To The Great Beyond - Space Empires!

Never hath these fingers scrolled so quickly, and never have these eyes been so disappointed./jk

All joking asside, I appreciate your hard work and your communication!

[As for the war, I expect they're intimidated ]

 

”Search team 16 to hub, we've finished our sweep of sector 57. Moving on to 58, prepare for initial telemetry.”

“Acknowledged, your data channel is open.”

Mavelar Gethren Forlint and Dresfer Tholar Hiloron were postgraduate students at the University of Jeqel studying archaeology. Like every other Kowlint with any interest in the field they had volunteered to work on the recently discovered Vorn site.

“Dresfer,” said Mavelar, “is the swarm charged?”

“Reading 100%,” said Dresfer, “releasing now.”

Dresfer opened a small box attached to his belt and a cloud of dust flew out. Guided by Mavelar, but ultimately controlled by their own swarm AI, the nano-drones spread out to scan the immediate area of the Vorn facility, flying down corridors and squeezing under doors, through vents and even into imperfections in the walls to map every room in the search area.

The two students observed on their portable holoviewer as the data came in. Corridors and rooms were given provisional designations as they were identified.

“Seems to be a reasonably normal layout based on what we've previously seen,” said Mavelar.

“Hold on, what's that?”

“I don't see it.”

“That room, 58.2.1b”

“Oh yeah, you should call it in.”

“Hiloron to hub, we've discovered something potentially interesting at 58.2.1b. Permission to check it out?”

“Granted, keep us informed.”

“Will do, Hiloron out.”


58.2.1b turned out to be a large circular room, so tall the survey swarm had to return to recharge before they reached the to. The walls were lines with catwalks and gantries and in the middle...

“It's an ICBM!” exclaimed Mavelar.

“Lets get a better look,” said Dresfer as he deployed a trio of camera drones, “it's a little different to the ones we've found before. See those boosters? I've never seen them so large on a suborbital vehicle.”

“Probably a newer model,” said Mavelar.

“I'm not so sure.”

The camera drones reached the halfway mark.

“That looks like a stage seperator,” said Dresfer.

“Probably just a panel join and attitude control thrusters.”

The drones reached the top.

“That's a door,” stated Dresfer.

“It's an access panel for the warhead,” retorted Mavelar, “I see where you're going with this and there's no way you're right.”

“Two cases of hena says that's a crew capsule.”

“You're on.”


“The recently discovered Vorn site is believed to be a research facility established by the nation of Harren and its allies in the later stages of the Extinction War. It seems the Harrenian Coalition recognised the impending threat to the Vorn species and reassigned their best minds from weapons research to a facility which would act as concentration of their finest talent dedicated to ensuring the survival of vornkind.”

“Obviously they failed, but I'm assuming you found some promising Vorn-tech?”

Chief Archaeologist Drels Pontak Hurden concealed his irritation at Chairman Optarat’s interruption.

“Your assumption is only partly correct Chairman. We have indeed found some promising Vorn-tech, but as much of it is related to space travel we can't be so sure they failed.”

“What!?” the Chairman's front hooves lifted off the floor, a sign of intense shock, especially in someone with the stay temperament required to achieve such an exalted position, “I thought the Vorn never achieved space flight.”

“As did we all, but it seems that if you put enough geniuses together with the right kind of motivation miracles can occur in a very short time.”

“But there's no sign of any Vorn artefacts in space.”

“Any orbital debris would have reentered long ago and the chance of accidentally discovering any interplanetary artefacts is slim.”

“Surely they would have attempted colonising other worlds. We should have found some evidence when we first established colonies off Torrhenn.”

“It seems that wasn’t the case, Chairman.”

Hurden made a gesture and model appeared on the holoviewer. Like most kowlint, Optarat had a degree of familiarity with Vorn technology but this was like nothing he’d seen before. It superficially resembled a thruster but it had elements similar to devices he’d seen when touring high energy particle physics labs.

“What is it?”

“According to what our data-archaeologists have recovered so far it is a reactionless thruster. Our own research into that field pretty much dried up then the FTL drive was developed.”

“What does it do?”

“It stimulates the creation of virtual particles from vacuum and is able to direct the energy of their mutual annihilation to produce a minute amount of thrust.”

“And what use is that?”

“On it’s own, very little, but when you combine hundreds over a long period of time...”

“...in a near frictionless environment a ship could reach relativistic speeds.”

“Precisely Chairman. Although the Vorn databases are file stores are badly degraded we have recovered enough information to hypothesise that the Harrennians intended to build a generation ship and leave the system entirely. My personal suspicion is that they were concerned that if the Grestallian Coalition survived they would resume the war and take it to any colonies established, merely delaying extinction. By leaving the system they would be beyond any conceivable reach of their enemy.”

“Have you found any information on their destination?”

“Not yet. They may even have considered it a secret to dangerous to commit to their systems. If they were able to get sufficiently precise readings they may have considered Teqel to be a promising target, or they may have decided to head into the galactic core to maximise the amount of potentially habitable systems they might pass near enough to analyse.”

“If they did head towards Teqel, how long would the journey take?”

“It’s really impossible to say. There are too many unknown variables.”

“Hazard a guess.”

“Four and a half thousand years, give or take two thousand.”

“If that’s correct then we are within the potential arrival time. Obviously a discovery of this magnitude needs to be shared, but please don’t reveal those figures until we can get a more accurate number. I can’t even begin to consider the possible societal consequences.”

“Of course, Chairman.”

 

Is this still true?

 

He's trying to focus right now in #nes

[eveyone get on and silently judge his awesomeness]

 

I'm impressed but i need to know when to stop pushing reload!

 

Guys I'm sorry, its looking like I'm going to miss my own deadline, once again. I could blame various distractions (like a sunny weekend and some social obligations) but its mainly my distractible nature

That said, I'm going to do a few more hours writing before going to bed, and will have it done within 24 hours at most (I promise!)

I could rush, but I'd rather craft my particular style of narrative and keep things consistent

EDIT: the Psilocybe part of the update is within the 1/2 to 2/3 I've written up, if that helps!

