The Spiral Mandate is a human interstellar power in the Hyperion Spiral. Its capital is Mandora in the Argylon system, and it controls several worlds. Its fleets use stealth technology that defeats the sensors of the Malverand Intergalactic Empire.
Government and bases
Representatives of regions and governing entities meet in Mandora's Spiral Halls. For centuries, its politicians followed directives attributed to the Upper Mandate, said to be leaders communicating from the future. Politicians are screened for banned weapons and listening devices as they leave the halls. The proceedings are kept secret from citizens.
Argylon supports administration, research stations and orbital ports for large vessels. Helix Zero provides military training on a massive ocean world, while Palladion is an ice fortress world with underground population centers and maintained breathable zones.
Technology
Mandate ships have sleek white hulls, silver underlays, light blue channels and geometric panels that refract rainbow colors. Their concealment hides them from imperial scanners, but Xarion and Ozaith detected their gravitational effects near Proxion's suns. Their weapons can bombard stars and trigger solar flares. Smaller energy collectors encircle Argylon's sun.
History
Relations with Malverand
Imperial researchers suspected the Mandate had destroyed the Atraxis system more than six thousand years earlier, exhausting planetary resources to support its expansion. Isandro, Eamon and Rafe met Mandate leaders who appeared only as reflections. Those leaders feared the empire's spells.
The two powers maintained a truce because the Mandate knew the danger of the Maraveth Core. Infusing it with essence could produce a sentient entity powerful enough to destroy the Mandate, while also endangering the empire. Isandro concealed the Mandate's superior stealth from the public to avoid panic.
Attack on Proxion
The Mandate attacked the Proxion system, cutting off the region and bombarding one of its suns. Imperial officials suspected that Draxil's rich kytherite deposits made the system a target. Attacks forced the evacuation of much of Alecton's countryside.
With Xarion and Ozaith locating the concealed ships, Kaelion drew power from the sun and destroyed the attacking fleet with a solar spear. Isandro broadcast the victory across the empire, revealing the Mandate to the public.
Thalena's account
In Thalena's Shores of Eternity, a new Mandate fleet attacked the empire's Valrindor. It launched an object into the sun, triggering a solar flare and coronal mass ejection. Kaelion destroyed the fleet, but a beam struck him, and the catastrophe devastated the planet.
When Thalena later visited Mandora, she found an uprising following the end of Upper Mandate directives after the Maraveth Core's destruction. Distress calls from supposed rebels opposing Isandro and his advisors had prompted the attack. Alistair, disguised as Alicia, had escaped the empire and infiltrated Mandate politics with followers. Thalena and Alistair examined the archived communications. The core spoke in Isandro's voice and promised to let its contacts fire directly on Isandro's palace.