Enlistment

All Star Law officers must be above average in several respects. Four of their ability scores must be at least five points above their racial average (see Expanded Rules, p. 59), two of which must be their Intuition and Logic scores.

Example: A player wants his Yazirian character, Simba (ability scores STR/STA 40/40, DEX/RS 40/40, INT/LOG 60/60, PER/LDR 40/40), to become a Star Law officer. Checking the table, he sees that the Yazirian average for Intuition and Logic is 50. Therefore, Simba's scores must be at least 55 in those areas; they are, easily. His other scores are not good enough to qualify in the DEX/RS or PER/LDR areas. Luckily, the Yazirian average for Strength and Stamina is 35, so Simba is qualified to enter Star Law.

All admission procedures take place at Star Law headquarters (Port Loren, Gran Quivera), and characters must furnish their own transportation there. If this rule causes problems, it can be declared that a qualified character who is interviewed at any Star Law planetary office and passes a Personality check will be considered an excellent candidate by the Planetary Officer and will receive free transportation to Port Loren.

The admission procedure is tough. The character will be doped with Telol and psycho-probed while being examined on every facet of his beliefs, attitudes, and history. All interviews are monitored by hidden cameras and sonic analyzers so that any attempts to use Hypnotism or Persuasion skills will be detected. Any character who uses those skills, or who has a criminal record of subversive beliefs (including a "bad attitude"), will never be admitted to the academy. The referee should enforce this strictly - after all, the characters won't be able to beat a system that hasn't fail in 127 years.

If one character passes the screening, he will be granted an interview with the Admissions Director of the Academy. If the candidate makes a favorable impression (passes a Personality check), he is accepted as a cadet. If he fails, he may try again next year.

Training

The Star Law Academy is situated on Morgaine's World, in a huge complex which includes hundreds of hectares of land enclosed in climate-controlled domes that simulate adverse conditions found on various worlds for the purpose of combat and survival training. The cadets undergo extensive physical and tactical training, and are taught all available information on Sathar capabilities and subterfuge tactics, the culture and history of the known races, and anything generally useful to their line of work (which means practically everything). The training period lasts one year, during which cadets receive free room and board, but no pay.

Graduates of the academy receive a number of benefits. The continual physical training improves the characters: they may add five points to one ability of the STR/STA pair and one of the DEX/RS pair. They will also have acquired extensive skills during the program, depending upon their PSA and desires. These skills are listed below.

Technological/Biosocial: One 5th-level skill and one 3rd-level skill from the appropriate PSA, a 2nd-level ranged weapons skill (usually beam), and 1st-level in a non-ranged weapon Military skill (usually Melee).

Military: Two 5th-level weapon skills, 2nd-level Martial Arts, 1st-level Demolitions.

It will be noted that these skills are rather powerful. Referees may wish to tone them down somewhat, but should keep in mind that even low-level Star Law officers are rather awe-inspiring and formidable.

Once graduated, the new Deputy Officer must be assigned to a world. The referee may pick a world at random or by design. Generally, Star Law Deputy Officers are assigned to worlds where they fit in well with the inhabitants; Dralasite agents, for example, would stand out in a world inhabited almost exclusively by Yazirians. Some exceptions are made as the need arises, and the policy is not particularly strict.

Advancement

In Mr. Eastland's article, it was said that "after a period of time, usually one to three years, the Deputy Officer is evaluated and may be promoted to a higher grade." A good rule, and very realistic. However, the players in all groups I've gamed with would loudly and persistently accuse the hapless referee of favoritism or maliciousness (depending upon their viewpoint) in all subjective decisions, such as the period of time before evaluation, the merits of the character under consideration, and the appropriate level of promotion.

Star Law rank     XP needed     Daily pay
                                   (Cr)

Deputy Officer    (graduate)        50

City Officer          25            75

Planetary             50           100
Officer

Deputy Agent         100           125

Chief Agent          150           150

Ranger               250           200

Marshal              300           250

Commander            350           300

To eliminate this inevitable dissension and also for greater consistency with official rules for Spacefleet advancement, it is suggested that Star Law ranks be treated like Spacefleet ranks, in that a certain number of experience points must be "spent" to achieve each rank. At least one level must be gained in at least one skill before another rank can be achieved. The table lists the XP required, and also notes the salary that each rank receives.

Miscellaneous data

When the Deputy Officer graduates from the Academy, he receives his dress uniform, his duty uniform (a military skeinsuit in Star Law blue), and regulation weapons for his assigned planet - typically a sonic stunner and a stunstick, but certain planets such as Outer Reach require more powerful weapons as standard issue, and perhaps a defensive screen as well. Of course, when on an assigned mission, agents will be issued whatever weapons, defenses, and equipment are appropriate and reasonable.

Star Law agents are respected throughout the Frontier. Whenever an NPC must make a Leadership check vs. Star Lawman, the agent gets a +5 bonus per rank.

Since the agents often have to rely on their own resources, Star Law encourages them to develop their personal skills. This policy has a practical side Star Law will provide hypno-training (see Expanded Rules, p. 11) for any agent wishing to gain new skills or skill levels.

Star Law agents are often called upon to perform undercover work. These assignment will be of two basic types. The first is infiltration, where the agent attempts to join an organization, "become" an enemy agent, or other similar action. In such a case, Star Law will fabricate a history for the agent right back to his birth records, and will alter computer databases and hypnotize key people so that almost any amount of checking will not discover anything unusual about him.

The other type of assignment is replacement, where an enemy agent has been neutralized, but Star Law does not wish that fact to become known or wishes to plant its own contact inside the organization. For this type of assignment, setup will include plastic surgery, voice and carriage training, and memory overlays so the agent as instant access to most of his model's memories.

 Star Law agents are a special group of beings. Though the work of defending the Frontier is demanding and dangerous, Star Law agents thrive on it. Their courage and dedication have resulted in their becoming universally admired folk heroes of the Frontier.