GalaxyNES- No Horizons

Lord_Iggy said:

You're barely beginning colonization right now, this update you were more focused on the Yjogl which you discovered in your system. I typically show fleets as instruments of force projection, so you'll likely get it next update.

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Ah yeah, well I can see how fleets are [edit: in-]appropriate to the Ulla. We have absolutely no concept of force projection right now. But would it be possible to have some kind of cultural/commercial/diplomatic projection, thing?

Thlayli said:

From: The Collectivity of Sanath
To: Ulla Peoples

We welcome you into the Collectivity. The peaceful cooperation and union of all species is, we have logically concluded, the end result of all inter-species interaction. Voluntary union of all species into a Collectivity is the only way to avoid species-wide extinction due to dominance conflicts.

Therefore, we look forward to your coming integration. Your home system and species-specific rights will be fully respected. Negotiation teams will be landing in your major cities shortly to formalize all arrangements.

Click to expand...

-

-> Viewer. Refuelling Station Mauloe Three. Age of Wonders, year 12. Mind-space log, interesting-ness episode, priority rank.

ֱ This, perhaps to interpret as communication.

Ӭ Agreement.

ֱ Contact, excitement. 'Age of wonders' idea gathers strength.

۴ Interested to compare projections of exo-planet evolution-siblings with actuality.

Ӭ Swiftness of response may be appropriate.

ֱ۴ Agreement. Idea: focus on interpreting alien-message. Send provisional reply with pictogram.

Ӭ Agreement. Express idea of cosmic share-ness.

ֱӬ Agreement. We must contact all Ulla. All-Ulla will send 'formal' message-reply.

۴ Agreement. Addition, propose sending of gift-capsule, share many useful-materials. Express share-ness.

ֱ Agreement. Addition, propose sending of organic-foodstuffs?

Ӭ Caution. Star-travellers likely to appreciate raw materials. But our foodstuffs may offend or be innapropriate. Unforseen-ness.

ֱ۴ Agreement.

Ӭ I propose we know our assigned tasks.

ֱ۴ Agreement.

Ӭ Excitement-ness.

-

From: Ulla Refuelling Station Mauloe Three
To: The Collectivity of Sanath

The insect once known as Warmaster Torug prepared for his death, praying in the cockpit of his Strider.

Dawn has broke, the time has come,
Ten thousand hostiles want my head.

There was little to do. He was dead in name already, a lifetime of achievement having fallen away into nothing after his failure at Glare. Or, as he believed, he had always been falling, from the moment he was picked out of millions of other nestlings on his home satellite. Unable to feel the presence of a Zaff Overmind, blind to the bliss of their Dominion. He felt at the edges, touching the minds of the slave races throughout his life, but nothing more than a brush. He was more than mortal, but forever apart from the divinity of the Zaff. Damned as he was, there was but one redemption the Zaff had for him. His sole use was to wage war, bringing the weapons of the gods against their enemies.

They know me by my body count,
and the piled corpses of their dead.

He was the seniormost survivor of the battle at Glare, when the world he had helped conquer fell, he was called to task. There could be no failure, yet there was, and he had not tried to find atonement in death. Yet.

I've let them know where I am,
and painted a red bullseye over my camo,

He had been approached by Zod, a sage among the Zaff. He offered him the opportunity to find absolution by assembling a force of other, similarly disgraced Branigan and leading a suicide mission. Zod desired knowledge of the enemy. He would gain that knowledge by watching as the Zan tore Torug and his warriors apart. Zod was a merciful god, to take pity on Torug so.

I have three thousand rounds, three thousand kills,
and then I'll self-destruct when I run out of ammo.

Strange creatures roamed that world and I eradicated most. It was stranger more since those creatures of so many kinds fighting for that so called dominion. Slaves that will give their life to their masters that enslaved them. This creatures Zaff, they do indeed interest me. I contacted and he seemed weary of them and their abilities. He commanded me to slaughter every single living Zaff. I don't understand him, that seems like such a waste. I will kill most but I must test that race, their abilities, I would like to know more of them and to see if a Zan can have such ability.

While one of us has utter control over a whole empire of robotics, this race as a whole have whole control over entire biological species. They can't control my robotics but they send untold billions to collapse against my machines.

I wonder if a Zaff could understand the infinite mind of Zan, a mind capable of near infinite thoughts at once. Only such a mind can control an entire empire empty of any other minds. Slaves are useless, they rebel and feed while my robotics do all my biding with untold loyalty.

Can the Zaff ability be translated to machines? I wonder if a Zan could control the Zaff weapons from a far, I must test this.

I wonder, how will the Zaff react if I will delete their home planet, where they evolved? Will they become mad? We became mad when we lost our home, but we also became gods. Will they become gods?

So many thoughts a Zan has in his mind. All at once. I will conquer their home planet and I will smith it into dust. I would like to see what it will do to their species, I will also try to speak to a Zaff, from as far as possible of course. Perhaps they can be used as slaves, maybe then enslaving the biological species of this part of the galaxy will be more worth it if they never rebel.

Weak. Craven. Backwards. But I know you can see right through me.

"Tothda was crafted by the Ones who Walk Above! He will crush those who resist and we shall force Those that Suffer Violence to bow down before us! Our glory will speed throughout the stars!"

"Hmph!"