 

Great news! Will push reload a lot more tomorrow!

 

Really sorry guys - I have been battling internet issues all evening, which doesn't help as I'm trying to work with google docs for all of my updating. Progress has been made but the update is delayed for another 24 hours

 

The era of first contacts now comes to an end, and several of the galaxy’s colony-worlds are rapidly becoming as prosperous as the ancient homeworlds of the space-faring races. Loose networks of diplomacy and trade are beginning to knit themselves across the width and breadth of the galaxy. As space becomes more crowded, there is a worrying rise in armed conflict, rebellions, piracy and civil unrest - but there is an even greater rise in trade and prosperity. At least a slim majority of the galaxy’s sentient population holds an optimistic outlook; it seems that beyond current troubles, a new golden age is not far away...

GT-5: Towards Utopia



The Galactic Core

The Flallore exploration ship Hubrin is the first vessel to venture to the core of the galaxy - a black hole with the mass of at least a hundred stars, surrounded by a glowing hot accretion disk, warped by gravitational lensing, with a swirling mass of cooler gas beyond. Using the latest in Flallore technology, the Hubrin transmits spectacular, mind-blowing imagery from a vantage point several light-hours from the event horizon, and a stream of scientific data makes its way back to Desmong.

However, the transmissions that follow are directed straight to the top level of the Collective. There are rumours that the Hubrin is suffering psychological instability among the crew, and - or - is suffering anomalous system failures. Public interest is intense; the Hubrin has already survived a famous near-disaster during a close encounter with the giant star Ilon. Eventually the Collective admits that contact has been lost with the Hubrin for a second time, and its fate is simply unknown; speculation runs riot in the Flallore media. A rescue mission may not be possible.

Meanwhile, Flallore colonists fail to establish a viable outpost among the moons of the giant planet Sovokin - and a potential strategic foothold on the frontier with Hlur-Baiheen space - but other Flallore colonies of Ferron and Dennok continue to grow with the backing of an expanded freighter fleet.

There remains no diplomatic breakthrough with the Hlur-Baiheen, and the Flallore fleet remains on guard in the south. In other directions, space appears empty and quiet, aside from faint, anomalous radio noise coming from several distant stars...


The First and Second Crusades

The Yuma Confederacy strikes back against the Beast’s Crusade with a raid on the [Dak-8] system, where a small Crusade outpost had previously been scouted; a Yuma warship is unopposed as it launches a barrage of nuclear missiles at any identifiable structure on the icy primary moon of [Dak-8b]. By the time a Crusade warship arrives to intercept the Yuma raiders, they are already on their way back to Grand Hive, where the commanding drones are congratulated by the ruling aristocracy for this ‘victory’. The forces of the First Crusade have been outmaneuvered; they arrive to find that the craters blasted in the glacier surface have already re-frozen. A few hardy Varyn survivors and some salvageable machinery are all that can be recovered from the remains of the colony.

The Crusaders mourn their dead, but surely it is only the ignorance of the Yuma that has caused them to lash out; on the moons of the nearby [Olc-1] system, Crusade troops continue their efforts to enlighten the local Yuma to the existence of the Beast. In the absence of Yuma queens and drone-aristocrats - who have by now deserted this system - there are slow signs of progress, though it seems the average Yuma worker is simply not able to understand the full depth of the Crusade’s message.

Back on Dry Sea, there are calls for a show of force against the Yuma, but the decision has already been made to launch a Second Crusade, this time heading into the galactic west, towards a source of mysterious radio signals - from planets that the Hlur-Baiheen have dubbed Hyleen and Queeoohee. Crusader troops and colonists, with warship escort, soon set their sights on Hyleen in particular - to the Varyn, coming from a radiated desert planet, this lush terrestrial world seems incredible, almost frightening in the scale of its ecosystem; wetlands and forests teem with exotic wildlife.

However, the planet is already occupied by an assortment of primitive indigenous tribes - sluggish, faceless, near-spherical beings with numerous appendages - along with dilapidated missile silos built at an unknown point in the past, ruled by erratic computers. And is if this is not enough, the planet now hosts thousands of independent Hlur-Baiheen colonists who have struck out on their own, away from the Stabilising Directorate. There are a series of chaotic encounters, and the Crusade reports back to Dry Sea that ‘some nuclear combat’ has occurred as they attempt to secure a base on the planet’s surface. Exactly what is happening in this system remains a mystery to all sides.

The Directorate has meanwhile dispatched a combat flotilla to this system - dubbed Hooheeoo - on a mission to requisition one of the abandoned space stations that have been found orbiting in interplanetary space. Several Hlur-Baiheen are killed or injured by tricks and traps, as the degraded automated systems on the station do their best to evict the intruders. But with the investment of substantial resources from Seehoo, the station is eventually conquered, retrofitted and declared habitable for Hlur-Baiheen purposes - while an abundance of alien artefacts is shipped back to Seeoo for study.

With efforts nearing completion, the Hooheeoo flotilla heads to Hyleen to investigate the arrival of the Crusade and to offer assistance to their Hlur-Baiheen kin on the surface. The Crusade warship, recognising armed opponents, moves to intercept them and protect the faithful on the planet below. Battle commences...

As with the Crusade’s previous battle at [Olc-1] against the Yuma Confederacy, the Crusader tech advantage and superior beam weapons again prove their worth - though again their aiming is rather fortunate - causing enough damage to the Hlur-Baiheen flotilla in a short enough period of time to convince its captain to disengage and head for the outer system, with almost half their crew dead or injured. The Crusade does not pursue; the scorched hulls of the Hlur-Baiheen ships arrive back at the recently-commandeered space station for repairs, alongside the explorer ship Hreegur, which is limping homewards following a reactor burnout in the nearby [Dm-1] system. It is a somewhat sombre meeting.


Directorate - Andu space

The Iqatha Andu - the government of the Syru race - continues its slow, methodical colonisation of nearby worlds. Growth is again slower than planned on Mylos, which is nonetheless maturing as a developed world in its own right. Attentions shift to the metallic world Etros, which sees rapid development of mining and industry.

