The Confederation of Worlds is composed of a group of loosely tied, highly diverse planets, regions, and conquered zones. The level of control the Confederation exercises over the planets, the political structure in place to exercise that control, and the methods of its application, vary radically from planet to planet and region to region, depending on the culture, history, and method by which the Confederation acquired the planet in question.
There are six Lords Confederate, who are the highest civilian authority in the Confederation. These six are Lord Imperator John Campbell, Lord General Peter Rowe, Lady Magestrix Emma Centrella, Lady Duchess Catherine Humphreys, Lady Duchess General Candace Liao-Allard, and Interim Lord Överbefälhavare Christian Månsdottor. Four of these Lords control regions of Confederate space; the other two theoretically rule the rest.
The most senior of the Lords Confederate, Lord Campbell is the one who brought the Confederation together. Along with Lord Rowe, he holds control of the conquered zones of the Confederation, because it was their two legions that did the conquering. Lord Campbell has a very hands-off style of ruling. For the most part, he lets his various worlds go as they will. He sees himself as a primarily military figure, finding his duty in defending the worlds he holds from enemies both external and internal. If something is not a direct threat to his people, Lord Campbell will let them alone. Anything that appears to be a threat will be crushed mercilessly by the force of the Dark Knight Legion or the Regulars.
Lord Rowe shares control of the Confederation's conquered zones with Lord Campbell. Lord Rowe, however, sees himself as a military leader to an even greater extent than does Lord Campbell. Though he is the second most senior of the Lords Confederate, he tends to take a back seat to even the more junior Lords in any social or political matters, and leaves his sectors to the negligible attention Lord Campbell gives them. He demands and gets his say in military matters, however.
Lady Centrella has inherited, under Confederate auspices, her mother's position as ruler of what once was the Magistracy of Canopus.