He stopped, shocked, furious, as the old man snorted derisively. The slight was obvious, but Menedit was older by fifty cycles and Ravi technically held no position at all, as a Bearer of Spears [1] for Arbiter of Conflicts[2] Tothda, while Menedit was Speaker to the Ones who Walk Above. In other Halls, Menedit would've known his place, but Tothda observed the customs, and when Tothda's gaze shifted to Menedit, Ravi knew to be silent. Menedit spoke slowly, irritatingly, with the air of smug, bitter superiority that comes only with age and the inability to reproduce. He could hear the old bastard's voice in his head, "Youth is wasted on the young, aye, and ****ing too." Why Sadhili males ever live long enough to see their claws blunted and groins shriveled, Ravi did not know.

"What is this 'glory' and 'stars'? You speak like Those who Give Way, worse, like Those who Suffer Violence, the Fehan. What tainting is this? You speak of conquering weaker Sadhilim, of betraying the Confederation we have formed. What Boril[3] has you listening, that you speak and advise thus?"[4]

Sycophant.

Controlling his rage, Ravi responded, "I thank you for rebuking me, O wisest Speaker to the Ones who Walk Above, for you correct my thinking even as it errs.[5] Too long have I spent with our young warriors, for they have all grown lethargic in their speech, yea, and restless in speaking, for they think constantly about how this so-called Confederation accomplishes nothing and less than nothing, with its defunct Gatherings [councils] and interminable quibbling. We are conquerors, are we not? We are Those who Instigate Wars, not Those who Sit and Talk! We may argue over whether I have adhered to Malla's Rhetoric, but while we do so, the Sadhilim are slowly dying. Tothda has strength beyond all others; he could crush the other clans without effort. We Tothdalim remember fondly his victories over the Drudhilim, the Basdilim, and even over the Borilim Fehan. He is the strongest, he must rule the Sadhilim."

Tear that down, you lecherous greyhide. Tell Tothda he doesn't deserve to rule.

Menedit said nothing, for he knew Tothda's traditionalism was matched only by his personal pride. It was going to be said, sooner or later. This new generation had not had their fill of war. Their fathers were children when the Fehan first came and played the Sadhilim off against each other. They themselves were babes when the Confederation was first formed, and it was nothing less than a miracle of Sadhili diplomacy.

That wasn't true; it wasn't the product of Sadhili diplomacy, but the failure of Fehan diplomacy. The Fehan were ill-suited for the Sadhili system. The worlds were inhospitable, especially the Sadhili homeworld, and the Fehan were few in number. The Fehan traded individual clans technologies in exchange for resources or manpower, augmenting their small numbers with Sadhili allies. Decades of this behavior had made the Fehan arrogant, and diplomatic gaffes are not easily forgiven by the Sadhili. Rebellion, for the Fehan had slowly manipulated the tribes into subservience, was inevitable, but success was limited, and costly. The Sadhilim had numbers, for they bred like wild rabbits and the Fehan were little more than an expeditionary group. But for all the technology the Sadhilim had acquired from the Fehan, it was not equal to that which the Fehan kept to themselves. Worse, it was not standard across tribes and could not be easily reproduced, especially in the early stages of the revolution. A temporary peace with the Fehan was achieved, but it too could not last. And now this young upstart speaks of war with the other clans, returning the Sadhilim to its place of servitude?

The fool.

*******

[1] Effectively, elite bodyguards. For particularly powerful warlords, these are more like trusted advisers and lieutenants who lead troops. They hold no official individual rank in the Sadhili militaries (although their commands carry the weight of the warlord, as they act as extensions of him) and technically own no property at all, as they are considered to be concerned with nothing beyond the success of their warlord, and are consecrated to this task for life. In reality, they tend to be very powerful and influential.

[2] A chieftain or warlord. Final authority within a clan.

[3] Foreigner. More precisely, One Who Suffers Injury/Violence.

[4] Menedit is criticizing the use of nouns, which is becoming ever more prevalent in the speech of Sadhili youth. The concept is novel to Sadhili language, having relied exclusively on participles (or at least words which reveal action, like "trader" or "warrior") prior to their encounter with the Fehan. As one might expect, commercial interests picked up nouns first, and lazy children second. Thus, when nouns which are not objects of participles appear, it is almost always a Fehan word which has been picked up by the Sadhilim. Rhetoric has traditionally been an extremely important part of Sadhili society, in part due to the complexity of the language and the skill of understanding and crafting complex ideas and sentence structure long prized. Interspecies trade is beginning to erode this aspect of Sadhili society.

[5] A highly formalized, traditional response to rebuke by an elder, here employed sarcastically.

At Hess'peh headquarters, seven or eight nurm were working frantically to make any progress on the new i'n system. The i'n would finally allow the nurm to take to the skies and to the stars. The power supply was capable, the supporting struts were made of the finest alloys to handle the vibrations, and the compressed-gas coolant system was top notch. The only problem was stopping the damned thing. The charm-quark timer required the greatest amount of precision to assemble, and the vibrations of the planet were making it impossible. The nurm in charge of the timer project is known as Ano'nm'is.
The nurm that were familiar with him called him by his familiar name, Ano'bartaakis' Nonmorvetol' Mosungulus. Ano'nm'is had spent nearly 2 tidal cycles (10 Terran years) working on the timer with little progress. Only yesterday, he decided it was time to find another way. He acquired a large anti-graviton freighter and took the timer laboratory into orbit. There, in the silence and vibrationlessness of space, he completed the quark timer. This timer would finally allow faster-than-light travel not only possible, but reasonably stoppable. Ano' lowered the freighter-lab to the surface of Nurmtin 7, the large tidal pool Hess'peh headquarters is located in, and brought the perfect quark timer to the leader of the superluminal travel laboratory, Brakus. Brakus thanked Ano' and brought the timer to the rear of the i'n system. Some careful positioning and calibration, and Hess'peh I* was quite capable of moving faster than light.

