The Ruling Council for the 5th Imperial Army of OverWatch

## The Ruling Council

**The Ruling Council for the 5th Imperial Army of OverWatch**, often abbreviated to **the Ruling Council**, is the highest body of the executive government. Members within the council consists of OverWatch's various administrators, both sectorial and the army administrator. The council's primary role is to discuss changes and implementations in the government, military and legislative branch. They have the final say before anything is implemented from the legislative branch.

The Council is divided into two sections - the main body consisting of Council Members, and the Cabinet consisting of the Consuls of the 5th Army's Unions. The Main body is the main link between the executive govermnent and the Joint Staff Commission. The Chairman of the Council has the position of being the Head of the Government.

## History

### Pre-Phase 1

The council was formed after the Era 2 reformations. Grand Administrator Z formed the council and appointed Administrator Y as the Chairman, as well as Administrators X and Constantine as permanent Senior Council Members. Every 8 years, Administrator Y appoints 2 additional junior members and a secretary with the approval from the Grand Administrator. The Council has plenty of roles and says, often coming off as a bureaucratic system. Nevertheless, due to the senate's alignment, many of the new laws are often approved and signed in by the Chairman without any obstruction.

The council comes to decision on warfare: its first declaration of war was in response to the insurrection that occurred in Sector C, which broke out into what is known as the Sector C Civil War. The conflict ended with an OverWatch victory, and as a direct response to ensure another insurrection never happens - the Council approved the Senate's motion of implementing more authoritarian regulations across Sector C's colonies and occupied planets, as well as military bill C-2006.

At some point, the Grand Administrator approved his son, Crest, as Secretary of the Council. It was during this time when Crest began campaigning in secret to stricten trade routes, which reached the attention of the consul of the Union of Commerce, Nobusuke Takaba. It was revealed that Crest, in actuality, wanted to use a hyperlane in private and keep it "off records", this deal was first approached by a Junior Council member named Naibu Owasaka, who was the Supercluster Space Advisor and in practicality the man responsible for advising the Chairman on the 5th Army's expansion across the Supercluster. After the deal was first shot down, Crest himself then presented the opportunity to Takaba himself, what Crest did not take account for was Consul Takaba's honor, he took his job as a public sevant with great pride. No matter the money he was offered, the status he could get from Crest, or the threat of getting Crest's father involved, because Takaba knew that even he would disapprove of this. As a result of going against Crest's wishes, Consul Takaba was faced against the public after news of supposed corrupt dealings with space pirates and mafias had leaked, all seemingly approved and arranged by Consul Takaba. As it is revealed, Crest had forged the entire story after cutting some deals with the consuls of the Union of Justice and Union of the Interior. Contrarily though, Takaba decided not to plead guilty by resigning and possibly facing capital punishment, and instead decided to take Crest to the Universal High Court as the plaintiff against Crest and Takaba's fellow Consuls for fabricating lies and coercing in a grand conspiracy. This ultimately made Takaba a huge liability for Crest, and in the end he was assassinated while on his way to the High Court by a pair of hitmen. All suspicions against Crest were dropped when supposed evidence surfaced that the hitmen were hired by the late Takaba's subordinate, Second Consul Hagana Fuchido.

Before his defection, War had an insider in the Union of Defense - an Under Consul by the name of Tammie Kirsk. War and Tammie were close friends, according to the former, and by the time of his defection, he and the professor had a disagreement over Tammie carrying out the job. However, Tammie took it upon herself to completely nullify War's identity from the databanks of the military. Sometime later, Admiral Hirmus Kirsk - Tammie's first cousin once removed- implied that an insider was arrested by the Internal Affairs Bureau and was went on trial for treason during joint summit between the Ruling Council and the joint staff of Sector C. It is unknown what happened to her since.

### Phase 2

Crest's dealing with the cabinet members of government continued. Towards the build up of the second Resquis raid, Crest's subordinate - commodore Xiang - confirmed of an inquiry, that was having the OWOCI plant evidence to confirm suspicion and justify a second raid. Director of the OWOCI, Jixing Bush, conspired with Crest on this matter, and his actions were seemingly covered by the Union of the Interior's second consul who goes by Mao. A joint summit was called upon by Administrator Y between the ruling council and the joint staff of Sector C, where discussion occurred of a possible civil war brewing, and planning a major attack towards the Resistance Initiative to wipe them out once and for all, that attack would come to be known as Operation: DAY-BREAK.

