Golgotha Mining Station

[henry quirk]

Location: about 500 years from now, 41 light years from Sol, in and on an irregular iron-nickel asteroid roughly 11 kilometers in length along its major axis (along with a large number of smaller ancillary [faction controlled] bodies in close proximity), one of many similar bodies making up Uroboros, the debris belt dominating the system.

Population: estimated between 4,000 and 6,000. There is no formal census (attempts at such a thing are generally taken as an invocation of '...or else').

What defines citizenship? Being there and taking care of yourself.

What makes a good citizen? Minding your own damn business and keeping your friggin' hands to yourself.

How does one become a citizen? Arriving, with marketable/practical skills and materials neccessary to make use of those skills (having a few erg-creds on hand can only help). A good citizen? Taking care of yourself, minding your business, keeping your hands to yourself.

Are there common characteristics that must be shared among citizens? Yes, In no particular order: self-reliance, gumption, frugality, intelligence, pragmatism, enviro-appropriate skills, a solitary nature, sobriety, micro-gravity adaptation, patience, twin tolerances for confined and open spaces, keen desire to live.

Is the social fabric of the community malleable? As a kind of minarchy, Golgotha is less a community and more a conglomeration of interacting, interrelated (loose) factions. The (One and Only) Law of Golgotha: Mind your own business, keep your hands to yourself...or else. Observe the Law, take care of yourself, and you can do as you like.

Are there events in history that are understood by all good citizens? The year (and story of how) Golgotha went independent is known to Golgothans. It's not a requirement to know the story, but, on Independence Day, when the station is locked down, with all essential systems on short-term automatic (cuz the whole of Golgotha is in Bacchanal), it's only natural for a new citizen to ask 'why'?

What is the economic status of an average citizen? Varies, and defintions of 'well off' depend on (loose) faction. Abner Munson, owner/operator of the cargo hauler Make Do, might be considered to be of modest means by one of the pitchblende miners (one of the wealthier factions), while Munson himself considers his autonomy far more important than a few extra erg-creds.

Is there a need for a consensus of opinion amidst good citizens? Only in minding the Law.

From where do citizens draw their inspiration? From wherever they like, as they can, or need to. If there's any shared 'inspiration' it comes from being Golgothan.

Has there been a revision over time of what it means to be a good citizen? Not really. The Law has been the (one and only) law for over two centuries.

Is it important for citizens to live in geographical continuity (in the same place)? Mostly, but haulers like Munson probably spend more time away from Golgotha than in Golgotha and he's considered a citizen in good standing, so...

#

Murder: humans being humans there's always gonna be blood. 41 light years away, in the Sol System, the Orthodoxy solved the problem of human aggression by becoming something other than, but Golgothans, being human, are subject to human passions. So: murder happens. theft happens, rape happens, and when those things happen '...or else' is invoked.

Remember, the (One and Only) Law is 'MInd your own business, keep your hands to yourself...or else'. It's a practical, on-going self-admonishment born of natural anarchists who labored under the heel of the Union (what was to become the Orthodoxy in the Sol System) too long, who said 'enough of this shit!', who introduced a whole community of Coggish (Union) bureaucrats and managers to hard vac, and declared themselves 'free and clear'.

Sex: leads to babies. Golgothans, taking 'take care of yourself' very seriously, being keenly aware that sex is a monumentally successful way to make babies, and knowing as fact babies are no damned good at doing diddly for themselves, reign in their urges sensibly.

Promiscuity is frowned on; courtship and monogamy is encouraged. Which, of course, doesn't stop randier folks. So: birth control (or M. Stern's Retreat) is encouraged when the will falters.

However, 'mind your own business, keep your hands to yourself...or else' is the (One and Only) Law, so if some Golgothan throws caution to the wind and impregnates or is impregnated as result of imprudence, that's on them. There's no enforced social safety net, no one is obligated to finance another or help reduce the consequences of another's self-inflicted mistakes. So, the sexually irresponsible either take care of offspring on their own or they get the hell out of Golgotha. The Union station on the other side of the Uroboros is very welcoming of those who can't fend for themselves.

Sleazy Golgothans: fundamentally, folks who don't abide the Law (who don't last long in Golgotha). Everyone runs afoul of '...or else' from time to time. Most times this means a visit from the Constable (of the moment) and mebbe (if a resolution can't be had) laying your claim or defense with the Arbiter. Sometimes, though, '...or else' means your ass being introduced to hard vacuum (sans vac suit) by those you've wronged. Vigilantism isn't common (cuz if the vigilante is wrong, his ass is the one that'll eat hard vac) but it is practiced.

