The Spire Institute

Of all the intellectual and academic institutions in the Federation, none are nearly as prestigious as the Spire Institute.

The Institute is a research university located within the iconic Spire Complex that no one can apply to- everyone there has been handpicked to receive a Letter of Interest, and before they are accepted, must be personally interviewed by a member of the Federal High Command. One must qualify for a Total Security Clearance before entering the Institute. Many people who work at the Institute long enough will become Knights of the Black Sun, which can have other implications.

In reality, the Institute is much more than a research facility. It is a functioning branch of the Internal Control Department that has resources outside of the Spire, though most of its work is kept there for security reasons- most of the things the Institute does is, almost without exception, secret or top secret. The Institute is not limited by ethics.

While the Military-Defense Research And Pioneering Agency is the main government source of military innovation, the Spire Institute is more focused on "civil" developments, as well as extremely advanced military projects, usually in conjunction with MDRPA. Both organizations enjoy a fair bit of autonomy.

The Spire Institute is also used to educate new Grand Commanders before and during their tenure as the Federation's Head of State. It is presumed that Wilhelm Slaag, the Chancellor's son, will also be educated at the Spire Institute.

(WIP)