"A few more cycles, Ano'bartaakis' Nonmorvetol' Mosungulus. This vessel of the stars will be perfect and capable of towing all of the planets we'll ever need."

"I know, Brakus I'nheffus Breitfeldus, I know. We may finally be able to sate her hunger."

OOC:
* It's unlikely Brakus would name it as such, but I haven't worked on how the nurm deal with the names of inanimate objects yet. Hess'peh I isn't the name of the ship, it's really more the name of the project. Great update, Iggy, I'm looking forward to a long fruitful space NES here.

Internal Protocol Sub-Council (City Ship Gold Seraph of Dawn (Akii Telat Nekil in Talk-Nithai)) Memorandum to the Council of Sanath:

Initial return transmission appears to be non-hostile in nature, in keeping with initial Conciliar projections. We believe that the Ulla have recognized, as we have, that this arm of the galaxy is filled with intelligent species. We doubt, however, that they have yet formed a coherent policy of dealing with them.

We are 64% certain that the Ulla will agree that the armed alliance of all species for the defense of all species is an optimum course of action, and will join the Collectivity. Initiation of Protocol Containment Measures is advised against at this time.

Having intercepted radio transmissions from the planet, a Nitha nest specializing in linguistic determinants has been tasked to the assembly of a translation AI between Collective and some of the major Ulla dialects.

Further in-system observations indicate a high degree of localized political disunity. Finding correct representatives with which to negotiate has become our primary goal. Our initial message should be intelligible to the Ulla within 20 Collective standard cycles.

To: The Choon, The Nidkubra
From: The United Republics of Hedge
We wish to open diplomatic relations with your people and expand trade relations as well. We hope to send a preliminary delagation to your world, with the intention of establishing a consulate, and eventually an embassy. We hope to lower trade and travel restrictions between our worlds to bring prosperity and friendship between our peoples. So do you accept our offer?
- President Frit'ide
Executive Officer and Commander-in-Chief
of the United Republics of Hedge


To: The Cherwyn People
From: The United Republics of Hedge
We like to bring our peoples peace. We offer you total autonomy in your domestic affairs. We will pass no laws restricting the liberty of your citizens, nor levy taxes upon your wealth. We shall let you send speacial delagates to the legislatures of our Unions and the local colonial govenment and protect the rights of your people if they choose to enter our society. Your merchants may sell their wares tax free within our
nation. All we ask is that you reconize the soverienty of our colony on your world.
OR
We can evacuate our colonists from your planet, fill your atmosphere with toxic gases. We will then create a series of orbital stations to blockade you within the confines of your world and act as solar and fusion generation stations to gives us a massive supply of free energy while creating habitats for our people. Then we will recolonize once your people have been exterminated.

The Choice is yours...

The First Trials of Director Osgard

Muren Ver Pel Osgard, Director of Krenel, scurried up and down his study, exchanging rapid-fire bits of conversation with several of his comrades. The recent message had contained better news than he had feared, but the situation remained extremely delicate.

"Yes Hernel, I am most aware of the plight of the Talarthyn, but at the same time I am bound to pursue the greatest interest for the Krenelyn Conclave. You know the reality of this as much as I. If the plants continue their offensive, we will all be dead. Their depopulated zone already contains a good half of our former lands."

"You would abandon Talarth to its fate then, Director Osgard?"

"Their fate is woven- there is nothing more we can do. There is nothing that can or could have been done about the plants deciding to settle on their lands... and you know we cannot face their forces head on-"

"We could have though! No amount of their weaponry can compensate for the fact that we are fighting on our own turf and outnumber them by an immense degree."

"Well, the Talarthyn tried, and we helped them- look at how that turned out."

Muren did not like to recall it. The Talarthyn, those who were most thoroughly displaced by the plants, had rallied and called upon all of their allies for a counteroffensive, but were then utterly annihilated in battle. The invaders sent out numerous reprisal raids, slaughtering several defenseless villages. Muren himself had lost three daughters in combat against them- and it had all been for naught.

"We delivered them a setback Director, we showed that they're not invincible. With continued pressure and the combined industrial capacities of Cherwyn... we could remove them entirely!"

"And what then? Any species capable of bringing this kind of force from outside our planetary system is more than likely capable of repeating the act- I suppose it would be unlikely to have them explain their full military and logistical capacities to us before we make our decision."

"And that's our problem."

"Indeed. We don't know how many more forces they can call upon, we don't know if they're deceptive, we don't even know if they could follow through in their threats."

"It seems unlikely that they'd be able to design a toxin to work with an incompatible biological system, let alone create enough to flood an entire atmosphere."

"Well that's the knot of the situation, isn't it? Continuing war against them would be the greatest gamble in all of history."

"I'd take those odds."

"The odds perhaps, but would you take the stakes? Victory or Extinction?"

"It's death now or death later."

"I do not believe so, my friend Hernel. What we must do is negotiate. We will learn more of the plants, and perhaps manage to gain some concessions."

Hernel snapped his jaws in frustration, but did not speak any further.

