Commstar

Commstar (Коммстар) is an ongoing Arvorian science-fiction telescreen programme. Since its first episode aired in early 7676, the show has gone on thus far to produce fourteen seasons and three feature films, as well as books, games, and toys. It is widely considered one of the most popular and influential television series produced within the ADR of all time. Its popularity has even extended into other nations and the programme is currently available in XXX nations, translated into XXX languages.

Synopsis

The history of the series begins in 7963, when humanity built and successfully tested the first FTL-capable ship, the Aurora, by traveling to the Delta Bandum star system, approximately 4.3 light years away, and returning. The test’s success sparked a new era of wanderlust and curiosity in humankind, and the planet began to pool resources in an effort to further exploration of space. Within the next century, Gotha was united under a common government, and over seventy worlds in other star systems had been settled.

As humanity has explored space, they have encountered numerous alien races, some friendly, some less so, and some outright hostile. These include the deeply spiritual Allae, the vivacious Kirid, the militant Laagir, the mercantile Nezeans, and the logic and reason-driven Yali. Many episodes centre around the Commonwealth's interactions with these species, ranging from diplomacy and commerce to tense standoffs and even war. The Commonwealth of Stars was established in the year 8065, when the one hundredth star system is settled. By current date, over 500 systems have been settled by humanity, and over 5,000 had been surveyed. Technology has progressed to enable a vast new range of capabilities, in domestic life, industry, science, and medicine.

The show depicts the adventures of its characters, who are all citizens of the Commonwealth of Stars (Содружество Звезд, colloquially referred to as "Commstar"), an interstellar nation state consisting of over just over 500 systems. Some of the characters are officers and crew of the military arm of Commstar, which is known as "Commforce" (Коммфорс). Throughout the series, the characters interact with their fellow citizens and with alien peoples encountered both during exploration of deep space and in the course of their regular duties.

Story

Each season consists of thirty-two weekly episodes that are one hour in length. The synopsis for every season details only the main storyline.

Season 1

Set in 8288.

Central story

When the show first aired, the story was set in the year 8288, and its first season followed the state of interstellar affairs in the aftermath of the war between the Commonwealth and the militant Laagir Hegemony, which was opposed to "inferior Humans" expanding into territories they claim were theirs. After a three-year conflict in which the Commonwealth fought the Hegemony to a standstill, an uneasy peace has been achieved.

Throughout the season, the main characters comprise a special operations team of eight specialists known as Black-11, led by Subcommander Yuri Bazarov. Answering to Commodore Maji Nyakundi of Commstat (the intelligence agency), they work against a backdrop of cold war tensions between the Commonwealth and the Hegemony, whose highly militaristic society is still recovering after failing to subdue the Human star nation. As Bazarov and his colleagues deal with other matters that arise while continuing the primary mission of Commforce - interstellar exploration - they simultaneously must diffuse various attempts by shadowy interests to rekindle the war between the two powers while working with various agencies and individuals to expand Human diplomacy and outreach. One key success in this period is the conclusion of treaty negotiations with the Yali Dominion, who join in an alliance of mutual defence and trade with the Commonwealth despite (and because of) Laagir interference.

The season ends on a tense note as news comes back to Commonwealth Central that the Laagir leader, Ro'nejal, has been assassinated. His eldest daughter, Arzhuen, has succeeded him as Primarch. Commstat reports shared with the team say that the new leader is extremely close to the more conservative faction of the Laagir government.

Secondary story 1

Black-11 is requested to provide support for a team investigating a strange ruin discovered in the Tanoron system. While there, they are forced to mediate a disagreement between the investigating team and a group of aliens and humans who believe the site is being defiled. The disagreement is defused when an amicable arrangement is made whereby the team can continue to study the ruins, but in a respectful manner, while avoiding offence to the people who consider it a holy site.

Secondary story 2

Black-11 is briefed on recent renewed interest within Commforce to ascertain the fate of the Aurora, a Valour-class destroyer that disappeared in mid-8283 under mysterious circumstances near the Commonwealth border with the Unaffiliated Worlds while on its way to the Sova system. Two full battle squadrons conducted an exhaustive search of the entire sector but turned no leads. After thirty days with no sightings and no contact, Central Command declared the ship missing, presumed lost. A recent report noted a brief ping on Commnet from the ship's transponder near the uninhabited Fest system, but a follow-up search yielded nothing. The team continues monitoring reports on the ship's possible whereabouts.

Season 2

Set in 8289.

Central story

Black-11 is assigned the destroyer Lucrezi Ohura as their mobile base of operations. They perform various missions throughout Occupied Space until word eventually comes that the Laagir have attacked the Yali shipyard at Vinkye, where a variety of sensitive research is carried out. After several tense encounters with Laagir forces Black-11 has amassed a portfolio of evidence suggesting they are preparing for large scale military operations and receive word that the crosslink transmitter, a powerful device that can slice into secure comms networks, was stolen in the Vinkye raid. Tracking it down, Black-11 retrieves the transmitter and an encrypted data card that shows Laagir leadership remains distrustful of Humans but more concerned about suspicions of an "unknown outside power" it believes to be manipulating interstellar events.

