MYCOS: JEWEL OF THE MILKY WAY
One of the most important and productive planets within the Liloqua Quadrant, Mycos's central role in galactic economics including its primary role as a transshipment center for new populations colonizing frontier worlds, cannot be understated. Politically and financially, Governor Bett Farris has done an excellent job in the sixteen years of her rule to stabilize the productivity of Mycos, although serious unemployment continues to wrack the megaplanet. Founded in 785 PE Mycos has grown phenomenally during its thousand year history, reaching one trillion citizens in 336 PE, becoming the Milky Ways' number one economic producing planet. The very first Governor of the planet, Donello Rize enacted the very first pro-growth laws that quickly fueled the expansion of the planetary population. Later, Governor Dalen Ryan Farris presided over the planet when it reached its one trillion mark and enacted a celebration day to mark the event. Unfortunately, in 555 IR Governor Ivan Yablonov led a disastrous effort to curb population and government spending on Mycos, an event that triggered a serious depression worldwide and across its nearby sector of space. Imprisoned for his actions, Yablonov served a mandatory 20 year sentence for economic incompetence but was later pardoned by High Secretary Gabino Marcos. Mycos continued in the economic doldrums for centuries afterwards, which financial analysts theorize cost the planet nearly a quadrillion megacredits during the 220 year slump. As a result, the Mycos Governing Council was set up after this horrendous economic disaster. The Council's job is to balance out any serious mistakes that the governor could make and they are elected by popular vote. The current Governing Council is divided into two opposing factions and consists of the following members:
Ditana Amanso: the leading Councilwoman from the Sixth District, Ms. Amanso has not declared for either faction on the Governing Council, although she is leaning towards the government under Mrs. Farris. The recent abduction of her twin daughters has placed Ms. Amanso under severe pressure, and Mycos security officials are investigating their disappearance. Political analysts fear that the Iddan Faction has kidnapped her daughters, which made world-wide news on Mycos, and wants to use them for some critical future vote in Council. Apparently sensing this, Councilwoman Amanso has publically submitted her resignation from the government, effectively immediately. This removes one moderate from the Council, to the consternation of the Farris government.
Rene Gordy: the radical Councilman from the Fourth District, Mr. Gordy is not a supporter of the Mrs. Farris' government (he supports Siggid Iddan) and has repeatedly blocked financial reforms that she has been desperately trying to get passed to alleviate Mycos's burgeoning unemployment levels. His radical financial views and shady political maneuvers have paralyzed the Council for many weeks. Having been accused of being a political hindrance (by Admiral Lushenkov no less) he is bitterly contesting a recent election that dropped him from first place to third place as Councilman of the Fourth District. If Gordy loses his challenge in court, he will effectively be replaced by runner-up Georgina Wu, a pro-Farris moderate.
Bett Farris: Current Governor of Mycos and the Councilwoman of the First District, Bett Farris is trying to hold together a world with a massive population of 20 trillion sentient beings. Unfortunately, the Governor is only receiving erratic support from the Mycos Council, the body that helps her rule the heavily overpopulated planet. However, Governor Farris has the full backing of the local military commanders, including Admiral Orlando Zhu (the Skywatch Commander) and Vice-Admiral Joe Yakovac, the newly appointed head of the Mycos Bureau of Ship Production.
Wyner Farris: brother of Governor Farris, his appointment to the Council nearly a year ago had been approved by High Secretary MacDonald himself, a move which stifled any opposition to his appointment. Since his appointment, Councilman Farris has consistently supported his sister's policies, including the recent and bitterly contested Naval Budget. It was this event that sparked the current divisions within the Council as the Iddan faction fought against substantial increases in naval spending and was seeking to pour money into "social contract programs". The continuing deteriorating situation in Liloqua Quadrant, was the primary reason Mrs. Farris sought to increase the naval funding significantly and the recent attempt on Mr. Farris life (in his own Seventh District no less) sparked angry accusations by both sides in the Council room. Charges of nepotism by the Iddan Faction in Council have also stirred dissension, with literally hundreds of billions watching via holovision.
Siggid Iddan: another radical that supports the ouster of Mrs. Farris, Councilman Iddan controls the Fifth District and originally comes from the backwater planet Dutilloy. His misogynist attitude is very plain, as is his manner of eliminating political rivals. Iddan seeks to replace Mrs. Farris as Governor of Mycos, and his allies, Gordy, Thrisp, and Pico, support him totally. With his political and literal life at stake, Mr. Iddan is using every dirty trick in the book to stay in power and remove Governor Farris from her position. Since the outbreak of this divisive factionalism, politics has gotten very serious as of late, including mysterious "disappearances" of minor politicians who support one faction or another, and Iddan secretly supports this sort of policy wholeheartedly.
Pannaro Numata: noted as the best looking and most influential of all Council members, Numata is still single (at age 46) and is considered by many Mycosian women as the most eligible bachelor on the planet. With literally billions of women seeking him as a mate, Mr. Numata has used this influence almost shamelessly. He represents the Eighth District on Mycos, which includes the Core Industrial Parks and Galactic Zoo. The influence Mr. Numata wields is without question, and he is a moderate supporter of Mrs. Farris' government, although that could change easily.
Wesran Pico: an immigrant from Dewaal, Councilman Pico has risen rapidly to power, leapfrogging over countless millions to take his place on Mycos's all powerful Governing Council. An unabashed Iddan supporter, Pico has gone so far as to sabotage Mrs. Farris' military proposals in Council, hoping to frustrate her and her supporters, and possibly provoking a military ouster of the Governor. However, Mrs. Farris enjoys widespread support among the military services in the Mycos System, and support from the Defense Minister (Miso Pico) the wife of Wesran. This betrayal of loyalties has led to a severe embarrassment for Mr. Pico but he appears unfazed in public when asked about his wifes' support for the Farris government. He has political support from the Tenth District.
Dsif Rennard: one of the most flamboyant and intelligent members of the Council, Mr. Rennard enjoys substantial support in his Ninth District, especially from the younger crowds who watched his muzak career grow into a political career virtually overnight. A Farris supporter and moderate, Councilman Rennard has consistently supported the Naval Budget against the Iddan Faction, including a famous slap in the face upon Councilman Pico last month on live holovision. Rioting immediately broke out between Ninth District inhabitants and Pico's Tenth District, in which tens of thousands died and nearly two million were hospitalized. Rennard's public apology has placated many political analysts, and the 29-year old has gained recent support from Mrs. Farris as well.
Kronis Thrisp: one of the instigators of the recent impeachment of Mrs. Farris, Councilman Thrisp has taken threats against his life seriously, to the point of arriving in Council with armed guards, which goes against all protocol. A rather fat man, Thrisp represents the Second District and is known across the planet for his eating habits, and endorsements of fine restaurants. He also heads a culinary column on Mycos's most widely read vid-paper, the Mycos Times. His sixteen children (both legitimate and illegitimate) are constantly in the news, usually in some kind of trouble. He consistently supports Councilman Iddan's policies over Mrs. Farris'.
Wydon Jaann: A firm supporter of Mrs. Farris' government, political watchers have noted that Jaann is a majority stockholder in Zeor Industries, the Farris family owned megacorporation. He controls the Third District of Mycos and has nearly four hundred billion constituents, including many aliens, from Mqdrekkor and Rh/attes to the very alien Chalder and caterpillar-like Ians. A recent assassination attempt on Councilman Jaann has further destabilized the government as accusations and threats fly among the Council members.