History of the Galaxy, part 1-Story Thread

[Jmenschenfresser]

2410.8
...from the transcript of the Zynarra surrender...

Zynarran Fleet Admiral, 5th Commission:
*loud disgusted snort* "Damn your God and your ways! I am signing away the freedom of my people and you say you haven't a drop of booze on this ship so I may at least do it inebriated. May you rot in your own religion if you attempt to do the same for Cephedri I. The people will take to distilling the blood of the Norak. [someone muttering in the background] Yes, yes. I'm signing! I'm signing. [pause] There! Happy? The Zynarra are no more. Yes, a union of unhappiness and those land grabbing Sallega are all to blame. Had they actually helped their allies rather than undermined them we'd have ripped the Amon'krie new ones! [words from the Norak Counsel] Ah, don't patronize me. We kicked your asses years ago, and you never returned to Cephedri...except to clean up the garbage...just like you moochers did with the Xi'Chung. Were it not for the underhanded activities of the Sallega, we'd have done the same to the Amon'krie. Now I get word that the Amon'krie has broken off relations with the both of you. Good! If you want to put one more article in that worthless treaty of yours just to satisfy an old Zynarra, promise you'll cut the throat of every Last Amon'krie. [more words from the Norak] Take it from someone who knows...you'll never have peace with them until they are all buried."

Talk enough and statistically you're a prophet...or so said my mentor. The Admiral could be right about the Amon'krie. Going on five years, our peace with the Amon'krie balanced on a knife's edge. Will war come? No doubt the Amon'krie are tense...our colonies, and those of the Sallega, hem them in on all sides now. But they have nothing to blame but their violent actions. It's been almost a year since the Zynarra surrendered to us. The Sallega approached our diplomats and insiders a few short months before the Zynarra fell with the concern of recent Amon'krie incursions into Cephedri. The Zynarra and the Sallega had long been allies and the Sallega did not wish to see millions die in a war of greed. The Zynarra government certainly was not innocent in the matter. They'd attacked Amon'krie freighters passing through their space and Amon'krie fleets on their way to raid the Farzah riches. Many Norak revisionists feel the Sallega became involved more for the land to gain, than the lives to save, and in this say their guilt is the same as that of the Amon'krie. Whatever the case may be, the Almighty is the only one fit to judge the darkness of empires.

Our fleet of aging destroyers and light cruisers moved into Zynarra space at about the same time Tallik and I met an Ambassador Calvert from the Sallega. We'd given the Zynarra one Last chance at peace and during the course of the meeting, we got word that they had refused. The Elders quickly sent the fleet to blockade Cephedri I, the Zynarra homeworld. Our reason was both to show all parties that we were not going to allow this madness to continue. The Amon'krie, however, took the initiative upon seeing how many Zynarra vessels were more concerned with our fleet than the protection of their borders. The Amon'krie destroyed three Zynarra colonies within 2 months. Like dominos the causes and effects were evident. No sooner had these fires died out than the Sallega began colonizing and storming the worlds of their once allies in the name of protection. I have no doubt many Zynarra grandmothers thanked them. Three Amon'krie ships took orbit outside of our blockade. Over the 3 month blockade, two Zynarra ships attempted to run it...both were destroyed without a scratch upon our vessels.

As far as I know, the Sallega asked for the Zynarra's surrender. Two days later a diplomatic escort of the Zynarra docked with our flag ship stating that they wished to surrender to us. Several Deacons secretly stationed on Cephedri I had previously been in contact with the Zynarran government, outlining the Norak terms of surrender were they to choose to so proceed; however, it was made abundantly clear that they would need to make the first open move in appealing to our representatives. The Counsel did not wish to appear to swipe the Zynarra homeworld out from under the Sallega or the Amon'krie. Of course, secrets aren't really secret, but the official Version is mostly what matters, because no one wants to start calling the other a liar.

Soon after Tallik's predictions of difficulties with the Amon'krie came true. The Amon'krie broke ties with both us and the Sallega. The Norak are used to rough ties with the Amon'krie, and as the She who washes soil from the feet of sinners has commanded, forgive your enemies once for each grain of sand. The Sallega are not used to dealing with them we fear. I am not certain of the events between the Amon'krie and the Sallega since the fall of the Zynarra, but I have heard they are not happy bedfellows.

Turning asteroids into planets is turning out to be a rather painless experience for the Norak, if you can lay aside the figures which estimate that the Nevada Xa sucks up a tenth of the empires resources in maintanence alone. The job of making the two outerlying systems habitable is more than half done. Many of the worlds are already populated.

...