The Iqatha Andu meanwhile signs a formal trade and research agreement with the Stabilising Directorate of the Hlur-Baiheen. Relations are good, and the first cultural exchanges begin between Seeoo and Andos in the fields of art and music. Profits of trade also continue to grow; as does the importance of the Directorate colony of Hooyah as one of the major trading ports with the Syru.

However, many of the Hlur-Baiheen attracted to the lush jungles of Hooyah find themselves frustrated. The atmosphere is too thin to allow unaided breathing, or feeding or spawning outside of specially-constructed biospheres, of which there are never enough to fulfill demand. Growing frustrations, coupled with the aggressive nature of Hlur-Guayeem ethnic group that makes up the majority of colonists, spills over into riots, which in turn spill over into shuttle hijackings. With the capture of an interstellar freighter, under the leadership of a cabal of charismatic - some would say insane - leaders, a pirate fleet is born.

Ostensibly searching for a legendary paradise planet - a ‘Second Seeoo’, that the Directorate has supposedly failed to locate due to its incompetence - the pirates steal whatever supplies they can get along the way. By the time they are checked by the orbital defences of Mylos - the first time Syru weapons have been used in space - they have already performed a brief raid on the storage depots of Etros, and added a Syru freighter to their fleet; a number of Syru are now seen among the pirates crews, either joining under duress or of their own free will.

In the immediate aftermath of the riots and orbital piracy - somewhat less than auspicious circumstances - an explorer ship from the Hurrunn Agreement arrives above Hooyah. To Hlur-Baiheen eyes, the vessel seems bulky and utilitarian - oddly asymmetrical - and very noisy across a spectrum of EM wavelengths; the first message between these two races is an accidental broadcast of telemetry from a Hurrunn dish that has locked onto a transmitter on the surface of Hooyah - if it were decoded, a report on coolant levels and reactor temperatures. This is followed by some form of music that the Hurrunn seem to use to mark their communication channels when not in use.

These Hurrunn are venturing from a new space station under construction in the nearby [Sax-4] system, intended as a mining and research base, where a Kul’hari explorer ship has also arrived for resupply. These two races are now on the doorstep of the Hlur-Baiheen and the as-yet unencountered Syru...




The Tac Effect

The Skitarii Mercantile Conglomerate sees a new coalition come to power, backed by the profits of trade with the Tac and Hurrunn aliens. One of the first actions is to publicly announce the existence of the Tac to all elements of Skitarii society. The Conglomerate even hosts a welcoming party to coincide with the visit to Typhorphin of a Tacci diplomatic ship; its curved construction contrasting sharply with the hard lines of Skitarii technology. The announcement goes smoothly, or at least planetary productivity is not seriously impacted, and acknowledgement of the Hurrunn follows several months later.

The Conglomerate meanwhile invests in trade goods aimed at both the Tac and Hurrun; Skitarii-made communication devices become especially popular on Tacci, fuelling profits at the Skitarii orbital station. The militarist cliques among the Conglomerate are given a consolation contract to develop new fighter craft, while the shipyards of Typhomorphin are busy constructing both explorer and diplomatic ships for the growing Skitarii fleet. However, the militarists regain some ground in politics after a Skitarii explorer ship is attacked by Psilocybe forces in orbit of Rurrica...

The Tac, meanwhile, as-yet unshaken from their naive view of the galaxy, and not content with their existing ships, begin construction of an even larger biosphere-cruise ship - equal in size to the Hurrun ‘Large’ explorer - to seek out new contacts from deeper regions of the galaxy. Even while this new cruiser is under construction, Tac citizens are venturing far to the galactic west and south, making contact with several new civilizations…

One of the Tac diplomatic ships, making use of logistical support through Hurrunn space, follows up a lead from the Hurrunn and successfully arrives in the home system of the Kul'hari Collection, quickly setting a course for Principiter itself. The Kul'hari are somewhat cautious - and currently busy constructing a new warship in orbit of their homeworld - but ultimately find little reason to fear these small, floating pink creatures; several esteemed Kul'hari elders travel to meet with the Tac aboard their vessel. The Tac find themselves at the centre of a thriving interstellar civilization, one of the most prosperous in the galaxy, with both Kul'hari and Kowlint freighters arriving from almost every direction.

Tac crew members are also onboard the Hurrunn ‘Large Exploration Ship’ as it arrives in the home system of the Torrhennian Confederacy and the Kowlint race. The Hurrunn vessel is on a voyage to the edge of the galaxy, though its crew have vague knowledge of the Kowlint from their dealings with the Kul'hari, and vice-versa. In any case, Torrhenn is unmistakably a home of intelligent life; a sprawling ‘World Halo’ is under construction in orbit, what may well become one of the Wonders of the galaxy.

Thus the galaxy’s biggest space ship - over a kilometer long, counting from the tips of its forward sensor arrays - eventually moves to dock with the galaxy’s biggest orbital object. There are only a small number of Tac onboard to witness the spectacle, but their language savants play a key role in opening communication between the Hurrunn and the Kowlint; before long they are capable of translating both languages simultaneously, while having conversations with each other at the same time. In a cordial atmosphere, Torrhenn’s planetary defences remain powered down.

Tac explorers meanwhile run into several more alien races. Firstly they encounter two intelligent species in the [Kar-8] system - though neither has anything more than stone-age technology. The second explorer ship encounters a sharp contrast as it arrives in the home system of the Qui, to find itself witnessing a brutal invasion by the Jaar’ar Federation - something the Tac simply cannot comprehend. The ship keeps a safe distance from the fighting...

For any other culture, the number of new alien contacts may well have been overwhelming. But there is no sign of culture-shock among the Tac, who seem to thrive on these new encounters, and play a key role in translating and opening communications on all sides. The one civilization without any military force - it may be noted that even the Dscheri have some armed fighter-craft - arguably has the widest cultural impact in the galaxy; Hurrunn philosophers begin to speak of the ‘Tac Effect’ in describing the web of contacts now stretching across the galactic south-west.


