GalaxyNES- No Horizons

I've slightly altered the positions of the Wera on the Update Map- I'd forgotten to move them, but haven't gotten around to fixing that until now.

The probe drifted in space, frosted with dust and micro-craters. It had been travelling for years now, but that was its duty. The simple Machine Intelligence wasn’t worried about the trip, or bored. This was actually a vacation to it, left alone with simulations that had run the course of existence many times. But still it remembered it purpose.

And now, that purpose flared across its mind, triggered by what its scammers were detecting: an object, metal and ceramics, filled with air and water. A ship. The Intelligence began sending messages home, connecting to the New Thinkers there. And all the while, it scanned for radio transmission, so that the Minds back home could translate, and let them communicate.
It was excited.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Far away, on Quee’Keh’Kay back in Whai’Earp, in a room meant to communicate and coordinate ships, none of which had seen more than sporadic use for many, many millennia, Seka-qwek-Ena-Adan-Kiak was alone with his virtual game. Oh sure, sometimes Shu’Ghoo would some time take vessels for what could best be called “joy rides” but they did not maintain strike flight-paths or the likes.

K-Ena-A should have been watching the screens and displays around him, but nothing of not had happened for 83 years, so it was unlikely something abrupt would happen. As fate can get very sensitize, it was at that moment the control-feed for the remote probe chimed loudly, startling him and bringing 9375-hekl-Chroka-Thm-Drega rolling in.

“[Excited] The probe has found a ship!” K-Ena-A sent excitedly when L-Thm-D has connected with him.

“[Annoyed statement] I can see that.” L-Thm-D responded, “[Query] Any recognizable details?”

“[Abashed statement] No, sir. Nothing recognizable. The probe is detecting usable radio frequencies, though. [Excited] We could try to talk to them!”

“[Sternly] No, we couldn’t. We’re not authorized for first contact. Plus, they’d need to give access to their computer, or we couldn’t understand them. That is, if they don’t destroy the probe”

“[Abashed] Oh, right.”

Giving one last lo at the controls, L-Thm-D roled back out of the control room, and attached to the communications prongs.

“[Command] This is 9375-hekl-Chroka-Thm-Drega. Connect me to the inner council. We’ve found something.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The probe has discovered an Allentryen vessel, and is attempting to communicate.

To: Vekan
From: Vintorez Confederation

*Crackling Static*

*Sound of Collapsing Architecture*

*More Static*

*Static* here to negotiate. What *Static* demands? *Static* extinction *Crashing Noise* mercy.

It was quiet aboard the Allentryen cruiser the Chairman Kelleu Oter, the bridge was nearly empty except for a few Allentryen manning the immense ship's controls. Everyone was nearly falling asleep by the extreme boredom of their mission; a continued exploration of their home system's outer planets and comets. One of the few in the bridge suddenly said "What the hell is the point of this mission? I mean the outer solar system has been explored extensively.. why can't we explore a system that needs exploring? Like perhaps the Nuxue System.." One of the others responded "Oh come on Jaaert, just do your job and shut up..", Jaaert apparently angry replied "Why don't you shut up Keozen you.." Jaaert's sentence was interrupted mid-sentence by a barely audible radio signal coming from the port side, this sound quickly woke them all up and everyone's attentions was diverted toward the ship's many monitors.. Keozen the highest ranking sailor in the bridge told everyone to be quiet and told Jaaert to go wake up the Captain and tell him to get there immediately.....

Within a few minutes Captain Lyen had arrived, clearly groggy and barely awake and once he heard the news of the foreign broadcast he immediately woke up and assumed full control of any operations regarding this foreign radio broadcast. The Captain then ordered a video message be sent back to the Senate, Chairman, The Grand Admiral, and finally the newly formed "Department of Alien Contacts", asking what they should do. After anxiously waiting for about an hour a reply to their message was received from The Chairman Kelleu Oter, it read the following.

I, The Chairman of the Republic, with Senate approval and recommendation from the Dept. of Alien Contacts hereby approve any efforts you, Captain Lyen see fit in contacting the foreign broadcasters, but we do wish to remind you to not attack or do anything these 'Aliens' may see as aggressive, the people of the Republic stand behind you.

After listening to the message Captain Lyen ordered a binary code message to be sent towards the area the broadcast was coming from, when later asked why he used binary code he stated "Well any intelligent species should know this rather simple method of communication..". The message would contain the location of their home planet Tapani, the estimated number of Allentryen living, average height/weight and a basic image of them. After the message was sent the member's of the I]Chairman Kelleu Oter[/I] sat patiently waiting for a reply..

To: Finto
From: Fehan

Surrender will be accepted.

To: Vekan
From: Vintorez Confederation

And *static* will become of our population?

They will become subjects of our rulers, naturally.*


*Which is, in effect, what most Fehan are anyway.

OOC: Except a certain segment of the population which is part of stories, and a larger segment which hasn't been mentioned yet.

Newly appointed Councillor of Alien Relations Thweir-ghwb-Ghahad-Kwuim-Kwump fidgeted nervously while watching Khada-Tia’Whems displays, waiting for the “BUSY” screen to go away. At long last, it did.

“[Anxious] Well? What have you found?” he immediately sent through the communication prongs.