Theft: takin' what's not yours is serious shit. Golgothans are frugal, with most considering the inside of their vac suits or ships to be 'home', to be Golgotha. Space (in Golgotha proper or in one's private Golgotha) is at a premium, meaning possessions are few, meaning what a body owns a body cherishes (and probably relies on to stay alive and further itself).

Arrests: wholly unacceptable, even if the suspected violation of the Law is egregious. Being detained is another matter.

What happens to Law-breakers? depends on the violation...can range from equal-value compensation to shunning to having your ass kicked royally to deportation to being introduced to hard vacuum minus a vac suit.

Constable: whoever is on hand in the moment, responsible for helpin' folks iron out their differences or callin' an Arbiter. A cultural responsibility, considered odious but neccessary. No one is obligated to stand as Constable but it's considered bad form to refuse.

Arbiter: the court of last resort. When differences can't be ironed out with the Constable, a body lays his claim or his defense with the Arbiter. The Arbiter can be just about anyone the involved parties agree to. No one is obligated to arbitrate, but it's considered bad form to refuse (cuz it's considered a great compliment to be asked).

Militia: every man, woman, and child capable of responsibly (and accurately) using a firearm. Golgotha has it's share of enemies in the Uroboros and has had to defend itself before, and will again.

Religion: Golgothans tend to be irreligious but any and all practice is tolerated as long as it's kept private.

Smuggling: no such thing for a Golgothan. Munson, for example, understands other nations in the Uroboros have actual legal systems and accompanying legal restrictions, and -- as a conscientious Golgothan -- does his best to not haul that which offends, but: a buck is a buck, and some of them non-Golgothans are awfully narrow-minded, and in what sane uinverse is a shipment of force-grown clone-beef a bad thing?

Lawyers: introduced to hard vac.

Politicians: see above.

#

Comments and questions are welcomed.

Absolutely: this shit is my shit...claim it as your own and we -- you and me -- are gonna have a problem.

[xoxoxoBruce]

I will swear on my mother's eyes it's your shit and not mine.

[Happy Monkey]

What is the practical difference between a vigilante and a Constable? Aren't they both just somebody on hand at the moment? Is a Constable under any enforceable guidelines when picking a punishment? Or when assigning a value for compensation?


Is the Constable expected to do actual police or detective work if they don't catch someone red-handed, or can they make rulings based on their gut feelings? Or is it considered not to be a crime at all if you aren't caught red-handed?


What is the practical difference between arrest and detention?


If two parties can't agree on an Arbiter, does it devolve to who has the stronger posse?

[Undertoad]

If a man gets a women pregnant and abandons her, in a place where children are effectively a pariah, what happens to the man? "It's on him" how?

Followup: given the serious risk of pariahdom to mother and child, why would any fertile woman go there at all?

Followup followup: if there are no good choices or fertile women (generally the most desireable), and sex is risky, why are the men there?

Unfairly provocative followup followup followup: Is this a colony of gays and/or incels?

[BigV]

I'll take that last one..

No, it's just hq, his shit and only his shit.

Problem solved.

[BigV]

Follow up

Very interesting read, nice to see you let your hair down and play a little Henry!

[Undertoad]

Yes,

I don't mean to be negative from the outset, I like the thought experiment and the creativity involved.

[henry quirk]

"What is the practical difference between a vigilante and a Constable?"

Fine line between the two, mostly established by the Constable doin' what he or she does in full public view and in the moment. Also, most are reluctant to be the Constable cuz such a thing stinks of 'not minding one's own business'. The public nature of the intervention, the general distaste most have for the duty, and the natural Golgothan desire to avoid debt makes the Constable (of the moment) step lightly and, as possible, fairly.

#

"Is a Constable under any enforceable guidelines when picking a punishment?"

Only cultural.

#

"Or when assigning a value for compensation?"

Equal value is equal value: Joe steals Stan's vac suit. Vac suits are valued at, say 500 erg-creds. joe needs to pony up the original vac suit or the 500 creds. If he can do neither, other options (touched on above) are available.

#

"Is the Constable expected to do actual police or detective work if they don't catch someone red-handed, or can they make rulings based on their gut feelings? Or is it considered not to be a crime at all if you aren't caught red-handed?"

If Stan invokes the Constable, the unlucky guy or gal must make a good faith effort, sumthin' that's largely a matter of trust. A Spacer's life, bein' what it is, Golgothans tend to make good investigators (methodical, fact-driven, problem-solvers).

