Portfolio: Civilian Defense Force

This portfolio originally appeared in Jump Point 9.1.
“A system’s best defense will always come from its residents.”

Bryce Balewa argued this point for years before becoming a leading proponent for the Civilian Defense Force (CDF), a volunteer militia called upon by the UEE military and Advocacy to provide support during times of crisis. Until the CDF’s creation under the Military Mobilization Initiative (MMI), most local militias and concerned individuals found it so difficult to coordinate security or relief efforts with UEE forces that they didn’t even bother. Instead, they organized their own efforts and frequently argued with Empire forces over jurisdiction and the extent of their rights. Thankfully, the CDF streamlined a way to coordinate support with local forces to provide a faster and more robust response to serious security issues within a system. Whether it’s defending shipping lanes from raids by increasingly aggressive outlaw packs or running relief to those affected by natural disasters, the CDF has quickly proven to be a vital part of system security; and one that Balewa wishes was around when he was still an Advocacy agent in Ferron.

Special Agent-in-Charge (SAC) Bryce Balewa spent over a decade assigned to the Ferron System. He watched as criminal syndicates increased their influence and authority by taking advantage of the system’s crumbling infrastructure, ineffectual local law enforcement, and underfunded Advocacy branch. Knowing that it would take more than just a few arrests to make a difference, he spent his time cultivating leads and earning the trust of well-placed sources able to supply him with valuable intelligence. In 2941, SAC Balewa penned an extensive report outlining the devastating economic and security impacts that would come from the criminal syndicates in Ferron continuing to operate. So, when he heard that the Voiders had plans to establish a base in Ferron to significantly grow their criminal empire, he knew exactly how dire that would be.

SAC Balewa confirmed the rumor with multiple sources and received further details about the Voiders’ plan to overrun a decommissioned Gold Horizon space station. He hurriedly drafted a request for additional forces to protect the out-of-commission space station and sent it up the Advocacy’s chain of command, only for it to be denied as too costly and dangerous. SAC Balewa understood defending the station was vital to long-term system security and would be exceedingly difficult with his current forces based on the strength-of-numbers reports he’d received on the Voiders. He appealed to Ferron’s Section Chief (SC) Jolena Hurley to allow him to coordinate with local militia forces to repel the attack. With Ferron’s local law enforcement severely understaffed and underfunded, the system’s local militias were often a bigger and better equipped option. SC Hurley agreed but noted that current policy required that anyone directly aiding or receiving intelligence from the Advocacy must be vetted and verified through headquarters on Earth. Instead of preparing for the attack and strategizing with his local contacts, SAC Balewa was forced to screen the locals, costing him a huge amount of time, only to receive word that the Voiders were already insystem and the overrun of the space station had begun.

A small Advocacy force led by SAC Balewa raced to the space station. With the attack officially underway, he contacted local law enforcement asking for support but a strategic decoy action by a small Voiders force on the other side of the system had them engaged. Unable to officially organize a response with local militias, SAC Balewa led his small force to the station only to be met with heavy resistance. The Voiders had time to establish a perimeter and override control of the station’s turrets to target the Advocacy. SAC Balewa’s force suffered several casualties before being forced to retreat. Livid at the loss of life and lack of institutional support from the Advocacy on any level, SAC Balewa immediately submitted his letter of resignation and commed his local contacts to see how he could help.

BETTER TOGETHER
Balewa spent the next few months working with local Ferron forces on ways to curb the expanding influence of the Voiders, but it was to little avail. This experience combined with his extensive knowledge of the Advocacy convinced him that a strong and trusted partnership between not only local security forces, the Advocacy, and the Navy, but also skilled individuals, would be the best security option for the system. In 2944, Balewa gave a speech at the Civilian Security Summit on this exact subject and was approached after by Amanda Xiang, a prominent lawyer and militia rights activist. Over drinks in a hotel lobby the two became fast friends. They realized their experience and approaches were different but their ultimate goal the same – keeping systems safe and secure for civilians and commerce. That night they decided to combine forces and the idea of the Civilian Defense Force was born.

