S.C.E.P.T.E.R.S / SCEPTRE

RISE OF THE SCEPTRES

When the UEE first left the gravity well of Earth in the RSI Zues to colonize various planets, moons, and even some larger asteroids, concerns were quickly raised about the security of the relatively primitive form space travel. How to monitor and patrol every vessel in a solar system? Trade lanes were affordable to police but every nook and cranny of a solar system would take an unreasonably high amount of resources to secure. As space travel advanced and grew, so did the tenacity of organized crime. Any thug with the key code to a fighter could find a nice ambush spot. Additional issue arose when criminals used hideouts and off-planet bases of operation. The UEE tried to decree that the jurisdiction of their officers was blanket over the galaxy.

This nearly collapsed the united entities that formed the UEE. Several factions cried out the this was an infringement upon their sovereignty and freedom. No all-powerful empire should rule all of the universe. One of the many staples of the UEE contract. UEE officials were caught between an hammer and an anvil. A collapsed empire or allowing growing crime syndicates to gain momentum. The UEE put several options on the table and one by one were taken off. An agreed upon strategy seemed unlikely.

At the end of a third meeting, one of the few remaining monarchs in the UEE coalition grew frustrated enough to slam his ceremonial scepter on the table. The loud clang grabbed everyone’s attention. “I have held my tongue for far too long!” he began in a forced calm voice. “The logistical and financial obstacles we face all point in the same answer we continue to avoid!” He continued to glare all around the room to be sure he had undivided attention. “We need an elite force that is authorized to operate outside of sovereign jurisdiction. Individuals or small teams of hand-picked men and women to use intelligent discretion to resolve transgressions quickly and quietly. To move among the populations with absolute and carefully selected authority.” The room was dead quiet. This obvious plan of action was avoided because of the several repercussions it would have, not least of which the possibly of rogue operatives. How do you make sure they know exactly the right amount of toe to put out of line to get the job done?

Oddly enough, the first to acknowledge the monarch’s outburst was a tall, burly man representing a large region of North America. He stepped forward and nodded. “King Sapranis hit the nail on the head” he stated with his Texas drawl. “If this council of UEE leaders takes this course of action, my district will support it. My great grandfather always said that when red tape resists justice, it’s time for a little more of the ancient ‘good ol boy’ system. You can count on our backing.” The room was as much in surprise with this small speech and King Sapranis’ outburst. The two representatives usually agreed on virtually nothing. The Texan senator glanced down at the scepter the King had slammed on the table. It was an old gift from his nation to the small but extremely powerful monarchy. He picked it up and considered it thoughtfully.

The room went from dead calm to uncomfortable shuffling. This was the third unprecedented move in as many minutes. The Texan senator held the scepter out to King Sapranis as though he was presenting the same olive branch it was originally meant to be. “Several years ago my nation felt the need to ensure the spirit of cooperation between our countries. This scepter was meant to symbolize that need.” The King nodded in agreement and took the scepter. “It is time we present the rest of our UEE compatriots with a similar instrument of unity.”

The European senator spoke up. “Perhaps we shall also concede to the necessity of such a force. However, unanimous agreement must be reached. This groups will represent no single nation, nor will be commanded by anyone but themselves. The danger of a rogue state is huge, as well as public enmity.” She paused for a moment to consult her data pad. “I will support this proje..” “Our police forces will not like this!” The senator from a South American region objected. “They will see them as vigilantes and another problem being created rather than a solution.”
“Agreed” said several senators in unison. “The Australian senator stepped forward. “We need to create a positive public image of them before they become official. We need a highly publicized raid in a sector with an agreeable police force.” “Seconded” said the American senator in a deeper drawl, “Let’s gather some candidates and send them against the Red Heart Syndicate on Mars. If it all goes well, the MPA (Mars People’s Alliance) can’t complain about the results, nor that the UEE politics are interfering in their sovereignty.” “Who are we going to give the credit of the success to?” The British senator asked. “We can hardly say it’s a UEE agency. We’d have do gooders coming out in masses banging on about civil rights. We need to make them apart from us. AND we need a notable name to put on the headline.”

The room stood quiet for a few moments while they all considered what they were about to do. Each of them was an elected senators to the UEE council, even the monarchs. They were walking a knifes edge of brilliant success, or a vote incompetence off the council. Finally, the Texan looked over to King Sapranis and glanced down at the scepter. A grin spread across his face. “We’ll call them the Sceptres; Sanctioned Citizens Ensuring Protected Trade Regions and Extraterrestrial Security.” Sapranis nodded. “A good name. Inspires respect and nobility.” The senator around the room slowly nodded their consent. “Well”, the European senator sighed “We’ll need dossiers on all recommended candidates within the next 48 hours from all regions. I also move to appoint Senator Walker from the North American continent, and Senator King Sapranis from the African continent as oversight of this venture until after our first operation. We then transfer all leadership to the best qualified Sceptre. They will have full UEE authorization, but no political influences from thenceforth. Agreed?” For the first time in UEE history, an immediate and unanimous chorus of “Seconded!” echoed from around the chamber. The excitement of evolution was in the air.

