The Grand Postal Service is responsible for delivering mail within the borders of the Highlands. Along the Major Routes message traffic is sent through the hypercable communication system. The Postal Service primarily delivers packages along the Major Routes. A very small amount of express mail document delivery is done by the Postal Service to worlds on Major Routes, primarily special government and Church documents.
Postal routes join together worlds on the Blue Highways and worlds off the road network entirely. Much of this traffic travels on Postal Couriers, tractors which tow a postal module. Modules come in several varieties. Most consists of a cargo area for packages and a bank of computer storage for electronic traffic. Once the courier arrives in system it will broadcast its electronic message traffic to the local system communication network. Traffic which is for systems farther down the postal route is transmitted to another courier. Packages are transfered at the portal gate along Blue Highways or to orbital stations most other places. On a few worlds mail is actually delivered to the planetary starport.
At the borders postal routes sometime connect with external package services. A greater amount of non-electronic physical mail is also delivered to external partners. Such mail often is actually digital in nature, but delivered on physical media, both for greater security and to prevent data degradation.
Employees of the Grand Postal Service are known as Posties. The actual duties of the postie varies considerably depending upon where in the postal system the worker is assigned. Postal Couriers on Major Routes tend to travel repetative routes which have them on the road for two to three weeks on a circular route, with a week off at their home. Blue Highway couriers tend to spend more time on the road, often running down the road for months before taking significant time off at home. Off road postal couriers often deliver to a single off road world spending only a week or so in space and then returning. Some few spend almost all their time in larger schooner vessels traveling to a string of of road destinations. This is most common at the border regions.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Life as a Guardian Knight
Though a Guardian Knight takes the three vows of a religious; poverty, chastity and obedience, his life is not as onerous as many in the Wilds. Regimentation is a way of life. Like many monastics the rhythm of the Guardian Knight's life is tied to the prayer of the Church. In barracks or vessel day starts with Morning prayer, followed by Mass in the Oratory or ship's chapel. After breakfast training is the task of the morning. At noon the Angelus, followed by a simple lunch. More training takes up the afternoon hours. Then Vespers, followed by supper. Study and prayer fill the evening. Compline ends the day. Duty periods are rotated through the company.
Aboard ship maintenance augments training, otherwise the schedule is much the same.
In the field prayer is often said in private or small groups rather than in company. Combat, tracking or other tasks fill the days.
Unlike many religious the knights tend to use medical nanotech more universally. This is because of the relatively greater danger to which they are exposed.
Like many monastics the guardian knights, while in their bases or aboard ship each live in private cells. Each cell has a bed and a chair. Aboard ship it may also contain a standard computer terminal. A locker for the individual knight's gear is also stored in the cell. Each locker is issued to the knight for his use, but he does not own it. Brother Guardians who do not take permanent vows come to the order with nothing and leave the order with nothing. Except for inspections no one but the guardian may enter his cell. This is meant to prevent any number of possible sins and temptations.
Each knight is issued a combat cybersuit, an equipment pack, weapons and various utility items, as well as a uniform habit. An electronic breviary contains required daily prayers and can be used to store many thousands of books and manuals for use by the Guardian. And of course each Knight Guardian is issued a Guardian Wand, a weapon that originates with the order.
Professed members of the order are permitted to use the honorific OKG after their name. Brothers under temporary vows are not allowed this privilege. Members of Militarum Auxilium Christi who have become Tertiaries are permitted the initials TOM (Tertium Ordo Militis.)
Aboard ship maintenance augments training, otherwise the schedule is much the same.
In the field prayer is often said in private or small groups rather than in company. Combat, tracking or other tasks fill the days.
Unlike many religious the knights tend to use medical nanotech more universally. This is because of the relatively greater danger to which they are exposed.
Like many monastics the guardian knights, while in their bases or aboard ship each live in private cells. Each cell has a bed and a chair. Aboard ship it may also contain a standard computer terminal. A locker for the individual knight's gear is also stored in the cell. Each locker is issued to the knight for his use, but he does not own it. Brother Guardians who do not take permanent vows come to the order with nothing and leave the order with nothing. Except for inspections no one but the guardian may enter his cell. This is meant to prevent any number of possible sins and temptations.
Each knight is issued a combat cybersuit, an equipment pack, weapons and various utility items, as well as a uniform habit. An electronic breviary contains required daily prayers and can be used to store many thousands of books and manuals for use by the Guardian. And of course each Knight Guardian is issued a Guardian Wand, a weapon that originates with the order.
Professed members of the order are permitted to use the honorific OKG after their name. Brothers under temporary vows are not allowed this privilege. Members of Militarum Auxilium Christi who have become Tertiaries are permitted the initials TOM (Tertium Ordo Militis.)
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Militarum Auxilium Christi
It should come as no surprise that the greatest number of members of Militarum Auxilium Christi live in the Highlands. The Guard Tertiaries do not as a rule serve in the Wilds, though they may from time to time retreat or even serve at Guardian Bases or Oratories.
In the world Tertiaries are organized into Chapters, each of which has a Chapter Master, Treasurer, Chaplain and Quartermaster. Various other positions are filled for short periods of time, but basically consist of committee chairman, whose groups are committed to specific tasks, such as fundraising or recruitment.
The Chapter Master leads the group and though elected from among the membership, must be ratified by Grand Chapter.
The Treasurer is responsible for funds raised by the organization and their disbursement to both the local Chapter and the Quartermaster.
The Chaplain is a clerical member of the Knights of St. Bix and must be a priest.