“[Statement] It seems they use numbers as language.” The Machine Intelligence responded.

“[Confused] Numbers? As in one two three four five?”

“[Statement] No, as in zero and one. Only”

“[Confused] Eh? How does THAT work? Don’t you need more than two...eh...letters? To have a language?”

“[Statement] The numbers do form extremely long strings, yes. I have been working at 90% on this for 37.4891 hours, and am only just now receiving a clue.”

B-Ghahad-K felt a jolt of shock lance through him. With Khadas processing ability, that was like someone working on a problem for several centuries.
“[Eager] So, what have you learned?”

“[Statement] These strings” Khada began, displaying a long series of numbers, and highlighting several sections. “appear to represent letters. Since we do not know the alphabet they use, these are essentially worthless. These areas, however” a different section flashed “appear to me coordinates.”

“[Question] For what?”

“[Response] Presumably a planet. As such, I have compared these numbers into basic units, such a metres, light years, angles and such compared these to a map of the galaxy. Distance from Shgar-Tel-Whan A* at the apparent galactic core is relatively simple, as is distance above and below the apparent galactic plane. The problem is where along the galactic rotation they are, since presumably they use their own world a base point.

“[Degected] So their useless. And the ship the probe encounter seemed to go into hyperspace or something. I guess we will have to send it to try to follow.

“[Exclamation] Not at all! I have narrowed a small corridor around the galaxy, and sent this information to the keepers of the Oracles. If we are lucky, then They will find a planet with suitable radio transmissions. Then we can use the Infinity Gate to move a probe there, once one is prepared.”

“[Questioning] Oh. So how long will-“

“[Pleased staemant] It worked! They found a planet in the right place!”

“[Ecstatic] Excellent! I will tell the Council immediately!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Several month later:

Space twisted, bulged and split, disgorging the probe back into normal reality. Unlike the first probe, this one was speciel, with a full Intelligence, packed with information, video, audio, chemical and even textile, stored in a multitude of forms; digital, magnetic, optical even hard copies of images and grooved vinyl discs with audio. It was packet with transmitters for every conservable electromagnetic frequency, with speakers and screens protected by movable plates, all to ensure successful transfer of data between the aliens and Shey-Wheire.

As it oriented itself, it detected a healthy sun, several moons and planets, including one deafening with radio waves and green and blue with plants and water. It also detected vessels, some with engines flaring to investigate the disturbance caused by the opening on an Infinity Gate. The Inteligence did not know Tapani's name, or the name of it's sun, but it did know that it was on the outskirts of the system identified as the likely alien homestar, and therefor knew to wait here, and make its presentse known.

And so the Intelligence did what it was told: across all radio waves, it played pleasant1, none threatening music, at least for Shu’Ghoo and hopefully the same for the aliens. After all, one should always knock before entering someone’s home. Know it just needed to wait for the aliens to come and contact it, and guide it were were it could begin Contact.

1 Imagine a mix of swing, classical and elevator music, and you wouldn’t be far off.

Consider the most beautiful thing in existence. Is it circular? If not, you are wrong.

This encompasses, in a nutshell, the religion and philosophy of the Qii. All intelligent species, be they space-faring or not, have a phase fairly early in their technological development when the first scholars are poking around with shapes and numbers. Whether you are a furry tree-dwelling creature or a many-tentacled aquatic behemoth, you cannot progress beyond a certain stage without a rudimentary understanding of geometry.

Of course, any species worth its salt discovers the mysterious value of pi during this phase. Some will try harder than others to calculate it. Eventually, they will shrug the anatomical equivalent of their shoulders and give up, resigning themselves to the fact that this was one of the universe's many mysteries.

Most species move past that point. The Qii, on the other hand, were transfixed by it. Circles and spheres were based on an unknown number. Everything was not known, nor *could* it be. The cosmos pushed back against intelligence. The early Qii were obsessed by this point, which influenced everything from their formal language to their spirituality. And, naturally, with the awe and wonder of an intelligent race discovering something that they could not calculate or understand, they worshiped it. In many ways, this can be interpreted (by Kasekral, and others) that the Qii worship the Universe. Among the Nitha, who worship the Qii, the strange mathematical-philosophical precepts of the Qii must indicate that they are angelic avatars of the God-Universe itself. Naturally.

The vast hemispheric crystal dome of Ili'li'i, the largest and grandest city-ship of the Collectivity, might be considered the supreme expression of the Qii cosmology. It is, simply put, a perfect hemisphere of translucent, reinforced synthetic diamond, impregnated with various nano-wires to provide lighting and climate control to the ship within. As far as it can be measured, it is a flawless hemisphere, though even a Qii hatchling will tell you that a perfect hemisphere is impossible but in Iliai*.

Beautiful, translucent, genetically-engineered creatures of the Qii's own design swim through the tanks, living in a planned ecosystem of benevolent coexistence. It is a living work of art, engineered to prove the Qii's essential precept: All organisms must coexist.

*The transcendent super-universal dimension of ideal geometries, in which all things are contained. Various interpretations of this exist.