I am just back from my evening discussions with Tallik. We are presently stationed on Cephedri I. I have been given the task of creating a suitable Norak influence in the old Zynarra Universities and Academies. The Zynarra, like the Amon'krie, have an innate dislike for our religion. The Amon'krie's reason is different; they do not quite take to a melting pot idea of the galaxy. I don't really see how this is a livable alternative being that we have so much to benefit from one another. Why cordon yourself off? The Zynarra on the otherhand are rugged individualists. Their hostility is probably just pride. I suppose some pride need be allotted to a beaten race so that it may retain some of its former glory and culture. The Zynarra love to discuss things at lenght, and as I am of the same mind, and although they may at time wish coals upon my head, the discussions I've had with their students and professors is grand and sweeping. Most still do not respect my ideas, the ideas and concepts laid out in the Text, but most respect me for my arguements. Perhaps if I can maintain a defense against my own pride, I can one day convince them to argue from my point of view, and that is really all that matters to the Zynarra....point of view.

Deep space exploration of the eastern parts of the galaxy have revealed to us two new races: the Eee and one we have just met and the name of which I have not heard (a neutral race). The Eee, in exchange for Ice colonization technology, have shown us their own method of colonizing gas planets. We've put this knowledge to use in several cases and other than one mishap which involved the accidental igniting of a pocket of helium on one world, this move forward has gone as planned and promised.

Several months ago the Sergetti, with whom we now have no relations, sent three warships to what the Counsel assumed to be an attack on one of our colonies in their space. Actually we now only have one colony in their space, since the Sallega have driven them out of the system neighboring Organtrix. This planet of which I write lies in the system one over...I am not sure of the name. Our primitive sensor array on this planet prevented us from seeing their fleet as it hid behind the planet which lies in the next sector west of our colony. Once the colony did see it, our secret was laid open. All three ships smashed into our mine field. Tallik showed me the visual from the attempted attack. The ships approached in attack formation, moving silently through space, when suddenly, one of them rocked heavily as its belly was torn open in a blueish-orangish bLast. As the ship spun out of control, several more explosions caved in its frontal section and sheered off its engines. The two other ships did what any captain would have done...come to a full stop and attempt to turn. However, that is what these mines are precisely designed to counter. They have on them certain homing devices which when given the chance to persue can out run slower ships. The other two ships disappeared in two collections of bright lights.

The Norak Counsel has kept the mines a secret for quite some time from its own public, fearing a backlash of disapproval. Readers may ask themselves why would they fear disapproval, well, like all things, the Counsel was hoping for an occurance just like the one the Sergetti instigated. Without proof that the mines could cheaply protect Norak citizens, their worth would be judged on the military's ability to control accidents concerning these mines. I mean, it would soon be known that these mines track certain signitures of ships, but only with the help of landbased relays. Were these landbased stations ever to malfunction, it is quite conceiveable these mines would swoop down upon the nearest object--be it ship or planet. The Norak have since revealed to the public that other planets have mines around them, but they have not and refuse to reveal which ones. The biggest opponents todate are space trucker unions and the like. They are certainly the ones most vunerable. While the Counsel argues over the future of static defenses, the people whose lives they have already saved, though surprised, cannot denounce them without digging their own graves.

Tonight's discussion was a real one, and by that I mean, it wasn't for personal benefit, like say a talk on physics or literature or personal ideas on the relationship between the CueCappan notion of predestination and our idea of free will within the omniscience of She who can see what isn't. No, Tallik and I are two on the same mission. The Farzah recently feigned an attack on Cephedri I. Ten of their warships entered Cephedri in two fleets, moved on Cephedri I and then turned and left. Although never having fired a shot at one another, we are officially at war. They were the first to declare, but the Counsel was also quick to return the jesture. Back on Xiban I, new schools and ministries of intelligence are popping up. The Norak Counsel upon relieving the Zynarra government of it's duties found a massive intelligence network in operation. Tallik and I have been at the forefront of learning from it and drawing up its benefits for the Norak. At first, we thought it best to establish a fledgling network inside the Amon'krie government, but since the Farzah showed their perfect willingness to make a move into Cephedri, we've decided it better to focus our efforts on the Farzah. The Amon'krie, if they turn violent, can be subdued militarily, and recent intelligence suggests that the Sallega will pounce upon the Amon'krie at the drop of a hat. The Farzah are another story. A war with them would burn countless worlds. Our ships are old and not at all ready to deal with the Farzah who possess advanced torpedos and shielding. The Counsel has yet to devote the necessary research and resources to refitting the fleets, so instead, they've given us the charge to impress upon them our capabilites through covert ops and intelligence. Plans are in the works to steal several of their ships for technology purposes. Beyond that Tallik puts forth the old Amon'krie saying: "Attack he who from battle returns." Tallik thinks we could weaken them by covertly breaking their ties to other races. This was the main topic of discussion tonight, and one that is not nearly finished.

I barely remember back to the time of my first space flight, and I wonder if I have changed for the better or the worse. I was quite the simple Monk back then...now I discuss the destruction of empires like it were my next meal. I have not seen Pellwain in five years. I wonder if I would seem different to her. If space turns your soul black eventually. My greatest fear is that I have become a pragmatist and not an idealist. The ancient notion of means and ends and the justification of both haunts me. I am called back to the words of my mentor and they seem to be the only constant thread this Last decade, "It's not what happens to you that matters...it is how you deal with it."