Weekly Flag Challenge #279 voting

[Ekg]

Flag of the Republic of Mercury:
First human on Mercury was a Chinese Taikonaut in the late 21st Century, not long after the 1st Orbital War as a way to gain prestige after that mostly inconclusive war, which many felt was a defeat for China's Coalition of Nations. Other than leaving a PRC flag on it that did not lead to much else in the short term as it was during the height of the 2nd Cold War. Some landings occured by various nations through the 22nd Century (mostly the 3rd Interwar Era) but as most were focused on the Moon, Venus, Mars and the Asteroid Belt. It was only in the early 23rd Century, shortly after the 2nd Orbital War/early in the 3rd Cold War, where Mercury was colonized by the Unified Commonwealth. Mainly by various Buddhists from the UC, US and their allies (at the time) like Vietnam and Korea as well as Canadian and Australian Anglo-Caucasians. Mercury was mostly a quiet and content part of the Unified (and then United) Commonwealth other than some protests in the 1st Colonial War (2289-2315), and an orbital battle between the Royal Space Force and the United Nations Navy in the 2nd Colonial War of the mid 25th Century. For a century Mercurt remained without much notice. But on the late 26th Century the UC lost the 4th Colonial War, with Mercury becoming it's last territory outside of Earth (well, other than some Earth-Moon and Earth-Sun Lagrange points). This resulted in RSF and Royal Espatier Corps presence in Mercury increasing (both on absolute terms and especially in relative terms, what with RSF no longer having Outer System presence anymore, as well as Mars and the Moon). This lead to discontent rising in Mercury again, thought forces soon decreased again as they were drawn rimwards for the 2nd Solar War. With the Inner Powers retaking the outer system. That said, anti-colonialist sentiment did grow in Mercury. Eventually leading to the independence of the Republic of Mercury following the 4th Orbital War of 2672. Much of the flag was the black of space, with the golden arc of the Sun covering the hoist. With the grey globe of Mercury on the edge of the sun-arc. Hermes/Mercury's caduceus, with green snakes and and a grey winged staff. This flag remained in use only for 8 (Earth) years before the Legionary coup d'etat leading to the creation of the State of Hermes, with which came a new flag.

I don't have much lore for this one but have a Francophone Venusian Republic! The tricolor is inspired by a similar flag for Mars representing the republic's terraforming ambitions (with softer shades of green and blue and Martian red replaced with Venusian copper). The symbol is an inversion of a star and crescent, with a Star of Ishtar orbited by a solar mirror.

Terran Republic (Res publica Terra)

"'First of equals', my ass! There's nothing 'equal' about living in a Martian zoo!" - Joseph Anderson, True Terran resident from Novum Eboracum, Terra.

The Terran Republic is, for all intents and purposes, a misnomer. Centered on the 'provisional' capital of Mars, the Terran Republic prides itself as the custodian of a ruined homeworld, restoring life to a blasted nuclear hellscape as humanity's oldest planetary colony preached for unity and loyalty in a divided universe. But while its official history exalted the founders of the Terran Republic in quashing the separatist sentiments of the nascent Martian colonies, many within and outside the Republic know the truth. From the vast metropoli of Olympus Mons, to the overabundance of Martian senators representing the most far-flung provinces of the Republic, the reality of Mars' preeminence in Terran affairs is impossible to hide. The ironically named True Terrans, especially, see nothing but hypocrisy on the part of their new overlords, where decontamination and relief efforts has proceeded at a glacial pace, while many worked in the biodomes' hospitality sector to cater to wealthy Martian pilgrims. With much of the Terran budget reserved for expensive military expeditions to subjugate 'rebel' colonies, opponents of the regime have taken to calling its elites by their true, Martian names. Such was the constant mockery that the demonym had become an insult to many Martian-born Terrans. But as one Martian-born botanist on Terra once said, "it is the unvarnished truth. We are aliens lording over another world. The least we can do is not steal their very name to pursue delusions of conquest."
Combining the symbols for Earth and Mars, the flag originally represented the planetary capital of Mars alone, with the official flag meant to feature only the Sun-cross. There had been plans for variants of the Sun-cross flag for other planets and colonized bodies in the Terran Republic, of which some were briefly used after the respective colonies' incorporation into the Terran Republic. But as time went on, Terra's continued ecological decay and Mars' preeminent position had made the Martian variant its official standard across the entire empire. Given Martian society's overwhelming contempt for the 'mutated' and 'diseased' True Terrans, the Terran Republic remains unlikely to live up to its name.
OOC: Finally, I thought of something. To put it in summary, it's a Martian empire using its control over Earth as a justification to unify humanity under its banner.

Neo Tortuga (aka Pluto–Charon system)

Modern-day Vikings, Adventurers, Rebels, Slavers, Mercenaries, Smugglers - you can call them whatever you want, but they are still the classic Space Pirates. The exact number of permanent inhabitants of the double planet is not known, but it is estimated at no more than a million. The bident and the oar symbolize Pluto and Charon, respectively.

FLAG CHALLENGE #279: Ad Astra

Your task is to create a flag for a political entity that is not based on earth. Said entity could be a martian colony, a collection of spaces stations or the first settlement around another star. Be creative !