"I will commune with the other conclaves, and see if we can present a unified message to them in the future. Until then, we must attempt to reciprocate the contact. We will show them that we are beings capable of reason and compromise."

Hernel silently left- farewells are not typical in Cherwal correspondence.

Ruffling his cloaks, the distinguished Director of Krenel extruded his barbed tongue began to inscribe a message into the messenger disc suspended in front of him. A few moments later, he finished, and exchanged a few brief words with a young courier, then returned to his writings.

The courier set out into the empty lands. Beyond them was the colony.

To: The United Republics of Hedge
From: The Krenelyn Conclave
Hello. It is gratifying to hear of communications from yourselves. I do not represent all of the Cherwal, but I wish to open a conversation with yourselves regardless. Critical to future peaceful interaction is mutual understanding, and we know as little of you as you know of us. Thus, we desire to pursue further relations between our species. Once a rapport is established, and some degree of comprehension attained, discussion of future arrangements can be held in an optimal manner.

OOC: Regarding the Choon, how did you try and contact them 1stcitizen?

Lord_Iggy said:

"It seems unlikely that they'd be able to design a toxin to work with an incompatible biological system, let alone create enough to flood an entire atmosphere."

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Called my Bluff

To: The United Republics of Hedge
From: The Krenelyn Conclave
Hello. It is gratifying to hear of communications from yourselves. I do not represent all of the Cherwal, but I wish to open a conversation with yourselves regardless. Critical to future peaceful interaction is mutual understanding, and we know as little of you as you know of us. Thus, we desire to pursue further relations between our species. Once a rapport is established, and some degree of comprehension attained, discussion of future arrangements can be held in an optimal manner.

Click to expand...

We agree with the premise of your message, but we must ugre haste as our officials and officers wish for "closure" in this sitution. If we do not reach an agreement quickly we will surely be ordered to take more swift actions. So the commander of this mission would like to send a delagation of 25 ambassadors and escorts to your territory so we may reach an agreement that will serve all of us. Once again we urge haste, as we may be generous, but our leaders are surely not.

Just repeating an edit- how did you contact the Choon? The exact method will have a big effect on their response.

To: United Republics of Hedge
From: Krenelyn Conclave

Very well, we shall be as direct as required. A council of conclaves has been called to assembly but we have not yet come to an agreement on a course to pursue. Until then I shall serve as a representative of Cherwyn.

The lands which you have claimed once housed the population of the Talarthyn Conclave. Their initial resettlement, followed by the first armed conflicts and subsequent retaliatory raids, has decimated their population and left them bitter and vengeful. We are unaware of how territoriality is viewed in your species, but it is most aggrieving for our kind to be forcibly displaced.

I would propose that the lands occupied by the United Republics remain open to the Cherwal. It would do a great deal towards normalizing relationships.

The idea of having your species present on our world presents no conflicts in and of itself. Thus, if steps are taken towards compromise, I see no reason which would preclude our peaceful coexistence and the presence of your colony on our world.

Lord_Iggy said:

Just repeating an edit- how did you contact the Choon? The exact method will have a big effect on their response

Click to expand...

I send several unarmed satalites that will broadcast the message on multiple frequencies and give a map to the orgin of the device, there is also a written verision of the message on the satalite.

To: United Republics of Hedge
From: Krenelyn Conclave

Very well, we shall be as direct as required. A council of conclaves has been called to assembly but we have not yet come to an agreement on a course to pursue. Until then I shall serve as a representative of Cherwyn.

The lands which you have claimed once housed the population of the Talarthyn Conclave. Their initial resettlement, followed by the first armed conflicts and subsequent retaliatory raids, has decimated their population and left them bitter and vengeful. We are unaware of how territoriality is viewed in your species, but it is most aggrieving for our kind to be forcibly displaced.

I would propose that the lands occupied by the United Republics remain open to the Cherwal. It would do a great deal towards normalizing relationships.

The idea of having your species present on our world presents no conflicts in and of itself. Thus, if steps are taken towards compromise, I see no reason which would preclude our peaceful coexistence and the presence of your colony on our world.

Click to expand...

We accept your preliminary agreement and shall allow the people of your world into our territory if they enter unarmed and submit to screening process. We will as withdraw our military forces 10 kilobranches within our own border (Kbs) (10 kilometers), in an attempt to create a demilitarized zone, where we can conduct diplomacy and other interspecies communtications in a less tense setting.
Let it be noted that if harm comes to any of our delagates, soliders, spacemen colonists or citizens at the hands of one of your peoples (regardless of 'national affilation') we will take swift action to prevent it from occuring again.

_______________________________________________________________

President Frit'ide sat in the cabinet room, using two arms to brace his head, messaging his temples, while rapping his fingers on the semi-organic computer table.
The chamber was empty, save his chief of staff, a space commodore and a colonel and several staffers. He motioned both the wall sized screen to his right, tracking diplomatic messages and the blank projection infront of him. He though a command and a full sized projection of a stateman appeared. The verthomme told him that there was nothing to report, and then the projector flower turned off.
"[explictive], MaGrine (his chief of staff)! Where is the Mission commander? The Assembly won't give me a damn pross (an informal term for the Prosperity, the Global Currency of Hegde) until we get a damn report!"
"Sir, we've been over this we have yet to resolve the issues with the naitives, the resolution will come when it comes. Perhaps you should go rest, or atleast get some 'real' sunlight."
"No, I (meaning the entire staff) will wait until the news comes, then I will march up to those uptight bastards and get the funds I deserve."
...

