History
Who is The Libertas Cooperative? Who is Pileus Libertas?We are the descendants of freedmen and freedwomen of the Empire, The Libertas Cooperative. The Libertas Cooperative is a minor faction based out of the Munshin System and has allied itself with a number of independent commanders who call themselves Pileus Libertas.
In the Duvalian Empire of Achenar, slavery is legal. This system of Imperial Slavery has existed for nearly 1000 years, since the early days of the Empire. Much like the Romans of ancient Earth, Imperial citizens may choose to become slaves to pay off debts through labor. Slaves were also acquired through conquest or purchased from other early Earth civilizations. Freed slaves were called libertas and would shave their heads and wear the pileus as a sign of their new freedom. Although ancient slaves were not full citizens of Rome after manumission, freed Imperial Slaves are full citizens of the Empire with all the rights and privileges guaranteed by The Emperor. The Libertini would fight for Rome 3000 years ago and Pileus Libertas will fight for the Empire today.
Why Munshin? (The faction history.)
The story of Munshin is the story of the Empire.
The Munshin system was one of the earliest locations scouted by the post-war Empire. Nearly 600 years ago, the first asteroid mining stations were constructed around the now depleted rings of Munshin's gas giants. With the first settlers came slaves. At that time, the Empire was expanding rapidly into uninhabited space and faced a shortage of materials for building mineral extractors, refineries, and furnaces. They did not face a shortage of manpower. Using techniques which would have been at home in 20th Century Earth, thousands of slaves took the place of modern automated extraction equipment. The rings of Munshin supplied much of the raw materials for the Empire's Age of Expansion which saw the borders of the Empire grow to almost their modern size.
In the year 2898, terraforming began on Munshin 5. It had long been known as a suitable candidate and hosted indigenous small invertebrate life forms. The process was quick and in two years time the first surface settlements were underway. As the rings of Munshin's gas giants became depleted, more and more of the extraction operations shuttered. Tough financial times forced tens of thousands into slavery on the agricultural plantations of the newly terraformed world. Though some extraction moved to the rocky and metallic worlds of Munshin 2, 3, and 4, Munshin 5 quickly grew into a major agricultural producer and home to a large number of Imperial Slaves as a labor force.
In 2998, 100 years after terraforming began, Munshin officially ceased being an Imperial Colony and became a fully fledged System of The Empire. With it came representation in the Imperial Senate and the birth of the Ocrinox "dynasty." The leading landowners on Munshin 5, the Ocrinox family, easily earned their way into the good graces of the Empire and when time came for the appointment of a Senator, Bibrax Ocrinox, was picked by Emperor Hender Saik Duval.
The family's rise to power in the three centuries since Bibrax's appointment is etched into the name of Munshin 5, now called Ocrinox's Opulence and the orbiting starport named Ocrinox's Orbiter. Until the demise of their only living heir, Gaiseric Ocrinox, aboard The Antares in 3251, the Orcinox family seemed destined to be a major power in the Empire. Without an heir and without any way to pass on the family name, all of the possessions of the Orcinox family became property of The Empire and were granted to the newly formed Munshin Empire Group. The millions of slaves, however, could not be passed on by law and were freed, their debts considered null and void since Gaiseric had no heir.
Suddenly, the Munshin system was slave free and millions of people needed work, training, and a way to support themselves. Thus was born The Libertas Cooperative: an organization dedicated to the descendants of slaves throughout Munshin. Since it's founding, The Libertas Cooperative has sought to take on an ever growing role in Munshin's politics and defense through an alliance with independent commanders called Pileus Libertas. Imperial slavery was outlawed and Munshin became a hub for freed slaves throughout the Empire. As Aisling Duval recently rose to prominence, The Libertas Cooperative found common ground with The People's Princess and the Munshin system was one of her earliest supporters. Bolstered by Aisling's broad support, Pileus Libertas has recruited from its ranks a number of CMDRs to join Aisling's cause.
WHO LEADS OUR FACTION?
Our faction is divided into 2 parts: the independent commander (player) group, Pileus Libertas, and the minor faction, The Libertas Cooperative. Pileus Libertas as a collective of independent pilots, has no strict leadership outlined. Instead, all pilots freely associate with each other forming cooperative groups in order to accomplish goals on behalf of the faction or Aisling Duval. All kinds of commanders are welcome to join and aid the cause. The only hard and fast rule is that Slavery of all forms is frowned upon and actively discouraged. Although not principally a bounty hunting or combat organization, Pileus Libertas recognizes that some violence is inevitable. Even primarily peaceful people need to be able to defend themselves and the innocent.
The Libertas Cooperative minor faction is governed by a Council of Elders. The Council of Elders is selected every 4 years. Following the selection of a new Council of Elders, one of the members is appointed by unanimous council vote to be the head of the Council of Elders. The humble title applied to this appointee is Community Organizer. The current Community Organizer for the next three years is Galleria Huneric. She is the daughter of a founding member of the council, Thorsimund Huneric, and has proven herself an adept coordinator. It is under Galleria’s tutelage that The Libertas Cooperative first reached out to independent commanders forming close relationships with pilots in the service of Aisling Duval.
WHERE DO WE STAND ON SLAVERY?
As the sons and daughters of slaves, as freed slaves ourselves, we know the truth of it. We recognize that the way slavery is portrayed in the Empire is not always the way slavery is in reality.
Imperial Slaves are property, not citizens. As such, they are often mistreated, beaten, starved, psychologically damaged, or worse. Slaves have no legal recourse while they are slaves and few are capable of bringing a case before the courts after manumission. Once freed, they are citizens again but often leave slavery with little more than the clothes on their backs.
Moreover, many slaves do not enter into slavery of their own free will and many can not exit slavery when their debts are paid because they find the terms of their contracts have changed.
We, therefore, oppose Imperial Slavery in all forms. Even when well regulated, the potential for abuse of Imperial Citizens is too much to bear. We believe in an enlightened Empire; an Empire that stands as a beacon for all of humanity as we spread across the stars. That acknowledgement brings us into close alliance with Aisling Duval and her steadfast opposition to slavery and to all forms of human degradation. Slavery, addiction, violence: all lay equal in Aisling's mind as humanity's attempt to deny itself a future. Pileus Libertas seeks that same bright future. We work for freedom.