The Alliance is now the third major organization of star systems in the human populated galaxy. As is well known, the Alliance was formed in 3230 after the Federation and Imperial forces were repelled from Alioth.

  The Alliance of Independent Systems has a much different organizational model to either the Federation or the Empire. The Federation is based on a tightly-knit model, with Sol being the Federal capital, and all other systems being subservient to the Federal government. Federation systems have a little freedom in making their own laws, but by and large, each Federation system reports directly to Sol which controls the raising of taxes, broad economic policy, immigration policy, and the general justice system. Federation citizens vote for a representitive at the system level, and this representitive serves in the Federation Senate. Federation citizens also vote for a President, who is the overall leader of the organization.

   The Empire, on the other hand, controls member systems even more stringently - the government is based on the classical imperial model that dates back to ancient China. The Empire isn't purely based on this system - much of the governing methods were taken from the British Empire which existed in the ninteenth century. Member systems are governed by direct rule from the Imperial Headquarters on Capitol, the governors of each system selected by the Imperial Palace. Citizens of the Empire have very little democratic voice, and dissenters tend to find themselves held at Hengist Duval's pleasure.

  The Alliance is based on a much looser system of government. Alliance members retain their own independent government. The government of each system is responsible for devising its own taxation, economic and legal policies. A portion of each system's income goes to fund the Alliance central organization itself. This organization is a democratically elected body with representitives from each system, and it ensures that each member of the Alliance has adequate defence coverage, the freedom of trade, and enacts legislation ensuring that basic human rights are observed amongst Alliance members. Alliance Central is based at Fortress Culloden, Argent's Claim, Alioth.

  Conditions for a system to be or remain as an Alliance member are broadly as follows:

• The system must have a democratically elected civilian government.
• The 3233 Alliance Treaty on Human Rights must be strictly followed by the government.
• Free trade with other Alliance members must be guaranteed.
• Alliance members must come to the aid of another member in times of distress (this is organized by Alliance Central)
• Citizens from any other Alliance member system must be granted full rights of abode and citizenship in all other Alliance members.

  There are of course many other minutiae in Alliance common law, and Alliance Central tries to ensure that the Alliance remains an efficient model of government. Due to the unique way in which the Alliance conducts its affairs, many now feel that worlds of the AIS have the highest standard of living regardless of the general economic outlook of the system in question.