The Safety Net (TSN)[]
Safety Net Header
The Safety Net is a worldwide network of Suits that work cooperatively to ensure each other's safety and anonymity. Starting out as a small group of suits striking up a mutual defense pact, the Safety Net quickly expanded to include approximately 20,000 Pilots over the ensuing months after suitfall, 5,000 of which actively identify as members of the Safety Net over another faction. Members communicate with each other via a large series of heavily encrypted webservers, alongside the more traditional methods such as suit to suit communicators.
Safety Net Structure[]
Members of the Safety Net are sorted together into small groups of 15-20 pilots called Cells. Each cell covers a certain geographical area, with the general size covered depending on the population density of both Pilots and civilians. For example, a major city could have over a dozen cells, while rural cells could contain over a dozen towns.
Your cell, in essence, becomes your local suit "community". The Pilots of your own cell are those to whom you first turn if you need help, those whom you keep in contact with, and those whom you protect. In this way, each cell becomes its own self-defense pact, where helping out a suit in need is not only requested, but expected. More often than not, Pilots within the same cell become close friends, regardless of faction affiliation.
Cells are then sorted into Regions, which cover large geographic areas and contain several dozen cells. For example, a large US state might be classified as its' own region, but so could a small country.
Regions are then sorted into Zones. Zones vary widely in size and shape. For example, a large number of low population regions could be a single zone encompassing multiple countries, while a larger nation such as China or the U.S. could be divided into multiple zones.
Joining The Safety Net[]
Joining the Safety Net is as simple as being invited in by an already existing suit. The only true requirement is a general adherence to the rules and a method of proving you're actually a Pilot. Information suits often keep tabs on news articles and websites too, so if someone is looking to join finding them isnt difficult. Proving you're a Pilot involves having a nearby cell vouch for you.
Registration is managed similar to any form of user authentication, with a username and a heavily encrypted password. An additional piece of information, though, is a cell verified description of what your suit looks like along with a short confirmation message with a Relocation handler to verify your identity.
Communication[]
Communication over the Safety Net is done via a forum system. Any one suit has access to the forums of their cell, region, zone, country, and continent. Every suit also has access to a global forum, where suits can seek aid from other suits and factions for whatever reason they need.
The general location of a suit is hidden except to those within the same cell as them. Besides sharing a cell, there is no easy way of finding out where a suit is unless they explicitly tell you.
An encrypted chat server also exists for communication between suits one on one. Logs arent made or kept, so whatever is said is between the two participants.
An open forum exists for those who are not in the Safety Net to enter discussion with registered members. Usually used by corporations and governments, the open forum has become somewhat of a jobs board, allowing for Members to take contracts on everything from heavy lifting to bodyguard services. PMC's find a fair bit of use out of it, too.
Also present is a friend system, as those who have relocated out of a cell often prefer to keep in touch. This system allows for a member to keep track of those suits they have worked with before, even if both have relocated from the original cell.
Relocation[]
Relocation is the process by which an endangered Pilot is moved out of his or her own cell into a new one far away. This is often only used for emergencies, but some suits of a more paranoid inclination move once or twice a year on principal.
Relocation comes in two methods: Voluntary and Crisis.
Voluntary relocation is a slow process, in which a Pilot packs up his or her worldly possessions and moves, albeit covertly, via mundane methods. Though a relocation operator Suit will help with such things as fabricating a new identity and finding a basic dwelling, much of the process is autonymous. An added perk is being able to pick where you want to go.
Crisis relocation is a lot quicker, but intended for emergencies only, in a situation where your cover is blown and you are either about to be or already are captured or killed by a hostile group. Crisis relocation is initiated by you or the members of your cell triggering an alert to the Net. A Safety Net Crisis Team will shortly arrive, exfiltrate any suits in peril, and work directly under the oversight of a Relocation handler to move the Pilots to a new cell. Unlike voluntary relocation, the relocated suits don't get to pick their destination. However, the Relocation handler isn't likely to move you to a cell where people don't speak your language or have drastically different culture.
