Barrow

"Barrow was a prime agro-world. Situated conveniently in the outer colonies to supply food and goods to most of them, brining in a lot of revenue and a lot of loyalty. O.N.I. didn't like its vassals tending loyal to someone else...especially an inner colony that could bring the coming war right into the heart of Human Space."

Establishment
Established in 2412, just after the inner colony rush Barrow was a peculiar state caught between the strict regimental requirements colonists faced in the Inner-colonies and the penal-like conditions and sentiments of outer-colonists fleeing Earth control. Barrow is part of an ambiguous zone between the inner and outer colonies similar to Neos Atlantis.

Demographics/Politics (Pre-War)
Stemming from a mixture of both elite pre-screen colonial candidates who had been waitlisted along with former convicts and isolationists hoping to escape the UEG's pervasive government Barrow's population formed its own political ideologies. Fitting to Barrow's place in Human-Space, the population also featured many mixed views common in the inner and outer colonies. While having true and sincere distaste for many of the UEG's principles and governing techniques, the citizens of Barrow were not so extreme, nor blind, to believe violence would result in a stable or peaceful resulting government.

Instead the general census was organized and legitimate lobbying, generate attention, and demand a platform in which to discuss the concerns faced by many within the UEG who felt sidelined for their extra-solar homelands.

The political beliefs and ideology held by most Barrow residents would become known as the Concordat

The Insurrection
With the increasing tensions following the eighty year anniversary of Barrow's founding, 2492, the Insurrection was undoubtedly ignited. Without the option of hoping for a peaceful resolution to the conflict Barrow sided with the UEG formally. While openly continuing its political campaigns and sharing sympathies for the Insurrectionists it was understood that the residual world left over if the Insurrectionists won was not one which would be lasting nor favorable to many.

Siding with the enemy they knew rather than the enemy they did not Barrow remained loyal to the UEG throughout the Insurrection albeit with some of its population having short lived riots and small incidents of domestic terrorism Barrow was able to avoid the brunt of the Insurrection.

Economy/Geography
Barrow's geographic position within Human-Space made it a trading hub into the truly outer colonies. With Barrow becoming one of the major mid-way points for trade in and out of the Outer- colonies for dozens of star systems leading to the planets rich economic success and strong security force supplied for by the CMA and later theUNSC when it usurped such roles.

Playing the role as a massive exportation world Barrow contributed to both the outer colonies need for cheap machinery, and the inner colonies need for cheap food-goods. Capitalizing on the great wealth acquired from its advantageous geography Barrow quickly began construction of its own trade ship fleet. While costly at first, Barrow was situated ideally for such an undertaking and quickly repaid itself in the first year post-completion. At its height Barrow commanded a fleet of over two hundred freight and cargo vessels.

Exports

 * 1) Aero-space craft including engines, parts: (44.30%)
 * 2) Wheat/Beans/Potatoes/Apples: (22.70%)
 * 3) Medical Equipment: (10.20%)
 * 4) Bio-Fuels: (9.06%)
 * 5) Large Engine Vehicle Carapaces: (6.92%)
 * 6) Electro-Sensor Measurement Equipment: (5.80%)
 * 7) Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine Cores: (1.2%)

Government
Barrow, while still a colony of the UEG, maintains its own colonial government. This government operated similarly to a Representative Socialist-Technocracy with a meritocratic cultural style of politics. It is lead by a council of elected masters in various fields of technology, science, health, and others. This Council screens colonial concerns which are sorted appropriated to determine the field of the council most suited to spear-head a response. The corresponding Council member would then act as temporary 'Chairman Elect'. The Chairman Elect acts as the project manager coordinating the Council towards a solution to the colonial distress until it is resolved at which point the position of Chairman Elect is usurped by the Council at large.

The Council's Known Representatives

 * Education (Department of Education)
 * Defense (Barrow Defense Authority)
 * Health (Barrow Health and Wellness Bureau)
 * Infrastructure (Department of Infrastructure)
 * Commerce (Trade Management Authority)
 * Energy (Barrow Energy Department)
 * Logistics/Transportation (Barrow Logistics Bureau)
 * Agriculture (Agriculture Authority)
 * Economy/Treasury (Economics Management Authority)
 * Environment (Environmental Management Bureau)

