The United Socialist States of Vodkaslavia

Flag

The **United Socialist States of Vodkaslavia** (**USSV**), commonly referred to by its shortened name **Vodkaslavia**, is a Constitutional Dictatorship in Sector 2C of the Steam Islands Galaxy. It is comprised of 135 systems, encompassing 229 stellar bodies and approximately 1,652 planetary bodies, as well as several million smaller bodies across each system.

As of current knowledge, Vodkaslavia does no directly border any other Nation.

The United Socialist States of Vodkaslavia is a highly developed nation in the *Faster Than Light* Tech-Level category. It ranks highly in several socioeconomic categories, including Human Development, Average Wage, Education, Productivity per Person, and GDP. Vodkaslavia’s economy is considered Post-Industrial, although more than half the Districts of Vodkaslavia still boast a high amount of Industry.

The Nation is one of the oldest in the Modern Galaxy, with exact origins being unknown due to data lost with time.

## **Etymology**

The Term “Vodkaslavia” was derived from its home islands of Vodshkavia. The Nation started out as the *United Islands of Vodshkavia*, but due to a spelling error in the constitution, was actually called the *United Islands of Vodkavia*.

In its Second Constitution, the nation was formally renamed to *the United Islands of Vodkaslavia*. This was the first written record of Vodkaslavia as an official name.

In its Third Constitution, the nation received its title of United Socialist States due to the differences between the state economic zones. Vodkaslavia was from thenceforth *the United Socialist States of Vodkaslavia*.

During the time of Olsteam's rule, the location was simply called the Vodka District. After the collapse of Olsteam, the nation retook its name of the United Socialist States of Vodkaslavia.

A citizen of Vodkaslavia is called a **Vodkaslavian**. “USSV” and “Vodkaslavian” also refer to the nation adjectively.

### **First Interstellar Colony**

Vodkaslavia developed its first interstellar colony in 11,045 on Wheatstone in the Voydics system approximately 3.75 light years away. The vessel had taken 125 years to travel, using conventional sub-light engines. During the latter period of this time, faster engines were made that allowed for travel in 90 years. While the colony was underway and building up, the nation looked to advancing its travel time further. New engines were eventually designed that could take the time in 61 years, though further advancements were not possible without breaking into the theory of relativity and all that when going relativistic speeds.

The first fifteen years of Wheatstone's existence, the colony struggled. With no immediate access to the home planet, they were unable to get many supplies they desperately needed, approximately 53% of the initial population died due to diseases that had developed on the planet. Also, upon landing, some of their equipment had gotten severely damaged, rendering it inoperable for several months to years before it could be fixed, making progression of the colony slow to a crawl. When the first shipment of machine components, having been sent before the colony was even established, arrived, they were able to repair and replace much of what was unfixable. With the added citizens from the ship, many of whom were scientists and educators, and the new parts, the colony was able to make progress. The colony would thrive for eighty-two years.

### **Olsteam Arrives**

The excerpt below is from *On the Account of Olsteam's Arrival*, this is a first-hand account by Winston Dollinov of the Wheatstone's Space Traffic Control.

"The day started out fine. I had the early morning shift, operating traffic control for incoming vessels. The first that arrived, the *Dominia*, had brought much needed medical equipment. Two more, one carrying various electrical equipment and the other animals in cryostasis, arrived before my shift my was up. I had gone home, and I immediately went to bed.

"I was out for maybe three hours before the alarm on my phone started blaring and I rushed back to the control center. Several vessels, at least fifty or so, all entered around the same time, but from a different direction from the usual shipments. We had no idea what was going on, but we called them up, and they responded in a language no one knew. [...] We scrambled fighters, it was all we had, and sent them into orbit to wait. We weren't sure what to expect. [...] These ships were massive on the radar.

"The chaos started at about 7:30 that day. The unknown vessels arrived in the planet's gravity well and immediately open fired. They shot down maybe twelve of our fighters before the others abandoned and landed on the planet. It was new tech, but we ended up having to use our orbital cannons. We destroyed one of their vessels. Only one. [...] The fighting ended about 8:40-ish. They landed a single ship right in the town square. Troops got out, some looking similar to us, some looking like aliens we've never even thought of.

"I'd say we had exchanged hands by nine that night. We sent emergency messages to [Vodkayomics]. High volume [...] so any ship also in transit could hear and would know something happened. If all we got was a response, we wouldn't know for seven and half years. If we got a fleet, we'd see them in sixty-five years. We weren't sure if this was a one and done, or just a force conquering everything in their path. We only hoped it wouldn't change our lives too much."

Five days after the transmission of Wheatstone's emergency message, Olsteamian vessels arrived in the Vosha system. Fighting lasted for several hours, Vodkayomics having more military ships than Wheatstone. The planet fell around 1:00 AM, a message being sent from them to Wheatstone in the same manner, alerting them that they have been captured by unknown forces.

### **Olsteamian Rule**

The two Vodkaslavian systems would be included into the 2C Sector of Olsteam in the year 11,106 BCGT [16,408 OGST]. The systems would be integrated pretty easily, them being the only inhabited planets for quite a few systems. They'd be given FTL travel, allowing the two systems to more efficiently interact. With the lack of nearby inhabited systems, the two would remain the same for several decades, eventually expanding to some of the nearby open planets, letting them expand the Vodkaslavian culture. With no nearby others to try to converge cultures, the Vodkaslavian culture would remain basically untouched save for some small quirks near the spaceports from merchant vessels.

