Poppyseed45
SOC-12
Another thought on the nobles issue - what if they're just "representatives" of the Emperor and Imperial Government?
What I mean is, imagine that, at the subsector level, there is a Subsector Senate, whose job it is to, say, vote on Imperial decrees at their subsector level, to deal with local emergencies and the like - things a world can't handle on its own. All the nobles can sit on this senate, which excludes the local planetary leaders - you have to be an imperial noble to be there. Counts and Dukes can sit on the sector level one, if they like, though it wouldn't meet often. And only archdukes inhabit the Imperial one.
Let's also say the various titles represent the territory one oversees as sort of a "Lord Protector", like a Governor-General/Representative of the Crown. They are a figurehead with ceremonial duties, perhaps a few administrative powers (like issuing trade or mercenary licenses) but nothing else. And you only get to be that if you join the noble career.
If you're a noble, but not in the career, you get to have a fancy title and can, again, sit on the senate as you like when it meets. Plenty of social perks of course. And connections to your peers, who are probably also the tops folks in business, the military, and so on. But nothing else. You're as rich as you can be by your own efforts. In the senates, you are a backbencher - you have a vote, but cannot speak in sessions, and cannot propose action.
If you're in the noble career, you can hold various governor general jobs, and get to head the committees within the senate that deliberate different issues. This means, during your time in service, that you can propose subsector level action (say asking the local navy contingent to engage in a planetary rescue mission after catastrophe) and get to attend starship christenings and issue warrants for arrest at the imperial level. But no more.
So, when you leave service, you're just a guy with a title, as mentioned above.
Thoughts? I like this one better than my first idea.
What I mean is, imagine that, at the subsector level, there is a Subsector Senate, whose job it is to, say, vote on Imperial decrees at their subsector level, to deal with local emergencies and the like - things a world can't handle on its own. All the nobles can sit on this senate, which excludes the local planetary leaders - you have to be an imperial noble to be there. Counts and Dukes can sit on the sector level one, if they like, though it wouldn't meet often. And only archdukes inhabit the Imperial one.
Let's also say the various titles represent the territory one oversees as sort of a "Lord Protector", like a Governor-General/Representative of the Crown. They are a figurehead with ceremonial duties, perhaps a few administrative powers (like issuing trade or mercenary licenses) but nothing else. And you only get to be that if you join the noble career.
If you're a noble, but not in the career, you get to have a fancy title and can, again, sit on the senate as you like when it meets. Plenty of social perks of course. And connections to your peers, who are probably also the tops folks in business, the military, and so on. But nothing else. You're as rich as you can be by your own efforts. In the senates, you are a backbencher - you have a vote, but cannot speak in sessions, and cannot propose action.
If you're in the noble career, you can hold various governor general jobs, and get to head the committees within the senate that deliberate different issues. This means, during your time in service, that you can propose subsector level action (say asking the local navy contingent to engage in a planetary rescue mission after catastrophe) and get to attend starship christenings and issue warrants for arrest at the imperial level. But no more.
So, when you leave service, you're just a guy with a title, as mentioned above.
Thoughts? I like this one better than my first idea.
