The National Council

The National Council of the Greater Terran Union is the executive body of the Greater Terran Union. The National Council consists of 21 Marshals, each of whom acts as the head of one of the government's departments. Acting as the head of the state and the National Council is the High Marshal, a first among equals who has special powers that were created to allow the Council to act quicker and more decisively in times of emergency. High Marshals are appointed for twenty-year terms, though this can be shortened or lengthened depending on extraneous circumstances. The National Council is comprised of the following offices:

## Responsibilities of the Marshals

Since the middle of the 23rd century, the following has been the composition of the National Council:

**High Marshal of the Greater Terran Union**

The Office of High Marshal of the Greater Terran Union was fiercely debated during the Terran Constitutional Conventions. While many feared centralisation of power would occur in this office it was established in response to criticism that the Provisional Government's council of Marshals was slow to respond to time-sensitive issues and to weak to lead the gargantuan federal bureaucracy. The office of High Marshal of the Greater Terran Union has special representative duties, is the Union's head of state, the commander-in-chief of all the Union's armed forces, chairs meetings of the National Council and is one of the three Marshals needed to authorise the use of the Sword of Terra.

**Marshal of Agriculture**

The office of Marshal of Agriculture was one of the original National council offices established during the Terran Constitutional Convention. The Marshal of Agriculture is responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture, which traces its legacy to the old Earth Provisional Government Ministry of Agriculture. The primary responsibility of the Marshal and his ministry is ensuring the safety and existence of the Union's food supply. However, additional responsibilities include the regulation and promotion of agriculture, regulation of genetically modified foodstuff, oversight and approval of new agricultural research and methods, subsidising agriculture, regulating farms and other food producers, and overseeing the food supplies in the National Reserve. The ministry works closely with the Ministry of Ecology to prevent the introduction of invasive species and prevent environmental damage as a result of industrial-scale farming.

**Marshal of Air Command**

The office of Marshal of Air Command was one of the original National council offices established during the Terran Constitutional Convention. The Marshal of Air Command is the highest-ranking officer in Air Command - the third branch of the Union's Armed Forces. The Marshall of Air Command maintains the informal title of "Sky Marshall", a nod towards the influences of the 20th Century philosopher and poet Robert Heinlein on the way the GTU came to view the importance of its military and social structure.

Air Command was initially responsible for all spaceborne operations. It was at the direction of the first Sky Marshall, Saotome Ayashi that the Tyrum Warships wrecked in Earth Orbit were studied. Air command would also build Invicta Station, Earths first modern manufacturing and defence battle station which was placed in Solar Orbit. While since greatly reduced in size and authority compared to Land Force Command and Fleet Command, Air Command‘s position as the unit responsible for maintaining the space fortresses and planetary aerospace defense causes it to remain an integral part of the national council and the GTU's government.

**Marshal of Commerce**

The Office of Marshal of Commerce was one of the original National council offices established during the Terran Constitutional Convention. The Marshal of Commerce is responsible for leading the Ministry of Commerce, which traces its legacy to the Provisional Government Ministry of Economic and Commercial Reconstruction. The primary responsibility of the Marshal of Commerce is the promotion of economic growth within the Union. The ministry promotes commerce, regulates industry, designates and regulates trade routes and maintains the Union's wartime-peacetime economic strategies. In later centuries the Ministry worked closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to regulate trade with foreign governments.

**Marshal of Education**

The Office of Marshal of Education was one of the original National council offices established during the Terran Constitutional Convention. The Marshal of Education is responsible for leading the Ministry of Education, which traces it's legacy to the Provisional Government Ministry of Education and Science. The primary responsibility of the Marshal of Education is to ensure the delivery of educational services to the Union's citizenry. The Ministry of Education regulates all aspects of education and runs countless millions of state-run daycares, primary schools, high schools, universities and trade schools. However, the ministry does not have any jurisdiction over military colleges. The Ministry of Education is responsible for reviewing and approving educational curriculums and textbooks, ensuring there is an adequate supply of educational facilities to service a population and ensuring that there are no skill shortages within the Terran population. The ministry works closely with all aspects of Terran society to ensure that educational curriculums are in line with the needs of the state and the private sector.

**Marshal of Fleet Command**

The Office of Marshal of Fleet Command was one of the original National council offices established during the Terran Constitutional Convention. The Marshal of Fleet Commands is the highest-ranking officer in Fleet Command. Modern Fleet Command can be traced back from the previously seaborne Fleet Command (which today is renamed as Maritime Command). Originally, the Marshal of Fleet Command was responsible for Maritime Command but during a military restructuring during the early 23rd century the Marshal of Fleet Command was given control over the modern incarnation of Fleet Command. The Marshal of Fleet Command is one of the three Marshals required to authorise the use of the Sword of Terra. High Marshal's Qing Huang and Connor Lonergan both served as Marshal of Fleet Command prior to serving as High Marshal.

