Protection of Life

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous
February 14, 2011 - 7:08am
Native Life
What happens to flora and fauna in a new system. Do they have rights or protection? What if there is a sentient race?

In my opinion there would be a unspoken rule in the frontier where all individuals, governments and corporations would respect life, since the frontier relies on life to live. Of course you have a subset of groups that simply want to exploit life - this makes for adventures. 
Comments:

jedion357's picture
jedion357
February 15, 2011 - 9:12pm
This is not the case with GODco, the yazirian megacorp that specializes in terraforming, or at least thats my read of that organization
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!

iggy's picture
iggy
February 15, 2011 - 10:57pm
I do not see the frontier having actual laws on this and definitely no prime directive.  There is still a wild west attitude to expansion and resources.  However, there is a conservation mind akin to Teddy Roosevelt that helps keep from wiping out nature.
-iggy

Anonymous's picture
w00t (not verified)
February 16, 2011 - 9:16pm
iggy,
I believe that is what I was shooting for. Do you know if this policies are documented (and readable)?

In a nutshell - a colony would live off the land but not exhaust it's resources least they stifle their growth. A colony may introduce animals for food and protection. I can imagine a special bred of dog/wolf/lion/whatever that has been domesticated and trained to protect the colony from dangerous local predators.

iggy's picture
iggy
February 16, 2011 - 9:46pm
The types of animals imported for use may be more for comfort reasons than best functional type.  Dad thinks Billy needs a dog so he imports one from Clarion.  But to watch the cattle he uses the three eyed moggle that the colony environmental team has established a domestication program for.  Likely his cattle are bred from embryos frozen and imported in artificial wombs so that the creatures develop on planet and don't bring any viruses or parasites with them.  The cattle are there because the Humans like their burgers and steaks.  But down the road the farmer has another herd of local beasts that survive better in the environment and are plenty profitable in the meat market.

As for laws maybe we can find some early Roosevelt era writings or laws to model on.
-iggy

jedion357's picture
jedion357
February 17, 2011 - 8:30pm
I was getting at this with my take on the Free World Rebellion at Madderly's Star- the human colonist were opting for living light on the land and sustainable philosophies ie each human farmer was opting for smaller yeilds in favor of sustainability while the vrusk conglomerate that showed up used classic corporate farming methods.
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!

William's picture
William
February 28, 2011 - 2:03am
I think that for Sentient races that are found, there should be some type of laws protecting their rights. All core races started out and found each other. It would be like the Sathar to destroy another sentient race not dralasites. There are references to this in the modules about Volturnus and in the SFmag, I think. It would really depend on who discovered them though. If a Megacorp found a sentient race and they were in their way, they may just wipe them out. Maybe the PC could be the party to stop this or maybe they do the deed themselves?

iggy's picture
iggy
February 28, 2011 - 12:54pm
I think that the megacorp lawyers would find loop holes in the UPF and various planetary government laws that they could play.  Thing like, "it is not clearly defined that...." or, "These planetary government laws conflict with the UPF charters such that...."  Then they would allow re-locations to a safer location or improving the well being of the natives by putting them in one place.  It would feel very well intentioned in the presentations and plans but on the ground it would be little more than force.
-iggy