### Phase 3

The aftermath of Operation: DAY-BREAK was considered to be fairly mixed, but it was nevertheless declared as an OverWatch victory - at the very least an advancement. However, what made the officials doubt the victory was the tragic and sudden death of Administrator X. Administrator Y called an immediate emergency session with the entire Council at the Citadel of Chikara, to discuss the incident and actions that needed to be taken. To fill the vacant spot, Administrator Y assigned the ISC's chairman, Oz Striaton, as an interim senior member until a new Administrator can fill the position, with the passive support of the Grand administrator. It was mentioned that the Council had a joint session with the Joint Staff Commission's Assembly at 0001-A's Capital City at Nexus-Fecta.

The Council and the Cabinet attended the State Address to the OverWatch Union held by the Grand administrator at the Cosmic Senate's Lower Chamber. It is there the Grand Administrator declares war against the Resistance infront of the entire Regime, a decision of which had unanimous approval from the Council and Cabinet members. After the declaration, he formed a new unit to handle the 5th Army's war efforts: which he calls the joint Chiefs of Suppression. In addition to the aftermath of the operation, Marshal Crest was assigned as Overseer of the 5th Army's military, as a result - Administrator Y assigned Crest as a Junior Member, and formally assigning Overseer Crest as the 5th Army's Strategic Commander for the progression of the Second civil war. In the light of another vacancy, Administrator Y appointed Grand Admiral Henrik Reedman as the new Secretary with the approval from Grand administrator Z. It was also mentioned that Grand Admiral Reedman was also appointed as Administrator Y's Intelligence Advisor.

### Phase 4

It's been mentioned that during the two years of the second civil war that the Ruling Council had been slightly reformed to accommodate wartime protocols, such as appointing new Junior Members and Advisors, as well as several budget reallocations, temporarily dissolving smaller agencies and sourcing workers in various fields. As the contingency plan, Operation: FAE-SUBMISSION, was greenlit by the Grand Administrator, a military summit in conjunction with the Ruling Council's Regime Security Advisor - Tager Bechtel, and the Citadel of Chikara's chief of staff - Flint Major, was held by the Grand Administrator himself at the Citadel of Chikara's War Room. Shortly thereafter, an official military debrief was held at 0001-B's Capital City at Nexus-Ohm, held yet again by the Grand Administrator in conjunction with Junior Member Bechtel, and the Military officers assigned to participate in the contingency plan.

## Structure

The the Council has several bodies and sub-divsions, but it is often simplified as two major components. The Main Body is the Council itself, and the sub-divisions are the 5th Army's unions that make up the Council's Cabinet. Each Union are responsible for specific sections of the government - they are the cosmic equivalent of various ministries in parliamentary countries on Earth. All Unions, except for the Union of Defense, are under leadership of 3 consuls. The head takes the title of "Consul of the Union" or "Consul of X", while the "Second Consul of the Union" takes the role of the Conul's lieutenant. Below them are a number of "Vice Consuls" as the the Second Consul's deputies, and then even lower - "Under Consuls" and afterwards "Assistant Consuls". The Council as a whole is led by a Chairman, who is given the rank of Sector Administrator, acting as the head of government.

There are two types of Council Members, Senior Members are permanent members who have the second highest position in the entire regime, just below the Grand Administrator, and have been historically reserved for the Grand Administrator's subordinates, the Administrators of the Three Vital Sectors of the 5th Army. However, one exception was made during the period of Administrator X's demise, where it was decided that Chairman Striaton of the ISC would act as interim permanent member. Senior Council members gets to decide on passing a legislation and advise the Chairman of the Ruling Council on various affairs of the Government and the overall direction of the 5th Army. Below Senior Members are the Junior Members, civilian officers that are nominated by the Chairman, often times it could be a former Union Consul, and are either approved or rejected by the Grand Administrator. Junior members serve a term of 8 years, and have the role of being Regime Advisors for the Chairman and the Grand Administrator, the most senior of which is the Citadel Chief of Staff, a civil officer that's incharge of the daily operations and affairs of the Citadel of Chikara. In general, Council Members have the sole responsibility of advising the Chairman of the Ruling Council, and by extension the Grand Administrator.

A Secretary is also appointed to the Council, which is a position reserved for a uniformed officer of the military, that has the responsibility of being the Council's Sergeant at Arms, and ensuring that the law is being followed among the Consuls. Secretaries may also be appointed as an advisor if the Chairman wishes so, as seen with Grand admiral Henrik Reedman being appointed as the Chairman's Intelligence Advisor.