The European senator walked up to the new heads of the Sceptres as the others dispersed. She eyed them both sternly. “We are playing with fire here gentleman, one slip and it’s not only the Sceptres out, but this entire council. So don’t fuck it up.” She said the last part slowly in a stage whisper, enunciating each syllable. With that, she turned on her heel and walked out the door. Walker and Sapranis looked at each other. “Well” said Walker with his customary drawl, “Lets get to work”.

Walker and Sapranis made it clear they were’t looking for boy scouts or paladins. The dossiers each country put forward were all formal military and law enforcement put on paid suspension for going outside the law to save operations and lives. Given the option for a board review or inductance into the new unit, 94% of the candidates chose the Sceptres unit. Walker and Sapranis organized them into small groups and individual operatives. Psych profiles indicated this was the most effective use of a large unit of men and women with minor attributes that usually are considered ‘problems with authority’.

The effectiveness of the Sceptres was explosive. The creation of the S.C.E.P.T.R.E.S was revealed after the Red Heart criminal enterprise was virtually gone overnight. Pin point strikes on all major resources of the Red Heart were commandeered or eliminated. The command of the unit was transferred over to a formal General who had been forced to retire due to disagreements with his superiors. He took the Sceptre offer up at once once he learned the first operation was to eliminate the Red Heart, the source of the disagreement that forced him from duty. Once the paperwork caught up, the UEE council went public with the Sceptre unit with the Vice Warden at its head. The MPA and other independent factions grudgingly agreed to the necessity of the unit as long as they weren’t there as a political arm of the UEE.

Extraterrestrial crime sharply fell as the Sceptres hit their prime. 5 years from their creation, the symbol of the Sceptres, the royal shield, was the symbol of fear and destruction to crime lords and thugs alike. 75% of Extraterrestrial crime fell. The UEE was able to expand under the protection kept by the Sceptres. Any sovereign entities that fought against the authority of the Sceptres were free to do so, but lost the protection they offered as well. Several were overrun and destroyed by crime syndicates or looted until nothing was left.

FALL OF THE SCEPTRES

As ship technology advanced, so did the ability to patrol boarders with conventional police services. The cost was more practical for the UEE treasury, as well as their proposed policy of corporations hiring their own patrol police. The initial enthusiastic support was gone and the Sceptres were hanging on the edge of losing UEE authority to enforce justice and balance the way they saw fit. Also, survivors of pirate raids were angry at being caught and stopped as Sceptres walked right through UEE red tape to apprehend them. This led to counterfeit claims of unnecessary violence and methods use by the Sceptres. The UEE was forced to make investigations. Nothing came up, but the damage and bad press was already out there.

The Sceptres might had been able to survive if it had’t been for the council’s worst nightmare; a Sceptre gone rogue. Just as the council feared upon their creation, a Sceptre abused the special authority granted to him. Despite all the checking and re-checking, a Sceptre member had a family member as part of a particularly violent crime syndicate. The crime lord of the organization had a contact in the UEE that had snuck the member in from available dossiers and erased the original background information.

The Vice Warden, or leader of the Sceptres, found the deleted information inside of a sabotaged RSI Hermes, forerunner of the modern Drake Herald. He immediately contacted the UEE and his unit with the compromised Sceptre. The Vice Warden and the UEE council members connected with the Sceptre’s ship moments before the same sabotage module that had disabled the Hermes had vented all but one Sceptre inside the ship. The former Sceptre, Cain, opened the comm line to the UEE and Vice Warden. “Sorry it came to this, but I can’t let the Sceptres take down my brother and father. They started the family business. I didn’t want to do this Vice Warden, but I am not going to be the weak link in the family.” “Your family extorts millions from research companies and kidnaps and kill high-value targets for ransom money” the Vice Warden said calmly. “I will come after you personally Cain. How short of work do you think the Sceptres will make of your syndicate?” “Sorry to hear that Vice Warden” Cain said in grim and almost apologetic voice. “I have every Sceptre ship wired to vent at the press of a button. Easy to do when your C.O puts you on maintenance duty one too many times.” “Cain think about this” said the UEE senator on the other line. “We will have no choice but to take your family on head to head with UEE military action if you do this.” Cain cut the UEE comm line to the Council and looked at the Vice Warden. “Damn morons couldn’t find a vacuum in space, let alone my family business. Sorry about this Vice Warden, but family first.” Cain hit the module activation.