The Quartermaster is responsible for all of the gear which is seconded to the Knights.
Typically specific Chapters or groups of Chapters support individual Units or Bases used by the Knights.
The Grand Chapter is located at Primus Frost, in what is now the Highlands. It is led by the Grand Master of the Secular Order. The Grand Master must have once served under temporary vows in the Order of Knight Guardians. He may be be either married, single or under a vow of temporary or perpetual Chasity.
The Grand Chaplain is the senior cleric seconded to the Third Order and is under the jurisdiction of the Chaplain General.
Other positions may be held by women, and several lay and religious women have held senior positions as both Grand Treasurer and Grand Quartermaster.
In the world Tertiaries are organized into Chapters, each of which has a Chapter Master, Treasurer, Chaplain and Quartermaster. Various other positions are filled for short periods of time, but basically consist of committee chairman, whose groups are committed to specific tasks, such as fundraising or recruitment.
The Chapter Master leads the group and though elected from among the membership, must be ratified by Grand Chapter.
The Treasurer is responsible for funds raised by the organization and their disbursement to both the local Chapter and the Quartermaster.
The Chaplain is a clerical member of the Knights of St. Bix and must be a priest.
The Quartermaster is responsible for all of the gear which is seconded to the Knights.
Typically specific Chapters or groups of Chapters support individual Units or Bases used by the Knights.
The Grand Chapter is located at Primus Frost, in what is now the Highlands. It is led by the Grand Master of the Secular Order. The Grand Master must have once served under temporary vows in the Order of Knight Guardians. He may be be either married, single or under a vow of temporary or perpetual Chasity.
The Grand Chaplain is the senior cleric seconded to the Third Order and is under the jurisdiction of the Chaplain General.
Other positions may be held by women, and several lay and religious women have held senior positions as both Grand Treasurer and Grand Quartermaster.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
The Knights of St. Bix, Organization.
As with many successful orders holy founders were followed by devote organizers.
The Knight Guardians were formed along military lines. Small units formed around a cadre of officers, with each unit having a priest chaplain, assisted by deacons, instituted acolytes and brothers. Officers benefited only in having more authority.
Each member took vows of poverty, chastity, piety and obedience. Initially a recruit took vows for only a set period. After a period of time a Brother Guardian might chose to take vows for life, or they might return to the world.
St. Bix was styled as the Knight Commander of the order. The Chaplain General was the highest ranking cleric in the order, responsible for all of the order's priests and clerics. Initially the order was under the authority of the local bishop or other ordinary.
Bix was succeeded by Bl. Henry deVentille, a man of great talents in both combat and diplomacy. He succeeded in getting the Pope to place the order under the control of its own Ordinary. This protonotary apostolic position was not equal in authority to a bishop, but conveyed some of the privileges or pontificals proper to bishops, including the ring and pectoral cross.
In 2297 Pope Pius XXIV confirmed in the Chaplain General of the order the particular rights of independence from the local hierarchy, especially in the area of granting faculties to order priests.
Under the Knight Commander Unit Masters commanded order outposts or vessels. According to the rule each unit was to have at least one priest. Larger units were to have more than one priest. To ensure a supply of clerics the order founded its own seminary at it's headquarters on Primus Frost in the then Midlands.
The ownership of the land and building resides in the lay association Militarum Auxilium Christi. Militarum Auxilium Christi is directly tied to the Knights of St. Bix, but is a separate entity within the Church. The organization forms a Secular Order which is associated with the Guardians. The Guard Tertiaries are lay members and consist of both men and women who are not bound by the vows of the order. They do make solemn and public promises. Members are permitted to marry, and many have previously served under temporary vows in the Knights. For the most part Militarum Auxilium Christi owns most of the land, ships and other facilities and equipment used by the knights.
The Knight Guardians were formed along military lines. Small units formed around a cadre of officers, with each unit having a priest chaplain, assisted by deacons, instituted acolytes and brothers. Officers benefited only in having more authority.
Each member took vows of poverty, chastity, piety and obedience. Initially a recruit took vows for only a set period. After a period of time a Brother Guardian might chose to take vows for life, or they might return to the world.
St. Bix was styled as the Knight Commander of the order. The Chaplain General was the highest ranking cleric in the order, responsible for all of the order's priests and clerics. Initially the order was under the authority of the local bishop or other ordinary.
Bix was succeeded by Bl. Henry deVentille, a man of great talents in both combat and diplomacy. He succeeded in getting the Pope to place the order under the control of its own Ordinary. This protonotary apostolic position was not equal in authority to a bishop, but conveyed some of the privileges or pontificals proper to bishops, including the ring and pectoral cross.
In 2297 Pope Pius XXIV confirmed in the Chaplain General of the order the particular rights of independence from the local hierarchy, especially in the area of granting faculties to order priests.
Under the Knight Commander Unit Masters commanded order outposts or vessels. According to the rule each unit was to have at least one priest. Larger units were to have more than one priest. To ensure a supply of clerics the order founded its own seminary at it's headquarters on Primus Frost in the then Midlands.
The ownership of the land and building resides in the lay association Militarum Auxilium Christi. Militarum Auxilium Christi is directly tied to the Knights of St. Bix, but is a separate entity within the Church. The organization forms a Secular Order which is associated with the Guardians. The Guard Tertiaries are lay members and consist of both men and women who are not bound by the vows of the order. They do make solemn and public promises. Members are permitted to marry, and many have previously served under temporary vows in the Knights. For the most part Militarum Auxilium Christi owns most of the land, ships and other facilities and equipment used by the knights.
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