Kul’hari - Torrhennian Space

The Hurrunn are slow to pursue any formal treaties with the Kul’hari, but they do feel comfortable enough to mothball a damaged explorer ship and leave it in orbit of the Kul’hari colony Kul’ante, for repair at a later date; inquisitive Kul’hari are given permission to venture onboard if they wish.

The colonies of Kul'nostrum and Kul'verdia see further expansion. The cultural and economic weight of the colonies begins to push and pull on Principiter; the satellite Collections begin to challenge the rather stoic, traditionalist sentiments at the core of Principiter with a consciousness that is more adventurous and creative, reflecting recent contacts with alien species. For now, the whole remains intact; the Kul’hari have an abundance of resources, though their own logistics have failed to keep up with demand, and many Torrhennian freighters are now making up the shortfall - for a small free.

Indeed the Kul’hari Collection and the Torrhennian Confederacy are among the first powers to a sign a formal treaty with each other - details of which are not fully public, but are known to include trade rights and a fixing of borders in space.

Unfortunately, not all of the Kowlint agree to these rules. Word has spread of the lush world Kul’verdia, now frequently visited by Torrhennian traders, and known to have a similar environment to Torrhenn; good enough to dispose of most protective gear, and within tolerances for gradual acclimatization, unlike the Kul’hari colonists which cannot breathe the atmosphere at all. Frustrated by the lack of open living space, and with limited space available on the emerging World Halo, a kind of religious cult emerges in the more deprived areas of Torrhenn - promising an idyllic life among the lush fields of Kul’verdia...

When a freighter is suddenly hijacked in orbit of Torrhenn, the Confederacy fears some kind of terrorist incident; a new warship is under construction, but remains tied up in the World Halo. There is no way to respond before the freighter completes a rendezvous with several shuttle craft rising from the surface. Planetary defences hesitate to open fire on civilian craft, and the freighter soon heads into super-luminal flight - the elated cultists successfully make their voyage to Kul’verdia, establishing a colony away from Kul’hari settlements. The local Kul’hari are alarmed nonetheless, especially as it seems the cultists have armed themselves and are prepared to fight for a piece of the planet.

The Torrhennian Confederacy meanwhile has other concerns on their northern frontier, as war continues to rage between the Qui and the Jaar’ar. The famous explorer ship Perrel is ordered to pick up salvage it can from the [Ten-11] system, scene of a previous battle that saw several interstellar ships be destroyed. It is a provocative move; the Qui still have a warship under repair in the system and claim any wreckage for themselves. As the Perrel appears on long range sensors, the Qui assume it is a Jaar’ar vessel and decide to press the attack; Perrel is caught while salvage teams are still on EVA, and cannot immediately flee. Only after several powerful hits from high-velocity projectiles - some passing clean through the hull - does the captain order an emergency jump back to Fossell Station, leaving several salvage crews to their fate. Their sacrifice has allowed a small but significant haul of Qui and Jaar’ar artefacts to be recovered.




The Qui - Jaar’ar war

The leadership of the Qui’Kho Empire begins in optimistic mood - it seems the Jaar’ar have exhausted themselves and are vulnerable to the final counter-stroke. Imperial ships from the outer planets and the [Ten-11] system are being repaired and readied to re-converge on the homeworld, while the unfinished heavy weapon platforms are also being readied for action. There is a lull in the fighting as both sides pause for breath, though a steady stream of guerrilla fighters and ‘alien-hunters’ keeps up the pressure on the over-strained Jaar’ar soldiers, not afraid to use terror tactics at every turn; eight-limbed assassins seem to lurk in every ruin, and in every stubborn patch of vegetation. It is a testament to the psychological strength of the Jaar’ar that there are not more instances of psychological breakdowns amongst their troops.

Battle losses have been high for both sides, but the Qui population has suffered out of all proportion; by now, over a billion have died through the combined effects of nuclear bombardment, radiation, starvation and exhaustion. The Qui’Kho race no longer holds such a dominant position; the war becomes a war of all the Qui races, for the survival of their species as a whole...

Yet the Jaar’ar take a pragmatic approach. Extermination is not official doctrine; with millions of captured or displaced Qui now finding themselves in Jaar’ar territory, there are inevitably some collaborators. Combined with the industries that the Jaar’ar have managed to capture, and the stream of soldiers returning from medical camps behind the lines, they are able to raise fresh forces from Schreikne-Quil itself - pressing maintenance teams and stranded spaceship crews into service where needed.

Yet, as it turns out, the skirmish with the Perrel in the [Ten-11] system has an impact on the whole war; while the Qui warship is delayed, the Jaar’ar are first to arrive with reinforcements for the front on Schreikne-Quil, bringing a supply convoy along with another warship and an army of mechanised war-machines of varying types. The Jaar’ar generals open a fresh offensive directed towards the Qui defence guns before they can become fully operational. The sudden onslaught of war machines over land, supported by warships in orbit, is simply too much to withstand; Qui soldiers hesitate and flee from the towering robotic walkers they now face on the front lines.

The Qui fleet completes its rendevous in the outer system, but by the time it reaches Schreikne-Quil, the friendly defence guns have already been silenced, and the Jaar’ar warships are poised in orbit and ready to fight. But with fighter support, the Qui still have a small advantage in firepower; they press the attack, and the second orbital battle of Schreikne-Quil gets underway. However, tight coordination by the Jaar’ar and a dose of good fortunate means they carry the day once again. Both sides lose another warship, but this time the surviving Qui vessel leaves for the colony in the [Zal-80] system, taking with it an assortment of refugees who managed to run the gauntlet of Jaar’ar firepower - some taking advantage of confusion as a Tac explorer ship enters the system. Survivors of the Qui fighter-craft meanwhile descend to the surface, to join what remains of the resistance.

The sprawling capital city of the Qui’Kho Empire, many of its districts already long abandoned, now finds itself under direct assault from orbit and on the ground. Jaar’ar mechanised divisions grind to a halt amidst the ruined city streets, proving vulnerable to Qui troops who have by now learnt to exploit their vulnerabilities at close range. But with the old capital buildings in ruins, the Qui’Kho Empire is really no more - the Queen of Queens is now dead or in hiding. The Qui Existence now takes up the fight, promising to lead an unending war of attrition until the homeworld can liberated from the alien invaders...

