[GZG] Hello List and some ruminations on FTL - fragmentingstellar states

> The Alarishi Empire, for instance, has

DavidB unwisely said:
> Can you explain more about the Alarishi Empire? How did they set

The Alarishi Empire began as a private Portuguese/German company for FTL
research, with heavy EU subsidies. The company did the initial surveys on most
of the star systems which are now owned by the IF and PAU; it also established
a "harbor" at an M star (now called Alarish) along the jump
route from Earth to Arabiya Jadid, and provided premium-priced supplies
to IF and PAU colony ships and freighters. It became independent when the EU
split into the FSE and NSL. The Empire now is a libertarian monarchy which
leases real estate to its sovereignities, which are various colonies,
corporations, families, and
social experiments  operating with a free-market economy. It occupies
various asteroids, moons and artificial habitats around three M stars, and has
a claim to Cibola (which is also claimed by the IF, PAU, UN and
possibly OU, plus some independence-minded colonists who actually live
there). As almost anyone is free to charter a sovereignity, the Empire has
become a haven for mercenaries, scientists, entrepreneurs, agents, political
dissidents, and anyone else who wants to enjoy its unique opportunities.
http://home.quixnet.net/~deboe/