On Class and Patronage

In Tras'na society, your class, your birth, and who you are subservient to is everything. Tras'na operates on a caste system, with each clan pledging support and loyalty to a more powerful clan. Every Tras'na clan attempts to gain vassals, as the number of vassals a clan supports reflects on the status and strength of a clan, both symbolically and literally. Clans with larger numbers of vassals are the most respected, and, additionally, they'll have greater access to resources in the form of customary tribute received from vassals. Additionally, clans often try to compete for the distinction of being pledged to the most prestigious, powerful, and well-connected clans they can gain access to. Being pledged to a powerful clan reflects well on the ability of your own clan, influencing lesser clans to pledge themselves to you, as well as granting you access to a greater variety of resources and assistance should you need it.

Caste is the most important aspect of a Tras'na. The conceptualization of the caste classes dates all the way back to the Chin'tsa, who divided her brood clans into 4 distinct clans: The Haru Tasa (High Class), Haru Zastra (Shepherd Class), Haru Olisa (Miner class), and Haru Zela (Builder Class). However the system is not so clean-cut as this makes it out to be. Class amalgation, intermarriage, and most notoriously the Hi'ko have created a complex web of subcastes, subsubcastes, intermediary castes, and all manner of other minute divisions. Sense, however, can be made out of this through the Indara'ba, or First Children. This word refers to the original 25 clans spawned by the Chin'tsa. These 25 are the oldest, and most powerful clans on the planet and still maintain the original 4 caste distinctions within themselves.

At the top of the Indara'ba are the Zeptha, or the exalted, who were the clans of the first 5 children of Chin'tsa. These clans are signified by a Tal' prefix before their name. These 5 clans are: Tal'Zutra, Tal'Astra, Tal'Edra, Tal'Erda, and Tal'Ita.

The next are the Hindra, or The Hardy. They are composed of 10 clans, and are distinguished by the Un' prefix. These 10 clans are: Un'Renji, Un'Lasi, Un'Tsensa, Un'Basta, Un'Mestra, Un'Chalesa, Un'Jenshi, Un'Kalidura, Un'Bura, and Un'Postra.

After the Hindra comes the Risadra, or the Wealthy. They were composed of 10 clans, distinguished by the Oda prefix.

Finally, come the Tindo, or the Knowing. They were composed of 5 clans, distinguished by the Gras' prefix.

Generally, the Zeptha will enlist as vassals, exclusively the other Indara'ba clans. The lesser clans of the subcastes will pledge themselves to the Hindra, Risadra, and Tindo, and so society takes on this flow of weaker lower clans pledged to a stronger lower clan pledged to an Indara'ba clan, pledged to a Zeptha. And so you get this nice flow from top to bottom which organizes things nicely despite the exceedingly complex web of clans, castes, and ever specifying subcastes.

The Particulars of the Hi'ke

The Hi'ke, or great journey, is a pilgrimage of sorts which nearly every queen must take in their lives. A daughter is always the first born of a Queen and Tras'ta. The Queen stays in the hive with their mother for a period of approximately 100 years. Once a Tras'ta's fluids have been expended (the Queen cannot produce any more eggs), the daughter is sent out of the nest with nothing. Her task is to approach another nest to ask for a Tras'ta. If a clan accepts, then she is given a mate, usually a patch of land, and a vow of loyalty to whomever she received the Tras'ta from. If she does not, then she must continue her journey. It is disgraceful for a Queen to pledge herself to a clan too far below her caste, and often if a suitor cannot be located within her caste, she will choose death over lower marriage. This happens a lot in the Zeptha and other Indara'ba clans, though does not happen quite so often among the lesser clans.

Usually, the pledge of loyalty made with the suitor clan is a pledge for the entire life of the Queen. This clan who the Queen receives a suitor from, is called a "parent clan". However at times a Queen may be swayed away from her parent clan if another clan forces her hand (usually through a series of devastating raids), or an overbearingly magnanimous gift), or finally, through a particularly persuasive Tras'ta. As again, this happens more typically in the lesser clans. The subordinate Haru Tasa clans will never change their parent clans.

The discovery of Rasi'cha

Rasi'cha is a remarkable substance with unique properties. It was discovered by a very low class clan from the Haru Olisa caste. This low class clan was provided this land because at the time the land was believed to be near-worthless, with none of the minerals that other clans considered valuable, and no game and poor pastures meaning food collection would be equally difficult. The first of these clans to discover the power of the Rasi'cha was the Olisa Zitra. Soon the other clans in the surrounding area discovered Rasi'cha deposits of their own. The power of the Rasi'cha remained a secret to the lesser Olisa clans for some time until some was brought to the Risadra, and through them, the Zeptha. The Zeptha quickly discovered the true importance of these Rasi'cha clans. Everything changed when the Tal'Ita, trying to a leg up on their enemies, offered direct patronage to the Sinasa clan, one of the Rasi'cha clans. This created an uproar not only among the Zeptha, but also among the Risadra clans. The start of conflict began when a jealous Risadra clan, the Oda'Sadra (who were linked to the Tal'Ita), jealous of the circumvention, launched an attack on the Sinasa, clearing the nest, and killing the queen. The Tal'Ita attacked the Oda'Sadra in return, killing many of their brood. This retribution created fear among Tal'Ita's subordinate clans; nest clearing had been a common enough consequence of lesser clans, and the idea that the Zeptha clan was willing to get involved in the affairs of the lesser clans caused a mass exodus of clans from the Tal'Ita and other associated subordinates. The exodus completely changed the political shape of the planet. Balance among the Zeptha, established over the course of thousands of the years, was undone in the course of a couple of years. Thousands of clans were up for grabs, and more importantly, many of the Rasi'cha clans were as well, as other Zeptha followed the example of the Tal'Ida, making personal agreements with the Rasi'cha clans, albeit more discretely.