Born and raised in Bremen, Amanda Xiang saw firsthand how a strong local militia, like the Bremen Defense Force (BDF), could benefit a system’s security. She joined the BDF while attending university and after graduation dedicated herself to protecting and expanding the rights of militias in Bremen and across the UEE. Prior to meeting Balewa, Xiang’s deep political connections and expertise on militia laws landed her a prominent spot as a security consultant on the Militia Mobilization Initiative (MMI), legislation intended to streamline the sale of military spec ships to civilians. Yet Xiang believed the MMI could be so much more and pushed for the legislation to include a section formalizing a partnership between the Advocacy, Navy, and willing civilian forces. Her years as an active BDF member showed her the issue from the other side. The Advocacy often rebuked offers from the BDF to support their operations or argued over exactly how they could help without interfering in official Advocacy business. Now, with a former Advocacy agent in her corner, she could tap into Balewa’s extensive institutional knowledge to craft such a plan that made sense for both sides.

Together Balewa and Xiang drafted a proposal creating a Civilian Defense Force (CDF) so locals, either independently or as part of a militia, could be quickly deputized as provisional law enforcement officials in times of an emergency. It would not be a standing force, only one called upon when needed the most. Xiang handled the legal hurdles while Balewa shaped it in a way that wouldn’t compromise Advocacy sources or sovereignty. With Xiang solely focused on how militias and civilians could be called upon to help defend their system, Balewa pushed for increasing the CDF’s scope to include assistance for humanitarian causes to attract wider political support. While their proposal quickly found favor among several Senators, it had to pass the Senate Defense Committee before being added to the MMI. Balewa and Xiang were unsure if they had the votes when the committee met to debate the matter and were surprised to see Advocacy Director Thomas Carmody, not one of his deputies, appear to voice the Advocacy’s position. While the transcripts from the closed-door session remained sealed, Director Carmody allegedly expressed several concerns. Sources close to Director Carmody claim he disliked the policy but, with crime rates soaring and the Advocacy budget frozen due to the expensive Vanduul war, he had no other options to help his agents in the field. When the committee agreed to adjust the policy based on his recommendations, the Advocacy officially endorsed it, paving the way for the Civilian Defense Force to be created in January of 2947.

SUPPORT FORCE
After months of intensive planning, the first official comm for help from the Civilian Defense Force came to evacuate people on Tangaroa (Helios II) from areas threatened by sudden and intense volcanic activity. To date, it’s been invoked nearly 50 times to rally civilians to defend shipping lanes in Hadur from attack, deliver foodstuffs to those affected by the Fora famine, and more. Despite many successes, critics of the program claim the vetting process for civilians to join is too lenient and bounty hunters have argued it floods high risk sectors with untrained and unprepared civilians that often make situations worse.

While Balewa and Xiang agree that certain aspects of the CDF can be improved, they remain energized and optimistic about its future. They believe the Empire should rely on more public and private partnerships that get people directly involved in its future. As they see it, the CDF increases civic engagement and has become a beacon of the people’s power to overcome adversity when they work together.

Dieses Portfolio erschien ursprünglich in Jump Point 9.1.
"Die beste Verteidigung eines Systems wird immer von seinen Bewohnern kommen."

Diesen Standpunkt vertrat Bryce Balewa jahrelang, bevor er ein führender Befürworter der Civilian Defense Force (CDF) wurde, einer Freiwilligenmiliz, die vom UEE-Militär und der Advocacy zur Unterstützung in Krisenzeiten herangezogen wird. Bis zur Gründung der CDF im Rahmen der Military Mobilization Initiative (MMI) fanden die meisten lokalen Milizen und besorgten Einzelpersonen es so schwierig, Sicherheits- oder Hilfsmaßnahmen mit den UEE-Kräften zu koordinieren, dass sie sich gar nicht erst die Mühe machten. Stattdessen organisierten sie ihre eigenen Bemühungen und stritten sich häufig mit den Streitkräften des Imperiums über die Zuständigkeit und das Ausmaß ihrer Rechte. Glücklicherweise hat die CDF einen Weg gefunden, die Unterstützung mit den lokalen Streitkräften zu koordinieren, um eine schnellere und robustere Reaktion auf ernsthafte Sicherheitsprobleme innerhalb eines Systems zu ermöglichen. Ob es nun darum geht, die Schifffahrtswege vor Überfällen durch immer aggressivere Verbrecherbanden zu schützen oder den von Naturkatastrophen betroffenen Menschen zu helfen, der CDF hat sich schnell als wichtiger Bestandteil der Systemsicherheit erwiesen.

