Gliese Space

Gliese Space is the term used to refer to the parts of the galaxy that have been greatly explored (and occupied) by spacefarers from the four major factions: EL-AL, JUDAH, NHT and SAINT. Gliese Space is formally known as the area forming the Perseus and Sagittarius Arms, as well as part of the Orion Arm, including the Outer Boundary Corridor, and excluding the Mefitas Sector.

Clusters
To ease navigation (and to satisfy the factions' boundary requirements), each Arm is divided into clusters. Both the Perseus and Sagittarius Arms are divided into three clusters: Primary, Secondary and Tertiary. The Orion Arm, being much smaller, is divided into the Primary and Secondary clusters, while the Mefitas Sector is so large it is considered its own cluster.

Sectors
Clusters are further divided into sectors. Sectors are smaller pockets of space, usually grouped to include several related systems. Due to the way star systems were colonised (one colony ship would seed several star systems around its destination), systems with related inhabitants would communicate with each other and form ties. These ties carry forward to the Interstellar Age, and thus to maintain continuity have been referred to as "sectors" for purposes of easier travel.

Systems
A sector is made up of several systems, each of which is essentially any number of stars relatively close to each other (with or without planets). Systems are named after their primary star, although this may not always be the case.

Travel
Prior to the Interstellar Age, travelling through Gliese Space was a difficult affair, involving long journeys using warp drive. At most, one could spend months travelling through sectors to simply cross a cluster. Long-range colonisation slowed until the development of the jump gates by the Hanseatics in -19 IA. Jump gates have since greatly assisted in interstellar commerce, although for regions of undeveloped space, a mass catapult is used to get spacecraft up to speed.

Information
Due to the vastness of space and the wide range of stellar phenomena, interstellar communication (that is, FTL communication) was originally thought impossible until the development and propagation of devices utilising jump particle packet transmission (JPPT) technology. Through JPPT and associated infrastructure, interstellar communication happens at near real-time, at a data throughput that more than satisfies the need for high-bandwidth transfer. While the four major factions each have their own in-space data sharing network, a much wider (albeit less secure) network - UnDiNe (or "the infosea") - functions as the non-centralised data network for spacefarers travelling between sections of Gliese Space.

Finance
While individual worlds and systems will use currency such as gold and platinum bars or precious stones, spacefarers are financed with the use of the Riel - an electronic currency that is legal tender across all factions. The largest financial institutions, regardless of faction, have branches throughout Gliese Space. While interstellar financing is possible (and is, in fact, carried out relentlessly), factions still tend to carry large-scale materials trading on a local scale.

Trade
While most systems and sectors are fairly self-sufficient when it comes to raw materials, interstellar trade for manufactured goods and harder to find ores (such as bismuth) mean that a materials and stock exchange must be in place. All factions currently rely on the Interstellar Trading Market (ITM or "item") for materials and investment trade. By law (specifically the sections of the Miramena Conference Financial Act) companies and organizations are not allowed to own shares in a company unless they have a head office located in the company's home cluster. As a result, most conglomerates have offices in all four factions' space.