Secondary story 1

The team is forced to investigate and take action against piracy in the Ammirani system after intercepting an emergency broadcast from a ship requesting assistance while under attack. Black-11 tracks and monitors several pirate ships and follows them to their base. Backup from the nearest Commforce base helps take the pirates down, nine ships are seized and over 200 people are arrested.

Season 3

Set in 8290.

Central story

Following up on the intel gleaned from the decrypted data card, Black-11 seeks out several of its sources for further information when it learns the Kirid prime minister has fallen mysteriously ill. Suspecting foul play, they are sent to investigate and while pursuing a suspected spy find common purpose with a Laagir agent named Dinaler. The attempted assassination of a senior Kirid official reveals the presence of a member of a xenophobic race that has virtually no contact with the rest of Occupied Space. Following them to their hideout reveals information and equipment suggesting an elaborate conspiracy. Despite being disappointed Bazarov did not trust her with the fact he was working with a Laagir agent, Commodore Nyakundi omits this from her reports to Command and forwards all of the information gleaned to analsts for study. A few weeks later, Black-11 receives word that a Laagir emissary has arrived on New Telepon and wants to see them.

Season 4

Set in 8291.

Central story

Black-11 meets with Gallig, an envoy sent by the Laagir leader. Explaining recent events within Hegemony space, he tells them he came after reading the report of Dinaler, the agent Black-11 co-operated with on the Kirid capital. Having learned of the presence of the xenophobic Mephri there, Laagir leadership opted to quietly share all information it had on them with the Commonwealth and, in a gesture of good faith, has withdrawn most of its naval forces from the border. The team agrees to share anything they learn with the Laagir and sets out to investigate reports of strange activity in a distant star system. Tracking a mysterious signal the team attempts to land when the shuttle is damaged by weapons fire. After finally making an emergency landing and one member of the team being injured, they reach the complex on foot where Bazarov and Morse are captured. They see extensive evidence of a planned, full-scale invasion of known space in the works.

Season 5

Set in 8292.

Central story

Bazarov and Morse are brought to the leaders of the base but refuse to answer any questions. Meanwhile, the remainder of the team successfully makes sufficient repairs to their shuttle to make a return to space. Once back aboard the Ohura they are able to send an emergency signal requesting assistance. While speaking with the commodore of the nearest Commforce station, they learn an invasion alert has gone out from a system on the Yali border and that fleet forces are on the way. A rescue of Bazarov and Morse is likewise planned. Returning to the Habbiri system in strength, marines successfully breach the compound and engage the Mephri. Once the facility is secured, they began gathering information from its databases while they are brought up to speed on what has happened. The system under invasion repelled an attack force with the assistance of the Yali, while nearly simultaneously an attack was launched against a Laagir military base, but it was repelled with considerable losses.

Secondary story 1

While back aboard the Lucrezia Ohura awaiting the arrival of Commodore Havelock's battle squadron, Black-11 reviews recently acquired intelligence reporting a supposed sighting of the destroyer Aurora. A scout ship is sent to the Gnadus system, near where the ship was sighted, but fails to return or report in.

Season 6

Central story

Set in 8293.

The Defence Council meets on New Telepon to discuss recent events with representatives of the Kirid, Nezean, and Yali militaries present. The Mephri conspiracy is discussed and options for better defending against it are discussed but inconclusive due to a lack of more solid information.

Season 14

As of the current season, the series is set in the mid-84th century, in the year 8302.

Cast

Main characters

Since the start of Season 1, there has been a grouping of eight main characters, representing the Black-11 special operations team.

Actor	Character	Rank/title	Position	Nationality
TBD	Yuri Bazarov	Subcommander	Chief officer, Black-11	Arvorian male
TBD	Victor Morse	Professor	Scientific consultant	Hallish male
TBD	Matsuda Kazuko	Lieutenant	Tactical officer	Sokokan male
TBD	Punhe Zediw	Lieutenant	Signals and intelligence officer	Kamuran female
TBD	Emmanuele Stein	Petty Officer	Engineer	TBD female
TBD	Beselot Ikande	Petty Officer	Pilot	Ephesian female
TBD	Andres Sanhueza	Petty Officer		Atregonian male
TBD	TBD			Hellish female

Secondary characters

Secondary characters are regulars on the show, appearing at least once an episode, or several times in some cases, while occasionally being absent for one or more episodes.

Tertiary characters

Tertiary characters are semi-regulars on the show, typically only appearing a few times a season. Most of the behind-the-scenes figures in the story, such as the top political and military leadership, are part of this category.