The Hypernet Link to Vosha was built in the neighboring system of Oberon. Very few Vodkaslavians ever traveled through it, the gate being more for Merchants and the military. With the more centralized location of the Vosha System, the capital of the state would be moved there in 11,583 B.C.

## **Education**

Vodkaslavia requires all citizens to attend schooling starting at the elementary level and attend all the way up until graduation of high school.

While the Federal Government does spend part of its budget on education, a majority of the educational funding is left up to the states and districts, and in some areas even the planets themselves. The Federal Government’s budget mainly goes towards establishing new schools or rebuilding/refurbishing older ones.

Almost every municipality has a community college and many also have a technical college. Every planet has at least two universities on it (though typically more). Fringe systems tend to have the least amount of universities, them being the ones with only two. Only the newest colonies have less than two, though they tend to be on the list to get to the minimum.

Of the universities, approximately 68% are public universities (state-funded), the remaining 32% being private universities (company-funded / privately-owned).

## **Culture**

Vodkaslavia is home to many cultures across it’s vast expanse due to the large number of ethnic groups, traditions of previously independent populations, and values of both the individual and the whole population. Much of the descendants of Vodkaslavia from Vodkayomics or any of the original *Naturalized Homeworlds* tend to be the prime examples of the original Vodkaslavian Culture. Through immigration and expansion, other distinct Cultures are visible, and areas where they come together can be seen as “Melting Pots” of the cultures.

Core Vodkaslavian culture was established by the descendants of the original Eighteen States. It has been passed down from Generation to Generation through the process of assimilation on Immigrants. The homeworld of Vodkayomics and the naturalized homeworld of Wheatstone are the two planets with the culture being closest to the original culture. Vodkaslavians have traditionally been characterized by a strong work ethic, competitiveness, dedication to structure, and law and order. From the outside, it is believed that there is a “*Vodkaslavian Creed*”, emphasizing liberty, fairness, rule of law, and preference to neutrality.

Mainstream culture emphasizes that the United Socialist States of Vodkaslavia is a classless society, though there are differences between socioeconomic classes caused by socialization, language, values, and ethnic origin. Working Vodkaslavians are looked at highly, as high social mobility has attracted many to the want of better jobs. Socioeconomic achievement is valued highly, but those who are average or ordinary are also valued positively.

### **Food**

Mainstream Vodkaslavian Cuisine hasn’t changed far from its origins. Much of it consists of various Meats, Potatoes, Grains, Corn, various Vegetables, Pastas, and Beans. Every restaurant in Vodkaslavia serves dishes made of these ingredients, though there are many that also provide a variety of many others as well.

Vodkaslavians drink twice as much Coffee as they do Tea. Milk, Apple Juice, and Water are the most commonly drank substances. Approximately two fifths of the eligible Population has drank at least one bottle of Vodka in their lifetime.

While not a foreign concept, Fast Food is not very popular within the States. Typically it can be found only within Major Cities.

### **Literature and the Arts**

Vodkaslavian Literature refers to all Literature associated and written by anyone of Vodkaslavian decent or referring to the Union. Most literature is written in Stemel, Slavician, and/or Xenogon. As of 3,210, approximately some 501,200 books were published that year.

Vodkaslavian Art is known for its Industrial / Technological Feel. Typically, artwork from the States has some form of Industry or Technology and an impact. The typical categories tend to be landscapes, prints, and drawings.

### **Music**

Music tastes in Vodkaslavia range everywhere from traditional folk music to metal. The most popular genres are electronic, Korsorton, rock, and classical. Vodkaslavia is the third largest music market in the Cluster.

### **Sports**

Vodkaslavians engage actively in many Sports, including but not limited to: Baseball, Gridiron Football, Soccer, Volleyball, and Snowboarding. Volleyball, under the **Vodkaslavian Volley Association** (VVA), takes place during the summer months. Football, under the **Vodkaslavian Football Association** (VFA), takes place during the autumn and early winter months. Snowboarding, under the **National Vodkaslavian Snowboarding League** (NVSL), takes place during the central winter months. Baseball, under the **National Baseball Association of Vodkaslavia** (NBAV), takes place during the late winter and early spring months. Soccer, under the **League of Vodkaslavian Soccer** (LVS), takes place during the late spring and early summer months.

### **Media**

The United Socialist States of Vodkaslavia has both State-Run and Free Media. Of the Free Media Outlets, there are well into the hundreds of thousands of Corporations. The largest are the **Vodkaslavian Family Channel** (VFC), **Starlot Broadcasting** (Star), **Kuro Network News** (KNN), **Erticio Media** (EM), and **Clear Skies** (Sky). These Media sources all are part of TV and Radio Broadcasting. Of these, only EM and Sky also print and distribute Newspapers, and only EM also prints and distributes Magazines. There are many other minor Stations, though they tend to be only local or regional.

The State-Run Media is operated by **VodkaNews** (VN). VN operates in all Media Outlets around the country. It operates as both a non-partisan outlet for the Government and as an Emergency Broadcast Station when needed.

## **Health**

The United Socialist States of Vodkaslavia does not have a publicly funded healthcare service. Healthcare is provided by privately and publicly owned companies. Services range anywhere from ≛25.00 a month at the cheapest to ≛5,000.00 a month at the most expensive.

Vodkaslavia operates the **National Center of Disease and Health** (**NCDH**), based out of Uron in Oberon System.