**Marshal of Intelligence**

The office of Marshal of Intelligence was established on the 18th of December, 2224 alongside the creation of the Ministry of Intelligence on the same day. The Marshal of Intelligence is informally known as the "Spymaster". Originally, domestic intelligence was handled by the Ministry of State Security and extra-solar intelligence was the responsibility of Air Commands extra-solar signals intelligence division. However, the discovery of other nearby alien star nations necessitated the creation of a ministry focused on gathering foreign intelligence and conducting covert operations. The primary responsibility of the Ministry of Intelligence is to coordinate and oversee the Union's intelligence agencies and ensure that the National Council is supplied with accurate, reliable and actionable intelligence. The agencies overseen by the Ministry are the following: The Union Office of Intelligence Assessment (OIA), The Union Financial Intelligence Centre (UFIC), The Union Intelligence Service (UIS), The Union Signal Directorate (USD), The Union Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation (UGI) and the Union Reconnaissance Office (URO). The Ministry also has a very close relationship with the Land Force Command's Office of Defense Intelligence and Fleet Command's Information, Signals and Propaganda Division.

**Marshal of Land Force Command**

The Office of Marshal of Land Force Command was one of the original National council offices established during the Terran Constitutional Convention. The Marshal of Land Force Command is the highest-ranking officer in Land Force Command. The Marshal of Land Force Command has two primary missions. Capturing planets, and maintaining control of planets. The Marshal of Land Force Command is one of the three Marshals needed to authorise the use of the Sword of Terra.

**Marshal of the Interior**

The Office of Marshal of the Interior was one of the original National council offices established during the Terran Constitutional Convention. The Marshal of the Interior is responsible for leading the Ministry of the Interior. The Ministry of the Interior is responsible for a wide range of duties including disaster response and prevention, the supervision and oversight of commissariat governments, the regulation of political parties, public administration and running the elections for the national assembly.

**Marshal of the Judiciary**

The Office of Marshal of the Judiciary was one of the original National council offices established during the Terran Constitutional Convention. The Marshal of the Judiciary is responsible for leading the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for overseeing the judicial process, appointing federal judges, drafting legislation, developing legal frameworks, prosecuting federal criminals and sentencing.

**Marshal of the Ministry of Colonization**

The office of Marshal of the Ministry of Colonization was established on the 18th of December, 2224 alongside the creation of the Ministry of Colonization on the same day. The Ministry was formed to replace the former Ministry of Infrastructure, Reconstruction and Resettlement. By the dawn of the 23rd century, this Ministries role had almost been fulfilled and the discovery of extra-solar planets, suitable for colonization caused the National Council to replace it with the newly formed Ministry of Colonization. The old Ministry Infrastructure, Reconstruction and Resettlement was split into the Ministry of Colonization and the Ministry of National Development. The primary responsibility of the Ministry of Colonization is the planning, supporting and oversight of colonies until becoming self-sufficient.

**Marshal of the Ministry of Ecology**

The Office of Marshal of the Ministry of Ecology was one of the original National council offices established during the Terran Constitutional Convention. The Marshal of the Ministry of Ecology is responsible for leading the Ministry of Ecology, which traces it's legacy to the Provisional Government Ministry of Environmental Reconstruction. The primary responsibility of the Marshal of the Ministry of Ecology is ensuring the health and continued survival of the planetary ecosystems on worlds controlled by the Greater Terran Union. The Ministry of Ecology is responsible for maintaining the Union's National Parks, preventing environmental contamination, preserving endangered species of flora and fauna, regulating environmentally damaging industries and preventing the contamination of terrestrial world's water, air or land.

**Marshal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs**

The office of Marshal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was established on the 5th of May 2209, alongside the creation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the same day. The Ministry was formed in response to the discovery of nearby alien nations. The primary responsibility of the Marshal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the implementation of the Union's foreign policy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for formulating foreign policies, decisions, foreign affairs documents and statements. It also negotiates and signs bilateral and multilateral foreign treaties and agreements. The agency also dispatches foreign affairs representatives to alien nations and operates embassies on foreign worlds.

**Marshal of the Ministry of Health and Citizen Services**

The Office of Marshal of the Ministry of Health and Citizen Services was one of the original National council offices established during the Terran Constitutional Convention. The Marshal of the Ministry of Health and Citizen Services is responsible for leading the Ministry of Health and Citizen Services, which was originally called the Ministry of Health and Human Services. The primary responsibility of the Marshal of the Ministry of Health and Citizen Services is ensuring the health and well being of Terran Citizens. The Ministry of Health and Citizen Services is responsible for addressing public health crises, regulating medial products and medical professionals, running state-owned hospitals. Additionally, the Ministry and its Marshal are responsible for administering the Union's vast welfare state. Wide-reaching programs such as old-age pensions, accident insurance, affordable medical care, childcare services and unemployment insurance are all state services administered by the Ministry of Health and Citizen Services.

