Republic of Beowulf

The Republic of Beowulf was a star nation and a founding member of the Solarian League. It consisted of the Sigma Draconis System and its planets, most importantly Beowulf, one of the first human colonies in outer space.
== History ==
In 1246 PD, scientists on the planet developed the gravitic impeller drive. () Beowulf provided substantially to the aid Old Earth received in the aftermath of the Final War, involving the genetic supermen developed in Ukraine.
In 1922 PD, during the Solarian-Manticoran War, the people of Beowulf decided to secede from the Solarian League. Shortly after, the Solarian League Navy attacked the system unsuccessfully, inadvertently allowing the Mesan Alignment to carry out a major strike against Beowulf's major space stations. ()
== Society and Culture ==
Beowulf society generally had a much more relaxed view towards sexuality than most other societies of the Diaspora. They were regarded with some alarm by the more conservative, and with positive horror by the most conservative; many Beowulfans, like Allison Chou Harrington, took some enjoyment in twitting the more staid. Many of Beowulf's original settlers were of Oriental extraction and had arrived there as part of the earliest colonization efforts to leave Earth. One of the oldest colonies established by humanity, Beowulf had been the source of many colonial expeditions itself throughout its history. ()
For nearly its entire existence, Beowulf was among the most medically advanced – if not the most advanced, planets in the explored galaxy. Its most significant competition at the leading edge of medical research and practice was Old Earth itself, Mesa (founded by a renegade from Beowulf, Leonard Detweiler), and the Star Kingdom of Manticore, which was very 'close' to Beowulf (in transit time, due to the Manticore Wormhole Junction) and benefited therefrom.
Mesa's connection with assorted criminality, especially the genetic slave trade carried on by Manpower Incorporated, was a very long standing cause of conflict between Mesa and Beowulf. Beowulf had led an ethical movement in medical genetics, being primarily responsible for the Beowulf Code and the Cherwell Convention. Its government also maintained a covert, but highly skilled, military organization called the Biological Survey Corps, whose purpose was opposition to the genetic slave trade and to Mesan activities in general. ()
Beowulfans preferred to carry their children to term naturally whenever possible rather than using fetal tubing.
Beowulfans were the ones who came up with the various prolong treatments used to let humans live up to several centuries, assuming no other health problems, by way of telling certain methyl groups in a person's cells to work differently for that span of time. ()
== Government ==
Beowulf's government was a representative elective oligarchy governed by a Board of Directors. ()
In 1922 PD, the Directors were:
* Chyang Benton-Ramirez – Chairman and CEO
* Joshua Pinder-Swun – Secretary of the Board (de facto Vice Chairman and CEO)
* Jukka Longacre – Director of State
* Gabriel Caddell-Markham – Director of Defense
* Fedosei Mikulin – Director at Large/Commissioner of Central Intelligence
* Jacques Chou – Third Director at Large
The legislative branch of the government was divided into the Chamber of Shareholders and the Chamber of Professions. ()
The capital city was Columbia. ()
== Military ==
Beowulf's main military branch was the Beowulf System-Defense Force, whose ships were also manned with Beowulf Marines. (, )
Another branch was the Biological Survey Corps, which officially conducted civilian survey missions, but was in fact a military force created to fight genetic slavery and the slavers of Mesa. ()
== Notable Citizens ==
Beowulf has been the homeworld of several prominent and controversial people, including:
* Allison Chou Harrington
* Leonard Detweiler
* Aurèle Fairmont-Solbakken
* Sean Hamilton-Mitsotakis
* Penelope Mwo-chi
== References ==
Beowulf, Republic of
Beowulf, Republic of
Category:Beowulf
Category:Solarian League Member Nations