Special Agent-in-Charge (SAC) Bryce Balewa war über ein Jahrzehnt im Ferron-System tätig. Er musste mit ansehen, wie kriminelle Syndikate ihren Einfluss und ihre Macht ausbauten, indem sie die bröckelnde Infrastruktur des Systems, die ineffektive lokale Strafverfolgung und die unterfinanzierte Advocacy-Abteilung ausnutzten. Da er wusste, dass es mehr als nur ein paar Verhaftungen brauchte, um etwas zu bewirken, verbrachte er seine Zeit damit, Spuren zu verfolgen und das Vertrauen von gut platzierten Quellen zu gewinnen, die ihm wertvolle Informationen liefern konnten. Im Jahr 2941 verfasste SAC Balewa einen ausführlichen Bericht, in dem er die verheerenden wirtschaftlichen und sicherheitspolitischen Auswirkungen darlegte, die sich ergeben würden, wenn die kriminellen Syndikate in Ferron weiter operierten. Als er also hörte, dass die Voiders Pläne hatten, einen Stützpunkt in Ferron zu errichten, um ihr kriminelles Imperium erheblich zu vergrößern, wusste er genau, wie schlimm das sein würde.

SAC Balewa bestätigte das Gerücht mit mehreren Quellen und erhielt weitere Details über den Plan der Voiders, eine stillgelegte Raumstation der Gold Horizon zu überrennen. In aller Eile verfasste er ein Ersuchen um zusätzliche Kräfte zum Schutz der außer Betrieb genommenen Raumstation und schickte es die Befehlskette der Advocacy hinauf, nur um dann als zu kostspielig und gefährlich abgelehnt zu werden. SAC Balewa war sich darüber im Klaren, dass die Verteidigung der Station für die langfristige Sicherheit des Systems von entscheidender Bedeutung war und dass es mit seinen derzeitigen Streitkräften aufgrund der Berichte über die Voider, die er erhalten hatte, außerordentlich schwierig sein würde. Er appellierte an Ferrons Sektionschefin (SC) Jolena Hurley, ihm zu erlauben, den Angriff mit den örtlichen Milizkräften zu koordinieren, um ihn abzuwehren. Da die lokalen Strafverfolgungsbehörden in Ferron personell und finanziell stark unterbesetzt sind, sind die lokalen Milizen des Systems oft eine größere und besser ausgestattete Option. SC Hurley stimmte dem zu, wies aber darauf hin, dass die derzeitige Politik vorschreibt, dass jeder, der der Advocacy direkt hilft oder Informationen von ihr erhält, vom Hauptquartier auf der Erde überprüft und verifiziert werden muss. Anstatt sich auf den Angriff vorzubereiten und mit seinen lokalen Kontakten eine Strategie zu entwickeln, war SAC Balewa gezwungen, die Einheimischen zu überprüfen, was ihn sehr viel Zeit kostete, bis er die Nachricht erhielt, dass die Voider bereits im System waren und die Raumstation überrannt hatten.

Eine kleine Advocacy-Truppe unter der Führung von SAC Balewa eilte zur Raumstation. Als der Angriff offiziell im Gange war, kontaktierte er die örtlichen Strafverfolgungsbehörden und bat sie um Unterstützung, aber durch eine strategische Köderaktion einer kleinen Voider-Truppe auf der anderen Seite des Systems wurden sie eingeschaltet. Da er nicht in der Lage war, mit den örtlichen Milizen eine offizielle Reaktion zu organisieren, führte SAC Balewa seine kleine Truppe zur Station, wo er auf heftigen Widerstand stieß. Die Voider hatten Zeit, die Station zu umzingeln und die Kontrolle über die Geschütztürme der Station zu übernehmen, um die Advocacy zu beschießen. SAC Balewas Truppe erlitt mehrere Verluste, bevor sie gezwungen war, sich zurückzuziehen. SAC Balewa war wütend über den Verlust von Menschenleben und den Mangel an institutioneller Unterstützung seitens der Advocacy. Er reichte sofort sein Rücktrittsgesuch ein und kontaktierte seine lokalen Kontakte, um zu sehen, wie er helfen konnte.

