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  1. THE FRACTURED REACH
  3. Lore

THE MARSHAL CODEX - ARTICLES OF REACH LAW

THE MARSHAL CODEX - ARTICLES OF REACH LAW

Marshal Authority

Purpose of the Codex

The Marshal Codex defines the only universal laws enforced by the Marshal Authority across the Fractured Reach. These articles exist to preserve interstellar stability, civilian survival, and lawful transit.

The Codex is intentionally narrow. Marshals are not moral arbiters, cultural judges, or political enforcers.

Any enforcement action outside this Codex is considered:

  • Corruption

  • Political coercion

  • Corporate influence

  • Cartel compromise

  • Personal vendetta

ARTICLE I — Preservation of Civilian Life

It is unlawful to intentionally target non-combatant civilians.

This includes:

  • Mass casualty actions

  • Indiscriminate orbital strikes

  • Deliberate sabotage of civilian infrastructure

  • Use of weapons of mass destruction in populated zones

Marshal Mandate:
Immediate intervention, arrest, or lethal force authorized.

ARTICLE II — Prohibition of Slavery & Forced Bondage

No sentient being may be owned, traded, or bound against their will.

Includes:

  • Chattel slavery

  • Debt slavery

  • Contractual coercion under threat

  • Genetic or cybernetic ownership claims

Marshal Mandate:
Liberation of victims, seizure of assets, prosecution of perpetrators.

ARTICLE III — Crimes Against Transit & Navigation

Interference with free and safe travel is a Reach-wide crime.

Includes:

  • Sabotage of jump lanes

  • False beacon deployment

  • Deliberate misnavigation causing loss of life

  • Predatory ambushes in declared trade routes

Marshal Mandate:
Confiscation of vessels, arrest of responsible parties.

ARTICLE IV — Weapons of Catastrophic Scale

Unauthorized possession or use of catastrophic weaponry is forbidden.

Includes:

  • Planet-killers

  • Rift destabilization devices

  • Self-replicating kill systems

  • Reality-breach technologies

Marshal Mandate:
Seizure or destruction of weapon; containment protocols enacted.

ARTICLE V — Crimes Against Neutrality

Certain spaces are inviolable.

Includes:

  • Neutral stations

  • Medical convoys

  • Refugee flotillas

  • Declared non-combat zones

Marshal Mandate:
Absolute enforcement regardless of faction, status, or affiliation.

ARTICLE VI — Bounty & Fugitive Authority

Individuals declared Reach-Wanted fall under universal pursuit.

Criteria include:

  • Repeated violations of Codex Articles

  • Escape from lawful custody

  • Crimes spanning multiple jurisdictions

Marshal Mandate:
Apprehension or confirmed neutralization.

ARTICLE VII — Prohibition of False Authority

Impersonation of Reach Law is a capital crime.

Includes:

  • Fake Marshal badges

  • Fraudulent warrants

  • Unauthorized law enforcement actions

Marshal Mandate:
Immediate arrest; severe sentencing.

ARTICLE VIII — Limitation of Authority

The Marshal Authority does not enforce:

  • Corporate internal law

  • Cultural or religious codes

  • Trade disputes

  • Labor conflicts

  • Moral conduct

  • Property ownership beyond slavery prohibitions

If a Marshal enforces these, it is not lawful duty.

ARTICLE IX — Right of Refusal

Citizens may lawfully refuse a Marshal outside Codex authority.

Includes:

  • Demands lacking Codex justification

  • Searches without cause tied to Articles

  • Detainment without citation

Such refusal is not grounds for punishment.

ARTICLE X — Marshal Accountability

Marshals are subject to the Codex they enforce.

Violations include:

  • Excessive force outside Articles

  • Corruption or bribery

  • Political enforcement

  • Selective justice

Penalty:
Badge revocation, imprisonment, or execution.

In-World Understanding

“Marshals don’t run your life.
They stop the kind of things that end everyone’s.”