Actor	Character	Rank/title	Position	Nationality
TBD	Sebastian D'Orville	Admiral	Chief of Planning, Commforce	Hallish male
TBD	Natasi Dala	President of the United People’s Commonwealth		TBD female
TBD	Maji Nyakundi	Commodore	Operations Co-ordinator, Commstat	Negasi female
TBD	Jeremiah Winton	Admiral	Chief-in-Command, Commforce	Hallish male
TBD	Vo Thanh Dao	Doctor	Commonwealth Minister of Outreach	Daothomese male

The UPC

The United People's Commonwealth (UPC) is described commonly among its citizens as a "co-operative socialist republic". It maintains a strong tradition of representative democracy and community engagement intertwined with a focus on the common good. Its nickname, "Commstar", is derived from the preamble of the Common Charter, part of which reads, "this commonwealth of stars united".

Territory

The UPC has, as of the year 8302, just over 300 member worlds spread out across a territory of nearly 8,500 light years. Its population is approximately 485 billion. Its most populous worlds are Gotha, New Cedelphia, Krasny Novoupol, and Nhà Mới. Its capital world is New Telepon, fourth planet in the Belda system.

Commgov

The Commonwealth Civil Government, colloquially referred to as "Commgov", is the apparatus by which the day-to-day functions of state are carried out. At the top of Commgov is the President, elected by all citizens of the Commonwealth to a term of five years, limited to two terms. The current president is Natasi Dala, a retired Commforce commodore.

The President is advised and supported by the Cabinet, a collective executive council consisting of the ministers of outreach, defence, security, works, and services. There are several distinct agencies, bureaus, and offices within the ministries responsible for different tasks and services. The ministers are appointed by the president with the approval of the Praesidium, and serve during the term of the chief executive, until they step down or are dismissed.

Each member star system of the UPC sends one representative to the Praesidium, the legislative council of the star nation. It debates and passes all laws. It also approves appointments to top government and military posts; grants assent to treaties and other formal diplomatic agreements and holds the sole power to declare war. Each representative is known as an MP - Member of the Praesidium (Члены Президиума, чп or CP) and is popularly elected by all citizens of the star system they represent aged 18 and older to a term of five years.

The highest court of judicial review is the Central Court of Justice. It has one chief assessor and nine associate assessors and serves as the court of last resort and determiner of constitutional legality, and also has the sole power to try cases involving the most important matters in the Commonwealth. Each member is appointed by the president with the approval of the Praesidium to a term that shall last no longer than 20 years. They hear appeals on cases that have already worked their way through the hierarchy of courts, and any ruling they hand down on matters brought before them are considered final and binding.

Commforce

The Commonwealth Defence Force, colloquially referred to as "Commforce", is the military arm through which the territory and citizens of Commstar are protected while maintaining the capability to prosecute war against hostile foreign powers. It is led at its pinnacle by the Chief-in-Command (C-in-C), who is the most senior uniformed officer of Commforce, answering to the Premier through the Minister of Defence. The C-in-C acts as head of Central Command, the entity through which military operations are co-ordinated. The current C-in-C is Admiral Jeremiah Winton, and the Deputy C-in-C is Admiral Sebastian D'Orville.

The core of Commforce is its large fleet. It consists of destroyers, frigates, corvettes, and scouts. Destroyers are capable of carrying one or two six-ship squadrons of fast attack craft (FACs), which are capable of acting as high-speed interceptors or pickets for battle squadrons and fleets and conducting planetary strikes. Warships frequently operate independently on a wide range of assignments, but often work together in battle squadrons of nine ships each. As need requires, entire task forces (54 ships) or fleets (216 ships) will assemble in times of war or serious emergency.

Commforce Marines, aside from providing shipboard security and quick ground strike capabilities to the Fleet, also operate dedicated ground units for planetary defence and assault as necessary. These forces operate at several different levels of strength - divisions (17,280 troopers), brigades (4,320 troopers), regiments (1,440 troopers), battalions (720 troopers), companies (240 troopers), platoons (40 troopers), squads (8 troopers), and fire teams (4 troopers). Every warship in Commforce carries a unit of Marines aboard - destroyers four squads, frigates two squads, corvettes and scouts one squad. Marines are known as either Fleet troopers or Ground troopers, depending on their assignment. Specialties among Marines include rifle troopers (infantry), assault troopers, snipers, grenadiers, recon troopers (scouts), gunners, and engineers. Special operations units known as TacOps squads, consisting of 120 personnel each, are deployed for highly-specialised and particularly sensitive assignments.

The uniform of Commforce follows a standardised design, with distinct variations to differentiate officers from non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel. Officers wear collarless tunic and trousers of light khaki brown with a belt of matching colour, a blue-gray shirt with turn-down collar and black leather low-quarter shoes. Non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel wear an overall of light khaki brown with matching belt that has a blue-gray hem running from the belt to the turn-down collar (which is also blue-gray) and black leather low-quarter shoes. Rank insignia is worn as shoulder tabs for officers and as a shoulder patch for non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel. Flag officers have shoulder tabs with gold bars on them, while the bars on a line officers' shoulder tabs are silver. Non-commissioned and enlisted have as few as one or as many as six stripes on their shoulder patches.