The Unified People of Thanda is the collective name for the inhabitants of Thanda, mostly Chiss, and the castes in which they organize themselves. The Military Caste rules with absolute authority, in order to maintain a peaceful and just society. Life in the UPT is harsh because of the self inflicted nuclear winter, that has covered most of the surface in radioactive ash and has kept temperatures around zero celcius. Despite this the UPT have managed to scrape out a living. They rely heavily on underground shelters, orbital stations and, more recently, radiation shields. Extensive use of droids has even allowed them to thrive to a certain degree. The UPT is notoriously mistrustful of many advanced electronics, preferring more mechanical systems with better resistance to extreme radiation.