 

Psilocybe Space

The atomic-era Rurricans hold peace talks between the three main factions that divide their planet; each is given a quota of nuclear warheads, bomber aircraft and missiles that it is allowed to maintain, while nuclear testing in limited, and all sides agree to limit the use of direct-cycle nuclear rocket engines that had been threatening to contaminate the planet’s atmosphere. The arms quotas are high enough that little disarmament takes place, but it is a significant step; at the same time, there is a fresh wave of ‘UFO’ sightings, and stories spread through the planet’s primitive internet of benevolent, technologically-advanced aliens that wish to help the Rurricans, whose existence is being kept secret by the triumvirate powers - so it is claimed. In any case, there seems to be a growing global awareness among the Rurricans, and anti-nationalist sentiments are on the rise, though conservative forces are beginning to react.

At least part of the UFO sightings may be explained by the arrival of an explorer ship from the Skitarii Mercantile Conglomerate in orbit of Rurrica, and its ensuing firefight with Psilocybe fighter-craft as they frantically attempt to chase it away; the Psilocybe can tell this is not a Tarnakki vessel, they do not stop to ask any questions. Psilocybe weapons are on reduced power as they ping the Skitarii ship’s hull, but the Skitarii executive - facing an unknown threat - takes her ship into interplanetary space and keeps a safe distance, shadowed at a distance by Psilocybe vessels all the while. The Skitarii did however have time to send some transmissions to the surface of Rurrica...

At the other end of Psilocybe space, explorers of the [Mer-3] system unexpectedly run into a powerful expedition sent from the Tarnakki Empire - comprised of an explorer, a warship, and a fighter squadron, and seemingly intent on claiming the system for themselves. The Psilocybe explorer has just finished rescuing its kin from a failed attempt to establish a floating settlement on the ocean giant [Mer-3b], when it is attacked by a coordinated fighter and long-range missile strike launched from Tarnakki fleet. Frustratingly for the Tarnakki, and despite a large volume of surrounding space being lit up with billowing clouds of plasma from a barrage of explosions, the Psilocybe ship is able to slink away without taking any noticeable damage whatsoever, and continues to lurk in the system to send reports back to Semilancea; Tarnakki colonists meanwhile set up a refuelling base on one of the moons of [Mer-3b], potentially putting their ships within easy reach of any Psilocybe-claimed system north of Semilancea.

This skirmish cuts short another attempt at trade negotiation between the two powers. Whether or not it counts as an officially-sanctioned declaration of war remains up for interpretation - Tarnakki attention is soon drawn to events on Tarnakk itself...

Another problem for the Psilocybe arises on planet Lagimae; after decades of incorporating native Lagomids in the running of the colony, and a workforce now numbering in the millions, a renegade faction of Lagomids emerges to claim power over a large stretch of the planet that the ‘sky beings’ had thus far been keeping as a nature reserve. Old Lagomid tribes, and their stone-age technology, are rapidly displaced or conquered by a new faction armed with little more than stolen Psilocybe mining tools and utility gear. This new faction allegedly still pledges itself to follow the will of the ‘sky beings’, while it follows a bizarre cult mixing elements of native mysticism with distortions of knowledge surrounding Psilocybe civilization and nearby star systems. The local Psilocybe watch this drama unfold with some bemusement, while waiting on consensus for how to react.

Attentions are meanwhile drawn skywards; a Dscheri exploration ship arrives in the Lagimae system from the galactic west, having crossed the intervening nebula with no ill effects, and is faced with their civilization’s first contact with intelligent alien life; as it approaches Lagimae, it sees bio-mechanical shuttle craft moving to and from orbit, while the glow from the cities of the Psilocybe and Lagomids are clearly visible on the night side of the planet. Given the barrage of new threats that seem to be descending on Psilocybe space, the local fighter-craft squadrons are scrambled on alert. But tensions begin to ease as the graceful Dscheri ship extents large fluorescent panels which ripple with geometric patterns of light; the Psilocybe have found another race that uses light as a familiar, if not primary means of communication. The two cultures soon begin to understand each other, and the naivety of the Dscheri seems infectious; the Psilocybe are fortitously building a special diplomatic vessel in orbit of Lagimae, and its incomplete hull becomes the scene for the first face-to-face meeting between the two races.

News of the discovery electrifies the Peaceful Union of the Dscheri, and even before any real details have been learned about the Psilocybe, there is a huge outpouring of goodwill towards their ‘star siblings’. The Dscheri are the last of the known space-faring races to answer the question that they are not ‘alone’...


Galactic North

The strong Tarnakki expedition to [Mer-3] occurs against a backdrop of political crisis at home - the abdication of venerable Emperor Honan, who had ruled the Empire for almost a century and had overseen the Tarnakki expansion to the stars. Despite the best efforts of Tarnakki medical technology, the Emperor now finds himself too frail to bear the burden of the Red Throne. The abdication is announced while several potential trouble-makers in the military are conveniently stationed light-years away in [Mer-3] system - yet even with this precaution, several factions immediately pounce to usurp the legal successor, prince Varik. Firefights and explosions break out among the government buildings and palaces of Tarnakk.

The violence is short-lived, however, and Varik quickly emerges as victor and Emperor, immediately downplaying the violence surrounding his accession - refusing to comment on claims he personally defeated some of his opponents in sword duels - and broadcasting to reassure his people from the Imperial Palace, while columns of smoke still linger in the background; it is unclear what deals he may have been forced to make with other factions on the homeworld.

Carvanian explorers meanwhile arrive at the lush, swampy planet now dubbed Tar Livvi by its Tarnakki inhabitants, of whom a fresh wave of colonists is just arriving. For the Tarnakki, this is their first encounter with aliens since the mysterious Psilocybe; they are somewhat relieved to find the Flavians have recognisable technology and communicate with sound and radio waves, much like themselves - even more reassuring, they appear to have a similar quadrupedal body plan. The impatient Carvanians soon send a landing party down to the surface; with none of the Tarnakki imperial troops or warships present, the colonists have no choice but to be on their best behaviour. The language barrier is quickly broken down.