GEMEINSAM BESSER
Balewa verbrachte die nächsten Monate damit, gemeinsam mit den lokalen Ferron-Kräften nach Wegen zu suchen, um den wachsenden Einfluss der Voiders einzudämmen, aber es war wenig erfolgreich. Diese Erfahrung in Verbindung mit seinen umfassenden Kenntnissen über die Advocacy überzeugte ihn davon, dass eine starke und vertrauensvolle Partnerschaft zwischen den lokalen Sicherheitskräften, der Advocacy und der Marine, aber auch qualifizierten Einzelpersonen, die beste Sicherheitsoption für das System sein würde. Im Jahr 2944 hielt Balewa auf dem Civilian Security Summit eine Rede zu genau diesem Thema und wurde danach von Amanda Xiang, einer prominenten Anwältin und Aktivistin für die Rechte der Miliz, angesprochen. Bei einem Drink in einer Hotellobby wurden die beiden schnell Freunde. Sie stellten fest, dass ihre Erfahrungen und Herangehensweisen unterschiedlich waren, aber ihr ultimatives Ziel dasselbe war - die Sicherheit der Systeme für Zivilisten und den Handel zu gewährleisten. In dieser Nacht beschlossen sie, ihre Kräfte zu bündeln und die Idee der Civilian Defense Force war geboren.

Amanda Xiang, die in Bremen geboren und aufgewachsen ist, hat aus erster Hand erfahren, wie eine starke lokale Miliz, wie die Bremen Defense Force (BDF), die Sicherheit eines Systems verbessern kann. Sie trat der BDF während ihres Studiums bei und setzte sich nach ihrem Abschluss für den Schutz und die Ausweitung der Rechte von Milizen in Bremen und in der gesamten UEE ein. Bevor sie Balewa kennenlernte, verschafften Xiangs gute politische Verbindungen und ihr Fachwissen über Milizgesetze ihr einen prominenten Platz als Sicherheitsberaterin für die Militia Mobilization Initiative (MMI), ein Gesetz, das den Verkauf von militärischen Spezialschiffen an Zivilisten vereinfachen sollte. Xiang glaubte jedoch, dass die MMI so viel mehr sein könnte und drängte darauf, dass die Gesetzgebung einen Abschnitt enthält, der eine Partnerschaft zwischen der Advocacy, der Navy und willigen zivilen Kräften formalisiert. In ihren Jahren als aktives BDF-Mitglied lernte sie das Thema von der anderen Seite kennen. Die Advocacy lehnte Angebote der BDF zur Unterstützung ihrer Operationen oft ab oder stritt darüber, wie genau sie helfen könnten, ohne sich in die offiziellen Geschäfte der Advocacy einzumischen. Jetzt, da sie einen ehemaligen Vertreter der Advocacy in ihrer Ecke hatte, konnte sie Balewas umfangreiches institutionelles Wissen nutzen, um einen solchen Plan auszuarbeiten, der für beide Seiten sinnvoll war.

Gemeinsam entwarfen Balewa und Xiang einen Vorschlag zur Schaffung einer zivilen Verteidigungstruppe (Civilian Defense Force, CDF), so dass Einheimische, entweder unabhängig oder als Teil einer Miliz, in Notfällen schnell als provisorische Ordnungshüter eingesetzt werden könnten. Es würde sich dabei nicht um eine ständige Truppe handeln, sondern nur um eine, die im äußersten Notfall eingesetzt wird. Xiang kümmerte sich um die rechtlichen Hürden, während Balewa das Projekt so gestaltete, dass die Quellen der Advocacy und die Souveränität nicht gefährdet wurden. Während Xiang sich ausschließlich darauf konzentrierte, wie Milizen und Zivilisten zur Verteidigung ihres Systems herangezogen werden könnten, drängte Balewa darauf, den Anwendungsbereich des CDF auf die Unterstützung humanitärer Zwecke auszuweiten, um eine breitere politische Unterstützung zu gewinnen. Ihr Vorschlag fand zwar schnell Anklang bei mehreren Senatoren, musste aber erst den Verteidigungsausschuss des Senats passieren, bevor er in das MMI aufgenommen wurde. Balewa und Xiang waren sich nicht sicher, ob sie die nötigen Stimmen hatten, als der Ausschuss zusammentrat, um die Angelegenheit zu debattieren, und waren überrascht, dass der Direktor der Advocacy, Thomas Carmody, und nicht einer seiner Stellvertreter erschien, um die Position der Advocacy zu vertreten. Während die Protokolle der geschlossenen Sitzung versiegelt blieben, soll Direktor Carmody mehrere Bedenken geäußert haben. Quellen, die Direktor Carmody nahe stehen, behaupten, dass ihm die Politik nicht gefiel, aber angesichts der steigenden Kriminalitätsrate und des aufgrund des teuren Vanduul-Krieges eingefrorenen Budgets der Advocacy hatte er keine anderen Möglichkeiten, seinen Agenten vor Ort zu helfen. Als das Komitee zustimmte, die Politik auf der Grundlage seiner Empfehlungen anzupassen, stimmte das Advocacy offiziell zu und ebnete damit den Weg für die Gründung der zivilen Verteidigungskräfte im Januar 2947.

