovies.
Stylena has retained her seat on the Blades of Reasons' top decision-making body, where she continues to control the secretariat. She also maintains contact with several smuggling networks. These groups include expatriate Eldorai, exodites, and foreigners. They are an important source of funding for the insurrection. The Shadow Knights perform mining and salvaging operations, but their ability to process raw materiels and get the finished products is a bit limited. Thus they must form trade links with outside parties. There is naturally always the fear of becoming so reliant on foreign trade partners that they will be able to exert influence on the body politic.
