Regency Intelligence Service
The division of the Regency Foreign Ministry charged with intelligence gathering and espionage operations against Non-Viral adversaries. Perhaps the term "general information" gathering would be more appropriate. In the aftermath of the Collapse, the war against Virus monopolized most of the intelligence assets of the Regency military. Which was all fine and well, as the army and navy had proven largely ineffective against the Zhodani and in operations among the Vargr and Human client states. RIS is a "gentlemans" organization, for unlike most spy services, it thrives by being open about some of its operations.
RIS has four main branches: Contact and Monitoring, Operations, Communications, and Administration and Support. C&M is based in part upon SolSec's monitors; RIS recruits all manner of so called overt or open source intelligence contacts, generally people like traders and academics who have information about the goings on inside a particular region or country. Unlike secret espionage, this network is fully acknowledged by the Regency, and in many cases these contact sources work for the other side as well, creating an unofficial diplomatic pipeline used by several nations. Communications are the couriers and secret/overt carriers of gathered intelligence. Operations is your standard issue espionage and spying officers. And A&S handles logistics and normal bureaucratic functions.