The dome is actually a ceiling of water, gravitationally stabilized. So, to a Nitha, Kasekral, or Ullau looking up at the "sky," they're actually looking at a floating ocean of tranquil beauty, above their heads. Anyone can enter it with the proper breathing equipment. But the Qii, for whom this is a paradise and a home, they simply jump into the air. Above seven or eight feet, the gravity cuts out, allowing one to float up gently from the gently-waving, sapphire-indigo grasses to the hemispheric ocean-sky. This is slightly disorienting at first, but is both a pleasant experience and an ideal tourist destination for any member of the Collectivity, city-ship or planet bound.

Despite the peaceful nature of Ili'li'i, the outer surface of the dome and the long, thin propulsion section of the ship below are peppered with Nitha sentry turrets, each stocked with railguns of devastating power, supercooled by miniaturized fusion generators that operate independently of the central power core. Further more, several groups of elite Kasekral strike pods exist, 1-man, exoskeletal fighter-suits with hyperpressurized ionic propulsion systems, designed to shoot these augmented warriors to an enemy hull, before ripping into it with monomolecular-edged claws.

Even if these defenses are bypassed, the Qii have their own final protections. Corrosive-expansive agents stored in chambers within the diamond dome can be deployed in flechette bursts, to instantly liquefy a section of hull belonging to an attacking ship. Furthermore, onboard AI systems have a comprehensive library of bio-pathogens tailored to selective races. In the event that the city-ship is boarded by an aggressor, deadly neurotoxins can fill the hallways, instantly leaving a boarding party in paralytic shock while causing no harm to the crew and Collectivity citizens.

There are many in the galaxy who would harm the mathematical beauty of Ili'li'i. But the Qii, and the Collectivity, will not allow it.

The System Collective shall be spread to the Galaxy, with an avenging translucent battle-aquarium at leading the charge.

Update Music

Update 15
Katharsys: Night Terror and Boom Bip: Last Walk Around Mirror Lake (Boards of Canada Remix)

Update 15

With overwhelming force, the might of the Fehan- their expeditionary force still only a fraction of their rapidly-growing military capacity- pounded the less-advanced forces of the Vintorez Confederation into complete submission.

At the very fringes of their exploration, Fehan explorers have happened upon the Mejani Union. A relatively advanced species, the Mejans are a technocratic species inhabiting a variety of planets around their home star, Demi. While organic, they clad themselves in artificial suits for unknown reasons. For equally mysterious reasons, they have not yet developed superluminal technology. However, their material technology has proven to be quite advanced, as the Mejans display a huge affinity for tinkering and experimentation. The unexpected arrival of alien scouting craft in their home system was followed by several enthusiastic exchanges, led by one Ryv Il Lyra, which have helped to establish positive working relations between the two species. Initial reports by the scouts back to Helan report that the ‘Metani’ are scientifically-minded, near par to the Fehan in technology (although presently marooned in sublight space), possessed with distinctly anti-authoritarian attitudes, and thus lack a centralized command system in order to provide their species with direction.

The Karronics remain at the teetering edge of utter economic collapse, maintaining a colossal set of defences in the small nebula enshrouding their beloved homeworld. Trading relations have been opened with the mercantile Akari, with all trade being directed through the world of Dalikah. The search for the crashed Fehan scouts has turned up no results, leading to the generally-accepted conclusion that they perished on impact. Elsewhere, the Third Karronic Expeditionary Group continues to follow the vast migration of the Hammenammir. They have picked up a series of odd transmissions coming from those who have landed on their new world- evidently the migrants are caught up in a debate over whether their new planet is a ‘ribbon world’ or a ‘ring world’, and whether that means that their migration is not yet over.

The New Thinkers of the Shu-Ghoo continue to do their very best to upset the status quo and push their kind forward into the greater galaxy. Their expanding sphere of probes has brought them back into contact with the Allentryen. While the Allentryen had previously scouted Shee-Wheire, it was now the turn of the Shu-Ghoo to do the same and see the alien homeworld of Tapani. Following a brief contact with an Allentryen vessel on a survey mission, a multi-purpose probe was dispatched to make a formal first contact with the first alien life known to the Shu-Ghoo since ancient times.

The Tapani Republic continues its expansion and exploration. Recent scouting around Jen-Tsa reveals the planet to exist in a wild, feral state. Civilization, it seems, has now been entirely reclaimed by nature.

Zan Shamai has struck a desperate bargain with his Executioner-To-Be, Kena. Although Shamai had insulted his senior Zan by accepting that their weapons were anything less than perfect, the pragmatist Kena was willing to forestall Shamai’s termination, if the junior Zan could demonstrate the effectiveness of his creation against the Wera, the ancient enemies of the Hegemony. It was somewhat appropriate- this was, after all, the initial task given to Shamai by the Hegemony, and if the Zan could permamently kill a Wera, then his kind would stand uncontested as the Gods of the Universe. It had been viewed for ages as impossible to truly slay a Wera- their sheer bulk aside, supreme mastery over physical space and alternate dimensions allowed them to evade even the most fearsome weapons of their rivals- only a rare few weapons could even scratch them.

However, Shamai sought to change all of that. He was beyond using simple multidimensional harpoons to injure a Wera- he would erase one from existence in its entirety.

