Imperial Laws

• Law 1> It is illegal to possess or transport slaves or sentient beings against their will. A sentient being is defined as any lifeform who uses tools, is capable of communication, and can understand basic concepts.

• Law 2> It is illegal to convey to a protected native race, by any manner, any item which is of a superior technological level to their own or to train or show them any procedure which is inconsistent with their current developmental level. Native alien races are defined as "Protected" natives or "Unprotected" natives. An "Unprotected" native race is defined as a race native to a planet belonging to the Stellar Empire which is technologically advanced enough to defend itself, and possesses interstellar space travel technology or is recognized with company or sovereign status. A "Protected" native race is defined as a technologically primitive race native to a planet belonging to the Stellar Empire which either does not possess interstellar space travel technology or is incapable of defending itself and is not recognized with company or sovereign status.

• Law 3> It is illegal for anyone possessing an Imperial Charter to fail to report hostilities with another sentient race, whatever its classification, to the ISS Periphery Director. You are not required to justify your actions, unless it is a "Protected" native race.

• Law 4> It is illegal to interfere with the internal politics of a protected native race.

• Law 5> It is illegal to alter the ecology of a world without the express permission of the ISS Periphery Director. This includes nuclear bombardment of a world with an atmosphere, the use of biological and chemical weapons or substantial alteration of the original ecology by any means. Space battle with a colony is not considered to be nuclear bombardment of a world for purposes of this law.

• Law 6> It is illegal to commit an act of piracy. Piracy is defined as any aggressive act against a ship, colony, ground party or outpost, that is not posted by the attacker's chartered affiliation, the Imperial Services, or does not possess a valid letter of marque from another affiliation. Furthermore, any act which improperly converts the property of a person to another's use will be considered piracy. Letters of Marque issued by foreign nationals must be approved by the ISP Periphery Director, to be executed within Imperial territory. Foreign nationals are defined as sentient beings native to a planet belonging to a government recognized as having sovereign status by the Stellar Empire.

• Law 7> It is illegal to trade with members of groups which engage in anti-Imperial activities.

• Law 8> It is illegal to trade with any Imperially posted ship, colony, or ground party.

• Law 9> It is illegal to not report a sighting of any Imperially posted ship, colony, or ground party.

• Law 10> It is illegal to transport native drugs, beverages, foods, or other consumable items off-world unless said items are ISS approved for human consumption. It is illegal to possess any item banned by the ISS.

• Law 11> It is illegal to transport any native lifeform off its homeworld without the express permission of the ISS Periphery Director.

• Law 12> All alien artifacts discovered within Imperial territory are the personal property of the Emperor, and as such, must be reported to the ISS Periphery Director. Failure to report artifacts will result in their confiscation.

• Law 13> All heavenly bodies within the Capellan Periphery are the property of the Emperor and are held as public lands. Colonies gain ownership of the sector within which they are located, known as the exclusionary zone. Outposts own the square in which they are located. The establishment of a colony in the same sector as an existing outpost does not remove the title of the outpost. No one save the ISS Periphery Director, can prohibit the construction of colonies or outposts on publicly held lands or modify the above described exclusionary zone.

• Law 14> Colonies or Outpost owners may defend by any legal means, their exclusionary zone against tresspass. Furthermore, colonies must allow all Imperial subjects, citizens, and affiliations to land at their starports and remain as long as desired. Ground parties may be prohibited but the lawful passage of ships may not be. Imperial citizens are defined as sentient beings native to a planet belonging to the Stellar Empire and whose population is recognized as citizens by the Emperor. Since IND ships are unknown as to whether or not they are actually Imperial citizens or citizens of another government, in 195, ISP PD von Ludendorf ruled that it was permissible for colonies to prohibit IND ships at their colonies.

• Law 15> Independent (IND) colonies which are loyal to the Stellar Empire are under the legal protection of the Imperial Services. Therefore it is illegal to attack any IND colony located within Imperial territory, without the express permission of the ICN Periphery Director. Company postings will be approved if just cause can be shown. In 195, ISP PD von Ludendorf ruled that since this law specifically refers to IND colonies, IND ships were not protected under this law.

• Law 16> It is illegal to manufacture, possess, sell, or transport chemical, genetic, or bacteriological weapons, by anyone who is not a member of the Imperial Services or who lacks permission of the ISP Periphery Director. The Imperial Services and those authorized by the ISP PD are restricted to using these weapons only against foreign states and pirate organizations; never against an Imperial citizen.

• Law 17> It is illegal to execute any prisoner without the express permission of the ICN Periphery Director. Furthermore it is illegal to grossly or intentionally neglect sentient lifeforms under one's control, which results in its death.

• Law 18> Treaties between the Stellar Empire and sovereign foreign states, that have been ratified by the Emperor have the full force of Imperial law, and may only be rescinded by the Emperor.

• Law 19> The ISS Periphery Director has the right to quarantine any system, planet, continent, or other land mass so as to restrict the movement of ships and ground parties. A listing of quarantined locations will be available from the ISS at anytime for the asking.

• Law 20> The ISS Periphery Director has the right to ban the production, possession, and/or distribution of any substance or item that is considered dangerous or immoral. A list of illegal items will be available from the ISS at any time for the asking.

• Law 21> Freedom of travel throughout Imperial territory is a privilege granted by the Emperor to his citizens. Foreign states, not covered by treaty to the contrary, are not permitted to travel within Imperial territory, without a Visa granted by the ISS Periphery Director.

• Law 22> The ISP Periphery director may, at his discretion, excercise the purogatives of the ISS, ITS, and ICN Periphery Directors or reverse their decisions.

• Law 23> It is illegal to attack any Imperial possession at any time, within or outside of Imperial Territory.

• Law 24> Imperials can only place Imperial Posted positions and affiliations on their enemy list. Imperial positions will not be permitted to initiate combat unless the target has been officially posted by the ICN Periphery Director or the ISP Periphery Director, or has been approved by the ISP Periphery Director for targeting.

• Law 25> Imperial Territory is defined as systems numbered 1 through 53, & 294, but excluding Drell (43) & Tesni (17). Specific areas within this region may be omitted based on treaties.

• Law 26> A one year statute of limitations applies to the enforcement of all laws and grievances. If one year passes without the injured party specifically assigning guilt and asking for recourse, the guilty party will be free from prosecution.

• Law 27> Agent activity is not inherently illegal, however, each governor may legally place on his enemy list any non-Imperial position which he has determined is operating agents in his colony or has scouted his colony defenses.

• Law 28> Any Imperial officer who accepts an appointment to the ISP, waives all rights to the personal ownership of any ship, colony, ground party, or outpost an is required to abide by all Imperial Laws under penalty of death.

• Law 29> It is illegal to bring any quantity of Vimpeler into any colony.

• Law 30> It is illegal for anyone outside of the Imperial services to possess the Dreadnought (DN) class starship without the express permission of the ISP Periphery Director.

• Law 31> Only the ISP & ISS Periphery Directors are authotized to enact new Imperial Laws. The ISS PD is restricted to laws which only concern the environment, health, and safety of Imperial citizens.

• Law 32> It is illegal to ever speak the name of the former company once known as ABM. Hereafter it shall only be spoken of as "The company whose name cannot be spoken" (or some permutation of the same. It is illegal to ever speak the name of said company's Periphery Director, Mike Popolizio. Hereafter he shall only be spoken of as "He whose name cannot be spoken" (or some permutation of the same).