Editing Hua Yuan (section)

===Law and Order===
Like many hive worlds in the Imperium, crime is a constant background presence on Hua Yuan. From the well-appointed hab clusters of the nobility to the festering darkness of hive bottom, countless millions of gangs and gangsters have been identified and punished by planetary law enforcement groups and the Adeptus Arbites, to scarcely any observable effect.

Although Hua Yuan is technically a military dictatorship under the leadership of the Praetorian garrison force, the noble houses of the planet are given a large amount of autonomy. So long as they keep order, ensure the swift payment of the Imperial Tithe and can be seen to operate within the bounds of the Lex Imperialis, they are free to rule their fiefdoms as they wish. To this end, many sponsor their own private armies of Enforcers to impose compliance. Though these enforcers are often superficially modelled on the officers of the Adeptus Arbites, in many places they are simply mercenary gangs given uniforms and a licence to terrorise the indentured worker population. 

The Arbitrators themselves are, like many other Imperial institutions on Hua Yuan, massively overstretched. Though the officers of many of the precinct houses are diligent and extremely hard-working, the sheer scale of the task before them can seem overwhelming, even when they limit their remit solely to investigating capital crimes against the Imperium. Judge Commanders must forge strong links with other Imperial institutions out of sheer necessity, and it is not uncommon for precincts to be sited near Cathedrals, Abbeys, Imperial Guard bases and even Mechanicus forges.

Firearms and las weaponry are strictly proscribed, the Enforcers confiscate them when possible. The middle hive has less guns, being more manageable, but most citizens with any cash will have atleast an autogun, albeit a crude revolver, a one shot wonder or a "Boomstick". The poorer citizens just carry knives, and as they see little distinction between the enforcers and the gangers, they carry weapons to discourage both.

Among the most commonly reported crimes on Hua Yuan are smuggling, trafficking in stolen goods, defacement of Imperial property and the production and distribution of illegal drugs. The black market is so utterly entrenched that it is said that one could have an easier time buying contraband than acquiring food. On every level, in every hab, an endless supply of merchants, hawkers and dealers can be found operating out of whatever space they can find. These merchants will commonly refer to their clientele by the local slang term "qīn", translating roughly to "dear" in Low Gothic. It very rapidly becomes clear to those dealing with natives of Hua Yuan that whenever this term is heard, someone is about to be either solicited or swindled (most commonly both). 

[[File:Hua_Yuan_Private_Security_Company.png|270px|thumb|right|An example of wealthier gangs turned "Private Security Company", taking protection money from those on their turf.]]
Violence too is extremely common, as the oppressive demands of the ruling elite and the stress of living in constant, overcrowded squalor inevitably leads to conflict. Narcotics, pit fights, enlistment in the Imperial Guard and the forms of meditation taught by many native religious sects provide some outlets for aggression, but eruptions of ferocious fighting are still all too frequent. Efforts to contain mass violence often lead to combatants being given a simple choice: summary execution, or enlistment in one of the many penal brigades.

Unlike some worlds in the Imperium like Necromunda, where criminal gangs have distinct, easily observable tribal cultures common to vast swathes of the underworld population, Hua Yuan’s lawless element defy categorisation beyond mere generalities. Some groups form around specific locations or communities, such as a particular hab block or industrial concern. Although they are typically observed to focus on administering protection rackets and “defending” their domains from outsiders, many also develop a profitable side-line in drug manufacture and distribution.

Some gangs seem associated with large crime syndicates, particularly those which profit from grey and black market businesses. Others are driven to criminal acts by their ideologies or by their devotion to charismatic leaders. Typically these gangs are associated with the foulest of heresies, but a growing number have been identified with Puritan Monodominant and Redemptionist beliefs (whether this represents the spread of offworld beliefs or a home-grown reformation is unclear at this time). Common to both the syndicates and the cults is a desire to spread their influence as far as possible while remaining hidden.

A mixture of the different types of gangs can be found among the highest echelons of society. Some nobles employ well-equipped thugs to wage vendetta against their rivals. Others use their influence to profit from the sale illegal goods or sponsor offworld smuggling rings. Among the most dangerous are simply bored youths with too much money and too little responsibility. A particularly gruesome series of murders has even led some Arbitrators to believe that the infamous Spyrer Hunting Rigs have begun to appear on Hua Yuan, though this has yet to be proven beyond all doubt.

Outcasts like mutants, unsightly abhumans, unsanctioned psykers and other undesirables almost inevitably filter down to hive bottom, away from prying eyes and Imperial judgement. Some, perhaps most, lead solitary lives of quiet isolation. Others, however, band together for mutual protection, companionship or perhaps out of a shared need for vengeance against those who shunned them. The latter are certainly among the most dangerous.