Tensions are meanwhile on the rise again between the Drokmohx and Carvanian peoples. The cause is overpopulation of the shared colony of Oriad and its sister-moons; fresh waves of Drok settlers move into the last of the habitable canyons and claim the last major water sources, backed by well-armed Drok soldiers, forcing those on the margins of Drokmohx or Carvanian society up onto harsh plateaus or out into dusty plains to scrape a meagre living. Violent incidents between and among the two species are again on the rise - Drok troops do their best to maintain order, but Flavian populations increasingly distrust their motives. Drok soldiers continue to track down former pirates and renegades, often crossing into Carvanian-claimed territory to do so. In response, Carvanian fighter craft begin visible low-level patrols over border areas - dramatic scenes are beamed back to Niao as fearsome-looking, newly-upgraded fighter craft fly in formation through the great canyon cities of Carvanian Oriad.

The Drok Imperium meanwhile sees a major effort to catch up with Carvanian levels of technology; there is a huge surge of funding for science and technological institutes on both Tazo and Oriad. Much remains under wraps, and it is not clear how much of this research is directed towards military purposes. Nonetheless, the ancient spiritual beliefs of the Drok remain culturally dominant, and still hold a fascination for the Flavians, despite the growing tension between the two peoples

A second attempt by the Drok to colonise the moons of the [Yrt-55] system is a success, also bringing them close to Tarnakki space - indeed, as Drok explorers move on to the icy planet Isten - to give its Tarnakki name - they find scattered debris left over from an abortive Tarnakki colony that had been abandoned decades ago; artefacts are sent back to Tazo for analysis.

The Carvanian government meanwhile has no real diplomatic breakthrough with the Sehoum Censorate; basic translations are worked out, but only cautious messages are exchanged before the Carvanian explorers move on. Colonists arrive in their wake, however, settling - with some difficulty - on the stormy glacier planet [NRA-1b], in the same star system and a metaphorical stone’s-throw from the major Sehoum-Baloum colony of Junthala. Tensions are raised as Junthala remains in a state of alert, and the Censorate assembles a garrison of armed soldiers on the planet; officially this is to defend the colony against potential hostile aliens, but the planet’s growing community of anarchists and self-sufficient communes also braces itself for a showdown.

In the vicinity, and by a chance discovery, Flavian astronomers detect the silhouette of a free-floating planet in deep space, labelled [Frp-11], with sufficient mass to be a large rocky planet. There is a suggestion this world may even have liquid water maintained by a dense atmosphere and geothermal heating.




Galactic North-East

Sehoum Censorate enterprises are expanded on both Junthala and the cryovolcanic world now dubbed Condeus. A second attempt to colonise the large, high-gravity world of Sadolic is also a success, despite the technical challenges of exporting resources from the surface. Censorate logistics just about manage to keep up with these increased demands.

At the same time as Censorate colonies and trade routes are expanding across large parts of the galactic north-east, the freedom of the Junthala communes produces a flowering of artistry and music, which finds its way across Censorate space and even as far as the Rozu worlds, inspiring sympathy for their cause among certain segments of the population. There are also signs that the anarchists have exchanged messages with the Flavians directly, and may be seeing these new aliens in an idealised light - with what may be garbled quotations and symbols borrowed from Flavian and even Drokmohx culture.

Thus the Sehoum-Baloum population of Aldeks, in the grip of a government-led census and a crackdown on any colonists with ambiguous tax-paying status, begins to see a similar emergence of off-grid communes - boldly defying the authorities, while borrowing heavily from Rozu traditions of self-sufficiency and minimalism - though for now, as on Junthala, this does little damage to the colony’s base economic value. SCEDA, for its part, does everything to cooperate with the Censorate and offers no interference, going as far as to offer substantial compensation for thousands of Sehoum-Baloum who now choose to leave SCEDA settlements in order to retain legal rights within the Censorate. The whole episode is not without public controversy however, and there is a cooling of previously warm attitudes on both sides.

The joint Rozu-Sehoum explorer expedition, meanwhile, ventures onwards, discovering a fascinating steam-age civilization in the [Gex-92] system. The indigenous sentient beings appear to have a slow metabolism, no true arms or legs, and no vocal cords, but make sounds by rubbing appendages against their tall, upright, near-featureless exoskeleton; they have only an assembly of grasping feet and proboscises protruding from their undersides, with which they navigate a nutrient-poor, largey swampy environment, prone to a rolling low-level smog that would be toxic to an unprotected Rozu or Sehoum-Baloum. Their planet also seems prone to frequent, devastating asteroid impacts at regular intervals. Yet these limitations have not prevented the natives from mastering the technology needed for industry and steam power. Whatever names the natives have for themselves and their world remain a mystery; thus far only remote observations have been made, while the explorers debate the merits of making contact with a society that appears to be fractured into many different states.

The Sehoum and Rozu have no way of knowing that they are now part of an unbroken chain of inter-species contacts that stretches across the northern half of the galaxy, all the way to Dscheri space. But news of the discovery at [Gex-92], along with reports of the Carvanian arrival, is enough to give a sense of a galaxy rich in intelligent life and possibilities at every turn; it all feeds into a decision made at the highest levels of SCEDA and the Rozu polities to end the long-running military stand-off with the Gelions of the home system, and free themselves from the burden of a centuries-old war that has never truly ended. To this end, the brand-new SCEDA diplomatic vessel is sent on an interplanetary rendezvous, carrying the most esteemed envoys, loaded with precious gifts, rare resources and select examples of Sureyan technology, bringing an offer of peace to the Gelions and entry into a growing inter-stellar trading network beyond their star system...

This sudden, unprecedented act of friendship and openness triggers nuclear war among the Gelion factions.