Thus at last were the fruits of Shamai’s many cycles of labour revealed, in a brilliantly simple weapon- ironically, very similar to the tools which elder civilizations had once used to destroy the Zan. The target presented itself- a brash and cocksure Wera who launched a colossal projectile at the planet Glare. Bathed in acid and blasted with high mass and energy particles, the surface was effectively reduced to corroded, semi-molten slag. This action succeeded in wiping out the entire slave population of the planet and the last vestiges of the natives, who had survived centuries of rule by both Zaff and Zan, only to be finally finished off by the offhand prank of an Elder Race. Shamai was suitably angered, both by the death of his specimens and by the devastation dealt to his manufactories in the region, and had no compunctions at all using the weapon against his hated foe.

A great force approached the Wera, a dark assembly of spindly Zan engines of war. The young star-wanderer, throwing caution into the wind, engaged the fleet with what could almost be described as eagerness. He prepared for his first, grand strike, then felt cold- then alone. Utterly alone. The whole universe had gone black. The Zan were gone, the stars were gone, even the all-penetrating song of his kin had abruptly cut out. He was blind. Senseless. Stranded in a horrifying sea of nothingness.

Shamai looked at the void with unabashed satisfaction. A single shot had been fired, and the Wera had disappeared, just as expected. But he would not rematerialize. It was gone, perpetually locked in isolation from the rest of the universe. Perhaps it lived on in some other plane of reality, but as far as any Zan could be concerned, it was eliminated forever. Within his hand was the power to destroy anything he wished- the true power of a god. Perhaps the fools in the hegemony were not so wrong after all- power is a beautiful, terrible thing.

As Shamai laughed heartily into the emptiness of space, Kena could only watch, stony-faced and silent save for a few time-worn proverbs of the Zan. The threshold is crossed. Gotterdammerung awaits.

The Collectivity of Sanath, seemingly rejuvenated by the lifting of the Mechaniform plague, has continued purging the robotic raiders with extreme prejudice. Studies have indicated that they seem to possess a ‘resting phase’- after a certain period of migratory pillaging, the Mechaniforms settle, and live peacefully. It is unclear whether they will resume aggressive behaviour, but Collectivity High Command has decided to err on the side of caution and eliminate them regardless. Elsewhere, expansion of the Collectivity resumes again, as a new world fit for Kasekral habitation is settled, while explorers in new, experimental vessels set out to explore the outer edge of the known galactic arm.

The forces of New Braniga have also laid into the Mechaniforms, at a few points allying themselves with the Collectivity to wipe out remaining enemy strong points between their respective regions of influence. High-ranking Sanathis are looking with great interest towards the possibility of integrating the Branigan at some point in the near future.

Nidkubra, La’Matra and the United Republics of Hedge have furthered their integration into the Galactic Republic, although many argue that the adjective ‘Galactic’ does not yet properly reflect political realities. The major advance here was amongst the Verthommes of Hedge. Having lost vast proportions of their population and influence during the Tenoderan war, it has finally become widely accepted that the best and most influential future for their species lies as a founding member of a growing organization such as the Republic.

While there was much concern about the possibility of further incursions by the Zan Kena, none have come, granting the Republic the opportunity to arm itself, and debate the possibility of a pre-emptive strike before Kena becomes too entrenched in his positions.

The Utarites, stunned by their losses at Unaka, have withdrawn to consolidate their gains, and do attempt to sort out the growing pains of their rapidly-expanding Combine. The continued presence of Unaki slaves as chattel of the elites remains a major point of concern and contention. Meanwhile, Utarite scouts have reached Au’Kalua, still receiving no word from the native Lauki.

Ra, with an ineffable and unwavering sense of purpose, completed the destruction of its latest enemy, wiping out a culture which shall now most likely never be known by the greater galactic community, halting its advance to consume another world, burned to ashes by the might of the Rama.

Map

Ah. The doom. Such wonderful doom. It worked beyond success. Shamai was now truly a Zan God. He glanced at maps of his galactic sector and if he had a face a smile would stretch over it. He looked where were those who dares defy him some cycles ago. The Fplinmy were still there. Their name was an atrocity for a Zan, they were a new race that actually sent back a Zan invasion, a Shamai invasion! But now Shamai was a true god and eternal doom followed anything that he wished to doom. Yet he did not want to rush things. The news of his weapon will soon reach someone that is not a Zan and the Fplinmy will shake in fear. They need to shake in fear for as long as possible, Shamai will take the long route to them. He will enjoy his new achieves godhood for it's fullest.

This was not all he knew. His sattlites already showed movement of Wera towards the sector, many Wera were swimming in space towards him as if they could notice the missing Wera. He assumed that each Wera had a song, and once he eradicated the one that attacked him, his song stopped and other Wera could no longer hear it, most likely knowing what is the only thing that could happen. One Wera was simple enough, but now a whole tribe, maybe even the whole species if foolish enough will advance on Shamai. Kena will probably stay at his corner, perhaps expanding towards the silly galactic union. He would not dare attack Shamai but the Wera, the Wera will dare. Their arrogance will blind them and they will all fall, one by one under Shamai.

