The Central Authority

Overview

The Central Authority is the largest and most visible government structure in the Drift galaxy. It presents itself as the council for all spacefaring peoples, but in reality, it is built and led mainly by humans from the Core worlds. It has the strongest presence in the Core, where its laws and bureaucracy dominate daily life. In the Mid, its reach is limited, and in the Rim, it is often ignored. Even so, it remains the most powerful legal body in the galaxy because it controls trade rules, ship registries, and contract enforcement.

Structure

Councilors: Representatives from the wealthiest Core worlds. Some hold permanent seats, while others rotate, but all have strong ties to human corporate and political interests.
Inspectorate: The branch that issues ship registries, tariffs, IDs, and permits. Inspectors decide what is “legal,” and their paperwork can make or break a crew’s future.
Patrols: Authority fleets exist but are spread thin. They rarely protect small crews, focusing instead on insured corporate convoys and major shipping contracts.

Methods of Power

The Central Authority controls the galaxy by making itself the official gatekeeper of law and commerce:

Tariffs: Every Core port charges Authority tariffs on goods. These raise prices but keep governments and corporations dependent on Authority oversight.
Registries: Only registered ships are allowed in licensed lanes. A ship without Authority papers can be seized or blacklisted from docking.
Identity Records: Authority IDs track contracts, debts, and criminal charges. Without a valid ID, a person can be erased from legal recognition.

Operations in Different Regions

Core: Full control. Multiple inspections, bonded warehouses, long delays, and expensive appeals. Bribes are common but risky.
Mid: Authority law is present but mixed with local corruption. Crews may face tariffs in one port and syndicate tolls in another. Authority offices often compete with local officials for bribe money.
Rim: Weak presence. Most Rim ports ignore Authority rulings. Only larger disputes involving Core corporations force Authority patrols to intervene.

Weaknesses

Corruption: Officials sell permits, erase blacklists, or delay cases for bribes. Honest offices exist but lack resources.
Distance: Slow signals and thin patrol coverage make enforcement weak beyond the Core.
Resistance: Many Rim worlds openly defy Authority laws and create their own courts, ledgers, or militias.

Everyday Impact

For Crews: Authority bureaucracy defines who can move legally. A ship caught without the right papers can lose its cargo, its registry, or even its freedom.
For Corporations: Mega-Corporations rely on the Authority for legal protection of their contracts. Corporate fleets often work with Authority patrols to keep profits secure.
For Citizens: The Authority decides what debts are valid, which identities are legal, and who can appeal rulings. Life in the Core often feels tied to endless paperwork and slow courts.

Reputation

The Central Authority is both feared and resented. It claims to uphold order, but most people see it as slow, corrupt, and biased toward the Core elite. On the Rim, it is mocked or ignored, but even there, its registries and records remain important. A name, ID, or contract sealed by the Authority can mean survival in a galaxy built on debt and trade.