As the SCEDA envoy approaches the vibrant green planet of Antalya, openly broadcasting its intentions, it sparks a crisis among the Gelions as to how to respond; steady hands prevail at first, but while the defensive batteries stay quiet, other factions are desperate to take control of the weapon systems and blast the feared Sureyans out of orbit before it is too late. Full scale fighting breaks out, and when the unarmed SCEDA ship detects nuclear explosions on the surface, its captain breaks for high orbit, against the wishes of some of the envoys onboard. The vessel is just reaching safe distance when several Gelion weapons catch up with it; after several near-misses and some expert maneuvering, the vessel makes it to safety - along with most of its precious cargo - though its graceful lines are left blackened, frayed and pockmarked with shrapnel. Behind them, Antalya remains in the grip of conflict, with several major cities now lying in irradiated ruins, other cities flooded out after sabotage of the planet’s enormous dams and reservoirs, and a proliferation of armed groups vying for control of the rest. Yet in the midst of this tragedy, scattered radio broadcasts hint that at least some of the Gelions are still eager to make peace...

---

GALACTIC MAP - FULL INFO

GALACTIC MAP - NAKED

Planet Information Sheet

Faction Stats (!BETA!)

 

Great update Daft! Well worth the wait!

Edit: Carvania is still an NPC in the stats,

 

BREAKING NEWS: Space Empires officially enters the IOT Age!

 

The Ley of The Hooyah Guayeem

Booee Murgeen is I.

Battle Bard of the Hlur-Guayeem!

I feel like my shell is going to crack!

Green lightning crackles through the skies!

War rages, scours and purifies!

This is what the others will NEVER understand.

Strife is growth. Hardship is honing. Struggle begets greatness.

Hooyah will be my whetstone, and in time I shall cut it free from its shackles.

I shall FIGHT TITANS!

I shall best these silent monsters, and conduct a blood orchestra!

I will do war with BLADE, HAMMER and FIRE!

SPLIT FLESH AND CRUSH BONE.

Slay the beasts and take their homes!

MISERABLE MUTES MOULDER IN HELL!

 

The Musings and Discourse of A Director and an Advisor

In a open room ensconced within a ruby-red tower, somewhere beneath the salmon-pink skies of Seeoo's southern temperate belt, two Hlur-Baiheen hung from the furnishings, humming and whirring in interested discussion of recent events.

"That's the Hlur-Guayeem, of course. They are so concerned with feeling and immediacy, they do not truly perceive. They are thoroughly short-sighted people. But nonetheless, they are our Hlur-Baiheen kin, and we treasure them as such. The Stabilizing Directorate exists so that such behaviours and beliefs may continue to exist, and so that the experiential tapestry of existence may be enriched by that existence."

"Certainly, Valued Director, and your repetition of the Five Principles is undoubtedly helpful. However, as you also noted, the Guayeem predilection for impulsivity impedes their perception of greater trends. I hold that this is an important area which must be addressed by the Directorate, lest these larger-scale trends bode poorly for the Hlur-Baiheen."

"Mmm, and what point do you allude to, singing of these grander trends, Esteemed Advisor? I know well, as you do too, what pressures face our Directorate, and the challenges of maintaining the Endstate Civilization.

"Internal Pressures, Valued Director, we both understand well the internal pressures and factors facing the Directorate. My concerns, at the present, are external. The Stabilizing Directorate was founded prior to the discovery of any alien life of any value, and their existence was not factored into the calculus of our state. We are now dealing with a far more complex situation than we have at any point in the past. The Stabilizing Directorate may not be equipped to deal with some of the situations that we are facing now, and that we may face in the future."

The Director's voice grew troubled and quiet, and murmured wordlessly for several moments, before responding in brief.

"That is a deeply disconcerting sentiment."

"I agree. But it is a possibility which we must face, and must do so with consistency and coordination."

"Agreed as well. Express to me your concerns."

"Let me begin with our new companions in sentience. Their value has been clearly demonstrated, and we are stupendously enriched to have met them. Space itself is better off, thanks to their existence. And now, their existence may be threatened by members of our own species, living in the outer sphere civilization."

"The Guayeem Circle. Pirates, yes? They were able to resist them."

"Not without losses, Valued Director."

"Losses are regrettable, but not unsalvageable. Compensation can be made for the value of those lost."

"These are our own species' standards, Valued Director. My job has been to learn and report about the standards of others, which are not entirly consistent with our own."

"Continue."

"Our early observations of the Syru suggest that they may not tolerate the depredations of the Guayeem Circle. Their piratical violence has the potential to generate hostilities between us."

"But the losses incurred free more resources. The Goods of the First Principle may be maintained, so long as resource conflict is avoided."

"There are conflicts that exist without resource limitation."

"Among the Syru? Would they cause war over such things?"

"That is not clear, Valued Director. They may possess strange values that have not yet become clear to us: for instance, their veneration of hierarchy. I am not certain how that might impact their thinking, but it is something to keep in mind. There are many uniquenesses to their mindsets that we are still working to decode. Furthermore, it is clear enough that, while their First Principle Goods are not inconsistent with ours, they are weighted and defined somewhat differently. And therein lies the difficulty we face. The difficulty of a universe divided into two spheres: the inner sphere of the Directorate's Stability and Order, and the outer sphere of chaos."

"Indeed. To which sphere do the Syru belong? They are Hlur-Baiheen like us, in that they can create song, yet they do not have the same hungers, or same desires as we do. So while they are Hlur-Baiheen, they are not... Hlur-Baiheen."

The Director spoke haltingly, stuttering and syncopating his voice, struggling mightily to express a concept that had, until just a few years before, had no place in the language of zeitgeist of the species: namely that there could be a disconnect between being a singing animal, and being THE singing animals, the native sentient arboreal molluscoids of Seeoo.

"That is a matter that must be determined. If we can find a way to match their needs and goods with the system we have in place, they may become a part of the Inner Sphere Civilization. But if they cannot, they will remain forever a part of wild space, subject to or perhaps subjecting the denizens of the outer sphere. If they are strong, they may even come to dominate it. Either way, I fear that war is a likely outcome, and I must reiterate again that they may look to harm the Directorate, should we do nothing to help them."

"It is not the place of the Directorate to enforce Endstate Civilization on worlds that are not yet ready for it."

"We may have to, or face conflict from alien intelligences. Regardless of our decision, we would do well to recall that, as per the Third Principle, war is fundamentally harmful and undesirable."