As he glanced at the strategic maps of the sector he noticed that a race he already beaten still seem to exist not far from himself and his weapon. Those called Zaff deny to be eradicated forever, but no more. If an elder species, a Wera was so easily defeated, the Zaff left overs have no chance. They will die out so quickly that Shamai could continue his long trip to Fplinmy.

The Tapani. I do not like their name. I am a god, anything I dislike will no longer exist.

to Kena
I have shown you my ability. Will you join me in alliance as the Zan gods? If you do please invade that republic. Their power grows and they become more advanced. As I eradicate one of us does need to conquer lands for more supplies for our growing never ending robotic armies. I still have only one of the great weapons and as I create another please show me I can trust you by conquering the galactic republic.

The following message is 'sent' to the Choon in the form of genetically-engineered biological brains. It includes instructions on how to send a return message through electromagnetic means.

From: The Collectivity of Sanath
To: The Choon

As always, the Choon are welcome to join the Collectivity, and pursue their intra-species activities within the framework of ordered interactions between species. Suicidal and/or senescent organisms within the Collectivity can provide a steady stream of potential...new experiences for the Choon.

This is not the purpose of our message however. We humbly request any available data on the interstellar frame-structures which the Choon use to pass between stars. While we cannot replicate this technology, our ship-construction works desire to create a new frame for our beloved Dancer, so she can again travel the stars, spreading the Doctrine Collective. Her other assets are also useful to Collectivity operations.

We thank you for this, and in return have provided a wide array of sensory data on the planets and cultures of the Collectivity.

To: Shamai
From: Kena

I have seen the demise of a Wera. I intend to communicate this development to the Eldest of the Hegemony, requesting your immediate clemency. It is my firm opinion that even were you and I to merge our powers, we would not be enough alone to stop the amassed power of the Wera. We will need the assistance of the entire hegemony to win this war.

However, if you truly believe that you and I can take down the Wera ourselves, we would do best to not inform our superiors- if we are to die from this experiment, then the Hegemony, at least, might go on. Whether it would want to accept that it had lost this opportunity to exterminate the Wera is another matter entirely.

To: The Collectivity of Sanath
From: Po|Ki|Lo|Ma, Traveler of the Nebulous Infinity

I am intrigued by what you have revealed to me. The Traveler approaches.

I've just updated and added a ton of information to the Species List in Post #2- go check it out if you'd like.

I want to play.

Specifics might require some fine tuning, mostly as my though pattern changes.


The Kadanoff / Kal'thzar
Species:
The Kadanoff are not what could be considered a singular species. The Kadanoff refers to a genus. Having done away with any doubts over genetically engineering themselves, the Kadanoff have long since diverged from their origins as a species. The one element that ties all Kadanoff together is the ability to procreate with each other, to create new life.

The base Kadanoff figure, and the most common of the Kadanoff, have a vaguely humanoid figure. Even here differences are as varied as colour of the body, the number of limbs and even, in the more heavily modified Kadanoff, the ability to fly.

The brains of the Kadanoff are another part of the body that has been heavily modified. However, the improvements made to the brain are such that there is a smaller range of brain capacities.

It is when the Kadanoff move to another planet that this bioengineering really shines, the ability to prune and hone the body to the planet maximises the utility of a planet. It was this that lead to the rapid colonisation of the Kadanoff Home System.

The effect the Kadanoff is that on the Homeworld the majority of other species are extinct. It has gotten to the point that Kadanoff actually eat meat from a Kadanoff derived species. Plants are the least affected, although the majority have been engineered for utility.

For the Kadanoff, to have an example of an non-Kadanoff-engineered species is to own art. For their is no other value in a biological that has not been tuned to purpose. This is perhaps tied to the Kadanoff's desire for maximal utility.

The Kadanoff, of course, have machinery. For every specialised Kadanoff able to do something widely different from the base, there are Kadanoff with different bodies who wish to do the same thing. Industry steps in, and whilst often not as efficient as the genetically engineered side of things, it has its moments.


Forces:
Kadanoff forces have two alternating wings, those that utilise the capabilities of genetically engineered life as weapons, and those that utilise the Kadanoffs industrial base.

On the ground the bioengineered forces of the Kadanoff are without peer, able to turn a planet surface into an infested hell hole of biofactories that eat the planet and utilise the components to make short lived killing machines. More deadly affects include the engineering of native life and creation of biological plagues. Recent advances have allowed for the creation of an eldritch mix of industrial technology and biology. The most basic of which is the ability to launch a biofactory that will locate the requirements for a fission bomb. The most advanced have looked at burrowing into a planets core...

In space these forces have less utility. The creation of space faring biofactories having proven difficult, and of course there is a limit to the amount of biomass that is available in space. Here the Kadanoff's expertise in chemistry and condensed matter shines, through the creation of extraordinarily destructive matter and dense armour. So good is the armour that Kadanoff spaceships have been know to ram another ship and survive intact.


Technology:
Most has been mentioned above. Extremely proficient with associated areas of chemistry and biology. Condensed matter physics also a big thing. Mathematics is rather advanced. Less Brilliant in other fields.

FTL is based on a transformation to Imaginary time, allowing for FTL travel. The Transformation is powered by the creation and trapping of a singularity. Usually created in fairly high powered particle accelerator. In a local sense this has been known to break causality, sometimes to disastrous and preposterous effect. This has been troubling for the scientists working on the tech. Not that it stopped its exploitation.

