Terra Nova government is extremely simplistic on the surface, but this belies the very real respect it has garnered from its citizens for its efficiency and justice. The Empire is ruled by one individual, called a Draco. Though the name implies that this is a dragon-exclusive position (and indeed the current ruler of Terra Nova, Swift, is a dragon), it is open to any being of sufficient competency. The term lasts until voluntary retirement, diagnosed mental incompetence, or death, and so is not an office generally sought on a whim.

There is evidence that the Empire was ruled by one or more Terran Dracos for centuries before Swift assumed the title. Dracos are elected by popular vote to ensure public loyalty and support, and the Terran populace is intelligent enough not to elect money-grubbing politicians or warmongers. Though the public can also vote for a recall if they disapprove of the Draco’s actions, this is an option rarely invoked.

The Draco’s second-in-command is the Supreme Commander, who directly commands all branches of Terra Nova’s armed forces. Though the Draco is commander-in-chief, most day-to-day management of the armed forces falls to the Supreme Commander, who is often referred to by the title of Excellency. Third in command is the Parliament leader, generally a career politician.

After this is the Parliament, a 1000-man group of representatives. Usually these elected officials degenerate into a shouting match and make little actual progress, but this is their entire purpose for existing, so they are actually just doing their job. Thus the two branches of government serve their respective roles: Parliament ensures that the people have some control over minor policy issues, and that nothing gets acted on too hastily by burying it in mounds of red tape and filibuster speeches; the three-man executive branch ensures that decisive action can still be taken immediately when so required.

Each sector has an Overseer, who usually serves in Parliament as well, and each star system has a Governor, but government of individual planets is left up to the people and their preexisting traditions. This mix of strong central and local governments is very popular with the Terra Nova people, who are typically very loyal and patriotic.