### Union of Defense

The defense union is the branch responsible for protecting the the 5th Army's space, planets and ensure to nullify all forms of threats that poses against it. It primarily consists of the armed forces and several other agencies, such as the joint chiefs of staff and the OverWatch Recruitment and Enlistment Corps. Not until the second civil war, the union of defense is the largest and most heavily funded branch of the government. The fear of protection started during the aftermath of the sector C civil war, and it was then talks of raising the union of defense's budget began in the executive council. The union of defense is also the second highest in the hierarchy of the council, directly below the main council, and is in fact considered to be the only non-cabinet union. This is mainly due to how important the military plays in the overall governance of the LANIAKEA supercluster - the head of the union holds the title of 'administrator', which further explains the high authority that administrator Constantine has.

### Union of Justice

As the name suggests, the union of justice is incharge of enforcing all laws, administrations of justice and internal affairs. The department operates and manage detention and correctional facilities across the supercluster, such as Facility CHROMA. Correctional inmates are often, and secretly, donated as test subjects for the OWGRO. In spite of its purpose and goal: it's been notorious for corrupt dealings and intentionally making their enforcement methods lax in favor of third parties. Although standing for justice, the union is no stranger to corrupt dealings, one example was one time when the union's consul had approved to forge evidence against fellow consuls in the past under the request of Crest. This effect also trickles down - an assistant consul by the name of Goerim had allegedly made deals with the notorious Triple Kings gang, according to the Fevers' boss.

### Union of the Interior

The union's primary objective regards affairs of the 5th Army's law enforcement, security and counter terrorism. The union primarily is responsible for the Offices of Criminal Investigations. The 5th Army's Internal Service Core is a primary agency of the union, including the Internal Affairs Bureau, Internal Service Force, and the Coalition Prevention agency. Much like its sister department, the Union of Justice, it has a noteriaty for engaging and even enacting corrupt commerce, Crest (a co-founder of the ISC) possess an ordeal amount of connections to forge truths. One instance was Crest collaborating with the OWOCI to forge evidence for an excuse to raid Resquis Academy a second time. All forms of public lands and unoccupied areas of any planets are under protection of the union, among their other responsibilities are trust development for sanctioned systems/planets.

### Union of Labor/Civil Worker's Union

This union ensures efficient working force throughout the 5th Army's colonies and occupied planets. The union evaluates said efficiency, regulates safety laws to ensure protection and safety for workers and distribute wealth via tax money. In simplistic terms, the union of labor is incharge of all labor force in the 5th army. It claims to be a department for opportunities, in reality the most common jobs to find are miners for the various mining colonies, and even more often it wasn't a choice for the citizens of the colony. The union is the parent branch of several smaller companies that operate colonised planets and "enlisting" the natives into working, as well as drafting off world workers, such as the Mining Guild that manages several mineral and oil mines. There's also the Oil Guild, which refines oil into fuel. The Steelworks Guild produce and enrich minerals into various metals and alloys. Mechanical maintenance and janitorial service for federal buildings like Nexus' and prisons are more of the common jobs that the union offers.

### Union of Commerce

The union that ensures economic growth is the union of commerce. Among the task the union has is gathering economic and demographic data for government decision making and develop industrial standards. The department's goals are to create jobs, promote economic growth, encourage sustainable development and ensure fair trade between planets inside the supercluster. The branch's job is to also govern trade routes, interstellar traffic laws and survey hyperlanes to ensure safe interstellar travel. In order to build a strong trade sense, the union is also responsible for representing the 5th Army, and therefore the parent to the OverWatch Diplomatic Unit. The Union of Commerce is also responsible for the production of OverWatch Labelled products. Out of all departments, this union has a notorious history of corruption in public records, however these were forged by none other than Crest as bargaining tool.

### Union of Finance

The department incharge of the 5th Army's treasury for the government is in the hands of this union. It is incharge of the overall economy of the 5th Army, as well as producing the currency and collect tax money, as well as to deal and collect debts. The union is also incharge of allocating the treasury to the multiple welfare and social programs the 5th Army offers. It is the Consul of this union's top responsibility of leading budget conferences with the entire executive council. The Union also controls the banks of the 5th Army - the Bureau of the Intergalactic Bank.

### Union of Agriculture

The union is incharge of developing and executing laws related to farming, forestry, economy for rural colonies and occupied planets, food/ration safety and production and most importantly to end universal hunger. The union of agriculture is the closest executive branch that genuinely aides the citizens and workers alike of the 5th Army, unfortunately it is among the many agencies and social programs defunded for the favor of the military and advancement for the 5th Army's efforts in the ongoing civil war. The union is also primarily involved in the affairs of mineral and livestock preservations on unoccupied planets. Additionally, the union plans out surfaces across the many planets and deem them safe or not for construction social settlements.