Description:
The Kadanoff are spread over a variety of Systems. The Home system, Ka'rith, is composed of the Homeworld, Ka, a typical red rock affair with barely sufficient atmosphere, and several rocky planets and a few gas giants. However, it allowed for the evolution of the Kadanoff who were able to use it to exploit the rest of the system, especially 2 other rocky planets and several moons orbiting them. These all existed in the Goldilocks zone of the Sun and was the probable main reason for the initial genetic engineering. Further out of the system exist 3 ice balls and a molten rock, both have house the most heavily modified Kadanoff, still they require the support of adequate habitats. In comparison to the rest of the system the 3 gas giants lie practically virgin. Early attempts to colonise the giants themselves failed, although life has been imported to them, it is their moons that where successfully colonised. Utilising an, at the time, revolutionary break through that turned the radiation given off by the gas giants into something that the local Kadanoff could consume.

This local adaption served the Kadanoff well when the sought out to exploit other systems. Yet to find a star system as bountiful as Ka'rith, they have managed to exploit several systems. Of particular interest is the heavily militarised system of Sapro

Theme for update.

Jyra Ky Vyta was incredibly pleased with the results. The new specimen, which she had taken the liberty of naming "Ijya", seemed quite healthy in the rocky biome of Vyta and highly resistant to temperature. It would live a long and happy life on the fire plains of Vyca. The Ijya crooned softly, flicking its forked tongue in and out.

"I see our scaly friend is doing well?" said a voice behind her. Gyr Ip Vyta, a Vytan with a knack for botany and no skill with animals, had wandered over to observe her work.

"Thus far," Jyra said a little sadly. "She's a beautiful creature, but I have to subject her to a few more tests. If she wants to thrive on Vyca, she needs to be resistant to the toxins in the atmosphere."

"Tragic if she passes, but necessary," Gyr noted.

"With all due respect," Jyra said icily. "You work with plants, and I with creatures. It is more troublesome to me to watch a helpless creature die."

Gyr said nothing to this. "Either way, I don't see how giving over this..."

"Ijya."

"Right, Ijya. I don't see how turning the Ijya lose on Vyca will be productive in the long run. For all we know, they'll make good target practice."

Jyra jerked her head up from the Ijya. "What?"

"Oh, you didn't hear?" Gyr said. "The Fehan really got the Vycans jumping, from what I've heard. Of course, I think that we all look at them with skepticism, but the Vycans are especially paranoid. No offense."

"None taken," Jyra siad, whose mate was a native of Vyca. "But I'm still a little confused about what you meant about 'target practice'."

Gyr walked among the waist-height silos in the biome as he spoke, observing the specimens contained within.

"My contemporaries told me an interesting story," Gyr said in a disinterested tone, picking up a thermos of some fluorescent liquid attached to one silo. "According to them, the Vycans have started producing weapons."

Jyra wore a look of skepticism. "It will never get off the ground."

"They already have support from sympathetic and concerned Lyrans."

Jyra paused, flexing her free hand in irritation. "Smells like the work of Hyz Yr Lyra, no doubt."
"You do your homework, I see," Gyr said in a bemused tone.

"I'm simply observant," Jyra said. Taking a vial, she prepared an injection of Vycan toxins for the Ijya. "Is that all?"

"Not entirely. I took the liberty of inviting a congregation of scientists from the other three planets to observe my works with the florescent grains."

Jyra injected the Ijya with the toxin. "How does that concern me, I ask? Are you going to show them the Ijya?" No doubt to make his own work seem more important, she thought bitterly.

"No," Gyr said, grinning with the thought of the good news. "I simply made sure to invite the right people. Especially a certain someone from Vyca."

Jyra's bitterness melted away. "You aren't saying..."

"...that I made sure to invite Ver Ky Vyca to observe my plants? That's exactly what I'm saying. I thought you would rather enjoy seeing him after so long."

Gyr looked over Jyra's shoulder, the latter of whom was positively glowing. The Ijya was prancing about happily, its two tails swishing side to side. "I see it is still healthy. Hope your work goes well, Jyra."

Update Music

Update 16
Einhänder: Shudder and Zardonic: Extinction

Update 16

For the first time since the downfall of the Zaff Dominion, the infant races of the known universe find themselves locked in combat against the Galactic Gods of the Zan Hegemony.

Armed with a device capable of destroying the Wera, who have stood as rivals to the Zan for aeons, Shamai felt for the first time what it was to truly be a god. With his august hand, the last pitiful remnants of the Zaff were utterly wiped from existence, their stolen world of Morav reduced to a blackened sphere, their fleets annihilated with no chance of escape. All about him, Shamai saw enemies, enemies who could no longer rely on the silent protection of the Wera. All around him, he saw enemies. One, the Fplinmy, was worthy of his anger, for repelling his offenses in the past. A select few, such as Sanath and the so-called Galactic Republic, were worthy of his scornful appraisal. New Braniga, the last ember of the one-time slave species of the Zaff, earned perhaps a tiny mote of spite. The rest were meaningless to him, and one of their number would be the first to perish.

