Primary The Coalition of Ophelia and Virgo, 'The Council'

The Coalition Council of 2416
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Sanchi Clearwater
This Hylotl won the position in a democratic ballot, chosen for her political views, onscreen charisma, and artistic skill. She is often seen glaring at Chief Preystalk from across the table.

Stargazer Itzel
Quiet and calculating, this aging stargazer uses few words where others rely on many. Even among the avian, the time she commits to prayer is viewed as excessive.

Representative Carcer Holtz
This apex is hard and blunt. A lifetime of morality represented by the volatile and firm action of the MiniKnog has left an impression on this one, making him very direct and seemingly heartless. There is no room for emotions where duty is concerned.

Vice Admiral Jefferson
A gruff but surprisingly kindhearted member of the United Systems Navy, Samuel Jefferson strives to protect what remains of humanity and prevent other worlds from sharing Earth's fate.

Chief Preystalk
While many protested the inclusion of florans on the council, the possibility of turning the floran hordes against the tentacle menace at least warranted an attempt. Loud and demanding, Preystalk is often absent from any serious discussions.

The Coalition of Ophelia and Virgo
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The Coalition of Ophelia and Virgo, or simply 'The Council' as it is commonly known, is a large governing body claiming to have authority over the the aforementioned two sectors, although some claim that their influence extends (or extended) to the now lawless Antares and Orion sectors. However, due to its lax policing and general policy of allowing nations to govern themselves, this claim is debatable. That said, there are many political entities that support and fund the council for their own reasons, giving them enough clout to influence large swathes of space, assisted by a military comprised of regiments donated by many local nations.

Formed in 2346, the council was originally devised (primarily by a large human merchant conglomerate that has since been absorbed into the United Systems) as a neutral political entity that would supervise negotiations between nations at odds with one another, but as the demand for order and security rose, the council found itself taking on more and more responsibilities, even, in rare cases, directly governing planets that otherwise would have fallen to anarchy. At this point, it is comprised of varying races and cultures from outside and in Antares. Membership to the council is open to any political body that controls a physical portion of the Antares sector and has interplanetary travel technology. At the moment, the council has representatives from Avos, the United Systems, the Miniknog, the Hylotl Empire, and the most dominant Floran tribe between the two sectors.

Currently, the council spends most of its time attempting to reconcile nations who have gone to war, assist in economic development, bring aid to beleaguered regions, and exterminate the rampant piracy that plagues local space. Or rather, that is what they state they are doing. In reality, most of the time it translates to endless debate, paperwork, and red tape, leading to many instances where the issue has resolved itself in some manner before the Council managed to actually commit to an action. While most believe that it is simple incompetence and the inevitably slow millstones of bureaucracy that causes to council to flounder, some say that there is a darker truth to its ineptitude. After all, allowing the council to exist would easily give the illusion that there was some semblance of unity and cooperation among the various nations of the neighboring sectors, easing the mind of the common man. However, if this council was kept toothless, it would be exceedingly easy to abuse or circumvent its authority for personal gain. A counterculture formed around this conspiracy theory has been growing in popularity the past few decades, but only time will tell if their investigations and protests will amount to anything.

That said, the Council is not entirely without power, as they do directly govern several worlds in addition to being heavily favored by the civilized core planets. These worlds are most compliant with the council's wishes, and provide most of its funding and donated troops, with many of them in high-ranking positions. As most core governments take the label of civilized space very seriously, they often heavily campaign for increased economic regulation and crackdowns on rogue nations that flout CSOV authority and refuse to adhere to Council-approved ethics.

In conclusion, the Confederated Sectors of Virgo and Ophelia is a political body that serves to mediate disputes, ensure a fair economic market, and give relief to worlds and systems suffering from disaster or war. While there are some who accuse the council of corruption and abuse of power, there has yet to be enough evidence for such claims to be formally investigated, and most believe that the council does more good than harm, when it does manage to do anything at all.