UNTERSTÜTZUNGSKRAFT
Nach Monaten intensiver Planung kam der erste offizielle Hilferuf an die Civilian Defense Force, um die Menschen auf Tangaroa (Helios II) aus Gebieten zu evakuieren, die von plötzlicher und intensiver vulkanischer Aktivität bedroht waren. Bis heute wurde die Zivilschutztruppe fast 50 Mal gerufen, um Zivilisten zur Verteidigung der Schifffahrtswege auf Hadur gegen Angriffe zu mobilisieren, Lebensmittel an die von der Hungersnot auf Fora Betroffenen zu liefern und vieles mehr. Trotz der vielen Erfolge behaupten Kritiker des Programms, dass der Überprüfungsprozess für die Teilnahme von Zivilisten zu lasch ist und dass Kopfgeldjäger argumentieren, dass dadurch Hochrisikosektoren mit untrainierten und unvorbereiteten Zivilisten überschwemmt werden, die die Situation oft noch verschlimmern.

Balewa und Xiang sind sich zwar einig, dass bestimmte Aspekte des CDF verbessert werden können, aber sie sehen die Zukunft des CDF nach wie vor optimistisch. Sie glauben, dass das Imperium auf mehr öffentliche und private Partnerschaften setzen sollte, die die Menschen direkt in seine Zukunft einbeziehen. Ihrer Meinung nach stärkt der CDF das bürgerliche Engagement und ist zu einem Leuchtturm für die Kraft der Menschen geworden, die Widrigkeiten zu überwinden, wenn sie zusammenarbeiten.

This portfolio originally appeared in Jump Point 9.1.
“A system’s best defense will always come from its residents.”

Bryce Balewa argued this point for years before becoming a leading proponent for the Civilian Defense Force (CDF), a volunteer militia called upon by the UEE military and Advocacy to provide support during times of crisis. Until the CDF’s creation under the Military Mobilization Initiative (MMI), most local militias and concerned individuals found it so difficult to coordinate security or relief efforts with UEE forces that they didn’t even bother. Instead, they organized their own efforts and frequently argued with Empire forces over jurisdiction and the extent of their rights. Thankfully, the CDF streamlined a way to coordinate support with local forces to provide a faster and more robust response to serious security issues within a system. Whether it’s defending shipping lanes from raids by increasingly aggressive outlaw packs or running relief to those affected by natural disasters, the CDF has quickly proven to be a vital part of system security; and one that Balewa wishes was around when he was still an Advocacy agent in Ferron.

Special Agent-in-Charge (SAC) Bryce Balewa spent over a decade assigned to the Ferron System. He watched as criminal syndicates increased their influence and authority by taking advantage of the system’s crumbling infrastructure, ineffectual local law enforcement, and underfunded Advocacy branch. Knowing that it would take more than just a few arrests to make a difference, he spent his time cultivating leads and earning the trust of well-placed sources able to supply him with valuable intelligence. In 2941, SAC Balewa penned an extensive report outlining the devastating economic and security impacts that would come from the criminal syndicates in Ferron continuing to operate. So, when he heard that the Voiders had plans to establish a base in Ferron to significantly grow their criminal empire, he knew exactly how dire that would be.

SAC Balewa confirmed the rumor with multiple sources and received further details about the Voiders’ plan to overrun a decommissioned Gold Horizon space station. He hurriedly drafted a request for additional forces to protect the out-of-commission space station and sent it up the Advocacy’s chain of command, only for it to be denied as too costly and dangerous. SAC Balewa understood defending the station was vital to long-term system security and would be exceedingly difficult with his current forces based on the strength-of-numbers reports he’d received on the Voiders. He appealed to Ferron’s Section Chief (SC) Jolena Hurley to allow him to coordinate with local militia forces to repel the attack. With Ferron’s local law enforcement severely understaffed and underfunded, the system’s local militias were often a bigger and better equipped option. SC Hurley agreed but noted that current policy required that anyone directly aiding or receiving intelligence from the Advocacy must be vetted and verified through headquarters on Earth. Instead of preparing for the attack and strategizing with his local contacts, SAC Balewa was forced to screen the locals, costing him a huge amount of time, only to receive word that the Voiders were already insystem and the overrun of the space station had begun.