The Director burbled in contemplation, before speaking up again.

"Are there any alternatives?"

"We would have to reform the Directorate, and develop a third formulation of the Five Principles."

The two Hlur-Baiheen knew these well. The first formulation, born from the scars and ashes of the Worst War, had contained Four Principles: that Hlur have fundamental goods that they desire, that these desires lead to unlimited growth and resource conflict, that resource conflict destroys the desired fundamental goods, and that the fundamental goods must be protected through a cessation of growth and controlled distribution of resources.

Of course, the First Formulation had possessed many flaws. Each birth had to be accompanied by a death. Each life was carefully budgeted for, and deviations from this budget could be addressed only by the steady, impassive application of murderous, authoritarian violence. While at first, this was accepted as the necessary cost of peace and good, in time, and as the memories of the Worst War faded, it came to be viewed that the harsh costs of the Stabilizing Directorate were too onerous to be tolerated.

Thus was born the Second Formulation. Much struggle and violence preceded this, and much hard thought was put into the creation of a Fifth Principle: the right to consent to the directorate, or to freely leave. By creating a population release valve, by allowing those who rejected the Endstate Civilization to live, the prime goods were restored. However, now, the costs of the Second Formulation were becoming clearer: expansion into space was difficult, and it was not an infinite, unsettled void, but rather a place relatively teeming with various sorts of life and automation. Perhaps unlimited expansion was impossible, which placed the whole Hlur-Baiheen species back in the hard times at the end of the First Formulation.

After a long period of thought-song, the Valued Director enunciated clear at last.

"Esteemed Advisor. What I have been told troubles me, but I place great value in what information you have generated for the Directorate. We shall speak amongst ourselves, and to the Syru. We will get to the root of this issue, and find where these paradoxical non-singing singers fall within our understanding of civilization."

"I, and those who work along with me, will see to it, Valued Director. And... though I am hesitant to bring in further complications, I cannot let this go unasked. What of the Guayeem?"

"Warfolk, pirates, hateful screamers. Shocking tones in the tapestry of our shared experience...

...and they, like all things, will have their place."

 

Taizong Edict​

The Emperor Taizong has issued an Edict that grants citizenship rights to Qui collaborators and, while not granting outright citizenship, also grants some rights to the Qui populations under Imperial control. Prominent Qui collaborators have also been given noble ranks, some of them invited to Zhang itself to serve in the Imperial Palace, while the Emperor has proclaimed Imperial Examinations open to Qui for the formation of a bureaucracy to administer Schreikne-Quil.

Imperial poets in the Court have praised the Emperor for his generosity and magnanimity in sparing the Qui people and attempting to civilize them. With the military victory against the Qui, the Emperor is very popular among both the army and the people in general. Imperial propaganda has proclaimed that "All Planets" bow before the Emperor and that it is the duty of the Jaar'ar people to bring civilization across the galaxy; the Jaar'ar man's burden.

Qui captives and war booties have also been paraded across Zhang to impress the people and show the truth of such statements. Victorious generals have been given triumphs; they march across major cities, leading columns of troops and Qui captives. The Emperor also hosted a magnificent feast in his palace attended by ten thousand noblemen and bureaucrats. His shows of luxury and wealth create an image of success and power.

 

From The Psilocybe Admiralty Composite

The Skitarii Mercantile Conglomerate (@ Terrance888)

<incomprehensible><expressions of territoriality>Leave.

<question>New start. New star. <incomprehensible> Communicate new place(Star? Planet?)<coordinates to Sax-2><question>(friendly?not-prey?)

<incomprehensible> Leave old(?- past or present tense) star/planet(?)


From The Psilocybe Lagomae Governance Composite

To Peaceful Union of Democratic Dscheran Isonomic Nation (@ Daftpanzer)

Celebrations!

Welcome to (new friends/opportunities?).

Propose Kx-2 (meeting place/friendly exchange place)

(request): not enter (coordinates for local Psilocybe space).

(request): withdrawal of ships from psilocybe space

Propose – sending trade/diplomatic delegation to Kx-2 to exchange gifts/trade opportunities.


From The Psilocybe Admiralty Composite

Tarnakki Empire (@ Daftpanzer)

(I’m guessing by now we can ‘speak’ with a high degree of confidence in mutual understanding of our languages).

Explain your ships’ attack upon ours in Mer-3b!

 

BY ORDER OF THE PRESIDENTIAL COUNCIL

The recent independent settling of the Kul'Hari world of Kul'Verdia temporarily destabilised relations between the Torrhenn and Principiter. An agreement has been reached with the Collection that has restored our strong relationships with our neighbours.
The Coucil wishes to clarify that Torrhennian jurisdiction extends over the worlds and ships of the Confederacy and applies to any Torrhennian citizen anywhere in the galaxy where they are not under the territorial jurisdiction of a recognised alien power.
As such the independent establishment of colonies on worlds claimed by an alien power is expressly forbidden for the safety of the would-be colonists and the security of all Kowlint. The Confederacy will not interfere in the workings of an alien power's government beyond ensuring that Torrhennian citizens are not mistreated. Travel to the illegal Kul'Verdia colony is also prohibited. A one time amnesty is in place for any of the original Kul'Verdia colonists who wish to return to Torrhenn in light of this annoucement.
Signed,
Chariman Optarat

 

From: Jaar'ar Federation
To: Aliens (Torrhennians)

A drawing is send alongside a message. The drawing depicts the meaning of each word so you can understand:

We of Jaar'ar want peace. We want to send envoys to be taught in your language so we can communicate. Our envoys shall also teach to you our language. This way, we can communicate.

 

From: Presidential Council of the Torrhennian Confederacy
To: Jaar'ar leadership
(note: the message is sent in passable, if simplistic, Jaar'ar)
Hello,
We are named Torrhennian. We want peace too. When our boat Perrel visit you we learn some you language. Please we send you talkers and sellers, you do same for we both make lots money.
Sitbeing Optarat of Emperor Council

 

To SCEDA
From the Sehoum Censorate

Hello.

We've received reports of fighting around your homeworlds. Is everything alright?

EDIT:

Spoiler :