**Marshal of the Ministry of Human Resource and Citizenship**

The Office of Marshal of the Ministry of Human Resources and Citizenship was one of the original National council offices established during the Terran Constitutional Convention. The Marshal of the Ministry of Human Resources and Citizenship is responsible for leading the Ministry of Human Resources and Citizenship. The primary responsibility of the Marshal of the Ministry of Human Resources and Citizenship is the administration of the vast citizenship tier bureaucracy. The Ministry of Human Resources and Citizenship is the largest Ministry in the Union. It is responsible for assigning and reviewing citizenship tiers, creating national labour policies, standards and regulations and for approving and regulating labour union movements. Additionally, the Ministry is responsible for operating the labour camps where low-tiered citizens, criminals or aliens may be sent to contribute to the Union.

**Marshal of the Ministry of National Development**

The office of Marshal of the Ministry of National Development was established on the 18th of December, 2224 alongside the creation of the Ministry of National Development on the same day. The Ministry was formed to replace the former Ministry of Infrastructure, Reconstruction and Resettlement. The old Ministry Infrastructure, Reconstruction and Resettlement was split into the Ministry of Colonization and the Ministry of National Development. The primary responsibility of the Ministry of National Development is developing and maintaining the civilian infrastructure both on Union planets and in space. The ministry works closely with the Ministry of Colonization and later with Commissariat governments to develop planetary infrastructure. The Ministry is responsible for the Union's fleet of construction ships which are used to construct almost all space-based infrastructure. After the conquest of a new world, the Ministry of National Development is tasked with rebuilding the world into one worthy of the Greater Terran Union.

**Marshal of the Ministry of Natural Resources**

The office of Marshal of the Ministry of Natural Resources was established on the 29th of September 2241, alongside the creation of the Ministry of Natural Resources on the same day. The Ministry was formed in as a result of the growing amount of Terran space and the natural resources within becoming unmanageable for the Ministry of National Development. The Ministry of Natural Resources is responsible for mapping resource deposits, managing and regulating the extraction of space-based natural resources and the operation of state-owned mines and refineries. The Ministry operates a huge fleet of mining and transport ships. Since 2318 the Ministry of Natural Resources has no authority over the natural resources present on habitable worlds, this authority was transferred to the Ministry of Ecology.

**Marshal of the Ministry of Public Enlightenment**

The Office of Marshal of the Ministry of Public Enlightenment was one of the original National council offices established during the Terran Constitutional Convention. The Marshal of the Ministry of Public Enlightenment is responsible for leading the Ministry of Public Enlightenment. The primary responsibility of the Marshal of the Ministry of Public Enlightenment is the regulation and oversight of Terran media - both state and private. The Ministry of Public Enlightenment is responsible for regulating private media and social media organisations, operating state-owned media and regulating what content (whether it be art, media, music, books, movies etc.) can be consumed by each citizenship tier. The Ministry has the power to censor any information it deems to be a threat to public enlightenment.

M**arshal of the Ministry of Science and Technology**

The Office of Marshal of the Ministry of Science and Technology was one of the original National council offices established during the Terran Constitutional Convention. The Marshal of the Ministry of Science and Technology is responsible for leading the Ministry of Science and Technology. The primary responsibility of the Marshal of the Ministry of Science and Technology is to promote the continued scientific development of the Union while regulating dangerous technologies or fields of research. In addition to operating countless state-run research labs and facilities, the Ministry regulates private research companies, evaluates wheather new technologies are ready for public use and regulates which fields of research are forbidden.

**Marshal of the Ministry of State Security**

The Office of Marshal of the Ministry of State Security was one of the original National council offices established during the Terran Constitutional Convention. The Marshal of the Ministry of State Security is responsible for leading the Ministry of State Security. The primary responsibility of the Marshal of the Ministry of State Security is protecting the Terran State from domestic security threats. The Ministry of State Security is responsible for federal policing, federal emergency services, the Union's secret police, anti-terrorism, domestic intelligence, immigration and border controls, cybersecurity, political security, anti-corruption and counter-intelligence operations. It is famously said that no citizenship tier is safe from the watchful eyes of the Ministry of State Security and that any traitors will eventually find themselves in a Ministry of State Security black site.

**Marshal of the Treasury**

The Office of Marshal of Treasury was one of the original National council offices established during the Terran Constitutional Convention. The Marshal of the Treasury is responsible for leading the Ministry of the Treasury. The primary responsibility of the Marshal of the collection of taxes and the allocation of those taxes in the Union's Federal Budget. The Ministry of the Treasury is responsible for the minting of Terran currency, the collection of federal taxes, updating the federal tax code and preparing the National Budget for approval by the National Assembly. Additionally, the Ministry is responsible for the formulation and implementation of the Union's economic policies.