The United Federation

Based on Venhydra and the officially 'ruling' government of the Sol system, the Federation was born from the original colonists who crash landed upon the planet in the year 3012. The officals on board, being of the original Federation of their homeworlds, and transporting upon a Federation vessle, adopted the familiar government system for the new found colony.
Suprisingly, despite the government's shaky start, the Federation blossomed, finding more than enough resources to sustain a colony and prospering unexpectedly from trade with passing alien cargo ships. And with the trade ships went news of the new colony. Soon curious travellers began to arrive, along with assistance from the original Federation Headquarters. As a result, the population swelled, technology boomed and the government grew prosperous..

The Federation is large, well organized and powerful with nearly unlimited access to useful resources. It's citizens, likewise, are well organized and well trained, assigned to rank and operation under the exclusive rule of the president who is assigned by Fed Headquarters. Although not as versitile as their Rebel counterparts, the Feds are trained to military perfection in their chosen profession, carrying out their orders to the word.

The Planetary Alliance

In 3027, fifteen years after the creation of the Federation, the tension that had been building among the colonists upon Venhydra, snapped. Dissagreements had sprung years earlier concerning the rule and management of the colony and the colonists, as we inevitable, split apart... simply being the supporters of the Federation rule, and the rebels. As the protesters accused, with money and power, came abuse of that money and power, and in turn, abuse of the colonists. Indeed the Federation had grown to an unexpectedly large size, operating upon a strict set of rigid standards so as not to lose their power.
So when certain Federation officials ordered the troublemakers 'taken care of' the small group of rebels siezed their chance and escaped to the barren and virtually deserted neighboring planet of Tanari. At first the Federation left them, assuming the handful of protesters would either return and surrender or perish in the formidable conditions of their base planet. This was the Federation's mistake, for the rebels did survive, building a seperate colony of their own, and proclaiming themselves an independant government..the Planetary Alliance. Only when the Alliance sent a transmission proclaiming their independance did the Federation realize it's error and by then it was too late. The rebels had aquired enough defenses to successfully defend their base from the bewildered Venhydran government and even form some small, carefully planned, counter-attacks.

The Alliance is small but crafty, formed of clever, hardy, and independant citizens and supporters. Most are versitile, able to take on any number of jobs or responsibilites when needed, and because of their relatively small numbers and resources, devoted to their cause and thus, each other. A larger number of rebels are non-humanoids than the Federation, and are generally more accepting to those of other species. Like the Federation, a president runs the government, but instead is voted upon by Tanari's citizens, and most decisions may be disputed or discussed before becoming final.