War erupted throughout the planet as clans started breaking away from their traditional patrons, and started fighting one another for land and rights to patrons. The most intense fighting occurred among the Haru Olisa clans, who began fighting one another for Rasi'cha deposits, and for the rights to enlist Rasi'cha clans. Nest clearing, once an occasional occurrence among the lesser clans, became extremely common, and this period saw an extraordinary depopulation of clans on the planet. During the 641 year period between the Mass Exodus and the establishment of the rights of the Rasi'cha clans - a period known as the Tsantau no Trul - the number of clans on the planet fell from an estimated 5,000 to a mere 2,000

In addition to the bloody fights occurring among the Haru Olisa, conventional, large scale war was being conducted among the Zeptha and their subordinates. These fights were far and away less bloody than the violent nest clearing raids occurring at the bottom, and usually were composed of grandiose pitched battles between both sides on neutral ground, with both sides withdrawing after a conclusion was visibly reached.

The fighting eventually ended when the Tal'Edra asserted dominance over the last contending Zeptha clan, the Tal'Zutra. The result was the concession of the Tal'Zutra of the superiority of the Tal'Edra, as well as a number of clans. Another notable thing of the end of conflicts, was the establishment by the Tal'Edra of the rights of the Rasi'cha clans. They were acknowledged as an individual caste, distinct from the Haru Olisa, and were given the right to carry a Prefix title. This is largely considered to be the end of major conflicts, although raids and light conflict continued to occur among the Haru Olisa clans, though nowhere near to the extent of what happened during the Tsantau no Trul.

On Names

In Tras'na society, your name is everything. It describes succinctly exactly your standing among your clan, your class, your caste, and society as a whole. Because of what could be considered lengthy names by other cultures, many societies find Tras'na names, and their naming convention as a whole to be exceedingly confusing. However, once an understanding of their convention can be reached, it becomes very simple. The first word in a name refers to the larger clan that the individual is a part of. This is usually a Zeptha clan. The next name refers to the Indara'ba clan to whom you are pledged. After this is each subsequent clan down the line that your clan may be pledged to. Finally, when your clan's name is reached, it is followed by the name of the queen to whom you are born, which is prefixed by a word indicating which consort you were born under. Finally, is your personal name. Because of this format, a Zeptha male would only have 3 names, and a Queen would have two. The lower class you are, the longer your name is. Zin'tsuni, is a pejorative word, meaning long name, which is the equivalent of calling someone low class. Even more insulting than Zin'tsuni, however, is the word Zin'ba, meaning one name. When the 26th clan was born and declared to be Ossudra, or Tainted, they were cursed to have only one name. So, to call someone a Zin'ba is akin to calling them evil incarnate, it is perhaps the gravest insult one Tras'na can give to another.

The Akarian day was a cold one.

As usual.

The storms battered down upon the metallic floating city, a reminder to its inhabitants of the constant precarious nature that characterized life on Zephyr. The Democratic Autarchy as a whole was supreme, but the various Leagues and Dominions that formed the Autarchy were not.

Power was gained, lost, and gambled away in the blink of an eye. Great men were humbled and undermined by those they consider their inferiors, and fled into exile, ever patient, ever scheming.
In the midst of intrigue, death and drama, a young researcher, an anomaly perhaps, labored away in a facility far removed from the center of anything. It would be another stormy night. Imputing long winded calculations, he aimed orbital telescope at the stars and dreamed of something new, something to break the impasse.

What he found almost destroyed his mind.

It would be a new day.

Tal'Edra chiChasa Hamsa was rushed. He had received good news and was eager to deliver it. He quickly advanced down the main tunnel to the throne room of Tal'Edra Chasa and her consort. He made his way through the Honor Guard of the Tal'Edra and approached the Queen. After making his customary salutes, the consort Tal'Edra moChasa, bade Hamsa to give his piece.

"News from without Mother," he said with glee, "The Edo'Samtrasa has been wiled away from the Tal'Zutra. All the Edo clans now owe their loyalty to the Tal'Edra. Moreover, the Tal'Ita have voiced a desire to swear fealty to us."

"The news of the Edo'Samtrasa is indeed good news. When are they going to send their consort for the oath?"

"The consort Edo'Samtrasa teRitsa Hala says that he will arrive to perform the oath in three chi'trata (about 2 Earth Months)."

"This is indeed felicitous news. Now, about the other matter. That of the Tal'Ita. Where did this news come from, is it verifiable?"

"I received the news from the Tal'Ita Tin'ba himself. He says that he received orders from the Tras'ta to inform the Tal'Edra of a desire to swear the oath of fealty."

"Interesting, but why would they want to. The Tal'Ita are a Zeptha clan. They bow to nobody. Why now? Why here?"

