The newly ascendant Terran Republic passes sweeping legislation issuing Identification Tags to all citizens and recognizing the Republic Credit as the state’s sole legal tender. Each Tag holds a citizen’s credit balance and civic profile, while CredStick handshakes—interlocking Republican CredSticks—become the standard method for secure, real‑time transactions from orbital exchanges to street bazaars. The Iron Syndicate is contracted to harden Tag firmware with mana‑reinforced code, dramatically reducing everyday fraud and cementing trust in Republic commerce.