A small Advocacy force led by SAC Balewa raced to the space station. With the attack officially underway, he contacted local law enforcement asking for support but a strategic decoy action by a small Voiders force on the other side of the system had them engaged. Unable to officially organize a response with local militias, SAC Balewa led his small force to the station only to be met with heavy resistance. The Voiders had time to establish a perimeter and override control of the station’s turrets to target the Advocacy. SAC Balewa’s force suffered several casualties before being forced to retreat. Livid at the loss of life and lack of institutional support from the Advocacy on any level, SAC Balewa immediately submitted his letter of resignation and commed his local contacts to see how he could help.

BETTER TOGETHER
Balewa spent the next few months working with local Ferron forces on ways to curb the expanding influence of the Voiders, but it was to little avail. This experience combined with his extensive knowledge of the Advocacy convinced him that a strong and trusted partnership between not only local security forces, the Advocacy, and the Navy, but also skilled individuals, would be the best security option for the system. In 2944, Balewa gave a speech at the Civilian Security Summit on this exact subject and was approached after by Amanda Xiang, a prominent lawyer and militia rights activist. Over drinks in a hotel lobby the two became fast friends. They realized their experience and approaches were different but their ultimate goal the same – keeping systems safe and secure for civilians and commerce. That night they decided to combine forces and the idea of the Civilian Defense Force was born.

Born and raised in Bremen, Amanda Xiang saw firsthand how a strong local militia, like the Bremen Defense Force (BDF), could benefit a system’s security. She joined the BDF while attending university and after graduation dedicated herself to protecting and expanding the rights of militias in Bremen and across the UEE. Prior to meeting Balewa, Xiang’s deep political connections and expertise on militia laws landed her a prominent spot as a security consultant on the Militia Mobilization Initiative (MMI), legislation intended to streamline the sale of military spec ships to civilians. Yet Xiang believed the MMI could be so much more and pushed for the legislation to include a section formalizing a partnership between the Advocacy, Navy, and willing civilian forces. Her years as an active BDF member showed her the issue from the other side. The Advocacy often rebuked offers from the BDF to support their operations or argued over exactly how they could help without interfering in official Advocacy business. Now, with a former Advocacy agent in her corner, she could tap into Balewa’s extensive institutional knowledge to craft such a plan that made sense for both sides.

Together Balewa and Xiang drafted a proposal creating a Civilian Defense Force (CDF) so locals, either independently or as part of a militia, could be quickly deputized as provisional law enforcement officials in times of an emergency. It would not be a standing force, only one called upon when needed the most. Xiang handled the legal hurdles while Balewa shaped it in a way that wouldn’t compromise Advocacy sources or sovereignty. With Xiang solely focused on how militias and civilians could be called upon to help defend their system, Balewa pushed for increasing the CDF’s scope to include assistance for humanitarian causes to attract wider political support. While their proposal quickly found favor among several Senators, it had to pass the Senate Defense Committee before being added to the MMI. Balewa and Xiang were unsure if they had the votes when the committee met to debate the matter and were surprised to see Advocacy Director Thomas Carmody, not one of his deputies, appear to voice the Advocacy’s position. While the transcripts from the closed-door session remained sealed, Director Carmody allegedly expressed several concerns. Sources close to Director Carmody claim he disliked the policy but, with crime rates soaring and the Advocacy budget frozen due to the expensive Vanduul war, he had no other options to help his agents in the field. When the committee agreed to adjust the policy based on his recommendations, the Advocacy officially endorsed it, paving the way for the Civilian Defense Force to be created in January of 2947.

SUPPORT FORCE
After months of intensive planning, the first official comm for help from the Civilian Defense Force came to evacuate people on Tangaroa (Helios II) from areas threatened by sudden and intense volcanic activity. To date, it’s been invoked nearly 50 times to rally civilians to defend shipping lanes in Hadur from attack, deliver foodstuffs to those affected by the Fora famine, and more. Despite many successes, critics of the program claim the vetting process for civilians to join is too lenient and bounty hunters have argued it floods high risk sectors with untrained and unprepared civilians that often make situations worse.

While Balewa and Xiang agree that certain aspects of the CDF can be improved, they remain energized and optimistic about its future. They believe the Empire should rely on more public and private partnerships that get people directly involved in its future. As they see it, the CDF increases civic engagement and has become a beacon of the people’s power to overcome adversity when they work together.