And so did Shamai begin his grand offensive into the space of the Tapani Republic. He invaded with no goal of subjugation, or greater plan- he simply desired to destroy, and Tapani was a name that his universe could exist without. The fleet of the Allentryen was caught completely off guard by the arrival of the grand, dark flotilla of the Zan Shamai. The Admiralty fought their finest, but technology and numbers overwhelmed their defences, and the Zan descended upon the first moon of Nuxue. The green world of Nuxue A was transfigured into a molten ruin, continents cracking and inverting as singularities danced across its surface. Nuxue B, however, provided resistance- the mysterious presence beneath its oceans repelled his first scouts and war-engines, tearing them to shreds through means unclear even to the Zan. His curiosity piqued, Shamai resolved to investigate this phenomenon after he had completed his immediate task of exterminating the Allentryen Species. Replenishing his fleet, Shamai glided effortlessly onwards to their homeworld. There, the grand fleet of the Allentryen species was gathered, there to protect the ancient homeworld of their species, the grand receptacle of their whole history, and all they held dear. Shamai would not have it any other way. Enveloping the home system, the dreaded machines descended upon the fleet of the Tapani Republic. It was as much of a heroic stand as the Tapani could have hoped for, but in the end their plight was all coloured with the same sense of inevitability- despite their gregarious nature, they had never truly escaped their pre-contact mindset to enter the galactic community. In their history, they encountered only the piratical- and now extinct- Zaff, the collapsed Trasna, and the diabolical Zan. With such neighbours, they were never able to form trading relations or alliances which could have elevated their technology to a level which might have reasonably presented a significant obstacle for a committed Zan attack.

Machines descended onto Tapani, and all resistance was crushed. The Grand Fleet was shattered, survivors hunted down. The Allentryen, vastly reduced in population, survive on their homeworld, but the Tapani Republic is no more. Shamai watched with only detached attention, as much of his focus remained on his new weapon, which he used to obliterate a second Wera who dared to wander too close to the eponymous planet of Shamai. However, as he privately celebrated this victory, a second Wera savaged the fleets above Koraft, gravely setting back the construction of Shamai’s growing armada. Still too paranoid to build a second version of his weapon, Shamai has forced himself to tolerate this offense- for the time being.

The Shu-Ghoo watched in morbid fascination and an amount of fear as the Allentryen forces were rapidly disassembled by Shamai. Their scouts accepted several fleeing Allentryen civilian starships, which have directed themselves towards Shee-Wheire. For the time being, the Shu-Ghoo are content to remain beneath the interest of Shamai, and hope that the present state of affairs does not soon come to an end.

Kena, wary of Shamai’s intentions but still refusing to execute the wily Zan, has followed the advice of his junior and commenced an invasion of the nascent Galactic Republic. While a small force was dedicated to the elimination of the Allentryens, the vast majority of Kena’s forces advanced towards a key planet of the Galactic Republic. Fudirun, the birthplace of Nidkubra and homeworld of the Fudirunin species, as well as countless other galactic denizens. The Galactic Republic would quickly prove itself to be more resilient than the Tapani, turning the space between Felton Haven and Fudirun into a threatening minefield, greatly delaying Kena’s advance. The Republic’s fleet was composed primarily of Fudirunin Warships, although there was a significant Lauki and Verthomme presence as well. Numbers favoured the defenders, and the downright suicidal levels of courage and overconfidence possessed by the Fudirunin pilots was said to have nearly won and lost the battle simultaneously, depending on who you ask. Let it be known that while Zan weapons are quite effective from a distance, any enemy who decides to actually engage them at close range- such as, say, a suicidally brave Fudirunin in control of a disintegrating plasma cannon armature- their spindly structure tends to fare quite poorly.

After extended combat, Kena withdrew his reduced fleet, leaving behind a vast field of wreckage and a crippled Republic defense. Frustrated, he gathered more of his forces and charged through once more through towards Fudirun. This time, there was no resisting the Zan. In punishment for the world’s resistance, Kena unsheathed an ancient weapon of the Hegemony, and unleashed it upon Fudirun. Much as Braniga had died before, so did Fudirun. The very forces holding it together failed, as every molecule on the planet, living and non-living alike, was dissociated into a vast, formless cloud of matter. Trillions of Fudirunin lives were instantly ended, as were the existences of great numbers of Lauki, Verthomme, Cherwel, Navartine, Branigan, Kurkrav, and Ullau.

The Republic wept and cried out in agony at its loss, but even as Kena continued his implacable advance, hope remained. On Garv’n, a brilliant Lauki Roboticist, Jua’Oc, was developing what could be the salvation of the civilized species. Though his ideas remained experimental and largely unutilized at the time of the fall of Fudirun, Jua’Oc had, through a lifetime of hard work and irregular fits of inspiration, developed a revolutionary new form of self-iterating artificial intelligence, capable of designing self-replicating and auto-constructing machinery- something that would be sorely needed to replenish the fleets being extinguished by Kena.

At the far edge of known space, relative peace and inactivity remains widespread. Utarite scouts continue their quiet monitoring of Au’Kalua, while continuing to suffer from its growing issues of governance. Ra remains a threat on the horizon, while the Star-Forest grows as silently as ever.