Human-Covenant War
When the Covenant began it's genocidal quest across Human-Space Barrow would not be spared its wrath. Fortunately Barrow citizens had outfitted its cargo fleets with light weaponry to defend against such an attack. Beginning in 2535 Barrow was able to refit only 35% of its total fleet granting them a light defense force of over 70 ships. In 2549 Barrow would be one of the outer-most colonies still left when a small invasion force arrived on the planet. Thankfully Barrow was still lightly defended rather than outright abandoned like many colonies and was able to stave off the Covenant long enough for a two stage reinforcement force to arrive. The first wave of Reinforcements came from Paris IV survivors who had just escaped the planets glassing. Exhausted and broken from the loss the survivors were still able to delay the Covenant advances long enough for local patrol groups to respond and finalize a much needed UNSC victory. It is widely accredited to the sacrifice of the skeleton crewed defense freighters and cargo vessels which endlessly threw themselves at the enemy biding time for UNSC warships to deliver critical damage to the enemy. Unfortunately no UNSC ships survived the battle and thus the news of Barrow's victory was seemingly never relayed as the UEG assumed the planet a loss. With only twenty four refit ships remaining within Barrows makeshift fleet.

Barrow was left with an outdated Diligence-class Destroyer, and two recommissioned Mako-class Corvettes the rest of Barrow's defense was being supplied for by retrofitted freighters and transport vessels featuring welded on auto-cannons and loosely plated Scab Armor1. These jimmy rigged ships would became the backbone of a self-made and self-sustained Barrow Defense Fleet which would last them the remainder of the war. What remained of the orbital shipyards were converted into warship manufactories along with those located elsewhere in the solar system being mostly recalled to aid in the efforts.

Post-War
With the Barrow Defense Authority taking up the majority of the Colonies defense in the absence of the UNSC during the final stretch of the war Barrow had become incidentally autonomous from the UEG. Unaware of the result of the war the Colony went dark and remained dark for six years. In 2555 the BDA deployed Flicker a project involving the deployment and activation of slip-space routes in continuous loops to nearby systems which would ultimately lead investigators to Barrow. At each relay was a small team whom had full intentions of stopping the relay from continuing any closer to Barrow if a non-human ship arrived, following the Cole-protocol thereafter to include self-destruction if necessary.

Answering the call was the apparently still active UNSC whom alerted Barrow to the revived insurrection with their apprehension of approach. Barrow welcomed UNSC support who likewise seemed glad they wouldn't need to dedicate an overwhelmingly unavailable supply of warships to defend the reclaimed colony. Over the course of the next few years Barrow's Defense Authority came into light conflict with the UNSC however smartly both reframed from declaring any full on separation between the two who operated cooperatively. From 2549 to 2558 the Barrow Defense Authority which had grown from a band of logistics operators into a fully functioning military body had constructed ten new warships to add to the fleet with an eleventh still under construction. This is largely accredited to the innumerable ship yards which were stationed in the outer solar system for mining operations and the lack of surface infrastructure damage to the colony throughout the war.

Politics (Post-War)
With the conclusion of the war and the self-actualized evidence that Barrow could indeed defend itself long term, it did not entirely deter Barrow from its original ideology of peacefully bringing about political change, but it did strengthen the notion that Barrow didn't need to bow to the UEG's authority as much as a subservient and to a degree should demand some of its goals. This became apparent in 2557 when the UNSC attempted to retire the BDA as new UNSC ships arrived. A ten day stalemate ended with the UNSC withdrawing the additional defenses and permitting Barrow to continue utilizing its own defense fleet for protection. This semi-militant victory for Barrow signified the UEG's overall weakened state and apprehension towards triggering an all out war. If Barrow, a more middle-ground independence supporter, were to go to war with the UEG it would surely drag along every other extremist group waiting for the opportunity.

Known Locations

 * Cascadia (Population: 10 Million)
 * Barrow Capitol Tether
 * Cascadia Trade Center
 * Barrow Logistics HQ
 * Barrow Capitol Space-Port
 * Anchorage (Population: 6.8 Million)
 * Anchorage Mining and Shipping District
 * Anchorage Transportation HQ
 * Old Bedford Space Port
 * Bangor (Population: 5.5 Million)
 * Mt. Heaven Space Port
 * Bangor Shipping District
 * Satellite (Population: 5.4 Million)
 * Barrow Northern Fishery & Aquaculture Department


 * Ballad (Population 3.9 Million)
 * Barrow Southern Fishery & Aquaculture Management Department HQ

Notable Residents

 * Nathan Carter Larose
 * Marcus James Chandler

Trivia

 * Barrow is named after the northern most city in the Alaska region of North America.
 * The namesake of many cities and settlements on Barrow are taken from cities located in the Northern regions of North America.