The ComStar Holdouts

The ComStar Holdouts are a collection of systems scattered throughout the Periphery, hidden from the powers of the Inner Sphere. This was done by a ultra-secret cabal inside ComStar known as the Eye of Providence that foresaw the time when the Houses would turn against the organization, and ComStar would need to go into hiding to preserve the knowledge that mankind would need to progress.

These worlds are only known to the Eye and have been meticulously removed from the navigational charts and histories of the Inner Sphere. A portion of these systems predate ComStar and are from Star League's own secret programs or the Terran Hegemony's. These systems had been mostly forgotten about even by a majority of ComStar, but with the events of Grey Monday, they have become a refuge for those fleeing the now hostile Inner Sphere and Clans.

## History

The Eye of Providence was formed in 2788 shortly after the seizing of Earth. When a small group of officers, administrators, analysts, and field agents saw the reaction and fear of the great houses, there was concern that one day, they would all turn on the newly formed agency. When these concerns fell on deaf ears, secret plans were then started.

Using their resources, the Eye would secretly erase systems from archives, shift funds, move trustworthy personnel to key locations. All in preparation for when they would need to hide from the wrath of the Inner Sphere. Over the course of the 1st Succession War, whenever possible, 'losses' amongst the houses would make their way to an Eye facility instead. Whatever Comstar knew, the Eye would know as well.

The organization would mainly stay out of the way, not wanting to interfere or risk becoming a target of ROM or get mixed up in the rivalries with any of the other factions within Comstar. As a result, the cabal went unnoticed during the next few centuries, staying true to it's mission of preparing for the inevitable.

The Eye of Providence would use the Explorer Corps to locate deep periphery bases and make bases and safe houses within the Inner Sphere and Periphery. It would use agents to follow up on leads to forgotten SLDF locations and lost colonies that it could use. Occasionally marking some for other agents to remove from records after the Eye had made their own record of the system.

It wasn't until the Battle of Tukayyid when plans started accelerating. When the Houses saw the force that Comstar was able to bring to bear, it unnerved them. The additional unpleasantness of the Schism, in which the Word of Blake made itself known and seized Terra from Comstar added to those fears. With these events, the cabal increased its plans to start moving supplies and personnel to their facilities. Efforts to begin erasing records and references to these hidden systems began. When it became clear that some of this information may have fallen or been exposed to Word of Blake agents, a clandestine operation to remove those agents began.

The fighting of the Jihad provided cover for most of the Eye's activity, with any deaths caused by them easily being blamed on one side or the other. However when the HPG network went down on what would be know as Grey Monday, and the Republic of the Sphere began to aggressively hunt and absorb Comstar, that is when the Eye would start to implement their plan and begin to move what units and personnel that could be trusted to these safely hidden systems. (See *Operation: Vargavinter*)

## Government

The Eye is organized into several tiers that help the organization function and keep the systems working together. The highest tier is known only as the OS Council. This is a secret council that meets to decide what resources should be acquired, how, and what means should be used. They decide the over all course that the cabal takes in its actions. It is unknown to any but other members of the Council exactly what their numbers are. Each member has a unique identifier corresponding to a mythological figure.

The next level down would be their secret agency, aptly named RAM, after the computer term for Random Access Memory. This was used since RAM agents are recruited from all parts of Comstar and can be activated at any time, for what outside observers would see as random reasons, but when put together with the larger picture, the reasoning becomes clear.

Each system has in place a Precentor in charge of the local ComStar presence. This Precentor acts in the best interests of ComStar, but in the system and the population inhabiting it as well. The System Precentors are given much freedom to do what is in their best judgement, since communication is difficult with at best. (See *ComStar Holdout Systems*)

Independent of all of these are the couriers. In the absence of a working HPG network, using ships to relay messages is now the only reliable means of communicating. The couriers are a fleet of ships that are dedicated to that purpose. They are given whatever resources that can be spared and only a member of the OS Council can give orders to a courier ship that contradicts its mission to deliver communications along its route.

## Politics

Historically, it has held with the idea that Comstar was meant to serve not only to guarantee that mankind would have the basic ability to communicate despite the politics of the Houses, but that knowledge should be saved and curated so as to not be lost for future generations. That advances in technology must be persevered at all costs so that mankind can continue advancing into the galaxy.

This has also shaped their policy with regards to sharing the knowledge and tech that they already have. Keeping it from those that would abuse it or use it for war has been a priority. The fear that the secrets they have falling into the hands of someone like the Master are prominent, and they have taken steps to make sure to prevent that.

The Holdout Worlds are also currently in a hyper-vigilant state considering the presence of Word of Blake has been detected on some Deep Periphery worlds and the with aggressively rapid expansion of the Scorpion Empire.

## Military

Officially, since ComStar doesn't exist as an entity to the Inner Sphere powers, these worlds have no military other than planetary defense forces or mercenaries. However, unofficially, most of these forces are made of "former" ComGuards turned private contractors. The ComStar Holdout worlds often use ComGuards units that have been thoroughly vetted by ROM to be free of any Blakists (or other infiltrators) for their defense. While their numbers might be more diminished that during the Jihad, they are still a formidable force to contend with. (See *Former ComGuard Private Contractors*)

## Economy

As a whole, the Holdout systems are isolationist. The only trade that occurs is usually between other ComStar systems and is limited. However, Precentors do have the leeway to trade with local systems as long as it can be done with drawing attention to the organization or there is no danger of the system contacting an Inner Sphere power and drawing their attention.

In a recent development, the OS Council has begun plans regarding possible trade missions to the New Suns Republic. However this is being carefully considered and more reconnaissance is needed considering the advanced technology of this state and its relations to the Inner Sphere are unknown.

## Society and Culture

Much of life on the ComStar Holdout worlds is vastly different that of the Inner Sphere. Each world uses the technology is has to become more self sufficient while trying to advance that tech in a way that becomes more sustainable and easier to maintain and understand. Every citizen knows that they is no going back to the Inner Sphere and that they must make their lives work out in the far reaches of space.

As a result of this, gone are the religious trappings the order used to put on. Instead each system's society pulls great emphasis on preserving knowledge. Libraries and schools are usually among the first things built and where most of the resources flow towards. Cross training and being knowledgeable in various subjects is seen as just as valuable as being a specialist in a single subject. This as led to a generation of ComStar citizens being extremely adaptable and skilled in a wide variety of trades and fields.

The average ComStar citizen grows up knowing that the rest of the universe fears them for their past. The history of ComStar interventions, interdictions, and manipulations is not kept from students. It is with this knowledge that they understand why the Holdout systems must be kept secret and hidden. Each citizen knows that while the intention made have been good, the impact and means that ComStar leaders used in the past to achieve its goals were not. They all operate with that belief that in time, they can serve the true purpose that Jerome Blake set forth, to preserve the information that mankind would need to advance and better themselves.