A Choon, Po|Ki|Lo|Ma, Traveler of the Nebulous Infinity, has responded to the calls of the Collectivity of Sanath, traveling to La. While exploring the lush and varied adopted planet of the Dancer, Collectivity Researchers have been hard at work duplicating the technology of the Choon’s Hyperspace Frame, hoping to reverse engineer the technology or duplicate it for the use of their own Choon allies. Elsewhere in Collectivity Space, further campaigns have been directed against the restive Mechaniforms. Military actions have been concentrated around the distant colony of Kurilate, and in the realm of space around Iau- in principle part of Lu’Ma’s space, but a planetbound scion of Ma’Autra who actually tolerated the presence of Mechaniforms- even non-raiding Mechaniforms- was not an organization towards which the Collectivity held a great deal of respect. Here, Collectivity Agents have come into repeated contact with the Rogue Fleet, which is engaged in its own isolated fight against the Machines. Invitations to properly rejoin the Collectivity were once again politely rebuffed, and it seems that Sanath will once again have to content itself with treating the Rogues as an experiment of sorts, and take some comfort in the fact that they remain co-belligerents against the Mechaniform threat.

New Braniga too remains active in the campaign to snuff out the remaining Mechaniform presence, encountering great levels of success. The New Branigan fleet continues to expand, in preparation for the possibility of Zan invasion, while vigorous debates rage amongst the nation’s leadership over whether their battle-tested forces should be committed to aid the Galactic Republic, or remain at home to protect their critical base of Truff.

The Hammenammir, still unsure as to whether or not their migration has truly finished, remain in a state of dedicated inward focus throughout this period.

It is a war centuries in the making. After their longstanding policy of snooping secretly on their neighbours proved to be a poor way to make friends, the Karronics have undergone generations of consistent military buildup, in preparation for an imminent Fehan attack. When it became clear that the impossibly patient Fehan were simply content to wait them out, however, the situation strained to the breaking point. With their economy nearing collapse, the desperate leadership of the Karronic species made the only reasonable choice left to them.

The first strike was a brilliantly timed advance into Fehan space, coupled with the assassination of several figures in Fehan military and leadership positions. Panic briefly swept through Fehan, but an explanation for how the Fehan had managed to circumvent the massive sensor network designed to prevent such unexpected infiltration was soon determined- or, as conspiracy theorists would have it, created. Evidently the Karronics had infiltrated the network some time before, swapping the initial systems for ‘dummy’ sensors which would continue to broadcast a clear signal regardless of their environment. It was through one of these elabourately carved tunnels in the network that the Karronics were able to insert their special operatives. At any rate, an overhaul of the whole network and the installation of a new level of failsafes served to calm the population, and no further intrusions took place- or at least, no further intrusions were recorded.

Militarily, the Karronics formed their fleets into a tight group, which burst out of the Ihi nebula and advanced straight towards Sathan. Sheer concentrated firepower, and outstandingly strong armour were the hallmarks of this fleet, which blasted its way through the widely-spread monitoring fleets and opened the doorway to the second world of the Fehan, homeworld of the Sadhilim. ‘Surrendering’ advanced weaponry and technology to the locals, with the hopes of providing a severe distraction for the Fehan, the Karronic Grand Expeditionary Force was now confronted with a Fehan Combined Fleet. Unfortunately for the Fehan, the potential deathblow could not be struck here- the resetting of the defensive net due to its infiltration by the enemy left the Fehan in a state of temporary blindness, unable to fully trust their own scouting information until their fleet could detect the Karronics directly. As such, a smaller force was deployed to Sathan, significant reserves remaining to defend Helan in the case of a second prong of attack. This feared assault would never hit, but the requisite splitting of forces gave the Karronics hope in their desperate gamble of an offensive. The engagement over Sathan, as observed by a dumbfounded group of Akari scouts, ended in defeat for the Fehan- however, not all was lost, as much of the fleet, which possessed far greater mobility than its Karronic counterpart, was able to escape to Helan, where it would make repairs and prepare for a second offensive.

On Sathan, the situation is grim for the Fehan. Their military advantage gone, a combination of heavily-armed Sathan Clans and regular Karronic Incrusions have reduced the Fehan to their last few holdouts. Meanwhile, the Karronics seek to use their control of the planet as a bargaining chip, to ensure their continued security in the presence of the ever-growing threat of the Fehan. For now, the situation remains poised on the edge of a resumption of heavy warfare- time will tell if diplomacy can work out an alternate solution to the bloody conflict ahead.

The Mejani Union continues to adapt to the post-Fehan contact world, and their known universe grows by another species. Scouts of the Kadanoff, a species notable for the primacy of genetic engineering in their day to day lives, have also arrived at the outer reaches of Mejan space. The two species have gotten along quite well, both sharing a passion of learning and knowledge, and (on average) vaguely similar body structures. However, the Kadanoff have come to find Mejan methods of problem-solving to be inelegant, and sometimes downright impractical- keeping in mind that this critique is coming from a species with an extremely deeply-ingrained belief that everything must have a clear purpose and utility. Despite these differences, the two species have taken part in good-faith knowledge exchanges, and hopes are high for further cooperation between the two in the future.

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