Immortals

"It isn't enough for humanity survive. We have to make sure what survives was worth saving." --Zack Lancestrom, 5462 Interstellar

The Federal Fleet Immortal Program is a highly classified special resource project like the Planetary Liaison Division or the Lightbringer Program. An extension of the Synthesis instituted by the 11th Splinter Fleet and continued in the Politeia star system, the Immortal Program aims to put the resources and power of the Fleet into the hands of individuals with the talent, skills, and luck to not only safeguard humanity, but to help it progress beyond its current state.

Selection
Each Immortal is chosen from a pool of trillions of candidates and given a final test--also called the Synthesis--which pits their abilities and beliefs against an impossible situation. Their successful navigation of the test without breaking faith or dying determines whether they are inducted into the program. Most fail without knowing they were being tested in the first place, and a rare few turn down the opportunity in order to pursue their own goals.

SAIs and GAIs can also participate in the Immortal Program. Upon achieving the required success parameters, an SAI may elect to upload the key parts of its consciousness to a humanoid chassis with capabilities similar to a Tier 3 full body replacement cyborg. After doing so, the SAI's mainframe is erased, and the SAI must complete its Synthesis without being able to copy itself to a different frame, although it is possible to upgrade the chassis to make itself more capable. The unshackling of SAIs through temporary mortality was a condition of return for the surviving members of the ARK program.

Qualification for the Immortal Program requires the candidate to be a human, human descendant, or a human-designed AI (and descendants). All forms of enhancement are permitted. Aliens are not generally considered for membership, although many Immortals--notably of the Protean, Gaian, and Praetorian branches--utilize alien agents as part of their support teams. The Immortal Program is the only legal path for Fleet shackled GAIs and SAIs to be given their independence.

Governance
While the Federal Fleet is commanded and governed by the Admiralty, Immortals are given wide latitude to call on its capabilities in support of their mission. This assistance usually comes in the form of credits, contacts, intelligence, and analysis, but can also involve direct action if the situation falls within the Federal Fleet's mandate. Outside the Admiralty, the SAIs, and a few select specialists, the Fleet is unaware of the existence of the Immortals. Furthermore, assistance rendered to the Immortals is not without limits, but rather based on the successes achieved by an Immortal and their associates in a complex game of Fleet supply and logistics that boils down to, "Don't ask for what I don't have or can't spare and I won't have to tell you no." After their initial missions, Immortals are expected to become increasingly self sufficient except when situations escalate beyond their abilities to control.

Immortals have no rulers, but rather self-organize in clusters of likeminded individuals on the basis of shared goals. A more successful, older Immortal would never give an order--not even to the newest member of the Program. But it is true that those who are willing to do a few favors for others find they have access to resources the more independent-minded Immortals might not. In rare situations where two Immortals or Immortal factions come into conflict, these games of influence come to the forefront and the Admiralty often serve as mediators. The situation rarely escalates to direct confrontation because the galaxy is vast and Immortals have a great deal of time and resources to find other opportunities, but sometimes both parties will forego an opportunity to keep the peace.

Factions
Immortals are generally divided between the Protean, Guardian, Gaian, and Praetorian factions.