The IPL is the unifying governing body in the astroscape. With so many worlds — not to mention so many nations, countries, kingdoms, etc. — in the astroscape, the leaders decided they needed to work toward unification, especially with the major threat of the bug races always at hand. The IPL isn't perfect — far from it — but it's trying. The IPL consists of five main divisions.

IPL Administration
IPL Admin coordinates everything and handles hiring freelancers.

IPL Services
IPL Services provides humanitarian relief and assistance to IPL member nations, and sometimes to non-member nations. Services is one of the biggest users of freelancers.

IPL Court
IPL Court interprets the laws that pertain to IPL territories, and sometimes that pertain to member nations. The 30 IPL Court members are elected by the IPL Legislature every five years.

IPL Legislature
Every member nation sends a representative to the IPL Legislature, which makes the laws. It's also a forum for various races and nations to make their grievances known. It's often a total circus, but everyone really is trying to get things done. Really.

IPL Corps
IPL Corps is the military and peacekeeping arm of the IPL. If non-member nations cause trouble, the Corps responds. If member nations request military support, the Corps responds. If member nations are being really bad, the Corps might invade, if the IPL Legislature instructs them to do so. Every member nation must supply soldiers to the IPL Corps for brief terms of service, so everyone contributes. The IPL Corps is often short-staffed, however, and routinely hires freelancers to do jobs it cannot... or that it would rather not.