"My best guess, Tras'ta, is a number of factors. Firstly, the Tal'Ita were heavily weakened by the exodus that occurred at the beginning of the Tsantau no Trul crippled the clan immensely. They lost many of their Haru Olisa clans, and additionally many of their Haru Zastra clans, making it exceedingly difficult for them to support themselves. More importantly, I think though, is that there are rumors of several Ossudra clans who have been making their way into the nest of the Tal'Ita. It's possible that the situation has since become uncontrollable, and so are now appealing to us in the hope that we will help them clear their nest of the infestation, as well as protect and provide for them in the future."

moChasa stayed in thought for some time, before replying to Hamsa: "It is very worrying to hear that the Ossudra have become so bold that they've penetrated even into Zeptha nests, even one so weakened as the Tal'Ita. They grow bolder with every generation. Moreover, gaining a Zeptha clan as a vassal would be major for us. Think of the prestige. A clan strong enough to have a Zeptha as a vassal would draw many lesser clans to us. We shall accept their offer when it comes, and we shall also clear their nests of Ossudra for them."

moChasa continued: "More importantly, our scouts have reported back from their space escapades, and have reportedly found another planet nearby capable of supporting a colony. Our daughter will come of age soon, and our colonial flagship will be complete in time for our daughter to form the first outer colony nest. In exchange for our assistance, the Tal'Ita will provide our daughter with her first consort. This will solidify our new kinship, and allow for a secure, stable new colony. I want you, Hamsa, to return to the Tal'Ita and relay these desires. If they accept then get an oath-date from them. If possible, ensure that it occurs 2 to 3 Naga'trata after the fealty of the Edo clan's. I want time to prepare for the event."

Hamsa indicated his assent, and saluted, before leaving to go about performing these tasks.

moChasa looked on as Hamsa left, before shrinking down. "You are old, you're time nears it's end," said Tal'Edra Chasa.

"I know, said her consort, I can feel old age setting in. It won't be long before I pass on. The question is whether I can live on just long enough to see the final parts of our plans set in motion."

"Fear not, my consort, for I can sense a great future ahead for our clan, and you shall be the catalyst. All of our workings for the last 5 Ind'nopa shall not be in vain, and will result in benefits to be seen for a thousand generations."

I'm still in this, sorry for inactivity, I'll try to get a story in some time this week, by the weekend (hopefully)! If I can do it Tuesday I will, but that's unlikely, so the next time would probably be Friday or Saturday. Again, sorry for inactivity.

Cagnich sat wearily on the bridge ship. With each day the realization that he would never see Catifah again became more real. He along with the original crew had know that they would most likely not make it back, but with all young it didn't mean anything then. But now as he looks around the bridge right now 75 percent of those working had been born on this ship. The thought that they have never seen the world that their species originated was at may times to much to think about.

Of course this was all planned for, the ship was designed to house more people than the original crew as was the sustainable, though the crew did complain about the smaller meals.

He wondered what new things Command had ready for the ship once it returned to Catifah. They've been sending updates to Command on a regular basis along with unusual events, first ship birth, unusual anomalies, that type of things. Unfortunately the communication has been one way. Due to the nature of FTL travel no message could actually catch up to the ship, Command assured them that scientist were working on this problem but it was not a priority for this mission as orders would cover any possibilities.

If the coordinates the scientist have calculated are accurate they should be near the probes point of origin.

"Sir.... I think we've found the planet." One of the communication officers turned from the moniter.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, we're picking up random communications from a single point near the estimated coordinates."

"Send those communications through the translation program, lets see if we can make any sense of their language before we meet them. Also set a high tactical alert for security teams and gunners we won't be caught off guard. Let's see what these beings are..."

This war is going well for me. Their armies fall as if they were never there, what else could happen when creatures fight gods like the Zan. With a thought I can bring armies to war out of deep space to bring down the enemies of the Zan. As this Zaff disappear from the universe I wonder what will come next. Shall I continue until all life is gone or should I save some biologicals for future references? Maybe a Zoo? A Zoo for intelligent biologicals.


I have asked the great Zan if a Zoo is allowed and he seemed to be against it. Why does he fear the biologic world so much? I will make this new major planet I conquered a Zoo. A Zoo for all intelegent creatures I meet in my conquests. Now I must capture a Zan, a true Zan not one of their slaves, and put him there. I would like to watch him. I would like to test his body and abilities. I think that I could take them for myself...

Update 3

The United Republics of Hedge have found themselves quite busy lately with their present holdings, putting a slight damper on their recent major expansions. A peace has been settled on Garv’n, or Cherwyn, as the local Cherwal population calls the planet. Diplomats have been exchanged, a demilitarized zone has been established, and a generally-acceptable agreement has been hammered out by the Cherwal Conclaves and the Verthomme colonists, where displaced Cherwal are permitted to visit their ancestral homes permitted that they submit to their occupiers security screening. Numerous Talarthyn, the Cherwal who were displaced by the Verthommes, have expressed their displeasure with this state of affairs. Some attempted to instigate a new fight between native and alien, though their attempts were foiled by agents of the Krenelyn Conclave, who have shown to be very interested in continued peace with Hedge. Most other survivors of the Talarthyn conclave simply keep their opinions silent, or express them through the weaving of tapestries mourning the loss of their ancient homes and the coming of the invaders. Ironically, this form of artwork has been of some interest to the occupiers, as cultural expression is one of the few things their new subjects can produce that cannot be easily replicated with advanced Verthomme technology.

Scouting vessels have detected an anomaly just a few light years away from Garv’n, but no formal expedition has yet been launched to ascertain the nature of this mysterious presence.

