The Outpost of Helios is a mammoth, safe nation, ruled by Legate Martina Chai with a fair hand, and renowned for its compulsory military service and absence of drug laws. The hard-working, democratic, devout population of 8.92 billion Heliosians enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.

The relatively small, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Spirituality, Welfare, and Education. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Icarus. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 11.7%.

The strong Heliosian economy, worth 557 trillion thalers a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Book Publishing industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Retail, and Cheese Exports. Average income is 62,444 thalers, with the richest citizens earning 7.0 times as much as the poorest.

Legate Martina Chai has just been declared ruler of Helios in an international press conference, Tellurism has been named as Helios's national religion, the richest individuals apparently buy nothing but noodles and toilet paper, and bins outnumber trees in city parks. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Helios's national animal is the unicorn and its national religion is Tellurism.

Helios is ranked 124,713^th in the world and 2^nd in Saint Petersburg for Most Developed, scoring 57.88 on the Human Development Index.