UEE council contacted the Vice Warden after the comm exchange with Cain. The situation looked bleak. “We have to send all remaining Scepres Vice Warden. Cain’s family syndicate has destabilized the region to critical levels. If we use the military, some sovereign nations will take drastic actions.” The Vice Warden nodded. “It’s what the Sceptres were created for, but my weakened force and a prepared enemy means this is a suicide mission.” The council cut in, “This is going to be the last mission of the Sceptres. We have to pull authorization as soon as we can. A group operating outside the law has been on the edge of going rogue. If we let Cain or anyone else escape us, we will all be charged as criminals in a civilian court. We’re sorry Vice Warden. You and your predecessors have done an admirable job, but it has to end”. “I’ll head out immediately.” The Vice Warden said somberly, and closed the comm line.

30% of the Sceptres were killed when the atmosphere control in their ships malfunctioned. The rest were in suit or received the Vice Warden’s warning to go ground side in atmosphere in time. A devastating blow to the Sceptres, but not nearly as much as Cain had hoped for. Two days after Cain’s betrayal, the Vice Warden led the Sceptres to the Red Heart Syndicate, a revival of the first one the Sceptres had destroyed. It had turned out that Cain’s father was a Lieutenant for the original Syndicate and had been working for several decades to bring the Sceptres down. The Red Heart was based on a moon this time instead of Mars, and had been expecting the Sceptres to try for some vengeance.

The battle was short and devastating. The Vice Warden decided to engage the enemy fleet himself and his frigate crew, and send the remaining Sceptres planet side to wipe out the Red Heart base of operations. The fleet assembled by the Red Heart was comprised of 5 corvettes and several fighters. After taking severe damage from destroying 4 corvettes, two of which were commanded by Cain’s father and brother, the Vice Warden’s frigate was completely destroyed when he rammed it into the last corvette, commanded by Cain himself. The explosion from the ground was apocalyptic. The Sceptres decimated the panicking Red Heart thugs, who had expected the corvettes to wipe the floor with the small crew ships the Sceptres usually operated out of. The frigate had been a surprise, especially its modified weapons and armor.

NEW SCEPTRES

The threat of a rogue state and continuing resentment from the public due to bad and falsified press forced the council to cut authorization and funding from the Sceptres. They had served their purpose to the UEE, but the council wanted it disbanded.

The new leader of the Sceptres, Vice Warden Harris, disagreed. As the highest ranked Sceptre before the Vice Warden died, he was unanimously supported by the remaining Sceptres to ascend to Vice Warden. He argued that the galaxy would always need a force to keep the balance and peace and justice. A force to operate as they saw fit to keep galactic society from corruption and chaos. He counter offered the council order to disband; the Sceptres would make their own way in the galaxy. They would intervene where they saw fit, as they had been originally assigned to do. This time they would be self funded and use their own equipment; working for profits in place of UEE funding. In exchange, the UEE would ‘look the other way’ where ever they reasonably could.

The council agreed with two stipulations; 1) The head of the Sceptres needed to a new title in order to commemorate the late Vice Warden Abel, and to remember all murdered Sceptres by the Red Heart sabotage. 2) If a rogue Sceptre was discovered, they must be dealt with internally or the council would muster every available black ops division to eliminate every Sceptre.

The Vice Warden Harris thought for a moment. He was proud of the respected title, especially after he saw what his predecessor had done. He saw the merits of separating what the Sceptres were, and what they were about to become. He doubted whether UEE black ops were any match for the Sceptres, but he had no intention to go toe to toe with the UEE. After everything the Sceptres had done and seen, Harris knew the necessity of having an outfit like the Sceptres in the galaxy, despite of how the council felt.

The Vice Warden finally looked up and gave a final salute to the council. “Alright then”, he said dryly with his wry smile, “Let me formally introduce myself as The Chairman, former Vice Warden of the new S.C.E.P.T.E.R.S. We will keep the balance of peace and justice in the galaxy with whatever means we see fit, even if it means we have to keep your power in check. I think we’ll need to change the acronym. As for funding, I think we’ll try… everything…” The Chairman smoothed his uniform. “I suppose I’ll have to trade this for a nice kevlar suit.” He looked up at the grim-faced council. “If you see one of the the royal shields, I suggest you look the other way.” He reached down a turned off the comm. It was time to organize the Scepters into the new syndicate; Security Contractors Ensuring Protected Trades, Exploration and Regional Sovereignty