### Union of Energy

This union concerns mostly over policies regarding the 5th Army's energy and development of high powered energy. Along with their primary goals, the union is also responsible for nuclear and-or fission related weaponry for defense, safety for use of fission reactors, energy related research and energy production. It is also the union's primary responsibility to handle and maintain the OverWatch V.O.X. system, regularly maintaining the electrical grids and survey all data that the V.O.X. picks up. The OWGRO's secondary income for financial support is from the union.

### Union of Welfare

All social programs and welfare systems are under the responsibility of this union. Apart of their job is to distribute universal income and rations in conjuction with the union of agriculture. Welfare is eligible to law abiding citizens of the 5th Army, although the quality is considered very underwhelming, that it often acts as the reason for why citizens either volunteer for civil or military service, or diving into the criminal world. Citizenship is also handled by the Union of Welfare, handling databanks of registered citizens and distribute their digital passports. The Welfare Union also works with the IAB to inspect suspicious income levels and reports any anomolies. The Union of Welfare is also known to have a security firm much like the ISF's Security Division known as the Joint General Security Company, that provides Security Services for civilian usage. The Union is also said to mange the general welfare of the population, more specifically OverWatch citizens, through the Public Safety Committee - a board that assess the current safety of the population and advise the other Unions, and the Ruling Council, on various measures they could follow, it was the Committee that brought forward the motion to declare war on the Resistance several times. Much like the union of agriculture, the union of welfare suffered greatly from budget allocation as a result of the ongoing civil war, leaving them in poorer qualities.

### Union of Communications

Universal communications are under responsibility of the Union of Communications. Official government statements and universal news are sent directly by the Union, the Cosmic Wide Net is under heavy security by the department, and reports any form of suspicous activity to the Coalition Prevention Agency or Internal Affairs Bureau. Despite assuring some forms of privacy, any form of communication is always being spied by the Union of Communications. The union is also notorious for doctoring information that aligns with the 5th Army's views, as in covering up failures the 5th Army had committed and promote the greatness of the 5th Army, often workign hand-in-hand with the Coalition Prevention.

### Union of Medicine

All healthcare is free for the public and therefore under the responsibility of the Union of Medicine. Its main goal is to protect the health of the many citizens of the 5th Army. Unfortunately, access to said healthcare only exists on occupied planets - part of the negativity of public healthcare is the length of wait time: Sectors C and B suffers greatly from its many colonised planets, pateints often have to wait several weeks just to get an appointment with a doctor.

### Union of Education

Educational institutations, from pre school to university, are in the hands of the union of education. Their primary goal is to aide all forms of educatio, collect data and enforce laws regarding education. In conjunction with the OverWatch Youth Group, the union of education indoctrinates many of the youth with pro-OverWatch information and promotes the OverWatch ideology.

## Members

### Council members

* Administrator Y - Chairman
* Administrator Constantine - Senior member, Administrator of the Armed Forces
* Oz Striaton - Senior member (Interim)
* Crest - Junior member, Overseer the Armed Forces (Strategic Commander for OverWatch Forces of the Second Civil War)
* Flint Major - Junior member, Citadel Chief of Staff
* Tager Bechtel - Junior member, Regime Security Advisor
* Han Jarl - Junior member, Regime Economic Advisor
* Jee Fie - Junior member, Regime Commerce and Trade Advisor
* Naibu Owasaka - Junior member, Supercluster Space Advisor
* Henrik Reedman - Secretary, Intelligence Advisor to the Council's Chairman

### Cabinet members

* Frans Zim - Consul of Justice
* L.M. - Consul of the Interior
* Tago Noboshi - Consul of Labor
* Hashimoto - Consul of Commerce
* B.E. - Consul of Finance
* I.J. - Consul of Energy
* Z.K. - Consul of Welfare
* Mao - Second consul the Interior
* Conan Hollister - Vice consul of Defense
* Arma von Seer - Under consul of Defense
* Goerim - Assistant consul of Justice

### Former members

* Administrator X † *(formerly senior council member)*
* Nobusuke Takaba † *(formerly Consul of Commerce)*
* Hagana Fuchido † *(formerly Second Consul of Commerce)*
* Tammie Kirsk *(formerly an Under Consul of Defense)*