| The Guardians of the Jewel Cluster
The Jewel Cluster has no standing army, but does have a navy, which patrols the spaceways which connect the worlds of the cluster and her allies. Crystal Clippers (the Name for the Cluster’s Warships) are manned by volunteers who take this duty in service to their people, many try for the positions, but few will succeed. (It should be noted that while not a paid position, being a Naval Officer carries with it huge social perks and the chance at becoming nobility, and there are many noble families in which Naval Service is mandatory.) The security forces of the Cluster are called “The Rovers”, and act as a form of supernational police who can cross world territorial borders and patrol both the worlds of the Cluster proper and her protectorates and allies. Within the Rovers there are several special sub-groups, such as the Queen’s Own Guard (who serve as the bodyguards and security forces to the royal families), the Walkers (similar to Texas Rangers, they work alone to track criminals), and the Twenty-Firsters (referring to the number of hours they work a day, they are an intelligence gathering branch). Under these organizations work the provincial and local police forces, and in some places civilian militia as well. But, of everyone, the only ones the public ever remember are the Jewel Knights, the seven teams of seven chosen women who wear the Jewel Armours. Chosen by the Order of the Armour, they are specially trained and equipped to deal with almost any threat. Each of their Armours giving them unique abilities depending on the wearer, and which let them defeat almost anything they can come up against. |