Introduction
“Look, slavery isn’t that bad. At least I give them a sense of being actually useful for once, right? RIGHT!?”
- Martin Geoff, during an elaborate interview with an unfortunate travel journalist.
The Free State of Sabha, the Pearl of Fezzan - the glimmering speck of light that shines across the cold desert. While Libya succumbs to famine and poverty, this small but resilient community tamed the dunes and built a utopia which has become the envy of all. It’s also an amoral and hedonistic cesspit, a society that transformed the dysfunctional market of human-trafficking that permeates throughout Africa into an exploitative and systematic enterprise that made millions or even billions to fund their so-called paradise.
But before the rise of Ljubomir and Martin Geoff, the political environment around Fezzan can be described as a series of city-states and independent villages scattered throughout, interconnected through the means of trade; exchanging goods ranging from water to barley. Sabha, in particular, is a strong economic hub that relies on its oases and irrigation system to produce crops. While slave auctions have become commonplace after Khalifa Haftar’s demise, the local city council attempt to curb down this market but to no avail. Living in the city can be described as mediocre and stagnant for most, but it wasn’t until the arrival of the two and their band of mercenaries that all things changed, reforming the landscape under their whim.
History
“I never thought we could make it this far. Expected my head to roll over before we make it to the city, glad I was wrong.”
- Ljubomir, recounting his past doubt on their first operation.
The Free State was established on April 21st, 2021 - the day when the two, backed by hired guns, seized the city of Sabha through intrigue and coercion. Martin, seeking opportunities to amass his wealth and provide a foundation to build his paradise, begin to bring the slave auctions out from the shadows and turned it into a functioning market. 4 Months later, after accumulating enough funds from the endeavor and investing it into expanding its infrastructure, he improved the city from its mediocre state and elevated the standard of living reminiscent of the pre-civil war.
Confident on his success, he launched an expedition to Brak on October 13th, marching across the highway with 500 mercenaries backed with heavy guns. The operation was a success, but none could secure the city permanently as they plan to expand further. Thus, at Ljubomir’s request, a garrison composed of levied slaves was formed to secure their spoils and was given a title to suit their purpose, the Jaysh Al-Khadam. Martin was impressed by their discipline and loyalty, to the point that he formed other corps to fulfill mediocre roles ranging from construction to maintenance.
While Ljubomir was subjugating towns on the northern hemisphere, some folks from the West, ranging from libertarians to venture entrepreneurs, flocked to Sabha with the promise of new opportunities and economic freedom. Their skill-sets benefited the Free State, providing helpful amounts of expertise that will eventually help it to modernize; inventing more efficient methods of irrigation and robust industry that none throughout Libya and even Africa could match.
In 2023, after developing the northern hemisphere, Ljubomir recommended him to commence another expedition against Ubari and Murzuq, two cities that defied the Free State by helping runaway slaves from falling into their hands. The attempt to secure them was a disaster at first and nearly cost his life. Martin resorted back to subterfuge to sow discontent between the two, eventually succeeding in capturing Murzuq peacefully and launch another offensive against Ubari and establishing a permanent base for the levy Garrison.
After securing the highway connecting Sabha to Murzuq, he begins to shift his focus on domestic affairs; forming the Board of Representatives to give his rule a clear sense of legitimacy and expanding the neglected infrastructure throughout his domain to secure the flow of trade. On his personal venture, he wrote a manifesto on his thoughts on improving capitalism and proposing the idea of a union of entrepreneurs entitled to the sweat of their brow - the Manifesto of the Free. Witnessing its success, fringe towns beyond Murzuq seeks to join the Free State to reap its prosperity. Martin embraced them with glee, proclaiming this endeavor as definitive proof of his success.
After months of preparation, expanding the core army and levy garrisons, Ljubomir commenced its largest expedition yet; seeking to occupy a vast stretch of land beyond the Serir Al Gattusa before it could fall into one of many warring factions of the Libyan National Army. Eventually, through diplomacy and conquest, the Free State of Sabha has captured the city of Al-Fugha and cemented itself as one the most powerful factions within the civil war; a foreign force backed by a powerful economy and robust military.
In 2025, during the height of their power, the Free State expanded its market beyond Fezzan and eventually beyond the southern fringe of North Africa and the Sahel Region. Brak, from a small town housing, has grown into a large inland shipyard. From small motorboats to expansive yachts, most of them are sold to the corsairs scouring throughout the Mediterranean after the sanction was imposed against them.
Conclusion
“It’s surreal to see these folk being content with their lot in life. Some of them are fine on being enslaved as long as Martin takes care of them.”
- An anonymous journalist during a conference in the Hague.
The Free State of Sabha has become an enigma to the international community. Despite being built under the forced servitude of innocent folks, who migrated from their homes to seek a better lot in life, Martin Geoff has elevated the poor conditions that tormented the people of Fezzan into a near-luxurious state; elevating the living condition from its stagnate state and providing folks with easy access to goods that none from the coast could afford.
A journalist documenting the situation in Fezzan recounts his experience with the slaves in Murzuq, claimed that some of the slaves have a surprisingly positive outlook on the Free State, albeit with some minor woes. He even noted that one of them even volunteered to be sold just to receive its benefits such as free sustenance and shelter. Despite this, many have tried to find ways to avoid capture. They either risk themselves to take the longer route from Egypt or through the core territories of the Libyan National Army.
In 2026, their paradise seems to be eroding, albeit at a very slow pace. With the rise of the Green Army threatening their water supply and the gradual progress made by the countries in the Sahel Region to curb down human trafficking, they begin to face a situation where their reliance on slavery could no longer be sustainable and forced to form an alternative solution.
Regardless, the Free State of Libya has proven itself to a reliable trading partner for many factions across Libya and even to the tribes and communities around the Sahel Region to some extent; providing them cheap but reliable goods ranging from fresh fruit to even powerful guns. People in Fezzan admire their commitment to improving their once nightmarish life, even excusing human trafficking a necessary means to survive.