Pax Terra

Pax Terra is a set of agreements and treaties by the human governments of the Irin Republic and the Velconum Empire to prevent widespread destruction on their homeworld.
== History ==
Ever since the demise of Atlantis in ancient times, destruction and catastrophe on Earth has been common, but it was only in the later ages (when thermonuclear weapons were developed) that a fear of self-inflicted extinction influenced attitudes towards warfare. In the Age of Communism, the policy of "Mutually-Assured Destruction" was adopted by the global powers which averted nations from firing weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) for fear of retaliation and consequential apocalypse.
After 2715 when exoplanets became a viable alternative for habitation, there was growing sentiment that Earth would be destroyed by the highly advanced and dangerous Atlantean weaponry of the new Irin Republic and Velconum Empire. At the outbreak of the war, representatives from either side decided that humanity would need to respect the sanctity of the homeworld; warfare would be extremely limited planetside, effectively isolating it from WMDs. While the Velconi performed light bombing raids and invasions in the successive wars, they honoured this arrangement as did the Irini. 
The consequences of Pax Terra meant that the Atlantis system was isolated from large-scale fleet engagements, and served as a neutral zone for fleets to regroup and resupply. As an isolated system, traditional warfare did occur on Earth planetside, but was very sparse and inefficient. The war strategy for Irin-Velconi conflicts in the years to come was to cut off the supply lines from the colonies and it became a game of attrition rather than conquest. This led to Earth's relative stability and distance from war, even as the capital of both nations.
== Terms ==
# All actions of humans in war should be to preserve Earth (Atlantis Prime) and her satellite, Luna. 
# No class-III weapon (defined at the time as thermonuclear, biological/virus or chemical) shall be used on Terran soil. 
# The ruins of Atlantis are to be free and accessible to all humans as a right, and shall not be damaged or sabotaged.
# The Sol (Atlantis) system is neutral space for fleets and no human vessel shall fire on another, commercial or military.
# Military action on Earth is permitted, as long as noncombatants and their properties are afforded protection.