Tetrarch

Under the governance of the Tetrarchy of Mezlagob, the four Tetrarchs were the supreme rulers of the government and the systems under its control.

Powers and authority
As a council, the Tetrarchs could begin war, authorize battle campaigns, and conclude peace. They had ultimate command over the Tetrarchy military, and could order the blockade or invasion of a system. They could also use their forces against their own citizens and subjects to suppress rebellion or dissent.

The Tetrarchs could pass laws binding on the entire Tetrarchy or specific planets, and could direct the use of resources and create the Tetrarchy budget. They could seize private property and have citizens or subjects arrested, imprisoned, or executed outside the normal judicial systems. The Tetrarchs appointed all of the highest levels of their own bureaucracy, as well as the sector commands and Supreme Commander of their armed forces.

All Tetrarchy military business was conducted by a majority vote; three of the four Tetrarchs needed to agree to a plan for it to proceed. However, individual Tetrarchs could authorize arrests or the seizure of property or resources, and often did for their own benefit or the detriment of their competitors and detractors.

Vacancy and appointment
When a vacancy existed among the four Tetrarchs, the three survivors voted on the replacement; a unanimous vote was necessary to appoint a new Tetrarch. Once elected, Tetrarchs served for life. Some Tetrarchs were politically isolated by their peers and forced to resign, and others provoked their fellow Tetrarchs to the extent that mortality came more swiftly than nature intended.

Tetrarchs came into the position from numerous sources. Many worked their way up through the Tetrarchy civil service and bureaucracy, while others served as governors on individual planets. A few came from the military, and several former Supreme Commanders of the Tetrarchy military became Tetrarchs themselves.

Species diversity was considered important in the preservation of the Tetrarchy. The original four Tetrarchs were a Mezzel, a Hudrelan, a Dronos, and an Umdal. This composition dominated the Tetrarchs for most of the Tetrarchy, although occasionally two of one species would serve with one of the other founding species absent from the group. In addition, at least one and one Doloy served at various times.