Nomads/Independants[]
Not all Pilots want to be in a cell, or operate out of one place. Others are faction based, and live out of faction strongholds instead of blending in with civilians. For people like these, they can opt to, instead of being sorted into a cell, register as independant. Independant Pilots are not associated with a general location as a home base, nor are they grouped in a cell. However, they are required to look out for themselves (Or have their faction look out for them), and Crisis will have a harder time responding if you are captured, because you have to make the report and give a location yourself. Factions can apply to be sorted into specialized faction cells that consist entirely of people in their own faction.
Banning[]
What would get you banned?
Compromising your cell or the Safety Net as a whole are the two largest infractions. These are the kind of things that would involve direct intervention by Crisis teams and the Safety Net administrators doing everything they can to track you down. Leaving the Net is fine, but betraying it is unforgivable.
Another major component is to not attack another member of the Safety Net without good justification. Though this isnt heavily enforced, you may find that the others in that suit's cell won't be as understanding. Neither will the Crisis Team.
Other things that could lead to your expulsion are things like murder, assault, terrorism, and generally disrupting the natural order. In short, if the others in your cell don't approve, they can report you to the Net and have a moderator or administrator investigate. Reactions can vary from being relocated to a different cell, to being kicked out of the Safety Net, to getting Crisis sicced on you.
Safety Net Operators
Though many different suits are members of the Safety Net, there are a select few who work as Safety Net Operators. Operators are the people who manage the day to day operations of the Net. Though not administrators, Operators are given more privledges than most. There are two types of Operators.
Relocation Handlers
Relocation Handlers are suits specialized for hacking and information warfare. Not many are inclined for combat, instead working out of the comfort of their own home. Relocation Handlers work remotely to help Pilots relocate. In the event of a voluntary relocation, the handler will occasionally supervise the Pilot as he or she makes the journey, ensuring they have a new false identity forged, getting their papers up to date, and finding them lodging. In the event of a Crisis Relocation, a handler is considerably more focused, following the Crisis team and endangered pilot from point A to point B, monitoring information feeds and running mission control.
Crisis Teams
The big guns, Crisis Teams are small 4-8 suit teams of combat oriented suits. Packing a ton of firepower, Crisis Teams are designed to get in, grab the suit in trouble, and get out by any means necessary. Using Relocation Handlers as mission control, Crisis Teams supervise every stem of the relocation to ensure that the Pilot isn't attacked before he is home safe.
Operator Benefits
Being a Relocation Handler or Crisis Team member is a volunteer gig. Many do it out of the kindness of their hearts or a desire to help others. However, people have to eat and being an Operator is a full time job. Thus, Operators are paid a stipend for the job they perform. The money for this comes from a donation fund that the Safety Net uses exclusively for paying Operators and server maintenance. Surprisingly, the donations are enough to cover the expenses, as many suits, even the well known rich ones, like having a group of people who will help them out of a bind in the event of an emergency.
Member Security
Operators have the limited ability to know the location of individual members of the Safety Net. However, this is restricted to the Pilot requesting a relocation and the other Pilots in his or her cell. This is necessary for relocation, as the handlers and Crisis Team members have to know where you are to move you around. Additionally, the foreknowledge about others in the cell lets the Crisis Team have a list of trustworthy suits willing to help them.
Safety Net Administration
Safety Net has a small team of administrators focused on keeping the Safety Net running. Though few of them are publicly known, they have all been objectively neutral as far as any conflict goes, focusing solely on the continued survival of the Safety Net and its establishment as neutral ground. Only the administration team knows where the Safety Net's servers are located, and they will guard that information with their lives.
Artie
The creator of the Safety net, he retains his position as Head Administrator but is loathe to intervene in any situation that doesnt threaten the Net as a whole out of a desire to not become a dictator to the community. He instead focuses on his day to day job as an expert in freelance logistics manager and mission control.
Anonymous Administrators
Not every administrator wishes to have a public face, so a few remain private. Each new Administrator is thoroughly vetted by the existing Administration team, however, and these administrators continue to work as normal members and Operators.
Safety Net's Enemies
The Hunters - A group of suits solely interested in killing other suits naturally opposes the concept of a community of suits. A large number of Crisis relocations are due to Hunter attacks.