Let's take murder: Louis is found dead, a six-inch hole bored clear through his head, obviously the work of a miner's charge suppresser (a mining tool...nullifies the electron's charge causing matter to disassociate...works slows, so such a tool used as a murder weapon means the killer literally had to work the tool through Louis's face, skull, brain, and skull over the course of several minutes, all the while Louis is in agony...not a passion killing, but a cold-blooded torture session). Such an event puts Golgothans on high alert. Any number of folks will investigate out of self-preservation if nuthin' else.

That particular crine remains unsolved, by the way.

#

"What is the practical difference between arrest and detention?"

Arrest is haulin' someone away to a holdin' cell; detention is a body being kept in place while all involved parties do what they need to do (includin' drafting an Arbiter).

Bear in mind: there is no 'trial set for three months down the road'. The whole of Golgothan Justice happens 'here and now'.

#

"If two parties can't agree on an Arbiter, does it devolve to who has the stronger posse?"

Kinda, but no posses. Any one stupid enough to try to drag another Golgothan into such a final solution is pretty much dead where he or she stands.

Understand: Golgothans are unforgving. They're also practical. Just makes sense to get Law violations out of the way quickly. Culturally, heel-draggers are monkeyin' around with people's lives in a way that's damned close to 'not keepin' their hands to themselves' coupled with 'forcin' others to mind your business'.

[henry quirk]

"If a man gets a women pregnant and abandons her, in a place where children are effectively a pariah, what happens to the man? "It's on him" how?"

Every- and any-thing from nuthin' to eating vacuum.

#

"Followup: given the serious risk of pariahdom to mother and child, why would any fertile woman go there at all?"

Mebbe cuz she doesn't see herself as a baby machine and looks to get rich mining uranium (or any other damned thing she sees fit to pursue)?

#

"Followup followup: if there are no good choices or fertile women (generally the most desireable), and sex is risky, why are the men there?"

Mebbe cuz the men don't see themselves as life support for cocks and are lookin' to do what they each see as the best for themselves?

And: sex is not risky when one is responsible.

[henry quirk]

V,

This is an exercise in world-building.

A question about citizenry (real or fictional) in another place resulted in the first half of my opening post here. The second half of the opening came from follow up questions in the other place.

While I may disagree with most of you about 'everything', none of you (except tw [fuck you, tw]) is a dumb bunny. Questions and comments help me refine the setting, rethink it, and -- eventually -- put the bones of the story I want to tell together.

Normally, I'm the one askin' myself the questions, alone, in front of a typewriter. This public exercise, involving you folks, is new to me.

So, no I'm not lettin' my hair down; I'm ruthlessly, shamelessly, usin' you folks as a sounding board.

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by henry quirk

"Is a Constable under any enforceable guidelines when picking a punishment?"

Only cultural.

And personal, presumably.

"Or when assigning a value for compensation?"

Equal value is equal value: Joe steals Stan's vac suit. Vac suits are valued at, say 500 erg-creds. joe needs to pony up the original vac suit or the 500 creds. If he can do neither, other options (touched on above) are available.

All vac-suits are identical? Every item has a fiat price? Nothing is haggled for? Also - erg-creds. If the money is credits towards energy, who backs them? Are they managed in a bank?

"Is the Constable expected to do actual police or detective work if they don't catch someone red-handed, or can they make rulings based on their gut feelings? Or is it considered not to be a crime at all if you aren't caught red-handed?"


If Stan invokes the Constable, the unlucky guy or gal must make a good faith effort, sumthin' that's largely a matter of trust. A Spacer's life, bein' what it is, Golgothans tend to make good investigators (methodical, fact-driven, problem-solvers).

Crimes that would require a professional detective will probably go unsolved, or you may end up with actual professional detectives. Advanced forensic tech may help.

"If two parties can't agree on an Arbiter, does it devolve to who has the stronger posse?"

Kinda, but no posses. Any one stupid enough to try to drag another Golgothan into such a final solution is pretty much dead where he or she stands.

Who says they have to drag? Could be a family member, could be a good friend. Could be someone willing to be hired. Could be organized crime. Also, a 'party' is not necessarily an individual. Could be a family against one person.


Could be none of the above - posses and lynch mobs historically have frequently included plenty of volunteers.

[fargon]

So when does the book come out?

[xoxoxoBruce]

When someone is eliminated who gets their shit?

Sounds to me like it's not that difficult to frame an innocent person out of revenge and have them vacuumed before anyone figures it out.

No country for children so have to rely on immigrants.

For the millions of incarcerated people who have no future on release, it could be a chance for a new start.

[Happy Monkey]

It has a very low population, but open borders. Is it not an attractive place for most others, or are there space travel restrictions (ie, all settlements in this system are of similar levels of population, and the teeming masses are all back at Sol)?


Limited space is a factor, but if it were attractive enough, people would still try to crowd in.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Isn't Sol the Sun?