Beyond this involved contact, the Verthommes have also become aware of the Choon. A diplomatic probe dispatched to the Choon homeworld of Took was apparently destroyed, but it did ultimately manage to relay a response back to a hedge, with a single Choon declaring “The Dreamer Draws Nigh”. Elsewhere, the Dancer has come across a verdant gas giant world rich in life- a beautiful new realm devoid of other Choon. The Dancer knows this world as La, for her most joyous and artistic aspect.

Ma’Autra continues to rebuild from the cataclysmic battle with the Watcher. Uex remains an on-and-off battleground, as Rax’Lauki periodically gang together to take down the feral Choon who continue to roam the planet.

Much to the consternation of Hedge, Nidkubran has paid little attention to their diplomacy. Indeed, they seem to fail to even recognize that, by all Verthomme reasoning, they should consider Hedge to be their rivals and competitors. Instead, they tend to come off as bizarrely friendly and breezy. Some Verthomme tacticians have expressed interest in the fact that some unknown species has taken to raiding against the far edge of Fudirunin space, but given the complete failure of Nidkubra to live up to Verthomme expectations as a rival species, said tacticians are on the verge of giving up on trying to evaluate the threat which they present.

The vast war between Zan Shamai and the Zaff Dominion rages onwards. Warmaster Torug, highest-ranking survivor of the Branigan once based on Glare, returned with other ‘shamed ones’ in a suicidal attack on the planet. Shamai, well into his preparations for a new push against Wairt, was caught entirely off guard by this radical, irrational attack. Delicate formations preparing for the vast leap across hundreds of light-years of space were shattered as the massive war-machines of the Zaff Dominion smashed their way through. A new, chaotic battle flared up as this suicide force made its way back down to the planetary surface and began to deal terrible damage to all of the newly-established Zan manufactories and assembly stations on the planet. As Shamai directed his forces out of their invasion preparations and towards the defense of his new conquest, the Branigan showed an even more pronounced willingness to fight to the death than before, frequently taking many times their number in enemy machines before detonating their own machines.

The attack was brief, but dealt terrible damage nonetheless. Shamai was quick to resume his forces for the continued advance, but the suicidal attack bought the Zaff time to launch several new fleets to fend off the immediate assault. Meanwhile, Zaff scouts have raided a series of observatories at the extreme edges of Fudirunin space, psychically enslaving a significant population before leaving to bring these newly-indoctrinated subjects to the front lines.

Zan Shamai seems to be maintaining the advantage thus far, as he pushes deeper and deeper into Zaff space, but the initial setback of the battle remains deeply offputting. There may be far more to these new adversaries than any Zan would like to admit.

Just off the edge of Zan space, the Kog’Vlad continue their rapid technological development, still entirely unaware of the colossal threat right on their doorstep.

The Association of Fplinmy, meanwhile, remains happily stagnant. The timescale at which the Yjogl and Yplein operate is somewhat larger than that used by most other races in this region of the galaxy.

The Tras’na of the Tal’Edra Clan continue to solidify their control over the planet Jen’Tsa. The Tal’Ita, one of the greatest of the exalted Zeptha Clans, have pledged their fealty, adding great credence to the already de facto Tal’Edra control of the planet. Sealing the new bond, a Tal’Edra princess and her Tal’Ita consort have been chosen to found the very first nest off world, on the newly-established colony of Mas’Chasi. The Tras’na are more powerful and united now than ever before- however, not all is ideal. Scouting vessels have discovered an alien intelligence present just beyond Mas’Chasi, while social strife and conflict continues to plague the less-stable and powerful clans.

The Allentryen continue their quiet development, with a few interruptions. The most recent of these is the rather exciting news that potential alien activity has been detected by the peripheral sensor network just a few light-years outside of Nuxue.

Somewhere on Zephyr, a brilliant mind stumbles upon an incredible idea that will change the course of his species forever. Maybe.

Captain Cagnich and the First Karronic Expeditionary Group have arrived at the origin of the mysterious probe which crash-landed on Catifah over a century ago. Now hidden in the system of the Fehan homeworld of Helan, the group is hard at work deciphering the language of these aliens and gleaning as much tactical data from them as is possible, before moving to make contact.

The Sadhilim continue to struggle under the burden of Fehan occupation. A confederation exists between many of the clans, but its very existence is tenuous, even as the very fabric of traditional pre-contact society is frayed away.

The Fehan themselves are content to maintain their slow expansion and methodical exploration.

Above Nurm-Tok, the great project of Hess’peh has at last managed to successfully breach the light barrier, then return to subluminal speeds intact. Those involved have celebrated this milestone, and the very first vessel continues its testing procedures. All this time, Nurm remains oblivious to the Amur science vessel and research facility which continues to quietly observe from deep orbit around their home star.

The Worshippers of Izoza continue to wait for their signal. Aaaaannnyyy second now...

Grand City-Ships of the Collectivity of Sanath rest in high orbit above Naellae, as first contact procedures with the Ullau carry out their courses. While the Collectivity has been exceedingly brusque and direct, the natives seem to be content to build up an acquaintance before making a full response to the invitation order to join the Collectivity. Meanwhile, Ullau exploration of their own local space continues unimpeded.

The Skriv continue onwards, their lives as nasty, brutish and short as ever.

Map

Awesomes, things are interesting for me already despite not doing much. Its almost a 'V' style situation with the Sanath city ships